Time on The Farm

I love any excuse to drive out to The Farm northwest of Eureka Springs. Its serene landscape and shaded trails are a natural antidepressant.

Or maybe it’s the emotional residue of the place hosting hippie (and hippie-ish) festivals for more than a decade.

My most recent excuse was an interview with Jon Walker, founder of the Grateful Dead-themed campground and event venue.

Jon and the area’s thriving jamgrass musical scene are the focus of the second-to-last chapter of my upcoming book, Welcome to Eureka Springs: The I-Sh*t-You-Not History of America’s Quirkiest Town.

Jamgrass fans flock to The Farm’s Hillberry festival. This October’s event features genre legends such as Railroad Earth and Leftover Salmon, national draws such as Old Crow Medicine Show and Béla Fleck, and impressive regional talent.

I’m happy the finish line is coming in sight, and can’t wait to hold a copy of the book in my hands. Or in the case of the ebook and audiobook, in my phone.

This was likely my last interview. I have one chapter left, but I think I have enough material for that one. I expect to wrap up the text in the next few weeks. Stay tuned for a launch date.