Good Earth Food Alliance

Lyndon Hartz of Hartz Produce in Wyoming, IL is the President/Director and Crop Coordinator of GEFA. He was raised in a family where they always had a large garden and everyone helped out - and Lyndon's parents and grandfather are still helping out. After graduating from Western Illinois University in 2004, Lyndon planted vegetables and fruits on 2 acres of his grandfather's land. His production has since grown to 10 1/2 of his own acres which include the winter production of greens in his hoophouses and perennial plants. Says Lyndon, "I never thought that I would become a farmer someday. It was something that my life drifted towards as I got older. I farm because I like being outdoors and seeing things start as a small seed into a large plant producing pounds of food. People have become accustomed to flavorless, stringy, chemical-dependent food. I farm because there is a better way and I want as many people as possible to eat food like I do."

Leslie Schenkel of Twisted Chicken Acres in Brimfield, IL is the Treasurer/Bookkeeper, Membership Coordinator and E-Commerce Coordinator for GEFA. With a degree in management, Leslie has grown fruit and vegetables on 1+ acres for the past 5 years and will be utilizing her new hoop house to extend the growing season for a number of vegetables this year. Black raspberries grow in abundance and keep Leslie and kids busy during the month of June. Wondering about the name? Leslie raises chickens for free-range eggs, too.

Linda Prescott of Prescott's Farm and Petal Song Apiaries in Norris, IL is the volunteer coordinator for GEFA. Linda has a degree in horticulture and has been a beekeeper since 2005. She and her husband, Pat, own a 34-acre farm with three barns, originally built in the early 1900's, which they are in the process of restoring and rebuilding. They are also restoring the land by planting lots of native and ornamental trees, shrubs, grasses and flowers. Linda and her husband have always been avid gardeners and are committed to growing crops in a way that will be beneficial to all, including the environment.

Lawrence Meyer of Meyer Organic Produce, a USDA Organic certified grower near Manito, IL serves on the Education Committee for GEFA. Years ago, a pivotal experience as a judge in a soil contest led Lawrence down the path towards organics. His interest in soil quality turned into a passion as he chose to work with Mother Nature instead of against. Lawrence believes that the earth worm is key to the success of organic farming. An extremely experienced grower, Lawrence's organic foods have been sold throughout central and southern Illinois and to restaurants in Chicago.

Kate Potter of Kate's Cottage Farm in Cramer, IL is the webmaster and newsletter editor for GEFA. She is passionate about grass farming. On her small farm she raises dairy goats and cattle, pastured meat poultry, free-foraging laying hens and vegetables. She is wild about traditional foods and drives a school bus.

Larry Shawback's goal at White Chimney Farm is to grow and market Certified Naturally Grown vegetables, without the use of synthetic pesticides, chemicals or fertilizers. In his efforts to accomplish this, he uses the “Spin” method of growing. Spin is the acronym for Small Plot Intensive Relay. It assures a freshly grown and harvested supply of produce each marketing week, also keeping an active crop rotation for best soil health.

Soil amendments used are a mix of alfalfa pellets, sugar beet residue, bone meal, soybean meal and dried molasses and compost. Kelp meal and OMRI-approved fish-based liquid fertilizer round out the recipe.

For watering, whenever possible, captured rain water is used. When not available, ground water from Larry's well or the cistern is used.

This is Larry's fifth year of market gardening. The first four years were part-time, and after retiring on July 1^st, he will be a full-time farmer.

Rockome Gardens is a raw milk, grassfed cheese manufacturer in Arcola. Owen Gingerich is the manager of cheese production, and he buys his raw milk from Amish farmer, Lavern Schupp. Lavern’s cows are Jerseys and are exclusively grassfed. That diet and the fact that the milk is raw means that this cheese is highly digestible. A cow that has not been fed grain but only grass (as nature intended) produces CLA and many other beneficial substances in her milk and is an asset to the environment.

Kathy Corso is the farmer and chef behind Crow Creek Farm, which produces pestos, pastas and ravioli. The vegetables in Kathy’s products are lovingly grown on her urban Peoria lot at 1400 NE Monroe.

Meadow Haven Farm was founded by Allan Sexton and his wife, Jeanne. Allan, a retired holistic veterinarian who has a life-long interest in nutrition and health, decided the only way to really produce good healthy food for their five children and now twelve grandchildren was to produce it himself. Allan and Jeanne searched for the best farmland they could find for their idea of an organic farm that would raise grass-fed beef and pastured pork. They found it in Bureau County, Illinois. Jeremy House manages the farm.

Contact Information

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 21:55:01 -0600

Have a question About... Contact:

Our services, foods or general info? Lyndon Hartz, President, GEFA

hartz_l@hotmail.com

Payments, Memberships, A la Carte Leslie Schenkle

twstdchicken@hughesnet.com

Newsletter, Website Kate Potter

potter_kate@hotmail.com

Volunteering Linda Prescott

petalsongapiaries@yahoo.com

What we Grow and Produce

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 09:19:36 -0600

CSA produce crops included in 2012 season

Fruits: apples, black raspberries, cantaloupe, rhubarb, strawberries, watermelon
Herbs: basil, chives, cilantro, flat-leaf parsley, garlic, garlic scapes, lemon balm, sage, thyme, oregano, rosemary, tarragon
Vegetables: arugula, asparagus, red, yellow and striped beets, broccoli, broccoli rabe, bush and pole beans, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, edamame, eggplant, rainbow chard, green onions, leeks, lettuce, purple and green kohlrabi, red onions, yellow onions, sweet bell green peppers, sweet bell red and yellow peppers, new potatoes, storage potatoes, pie pumkins, sweet corn, summer squash (zucchini, yellow, and others), radish, spring salad mix, winter salad mix, sugar and snap peas, spinach, winter squash (acorn, butternut, and others), sweet potatoes, slicing tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, turnips

Our other CSA's

Organic Grassfed Beef from Meadow Haven Organic Farm in Sheffield, IL. A $100 box is delivered to our pick-up sites once a month for 5 months.
Organic Pastured Pork from Meadow Haven Organic Farm in Sheffield, IL. A $100 box is delivered to our pick-up sites once a month for 5 months.
Pastured Poultry from Kate's Cottage Farm in Elmwood, IL. Cornish cross broilers raised on pasture are delivered to our pick-up sites weekly, bi-weekly or monthly.
Free-Range Eggs from Twisted Chicken Farm, Kate's Cottage Farm and Meyer's Organic Farm. A dozen eggs are delivered to our pick-up sites weekly or bi-weekly.

Please see our registration packet for more details on all these CSA's and to sign up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 09:10:29 -0600

Good Earth Food Alliance (GEFA) CSA Frequently Asked Questions

How much produce will I find in my share?

We strive to include 5-9 different vegetables, fruit, and culinary herbs each week. Because there are seven farms in the multi-farm CSA and we are scattered over five west central IL counties, we have been able to weather the difficult growing conditions the past three years. We have nine hoop houses, unheated plastic covered structures, which extend our season of growing during severe weather. A share is based on the value of the produce, not weight. We provide an approximate $20 value each week. If our early spring shares are a little less in value we make up for this by mid to late in the season. We often surpass our value when we have an abundance of produce.

Following are examples of seasonal weekly share:

Mid June	Mid July	Early October
12 oz Red Russian Kale	1 lb Beets	1 Pie Pumpkin
6 oz Snow Peas	1 dz Sweet corn	3/4 lb Swiss Chard
1 lb Asparagus	1 lb Cucumber	2 lb Potato
8 oz Lettuce Mix	1 lb Green beans	2 lb Sweet potato
1 head Romaine lettuce	1 lb Candy onion	8 oz Fall Salad Mix
1 lb Rhubarb	2 lb Potato	1 Butternut squash
3/4 lb Radishes	4 oz Basil	1 Acorn Squash
4 oz Garlic Scapes	1 lb Tomato	6 oz Spinach
1 qrt Strawberries	1 Cantaloupe	1 lb Carrots
		1 lb Sweet Peppers
		2 oz Sage

What happens when there is a crop failure or bad weather? How does it affect my share?

When extreme weather is happening, crops are most likely affected. Your share may look a little scarce until the farms have a chance to recover and crops come back to life. We try to make up for any loss later in the season. When you buy a share into our farms, you are taking a risk along with the farmers. We do our best to make sure you have a diverse and plentiful share each week.

Since we own a share of in the farms can we visit a farm whenever we want?

We have a fall harvest potluck dinner, rotating between one of our farms each year. If there is a specific farm you would like to visit please contact us by email. During the season, we are very busy growing for you and many farmers are also selling to Farmers Markets and restaurants, so we really appreciate a call ahead. The newsletter will keep you informed about our special events.

Is it possible to help on one of the farms?

GEFA welcomes your help in multiple ways. Please check out the “Get Involved” volunteer opportunities on our website at www.goodearthfoodalliance.com

Can I share a weekly box with another household?

Absolutely, if 6-9 different products seem more than you may use on a weekly basis, we encourage you to share the box with another household. Be sure to add their name to your CSA order form. If you are a very busy person or travel a lot in the summer, it’s nice to have another household to share picking up the produce.

Can I get a double share the next time to make up if I miss picking up my share?

When crops need to be harvested unfortunately they don’t quit growing or ripening, so no matter what, the show must go on whether you are there or not. You can ask a neighbor, friend or family member to pick up for you if you cannot.

Can I come out to the farm the next day and pick up my share if I forget it?

Because we are a multi-farm CSA with different farmers growing different crops scattered over five counties this makes it impossible to go to a certain farm to pick up a share.

What happens to the food if I don’t show up to pick it up?

At the two church sites in Peoria GEFA has made arrangements for these churches to donate any leftover food to those in need or it will be donated to Esther House. All sites donate unclaimed shares so no food is ever wasted.

Can I choose some of the items in my share?

The farmers provide over fifty different crops. Eating seasonally is at the heart of all CSA programs. Eating a variety of fresh produce is a healthy way of eating. If your family likes a half dozen produce items, and you don’t like to try new things and prepare fresh produce, a CSA is probably not for you. We provide you with a weekly newsletter which will provide lots of recipes and cooking tips to help you use your produce. Plus our website has a wide array of recipes. And many of our shareholders like to share recipes on GEFA Facebook. A farmer and/or a well seasoned CSA shareholder will always be at each of our drop sites to help with any questions you may have about your weekly share.

Do I have to order a produce share in order to order the pastured poultry, egg, meat share?

No. You are welcome to order any or all of the CSA shares we offer. However, any CSA must be ordered by May 1^st or until sold out.

Do you offer other products during the season?

Our Ala Carte e-commerce website order program is an added bonus. Linda Prescott, one of our alliance farmers, has honey and mushrooms available certain times of the season which are made available for sale on our Ala Carte Program. Pasta is provided by Crow Creek, we work cooperatively with small, local, value added farms which make specialty foods using crops they grow. If we have a bumper crop of certain crops we may offer a special lower bulk price for those interested in canning or freezing large quantities.

Where can I pick up my share?

There are six locations. Sites/addresses are on the CSA order form.

Two sites in Peoria
Morton
Wyoming
Farmington
Canton

Do you grow using organic methods?

All farms are required to follow strict growing and safe and sanitary methods. Meyer Organic Produce and Meadow Haven Farm are certified organic. We build our soils using cover crops, crop rotations, companion plantings and compost. We do not use genetically modified seeds, synthetic herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, hormones, or antibiotics in feed.

If I have any other questions how can I communicate with you?

You are welcome to contact us via email by going to the bottom of our home page at www.goodearthfoodalliance.com and sending a contact us question. It is recommended you not email us on a Tuesday during the season since we are too busy harvesting to check emails.

Lyndon on Living Well

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:34:30 -0600

GEFA Farmer joins Chef Erin Meyer this Wednesday on LIving Well at 4pm on Channel 31. Be sure to watch and see what they are cooking up!

Another reason to buy local

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:07:44 -0600

When is honey not really honey! Read the latest information about honey coming from all over the world into our supermarkets. Click here to learn why you should buy local honey. Petal Song Apiaries is the honey producer for the Good Earth Food Alliance. You can rest assured that we do not remove the pollen from our honey! We provide a great product, produced by free-ranging bees who visit millions of flowers to make each pound of honey.

Methodist Atrium Market

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 11:48:20 -0500

The Fall/Winter Market at the Methodist Atrium will be held on the first and third Thursdays of October, November and December. The market will be open from 3 to 6pm. Click here to view and print a copy of the flyer to post on your frigerator and share with yours. Hope to see you there!

Photo(s) added: GEFA Potluck

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:03:38 -0500

New photo added:

Vendor Stories

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 15:10:21 -0500

CROW CREEK FARM

Chi mangia bene, vive bene - Who eats well lives well - is the motto of Kathy Corso's farm which started in 2006 as a family enterprise, an effort to grow local herbs and produce in a healthy sustainable way. Kathy says that neither she nor her two adult daughters, Angela and Kristina, had any real agricultural training (except for a backyard garden). The whole idea came about in the spring of 2005 after the girls returned from an Italian Farming Adventure. In the fall of 2004 Angela and Kristina spent time on five organic farms in Northern Italy. They were part of the program World Wide Opportunities in Organic Farms (WWOOF).

That was the inspiration for the family's efforts, and they started with too large a field out in Washburn near the Crow Creek, thus the name, and had no machinery so everything was and still is very hands on. After a few challenging years, they moved to an urban garden site. They saw that value added products were often appreciated by their busy customers. Handmade pastas, basil pesto and fresh salsas were and are best sellers. Kathy sated, "It has always been challenging to find the right venues and we soon realized that good marketing was essential."

While WWOOFING, her daughters became good friends with a family in Tuscany who have run an organic olive oil farm “Podere Vallari” for 30 years. "In early June we (our whole family) had the opportunity to visit this farm seven years later. The beauty of the region and the fabulous quality of “Podere Vallari” is again inspiring and helps us all recommit to the “local foods” and sustainable farming movement. I think the appreciation for fresh, wholesome food has evolved for our family the way it has for many of us. I know that I cook some new recipe including some new veggie or grain on a regular basis." Kathy says that most Italians buy fresh each day. "Even larger grocery stores have the hugest fresh produce sections!" The last 4 days of their recent tour were in Rome where the Campo di Fiori (a flower and vegetable market) is open everyday but Sunday.

Meadow Haven Organic Farm was founded by Allan Sexton and his wife Jeanne. Allan, a retired holistic veterinarian who has a life-long interest in nutrition and health, decided the only way to produce really healthy food for their five children and now twelve grandchildren was to produce it himself. Allan and Jeanne searched for the best farmland they could find for their idea of an organic farm that would raise organic grass-fed beef and pastured pork. They found it in Bureau County, Illinois. Jeremy House manages the farm.

Plow Creek Farm is operated by the Plow Creek Fellowship, a Mennonite Christian community located just outside of Tiskilwa, IL. The farm was started by the community in the 1970’s and berries have been the centerpiece of the farm throughout it’s history. The farm is currently managed by Jim Foxvog and Matthew Peterson.

Rockome Gardens is a raw milk, grass-fed manufacturer of cheese in Arcola. Owen Gingerich is the manager of the cheese production and he buys his raw milk from Amish Farmer Lavern Schupp. Lavern’s cows are Jerseys and are exclusively grass-fed. That diet and the fact that the milk is raw means that the cheese is highly digestible. A cow that has not been fed grain but only grass (as nature intended) produces CLA and many other beneficial substances and is an asset to the environment.