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The FamilyFarmed EXPO
affirmed its position
as the Midwest's leading local food event
Jim Slama, Slow Money's Woody Tasch, USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, and Illinois Ag Director Tom Jennings spoke on the Closing Plenary at the Financing Farm to Fork Conference during the FamilyFarmed EXPO. |
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three-day gathering in Chicago March 11-13 attracted over 4,000 people. They attended talks by experts like
USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, watched chef demonstrations, met family farmers,
and celebrated at the Friday evening soiree-all to help foster the growth of local food
systems.
Merrigan gave the closing remarks at the Financing Farm to Fork Conference. She was joined by Tom Jennings, Director of the Illinois
Department of Agriculture, Woody Tasch, author of the best selling book, Slow
Money, and Jim
Slama, president of FamilyFarmed.org. The conference explored financing strategies
while linking farmers and food businesses with investors who gave advice and
explained possible funding. Other speakers included CEO's from Goose Island
Beer, Tallgrass Beef, and Eli's Cheesecake, plus financiers, leading farmers,
and urban entrepreneurs. The conference concluded with a Financing Fair and
reception that includes 19 farms and businesses seeking capital to expand.
Friday's
program included the FamilyFarmed Trade Showand the Chicago Food Policy Advisory Council Summit, plus Localicious!, a locavore party featuring
distinctive dishes made by some of Chicago's finest
chefs and restaurants, featuring
locally produced ingredients. The trade show linked farmers and food businesses with trade
buyers including Goodness Greeness, Whole Foods Market, Testa Produce, SYSCO,
Chartwells Thompson Hospitality (Chicago Public Schools) Lettuce Entertain You
Restaurants, and many more. The Food Policy Summitt included innovative
discussions about issues such as food access, greening food deserts, urban
agriculture land use policy and more.
Saturday's
local food festival drew over 3,000 people to a variety of activities including:
�
Celebrity
chefs demos from Rick Bayless, Paul Kahan, Gale Gand, Paul Virant and Jo
Kaucher. �
Over 130
vendors selling or promoting local food. �
Standing
room only workshops on topics such as Back Yard Chickens, Whole Animal
Consumption, Urban Agriculture, and more. �
The
Kids' Corner, hosted by family-friendly nonprofit Purple Asparagus �
Community
Supported Agriculture farmer's pavilion where people met CSA
farmers and signed up for 2010 shares Media coverage of the EXPO
was outstanding with coverage in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times,
Crain's Chicago Business, Chicago Reader, Time Out Chicago, plus Daily Candy,
CS, A Fresh Squeeze, Gapers Block, ABC 7 and NBC 5 and much more! Thanks to
all the Staff, board, volunteers,
sponsors, exhibitors, and speakers who helped make this the best EXPO yet! |
Great News From our EXPO Sponsor Goodness Greeness:
Goodness Greeness Regional Organic
Production Tops 500 Acres
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Chicago based organic distributor, Goodness Greeness,
announced at the FamilyFarmed EXPO, that its regional production scheduled for
the 2010 growing season now exceeds 500 acres. Production includes herbs,
greens, summer vegetables, squash, fruit, sweet corn, and more.
"This is the
largest regional production year in our history," says Goodness CEO, Bob
Scaman. "We are excited that so many family farmers have stepped up to grow
produce for us." Goodness is the largest organic produce distributor in the
Midwest and second largest in the country. They employ nearly 130 people, most
of who work in their Chicago based sales and warehousing operations in
Englewood on the South side.
Goodness also announced at the EXPO the first annual Lady
Moon Family Farm Award for Wholesale Excellence. It was given to Tom Bedard of
Lady Moon Farms, who has created the largest organic produce farming operation
east of the Mississippi, with over 1500 acres in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and
Florida.
"Lady Moon Farms exemplifies everything right with family farming,"
says Bob Scaman. "Tom Bedard and his family began with 12 acres over 20 years
ago and just kept expanding to meet market demand. They have much to teach our
movement and we are excited to be able to work with them and use their name to
inspire other growers to wholesale excellence."
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SAVE THE DATE!
MARCH 17-19, 2011 at UIC Forum Chicago
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THANK YOU!
To
everyone who attended and
contributed to the success of the 2010
FamilyFarmed EXPO.
We are grateful for your support and commitment to
local food!
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 Green Carts, Shared Kitchens, Backyard
Chickens, and Whole Hogs: Reporting from the FamilyFarmed Expo
By Martha
Bayne
| If farmers are the rock stars of the sustainable food movement, does
that make last weekend's FamilyFarmed Expo its Pitchfork?
Read the full article here!
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Farms and Food Businesses Seek Financing to Launch or Expand at the FamilyFarmed Financing Fair | |
100 Mile
Market
Kitchener,
Ontario
www.100milemarket.com
100 Mile
Market is a farmer inspired company featuring over 120 producers. They
perform sales, marketing, and logistics delivering 1000+ local food products to
restaurants, caterers, food service, and specialty retailers.
Earth
Harvest Farm, LLC
Lake
Geneva, WI
www.earthharvestfarm.com
A
Certified Naturally Grown farm growing high-quality produce, pasture-raised
meats, and eggs for the SE Wisconsin and metropolitan Chicago regions.
Well known for our customer care, quality products, and community involvement.
Esther's
Place / Lamb of God Farm
Big Rock,
IL
www.esthersplacefibers.com
Renewing
the family farm with fiber arts studio, classes, retreats, unique food and farm
experiences to inspire a community that shares passion for the land!
Family
Farmed EXPO
Oak Park,
IL
www.familyfarmedexpo.com
The
FamilyFarmed EXPO builds local food systems by connecting local food farmers
with trade buyers and consumers. The premier trade show of the local food
movement in the Midwest plans to replicate success into other US markets.
Featherstone
Farm
Rushford,
MN
www.featherstonefarm.com
Featherstone
Fruits and Vegetables is a 100 acre certified organic farm that grows and
distributes over 30 varieties of fresh market fruits and vegetables throughout
the Midwest.
Fresh
Picks
Niles, IL
www.freshpicks.com
Fresh
Picks offers home delivery of local produce, meat, dairy, eggs & more. They
partner with sustainable farmers protecting our health and the environment.
Gourmet
Gorilla
Chicago,
IL
www.gourmetgorilla.com
A social
enterprise foodservice company with a mission of building improved nutrition
and education by providing local & organic meals to children at public and
private schools.
Green
Grocer
Chicago,
IL
www.greengrocerchicago.com
Green
Grocer Chicago is an intimate, neighborhood market that features organically
grown, locally produced food and specialty items.
Harvest
Moon
Office:
Chicago, IL
Farm:
Viroqua, WI
www.harvestmoon-farms.com
Harvest
Moon Farms LLC is an organic farm and food company that grows and aggregates
produce to serve Chicago's CSA members and Wholesale accounts.
Learn
Great Foods
Mt.
Carroll, IL
www.learngreatfoods.com
A food
knowledge company offering culinary farm tours, informational booklets and
customized adult education events. They connect farm, food, economics,
environment and health.
Midwest
Organic Farm Mgmt
Danforth,
IL
www.midwestorganicfarms.com
Midwest
Organic Farm Management facilitates the conversion of Midwestern farmland to
organic certification by connecting debt or equity investors with farmland
ownership opportunities.
Mint Creek
Farm
Stelle, IL
www.mintcreekfarm.com
Quantum
sales growth over the last several years establishes Mint Creek Farm's
strategic position in the ram (bull) market for selling sustainably raised
grass fed lamb.
Otter
Creek Organic Farm
Spring
Green, WI
www.ottercreekorganicfarm.com
Otter
Creek Organic Farm, the 2008 Organic Farm of the Year, is looking for bridge
investment to diversify its profitable dairy business and expand its
microbranded line of products.
Tallgrass
Beef
Chicago,
IL
www.tallgrassbeef.com
A producer
of 100% grass-fed beef, cattle raised the way Mother nature intended,
without hormones and without antibiotics.
The
Scrumptious Pantry
Chicago,
IL
www.scrumptiouspantry.com
The
Scrumptious Pantry is an umbrella brand that provides "terroir" food products
made by family farms using organic and estate grown crops.
Uncured
Natural Meats
Juneau, WI
www.uncurednaturalmeats.com
Providers
of 100% grass-fed Wisconsin beef products--handmade without chemicals or
fillers. The beef line is supported with other healthy offerings such as
premium Alaskan salmon.
Washington
Park Consortium
Chicago,
IL
The WPUAI
is a public-private venture that seeks to create new business, economic, and
educational opportunities for the residents within its community and throughout
the City.
Wild
Strawberry
Lansing,
IL
Wild
Strawberry produces from a 15 acre greenhouse 35 minutes from Chicago's Loop,
delivering fresh, pesticide-free vegetables and herbs year-round... express
from the farm.
Windridge
Farm
Caledonia,
IL
www.windridgeherbfarm.com
Wind Ridge
Herb Farm grows 400+ varieties of culinary and medicinal herbs,(plants, fresh
or dried). Produces herbal teas, dips, seasonings, dressings,vinegars,
etc.
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