Last week we had a great time hanging out at Riggs Brewery, drinking beers and talking soil and nutrient retention with more than 40 of our region’s row crop farmers and farmland owners. The purpose was threefold: Grow your local network of farmers that you can turn to for insight and advice. Learn about the […]
Farm Law is all about Relationships
by Eva Moss, Farm Commons As farmers, you’re no stranger to challenges whether in the field, at market, in the office, or at home. Farming takes guts, especially when facing complex legal issues. However, the key to legal resiliency often isn’t in knowing more law – it’s in building strong relationships. Because that’s just what […]
OGC 2020 Recap
That was fun. Let’s do it again next year! Thank you to the nearly 200 people that joined us in Champaign, IL for two full days of discussion, networking, and knowledge sharing at the 4th annual Organic Grain Conference & Trade Show, February 5-6, 2020. While the vast majority of you joined us from central […]
After the Rains…Keeping the Soil and Nutrients in Place
You know how here in Illinois folks say things like, “don’t like the weather? Wait ten minutes.” Well, that warning seems to be coming true more frequently these days. 2019 kicked off with turbulent weather—an arctic blast followed by a healthy dump of snow and we were well on our way to an exciting year. […]
Starting the Illinois Chapter of the Farmer Veteran Coalition
by Caynan Sherwood, Illinois Farmer Veteran After leaving the military in the fall of 2016 I still wanted to be able to work with the veteran community even though I had no real idea on how to achieve that moving back to Illinois from Washington state. Once back in Illinois, I started to feel distanced […]
Grow With Savanna Institute
by Kristy Gruley, PhD, Education Program Manager, Savanna Institute Join Savanna Institute in seeing more diversity and trees across the Midwest – apply for an apprenticeship and/or new job positions now! My agroforestry apprenticeship at Mary Dirty Face Farm has served as a space to think, learn, practice, dream, and grow further into myself as […]