Upcoming Events:

• July 23 Preserving the Harvest
• Jul 7 Third of six 2009 Illinois Small Farm Tours
• Jul 7 Local Flavors 2009

Preserving the Harvest:
Canning and Freezing
Thursday, July 23, 2009
6:00 pm to 8:30 pmB

Are you feeling overwhelmed by your bumper crop of tomatoes? Are you wondering what to do with all those zucchini or bell peppers? Don’t let the harvest go to waste, learn to preserve it for year round enjoyment. Carol Schlitt, Extension Educator will cover the basics of food preservation, from canning to freezing. Refreshments will be provided as part of the registration fee and will include locally grown treats.

This workshop is sponsored by the University of Illinois Extension, Calhoun/Jersey Unit and offered with the help of the Illinois Stewardship Alliance. This is the second session of a series of workshops designed to provide community members with the skills and information they need to be sustainable and to an extent self-reliant, particularly in challenging economic times. The series includes workshops on chickens, beekeeping, home energy savings, local food systems and gardening (including seed saving), budgeting, and finding potential outlets for home-raised products. The entire series is intended to develop relationships between experienced community members and novices. Participants will be invited back from season to season for troubleshooting sessions, roundtable discussions and updates on the success of their enterprises.

Registration for each session is $15 ($25 for couples or if you bring a friend). Register for 3 or more sessions for $10 each session. Registration deadline is one week before each session – late registrations will be charged a $5 fee. Please call the Calhoun-Jersey extension office at (618)576-2293 or (618)498-2913, or send email to mbergv@illinois.edu.

Location: McCully Heritage Project, Kampsville, Illinois

Illinois Small Farms
Sustainable Agriculture Tours

For more information and to register, please go to http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/smallfarm/ag_tours.cfm

The Illinois Stewardship Alliance presents the 2009 calendar for Local Flavors, the lunch and dinner series that connects central Illinois growers and producers with local restaurants in Springfield.

Support local farms and enjoy fresh, local food in the capitol's finest restaurants

Starhill Forest Arboretum Tour

Sunday, June 7, 2009
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Starhill Forest Arboretum, Southern Menard County, Petersburg, IL
(Driving directions: click here to access the informational flyer)

Located on 48 acres, the land was purchased in 1976 by the Sternberg family. The majority of the forest is old growth with the oldest trees dating back to 1850. There are 1300 different types of trees on the property with the primary species being oak (quercetum). The forest also contains approximately 150 other genera of woody plants that are available for study, as well as herb and perennial landscapes, a native prairie garden, several provenance tests, and a conifer plantation.

The tour, given by Guy and Edie Sternberg, will focus on land stewardship as the tree population and other areas of the operation are explored. Featured will be lessons on the importance of biodiversity, species conservation, and erosion control. Overall, the tour will explain why old growth forests are essential to the health and preservation of the landscape and their role in the health of our ecosystem.

Please note that there are no public restrooms on the property. Guests can bring a lunch or snack to enjoy at the Arboretum before the tour if they wish.

There is no charge for the tour and reservations are not required but strongly recommended. To register or for more information, e-mail isa@ilstewards.org or call (217) 498-9707 with the following criteria: the name(s) and number of attendee(s), contact phone number and e-mail, and whether you will be bringing a picnic lunch to Starhill before the tour.

Click here for the informational flyer including directions.

2009 Illinois Farmers Market Conference - April 9

Topics at the 2009 Illinois Farmers Market Conference include rules and regulations, resources for market managers and vendors, market issues for the manager and vendor, Farmers Market Association presentation, and a roundtable with question/answer period.

The 2009 Illinois Farmers Market Conference will be offered on different dates in three separate locations.

2009 Illinois Farmers Market Conference
DATE/TIME	CITY	LOCATION
March 31 10 am - 4 pm	Springfield	IDOA Auditorium Illinois Department of Agriculture State Fairgrounds 801 East Sangamon Avenue Springfield, IL 62702
April 7 10 am - 4 pm	Mount Vernon	Rolland W. Lewis Building 800 South 27th Street Mount Vernon, IL 62864
April 9 10 am - 4 pm	DeKalb/Seneca	DeKalb County Farm Bureau Center for Agriculture 1350 West Prairie Drive Sycamore, Il 60178

The 2009 Illinois Farmers Market Conference is presented by the Illinois Stewardship Alliance in association with The University of Illinois Extension, American Corn Growers Association, Urbana's market at the Square, and The Land Connection.

Pre-registration is encouraged; the fee is $15 in advance (up to 2 working days prior to each event) and $20 at the door - lunch is included. You may register online at http://www.agr.state.il.us/marketing/reservations. For more information, you may call 217-524-9129 or E-mail: delayne.reeves@illinois.gov

Wholesale Success Workshop - March 14

The Wholesale Success Workshop was held at Sysco Central Illinois, 1601 Connelly Road, Lincoln, IL. Registration began at 12 noon and the workshop ran from 12:30-4:00 pm. The workshop featured presentations on wholesale success, a farmer's guide to wholesaling produce, farmer-to-farmer sharing about experiences in the wholesale market, and a roundtable discussion with wholesale buyers. Participants learned about food safety standards; postharvest handling; sorting, packing, and shipping; as well as starting and building relationships with buyers. For more information, click here.

The registration fee was $50 in advance or $60 at the door; this covered the workshop and a copy of the 176 page manual Wholesale Success (the manual alone normally retails for $80). This workshop was presented by Sysco Food Services, Illinois Stewardship Alliance, and FamilyFarmed.org

Composting Symposium: Vermiculture and Beyond - Feb 9, 2009

The 6th Annual Vermicomposting Symposium was held at the Northfield Inn Suites & Conference Center. The 2009 symposium was expanded and covered hot compost in addition to vermiculture so there was a little something for everyone from apartment composters to local farmers.

INCLUDED WERE:

• Keynote Speaker, Dan Holcombe, President and Founder of the Oregon Soil Corporation , with over 20 years of composting experience of small to large scale projects
• Build Your Own Bin (BYOB) For Home or Office Composting
• Three Conference Sessions Including Topics for Every Interest
• Two scholarships were awarded to attendees

Illinois Stewardship Alliance co-sponsored this event with Illinois Department of Agriculture; Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; City of Springfield; and Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education, North Central Region.

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LOCAL FLAVORS

In 2008, the Illinois Stewardship Alliance sponsored a dinner series, Local Flavors, that connected central Illinois growers and producers with local restaurants in Springfield. At Local Flavors dinners, participating restaurants offered a dinner special highlighting fresh, seasonal, locally produced foods. The series opened new markets for local growers and gave restaurants an opportunity to work with local growers. Thanks to all the participants in joining ISA in supporting local farms and local restaurants!

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Farm Tour Report: Increased Productivity Using Hoop Houses

A tour of Biver Farms in Edwardsville, Illinois demonstrated to new and existing farmers how hoop houses can be used for increased productivity, disease and pest control, and season extension. Biver Farms is a certified organic farm producing a wide range of vegetables, fruits, herbs and bedding plants. Owner, Brett Palmer, showcased the 1.5 acres they have under hoop house production and shared information about growing in hoop houses. With increasing demand for locally produced food, hoop houses provide a valuable method for producing crops for an extended period in all seasons. The tour was held on Tuesday, September 30 at Biver Farms in Edwardsville, IL.

This workshop was one of several Small Farms: A Renewed Opportunity Workshops that are being held across the state. The workshops are sponsored by a grant from the Illinois Department of Agriculture, Sustainable Agriculture Grant Program. Other workshop participants include The Land Connection, Peoria County Initiative for the Development of Entrepreneurs in Agriculture, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, University of Illinois Extension, and the Western Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Society.

2008 SLOW FOOD NATION -

ISA’s Local Food Coordinator, Lindsay Record, attended Slow Food Nation, a national gathering of local food advocates, environmentalists, chefs, farmers and sustainable agriculture experts. They met to address the food system in the United States and how we can make it a better system.

To see Lindsay’s photos from the event click here and then click on "View Album" at the bottom of the page.

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2008 Rolling on the River

On August 16, 2008, over 500 cyclists enjoyed riding in the rolling hills of the Fox River valley. Our thanks go to all of the participants that helped make this day a success and to the volunteers who put it all together. The event supported three Illinois environmental organizations: Illinois Stewardship Alliance, Illinois Environmental Council Education Fund, and Prairie Rivers Network.

2008 FARM BILL SIDE-BY-SIDE -

The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, which governs Federal farm programs for 2008-12, was enacted into law in July 2008. USDA's Economic Research Service's side-by-side comparison of this new Farm Act with previous legislation is now available. Summarized but substantive, this comparison is a time-saving reference on farm bill provisions. View the comparison at http://www.ers.usda.gov/FarmBill/2008

WHO OWNS THE ORGANIC INDUSTRY

As a conscious organic consumer you may think you are avoiding large food conglomerates like Coca-cola, Kraft, and Heinz. You may think that by purchasing lesser known labels your are buying from an independent producer. Well think again. Dr. Phil Howard of Michigan State University mapped the Organic industry from source to your table. The results sound an alarm. If you want authentic local organic produce, it is clear you need to buy directly from the source, local organic farmers. Click here to learn more.

CERTIFIED GROWERS AND HANDLERS OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS ELIGIBLE FOR COST-SHARE ASSISTANCE

Growers and handlers of organic agricultural products in Illinois now can recover part of the cost of their USDA certification.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture has received $45,000 to provide reimbursements to producers and handlers who either obtain or renew their certification in the federal fiscal year that ends Sept. 30, 2009. The reimbursements will cover 75 percent of certification costs up to a maximum of $750. Click here to learn more.

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Growing Popularity of Farmers Markets

More and more people are looking outside of the grocery store for their food needs. Farmer's Markets are becoming a popular place to shop... to fill out the grocery list. Restaurant owners are also looking locally to fill their menus. And... some growers are transforming their entire yards into large gardens. WUIS's Jenna Dooley takes a look at the popularity of Farmers Markets... and how people are going straight to the source for food... To listen to the commentary, click here

Bill to Prevent Requiring Farmers to get a Premises ID Passes Both Houses

Springfield – The Illinois Department of Agriculture recently backed down from a controversial requirement that all livestock exhibitors register their farms to show animals at fairs, at least for the rest of the year. A bill recently passed both houses that would permanently keep the Department of Agriculture from requiring registration unless federally mandated.

“Exhibitors will not be required to register their premises unless the federal government mandates it for all states,” said Senator Sullivan (D – Rushville). “This legislation ensures that 4-H, FFA, and all exhibitors can continue to fully participate in county and state fairs.” Senator Sullivan and Representative Myers (R – Macomb) sponsored the legislation.

The purpose of requiring farmers to register their premises with the National Animal ID System (NAIS) is to provide a 48-hour trace back system for disease outbreaks in livestock. Critics say it won’t make our food supply safer and will drive family farmers out of business.

“Unfortunately, NAIS would make our food supply more unsafe,” said Bridget Holcomb with the Illinois Stewardship Alliance. “It would drive many family farmers out of business, increasing the concentration of our food supply. We are grateful to Senator Sullivan and Representative Myers for seeing the flaws in this program and working to protect family farmers.”

NAIS stops at the slaughterhouse floor, although the majority of food borne illnesses are introduced after the animal is slaughtered. Also, farmers of smaller livestock herds would have to pay more per animal than owners of large, confined livestock facilities.

“NAIS is nothing more than a corporate boondoggle that sounds good on the surface, but would provide no real benefits for food safety or animal health,” said Judith McGeary with the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance. “Technology companies stand to make hundreds of millions of dollars that will come out of the pockets of small farmers and consumers, while huge industrial farms will get effectively a free ride.”

This bill passed both houses unanimously. If it becomes law it will also allow farmers who have already registered to withdraw from the program.

“I’m pleased the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Department of Agriculture all worked quickly and in a bi-partisan manner to come to an agreement on this legislation,” Senator Sullivan said.

“There’s a better way to make our food supply safer,” Holcomb said. “If you buy locally produced foods, the system is perfectly transparent, and more effective than an ID number. Websites like Illinois FarmDirect (www.illinoisfarmdirect.org) can help you find local growers.”

The bill, HB 5776, now goes back to the House of Representatives for concurrence.

Finding Homegrown Food in Springfield

Thanks to the hundreds of people who attended our "Meet Your Local Producers" event in Springfield! Attendees got to meet farmers in their area, taste-test and learn about the benefits of buying locally produced foods, and find out where to buy their products. This event was co-sponsored by Slow Food Springfield.  

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