Farm Aid 2023 145 copy.jpg

Joeff Davis

Farm Aid Board members (left to right) John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, Carolyn Mugar (Farm Aid's Executive Director), Neil Young, and Dave Matthews.

Farm Aid 2023: Jamming Out for Family Farms and Sustainable Agriculture

The Indiana concert, headlined by Willie Nelson and Neil Young, with a surprise appearance by Bob Dylan, offers real solutions to our harmful food system.

by

Farm Aid 2023 took place on a beautiful Saturday afternoon on September 23, at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana, with a sold-out crowd of more than 22,000 people. The event benefits Farm Aid, a non-profit organization that has put on legendary annual concerts to benefit family farms since the first Farm Aid event in Champaign, Illinois in 1985.

Throughout its thirty-eight year history, Farm Aid has raised more than $70 million to support “programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.” According to their website, “Farm Aid’s mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America.” Last year, Farm Aid gave out more than one million dollars in grants.

Farm Aid is more than just a concert. Its HOMEGROWN Village was buzzing with activities, educating and empowering festival goers. Dozens of exhibits filled the tents with topics ranging from organic certification to farmers’ stress. The HOMEGROWN Skills Tent held workshops on topics like making tools from plants, and distilling essential oils. On the FarmYard stage, farmers and performers discussed family farm issues and solutions like climate-resilient farming, soil and water health, and equity in the farm and food system. The day before the concert, Farm Aid also hosted a day-long discussion with local Indiana farmers and farming and food advocates around the 2023 Farm Bill. 

This year’s lineup featured an all-star cast of music legends and Farm Aid board members, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews (with Tim Reynolds). Other musicians included new Farm Aid Board member Margo Price, Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros featuring The Wolfpack, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Lukas Nelson, Allison Russell, The String Cheese Incident, Particle Kid, Clayton Anderson, The Black Opry featuring Lori Rayne, Tylar Bryant and Kyshona, and the Wisdom Indian Dancers. None of the artists performing at the event received any payment for their performances—100 percent of their work is donated to the cause of Farm Aid.

Just before the final set by Willie Nelson, after almost eleven hours of music, murmurs spread through the crowd of a surprise guest. After a brief intermission, Bob Dylan appeared unannounced on a dimly lit stage playing electric guitar with a band, belting out a punky version of “Maggie’s Farm,” a song he had not played live since 2009. The crowd erupted in a roar and Dylan continued with “Positively 4th Street” and “Ballad of a Thin Man,” before Willie Nelson and his band took the stage. 

Other highlights from the day included an impressive set by artist Allison Russell, which had her jamming on banjo. Kyshona of The Black Opry’s soulful singing, Dave Matthews and Tim Ryenolds inspired, almost spiritual, acoustic set, Bobby Weir performing “Dark Star” in the late afternoon with his band and country music star Sturgill Simpson, Neil Young’s short set performed with only an acoustic guitar and a harmonica. Young’s version of “Comes a Time” was magical. Young told the crowd “you are Farm Aid!” 

The ninety-year-old Willie Nelson’s closing set, was sweet—flanked by his two sons, he sang and played guitar beautifully. Nelson ended by throwing several of his iconic red bandanas into the audience. A fitting end to a transformative event.

Here are some of the images from this year's Farm Aid festival:

The morning press conference before the start of Farm Aid 2023 included Farm Aid Board members Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, and Neil Young.

The press conference included farmers telling their stories. Indiana farmers DeAnthony Jamerson and his mother Denise Jamerson with “Legacy Taste of the Garden” in Lyles Station, Indiana, get emotional telling their story. Denise is fifth generation and DeAnthony is a sixth generation farmer. Lyles Station is the last remaining African American settlement in Indiana. DeAnthony and Denise started Legacy Taste of the Garden to pass on generational knowledge of sustainability and entrepreneurial lifestyles. “Farm Aid has allowed me and the rest of the farming community to have a voice,” DeAnthony said after the press conference.

Farm Aid Board member Neil Young made a passionate speech during the press conference “we are all together in this,” he said, “The farmers are doing everything they can do but without the people behind the farmers it’s not going to work.” Board members Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, and Willie Nelson all made statements during the press conference.

The Wisdom Indian Dancers got this year’s show off to a festive and colorful beginning.

The Black Opry featuring (left to right) Tylar Bryant and Kyshona.

Joon Kim from the group “Share a Seed,” gives out seeds in the HOMEGROWN village to “encourage more people to grow.” Share a Seed is based in Washington D.C. “Everybody has the capability to grow food, we want to encourage that.”

Allison Russell performs with bass player Ganessa James at 2023 Farm Aid.

The sold-out crowd on the lawn at the Ruoff Music Center was packed from edge-to-edge and top-to-bottom.

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros featuring The Wolfpack were joined by special guests Sturgill Simpson, Lukas Nelson, and Margo Price during their three song set which included Grateful Dead classics “Truckin' ” and “Dark Star.” They closed with “Not Fade Away.”

Farm Aid board member Dave Matthews performs at Farm Aid 2023.

Farm Aid co-founder John Mellencamp performs at Farm Aid 2023.

Farm Aid co-founder Neil Young opened his short set with his song “Comes a Time,” and closed with “Heart of Gold.”

At the end of the evening many of the artists who performed came out and sang a few more joyous songs led by Willie Nelson to conclude Farm Aid 2023. With the stage packed with artists Nelson led them in “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” before closing the show with “It’s Hard to be Humble.”

Co-founder and board president Willie Nelson blows a kiss to the audience before leaving the stage at the end of Farm Aid 2023.