Alliance Auction Puts Fun in Fundraising
Also learn about upcoming farmer listening sessions on USDA
In This Issue
• Illinois Stewardship Alliance Fundraising Auction
• Alliance Listening Session for Beginning Farmers 10/12
• Reminder: Register for Naturally Chicago Webinar Tomorrow
Illinois Stewardship Alliance Fundraising Auction
Putting the fun in fundraising
If you are a regular Local Food Forum reader, you probably know that I work closely with my friends at Illinois Stewardship Alliance, a nonprofit supporter of our state’s local farmers and their advocate on legislation and policy in the state capital of Springfield. So I am happy to share this information about their Harvest Auction fundraiser.
The Auction is already up and running and is open until Wednesday, October 13, 8:00 p.m. central. Items up for bids include a tour at Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm in Ottawa, Illinois (featured in the Alliance submission below); a bread class with award-winning baker Greg Wade; delicious farm-fresh food items; and other experiences.
Check out the info below and place your bids!
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Bid on a Farm Tour to support farmers like Beth and Jody
Illinois Stewardship Alliance’s Harvest Auction is open now and features amazing local food items and farm-to-table experiences, like a walking farm tour led by Beth & Jody Osmond of Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm. You’ll enjoy 180 rolling acres of grass and timber pasture along Crookedleg Creek in heart of Starved Rock Country, where they raise cattle, hogs and poultry on pasture.
The best part is your bid helps build a powerful Alliance of farmers and eaters who work together to solve problems, shift policy, and create a more just and regenerative local food system, led by farmers like Beth and Jody.
When the pandemic hit last year, the couple experienced one of the most tumultuous seasons of their lives. They raise raise meat, eggs and produce using humane and sustainable practices, and they sell their products directly to customers through a CSA and local farmers markets.
With COVID, they had to adapt quickly to keep their business alive and feed their community. They wished they could talk to other farmers about their experience, but the pandemic made them feel more isolated than ever.
So when Illinois Stewardship Alliance organizers reached out to see if they would help spearhead a space for local food farmers to come together, share their stories, and solve problems — they immediately jumped into action.
With a dozen other farmers, they carefully considered how the group would work, what they would do together, and what kinds of big picture issues they wanted to solve, and then they invited every farmer they knew to join. In late 2020, they launched the Alliance’s Local Food Farmer Caucus, a farmer-led group of more than 80 members working together to help Illinois farmers feed Illinois.
The Local Food Farmer Caucus developed policy solutions and built campaigns to support cottage food producers, make farmers markets more accessible to SNAP customers, and begin shifting the state’s procurement code to use more taxpayer dollars to support local farms-- and they won!
Because of farmers like Jody, farmers have a space to connect with and support one another, and they are working together on policy changes that grow the local food economy and make it easier for you to find local food. You can support the Local Food Farmer Caucus and farmer leaders like Jody by making a bid on great items in the Harvest Auction.
A few you might like are · Thanksgiving Turkey from Garden Gate Farm or Passover lamb from Antiquity Oaks Farm · Bread Baking Class for 8 with James Beard Award Winning Baker Greg Wade of Publican · Overnight stay in a Permaculture Earth Shelter in Kankakee County
To start bidding, simply create a free account with Handbid. The Harvest Auction closes at 8pm on Wednesday, October 13th.
Alliance Beginning Farmer Listening Session 10/12
Wait, there’s more from Illinois Stewardship Alliance, which is producing a series of three farmer listening sessions titled Making USDA Work For You. These sessions are in partnership with National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and Advocates for Urban Agriculture.
The first of these free webinars, focused on beginning farmers, is scheduled for next Tuesday, October 12, 7:00 -8:30 p.m central. Live Spanish translation will be provided. This will be followed by a session on Tuesday, October 19 focused on Direct Market Farmers and a final session on Tuesday, October 26 focused on Urban Farmers.
Click the button below to register for any or all of the events.
Here is more details in the Alliance release.
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Calling all beginning, urban, diversified, and direct-market farmers!
Your experience - and your farm dreams - matter. For too long, USDA programs haven’t served your unique needs.
Please join us for a listening session with farmers like you.
Every year, USDA invests billions in programs to help farmers protect and improve soil, water, air, and biodiversity. But those programs haven’t typically served farmers like you.
The upcoming Farm Bill in 2023 is an opportunity to reshape those programs to help you reach your farm dreams while protecting natural resources.
You can attend one, or all three, on Tuesday evenings in October:
Beginning Farmers | October 12
Diversified/Direct-Market Farmers | October 19
With Live Spanish Translation
In gratitude for sharing your story, the first 25 farmers who register and attend each session will receive a gift card to your local farm supply store. Note: 25 gift cards will be distributed per session; one certificate per individual and must attend to receive your gift.
Your input will help identify improvements and changes to ensure federal working lands conservation programs work for you and your operation.
In the coming year, Congress will begin to consider proposals to improve USDA programs in the next Farm Bill. Now is the time to share your lived experience.
The listening sessions are generously supported by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
Reminder: Funding Natural Startups Webinar Thursday
Naturally Chicago’s webinar Funding Early-Stage Natural Businesses is tomorrow (Thursday, October 7), 3:00-4:15 p.m. central. It is for and about Good Food and Natural Products startups. Click the first button below to register and get expert insights on the funding landscape for early-stage businesses in a time of uncertainty and opportunity.
This 75-minute discussion features two leading experts on natural product business growth: Tracy Miedema of Presence Marketing and Michael Kaplan of Spiral Sun Ventures. Jim Slama of Naturally Chicago moderates.
Click below to learn more and register.
Coming attractions: Naturally Chicago will present a webinar on Thursday, October 28 titled Millennials Are Driving Our Industry... But Where? Click the second button below to register for this webinar.
The rapid growth in the Good Food and Natural Products sector is fueled by younger consumers and their rising demand for products that are better for people and the planet. Our webinar will take a deep dive into the data for insights on this cohort's purchasing priorities and what they mean for companies in the industry.
Transparency disclaimer: I am working with Naturally Chicago as a contract communications consultant. I helped launch and run the program when I worked full-time at FamilyFarmed; Naturally Chicago is now a stand-alone organization.