Rural life: Rory Feek's Homestead Festival to focus on farming, Kevin Costner June 3-4

Jay Powell, The Daily Herald

March 3, 2022 at 1:25 PM·3 min read

Kevin Costner smiles during his performance March 19 on the Back Porch of Texas for the 10th Outlaws & Legends Music Festival. He was the first-day headliner, performing with his band Modern West. His appearance stirred the late-night crowd into a frenzy.

It's not every day that Maury County welcomes an Academy Award-winning filmmaker to town, especially when he brings along his band to headline the first Homestead Festival on June 3-4 in Columbia.

"Yellowstone" star Kevin Costner and his band Modern West, who will headline the first-ever festival at Hardison Mill Farm, are just one of the main attractions of the music and farm-friendly festival.

More: 'Yellowstone' star Kevin Costner to headline Homestead festival in Columbia, Tennessee

The festival's mastermind Rory Feek has often been called a man who wears many hats throughout his career as a Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter, a New York Times best-selling author, renowned blogger and critically-acclaimed filmmaker, just to name a few.

Feek is now prepping for his new project on his Hardison Mill Farm, which will feature two days of live music, farming demonstrations and much more.

Agricultural demonstrations and classes will take place during the day, while the tempo picks up with musical performances at night.

"We are all, of course, over-the-moon excited to have Mr. Costner and his band coming to join us for the event," Feek said in a press release. "But the truth is, we are just as excited to have all the incredible performers and speakers that are taking the time from their busy lives to come to Tennessee and share their knowledge and skills with individuals and families who too will be coming from all over to take part in this special weekend."

The festival will also include performances by Opry alumnus The Isaacs, Jimmy Fortune and The Brotherly Love Project, a collaboration between Fortune, Bradley Walker, Mike Rogers and Ben Isaacs. Featured speakers will also include Dr. Temple Grandin, Joel Salatin, Justin Rhodes and more.

Rory Feek performs the title track of his newest album, "Gentle Man," at Muletown Coffee's downtown Columbia roasting facility. The new album is Feek's first as a solo artist and will be released Friday, June 18.

Feek is no stranger to hosting festivals on his farm.

From 2008-2013, he and his late wife, Joey, hosted their annual Bib & Buckle Fest, which drew thousands of fans from all over the world to attend outdoor concerts held on the front lawn of their historic farm. The Homestead Festival will be the first time he has brought outdoor music to the farm in nearly a decade.

Since Joey's passing in 2016, Feek has continued to expand the farm, which now features a one-room schoolhouse with a barnyard for livestock, as well as more rotational-grazed pastures for cows and chickens. He also continues to perform and host barn concerts throughout the year at his 300-seat Homestead Hall.

Feek also released his first solo album, "Gentle Man" in June of 2021, as well as his latest children's book, "The Day God Made You" in 2020.

Feek said the festival's purpose is to highlight sustainable ways of living for those who live, teach and work on the farm.

"People are interested in learning the skills and information that can help them provide for their families in these challenging times and also add meaning and joy to their lives," he said.

The homesteading lectures and classes will range from growing and preserving your own food to beekeeping, raising baby chicks, home birthing and home schooling.

A Homestead Marketplace will also feature more than 100 vendors and artisans, as well as food trucks. A homesteading demonstration area will allow attendees to learn about certain skills like woodworking, blacksmithing, gardening and flower farming, among others.

Weekend passes, priced $295 for general admission and $495 for V.I.P., are now on sale at www.TheHomesteadFestival.com. Admission is free for kids 4 and under and $145 for ages 5-10. No single day tickets are available.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Kevin Costner to headline Homestead Festival at Rory Feek's farm June 3-4

Associated Press
Macron declares Trump has 'solid ally' in France, urges realism from Ukraine over territory
French President Emmanuel Macron extended an olive branch to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Monday, declaring that France is “a solid ally” as he outlined his vision for global diplomacy in 2025 during his New Year’s address to French ambassadors. “Donald Trump knows that he has a solid ally in France, an ally he does not underestimate, one who believes in Europe and carries a lucid ambition for the transatlantic relationship,” Macron said at the Élysée Palace, emphasizing France’s commitment to fostering cooperation while urging European nations to fortify their unity and resilience.
Yahoo Finance
Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang on AI: The wave is coming
Yahoo co-founder and AME Cloud Ventures founding partner CEO Jerry Yang shares a few thoughts as Yahoo Finance celebrates the 100th episode of the Opening Bid podcast.
CBS News
13 prisoners escape after drunk detective opens cells, police say
All but two of the 15 suspects in the jail at the time escaped when the cells were opened on the morning, police said.
Reuters
Blinken calls for push to get Gaza truce deal over 'finish line'
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Monday for a final push for a Gaza ceasefire before President Joe Biden leaves office, after a Hamas official told Reuters the group had cleared a list of 34 hostages as first to go free under a truce. "We very much want to bring this over the finish line in the next two weeks, the time we have remaining," Blinken told a news conference in South Korea, when asked whether a ceasefire deal was close. Israel has sent a team of mid-ranking officials to Qatar for talks brokered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
AFP
France's Sarkozy on trial over alleged Kadhafi financing pact
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy went on trial Monday charged with accepting illegal campaign financing in an alleged pact with the late Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi.- Alleged pact with Kadhafi - The current case follows a decade of investigations, it is alleged that Sarkozy and senior figures pledged to help Kadhafi rehabilitate his international image in return for campaign financing.
AFP
Austria's president tasks far right to form govt in historic first
Austria's president tasked far-right leader Herbert Kickl with trying to form a government Monday, in a historic move after coalition talks that excluded the Freedom party (FPOe) collapsed.After meeting Kickl for about an hour, President Alexander Van der Bellen said he had tasked the far-right leader with trying to form a government with the conservatives given the "new situation".
Associated Press
CES 2025 is here. What can we expect from the annual show of all-thing tech?
CES, the annual trade show of all things tech, is upon us. The multi-day event, organized by the Consumer Technology Association, kicks off this week in Las Vegas — where swaths of the latest gadgets and advances across industries like personal tech, transportation, health care, sustainability and more are set to be on display. CES 2024 saw more than 138,000 attendees, according to the CTA, and organizers expect to see at least that amount again for this year's show.
NBC News
Sushi chain pays $1.3 million for motorcycle-sized tuna at Tokyo auction
A bluefin tuna sold for more than $1.3 million at an annual fish auction in Tokyo, in what organizers said was the second-highest bid since the event began in 1999.
Reuters
Still awaiting thanks for stopping Islamists in Sahel, Macron says
France's President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday he was still waiting for Africa's Sahel states to thank Paris for stopping them falling into the hands of militants and he dismissed suggestions his country had been forced out of the region. Speaking to French ambassadors at an annual conference on foreign policy for 2025, Macron said France had been right to intervene in 2013 to fight Islamist militants even if those same states had now moved away from French military support. "I think that they forgot to thank us, but that's ok, it will come in time," Macron said ironically.
Reuters
AI-influenced shopping boosts online holiday sales, Salesforce data shows
Retailers turned to nifty conversational customer services - or chatbots - among others such as targeted promotions, product recommendations and loyalty programs, to influence customers hunting for trending products and best bargains. Online sales rose to $282 billion in the United States between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31 from $272 billion a year ago, ahead of Salesforce's forecast of 2% growth, even as discounts were tempered. Shoppers used AI-based chatbot services 42% more than a year ago, according to Salesforce, which analyzed data from 1.6 trillion page views on its platform.
NBC News
Rudy Giuliani to resume testimony at contempt-of-court hearing in defamation case
Giuliani was grilled in court last week at a hearing to determine whether he should be held in contempt for defying court orders tied to a defamation judgment against him.
CNN
Pope appoints Trump critic to be archbishop of Washington, DC
Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Robert McElroy, a vocal defender of migrants and critic of Donald Trump’s first administration, as the next archbishop of Washington, DC.
USA TODAY
Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau likely to announce resignation, reports say
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce his resignation amid increasing pressure from his Liberal party, according to reports.
AFP
Nepal suspends helicopters in Everest region after protests
Nepal's airlines have halted helicopter flights to the Everest region after locals angry at the environmental impact and loss of income from trekkers threatened landing sites, aviation officials said Monday.It said local youths had erected barriers of flags at landing sites, and threatened action against pilots who land.
Associated Press
Punks distribute toys to children in need for Three Kings Day in Mexico City
As a teenage punk 35 years ago, José Luis Escobar Hoyos wanted to teach his mother that his lifestyle wasn’t just about dressing in chains and spikes and listening to loud, accelerated music. Sporting black t-shirts from their favorite bands, black boots and glimmering piercings, the punks handed out scooters, dinosaurs and other gifts to children in the streets of Mexico’s capital early Monday. “Dealing with children and the way you get attached and can be supportive to them that is priceless,” said Escobar, who is known locally as El Picos.
CNN
Four years after his supporters invaded the US Capitol, Trump is more powerful than ever
Late on a day of chaos and blood on January 6, 2021, it was unimaginable that Donald Trump — who summoned a mob to Washington and told the crowd to “fight like hell” — would get anywhere near the presidency again.
USA TODAY
North Korea fires ballistic missile as Blinken visits South Korea amid political crisis
North Korea test-fired an intermediate range ballistic missile while U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in South Korea.
CNN
Why has ISIS not yet claimed the New Orleans vehicle attack?
It is the deadliest attack by ISIS on the West in several years. But still, almost a week later, the group also known as Islamic State has yet to issue its trademark claim of responsibility for the horrific New Year’s violence in New Orleans.
AFP
Iran executed over 30 women in 2024: NGO
Iran in 2024 executed at least 31 women, an NGO said on Monday, warning that female prisoners were increasingly being caught in a surge in the use of capital punishment in the Islamic republic.Activists are increasingly alarmed over the surge in hangings in Iran, accusing the Islamic authorities under supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of using capital punishment as a tool to instil fear throughout society particularly in the wake of 2022-2023 nationwide protests.
AFP
Macron urges 'realistic' expectations from Ukraine on territory
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday urged Ukraine to have "realistic" expectations on territory as its fight against the Russian invasion heads into a fourth year, saying he saw no "quick and easy solution" to the conflict."There will be no quick and easy solution in Ukraine," Macron said in a speech to French ambassadors gathered at the Elysee Palace.

Latest Stories