On October 24th, Red Tractor Pizza will host their first annual “Harvest Hoedown” in and around their restaurant on 10th & Main. This harvest­ themed community gathering will feature live music, family activities, delicious local food, beverages, generous raffle items donated by local businesses, and fun for all ages. A suggested donation of $10 per person ($5 for kids under 12) will raise funds to benefit Gallatin Valley Farm to School’s cafeteria programs, which work to put healthier local foods in school lunches around the Gallatin Valley.

Gallatin Valley Farm to School is a Bozeman non­profit that works to connect kids to the food they eat, through meaningful education programs and by helping integrate local food in school meals.

Several notable local bands will perform to support the effort, with the Bridger Creek Boys headlining the night, supported by the Hawthorne Roots, The Fresh Boys, The Vibe Trio, and more. GVFTS will host butter churning and face painting for kids, and Amaltheia Dairy will attend with one of their many goats in tow.

Many notable local businesses have donated incredible raffle items to benefit the cause. Among them are a full day zip line or half­day raft trip with Montana Whitewater, two gift cards each for a free pair of Oboz footwear, a dog toy & mat package from West Paw Designs, four passes for cross country skiing at Bohart Ranch, a local pizza connoisseur’s gift card package, and more. New raffle items are coming in daily, and tickets will be available at the event for $5 each, $10 for 3 and $25 for 10. Local fishermen and women are encouraged to bid on a full day guided fly fishing trip on the Madison River with Morrison Guide Service. All proceeds from the raffle and silent auction will benefit Gallatin Valley Farm to School, and 10% of all food and beverage sales will benefit the cause as well.

How did this event come to be? Earlier this year, Red Tractor Pizza gained considerable internet notoriety with their comical “Farm to Pizza” film that they produced for a competition hosted by the Montana Office of Tourism. The film showcased the humorous side of the local foods movement, and won first place in its category in the preliminary round. Now, RTP is using their winnings to throw a party and benefit one of its closest non­profit partners, and advance the movement of providing healthier foods to local school kids.

More information is available at www.gvfarmtoschool.org.