Illinois Small Farms
Beginning Farmers Training
Central Illinois Farm Beginnings™ is a year-long program designed to help new and existing farmers plan and launch sustainable farm enterprises through seminars, working field days, and mentorships with experienced farmers.
Students spend the winter months engaged in goal setting and business planning, and learning from small business professionals, experienced farmers, distributors, and marketers. After completing the business planning portion of the program, students participate in working field days and are matched with a mentor farmer with experience in their area of interest.
Central Illinois Farm Beginnings is made possible with support from University of Illinois Extension, The Land Connection (including individual donors to The Land Connection), Illinois Department of Agriculture Sustainable Agriculture grant program, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Liberty Prairie Foundation, Lumpkin Family Foundation, and North Pond Restaurant.
By following the link below, you will be leaving the Illinois Small Farms website.
Visit Illinois Farm Beginnings
Central Illinois Farm Beginnings Brochure
Central Illinois Sustainable Farming Network
Central Illinois Sustainable Farming Network’s (CISFN) mission is to promote the development of local food systems in Central Illinois through farmer support and training. Network members are committed to sustainable farming and are willing to share knowledge and participate in learning opportunities.
Programming for CISFN is facilitated by The Land Connection and University of Illinois Extension with direction provided by an Advisory Group of Central Illinois farmers.
Members of CISFN receive:
- Free admission to all 2011 CISFN events, including CISFN Field Days
- A copy of the 2011 CISFN Directory listing all farm and individual members
- All CISFN network communications, including monthly CISFN newsletters, event reminders, job opportunities, and alerts relevant to those who support a expansion of sustainable food systems in Illinois
Farm Members receive these additional benefits:
- Free admission to all 2011 CISFN events for interns and employees working on your farm
- An online, public listing of your farm on the CISFN webpage
2011 Central Illinois Sustainable Farming Network Annual Meeting
On March 5, CISFN held its first annual meeting. The dinner meeting was attended by 140 people—farmers, families, and individuals committed to local food and farms. The highlight of the evening was the locally sourced meal created by Chef Ken Myszka of Epiphany Farms. From the appetizer of pastured egg and pork belly with over- wintered radishes to the slow roasted goat and whole wheat pasta, to the carrot cake and maple syrup gelato, everyone agreed that the meal was wonderful proof that we can “eat local” in central Illinois even in early March!
Jazz musicians Ken Smith, Bill Schlipf, and Simon Burke set the mood throughout the evening, and Lynn Miller, a farmer, artist, and writer from Oregon whose Small Farmer’s Journal has been the voice of small farm agriculture since 1976, completed the evening with a timely discussion about small farm agriculture and some of the issues facing small farmers.
Listen to the CISFN Annual Meeting Keynote Presentation - In Search of a Farmer’s Agriculture, Mr. Lynn Miller
"Is Entrepreneurial Farming For You?" Workshops
Have you ever dreamed of starting your own farm business? "Is Entrepreneurial Farming For You?" (IEFFY) is a three and a half hour, interactive workshop designed to help you learn what it takes to do just that!
Participants in IEFFY workshops will have the opportunity to meet experienced sustainable farmers, learn about different successful farm enterprises, and be able to ask questions about the genesis and development of farm businesses. The workshop will cover resource assessment, goal-setting, financial planning and marketing options. IEFFY will help you learn what it takes to start and manage your own farm-based business, and decide whether this is the path you are ready to take.
"Is Entrepreneurial Farming for You?" workshops will be held from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the University of Illinois Extension offices listed below. Registration is $30.00 per person, or $45.00 for two members of the same farm partnership. Workshop registration includes a light a supper. Registration for each workshop will close at 5:30 p.m. on the Wednesday before the workshop is scheduled to take place.
Thursday, June 30
Sangamon County Extension Office (directions)
2501 North 8th St., Bldg 30
Springfield, IL
Thursday, July 7
McLean County Extension Office (directions)
402 North Hershey Rd.
Bloomington, IL
Thursday, July 14
Peoria County Extension Office (directions)
4810 North Sheridan Rd.
Peoria, IL
"Is Entrepreneurial Farming For You?" is a collaborative effort between The Land Connection and the University of Illinois Extension and was inspired by the Angelic Organics Learning Center’s “Farm Dreams” workshops.
