October 8, 2013
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Farm to School!

 

October is National Farm to School month. Find out what's happening near you on the Farm to School website.  

 

Farm-to-school involves sourcing local food for schools, and providing agriculture, health, and nutrition education opportunities such as school gardens, farm field trips, and cooking lessons.  All of these things improve the health of children and communities, while supporting local farmers.  

 

Get in touch with your school and see what you can do!   


Ramping Up Our Regional Food System

The Land Connection is one of the sponsors of Engaging Institutions in the Development of Regional Food Systems: Setting the Table for Collaboration. This conference is hosted by The Center for Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois University, and will be held October 15th at the Loyola University Campus and Retreat Center.  


The focus will be on engaging institutions in purchasing local foods so that more people will have access to healthy fresh foods, and more sustainable farmers will have the incentive to grow more great foods.  


There is now a special student price ($35).  If you have any questions, please contact Sandra Streed at 815.753.0972  

 

The Land Connection is Hiring! 
We are looking for an organized and efficient office manager who is familiar with bookkeeping, databases, and newsletter software. For the full job description for this half-time position, please email Cara Cummings and put Office Manager Position in the subject line. Our office (and the job) is at
505 West University Avenue, Suite 203, Champaign, Illinois. 
Workshops, Field Days, and Webinars

Introduction to Permaculture Design Field Day!  

Deadline to register is Tuesday, October 8th

River to River Farm - Tunnel Hill

Thursday, October 10, 5:00 - 7:00pm  

Wayne Weiseman, certified Permaculture Design instructor, will explore River to River Farm from the perspective of the methodologies and principles of Permaculture.  Weiseman will focus on farm design and ways to improve yield by identifying opportunities in the areas of climate, landform, water, access and circulation, plants, animals, and soil.  He will also demonstrate how the built environment affects the land base.

 

"We will walk the land, take inventory of what is already in place, and assess what we can do to make the greatest effect with the least amount of change, one of the essential dicta of Permaculture, " said Weiseman about the field walk.  Be prepared to walk around the farm in comfortable shoes during this evening field day.  You are invited to stay after the field day to discuss this topic further and network.    

This workshop is free for Southern Illinois Farming Network members and $15 for non-members. Registration is required and space is limited.  Please register at www.eatsouthernillinois.org by Tuesday, October 8th.   

For more information, please contact Dayna Conner at [email protected] or 618-319-0542.  

 

Farm to School Summit

Saturday Oct. 19, 9am to noon 

Highland Community College, Room 210 

 

This summit will educate and inform community members, school board members, teachers and administrators about Farm to School, and give them ideas on how they can incorporate Farm to School into their school system. Topics include Farm to School Overview, Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools, Making a School Garden Sustainable, Supporting Local Foods in Cafeterias, and Developing Ag Education in High Schools. 

 

"The Farm to School Summit will give stakeholders additional information about nutrition, school gardens, local food, agriculture education, and grants and resources that can help establish or transform a farm to school program," states Grant McCarty, U of I Extension's new Local Foods Systems and Small Farms Educator.  

 

The summit is free, but pre-registration is required. To register or for more information, call U of I Extension at 815-235-4125 or visit web.extension.illinois.edu/jsw.

 

Farm Fresh Now!
FFN Bug

 

Radicchio  

 

This healthy green loves the cooler weather, and it gets sweeter as the temperature drops. Read all about it in this week's Farm Fresh Now!

 
Fire up your grill for this quick and easy recipe.
Classifieds

FAMILY FARM FOR SALE - ALWAYS FARMED ORGANICALLY

Beautiful 60 acre farm at 1126 S. Eden Road, Hanna City, Illinois - 40 acres tillable, 20 acres wooded with creek. Farm homesteaded by McAlister family in mid-1850s, and still in the family. This farm has always been farmed without chemicals - with the exception of an application of Round-up used for noxious plant in a part of one field a couple of years ago by farmer renting land. No house or outbuildings remain. Appraisal of farm done by Green Land Management and available upon request. Close to the Peoria County Hanna CIty Food Hub Project.

Contact Chris Shay   

 
GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR EXPERIENCED FRUIT FARMER or FARM MANAGER
Farm owner is looking for an experienced person to manage 510 acres of fruit trees, berry bushes, hay, and pastureland in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  There are also 10 acres of vineyards, a winery, and tasting room, plus a large roadside stand.  Contact Terra at The Land Connection for more information.  

FARM BUSINESS FOR SALE 

Certified Organic Farm Business and large home with 10 acres.

This is a great opportunity if you want to raise organic meat for a well established customer base in central Illinois and the Chicago area.  

32796 E. 750 N. Rd, Chatsworth, IL 60921

More information, photos, and contact here.  

    

Have something?  Need something? 

Contact us at 217-840-2128 or [email protected] to get it into The Weekly Harvest. 

 

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