Know your farms!

Find out more about where your food comes from -- Charlotte-area restaurants buy from some of these folks -- at the fifth annual Charlotte Area Know Your Farms self-guided tour: 30 farms in nine counties hold open houses Sept. 14-15, from the pretty well known (Grateful Growers in Denver, above) to the you-may-never-have-heard-of (Thomas Bee Farm in Kannapolis, below).

You can learn about growing methods you can also use in home gardens, and kids can get up close with cows, pigs, chickens, goats and more, through this venture, for which the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Piedmont Grown and the 10% Campaign are all partners.

The farms will be open 1-6 p.m. both days, and some will offer activities such as hayrides, petting zoos and cooking demos. You buy a ticket -- $25 per vehicle in advance, $30 on tour days -- and plan your route via the website. Check out the details at knowyourfarmstour.com/farms.