A rural Sauk County hayfield will transform into an unconventional stage this September. Farmers, tractors, dancers, and a live orchestra will turn a hay harvest into a celebration of agricultural art.
Combining the arts and rural culture
The Wormfarm Institute presents Make Hay While the Sun Shines. This site-responsive, weather-dependent production is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026 (rain date Sept. 26) in rural Sauk County.
The event features the Hay Rake Ballet. This unique performance transforms a hay harvest into a six-act production using farm machinery and a live chamber orchestra. Choreographer Sarah Gordon Butler is working with 18 local farmers. Together, they frame mowing, tedding, raking, and baling within a classical dance aesthetic. The performance honors the craft, coordination, and beauty of family-scale farming.
“The local farmers are the stars of the show,” says the institute’s Sarah Butler. “Farmers approach their work with care, nuance, and artistry. They are skilled operators and quiet masters of their craft. We all rely on this craft, whether we recognize it or not.”
Butler adds that the Hay Rake Ballet lets audiences witness this mastery firsthand. It celebrates farmers in a fun, unconventional way with tractor choreography and live music.
The program
Milwaukee-based Wild Space Dance Company kicks off the event. Artist Brian Sobaski will then make a grand entrance onto the active hayfield stage. From there, choreographed farm machinery, harvest rhythms, and live music converge.
Wormfarm Executive Director Donna Neuwirth emphasizes the unique experience. “Even if you have seen a hay harvest, you may not have paid close attention to the skill, timing, and coordination involved,” she says. “Underscored by live classical music, it’s a powerful example of the culture embedded in agriculture.”
Tickets for Make Hay While the Sun Shines are available now on their website, here.
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