Johari Cole and her family farm forty-five acres about 75 miles south of Chicago near the Indiana border. Iyabo Farms’ land has been in the Cole family for twelve years and is currently in the process of becoming certified organic by the Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA). Certification should be complete around mid-summer 2005. Johari leads farm efforts with support from her brother-in-law, Terry James; husband, S. Kweli; and two children, ages 1-1/2 and 11. Farm chores include watering, weeding, greenhouse work, seeding, marketing and sales. The family grows a range of fresh produce including kale, greens, melons, tomatoes, beans, peas and lettuce.

Iyabo Farms is part of the Pembroke Farmers’ Cooperative and the Pembroke Farming Family. Pembroke Township, located within Kankakee County, has a long African-American agricultural history.

Johari was featured in the May 2005 issue of Organic Style magazine. Click here to check out the article.

9:00 am Registration

9:20 am Welcome and Introductions Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant (Extension Specialist, Small Farm and Sustainable Agriculture, University of Illinois Extension) Beth LaPlante, County Extension Director and James Theuri, Unit Educator, Ag and Natural Resources,University of Illinois Extension, Kankakee County Unit

9:30 am Tour Vermaculture, Poultry (Heritage Turkeys, Ducks & Chickens), Composting Systems, Aquaponics, Black Oaks, and Gardening.

Noon Lunch Catered by Iyabo Farms. The menu will consist of: Field Greens, mixed Green Herbal Salad, Fresh Heirloom Tomato Salad, Grilled Teriyaki/Lemon Pepper Chicken, Grilled Veggies, Vegetarian Meatloaf, Wild Rice Pilaf, Blueberry Cobbler Dessert

1:00 pm Adjourn