Community News You Can Use
Farm bill webinar reminder, a CSA's offerings, and the Tomato Man returns
Reminder: Learn About the Farm Bill Tomorrow
The federal Farm Bill, on which Congress is working this year, is of utmost importance to our local food community. That’s why I’m sharing this reminder that Illinois Stewardship Alliance (our community’s leading state policy advocate) is presenting its “Virtual Dishing on the Farm Bill” free webinar tomorrow (February 16) at 6 p.m. central.
Here’s a link to register, following by a message from the Alliance underscoring why you should attend. [Note: If you’re not sure you can make it for the live broadcast or have a schedule conflict (like me), the session is being recorded and will be sent to all registrants after the event.]
Dishing on the Farm Bill is your opportunity to learn about the 2023 federal Farm Bill — a major food and agriculture package that comes around in Congress every five years.
Why “Dish” on the Farm Bill with us?
Congress will need to re-authorize the Farm Bill this year.
The Farm Bill impacts every bite of food we eat (and so much more!).
It includes everything from nutrition programs like SNAP to crop insurance and sets policies that determine who, what, where, and how our food, fiber, and fuel is produced.
Illinois could have an outsized impact on the farm bill -- five members of Congress from our state who serve on Agriculture Committees will draft the 2023 Farm Bill.
You have a unique opportunity to shape the future of food and farming.
Now’s the time to learn how your voice can make a difference and stir up change.
Broadview Farm & Gardens Launches CSA Subscriptions
Local Food Forum has an open invitation to our region’s Community Supported Agriculture farms to share information about their CSA subscriptions. Today, I feature my friends at Broadview Farm and Gardens in Marengo (McHenry County in north-central Illinois), who have opened their 2023 signups today.
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2023 CSA Sign-Ups Opening Feb 15, 2023
Our 16-week summer salad bowl CSA and 6-week Fall CSA are available for signup! This year will see some changes based on your feedback.
We are opening up the delivery area [now available in Woodstock, Huntley, Crystal Lake, Algonquin and surrounding areas]
Longer Fall CSA program.
Improved email notifications.
Follow us on IG and FB for fun posts and more info!
Sell Me a Plant, You’re the Tomato Man
Bob Zeni is aptly known as Chicago Tomato Man. He grows and sells starter plants for more tomato varieties that you’ve ever known existed. From A Grappoli D’Inverno to Yellow Pear and everything in between, you could eat the rainbow just by subsisting on his tomatoes.
The Chicago Tomato Man website features 128 — yes, 128 — varieties that they plan to grow this year. The online shop will be open beginning Thursday, March 2 for you to place orders, with pop-up locations for pickup around Chicago (to be announced soon) in May. Check out their message below with a link to the site.
And if you want to get to know Bob Zeni better, he is scheduled to be interviewed by John Landecker on WGN Radio Thursday night (February 16) at 8:30 p.m. central.
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Here are the luscious heirloom tomato plants we plan to grow for 2023. Beefsteaks to marbles. Paste, slicer and salad sizes, too. Our Shop will open at Noon on Thursday. March 2. (Yes, we’re opening earlier!) Plants will be ready for pick at pop-up locations in the Chicago area in May, So feast your eyes on this bevy of beauties and dream of those warm, late-summer evenings made perfect by savoring the flavor of a homegrown, vine-ripened, handpicked tomato.
FYI:
• Dwarf plants are around 3’ tall and can thrive in a pot 15” in diameter or in the ground. Fruit vary widely in size, depending on the variety.
• Determinate plants are bushes rather than vines. They typically set fruit early and all at once, rather than producing all season long.
• Tabletop plants are 8” to 12” tall and can be grown, yes, on a tabletop in a pot that’s 7” to 9” in diameter. Fruit are the size of cherries or grapes.
Please keep in mind that we intend to offer these varieties. In past years, I’ve obliterated an entire variety by, oh, dropping a flat or knocking over a shelf or overwatering. I’ll try to avoid any of that this year.