2023
music Schedule
Front Porch Pickin' Every Saturday and Sunday Noon-3pm
Cowboy Church on the farm every Sunday afternoon
We invite you to pull up a seat (or a straw bale) and enjoy some local acoustic, gospel and bluegrass music on the front porch of the Café at Simek’s Farm.

Freemen Bluegrass Band

Mel Annala
Acoustic six and twelve string guitarist/vocalist.
An interpretive performer of "timeless" Americana, folk and rural roots music.
Acoustic six and twelve string guitarist/vocalist.
An interpretive performer of "timeless" Americana, folk and rural roots music.

Bill Isles
(Born and raised in Duluth, MN) performed his first show of original songs, after a twenty-five year hiatus, in February of 2000. Since that time, he has become one of the most well known singer/songwriters in the Minnesota acoustic scene and has been getting national and international attention. Bill's love of life has strong roots in his childhood, but his urgency to tell these stories comes from an experience in 1993 when, with just enough warning to drive himself to the hospital, he experienced a Sudden Cardiac Arrest. He arrived with just ten minutes to spare. After being defibrillated, and before the doctors had time to detect and open a blocked artery in his heart, he made a commitment to himself that, if he survived, he would begin to write again. Those paddles restarted more than just his heart…
(Born and raised in Duluth, MN) performed his first show of original songs, after a twenty-five year hiatus, in February of 2000. Since that time, he has become one of the most well known singer/songwriters in the Minnesota acoustic scene and has been getting national and international attention. Bill's love of life has strong roots in his childhood, but his urgency to tell these stories comes from an experience in 1993 when, with just enough warning to drive himself to the hospital, he experienced a Sudden Cardiac Arrest. He arrived with just ten minutes to spare. After being defibrillated, and before the doctors had time to detect and open a blocked artery in his heart, he made a commitment to himself that, if he survived, he would begin to write again. Those paddles restarted more than just his heart…

Russ Sackett
A local Duluth musician. He plays out publicly in several groups including The Young Outlaws, 500 Million Society, The Boomchucks and at "Grog Time" feat. Russ Sackett & Friends. He has been playing solo at the Pumpkin Patch for the last few years. Sometimes under the porch, in the cafe, or by the camp fire. Wherever you find him you will enjoy singing along.
A local Duluth musician. He plays out publicly in several groups including The Young Outlaws, 500 Million Society, The Boomchucks and at "Grog Time" feat. Russ Sackett & Friends. He has been playing solo at the Pumpkin Patch for the last few years. Sometimes under the porch, in the cafe, or by the camp fire. Wherever you find him you will enjoy singing along.