Nelson, Mellencamp rock at Farm Aid

MILWAUKEE, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- The 25th anniversary of Farm Aid in Wisconsin brought out 35,000 music lovers and those who say they wanted to support family farming and eat good food.

Saturday's gathering at Miller Park reunited Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp, who helped form the first Farm Aid benefit concert in 1985 designed to raise awareness and money for family farms across the United States, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Sunday.

The theme was "Growing Hope for America."

"As the family farmer goes, so goes America," said Indiana born and raised Mellencamp.

"We're all hopeful. That's why we're here. You can never give up: never, never, never. So every year I get a chance to come and rant about it," Neil Young said.

People came to hear music, donate cash going to family farms and to eat locally grown food and dishes made with locally grown products, the Sentinel reported.

Hot spiced cider went fast on the cold rainy day as well as locally grown roasted corn and chili made with beef from a family farm.

Paul Rozwadowski who owns a local dairy with 60 cows was at the expo with other farm- and environment-related groups to explain their work and meet city people who'd never met a real farmer before.

"It's kinda neat," he said. "It makes us feel we're respected, like being given a thank you."