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The Food Works' Southern Illinois Farming Alliance Conference is a unique event that brings together farmers, individuals interested in farming, and resource organizations from across the state. This conference provides a valuable opportunity for organizations dedicated to supporting small to midsize farms in Southern Illinois to connect with the farming community and share their services.
This one-day event is scheduled for Tuesday, January 14th, 2025, from 9 am to 4 pm at The Pavilion in Marion, Illinois, and offers a full day of networking and learning. Attendees will have the chance to engage with resource organizations, hear from keynote speakers, and receive updates from Food Works of Southern Illinois. The conference will cover various topics related to promoting long-term farming networks that foster healthy soils, healthy food, and healthy communities.
Gain valuable insight from an experienced farmer panel as they share their methods for organic pest control. On the panel is Blayne Harris of One Circle Eco Farm, Courtney Smith of Flora Bay Farm & Heru Adeleke of Heru Urban Farming.
Together, they will share their unique strategies, successes, and challenges in maintaining healthy crops without the use of harmful chemicals. Whether you're an aspiring farmer or simply interested in sustainable agriculture, this discussion promises to enrich your understanding and inspire you with practical solutions.
Brent Glays is a farmer and poultry processor in Anna, Illinois. He began as a Meat and Poultry Inspector for the Illinois Department of Agriculture and was assigned to Triple C Meats. Being exposed to the meat industry, Brent developed an interest in farming, and the Mennonite community mentored him, gifting him a flock of five sheep. The flock grew to 150, and they began raising pigs. Later, they introduced slow-growing breeds of meat chickens, which have become the main focus. The Flock Farm started selling meat at farmers’ markets in 2018. Today, they have an on-farm retail store, a permanent spot at the Carbondale Farmers’ Market, participate in online farmers’ markets, and recently built a poultry processing plant that operates under the Illinois poultry producers exemption. Brent applied for a USDA Grant of Inspection in August, which is expected to be approved this month.
Ben is an organic grain consultant with the Rodale Institute. He helps farmers find rotations, cover crops, and equipment that fit their unique goals and soils. He farms organic grain part-time in central Iowa but visits and learns from farmers across the Midwest.
What does soil health mean to you and your farm? How can I improve my soil without breaking the bank? Is tillage going to ruin all the good I’m doing? Please join this session to discuss on-farm experiences and the latest research on making soil health work for your farm.
The session will cover marketing for small farms, food producers, and food processors considering scaling up to wholesale from direct sales. The session will provide information and best practices on what small producers need to know and do to be successful at the wholesale level from a marketing perspective. The session will analyze different market channels, provide tools and examples of how to measure labor and profit, communicate with wholesale buyers, and more. In short, the session will endeavor to give small farmers and food processors the tools to more successfully navigate the marketing landscape as it applies to wholesale.
Join us in an open discussion about insurance and retirement needs for the small to midsize farmer. A great opportunity to ask questions, get advice and share needs with others.
Finding the right land with the right arrangement can make all of the difference in the success of your farm business. Nathan Aaberg of The Land Connection's Illinois FarmLink program will share his top 10 list of useful tips for giving you a better chance of finding that right land arrangement and explain how Illinois FarmLink can help you. There will also be much time for your practical questions about the farmland search.
