FarmHER’s family builds agritourism hotspot complete with a carnival!

Meet FarmHER Stephanie Stade Townsend, part of the second generation on Stade’s Farm & Market in McHenry, Illinois. The popular agritourism spot outside Chicago offers carnival attractions alongside their classic farmer’s market and u-pick produce and flower farm!

FarmHER Stephanie Stade Townsend has two main goals: to provide homegrown produce and beef to her community and to help execute her father’s vision to bring the carnival experience to their farm.

When you step onto Stade’s Farm & Market, you’re not just a visitor but part of the farming and the fun. While at Stade’s, you can pick your apples and green beans and then spin the 100-year-old carousel, slide down the giant slide, and shoot the pumpkin cannon!

Stephanie and her husband, Sean, are the second generation on the land. They helped her father continue to diversify the family operation by adding a direct-to-consumer beef program. From homegrown beef to pasture-raised eggs, Stephanie and Sean are dedicated to offering quality food to their customers.

As if that wasn’t enough excitement, Stephanie and Sean recently welcomed their newest addition, baby girl Tilly, making Stade’s not just a family business but a growing family itself.

Watch this all-new episode of FarmHER featuring Stephanie Stade Townsend when it premieres TONIGHT, Tuesday, October 8, at 9:00 PM ET only on RFD-TV. Catch encore airings on Fridays at 9:30 PM ET and Sundays at 10:00 PM ET.

Binge all episodes and past seasons of FarmHER and RanchHER on-demand at any time with your annual subscription to RFD-TV Now.

Related Stories
Alex Templeton works alongside her dad, sharing her life through social media and her blog Ag Talk with Alex.
FarmHER Nikki Boxler, aka The Maple Farmer, blends tradition with innovation, tapping into a bold new future for maple syrup.
Buzzard discusses her upcoming appearance on the Dirt Diaries podcast with host Kirbe Schnoor and the importance of sharing authentic stories about agriculture.

Marion is a digital content manager for RFD News and FarmHER + RanchHER. She started working for Rural Media Group in May 2022, bringing a decade of digital experience in broadcast media and some cooking experience to the team.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, provides new updates on winter storm impacts and the outlook for rural power reliability.
Jessi Grote from the AgriSafe Network provides winter safety guidance for rural communities still recovering from the recent winter storm.
CattleCon 2026 officially kicks off Tuesday and continues through Thursday, bringing producers together to shape the future of the U.S. cattle industry.
Traders say that shift could eventually prompt the USDA to scale back soybean export projections, noting the outlook differs greatly for other grain commodities.
The federal government’s status is far from the only factor moving the markets on Friday. Two critical reports released today on producer inflation and the status of the U.S. cattle herd are also top of mind.
AFBF Economist Danny Munch shares a closer look at the dairy market and the forces impacting producers today.