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Fresh Local News from FamilyFarmed.orgSeptember
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Please join FamilyFarmed.org at the Ultimate Farm to Table Experience or through a donation to help raise funds for our Farm to School program!

Sunday, October 24, 2010
Heritage Prairie Farm (about an hour west of Chicago)
Family-style Supper from 3:00 to 6:00 pm
$125 per person or
$145 package (includes round trip transportation from Chicago)

Purchase your tickets here!

Join FamilyFarmed.org and event sponsors Lettuce Entertain You and Whole Foods Market for a farm dinner at Heritage Prairie Farm. The supper will feature fresh ingredients from the day's harvest, plus food from other local ranches, farms, orchards and dairies. Join us for a multi-course, family-style meal prepared by some of the leading Lettuce Entertain You chefs:
Marc Bernard
, Big Bowl
John Chiakulas
, Foodlife/Mity Nice
David DiGregorio
, Osteria Via Stato
Michel Briand and Susan Weaver,
Mon Ami Gabi
/Caf� Ba-Ba-Reeba

This event will benefit FamilyFarmed.org, one of the country's leading non-profit organizations working to support family farmers and local food. Your contribution will help FamilyFarmed.org expand their Farm to School program, which includes a partnership with the Chicago Public Schools to help procure $2.3 million in local fruits and vegetables to serve to public school children. Your contribution will also help FamilyFarmed.org bring fresh local fresh fruits and vegetables from family farmers to other area schools and large scale buyers.

Click here for menu, details and to register for the supper.

Click here to donate to FamilyFarmed.org.



Thank you to our generous host and major event sponsors Heritage Prairie Farm, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Whole Foods Market, and Chicago Social Magazine.
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CSMag
FamilyFarmed.org releases New Local Food System Assessment Report

N VA Cover

FamilyFarmed.org is pleased to release the new report: Local Food System Assessment for Northern Virginia. The report was developed in conjunction with the Wallace Center at Winrock International and funded by the Triskeles Foundation. The study assesses the feasibility of building a successful fruit and vegetable aggregation and distribution system in the Northern Virginia agricultural crescent around Washington D.C. that contributes local and regional products into the existing wholesale commercial food system. The intended outcome is to encourage the development of a local food system in Northern Virginia by offering a roadmap and insight to those embarking on the business development process.

Please click here to download a copy of the report.
Industrial Harvest
Art, Food and 1,000 Bushels of Wheat


This summer and fall, Seattle artist and urban planner Sarah Kavage has been in Chicago conducting a learn-by-doing art and research project called Industrial Harvest.  The project started with the purchase of a futures contract for 1000 bushels of wheat on the Chicago Board of Trade.  Kavage also purchased 1000 bushels of real wheat, had it milled into 20 tons of flour, and is giving the flour away to nourish people.  The bulk of the flour is going to food banks and soup kitchens in the Chicago area, with smaller amounts going to individual bakers and organizations doing work around food and agriculture issues. 

 

Wheat, the world's oldest crop, has always been a metaphor for nourishment on one hand and commerce on the other.  By removing a tiny unit of wheat from the commodity system and using it to nourish people, Industrial Harvest explores both of these metaphors.  The project is also an investigation of the Chicago Board of Trade and its influence on Chicagoland's history, farming community, and what we eat.

 

Kavage has given away about 15 tons of flour so far, and is still seeking contacts for bulk donations of the remaining 5 tons. 

Email Sarah here for more information. Individual bakers can pick up smaller amounts of flour at upcoming farmers' markets around the Chicago area over the next month. 


Please click here for more information on Industrial Harvest, including a schedule of upcoming markets, events and appearances. 

FEATURED PRODUCER:
MONTALBANO FARM

12424 River Roadmontalbano

Plano, IL 60545

 

Farmers Christina and Rob have been growing vegetables for Chicagoland families for 5 years at their Plano farm.  They share a lifelong love of green growing things, as well as interests in nutrition, health and education.  As Rob says, "I decided to become a farmer not only because I care about how we treat our natural resources but also because I want to know what's in the food I eat."

 

They have one intention: "grow food forever!"  Sustainable methods are used on the farm where Christina and Rob strictly adhere to the USDA's National Organic Program guidelines as they transition toward organic certification.  Their philosophy is to grow healthy plants in a way that is environmentally responsible, while also being socially responsible with safe production and handling practices and fair wages for farmhands.  Community education is a primary objective with visitors and volunteers always welcome to stop in to see their operation, lend a hand or learn about organic agriculture.

 

Montalbano Farms has been a CSA farm since 2006, and they are very grateful to their subscribers for the support and encouragement that sustains them as they do their work.  You can enjoy the fruits of that work, and their loving commitment to excellence by becoming one of their subscribers.  They have delivery points in Logan Square, Chicago and in Plano.  Find out more about their CSA program, and download a registration form from their website.  You can also get on the mailing list there for their E-Newsletter to learn about what has being harvested each week, specials, farm events and news.

 montalbano


Email Rob and Christina, or call the farm at: 630-882-8008.



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Where We'll Be This Fall:

Mindful Live! Presents Carbon Nation
carbonnation
Thursday, September 23,
Unity in Chicago
1925 W. Thome Ave.
Chicago, IL 60660
5:30pm - 10pm
Details Here
FamilyFarmed.org President Jim Slama will be on hand for a panel discussion following the film

AND

Cantigny Green Fair

green fair
Wheaton, IL
September 25, 10 am - 4 pm
Learn More Here
Be sure to stop by and say Hi!

AND

Farm Aid 25: Growing Hope for America
Organic Conference

Milwaukee, WI
Saturday, October 2
Visit www.FarmAid.org here!
See us at the HOMEGROWN Village

AND


TEDx Windy City:
Thriving in the 21st Century ~ The Best Ideas Since Sliced Bread

TEDx

Chicago, IL
Wednesday, October 6
Learn More Here!
Visit us before the show at the expo


BUILDING COMMUNITIES WITH FARMS
Insights from developers, architects and farmers on integrating agriculture and development


Excerpted report overview by Vicky Ranney, Co-Developer of Prairie Crossing & Chairman, Liberty Prairie Foundation


Interest in healthy local food has spread across the country, fed by concerns about obesity, food-related diseases like diabetes, and the methods of industrial farming and food production.  Michelle Obama's White House garden and prominent writers such as Michael Pollan have put these issues into the national spotlight.

The strong public appeal of local and sustainably grown food has not been lost upon

residential developers. A group of practitioners from around the country - developers, architects and farmers - recently gathered in the historic Byron Colby Barn at Prairie Crossing in Illinois to talk about their designs for incorporating agriculture into new communities and how they have worked. They discussed various models and the benefits and challenges of this type of development, which is sometimes referred to as agricultural urbanism. The two-day session began with a tour of Prairie Crossing, one of the first modern developments in the country planned with a working organic farm, and included five instructive presentations of new communities organized around farming. These examples provide useful ideas for future development.

 

On the assumption that the ground under our economy may be shifting, and that the future of development lies with community designs that take into account climate change, public health concerns and new forms of agriculture, it is appropriate to consider the best innovative farm-based communities. This report summarizes findings from the workshop and reviews practices and issues that landowners, developers, design consultants and public officials might find useful as they consider building or encouraging communities with farms.


Download the full report from the Prairie Crossing website.


Get a taste of Chicago's vibrant vegan community and culture.
veganmania

Chicago VeganMania features a food court with delicious vegan food from ten different restaurants including The Chicago Diner, Soul Vegetarian East and Cousin's Incredible Vitality. 

There are also great chef demos all day featuring famed cookbook authors Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Fran Costigan among others, as well as live music with The Giving Tree Band, The Rust Belt Ramblers and Nikki Lynette. 

A separate room will feature lectures and workshops from a fantastic line-up of speakers. There will also be dozens of vendors including FamilyFarmed.org, a "Be a Vegan Rockstar " photo booth, a children's Make a Video stage, a Luxury Lounge with live painters and vegan art and fashion, and much more.  And it's free!


Learn more at ChicagoVeganMania.com.

Chicago VeganMania
Saturday, October 9 10am-6pm

Pulaski Park Fieldhouse, 1419 W. Blackhawk, Chicago
Free Admission

Quick Links
Find Local Food

 Guide to Chicagoland CSAs

www.foodfarmsjobs.org