Locally Grown

Regional Local Food and Farm Policy Meeting

derrickb@illinois.edu(Brenda E. Derrick) — 2011-03-01T09:24:00+05:00

Consumers, restaurants, schools and other institutions are increasingly seeking out local foods but regulatory barriers can inhibit the growth of this food and farm sector. A statewide non-profit group seeks input on the critical policy issues facing local farmers, consumers and businesses trying to grow, market or purchase locally produced foods. Illinois Stewardship Alliance's (ISA) Grassroots Policy Advisory Committee and local co-hosts will hold a series of regional policy meetings to bring local farm and food stakeholders together to provide input on a series of policy priorities developed by the committee and explore in detail the regulatory obstacles preventing further expansion of local food systems.

The Grassroots Advisory Committee was formed in December, 2010, and determined a set of policy priorities to strengthen local food systems in Illinois. Developing tiered regulations to eliminate legal and regulatory barriers burdening the local food and farm economy were among others identified at the December meeting. Previously identified priorities will be presented to regional meeting participants for comments.

Next Session: Friday March 4, 2011 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm at the Macomb City Hall-Community Meeting Room in Macomb, IL. Address is 232 East Jackson St. in Macomb. Light refreshemnts will be served. The event is co-hosted by the Macomb Food Initiatives Group (FIG).

Managing Legal Risks in the Direct Farm Business

derrickb@illinois.edu(Brenda E. Derrick) — 2010-12-08T09:17:00+05:00

University of Illinois county Extension offices will host the upcoming webinar, "Managing Legal Risks in the Direct Farm Business," on Tuesday, Jan. 25 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. with a follow-up webinar on Thursday, Mar. 3, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. A. Bryan Endres, associate professor of agricultural law at the University of Illinois, and attorney Nicholas R. Johnson have developed the webinar to clarify some of the unique legal issues pertaining to direct farm businesses and to guide direct farm business owners through the maze of laws.

The webinars will be held at 20 locations throughout Illinois. Visit https://webs.extension.uiuc.edu/registration/default.cfm?RegistrationID=5162 for a complete list of locations and to register.

U of I Sustainable Student Farm takes education from head to hands

cedgar@illinois.edu(Carrie Edgar) — 2010-09-15T11:10:00+05:00

Students experienced for themselves the value of farm-fresh produce at the University of Illinois Sustainable Student Farm's first open house last Thursday.

U of I students were invited to tour the student farm and learn how produce is grown and harvested to meet the demands of campus dining services.

In addition, campus chefs prepared delicious creations using student farm produce and created side-by-side comparisons of farm-fresh produce versus grocery store produce.

"I overheard students wondering why the farm-fresh tomatoes were so red and thought they had been colored," said Dawn Aubrey, U of I senior assistant of dining services. "While this was not a typical response from the students, it was an honest question posed by some of the students who were unfamiliar with gardening and farming."

Some of the goals of the open house were to introduce students to opportunities to get involved in the student farm while showing off the advantages and need for locally grown food, said Bruce Branham, U of I professor of crop sciences.

"The Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) has a goal that local food (produced within 100 miles of campus) use reach 30 percent of the campus total by 2015," Branham said. "We would like the student farm to be a significant part of that total."

Aubrey is looking forward to the expansion of the student farm and hopes to collaborate in the future on preservation methods.

"The student farm produce is fresh, flavorful and nutrient-packed," she said. "The quality is outstanding and when compared to commercially grown produce, there is a stark contrast in flavor. Additionally this supports our commitment to sustainability with the produce being grown using organic methods and traveling a mile from farm to kitchen."

Branham said 250 students attended the open house, creating tremendous enthusiasm and support for the farm's future.

"The student farm has a tremendous value to U of I," Aubrey said. "It's an academic laboratory providing practical experience for students who may pursue farming. It also provides students with exposure to fresh produce from growing methods to sustainable practices. It takes the education from the head and translates it to the hands."

CHAD WALLACE NAMED ILLINOIS SUSTAINABLE FARMER OF THE YEAR

cedgar@illinois.edu(Carrie Edgar) — 2010-08-17T07:55:00+05:00

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) will present the 2010 winner of the R.J. Vollmer Sustainable Agriculture Farmer Award on Aug. 17 during Agriculture Day at the Illinois State Fair (ISF). This year's winner is Chad Wallace of Oak Tree Organics.

Oak Tree Organics, located in Ashland, is a family owned and operated farm offering a wide variety of fresh produce, fruits and eggs. Oak Tree Organics has been providing naturally grown produce to the local farmer's market for the past six years and offers weekly deliveries to the Springfield and Jacksonville areas. Oak Tree Organics is truly a family affair. Wallace, his wife Dana and their three children all work on the farm. Their oldest daughter, Amanda, takes care of the books and son, Kyle, works on the equipment. Five year old, Erin, has worked on the farm, side-by-side with her dad since she was in a stroller.

Wallace grew up on what is now Oak Tree Organics Farm. When Wallace was a kid, the farm was a conventional corn and bean father retired from farming, he embarked on a different path, converting 18 acres of the family farm to chemical-free fruit and vegetable production.

To celebrate Agriculture Day, IDOA Director Jennings will host a special luncheon on the Director's Lawn at 12:15 p.m. Ag Day festivities will also feature a reunion of past IDOA directors, including Chuck Hartke (2003-2008), Joe Hampton (1999-2002), Becky Doyle (1991-1999), John Rundquist (1989-1991), Larry Werries (1981-1989) and Gordon Ropp (1970-1979).

Source: Illinois State Fair

Farmers Markets Popularity Spurs Growth in U.S.

cedgar@illinois.edu(Carrie Edgar) — 2010-08-04T19:08:00+05:00

Interesting article in the Chicago Tribune on Farmers Markets:

http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/thestew/2010/08/farmers-markets-popularity-spurs-growth-in-us.html

National Farmers Market Week

cedgar@illinois.edu(Carrie Edgar) — 2010-08-04T18:59:00+05:00

This is National Farmers Market Week! Be sure to visit a farmers market this week to support our local farmers. And don't forget the Locally Grown FoodFest on Saturday! The ever popular Chef Contest starts at 11 am.

Click here to find out more!

Preserving Local Flavors: Salsa

cedgar@illinois.edu(Carrie Edgar) — 2010-07-23T11:55:00+05:00

Preserving Local Flavors: Salsa will be offered to those who are interested in finding out more specific information on how to safely can salsa. These are in-depth, hands-on workshops as participants will learn by doing. In addition, participants will receive the latest food preservation information, hand-outs, and recipes.

Dates of the workshops (with pre-registration dates) are as follows:

Monday July 26th - Salsa, Cornerstone Church, Hwy. 24 East, Mt. Sterling IL (preregistration by Thurs July 22)
Tuesday August 3rd - Salsa, Vermont Street United Methodist Church, 818 Vermont Street, Quincy, IL (preregistration by Fri July 30)

Each workshop will run from 6-9 pm. The cost of the workshop is $25 per person per workshop.

Click here for more information or to register online.

New Illinois Legislation to Promote Access to Local Food

sschoon@illinois.edu(Shelby Crow) — 2010-07-23T11:03:00+05:00

Governor Quinn signs bills to help Illinois schools and low income people access locally grown food.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-07-17/news/ct-met-farmers-market-20100717_1_link-cards-food-stamp-recipients-john-sondgeroth

Local Grown FoodFest scheduled for August 7th

cedgar@illinois.edu(Carrie Edgar) — 2010-07-23T10:24:00+05:00

Historic Quincy Business District is proud to present the 6th annual Local Food Fest.

The FoodFest will take place in Washington Park on August 7, 2010 from 8 a.m.- 1 p.m. There is something for the entire family at Local Food Fest!

This years events include a variety of child's games, a inflatable obstacle course, crafts, educational booths and the competition heats up again this year with the Amateur Chef's Competition.

As usual the Quincy Farmer's Market will be going on from 7-1 featuring dozens of vendors selling the freshest produce.

So gather up the family and come to Washington Park to celebrate local food on Saturday August 7.

Hope to see you there!

Visit HQBD's website to learn more.

Mixing business with pleasure on the farm September 22

cedgar@illinois.edu(Carrie Edgar) — 2010-07-23T10:20:00+05:00

Bruce Curry has been growing pumpkins since he was 12 years old. Today, 37 years later, he's still at it.

"I had a little roadside produce stand selling pumpkins," said Curry. "When I got off the school bus every day, I'd run to a post with a tin can nailed to it – that was the honor-payment system back then -- I'd reach inside and pull out some coins and I was hooked."

Curry's roadside stand has grown into a thriving, 80-acre agritourism business called Country Corner in Alpha. His farm is the destination of a tour sponsored by University of Illinois Extension on Wednesday, September 22^nd from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The farm grows asparagus, tomatoes, corn, pumpkins, muskmelons, watermelons and other produce. Country Corner allows its customers to pick fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, raspberries, pumpkins, and gourds directly from the farm.

Country Corner has a two-acre timber park, a playground, pavilion, picnic area, and horseshoe pits. "We also have a fully stocked farm market with local honey, jams and jellies, apples, cider, and fall produce," said Curry.

Curry said that he enjoys educating the public about agriculture. More than 50,000 people per year come to purchase produce or tour the farm, including up to 5,000 school children.

"We are currently in our fourth year of offering community-supported agriculture with share options. We'll offer a brief description about how the CSA program works on the tour."

Although not certified organic, Curry said that Country Corner uses integrated pest management (IPM) as a strategy for dealing with weeds, insects, and diseases. "When deciding what varieties of vegetables to grow, I look for varieties that are bred for disease resistance," he said. "I also look for varieties that are insect resistant, such as the sweet corn variety that is resistant to Stewart's Wilt, which is transmitted by flea beetles. The need for chemicals on disease- and insect-resistant crops compared to varieties that have not been bred for disease control is less demanding if needed at all.

"I also rotate my crops each year so that the pests from the previous year do not damage this year's crops. Rotation also allows me to grow crops with less pesticide," said Curry.

On the tour, visitors will see the farm in operation and will take a hayrack ride tour of the farm, which includes stops at the U-pick pumpkin patch and the bee barn where visitors will learn about the importance of bees. This year's eight-acre corn maze features a trivia game in which correct answers guide visitors through the adventure.

"Agritourism is a growing segment of the rural economy in many areas of Illinois," said Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant, small farm and sustainable agriculture Extension apecialist who is coordinating the 2010 Sustainable Agriculture tours. "It is defined as any business activity that brings the public to a farm or rural setting in an effort to market farm-raised or produced-products or the enjoyment of related outdoor activities. Country Corner is a wonderful example of agritourism done well."

For more information, visit http://www.country-corner.com

A fee of $20 per person will be charged for each tour, which includes lunch. Two adults pay $30 when registered together, and children under the age of 10 attend free.

Registration at least one week in advance is required.

Visit http://web.extension.illinois.edu/smallfarm/ag_tours.cfm

to register and for more details about each of the tours, including a map and agenda. To register by phone, contact Donna Cray at 217-241-4644. For more information, contact Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant (217-968-5512; cvnghgrn@illinois.edu).

University of Illinois Extension is a statewide educational network that links the resources and research of the University of Illinois to the people of Illinois. The programs and workshops, which take place throughout the state, address issues involving youth, families, community development, agriculture, and natural resources. If reasonable accommodations are needed in order to participate in any of the programs, call 217-241-4644.

The tours are sponsored by the University of Illinois Extension, the North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Professional Development Program, the Agriculture Tourism Partners of Illinois (ATPI), the Agroecology/Sustainable Agriculture Program at the University of Illinois, and the Henry County Extension Unit.