Upcoming Events | Annual Homestead Harvest Days
This year (2024) Highland Illinois will host its 36th annual Homestead Harvest Days festival! Mark your calendars for the second weekend of September (Friday the 6th, Saturday the 7th, and Sunday the 8th)! As with the preceding years, this year’s fest will be 20 acres of fun & history featuring vintage steam and fire engines, horses, plowing, live music, a living history area, food, crafts and flea market, tours of Latzer Homestead, activities for children (like a petting zoo and a corn box), silent auction – fun, fun, fun for the whole family!
Don’t miss the Parade of Power that will roll through the festival on both Saturday and Sunday at 4:00 PM.
Homestead Harvest Days Presents: PET Milk Bake Off
For the second year, Homestead Harvest Days proudly presents the PET Milk Bake Off! The idea of preserving milk by not adding sugar started in 1885. At that time the company was called the “Helvetia Milk Condensing Company.”
After changing the name to the “PET Milk Company” in 1923, the can of evaporated milk supplied soldiers fighting in WWI and helped families during the Great Depression as a convenient source of milk.
After that short history lesson, come spend this BEAUTIFUL Saturday morning at the Homestead Harvest Days in Highland for the PET Milk Baking Contest!
Registration is FREE! Be sure to drop off your entry no later than 9:30 a.m. on Saturday.
Please present this form with a recipe card with your bake when dropping off your entry.
Line-Up of Events for the 36th Annual Homestead Harvest Days
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Events
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Entertainment
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Children's Activities
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Parade of Power | Saturday & Sunday 4PMAn impressive parade of fully operational and restored equipment
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David Shake | Sat 9AM - 12:30PM
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Petting Zoo by Rainbow Ranch | Sat & Sun 10AM - 3PM
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Tractorcade | Sunday 9:15AMTractors start at Latzer Homstead and parade into Highland
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"ShortMist" | Sat 1PM - 4PM
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Corn Box! | All Weekend Long! The kids love to scoop and dump and play in our sandbox full of corn!
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Craft, Flea, & Vendor Market | All Weekend Long!
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Jethro Makes 3 | Sun 10AM - 1PM
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Barrel Rides | Sat & Sun 11AM - 3PM $1.00 per ride
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Pet Milk Bake Off Contest | Sat 10AM - 11AM For registration, call (618) 604-5099 or email jwrose411@gmail.com
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Gateway Dulcimer Society | Sun 1PM - 3PM
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Pedal Tractor Pull | Sat & Sun 1PM
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Farm Equipment Auction | Saturday 9:00AM Auctioneer Virgil Straeter; tools, equipment, and more! (to consign or donate items, call (618) 210-1222).
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Nice & Easy | Sun 1PM - 3:30PM
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Sunday Worship | Sunday morning 8:30AM Informal
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times for performances may vary
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Events
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Parade of Power | Saturday & Sunday 4PMAn impressive parade of fully operational and restored equipment
|
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Tractorcade | Sunday 9:15AMTractors start at Latzer Homstead and parade into Highland
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Craft, Flea, & Vendor Market | All Weekend Long!
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Pet Milk Bake Off Contest | Sat 10AM - 11AM For registration, call (618) 604-5099 or email jwrose411@gmail.com
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Farm Equipment Auction | Saturday 9:00AM Auctioneer Virgil Straeter; tools, equipment, and more! (to consign or donate items, call (618) 210-1222).
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Sunday Worship | Sunday morning 8:30AM Informal
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Entertainment
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David Shake | Sat 9AM - 12:30PM
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"ShortMist" | Sat 1PM - 4PM
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Jethro Makes 3 | Sun 10AM - 1PM
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Gateway Dulcimer Society | Sun 1PM - 3PM
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Nice & Easy | Sun 1PM - 3:30PM
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times for performances may vary
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Children's Activities
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Petting Zoo by Rainbow Ranch | Sat & Sun 10AM - 3PM
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Corn Box! | All Weekend Long! The kids love to scoop and dump and play in our sandbox full of corn!
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Barrel Rides | Sat & Sun 11AM - 3PM $1.00 per ride
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Pedal Tractor Pull | Sat & Sun 1PM
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Things To See
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Artisan DemonstrationsWeaving, Spinning, Pottery, & Rope Making
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Vintage TractorsImpressive display of tractors covering a wide range of ages, manufacturers, and styles
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Fire EnginesManificent American Flag display and water spray! (sponsored by: Bradford National Bank)
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Legendary Mustang SanctuaryBeautiful mustang horses-rescued, rehabilitated, and trained before finding their forever homes
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Threshing & Separating, Hay Loading & Baling, Corn Shelling & Shredding, Silage Cutter, Barn & Shed Museums, Gerry's Potato Patch, Stone Crushing, Shingle Mill, Gas Engine farm equipment, Steam engine farm equipment, Sawmill, Blacksmith Display etc.
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Latzer Homestead
2022 was the 175th anniversary of Louis Latzer’s land purchase on which he would build this home for his family in 1901. Latzer is credited with perfecting the process of condensing milk. He took over the Helvetia Milk Condensing Company in 1887. The company was later named Pet Milk and would grow to have 23 plants across the United States. Louis Latzer became known as “the Father of Pet Milk.”
His family donated the home and 80 acre farm to the Highland Historical Society in 1976. Tours of the home during Homestead Harvest Days fest are $2.00 per person.
30 foot Diorama of Pet Milk
This 30 foot long miniature displayy shows the Pet Milk condensing process.
Directions to Latzer Homestead
Highland, IL is located 35 miles east of St. Louis, just off I-70, on Illinois Route 40. 1464 Old Trenton Road Highland, IL 62249. Follow the signs in Highland leading to the Homestead!
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Food & Drink
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Chicken Coop Cafebreakfast
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Highland Lions ClubBrats, Pork Burgers
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Missouri Roasted Corn
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A&G's Kookin Kitchenburgers, fries, cod fish, grilled chicken, pork friters, nachos, walking tacos
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Norb's Watering Hole
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The Sweet Shop IHomemade Desserts and Ice Cream
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The Sweet Shop IIIce Cream Novelties
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D&T Ol' Fashion Kettle Corn
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