May 20, 2014
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Legal Issues Workshops 
Do you work with farmers? Join us for a FREE
"train the trainers" event this September!        

 

 

Sustainable farmers who run their own entrepreneurial businesses have a wide range of legal needs that include:

  • Creating a business entity
  • Writing by-laws and operating agreements
  • Negotiating land leases
  • Hiring employees and interns
  • Health department regulations for value-added or processed foods
  • Complying with a variety of production and marketing regulations
The Land Connection, in collaboration with Rachel Armstrong, lead attorney at Farm Commons, will present information, structure role-play interactions, and provide resources to help you effectively present and disseminate the legal information and tools that farmers need to become economically viable businesses, and the stable and resilient foundation of rural areas.

Our target audience is not necessarily lawyers - it is the people who are the organizers, presenters, and facilitators of farmer training programs aimed at sustainable farmers, including University and Extension personnel, community college instructors, and nonprofit sustainable agriculture personnel. Lawyers and farmers are welcome to attend. 

Each is a full day with lunch included - with four locations across Illinois, one is near you!

Tuesday, September 2: Springfield, U of I Extension Office

Wednesday, September 3: Champaign, U of I Extension Office
Friday, September 5: Carbondale, SIUC Dunn-Richmond Center
Tuesday, September 9: Grayslake, U of I Extension Office  

  


Workshops, Field Days, and Grant Opportunities
Free Social Media Marketing Webinars and Starter Kits
Online all the time

We know farmers are busy all the time - that's why we are creating FREE social media content to help you more effectively market your products to consumers, and have a recorded webinar series on our website and YouTube channel so you can watch and learn when you have time. Our first starter kit will be available starting Monday, May 26 - so sign up today! Visit our website to register and watch.

Farm Dreams Workshops

Monday, June 2: Danville Public Library, 6:00pm 

Monday, July 7th: Peoria

 

Have you ever dreamed of having your own farm? Farm Dreams is an interactive workshop designed to help you learn what it takes to do just that. Participants meet experienced sustainable farmers, learn about different successful farm enterprises, and ask questions about the genesis and development of local sustainable farm businesses. It covers resource assessment, goal setting, financial planning, and marketing options. The workshop costs $20 and includes a locally sourced dinner. To register, visit our website. Registration closes the Thursday before the workshop date--so sign up soon.

 

Farmland Transition Roundtable
Bloomington, IL (details to come)
Tuesday, June 17, 6:30-8:30p.m.

The Land Connection's Roundtables are an easy way to start the important conversation about your farm's future. You will meet others in similar situations, and have a facilitated discussion about what you'd like to see happen with your farmland.  We will do some goals clarification, succession self-assessment, and you will have the opportunity to get information and feedback about your farmland situation, and offer feedback to others. Visit our website for more information.  

 

Restoration Agriculture Workshop

Sun Dappled Farm

115 N Cramer Rd 
Elmwood, IL 61529
Friday, May 30, 6:00 PM - Sunday, June 1, 2014 1:00 PM   

 

A workshop to learn the basics of Permaculture and Restoration Agriculture from Mark Shepard, author of the bestselling Restoration Agriculture.  Around the globe most people get their calories from annual agriculture - plants that grow fast for one season, produce lots of seeds, then die. Every single human society that has relied on annual crops for staple foods has collapsed. Restoration Agriculture explains how we can have all of the benefits of natural, perennial ecosystems and create agricultural systems that imitate nature in form and function while still providing for our food, building, fuel and many other needs - in your own backyard, farm or ranch. Mark's teaching, based on real-world practices, presents an alternative to the agriculture system of eradication and offers exciting hope for our future. Friday evening is a free event open to the public. Come to get an introduction to Restoration Agriculture.

(Workshop includes all meals. Free camping available on-site.  Limited indoor lodging available at additional cost - please contact organizers.) For more information, visit the event's site. 

 

Agritourism Intensive

Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery

4410 N Lincoln

Champaign, IL 61822

June 23-25, 2014

 

The Land Connection will host its first Farmer Training Intensive, on agritourism, from June 23rd-25th at Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery in Champaign. Attendees will delve into the details of running agritourism operations by: receiving tours and presentations of four successful farms that will cover topics from start-up and capital access to pricing, regulation and infrastructure; learning from regional tourism boards and The Land Connection staff about the potential markets and opportunities for growth in agritourism; walking through the risks and risk mitigation strategies of successful agritourism businesses with a farm law expert; and observing the promise and the peril of an on-farm commercial kitchen and processing facility through both presentation and delicious meals provided by the farm's chef. For more information or to register, visit our website.   

 

Seeding the Next Generation of Farmers

Spence Farm
2959 N. 2100 East Rd.

Fairbury, IL 61739 (Livingston County)

July 12, 2014, 2:00 pm- 5:00 pm 

 

Are you interested in seeing first-hand success stories of four Livingston County young farmers?  Spence Farm Foundation is partnering with the Central Illinois Sustainable Farming Network to host a field day on Saturday, July 12 at Spence Farm in Fairbury.  The field day will feature four young farmers, Will Travis of Spence Farm, Derek Stoller of Windy Knoll Produce, and Carrie and Cassie Rickenberger of Garden Gate Produce, sharing the challenges and successes of entering the agriculture business world. 

For more information, visit their website. 

 

Legal Issues Workshops

Tuesday, September 2: Springfield, U of I Extension office
Wednesday, September 3:Champaign, U of I Extension office
Friday, September 5: Carbondale, SIUC Dunn-Richmond Center
Tuesday, September 9:Grayslake, U of I Extension office
 

Sustainable farmers who run their own entrepreneurial businesses have a wide range of legal needs that include:

  • Creating a business entity
  • Writing by-laws and operating agreements
  • Negotiating land leases
  • Hiring employees and interns
  • Health department regulations for value-added or processed foods
  • Complying with a variety of production and marketing regulations
The Land Connection, in collaboration with Rachel Armstrong, lead attorney at Farm Commons, will present information, structure role-play interactions, and provide resources to help you effectively present and disseminate the legal information and tools that farmers need to become economically viable businesses, and the stable and resilient foundation of rural areas.

Our target audience is not necessarily lawyers - it is the people who are the organizers, presenters, and facilitators of farmer training programs aimed at sustainable farmers, including University and Extension personnel, community college instructors, and nonprofit sustainable agriculture personnel. Lawyers and farmers are welcome to attend. Each is a full day with lunch included - with four locations across Illinois, one is near you! To register for this free workshop, visit our website.   

 

 

 

This Week on the TLC Blog...
We hear Rachel and Jeff talk agritourism and legal issues!

Rachel Armstrong
 

In planning our Agritourism Farmer Training Intensive, we knew that we needed someone to speak in depth about the legal and liability issues inherent to bringing the public onto one's farm. We also knew that we wanted Rachel Armstrong, the founder and attorney of Farm Commons, to fulfill that role. However, Rachel will be more than just a speaker for the training. We're giving her an entire afternoon to not only do a presentation but also lead discussion and workgroups. I got her on the phone a few days ago to ask her about the training, and my first question was, "why do you feel it's necessary to have so much conversation about legal issues when we're talking about fun and educational trips to local farms?"

 

"All that other stuff," she said, referring to the other subjects like social media marketing and commercial kitchens that are covered in the training, "is incredibly important to starting an agritourism operation, and those are the things that people always think about. But the thing is, bad things still happen." As she said this, I was reminded of Jim Carrey's character in The Truman Show, trying to sell a customer a traveler's insurance package for a beach vacation because you never know when a "runaway beach umbrella" may strike an unsuspecting sunbather.

 

 

Read more about what Rachel told Jeff on our website!
Classifieds*
HAVE SOMETHING? NEED SOMETHING? 

Post your ad in the classifieds section of our new website! To have something listed in the Weekly Harvest, email us at [email protected] or call 
217-840-2128.

 

FARMLAND NEAR BATAVIA 

Two acres of permanent growing beds for lease, will divide.Well water and ample supply of mulch and finished compost available on site. Two hoop houses can be included. Shed space (with electricity) for tools and equipment. Tomato cages, plastic hoops and other supplies also available. 75 old growth maple trees on site that can be tapped to make syrup.  Good setup for beginning market gardener or family needing a large garden. Land is just west of Batavia and is ready for planting. Contact Tim Fuller for more information at[email protected]

FARM MANAGER NEAR QUINCY
Looking for hard-working individual(s) with a passion for nature, the earth, and growing food! Help needed with growing produce for market and food coop Hancock County, 40 minutes from Quincy, IL. Owner will be available but ability to work independently is important. Flexible schedule, but looking for commitment throughout the growing season. Benefits include profits from produce sales, supplemental stipend, and available lodging at the property in primitive cabin. Owner will cover cost of seeds, plants, and other incidentals associated with approved projects. Must have own transportation. For more information, please call Rebecca at (217)592-2383 or email [email protected] and see ad on TLC site.
 

FARM MANAGER IN WISCONSIN  

Farm manager needed for 2014 season for small organic farm located between Dodgeville and Spring Green, WI.  Approximately 8 acres of previously tilled land,plus additional acres, available for immediate planting or preservation.  Housing available.

Please contact Audrey Gaynor at [email protected] or mobile:  312-758-9930

 

FORTY ACRES NEAR EASTON, IL  

Nonfarming siblings own 40 acres near Easton, IL and want the land to be farmed more sustainably and are looking for options. They do not want to sell at this time, but are interested in an opportunity to help a sustainable farmer get started. Call 425-238-7290 or email [email protected] for more information.   

   

GRAFTON, IL FARMLAND AND HOME FOR SALE 

Beautiful land and home about 6 miles up from the Mississippi River town of Grafton. Land is bisected by a small creek and woods. It would make the perfect market or hobby farm for the right people. 33 raised 20' x 4 feet beds currently in production, 18 of which are small fruits and asparagus. Plenty of room for expansion at the front of the property, or on upper acreage. I just want to see our dream carried on by someone who wants more than just a country retreat. Contact and other information here.   

 

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