Free Virtual Discussion and Q&A Tonight with Sarah Frey

Inspirational entrepreneur Sarah Frey and her new autobiography "The Growing Season: How I Saved an American Farm — And Built a New Life” take centerstage in the McAninch Arts Center’s (MAC) free Book Club virtual discussion event 7 p.m. CT, Tuesday, April 20. The New York Times hails Frey’s book as “a gutsy success story.” The discussion will be followed by a live Q&A with Frey conducted by MAC Director Diana Martinez on Facebook. For link and more information visit AtTheMAC.org or call 630.942.4000.

Frey, one of 21 children (four older full brothers and 13 half-siblings from her father and mother’s first marriages), grew up in rural Illinois. Until Frey was 5, the house had no indoor plumbing. Heat was generated by a wood burning stove and the family ate mostly what they could grow or hunt. Frey had a very rough upbringing and suffered abuse from a farmhand on the struggling farm. At age 15, she moved out of the family house, and at 16 purchased a truck to take over the family melon distribution route. She grew it from 12 customers to 150 by the time she was 19. To supplement her summertime melon money, she planted 20 acres of pumpkins while also pursuing the dual credit program at nearby Frontier Community College to simultaneously earn credit towards a high school diploma and college.

Through hard work and determination, Frey was able to save the family farm and turn it into the multi-state farming empire, Frey Farms. Today Frey is known as “America's Pumpkin Queen" and Harvard uses her story of landing a deal with Walmart for distribution at age 17 as a case study. There is an ABC television series in development of her story.

“Once I started reading the book, I couldn't put it down,” says Martinez. “I highly recommend this book to everyone who likes an all-American inspirational story about vision, grit and resiliency. It will also be of great interest to students and anyone interested in entrepreneurship and business.”