Roberts Family Farm in Sandwich adds self-serve beverage station to its offerings

Starting next month, those visiting Roberts Family Farm in Sandwich will be able to pour themselves a drink while they are buying some farm raised beef.

A self-serve beverage station is just the latest addition to Roberts Family Farm, located at 905 S. County Line Road, Sandwich. The grand opening for the beverage station will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. June 7.

“We’re not just a farm,” owner Joe Roberts said. “We’re not just a retail store. We’re not just a bar. We’re not an event center. We’re kind of a combination of all of that.”

Roberts and his wife, Jennifer, own Roberts Family Farm. In introducing a self-serve beverage station, the couple is teaming up with iPourIt, Inc., North America’s leading provider of self-serve draft beverage technology.

“Our self-serve systems are designed to enhance customer experiences by providing convenience and variety,” iPourit CEO Chris Braun said. “The farm’s commitment to quality and community fits perfectly with our mission, and we’re thrilled to support them in creating memorable visits for everyone.”

Together with the self-serve beverage station, the couple is planning to hold a variety of activities at the farm, including live music and classes on such topics as beekeeping and quilting.

Local guitarist Eli Somlock will perform from 5 to 8 p.m. during the grand opening on June 7.

Jennifer Roberts was introduced to the world of farming as a child. Her family owned a dairy farm on the north side of Sandwich in the 1950s and ‘60s.

The couple now owns that farm along with Roberts Family Farm.

“We had the opportunity to buy it into the family, so we did that in 2014 and then bought this property in 2017,” Joe Roberts said.

Roberts Family Farm has evolved over the years to what it is today. It has been selling farm raised beef, pork, lamb and chicken since 2018.

As Jennifer Roberts noted, grass-fed beef is healthier for you. She is a professor of biology at Lewis University in Romeoville.

“If they eat grass, they have more omega-3 fatty acids in their tissue and that’s good for humans by far,” she said. “I think it’s important to get people educated about what they eat and how they eat and healthy lifestyle choices. When I grew up on a farm, it was my way of life.”

Their cows eat grass for the most part.

“Our cows do get some grain, mostly as a supplement,” Joe Roberts said. “But the majority of their diet is grass.”

Locally sourced products

Those stopping at the farm can buy farm raised meats along with a variety of other products, including raw honey, soaps, blankets and quilts.

The couple tries to support local businesses as much as possible. For example, a beekeeper from Minooka supplies the raw honey that is sold at the farm.

“We’re not just a farm. We’re not just a retail store. We’re not just a bar. We’re not an event center. We’re kind of a combination of all of that.”

—  Owner Joe Roberts.

The self-serve beverage station sells craft beverages that are made locally in some cases. For example, it sells products from Pollyanna Brewing Company in St. Charles, Obscurity Brewing in Elburn and Whiskey Acres Distilling Co. in DeKalb.

It also sells beer brewed at Urbana-based Riggs Beer Company.

“They’re a farm family that uses all of their local grain to brew beer,” Joe Roberts said. “We highlight those here as well.”

As he noted, the system used in the self-serve beverage station allows them to put different controls in place.

“We can set the limits on how much people can actually consume,” he said. “When you come in, you give me your license, I scan that and the technology will tell me if it’s a valid license and that you’re at least 21 years of age. And then you give me your credit card and I give you a wrist band. And then that gives you access to the tap system.”

While the farm doesn’t serve food, food trucks will offer a variety of culinary choices. Fay’s BBQ will be there during the grand opening weekend on June 7 and June 8.

Roberts Family Farm has indoor seating for 49 people and outdoor seating for up to 150 people.

“We’ll be having activities throughout the year as things evolve, whether those are beekeeping classes or classes on how to crochet,” Joe Roberts said. “We’re going to see what people like. Because we’re a family operation, we can be adaptable. We can kind of set the direction and see how it goes.”

The couple also wants to educate people about the cows, sheep, hogs and goats on the farm.

“We’ve actually had some of Jenny’s colleagues bring their classes out here,” Joe Roberts said. “We talk about animal husbandry, like how do you wean a calf? People ask us all the time about how the animals are doing. One misconception that people have is that livestock are pets. They want to come in and pet a cow. And that’s not something we encourage people to do. We want them to get close to the animals and see the animals, but we don’t want people walking out in the pasture expecting they’re going to cuddle up close to a cow. A 1,500 pound mom cow with a calf could become very aggressive towards a stranger coming out there.”

The venue at Roberts Family Farm also is available for rent for birthday or retirement parties or other small events. More information about the farm is available by email at robertsfamilyfarm905@gmail.com or at its Facebook page.