Local Food Subscriptions create a direct relationship between you and the farms. You will know your produce dollar goes directly to the people who plant, tend and harvest your food. Joining the Good Earth Food Alliance is a seasonal cooking and eating adventure!

Click here for a printable PDF.

Payment options: one check for the total amount or 30% down payment and remainder by March31.

Please make check(s) payable to: Good Earth Food Alliance LLC

Pick-Up Sites: check one

• Peoria (Main Pick-Up Site): Forrest Hill United Methodist Church, 706 E. Forrest Hill 4:30-6:00 pm
• Peoria: United Presbyterian Church of Peoria, 2400 W. Northmoor Rd; 4:30 – 6:00 pm
• Canton: Phillips and Associates, Architecture, 344 W. Chestnut Street; 5:30-6:30 pm
• Morton: Eli’s Coffee Shop, 205 W. Jefferson; 4:30 – 5:30 pm
• Farmington: 115 N. Cramer Road (between Trivoli and Farmington, just off 116): 5:00 – 6:00 pm
• Wyoming: Hartz Produce, 5235 Township, 900 E. ; 5:30-6:00 pm

Sharing Households: If you are sharing your box with another household, remember that we pack only one box for your share; it is up to you to decide how to split it. The Primary Contact will be on our check-off list, but both households will receive e-mailed communications from Good Earth Food Alliance. Please write name, address and email address of the additional household on the back of this page. This will help us keep them updated.

Member Responsibilities

• Know when and where your share will be delivered and pick it up at your site during hours of operation on delivery day. Good Earth Food Alliance cannot issue credit for unclaimed or forgotten shares. All unclaimed produce is donated to a local charity or a church food pantry.
• Make alternate arrangements for weeks you are unable to pick up your share. You may ask someone else to pick up your box or allow us to donate it for you at the end of the day.
• Read the weekly e-newsletters. Besides news from the farm we communicate important announcements, provide recipes and storage information, and extend invitations and special offers to you through weekly e-newsletters.

As a member, you share in the wonderful bounty from the farms but you also assume the risks that accompany farming. Our local food subscription allows you to forge a connection with your food, the farms where it is produced, and the people who grow the crops. As such, Good Earth Food Alliance membership is a season-long commitment. If you are unable to finish out the season as a member, for whatever reason, you are welcome to reassign your share to another household, but please know that Good Earth Food Alliance is unable to issue refunds after May 1, 2012.

Member Agreement: Please read and sign below.

I understand that joining the Good Earth Food Alliance Produce CSA is a season long (22 week) commitment with 2 mid fall/winter produce shares. I also understand my responsibility to make arrangements for pickup of my share at my drop site during the hours of operation.

As a member, I agree to share in the bounty and the risks of farming with the growers and the other shareholders

Signature ______________________________________________ Date ­­­­­­ _________________________

Primary Contact:

Name______________________________________________________________________

Address _____________________________________________________________________

City __________________________________________________Zip___________________

Preferred phone (required)_________________________________________________________

Email (required) __________________________________________________________________

Thank you for your support of local, chemical-free foods and sustainable farms.

Checks (made payable to Good Earth Food Alliance LLC) and completed forms are mailed to:

Lyndon Hartz, Good Earth Food Alliance, LLC, 5235 Township Rd. 900 E., ,Wyoming, IL 61491. If you have any questions concerning payment, please contact Lyndon at hartz_l@hotmail.com or call 309-238-0966.

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2011

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November Newsletter

October Newsletter 

September 27 Newsletter

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September 12 Newsletter

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August 29 Newsletter

August 23 Newsletter

August 15 Newsletter

August 8 Newsletter

August 1 Newsletter

July 25 Newsletter

July 18 Newsletter

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July 4 Newsletter

June 27 Newsletter

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2010

April Newsletter

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2009

December

Mission Statement

To provide and promote locally grown nutritious food, a healthy environment, and to build lasting relationships with our Community Supported Agriculture members while providing economic stability to Good Earth Food Alliance LLC farmers and producers.

History of Good Earth Food Alliance LLC

Good Earth Food Alliance (GEFA) emerged from a need for small growers and producers to work collaboratively to help meet the needs of a burgeoning local food movement.  By avoiding duplication in our planting and harvesting and assisting each other through the challenges of the growing season, we aim to see more locally-produced food on plates throughout Central Illinois.  Through a chemical-free means of growing, we produce a wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs. 

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 five farms in the multi-farm CSA and we are scattered over five central IL counties, we have been able to weather the difficult growing conditions the past three years. We have 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:

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 shares we offer. However, any share must be ordered by May 1^st or until sold out.

Do you offer other products during the season?

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 order form.  

1. Two  sites in Peoria
2. Morton
3. Wyoming
4. Farmington
5. Canton

Do you grow using organic methods?

All farms are required to follow strict chemical-free growing 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.

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

                                                          hartz_l@hotmail.com

Newsletter, Website, Volunteering              Kate Potter        

                                                            potter_kate@hotmail.com

 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."  

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. 

This arrangement creates several rewards for both the farmer and the consumer. In brief...

Advantages for farmers:

• Get to spend time marketing the food early in the year, before their 16 hour days in the field begin
• Receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm's cash flow
• Have an opportunity to get to know the people who eat the food they grow  

Advantages for consumers:

• Eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits
• Get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking
• Usually get to visit the farms at least once a season
• Find that kids typically favor food from "their" farms – even veggies they've never been known to eat
• Develop a relationship with the farmers who grow their food and learn more about how food is grown  

It's a simple enough idea, but its impact has been profound. Tens of thousands of families have joined CSAs.  You can, too!

• 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.