The Liberty Prairie Foundation supports educational programming at the Prairie Crossing Farm to educate and inspire people to value healthy food, land and community through experiences on our farm.

The Liberty Prairie Foundation provides leadership and financial support for local food system development, social entrepreneurship, land conservation, environmental education, and civic engagement.

We hope to see you at our upcoming events!

Film Screening - Symphony of the Soil

7 p.m. Wed., Mar. 4 at the Byron Colby Barn

The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2015 the International Year of Soils! Soil is alive, and its health and survival are intricately connected to all life.

Join us for a FREE screening of the award-winning film, Symphony of the Soil at 7 p.m. Wed., Mar. 4 at the Byron Colby Barn in Grayslake. Admission is FREE, and at the door only (no pre-registration).

After the film, mingle with area organic farmers and organizations dedicated to sustainable agriculture, native landscaping, and environmental education. Click here for more information, including a growing list of farmers and environmental organizations participating in this event.

Join us to learn about soil - the foundation of life on earth. This free event is sponsored by the Liberty Prairie Foundation, College of Lake County, Conserve Lake County, and the Prairie Crossing Charter School.

Summer Positions at the Liberty Prairie Foundation

Do you know a student interested in learning more about local food through a meaningful summer position? We are hiring for the following positions at the Prairie Crossing Farm:

Prairie Farm Corps Farm to Table Kitchen Lead (ages 19 and older) Lead a team of high school students and work together to prepare healthy meals using fresh vegetables raised by the Prairie Farm Corps at the Prairie Crossing Farm. Application deadline: Mar. 15.

Prairie Farm Corps Crew Leader (ages 18-26). Lead a team of area high school students and work together to grow, cook, promote, and market healthy food raised on the Prairie Crossing Farm. Application deadline extended until Feb. 23.

Prairie Farm Corps Crew Member (ages 15-18). Participate in this youth development program and work together to grow, cook, promote, and market healthy food raised on the Prairie Crossing Farm. Application deadline extended until Feb. 27.

Outreach Intern (college students). Connect with communities and organizations pursuing local food initiatives, and much more during this dynamic food systems internship. Application deadline: Feb. 27.

Successful candidates will be hard-working team players interested in organic agriculture, healthy food, and growing personally and professionally. Click here for application information for all positions.

Film Screening - Project Wild Thing

3 p.m. Sat. Mar. 7 at PCCS Gym

Join the Prairie Crossing Charter School (PCCS) for a film screening of Project Wild Thing at 3 p.m. Sat. Mar. 7 as part of the One Earth Film Festival.

Project Wild Thing takes a revealing look at the increasingly disparate connection between children and nature - and is also a growing movement of those who care deeply about the need for nature connected, free-range, and outdoor playing kids in the 21st century.

The One Earth Film Festival is the Midwest's premier environmental film festival, creating opportunities for understanding climate change, sustainability and the power of human involvement. The Festival showcases thought-provoking environmental films and leads audiences in interactive post-film discussions focused on solutions.

Reserve your tickets here - select a free ticket, or make a $5 donation toward the One Earth Film Festival. PCCS is located at 1581 Jones Point Road in Grayslake - the gym is the large white building closest to the east parking lot.

Land Access Project
Excerpted from Chicago Community Trust 2014 Annual Report. Photo � MT Natarajan

The Land Access Project is a three-year initiative to increase sustainable local food farming on public and privately owned lands in northeastern Illinois.

The Liberty Prairie Foundation and Openlands are partnering on this innovative project, which is generously funded through Food:Land:Opportunity - Localizing the Chicago Foodshed, a multi-year funding initiative of The Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust in partnership with the Kinship Foundation. Click here to learn more about the Land Access Project.

The initiative seeks to strengthen the resiliency of the region by increasing the supply of local and sustainable food. Key components include:

Identify and evaluate at least 160 acres of farmland that would be viable future options for sustainable farming.

Create a system to connect sustainable farmers and landowners in the region.

Develop a toolkit including best practices, lease templates, examples of sustainable farm plans and more for northeastern Illinois and other areas of the country.

Review farmland preservation programs and policy recommendations for northeastern Illinois.

The Chicago Community Trust 2014 Annual Report includes information about our Land Access Project. Click here to read the 2014 Chicago Community Trust annual report. Our Land Access Project is featured on pages 36 & 37.

Good Food Festival

Mar. 13-15 at the UIC Forum

The Liberty Prairie Foundation is a sponsor of the Good Food Festival, March 19-21, at the UIC Forum in Chicago.

Each day of the Good Food Festival has a different focus, with Friday featuring 4 tracks that approach the growth of Good Food from a unique perspective:

March 19 - Good Food Financing & Innovation Conference
March 20 - Trade, School Food, Producer, and Policy Conferences
March 21 - Good Food Festival featuring workshops, demos, and more

The Liberty Prairie Foundation and Sandhill Family Farms will be represented in the following panel discussions on Friday:

Brad Leibov - Acquiring Farmland and Funding
Nathan Aaberg, Brad Leibov, and Emily Weber - Got Land? Tackling the Land Access Challenge
Peg Sheaffer (Sandhill Family Farms) - Maximizing Farm Profits Through Diversification

Click here to learn more about the Good Foods Festival and purchase tickets.

About the Prairie Crossing Farm

The Prairie Crossing Farm is a working organic farm nestled inside the Prairie Crossing community in Grayslake, Illinois. The Prairie Crossing Farm is owned by the Liberty Prairie Foundation, a 503(c)(3) non-profit organization.

The Foundation operates a variety of programs at the Prairie Crossing Farm to advance our mission. The Farm Business Development Center, an incubator program, prepares beginning farmers to meet the demand for locally-grown organic food in the Chicago region. The independently-owned Prairie Crossing Farm businesses serve customers throughout the Chicago region.

The Foundation supports educational programming at the Prairie Crossing Farm to educate and inspire people to value healthy food, land and community through experiences on our farm. Educational programming includes the Prairie Farm Corps youth development program, seasonal events, and more.

www.libertyprairie.org

32400 North Harris Road
Grayslake, IL 60030