PIKE ROAD, Ala. (July 16, 2026) — The Town of Pike Road welcomed residents and neighbors to the Agriculture, Recreation, and Performing Arts Park for “Night Out on the Farm,” an evening dedicated to family fun, hands-on activities, and agricultural discovery.
The event offered everyone the opportunity to meet farm animals, explore tractors and equipment, and engage with interactive exhibits focused on livestock, forestry, crops, and the origins of food.
“Before anything else, Pike Road was an agriculture community,” said Jennifer Bradley, Agriculture Community Development Specialist for the Town of Pike Road. “And even though we’re growing and expanding with different economic development, agriculture is still vastly important to us—and not just to the Town of Pike Road, but Alabama and the United States in general. It runs really deep to the core of who we are, so we want to keep that at the forefront of everybody’s minds.”
Connections were made with local producers at the Farm Fresh Marketplace, which featured vendors offering fresh produce, honey, plants, flowers, baked goods, handmade items, and other agriculture-related goods.
Elizabeth Belcher, owner of Eats by Elizabeth, shared how her passion for baking evolved into a licensed business. “I’ve always loved baking,” Belcher said. “Then I took my cottage food course and decided that it was getting big enough to get my business license. The brown butter chocolate chip cookies are the all-time favorite—number one.”
The event also emphasized youth engagement and education. Palmer Mitchell spoke about her family tradition of showing animals and the personal connection that grows through caring for them. “It’s been passed down in my family,” Mitchell said. “My mom showed sheep, my uncle showed pigs, and my aunt did sheep. I like showing them. I like when I just get to love on them, and I also like when they just come up to me and recognize me.”
For the Town of Pike Road, events like Night Out on the Farm serve a broader educational purpose.
“When we think about agriculture, we just think it’s the farmer out in the field, but we don’t think about how many agriculture possibilities there are in terms of jobs, in terms of hobbies, and in terms of passion,” Bradley said. “Getting these kids out here to learn about where it comes from, but also how they can connect to it—if you have something you want to do in agriculture, there’s something for you. It’s just making the connections, really.”
For more information about upcoming events and agricultural initiatives in the Town of Pike Road, please visit pikeroad.us or contact [email protected].