Those attendees counting on the traditional stew for Jordbruksdagrna will have to eat meatballs instead.
For the first time in many years, on Saturday, Sept. 26, the Bishop Hill Old Settlers will serve Swedish meatballs at their traditional Ag Days meal instead of their usual beef and barley stew.
Joella Krauss, president of the Old Settlers, said the change is necessary this year, as unexpected circumstances have reduced their “Stew Crew.” The group assures that the famous rice pudding will remain on the menu.
The meal will be served at the Colony School from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday only. The cost of the meal is $15 and will include Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, carrots, rye bread, rice pudding and a drink. Lingonberry sauce will be available for the meatballs, and the homemade topping known as “Kram” for the pudding. À la carte pricing is also available.
Krauss hopes the change won’t disappoint, adding that the savory Swedish meatballs are a favorite of many.
“We serve a couple hundred visitors during the Saturday of Ag Days, and we’ve never had anyone leave hungry or dissatisfied,” she said. “We just completed a wildly intense, but successful 180th celebration, and we need to simplify things for our volunteers.” Plans are to bring back the famous stew next year.
Krauss goes on to say that the “Meet the Colonists” display will remain at the school during the entire weekend. Created by direct descendant Bob Nelson, the twenty plus photographs and bios of some of the prominent early settlers and their descendants give a thoughtful history of life in the village, known then as “Utopia on the Prairie.” Nelson’s descriptions of those very first settlers whose courage and dedication made Bishop Hill a thriving community 180 years ago take the viewer back to the days of the early colony.
The annual harvest festival known as Jordbruksdagarna (pronounced yord-brooks-DAH-ga-na) will take place Saturday, Sept. 26 and Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in historic Bishop Hill, Ill. As always, there will be a variety of traditional craft demonstrations, food, vendors, and hands-on activities for the children during the event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days.
Activities are free, and the public is welcome. For more information, contact www.BishopHillHeritage.org or www.BHoldSettlers.org at their respective websites or Facebook pages.
