A family enjoys pizza night at Red Barn Farm in Northfield
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Plan Your Next Pizza Night at These Minnesota Farms

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A family enjoys pizza night at Red Barn Farm in Northfield  / Paul Vincent

Plan Your Next Pizza Night at These Minnesota Farms

By Erica Wacker

Venturing out to Minnesota’s farmland, you may expect to see fields of corn, big red barns and grazing livestock. But what about a wood-fired oven and dozens of picnickers chowing down on freshly baked pizzas?

Pizza from Red Barn Farm in Northfield

Pizza from Red Barn Farm in Northfield / Paul Vincent

At a handful of farms, this is the scene on “pizza night,” when piping hot pies with freshly picked toppings have visitors flocking from miles around.

The premise is simple: The farm provides the pizza, and the diners provide everything else—plates, utensils, picnic blankets, drinks and side dishes. Annie D’Souza, founder of The Midwestival blog, loves “pizza farms” so much, she even got engaged at one.

“It feels like another world, it’s just so removed from everything,” she says of the experience that she describes as “quintessentially Midwest.” As for the pies, they “hold up against restaurant pizza,” and the farm-fresh ingredients make them more unique than what you may find at your local pizzeria.

Pizza Farms in Southern Minnesota

At Red Barn Farm in Northfield, an hour south of Minneapolis, the Winter family hosts pizza night every Wednesday and every third Sunday from May through October. Guests can choose from specialty pizzas like the Greek—topped with feta cheese, olives and farm-grown tomatoes, onions, roasted garlic and basil—or the Sour Pig, with onions, sauerkraut and Italian sausage from nearby Nerstrand Meats. Local musicians are often on-hand to provide entertainment; they’re paid in pizza.

DreamAcres Farm in Wykoff, about 30 miles south of Rochester, serves pizza every Friday night from 5-8 p.m., June-September. A vegetarian farm, DreamAcres makes its pies with tomato sauce from the garden, cheese from Tiger the cow and house-made ingredients like pesto and vegetarian sausage. In addition to pizza nights, this eclectic, off-the-grid farmstead also hosts creative retreats, a youth summer camp and theater performances throughout the summer.

North of Rochester in Oronoco, Squash Blossom Farm has wood-fired pizza and live music every Sunday night in the summer. Diners can bring their own beverages, or purchase locally made wine or mead from nearby Post Town Winery in advance to pick up and enjoy on the farm.

West of Owatonna in Waseca, Pleasant Grove Pizza Farm invites guests to visit on weekends for delicious pizza, live music and beautiful surroundings. Four varieties, as well as pizza fries, are on the menu, with on-site trails for pre- or post-meal exploring.

Pizza Farms near Minneapolis-St. Paul

Less than 20 miles west of Minneapolis, Two Pony Gardens in Long Lake specializes in dahlias and tomatoes. But on select weekends into October, visitors can wander the gardens, see the chickens and mingle with the other guests while their pizzas cook in the outdoor oven. Choose from two creations—classic margherita or a specialty pie with seasonal toppings like fresh morels, ramps and squash blossoms. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and diners are advised to keep an eye on their pies so Ethel, the resident chocolate lab, doesn’t sneak a bite.

Northeast of the Twin Cities in Shafer, Clover Bee Farm hosts the occasional pizza night for anyone who'd like to bring a blanket and some friends to the farm. Check their Facebook page for upcoming dates.

Erica Wacker

Erica Wacker is a Midwesterner through and through, growing up in Illinois, going to college in Wisconsin, and settling down in Minnesota. She loves to run, travel with her family, and go to concerts to relive her youth.