Illinois SARE

11/13/2024

https://www.usda.gov/peoples-garden

Watch the People’s Gardens Grow!

11/01/2024

Take the time to support local biz... know your farmer, know your food...

09/23/2024

During National Farm Safety and Health Week, another important reminder is how current conditions influence and increase risk. For example, drought can increase the chance of field and grass fires.

Although this past July was recorded as one of the wettest in Illinois, now the state is back in drought conditions on the brink of harvest season.

According to Trent Ford, state climatologist at Illinois State Water Survey, persistently dry conditions and summer-like temperatures have pushed parts of the state into moderate to severe drought.

Drought impacts and condition reports are critical as drought conditions evolve in the coming weeks.

🔗 What next? Everyone can help track what conditions look like in specific locations using the CMOR system at droughtimpacts.unl.edu/Tools/ConditionMonitoringObservations.aspx

🔗 View maps and more at stateclimatologist.web.illinois.edu/2024/09/12/drought-is-back-in-illinois/

Prairie Research Institute

09/23/2024

Our Farmer Led Trials (FLT) Program provides farmers with funding and technical assistance to investigate and learn about solutions to their most pressing production challenges.

Maggie Dungan, at Salad Days Farm is part of this year's cohort of farmer-researchers, seeking answers to pressing farming questions through research. She is exploring the effects of solarization (the process of placing a clear plastic tarp over a field or garden bed to heat up the soil underneath) on soil microbial health.

You can read more of her story here: http://ofrf.org/news/farmer-led-trials-program-spotlight-salad-days-farm

And if you've got an on-farm research project in mind, mark your calendars because applications for next year's cohort open Oct 14th-Dec 1st. Learn more here: https://ofrf.org/research/farmer-led-research-trials/

09/20/2024

The Artisan Grain Collaborative has released a game-changing resource designed to fill crucial knowledge gaps. This new guide is packed with essential insights on cultivating, managing, and storing a variety of grain types. 🌾 🌟📚 https://northcentral.sare.org/resources/the-new-growers-guide-to-producing-organic-food-grade-grains-in-the-upper-midwest/

09/20/2024

09/12/2024

The Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (LFPA) empowers local food systems to meet the unique needs of their communities while generating a significant, reliable income source for farmers. USDA must take action to prevent a gap in funding that would disrupt farms and dramatically reduce fresh foods available for families.

Sign here: https://forms.gle/wYvNERbGZco5xdeo9

06/26/2024

"Farming and ranching are physically and emotionally demanding jobs with high risks of chronic stress, anxiety and depression due to a number of challenging factors—many out of their control—including extreme weather, outbreaks of pests and diseases and market volatility."

A recent article published by Modern Farmer dives into the importance of mental health support for farmers - and the barriers to getting help. Stigma around mental health, a feeling that they should handle things independently, cost, and a lack of access to proper providers all lead to farmers not being able to access proper care.

The article shares several resources on where to access mental health support. Another resource is FairShare's farm coaching program, which provides support from certified coaches who have extensive experience as producers themselves, to build key skills to support both the farm business and quality of life.

Read the article at: modernfarmer.com/2024/06/farmers-face-a-mental-health-crisis-talking-to-others-in-the-industry-can-help/

Learn more about farm coaching: csacoalition.org/farm-coaching

06/26/2024

This is important....

05/12/2024

Help support our local farmers by supporting the Local Food Infrastructure Grant:

Farmer Brent Glays owns and operates Flock Farm here in Southern Illinois where he raises pastured chickens and chemical-free vegetables. He can’t sell his chicken at a farmers market unless it is processed in a USDA processing facility. There is only one USDA chicken processing facility in Illinois, and it’s in Arthur, Illinois, a 6 hour round trip away. Without sufficient access to processing, farmers cannot get fresh food to their communities. Last year. Brent applied for and was awarded funding through the Local Food Infrastructure Grant which he will match with other investments, to create a USDA certified chicken processing facility in Southern Illinois.

Right now lawmakers are debating what will be included in the state budget and they need to hear from you!

You can help support local farms like Brent and ensure that local food gets to communities in need by urging your lawmaker to continue to fund the Local Food Infrastructure Grant: https://secure.everyaction.com/LfinxBSZx0qePf7084vHIw2

The Local Food Infrastructure is a state-funded grant program to support projects such as food hubs, community kitchens, refrigeration, trucking, mills, and canneries that can help get food from Illinois farms to Illinois communities.

The grant program prioritizes underserved farmers and communities, ensuring state dollars are invested where they are needed most.

Please check out and follow Illinois Stewardship Alliance for up to date information on how you can support our local food system and they legislation behind it .

05/05/2024