We're Throwing a Party and You're Invited!
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FamilyFarmed.org is pleased to invite you to join us for the FamilyFarmed EXPO launch party on Wednesday January 27 from 5 to 7pm. Get the inside scoop on plans and programming for this year's EXPO and learn all the fantastic way YOU can get involved! Best of all, it's free!
Speakers at both the party and the EXPO include Bill Kurtis of Tallgrass Beef, Erika Allen of Growing Power, Lisa Lee of Jane Addams Hull-House Museum (Hull-House is a major sponsor of the EXPO), and Jim Slama of FamilyFarmed.org.
The party is at our fantastic new EXPO venue, the UIC Forum, (University of Illinois) at Halsted and Roosevelt Road in Chicago. Arrive early to tour the venue, or join us at 5 and nosh on delectable snacks, enjoy some local drinks, and find out how YOU can get involved. RSVPs required! Please register here with your name and total number attending no later than Monday, January 25.
 The FamilyFarmed EXPO is the leading local food event in the Midwest. It takes place March 11-13 and features the Financing Farm to Fork Conference, Chicago Food Policy Advisory Council Summit, FamilyFarmed Trade Show, Localicious Party, and Local Food Festival. For more information, go to FamilyFarmedEXPO.com. |
Where Do You Get YOUR Local Food?
Sorting Through the Abundance of Options
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Ten years ago, there were far fewer options for finding local food than there are today. In recent years, farmers markets, CSAs, food co-operatives, buying clubs, retail stores, and home delivery services have made it much easier to eat local. But, which option is best for you?
Just as you sort through any other major investment in life, you find the option that best fits your values, needs, schedule and budget. Likely, it might be some combination of resources. We thought it would be helpful to explain some of the features of each option so you can better choose how you'll find local food in 2010.
First though, ask yourself what is most important to you:
Eating local?
Regional?
Organic?
Knowing your farmer?
Supporting one grower throughout the season?
Convenience?
Product consistency?
Selecting exactly what you want each week?
This is just a start, but as you sort through the following options, you'll see that some might be a better fit for you over others.
Continue reading here!
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Financing Farm To Fork Conference:
Funding Sustainable Local Food Businesses and Farms
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FamilyFarmed.org is pleased to announce the Financing Farm to Fork Conference, taking place Thursday March 11, 2010, in Chicago. The Conference will support the growth of the sustainable and local foods movement by encouraging investment in farm and food production, processing, and distribution businesses. FamilyFarmed.org is producing the conference as part of the 2010 FamilyFarmed EXPO. The University of Chicago Booth School of Business is a primary conference sponsor. Please join us!
 Conference Speakers
The FamilyFarmed Financing Farm to Fork Conference includes national and regional experts and investors speaking about food businesses, farm financing, food access, value added businesses, and more. Confirmed speakers include Slow Money Author Woody Tasch, Rancher and television personality Bill Kurtis, Eli's Cheescake CEO Marc Schulman, James Beard Award winning Chef Michel Nichan, Financier Andy Whitman, Urban Farmer Erika Allen, University of Chicago's Linda Darragh, Homemade Pizza CEO Eric Fosse, Financier David Wilhelm, FamilyFarmed.org President Jim Slama and many more.
Financing Fair and Reception
The Financing Fair and Reception closes the conference and is intended to spark new relationships between farmers, food manufacturers, and other businesses in the burgeoning local food movement and financiers including investors, public and private grantors, banks, and economic development specialists. Farm and food business looking to start or expand a business are invited to submit an application to join us as a presenter and get valuable exposure to financiers. A team of farm and food experts will review the applications received and select a group of qualified farms and businesses to have a Presenter table at the Fair.
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The Righteous Pork Chop:
Finding a Life and Good Food Beyond Factory Farms
 by Nicolette Hahn Niman
A book review by guest writer, Keighty Alvarez |
What began as a story of a young lawyer reluctant to "work
full-time on manure" became a tale of enduring support for family farms and
unrelenting dedication to taking down the animal confinement industry that
threatens them.
Nicolette Hahn Niman's memoir about her work fighting the corrupt food
industry is refreshingly candid. From her hesitation to even take the job at Waterkeeper
to her genuine excitement when she, Ron and Rick caught on film a farmer illegally dumping
manure into the stream, Niman holds little inside.
While the sheer volume of unscrupulous factory farmers breaking the law seems daunting, Niman
beautifully depicts a group fighting to reclaim America's meat supply. The stories
of her work are both disturbing and at the same time encouraging in that she relates that important work is being done and laws are being changed in favor of family farms.
Even if you're
a vegetarian, as Niman was, you're not immune to the meat industry. And, whether
you're entrenched in the good food movement or you're just starting to check it
out, all should read this book.
For more information about Righteous Pork Chop, visit Niman's website to read her blog and
purchase the book! |
FEATURED PRODUCER
Sweet Home Organics
at Primrose Farm Park, St. Charles, IL
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Kim Marsin and Rachel Reklau run Sweet Home Organics at
Primrose Farm Park (part of the St. Charles Park District), where they lease
four acres of land as part of Primrose Farm Park's incubator program. Their
production, beginning in 2010, focuses on organically grown vegetables and
herbs. They will be transitioning to certified organic over the next three
years. Kim oversees most aspects of the farm, as Rachel maintains an off-farm
job at the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.
A sustainable, organic farm is a perfect blend of their
passions. Rachel is a life-long "eco geek" who loves the self-sufficiency of
growing food and working with her hands. Kim is a natural caretaker with a
passion for sharing healthy, tasty food with her friends and family. Both are
excited about joining the sustainable farming community in northeastern
Illinois and are grateful for the help and encouragement they've gotten from
fellow farmers and mentors.
What is your growing philosophy?
Our farming philosophy is an extension of how we live and is operated with the
goal of being mindful of the Earth and others' well being. We choose to use
organic practices because of our belief and experience that they honor the land
and result in the best flavor and nutrition.
What is your favorite part of being a farmer?
Starting plants from seed and seeing them grow into nutritious food that feeds
our community brings us continual joy and wonder.
What makes your farm special?
We farm within Primrose Farm Park, a "living history" working dairy farm that
also houses draft horses, sheep and chickens. Our relationship with Primrose
allows us to use their rich, composted manure, meaning compost won't have to be
trucked in from off-farm. This "integrated farm system" means resources
available on-site are utilized to help nourish the soil in which we grow our
produce.
We offer a "Feed-A-Family" (FAF) program, where supporters
can help subsidize CSA boxes for local families who otherwise wouldn't be able
to afford them. We want participating FAF families to take part in the true
"CSA experience." They pay $50 at the beginning of the season and receive a
full share (3/4 bushel box each week). FAF supporters can pay the balance of
one FAF share ($500) or a smaller amount, which will be pooled to help
subsidize shares. Visit our Feed-A-Family
page to learn more.
We also plan to feature "Get to Know Your Veggies" videos on
our website, which we will create to showcase how to store and prepare the
vegetables and herbs we grow.
Where can consumers get your products?
Sweet Home Organics produce can be purchased through our 18-week CSA shares and
at the Primrose Farm stand on Thursdays and Saturdays.
For more information about Sweet Home Organics, visit their website, follow them on Facebook
and/or Twitter, call 312/927-3726
or email.
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Got Lunch Plans This Tuesday?
How About Soup at the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum!
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Every Tuesday from 12:00pm - 1:00pm, the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum
hosts a free re-Thinking Soup gathering, serving up delicious soup and encouraging inspiring conversation. This is a
public event where everyone can gather together to discuss urgent social,
cultural, economic and environmental food issues. Each week the conversation is
lead by a different guest speaker.
For more information, and to
find out what's cookin' next week, check the Hull-House Kitchen website.
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Organic advocate urges more infrastructure for local food |
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
AgriNews, LaSalle, Illinois
By Jeannine Otto
CHICAGO - The local food movement is growing, but it is in need of a more developed infrastructure, more private financing and more farmers, the founder of a group that brings local farmers and food buyers and consumers together told a group of Chicago bankers and ag financial consultants.
"This niche, it's a big one and it's growing," said Jim Slama, the founder of familyfarmed.org.
The group's mission is to encourage local food production and consumption by bringing growers and buyers together, to encourage local food production and to develop high value markets for local food.
"The movement is taking off. It's not just taking off for people like me, who are willing to pay more for fresh, local foods, but it's taking off for people who recognize we need to get fresh local food into urban communities, so all people have access to fresh food," Slama said.
In a movement that is taking off like the local food movement, opportunities abound all the way up the supply chain in order to make local food more available economically and by location.
"We believe there is also a significant opportunity for people like you who want to invest in local food," Slama said.
He spoke recently at a "Perspectives on the Future of Agriculture in the Midwest," a conference at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
The one-day event, which hosted an audience of bankers, ag officials, consultants and others, featured experts from government, academia and private institutions to address various areas of agriculture.
"There's opportunity here, there's growth - any time there's growth, there's an opportunity to finance it, and we hope to be able to do that," Slama said.
Continue reading here.
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NYC Food and Climate Change Summit Recap
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In response to the climate change summit taking place in Copenhagen, New York staged their own discussion on December 12, 2009. With opening ceremonies hosted by Just Food's Jacquie Berger, Manhattan Borough President, Scott Stringer and Food Politic's Marion Nestle, the summit began with a bang.
After the plenary, the rest of the day was split up into different workshops. Workshops included: Faith-Rooted Climate and Food Justice Organizing, Composting Your Food Waste, and Urban Agriculture: Community Gardens, Urban Farms, and More.
All in all a lot of groundbreaking work was accomplished! And, during the afternoon workshop about urban agriculture, Chicago got a congratulations for being the leader in green roofs and supportive legislation aiding in the sustainability of urban agriculture in the city! Way to go Chicago, keep it up!
For more information about the summit or to find resources for starting your own summit visit their website.
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Save the Date!
The Premier Local Food Event in the Midwest |
The FamilyFarmed EXPO Returns with 3 Great Days of Programming - Fantastic New Location!
March 11-13
The MUST ATTEND EVENT for:
Local
Food Farmers
Artisans
Foodies
Investors
Industry Trade
Professionals
Food Policy Advocates
Local Food System
Stakeholders!
Get Involved: Become a SPONSOR, EXHIBITOR, VOLUNTEER
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Announcing
Michael Fields Agricultural Institute's Whole Farm Workshops |
This year learn more about the heart of your farm and what
makes everything grow - your soil. MFAI offers several classes on soil, soil
sampling, organic matter and enhancing fertility. They also have classes on tractors and innovative ways to promote your
products at farmer's markets. Take a grant writing class or look into getting
organically certified. Perhaps this is the year to add a meat CSA to your farm
operation - find out how. Want to venture into some value-added products? MFAI
offers soapmaking, goat milk processing, and beekeeping.
Michael Fields Agricultural Institute is
training the next generation of sustainable farmers. Join us in East Troy,
Wisconsin where beginning farmers and advanced growers develop the skills they
need to take their agricultural careers to the next level. For more information about The Michael Fields Agricultural Institute click here.For a complete list of available classes click here.
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