Oh, Man, Another Omen
Some more pretty early flowers as we close in on spring. If you know what these are, help me out.
We have another of those yes, snow/no snow forecasts, with a Winter Weather Advisory for tonight into early tomorrow morning. We know how that turned out last week, when what was supposed to be a mess of precipitation veered southeast and we got… nothing.
Nonetheless, the National Weather Service is saying 2 to 4 inches before this system races away. I wonder if any of these sportsbooks that advertise incessantly on TV are taking bets on weather forecasts.
Land Stewardship Project Seeks Executive Director
We sure don’t want to lose any sustainability/regenerative/soil health advocates from the Chicago region, but the Land Stewardship Project, based in Minnesota, has a job posting out for an executive director.
According to the organization’s overview, “The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) is a member-led, people's organization grounded in its mission. We seek to do work that ensures that the health of the land is enhanced, small and mid-sized farms thrive, communities are prosperous, and true democracy flourishes. The mission of the Land Stewardship Project is to foster an ethic of stewardship for farmland, to promote sustainable agriculture, and to develop healthy communities. “
Their description of the job (which pays well) is long, so click the link below to learn more.
The Land Connection’s On-Farm Food Safety Aid
For farmers, ensuring that everything they sell is safe to eat is fundamental. And if you are a farmer who has created a solid farm food safety plan and want to go to the next level, The Land Connection (based in Champaign) has funds available to help under its Food Safety Incentive Match.
This aid is intended to offset the costs of adding equipment to comply with safety regulations and implementing your plan for achieving a third party food safety certification, such as Good Agriculture Practices (GAP).
From The Land Connection, here are the steps you need to follow:
Know about farm food safety plans
Arrange for your audit / on-farm safety improvement
Provide The Land Connection with proof of cost, then we match up to $500!
Provide The Land Connection with documentation of your purchase
Complete a program evaluation
Click the button below to learn more and apply.
[BTW, something most of you don’t know about me. During my early days at FamilyFarmed, I edited and partially wrote a manual called Direct Market Success, which had huge sections about on-farm food safety. It was a bit challenging considering I’ve never lived on a farm and my everyday food safety concerns were thoroughly washing the produce I bought and not leaving perishable food out of the refrigerator too long. Nonetheless, I still know quite a lot about food safety for a professional writer.]
Changing Face of Agriculture Panel Tuesday
This coming Tuesday (March 14), McHenry County College in Crystal Lake is hosting a panel on The Changing Face of Agriculture, presented by the McHenry County Historical Society. The event, which starts at 7 p.m., will take place at Leucht Auditorium inside Building B, 8900 Northwest Highway.
Here is the description shared by the college’s Center for Agrarian Learning:
The event will feature farmers and local foods professionals who are redefining the "image" of the American farmer, forging new paths with innovative product mixes and marketing channels. Come hear their stories and participate in the discussion.
Panelists to date include Ramshackle Farm in Harvard, Hempstock Pharms in Woodstock; and Broadview Farm and Gardens in Marengo.
Special guests Sarah Farley, U of I Extension Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator in Lake and McHenry counties, and Peter Waldmann, General Manager of the Food Shed Co-op, will also be with us on the panel.
Tickets are $5 for members of the McHenry County Historical Society and $10 for non-members. Click below to purchase.