On Tuesday afternoon I called Heritage Prairie Farm to get some information about the Pizza Night scheduled on Wednesday. I had read on the website that orders are not taken before 4:45pm and I was wondering if the farm was set up in such a way that there would be a place I could hang out in case I arrived early. I explained that I was coming from Minnesota and would rather get there a little early than get there late and possibly miss my chance at pizza. The woman on the phone paused for a second and said, “You are coming from Minnesota for Pizza Night?!” Yes. I suppose it is important to mention that Heritage Prairie Farm is about 40 miles west of Chicago, Illinois and I live in Minneapolis, Minnesota. But really, attending the Wednesday night summer tradition in Elburn, Illinois only meant that I was leaving for my vacation a day and a half early and I already had the days off, so, in true Montenaro fashion, why wouldn’t I drive 6 hours to go to Pizza Night? The woman on the phone gave me some tips on how I could bide my time and also expressed some concern that although rain wouldn’t cancel Pizza Night, a severe thunderstorm would be cause for cancellation. I checked the weather and saw 
that indeed there was a chance of severe storms with possible hail and damaging winds. But I didn’t let that stop me. I just left earlier on Wednesday morning to make sure that the rain wouldn’t slow me down on the highway. I struggled through some downpours in Wisconsin and, of course, construction, but I arrived at Heritage Prairie with 2 hours to spare, cloudy skies with occasional sprinkles, and a sense of optimism.
The picnic tables were empty, but the Farm Store was open and full of treats. I stopped into the main office to meet the woman I had chatted with on the phone and let her know I made it safely and was looking forward to pizza. I took some pictures and bought some cookies and a brownie for dessert and waited patiently for 4:45pm in the company of a donkey and some goats.
A little after 3pm, one of the employees approached and asked if I was the Pizza Farm blogger from Minnesota. He turned out to be Nate, the Operations Manager, and had been given the job of informing me that unfortunately Pizza Night would be canceled. The area was under severe storm watch and it looked like thunder, lightning, damaging winds, and possibly hail would arrive right in the middle of prime pizza time. I was disappointed, but I knew this was a possiblity. My disappointment didn’t last for long, as Nate offered to take me on a little guided tour of the farm. The sky remained gray and cloudy, but the showers held off as we walked through the fields and greenhouses and talked about the challenges and joys of running an organic farm.
Heritage Prairie Farm didn’t even know Pizza Farms were a thing. They started making pizzas at some point in the last decade with ingredients from the farm. Nate told me it started at Pizza and Kickball night. Four years ago, they built a larger pizza oven and began drawing in crowds too big to continue kickball. They settled on a fixed menu and use their own produce when it is in season and bring in whatever else is needed. It has grown into a fun, family and community event, serving 180 to 200 pizzas each Wednesday throughout the summer. Perhaps someday I will be in the area again on a Wednesday and get to share the pizza with other Pizza Night fans. On this night, since the pizza oven had already been lit the day before, the dough and ingredients were already prepped, and the rain and storms hadn’t hit just yet, Nate was able to make me my pizzas to make up for my 6 hour journey. And they were delicious! My brother and his wife were on their way from Chicago to meet me. We had rerouted after I got the news Pizza Night was canceled at a Tap Room about half way between Elburn and Chicago, so I took my pizzas to go, although I had to sample them while they were fresh and hot.
Not only were they nice to look at, they tasted great! From the back, we got the White Farm, Baked Potato, Simpleton, and Red Farm. Pete and Alexa didn’t mind that a couple slices were missing once I caught up with them at Church St Brewing in Itasca, Illinois.
It didn’t end up exactly as planned, but that didn’t stop us from having a successful evening! Thank you to Heritage Prairie Farm for making the trip so memorable.
What a fabulous story!!!!!