Novak Creative Exchange

05/25/2026

The Tulip Festival at Brand Farms was a huge success! Thanks to Farmer Aaron and his staff for all of their hard work in making this an event to remember and for letting us at Novak Creative Exchange (Kyle, sound engineering) and Painted Pixie by NCE (Maria, face painting) be a part of the experience.

Thank you so much to all of the musicians who performed this month!
Prairie Potluck, Lehto & Wright, Clayton Ryan, Sawyer's Dream, Hilary Yoder (Wren + Wilde ), and Jesse Totushek.

Wonderful music all around to accompany the lovely visuals.

And one last thanks to all in attendance for supporting live music, art,
and these hard-working creatives. Keep your eyes on the Brand Farms website and socials for more exciting events this season!

05/22/2026

With the tulip festival reaching its exciting conclusion this Memorial Day weekend, be sure to grab your tickets at the door at Brand Farms! There is some absolutely wonderful music this weekend to accompany the picturesque landscape and exciting events taking place.

Saturday 5/23
Sawyer’s Dream Band, 11am-3pm

Inspired by the writings of Mark Twain and the vocal harmonies of bands such as the Mamas & the Papas, ABBA and Fleetwood Mac, Minneapolis based Sawyer's Dream is a unique cross-blending of Americana, Pop, Rock and Soul. Featuring powerhouse male and female lead vocals and intricate four-part harmonies, their all-original music is engaging, upbeat and earthy, offering the listener a modern take on the classic rock of the ’60s and ’70s.

Sunday 5/24
Hilary Yoder, 11am - 3pm

Born in Minnesota, raised on a steady diet of bluegrass and Americana, and fully seasoned as a songwriter while in Tennessee, Hilary Yoder has stories to tell and a journey to share when she takes the stage. Hilary also fronts the band Wren + Wilde ,a group that has made a serious name for itself in the Minnesota music scene. Wren + Wilde shows off a gritty flavor of Americana that is both raw and resonant, with equal parts fire and feeling powering each song like a conversation, where lyrics linger like glowing embers.

Monday 5/25
Jesse Totushek, 11am-3pm

Hailing from the south metro of Minnesota, Jesse Totushek is a seasoned performer and multi-instrumentalist with over 20 years of experience on stage. Known for his versatility and musical range, he’s been playing an impressive 250 shows a year, showcasing his talent in a variety of genres. Jesse brings a unique depth to his live shows, seamlessly switching between guitar, mandolin and ukulele and captivating audiences with his energetic stage presence and diverse musical abilities.

05/19/2026

Last Saturday, NCE took the sound and light setup south to Olivia to help kick off Corn Capital Days and take part in a true multimedia extravaganza - a curated series of projector images on a huge screen in sync with a live band.

Randy Sabien (vocals, violin, guitar, keyboard) wrote and arranged a series of songs based on a story from the history of Olivia. It was about a man overcoming lots of adversity, and embarking of a roadtrip with his family from Olivia to Yellowstone over a century ago, an epic feat for the time.

The group also included Jan Lee (vocals/accordion), Gary Rue (vocals/guitar), and Betty Ferris (projectionist). They put on quite a show!

Thankful to be a part of such a unique experience.

05/15/2026

Brand Farms is excited to have Clayton Ryan performing this Saturday, May 16th at the Tulip Festival from 11am - 3pm! It's going to be a lovely day with some great music!

Minnesota country rocker ​Clayton Ryan is the walking definition of a “grassroots” musician. With his tireless national touring and a rustic, uniquely-Midwestern sound, Clayton has built his following at the ground level, one fan at a time.

His debut album Ghost Town - and well over a hundred shows a year - put him in the national spotlight, showcasing a nostalgic sound and a wide scope of powerfully emotional songwriting. With his sophomore project Gas Station Social Club set to begin rolling out soon, Clayton is prepared for his breakout moment as a dedicated, unrelenting performer.

05/08/2026

Have you heard? Brand Farms in Farmington is hosting Minnesota’s First Tulip festival! This Mother’s Day weekend will feature a market, plenty of activities, and of course the opportunity for photos with these picturesque flowers!

Maria of Painted Pixie by NCE will be there too, painting faces and helping spread the cheer of the season.

And there’s more… wonderful live music!

Saturday, May 9th, 11:30am-2:30pm
Prairie Potluck
Nothing symbolizes the feeling of Minnesota togetherness and community more than a potluck! Saturday’s musical group has taken that name to heart and is going to be delivering that same incredible energy at Brand Farms. The Prairie Potluck Band is bringing decades of experience and an amazing showcase of musical styles out to play, so get ready for some absolutely wonderful storytelling through song. Their vocal harmonies and wide mix of instrumental abilities are the perfect backdrop for the tulip festival and a day of fun!

Sunday, May 10th – 11am-3pm
Lehto and Wright
Mother’s Day and the beautiful visuals at Brand Farms deserves equally inspiring music. Well get ready, because Lehto and Wright have you covered! You’ll enjoy vivid guitar-centric arrangements, lush soundscapes, and plenty of technical artistry. This group will bring you an innovative blend of folk rock, progressive rock, and flavors of folk tradition from both America and the British Isles. You’ll soon see why Lehto and Wright are one of the most hard-working, statement-making musical groups in the Twin Cities!

02/07/2026

What a time at Spicer Winterfest!!!

Maria and Painted Pixie by NCE was in the house, painting faces and showing out the winter spirit, you know… the happy picturesque outdoors-ey kind and not the arctic polar vortex sub-zero kind…

Kyle brought out all of the sound equipment for the late night party. And boy did Bowling for Johns bring the energy. What a show from this great band!

The house, er… rather the tent … was packed and the bodies were moving!

Thanks to the Spicer Commercial Club and to everyone who helped with setup and operation of a super successful day!

11/03/2025

Thanks Intuition Brewing! Open mic was a fun one!

Open mics like this one are a great way for people to play music, tell stories, and do something creative. Even if you’re new. Even if you’re nervous. You’ll have supporters cheering you on. Join a group of old friends and you may just meet some new ones!

10/22/2025

It may not be as big as ‘The Largest Ball of Twine in Minnesota ™’ in nearby Darwin, but our ball of XLR cables is still pretty impressive, if we do say so ourselves… 🤘

Darwin MN Twine Ball

(Outdoor music season is drawing to a close, so now is the time to clean up our cables and get them wrapped up nice, just in time for the next batch of shows!)

10/21/2025

Tonight was our first social as members of the New London Chamber of Commerce. It was a great night of conversation and discussion at Goat Ridge Brewing Co. Thanks everyone the hospitality!

10/19/2025

10/17/2025

Maria Novak of Painted Pixie by NCE will be painting faces and helping celebrate the season both today and tommorow at Brand Farms in Farmington! They have quite the exciting operation and the weekend is going to be full of fun events, great vendors, and rustic visuals.

Remember all of you Minnestotans: MEA also stands for ‘Most Exciting Art!’

It's MEA weekend and we are open!!!

U-Pick apples and pumpkins, hayrides, all activities, food, fun and so much more!!

Apples available on U-Pick:
~Haralson
~Honeycrisp
~Honeygold
~Fireside
~SnowSweet
~SweeTango

If you're lucky, you will get me as your hayride driver and get the very best learning opportunities on the hayride wagon.

Did you know we have speakers on all our wagons?
Do you know as we go to the activities and apple field, we discuss farming, chickens and apples?

We do our best to give you the best experience here on our real working dairy farm and the audio on the hayride wagons helps us tell you what's happening on the farm.

We are open daily 10am to 6pm all MEA!

Dont forget about our evening glow event this Saturday night! We still have some tickets available. Check out the details here:
https://brandfarms.ticketspice.com/glow-event

See you this weekend!

~Farmer Aaron