2007

Holds all published items for 2007

Year-Round Growing (Chicago, IL, Garfield Park Conservatory – Community Room, from March 10, 2007 01:00 PM to March 10, 2007 04:00 PM) — by Dan Anderson

Gather with fellow urban growers and activists to learn from John Biernbaum, PhD, safe, economical and sustainable techniques that can help you plant, maintain and harvest crops in our challenging urban environment all year long. Garfield Park Conservatory – Community Room, 300 North Central Park Avenue in Chicago. Please RSVP to info@growinghomeinc.org if you plan to attend.

FarmilyFarmed.org EXPO (The Chicago Cultural Center, from March 23, 2007 10:30 AM to March 24, 2007 06:00 PM) — by Dan Anderson

The one event in Chicago where farmers, families and friends all come together to celebrate delicious, healthy, local and organic food. You'll have a chance to meet local family farmers, shop the farmers market and learn from over 100 informative exhibits set up by local food businesses and organizations. There are a wide variey of workshops to attend; keynote speakers including top names in the food world; great movies, and interactive Organic Kids Corner; bookstore with hundreds of titles; and demonstrations by some of Chicago's hottest chefs including Rick Bayless, Bruce Sherman, Gale Gand, Karyn Calabrese and Timothy Young. Buy your tickets online and get two tickets for the price of one!

Organic Resources (MSWORD) — by Dan Anderson — last modified March 06, 2007 05:55 PM

Organic Resource List (updated 3/07) in MS WORD format

ORGANIC: Certification, Production and Marketing Resources — by Dan Anderson — last modified February 08, 2008 05:02 PM

Updated 1/08

Current and Past ASAP Board Members — by Dan Anderson — last modified October 10, 2008 02:02 PM

ASAP's Advisory Board provides vision and assistance

Sangamon Watershed Celebration (Richland Community College Shilling Center, from March 22, 2007 06:00 PM to March 22, 2007 10:00 PM) — by Sagra

The Agricultural Watershed Institute's Annual Sangamon Watershed Celebration A LOOK BACK, A LOOK AHEAD March 22, 6.00 PM- 9.00 PM Featuring two speakers to look back on the regions agricultural history and anticipate its future. SPEAKERS: Peg Brown, Piatt County Museum, Local agricultural history from the 1920s to the 1950s. Laura Jackson, University of Northern Iowa, Lessons from the past and a vision of the future

Farming in the City — by Sagra — last modified June 20, 2008 02:00 PM

By Lester Brown, Earth Policy Institute

Localicious Food and Wine Tasting Party (Chicago Cultural Center, Preston Bradley Hall, 78 E. Washington St., Chicago, from March 23, 2007 06:00 PM to March 23, 2007 09:00 PM) — by Dan Anderson

Join us for the Localicious Food and Wine Tasting Party on Friday night, March 23rd during the FamilyFarmed.org EXPO. Top Chicago chefs will pair up with local farmers to serve sumptuous treats. The event features wines from Illinois vineyards, organic martinis, and Goose Island Beer. Live music by the Dominic Johnson Trio will be featured as well as a live auction hosted by television celebrity, Bill Kurtis, who is also the founder and owner of Tallgrass Beef. Tickets are $75 in advance online, and $90 at the door.

Clean Energy Grant & Loan Guarantee Workshop (Illinois Farm Bureau, Bloomington, IL, from April 02, 2007 09:00 AM to April 02, 2007 02:00 PM) — by Dan Anderson

The Illinois Farm Bureau and Environmental Law and Policy Center of the Midwest are co-hosting a "Clean Energy Grant and Loan Guarantee Workshop," to be held in Bloomington on April 2nd. This workshop, geared towards vendors and consultants serving rural Illinois, as well as Illinois agricultural leaders, faculty and economic development directors will be a great opportunity to network and to learn about Section 9006. Section 9006 is a competitive USDA program offering significant financial assistance to farmers and rural businesses to enable them to install energy efficient equipment and renewable energy systems.

Organic Dairy Farmers Join Battle Against GM Alfalfa — by Dan Anderson — last modified April 20, 2007 01:10 PM

[Source: Lorraine Heller, Food USA Navigator.com]

Carlo Petrini to Speak in Chicago (Thorne Auditorium, Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, at the corner of Chicago Ave. and N. Lake Shore Drive., from May 19, 2007 02:00 PM to May 19, 2007 04:00 PM) — by Sagra

Carlo Petrini, founder of the Slow Food movement, will be in Chicago on May 19th, to discuss his new book: Slow Food Nation: Why our Food Should be Good, Clean, and Fair. Petrini relates real-life anecdotes about the behaviors of peoples in places as varied as Chiapas, Mongolia, Puglia, Bangladesh, and Sweden. He concludes that the food we eat should be healthful and delicious (good); sustainably produced using environmentally sensitive methods (clean); by producers who are justly compensated and treated with dignity (fair). Petrini will present his lecture in Italian with an onstage translator. Afterwards he will be available to sign books, with on-site sales provided by The Book Stall of Winnetka.

Latest Issue of New Ag Network Released — by Sagra — last modified May 24, 2007 10:04 AM

 

Slow Food Chicago -- A Sweet Summer Solstice Cocktail and Potluck Dinner (Chicago Honey Coop's Apiary, 3740 W. Fillmore, Chicago, IL, from June 21, 2007 06:30 PM to June 21, 2007 08:30 PM) — by Dan Anderson

Discover the wonders of the Chicago Honey Coop's Apiary (also known as a bee yard). Experience a cocktail tasting and demonstration by Southern Wine & Spirits featuring nature's sustainable sweetener-honey! Enjoy Honey Roasted Salmon prepared by Plitt Seafood's Chef Cameo McRoberts. Relax with beer and soda courtesy of Goose Island. Cost: $15.00 for Slow Food and Honey Coop members + side dish or dessert $20.00 for non-members + side dish or dessert. Dress: Bee Etiquette- please wear light colored clothing and hat and don't wear perfumes, colognes or scented hair. Space is limited. Pre-paid reservations required. Bring a side dish or dessert to share and your own chair!

NOSB Issues 2007 Organic Aquaculture Symposium Call for Abstracts and Papers — by Sagra — last modified July 05, 2007 10:37 AM

CALL FOR PAPERS -- ABSTRACT DEADLINE: July 15, 2007; FULL PAPER DEADLINE: September 30, 2007.

WISAS Market Tour (St. Louis Area, from July 18, 2007 12:00 PM to July 18, 2007 10:00 PM) — by Melissa McEwen

Western Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Society Market Tour to St. Louis Area

Tours Scheduled to Demonstrate Organic and Natural Farming Methods — by Sagra — last modified July 10, 2007 01:06 PM

 

Organic Tomatoes Richer in Disease-Fighting Flavonoids — by Demeter — last modified July 10, 2007 11:24 PM

UC davis researchers have found that organic tomatoes are richer in flavonoids, compounds thought to fight heart disease.

"Fresh from the Farm" Fundraising Dinner (Bevier Cafe, from July 27, 2007 06:30 PM to July 27, 2007 10:00 PM) — by Demeter

The Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition invites you to the 2nd annual “Fresh from the Farm” fundraising dinner on Friday, July 27.

2007 Sustainable University Symposium (Illinois State University, from August 14, 2007 10:00 AM to August 14, 2007 03:30 PM) — by Demeter

Join Lt. Governor Pat Quinn in learning how to create a “Green Living” atmosphere for your university. Learn about topics regarding sustainability and university best management practices. This is an opportunity to learn from your peers and apply these methods to your university.

Plenty: One Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally (Chicago, from August 13, 2007 05:00 PM to August 13, 2007 06:00 PM) — by Demeter

Lecture and Book Signing with Alisa Smith

Conventional plowing is 'skinning our agricultural fields' — by Demeter — last modified August 11, 2007 09:48 AM

Traditional plow-based agricultural methods and the need to feed a rapidly growing world population are combining to deplete the Earth's soil supply, a new study confirms.

A New Push to Make Farming Profitable — by Demeter — last modified August 11, 2007 09:50 AM

At the forefront of a revolution in the way small farms operate is celebrity farmer Joel Salatin. His new business model and innovative techniques are catching on with farmers across the country

Farm to Zoo: Linking Local Organic Farmers to the Brookfield Zoo (Chenoa, IL and Eureka, IL, from September 24, 2007 10:30 AM to September 24, 2007 01:30 PM) — by Demeter

The Brookfield Zoo is committed to buying animal feed and human food directly from Illinois organic farmers. This field day and workshop will start with a farm tour at the Ackerman Farm just in Chenoa, and continue on to Larry and Marilyn Wettstein’s Organic Pastures farm near Eureka. The day will end with a panel from the Brookfield Zoo to inform farmers of the many foodstuffs that the zoo is anxious to purchase from Illinois farms. Registration fee includes lunch and resource materials.

Three Rivers Community Farm Tour (Elsah, IL, from August 17, 2007 09:00 AM to August 17, 2007 01:00 PM) — by Demeter

Urbana — University of Illinois Extension is sponsoring a tour of Three Rivers Community Farm in Elsah on Friday, August 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. including a lunch featuring local, sustainably grown food.

Dixon Springs Agricultural Center Tour (Dixon Springs, IL, from September 14, 2007 09:00 AM to September 14, 2007 12:00 PM) — by Demeter

 

Kuipers Family Farm Tour (Maple Park, IL, from October 23, 2007 09:00 AM to October 23, 2007 12:00 PM) — by Demeter

 

Harvesting farm life: Central Illinois program places focus on local organic production — by Melissa McEwen — last modified August 12, 2007 09:26 PM

"Central Illinois Farm Beginnings . . . I just can't say enough about the program. That doesn't mean I don't get up some days and cuss the tractor. But it means I can really put my heart and hard work into this and feel satisfied."

Community-supported Agriculture Serves As Counterexample To Market Demands Of Globalization — by Melissa McEwen — last modified August 13, 2007 11:37 AM

A compelling new paper from the August issue of the Journal of Consumer Research explores the community-supported agriculture movement and its survival in the face of economic globalization. Organic food was once an economic haven for small farms who distributed their goods predominantly through local channels such as farmers' markets and food co-ops.

Conservation Expo 2007 (Colfax, IL, from August 21, 2007 12:00 AM to August 23, 2007 12:00 AM) — by Melissa McEwen

Conservation Expo 2007 is coming to central Illinois on August 21, 22, & 23, 2007. This statewide event is a showcase for the construction and exhibition of conservation and land improvement practices and equipment. The hosts for this year's Conservation Expo are Richard and Robert Lasser, Colfax, IL.

Plant Micro-Nutrient Health Program (Springfield, IL , from August 20, 2007 09:00 AM to August 20, 2007 01:00 PM) — by Melissa McEwen

This on-farm workshop at Jubilee Farm, presented by Dr. Bill Becker (Agrosystems Management, Inc.) will focus on the importance of micronutrients in all forms of agriculture, including fruit and vegetable production.

U of I Agronomy Day 2007 (Champaign/Urbana Campus, from August 16, 2007 07:00 AM to August 16, 2007 02:00 PM) — by Melissa McEwen

Agronomy Day 2007 at the University of Illinois is scheduled for Thursday, August 16. The theme for this year's event is "Growing Our Future" Besides tours and tent displays highlighting the latest developments in agricultural research, this year's program will include a special presentation at noon featuring Hans Blaschek, Director of U of I's Center for Advanced BioEnergy Research (CABER). He will discuss the future of bioenergy and implications for Illinois agriculture.

Family Day at the Farmers’ Market in Danville (Danville, IL, from August 18, 2007 07:00 AM to August 18, 2007 12:00 PM) — by Melissa McEwen

DANVILLE — Ever wonder what to do with your backyard garden vegetables or fresh produce purchases from the farmers’ market? Downtown Danville, Inc. and the University of Illinois Extension of Vermilion County have joined forces to hold a Family Day at the Farmers’ Market on Aug. 18.

Triumph over trauma -- and some mighty fine meat — by Melissa McEwen — last modified August 15, 2007 10:18 PM

Since a car accident in Maple Park five years ago, life's had its battles for Gloria Hoffer and her husband, Don. "Every day is a good day when you can do your own laundry," she said. And one of her triumphs over trauma includes having a family business selling meat, poultry and eggs raised on their own farm in Lee County.

Blagojevich Signs Legislation to Expand State's Ag Programs and Protect Natural Resources — by Melissa McEwen — last modified August 15, 2007 10:19 PM

Springfield, IL–-Governor Rod R. Blagojevich signed legislation on Aug 14 that will help expand the state’s agriculture programs and further protect Illinois’ natural resources. The bills will aim to increase the number of agricultural educators in the state; give the State authority to issue quarantines on animals and premises in order to control the spread of dangerous diseases; create a task force to help expand the accessibility of Illinois-grown and organic foods; and increase protections for the state’s natural resources.

Mixed Organic Crop and Livestock Tour (Sycamore to Malta, from August 30, 2007 10:00 AM to August 30, 2007 03:00 PM) — by Melissa McEwen

Two unique farms that incorporate both crops and livestock will be the locations for an organic field day on Thursday, August 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. "This tour will actually start at the Dekalb County Extension Office in Sycamore and then we'll caravan to the nearby Butler farm and the Plapp farm in Malta," said University of Illinois Extension specialist Dan Anderson who is coordinating the tour. "It will be an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in organic farming from both the crop side and the livestock side to see both kinds of operations in one day."

Allerton Music Barn Festival 2007 (Monticello , from August 31, 2007 12:00 AM to September 03, 2007 12:00 AM) — by Demeter

Music accompanied by a meal prepared by Chef Rhonda Killian-Sinkosky (of K-Spear Culinary Arts and Montgomery's fame). Meals will feature local ingredients from Allerton's Diversified Farm and other local producers.

Organic and Alternative Agronomy Day Resources 2007 — by Demeter — last modified September 20, 2007 04:15 PM

Missed us? Check out our posters and information from this year's Organic and Alternative Agronomy day.

Organic and Agronomy Day Resources Available — by Demeter — last modified August 26, 2007 08:21 PM

Missed us? Take a look at our resources.

Walking Tour of Angelic Organics (Caledonia, IL, from September 29, 2007 10:00 AM to September 29, 2007 12:00 PM) — by Demeter

Join us for a tour and introduction to Angelic Organics, the Biodynamic vegetable farm in northern Illinois featured in the award-winning documentary film The Real Dirt on Farmer John.

An Intimate Evening With Alice Waters: A Harvest Dinner Celebrating Midwest Artisanal Foods (Chicago, from October 05, 2007 06:00 PM to October 05, 2007 10:00 PM) — by Melissa McEwen

An Intimate Evening With Alice Waters A Harvest Dinner Celebrating Midwest Artisanal Foods

Slow Food Picnic on the Caveny Farm (Monticello, IL, from October 07, 2007 01:00 PM to October 07, 2007 05:00 PM) — by Melissa McEwen

The newly formed Goose Creek Slow Food Convivium (chapter) picnic will take place Sunday, October 7th, at the farm of John and Connie Caveny near Monticello, IL.

Red Herring Fall Benefit (, from November 02, 2007 06:00 PM to November 03, 2007 01:00 AM) — by Demeter

Come eat your favorite Red Herring food for dinner, See the Red Herring all spiffed up with her best party clothes on and listen to some of your favorite local artists and dance into the night!! All to help the Herring make some much needed improvements to our kitchen!!

Weekly ASAP Soup October 18 — by Melissa McEwen — last modified October 25, 2007 12:28 AM

What is going on in Illinois sustainable agriculture? Find out with my weekly links.

Tri-State Locally Grown Conference (Quincy, IL, from November 29, 2007 09:00 AM to November 29, 2007 04:00 PM) — by Demeter

 

Yale Real Food Summit (New Haven, CT, from November 03, 2007 09:00 AM to November 04, 2007 04:00 PM) — by Melissa McEwen

Join us at Yale from November 3-4 for the first Real Food Summit, where students from across the Northeast will come together to galvanize a national movement around food on college campuses.

Project Chambanda (Canopy Club, from November 01, 2007 08:00 PM to November 02, 2007 01:15 AM) — by Demeter

An eco-friendly concert

Meet Your Farmer Dinner @ Papa George (505 South Neil Street , Champaign, IL, from November 12, 2007 05:30 PM to November 12, 2007 06:00 PM) — by Melissa McEwen

Meet farmer Melinda Buchanan Schroeder, who raises sheep north of El Paso, IL and sample some of her humanely and sustainable raised meat at Papa George, a new Greek restaurant in Champaign. RSVP to Melissa @ mmcewen2@uiuc.edu

Common Ground Food Co-op's 33rd Birthday Party (610 E Springfield Ave, Champaign, IL, from November 10, 2007 05:00 PM to November 10, 2007 09:00 PM) — by Melissa McEwen

We're taking over the whole basement of the IDF, decorating, putting on silly hats and celebrating! It's a potluck, so bring something to share! A live DJ will be spinning Motown and other fun dancing tunes all evening long, so be prepared to dance the night away! There will be free food samples all over the co-op too.

Organic "Watchdog" Is Keynote Speaker for Organic Conference — Jan. 17 - 18 — by Melissa McEwen — last modified December 06, 2007 10:45 PM

Mark Kastel's dynamic speaking style, combined with the Cornucopia Institute's reputation as an "organics watchdog," make him perhaps the most provocative speaker in the country on issues related to agriculture, organics, and small farms.

ACEEE Forum on Energy Efficiency in Agriculture (Des Moines, Iowa, from February 20, 2008 12:00 AM to February 22, 2008 12:00 AM) — by Demeter

"Food and Energy from the Ground Up: Efficiency's Role in Sustainable Agriculture" is the theme of the 2008 forum of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. The event will explore an alternative vision, where increased energy production by agriculture is accompanied by equally significant improvements in energy efficiency throughout our economy. Participants will share practical strategies for farmers and ranchers, models of small-scale and local food and energy systems, and factual information about the energy advantages of sustainable agriculture. The event will be challenging biofuel advocates, organic and sustainable farming advocates, food processors, farmers, utilities, and others to explain how energy efficiency fits into their plans. Participants will also be hearing about recent research into energy-efficient agricultural practices, food processing, biofuel production, and local and regional food systems.