Farmers Rising, Née Angelic Organics Learning Center
Big news about major rebrand, plus Alliance learning sessions on Infrastructure Grant
New Dawn for Leading Farmer Training Non-Profit
If you are a longtime Local Food Forum reader, you have read often about the great work performed by Angelic Organics Learning Center, one of our region’s leading non-profit farmer training programs, which is based in Caledonia, Illinois (near Rockford).
This morning, the organization made the major announcement that it has rebranded and is now Farmers Rising — a name that more clearly expresses its mission to help a new generation of farmers get established and build a bigger, more resilient local food ecosystem.
I am getting out of the way and letting Farmers Rising speak for itself. There is a Donate button at the bottom if you are moved by the following announcement and want to make a tax-deductible donation to support the mission.
Congratulations to the team at Farmers Rising and be assured that Local Food Forum will continue to provide all the support you need.
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WE ARE FARMERS RISING
December 7, 2023
For the past 25 years, Angelic Organics Learning Center has lifted up farmers — young and old, new and experienced, urban and rural — for their central role in building a sustainable food future. Through it all, we have supported sustainable farms and helped families, communities, and neighbors access and enjoy fresh, local food.
But today, between the rising average age of farmers, generational turnover in land ownership, the accelerating impacts of climate change, our continued dependence on industrial food production, and the skyrocketing costs of farmland, that future has never been more uncertain.
We must do more to help farmers who are building our local food system. As we look ahead to our next 25 years, we want to center that commitment.
Therefore, we have decided to rename our organization Farmers Rising.
Farmers Rising is a name and a call to action. It’s a chance for all of us who care about climate change, food sovereignty, and fresh food grown by local farmers to bolster our food system for the benefit of our future and our communities.
To our farmers, no matter where you are on your farming journey: we are here for you.
At Farmers Rising, we create space for farmers to learn from one another, grow their businesses and their practice, and to connect with eaters, partners, and advocates for local food of all ages and walks of life.
Farmers Rising will continue our beginning farmer and public education programs online and at our two learning facilities in Caledonia and Rockford, and we will remain an integral part of the Angelic Organics Association community land trust, along with Angelic Organics Farm (whose name is not changing).
Our Roots & Wings urban farm and CSA program will continue offering a CSA to Rockford residents and supporting the community at Blackhawk Courts as Farmers Rising Rockford.
And we are deepening our commitment to training the next generation of sustainable farmers by launching an incubator farm in Caledonia with a special emphasis on regenerative livestock production—unique for an incubator in the greater Chicago/Rockford region. We’re looking forward to sharing more details about the incubator in early 2024.
Building a food system takes a village, and we all need each other to remain engaged. No matter how you fit into our food system, you can join us at Farmers Rising to help:
You can become a farmer yourself. Apply for our beginner farmers education programs and begin your own journey as a farmer.
You can attend our public programs to deepen your relationship with food. Join one of our programs to learn how to cook the food you receive in your CSA or at the farmers market and to meet some of the small farmers in your community.
You can build your family’s appreciation of local food. Sign up for our camps and educational programs or recommend a field trip to Farmers Rising at your school community.
We are lifting up the people doing local and regenerative farming. We are connecting communities, families, and neighbors to sustainable and secure food systems. And we are helping everyone grow in their relationship with fresh, local, and sustainable food.
We are Farmers Rising. Join us.
Alliance Learning Sessions on Infrastructure Grant
Local Food Forum on Monday (December 4) published the announcement that applications are open for the new Illinois Local Food Infrastructure Grant program.
This $2 million fund, enacted by the state government this year with strong advocacy by Illinois Stewardship Alliance, addresses one of the most crucial issues facing farmers in Illinois’ food system: a lack of critical infrastructure such as mills, food hubs, livestock processing facilities, refrigeration, trucking, and community kitchens to get food from their farms to the schools, institutions and communities that need it most.
Now the Alliance has announced a series of information sessions for people who want to learn more about the program, including those who are thinking about meeting the January 31 deadline to apply for a share of the Infrastructure Grant fund.
Their Local Food Infrastructure Grant Info Webinar will be held next Wednesday, December 13, at 12 p.m. central.
According to the Alliance:
You'll learn key details about the program including the timeline, eligibility, infrastructure examples and more.
There will also be ample time to ask questions.
The webinar will be recorded in case you can’t make it.
With $1.8 million available, LFIG will invest in critical infrastructure to scale up the processing, aggregation, and distribution of local food to meet the needs of our communities.
Grants of up to $150,000 are available for farms, food businesses, institutions, coops, municipalities, nonprofits and other entities working with local food.
Funds are provided by the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
Illinois Stewardship Alliance will also be holding three Office Hours to directly answer questions about the Local Food Infrastructure Grant program. The schedule is:
Thursday, December 14, 11 a.m. central
Thursday, January 4, 11 a.m. central
Thursday, January 18, 11 a.m. central