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 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. Most field days will conclude with a potluck and opportunities to ask questions, build relationships, and explore additional topics.
Field Days are free for Food Works and the Southern Illinois Farming Alliance members. A $5 donation is suggested for non-members. Events are open to the public.
Field Days are free for Food Works and the Southern Illinois Farming Alliance members. A $5 donation is suggested for non-members. Events are open to the public.
2019 Field Day Schedule
Suggest a topic, or offer to host a field day: libby@fwsoil.org or (618) 370-3287.
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Field Days in 2019
Constructing a High Tunnel and Planning for Winter Vegetable Production
Monday, September 9th, 2019
5:00pm
Glaciers End farm
18538 Pittsburg Rd, Johnston City, IL 62951
Are you interested in getting a high tunnel but don’t know where to start or what to do? Join us at Glaciers End farm for an informative and hands on field day.
We will discuss the full process: applying for a grant, getting the grant, where to purchase the necessary items and constructing of a high tunnel. We will also have a guest speaker, Ed Hickam from Shade Tree Farm, that will discuss planning for winter vegetable production in the high tunnel.
The evening will conclude with a potluck and opportunities to ask questions, build relationships, and explore additional topics. Please bring a chair and your favorite dish to share!
Preserving the Harvest- Intro to Canning
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Monday, August 12th, 2019
5:00pm Kite Hill Vineyards 52 Tasting Room Rd, Carbondale, IL 62903
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With gardens in full force, there are many different ways to use and preserve vegetables and fruits year round. For this Field Day, we will do an introduction to Canning.
Canning is a method of preserving food in airtight containers that can be stored at room temperature. Canning is making a comeback and with the updates to the Cottage Food Act, there are many things that people can do with canning to sell at farmers markets, farm stands, etc. Join us for a hands-on demonstration that will be led by Margie Sawicki, from Acorn Ridge Farm. Margie will talk about canning basics and lead us in a hands-on demonstration. Each participant will be able to make and take away their own canned dilly beans! The event will be held at Kite Hill Vineyards, with the space being graciously donated by the owner Barb Bush. Feel free to come out before the field day to enjoy some of their delicious wine at the Tasting Room! The evening will conclude with a potluck and opportunities to ask questions, build relationships, and explore additional topics. Please bring your favorite dish to share! |
Enemies and Allies: Insect Identification and Management Practices for a Diverse Organic Garden Ecosystem
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Monday, July 8th, 2019
4:00pm- Farm Tour, 5:00pm- Field Day Dayempur Farm 35 Nubbin Ridge Lane, Anna, IL 62906 |
Summer is here and so are the bugs. Join us for a discussion and hands on demonstration focusing on identifying the harmful and beneficial critters in your vegetable garden. Dayempur Farm Manager, Talib-Mark Fletter will illustrate how an approach of "keeping your friends close, but your enemies closer" can help to maintain a vibrant crop throughout the increasing pressures of the growing season. Exploring the biology and life cycles of common garden dwellers will empower participants with precision management strategies for crops such as potato, squash, tomato, eggplant, broccoli, cabbage and more.
Traditional potluck to follow – bring your favorite dish to share! |
Creating, Diversifying, and Protecting Pollinator Habitat Field Day
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Monday, July 1, 2019 (rescheduled from June 17th due to thunderstorms)
5:00pm Pitcher Patch Farm Makanda, IL 96258 
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Learn simple, low cost ways to provide crucial habitats for pollinators & invertebrates using native plants. Increase biodiversity and productivity on your farm or garden. Join us for a walk through habitat and an educational evening as Kim Erndt-Pitcher from Prairie Rivers Network discusses using native plants to create habitat for pollinators and other important invertebrates. Learn inexpensive ways to create, enhance, and protect diverse habitat on the farm or around the home as we tour Pitcher Patch Farm, a homestead farm. The discussion will include how to collect and save the seeds of native plants
Pollinators are crucial to the production of numerous crops, including many fruits and vegetables, They are also critical to ecosystem function. The relationship between plants and pollinators is intricate; each relies on the other for survival. Pollinators need safe habitats and food to be healthy, but they are faced with a largely unfriendly, unpalatable environment dominated by corn, soybeans, turfgrass, and asphalt. Different pollinators have different needs, and just like people, pollinators benefit from a diverse diet. Using diverse native plants is key to creating good pollinator habitat. Free seed mix and live plant to the first 20 registrants! |
Cottage Foods Act |
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Monday, May 13th, 2019
5:30pm The Old Train Depot 126 S. Illinois Ave, Carbondale, IL 62091 
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Learn about the Illinois law that allows for direct sales of foods produced in your home kitchen! Please join us as our guest speaker, Molly Gleason, the Communications Director for the Illinois Stewardship Alliance, will discuss a hot topic- the Illinois Cottage Food Law.
The Cottage Food Law is a step in an ongoing effort to create policies that support the burgeoning local food movement. The Cottage Food Law creates new opportunities for farmers to engage in value-added processing, while making it easier for aspiring entrepreneurs to start new local food businesses selling at one of Illinois' 300-plus farmers markets. She will go through the new Cottage Food Guide that describes what the law does and does not allow and what you have to do to qualify as a cottage food operation. Hear from farmers Tam Pirmann from River to River Farm and Derek Ervin from Glaciers End about their experiences producing and selling foods under the Cottage Foods Act. Traditional potluck to follow – bring your favorite dish to share! |
Chainsaws: Basics, Tree Trimming & Felling Demonstration
Monday, April 8th, 2019
5:30pm
Glaciers End
18538 Pittsburg Rd, Johnston City, IL 62951
5:30pm
Glaciers End
18538 Pittsburg Rd, Johnston City, IL 62951
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Ever wanted to know how to safely and properly us a chainsaw?
Beau Tatum, Owner of Beau’s Tree Service, will lead a discussion on Chainsaws 101: how to choose the right chainsaw, proper safety gear, maintenance and sharpening tips. He will also demonstrate how to trim, fell and cut up trees. Traditional potluck to follow – bring a chair and your favorite dish to share! |
Field Days in 2018
Permaculture: Planning for Berms and Swales
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Monday, April 9, 2018
5:30 pm Acorn Ridge Farm Dongola, IL 
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Spring is here! Join us at Acorn Ridge Farm for a discussion of slope measurement, berms and swales in a permaculture design. Wayne Weismann, co-author of Integrated Forest Gardening (2014), will lead a discussion to assess slope prior to building berms and swales for water management on farms. If weather permits, participants will get hands on experience at Acorn Ridge Farm.
Traditional potluck to follow – bring a chair and your favorite dish! The event is free for members of Food Works and the Southern Illinois Farming Alliance. $5 suggested donation for non-members. Carpools possible from Carbondale. Registration is required for all at https://www.fwsoil.org/field-days.html or 618-370-3287. Acorn Ridge Farm is located 7 miles south of Anna on Hwy 51, at: 1480 Brown Lane, Dongola, IL |
Solar Energy for Small Farms
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Monday, May 14, 2018
5:30pm- Farm Tour in Marion, IL 7:00pm- AES Solar Educational Showroom 1804 Supply Rd, Carterville, IL 62918 
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Solar energy production systems offer farmers a way to produce renewable energy, increase self-sufficiency, and reduce energy costs. Current tax credits and financial incentives make investing in solar more affordable then ever. What are the considerations for a small farm thinking of adding solar?
Begin this field day with a tour of a local farm powered by solar energy. Then move indoors to AES Solar in Carterville to learn more about equipment options, financial incentives and tax credits for your farm, home, or business. Speak with farmers using solar in their operations. |
Beekeeping Basics for Southern Illinois
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Monday June 11, 2018
4:30 -7:30 pm University of Illinois Extension Office 402 Ava Rd, Murphysboro, IL 62966 
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Learn the basics of beekeeping! Scott Martin from the Southern Illinois Beekeeping Association and co-owner of Heartland Honey will talk about starting and maintaining beehives throughout the year, including equipment, safety and harvesting honey.
Ken Yamamoto of Honey & Shrooms will also have local small batch honey on hand to demonstrate the variety in color and flavor depending on the time of year the honey is harvested. Wear long pants, a lightweight long sleeve shirt and a baseball cap or hat with a brim. Some protective equipment will be provided. Please avoid wearing perfume or aftershave – it confuses the bees! A potluck follows; please bring utensils and a dish to share. Field Days are open to the public and are free for members of Food Works and the Southern Illinois Farming Alliance. A $5 donation is suggested for non-members. |
Sustainable Berry Production
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Monday, July 9, 2018
6:00-8:00 pm. Optional U Pick starts at 5pm Backachers Farm Anna, IL 
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Learn about sustainable berry production with farmer Phil Mendenhall of Backacher Farm in Anna. Tour over 200 high-bush blueberries and blackberry bushes that are part of this diversified vegetable, beef, and hay farm. Get tips on establishing berry bushes, including soil preparation for appropriate pH, irrigation techniques, pest management, and pruning.
Come early at 5pm if you would like to purchase U Pick berries before the field day starts at 6pm. |
Food is the First Medicine: Culinary & Medicinal Herbs for Good Health
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Tuesday, August 7, 2018
5:00-8:30 pm Town Square Market 106 E. Jackson St. Carbondale, IL 62901 
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Learn about plant-based medicine through cooking and herbal remedies at this talk and cooking demonstration. After an overview of food as medicine, Terry Hickey of Dayempur Herbals will share information on forms of herbal remedies including tinctures, oils, syrups, and sprays. She will also discuss the properties of four locally-grown medicinal herbs: hawthorne, tulsi holy basil, elderberry, and yarrow. Local acupuncturist Susan Saniie Kamil will offer information about seasonal foods that help your body to thrive. Jennifer Pellow from Town Square Market will demonstrate one full meal of recipes that intentionally use culinary herbs for their medicinal properties. Taste each dish as it’s made!
A $5 donation is suggested for members of Food Works, the Southern Illinois Farming Alliance, and the local Sufi community. A $10 suggestion is recommended for non-members. All are welcome. |
Cultivating Edible Mushrooms
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Monday, September 10, 2018
5:00-8:00 pm Flyway Farm Makanda, IL 
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Mushrooms pack a powerful nutritional punch and can vary widely in color, shape, and flavor. Learn about cultivating edible mushrooms with Mike Hatfield of Flyway Farm. Tour the indoor cultivation rooms where many varieties are grown including shitake, oyster, lion’s mane, chestnut, and Pioppino. See how mushroom “logs” are inoculated and how spent logs can be used in the garden to improve soil health. Mike will also share information on using mushroom tinctures for good health.
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Season Extension with High Tunnels
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Monday, November 12th, 2018
4pm All Seasons Farm Cobden, IL 
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Learn about extending your growing season with the use of high tunnels! In the protected environment of a high tunnel, Southern Illinois farmers are able to add months to the growing season, sometimes growing food straight through the winter. There are many variations in high tunnel design and cultivation methods. Do you build a fixed high tunnel or a movable one? Do you use raised beds? What about irrigation and pest control? What crops grow well through the winter cold, and what can you expect with planting and harvesting schedules?
Hear from experienced growers about succession planting, winter crops, grants, and more. |