As fall arrives in Grinnell, the winds get chillier, the days become shorter and trees begin shedding their leaves. On 1023 Park St., just across from the Grinnell College Preschool Laboratory, fall also brings with it the annual Farmstock music festival. The residents of Farm House and Freesound student staff brought Farmstock 2025 to the Grinnell community on the evening of Oct. 10, treating audiences to five student musician acts in an intimate setting on the side porch of Farm House.
“At Farm House, we try to have events that help the campus take a break for five minutes,” said Elijah Gallagher `26, Farm House coordinator. “The idea is that you’re getting to take a break and exist with real people outside of the academic sphere, outside of the party sphere, outside of the themes of Grinnell campus that dominate the rest of the year. It’s fun, it’s colourful and it’s autumn.”
A dozen or so blankets were scattered across the Farm House lawn. A little brown table was placed in the center and loaded with Oreos, home-baked ginger snap cookies and home-made apple cider. A string of orange pumpkin lights, set up by Ava Smith `27 and a precariously-balanced Maggie Morris `26, adorned Farm House’s porch. Soft, stringed lights illuminated the artists as the sun set.
Morris, a former resident of Farm House, returned to help set up for the event. Morris said that project houses like Farm House played a crucial role in campus culture, allowing students unique opportunities to come together.
“Get involved. If you’re reading this and wondering if you should go to an event, go to the event. It’s better when more people show up,” said Morris.
Well before audiences would begin gathering on the lawn, Bruna Foss `27 and the rest of Freesound management were busy setting up and testing the sound equipment. Foss, who is leading Freesound this semester, noted that Farmstock is one of the few off-campus student music opportunities for Grinnellians.
“Freesound isn’t supposed to give equipment to most off-campus houses, so Farmstock is a glitch in the system,” said Foss.
The schedule of artists were Abby’s Group, Take a Drag, Bea and Beacan, Daniel Stewart and Maddie Church, all student artists who have had prior experience performing on campus.
For Beatrice Bussen `28, a Freesound manager and the ‘Bea’ of Bea and Beacan, Farmstock 2024 was the first time she performed at Grinnell. Despite the rain and the sparse crowd, Bussen’s love for live music was undeterred.
“Farmstock felt low stakes and comfortable in a way that I don’t think another show would have felt,” said Bussen. “ It feels like you’re just hanging out with friends.”
Songs were sung and cookies were quickly consumed as the evening progressed. The performances were largely acoustic and included covers and original songs, with each act allotted 15 minutes. Between sets, as Foss and crew worked to prep the sound equipment, snatches of recorded indie-folk music were played.
“I’m really proud of my peers for putting themselves out there,” said Sasha Fine `27, who was in the audience at the event. “It’s a magical vibe.”
Bea and Beacan’s performance consisted of acoustic covers, with an especially striking rendition of the Indigo Girls’ version of Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright.” Daniel Stewart `26’s solo set saw him singing whilst accompanying himself on the keyboard. The evening came to a close with Maddie Church `27 singing Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now.”
“I think Farmstock’s one of the coolest traditions that Grinnell has, and I hope it never stops,” said Foss.
