The stage has been lowered. The lights and screens are bright. Soundcheck is underway. Volunteers, farmers and Farm Aid supporting staff are buzzing around Hersheypark Stadium. There’s only one day left until our annual concert and everyone’s filled with nervous energy. Our team is zipping around in golf carts, bicycles and for the more daring — scooters! The pressure is on to organize the concert, Homegrown Village and FarmYard and get those HOMEGROWN Concessions cooking!

Tucked between the stadium and Hershey’s Ice Palace, the Homegrown Village is being built from the ground up. Exhibitors’ booths went up this morning. Fresh flowers color the village with pinks, oranges and yellows. Our homemade pennants will be streamed around the village any minute now. At the center of it all, we’re preparing the FarmYard where concert goers will meet our family farmers and advocates.

Down the street at the Milton Hershey School, the Farmer’s Advocate meeting took place yesterday. Read all about it here, in the Patriot News. Advocates and farmers were tweeting live.

Hearing very powerful testimony from farmers helped by @farmaid and their hotline. #farmadvocates#farmaid2012

— RAFI-USA (@rafiusa) September 20, 2012

As always, this year’s concert will shine a spotlight on the work and accomplishments of farmers, which benefit all of us. To borrow a line from Brian Snyder of PASA:

RT @pasabrian: @farmaid @pasafarming #FarmersRock and I want to talk to anyone who doesn’t think so! #farmaid2012

— PASA (@pasafarming) September 20, 2012

Check out some of the great news coverage here, here, here and here!