Directions to the farm

From Chicago (approx. 1 hour, 45 minutes): 

 1. Take I-90 (Kennedy Expressway/Northwest Tollway) northwest towards Rockford, about 65 miles (depending on your departure point) to Genoa Rd. exit at Belvidere (around mile marker 54).

 2. Go north on Genoa Rd 4+ miles to Route 76, seventh stoplight (if they are all working).  Genoa Rd becomes Bus. Route 20 at third stoplight.  At the 2-½ mile point it bends to the west around Belvidere.  DO NOT follow MapQuest instructions to turn off Genoa Rd/BR 20 before you get to Rte 76.  If you do, you’ll wind up in Podunk.

3. Go right (north) on Route 76 14 miles to Manchester Rd (at mile 7, route 76 crosses route 173).

4. Go left (west) on Manchester Rd. 1 ½ miles to Grade School Rd.

5.Go left (south) on Grade School Rd ¾ mile to mailbox #21123 Grade School Rd.

6. Go left (east) up our lane ¼ mile to farm.  There is a small white house down by the road.  Our lane is next to their driveway.

7. The lane has shallow dips which may be filled with water (or ice in winter) and speed bumps (marked) to slow you (and the UPS truck) down. So drive carefully and slowly.

8. Welcome to Kinnikinnick Farm…and our Farm Dogs.   Up by the farmhouse you may be greeted by 4 Jack Russell terriers and Lina (‘Leena’), a big white dog. Lina is our livestock dog.  She is a Polish Tatra, a rare breed originally used by shepherds in the Tatra Mts. in Poland. The terriers are our organic varmint patrol. They like to bite moving tires and anything with fur on it. If they bother you:  STOP your car. ROLL down your window. LOOK the closest terrier in the eye and, in your best snarl, shout “BACK!”  Then drive slowly and steadily, maintaining eye contact with the terriers if you can, and park next to the trucks and other cars.  The terriers will gauge your speed to avoid being run over.  The terriers won’t bite you.  In fact, they think that the only reason you have come to Kinnikinnick Farm is to play with them.  They may jump up as you get out of your car. A firm “OFF” is usually enough to settle them. Their names are: Tinker (the petite mother), Cooper (a handsome male), Prudy (sweet and enthusiastic), & Tessa (all white). 

More “scenic” route, longer, & 2 more tolls:

1. Continue on I-90 north past Belvidere & Rockford towards Wisconsin State Line.

2. Take Rockton Rd exit off I-90 right after last tollgate.

3. Go east on Rockton Rd about 6 miles to Grade School Rd.  (Last 2 miles of Rockton Rd. is a limestone road which can get a little rough if our township road commissioner hasn’t graded it recently).

4. Go north (left) on Grade School Rd (when limestone turns back to blacktop you can keep going straight or make a left turn.  Make the left turn.  DO NOT KEEP GOING STRAIGHT AHEAD ON THE BLACKTOP) 1/3 mile to mailbox #21123 Grade School Rd.

5. Go right (east) up our lane ¼ mile to farm.  Watch out for shallow dips, speed bumps, and dogs.