Photos: A Rainy Sunday at Dickson-Murst Farm

When the Dickson-Murst Farm Partners say their events will go on rain or shine, they’re not kidding.

Sunday brought a little of both – shine in the morning, some rain in the early afternoon (complete with lightning and thunder), and clearer skies for the rest of the day. And through it all, Spring at the Farm, the kickoff event of the Dickson-Murst Farm season, kept rolling along.

The fifth-annual Spring at the Farm featured antique tractors and farm equipment, animals of all kinds (courtesy of the Future Farmers of America), and bluegrass music played by members of the Northern Illinois Bluegrass Association. Dickson-Murst Farm Partners cooked up and served food, and all money collected will go back into preserving the century-plus-old buildings on the farmstead.

And though the rain put a damper on several of the outdoor activities for a while, most of the attendees stayed, and took shelter in the barn to listen to the musicians play. As the skies cleared around 1 p.m., Spring at the Farm sprung back to life, much to the delight of the families who had braved the rain.

Spring at the Farm is the first of four events planned for 2012. The Partners will host their antique truck show on June 10, Day at the Farm on Aug. 19, and a bluegrass jam on Sept. 16.

For more on Dickson-Murst Farm and the Partners, check the Conservation Foundation’s website.