Field Days are a great opportunity for small farmers, homesteaders, and home gardeners to network and learn from their fellow food growers. During the field day, hosts will lead the group on a short farm tour, focusing in on one topic or element of production that has been a success or challenge that they can share with the group. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and share experiences during the event.   

Field days are open to the public and free for members of the Southern Illinois Farming Alliance. A $10 donation is suggested for non-members. Registration is encouraged but not required. RSVP at www.fwsoil.org/field-days or by calling (618) 370-3287
 
Field Days are hosted by the Southern Illinois Farming Alliance, a project of Food Works (www.fwsoil.org), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that promotes long-term farming networks that create healthy soils, healthy food, and healthy communities in the 23 counties that make up Southern
Illinois. 

Noah Scalero of Beet Root Farm will give visitors a tour of his farm and talk about how they manage their acreage using no-till methods. Noah will also explain how they use crop planning to grow intensively for profit on a small scale. He will also talk about his experience starting a farm from raw land and all the components that go into that. His farm provides over 30 varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers to our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) members and to the Carbondale Farmers Market. 

Also joining is Food Works' own Ellen Esling, who will be on hand to discuss the new Food Works Mobile Farmers Market. This mobile farmers market fosters connections among communities in the southern 13 counties by offering locally-sourced, fresh foods and products produced in a sustainable manner. The mobile farmers market offers a new avenue for communities with limited access to farmers markets and grocery stores to access fresh, nutrient dense foods and it also provides local farmers with a sales platform that takes less time away from the farm.

Join our apple tree grafting workshop led by One Circle-Eco Farm and Scratch Brewery. Learn to propagate apple trees through grafting and gain access to bio-regionally adapted apple genetics.

At the workshop, participants will learn about the history and benefits of grafting and watch demonstrations of several types of grafts, including the whip and tongue. You will also learn how to cut scion wood, grow your own rootstock, and graft other types of fruit trees.

Workshop, $20 per person, includes one self-grafted tree. Additional trees are $5 each. (limit 5 additional trees)

In April 2023, we hosted a Field Day event in Pomona, IL, centered around a discussion on biochar and a tour of Angie’s Farm. The Kuehl Family showcased their experiments with biochar to improve soil quality in their family garden and demonstrated how to make biochar in your backyard. Attendees also learned about research on biochar, organic pest control, and soil health from Alex Barnes, who had researched biochar at SIU. After the farm tour and demonstration, a potluck was held, and attendees could purchase local honey from Angie’s farm. The event offered a wonderful opportunity for people to learn about sustainable and organic farming practices and connect with others who share the same interests.

In May 2023, we participated in a discussion about food forests, planted and foraged perennials at La Colina Linda Farms located in Cobden, Illinois. La Colina Linda Farms, also known as LCL, is a MOSA certified organic farm that is owned and operated by Kathy Ward and Jerry Kinser. Their specialization is planting and foraging perennial herbs for market and value-added products using vegan inputs and practices. Noah Scalero, Illinois FarmLink Navigator for The Land Connection, was also present during the event to provide information on their land access services connecting landowners and farmers. The day concluded with a vegan-only potluck, and La Colina Linda LLC had herbal tea samples available during the event as well as some of their value-added products for sale.

In June, a Field Day was organized at Illinois Country Harvest in Prairie du Rocher, IL. The event aimed to discuss and provide a tour of small-scale grains. Illinois Country Harvest is a sustainable, diverse farm that grows heritage grains, heirlooms, and native flowers, fruits, and vegetables. They also raise heritage pigs. The farm was the perfect location for the event, and representatives from The Artisan Grain Collaborative, MidWest Grit, and Les Amis du Fort de Chartres participated and provided valuable resources to Illinois Country Harvest. The event focused on sustainable farming practices and provided a great opportunity for farmers to network with other like-minded individuals and learn more about growing grains.

This July field day focused on Cottage Foods, which allowed growers and food entrepreneurs to prepare certain foods and beverages in their home kitchen and sell directly to consumers. Glaciers End, Libby, and Derek Ervin talked about their experiences in this area, as they were both very involved with the Illinois Stewardship Alliance and the writing and advocacy of the Home-to-Market Act, which expanded where Cottage Food businesses could sell (including on-line shipping within Illinois). They also discussed the process for expanding into a Commercial Kitchen. There was a tour of their new space and they had their products available during the event for tastings and for sale.

Nathan Ryder, Communications Coordinator at Illinois Stewardship Alliance, and Whitney Miller of the Local Foods Program at the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs also joined the event and shared their insights. It was a great opportunity for everyone to learn more about Cottage Foods and how they can benefit from it.

Food Works of Southern Illinois and Rodale Institute invited farmers and interested individuals to attend a workshop on transitioning to organic production. The workshop was held on Thursday, December 7th from 1-5 PM at the SIU Small Business Development Center in Carbondale, IL. It was specifically designed to fit the needs of farms in the southern Illinois region and was funded through the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). The workshop was facilitated by Rodale Institute Organic Consultant, Nic Podoll.

Creating, Diversifying, and Protecting Pollinator Habitat

Climate Change and its Impacts on Agriculture in Southern Illinois

Preserving the Harvest- Intro to Canning

Low Till/No Till Vegetable Production

Chainsaws: Basics, Tree Trimming & Felling Demonstration

Constructing a High Tunnel and Planning for Winter Vegetable Production

Solar Energy for Small Farms

Enemies and Allies: Insect Identification and Management Practices for a Diverse Organic Garden Ecosystem

Beekeeping Basics for Southern Illinois

Permaculture: Planning for Berms and Swales