2008 and the New Agriculture Network
Three universities --Michigan State University, Purdue University, and the University of Illinois -- have joined resources to bring seasonal advice to field crop and vegetable growers interested in organic agriculture. New information is posted twice a month during the growing season and less frequently during winter (see calendar). Our on-line newsletter features crop updates from organic growers and articles from university specialists about a variety of practices and new findings useful for organic growers. The information serves those interested in transitioning to organic as well as those currently practicing low-input or organic agriculture. We are continually writing grant proposals to support expanded resources.
If you have topics you would like addressed, please submit them to: newagnet@msu.edu and we will do our best to develop articles for them.
Welcome to the New Agriculture Network from your network organizers:
Dale Mutch, Joy Landis and Vicki Morrone, Michigan State University
Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant, University of Illinois
Elizabeth Maynard, Purdue University
Meet our team of organic growers
We’d like to thank the team of growers and other collaborators who've agreed to report information for the 2008 New Agriculture Network. We appreciate their updates and sharing of questions and answers.
Michigan
East Michigan, Lapeer County - John Simmons operates a certified organic farm of 720 tillable acres in North Branch, Michigan. They started transitioning their farm in 1993. They are active members of the Thumb chapters of Organic Farmers of Michigan and OCIA, as well as the Lapeer Co. Soil and Water Conservation District. They raise corn, soybeans, dry beans, a variety of small grains and maple syrup. They participated in an organic farmer research design team at MSU’s Kellogg Biological Station in 1998 and 1999.
East Michigan, Arenac County - Ivan Morley's farm has been certified organic since 2001. He farms 600 acres of corn, soybeans, edible beans, spelt, wheat and oats. His farm's soils range from excellent to very poor and often in the same fields. He has been experimenting with using clovers to improve the soil and to provide the total nitrogen source for his corn crop.
South Central Michigan, Calhoun County - Anthony and Don Cinzori farm in Ceresco, Michigan, south of Battle Creek. They have been certified organic since 1985. They are Michigan's largest organic vegetable farm and have 35 organic acres of greens, tomatoes, green beans, green peppers, winter and summer squash.They also raise vegetable transplants and herbs in the greenhouse. Rotational acres include 35 acres of oats and 35 acres of red clover. The Cinzori's market most of their produce in Detroit and Chicago, but also participate in several farm markets in Michigan. Anthony will join the conference calls most of the time.
Michigan's ""Thumb" region, Sanilac County - Jim Sattelberg of Thistledown Farms in Snover, Michigan.
Indiana
Southeast Indiana, Decatur County- Gary Reding is president of Langeland Farms, Inc. in Greensburg, Indiana. He farms 600 acres, of which 249 are certified organic pasture and hay used for an intensive grazing operation. He also processes organic and conventional food crops, including popcorn, dry beans, soybeans, wheat and corn.
South Central Indiana, Brown County - Dale and Sandra Rhoads farm is located near Nashville, Indiana (south of Indianapolis). The farm began in the early 1990s with the clearing of three acres of hillside scrubland. After making major soil improvements, the Rhoads began growing crops for local restaurants. Within several years this was their sole income. While the farm was always organic, the Rhoads did not certify that until 2001. That certification continues through the OEFFA/OCIA in Ohio. The major sources of income are derived from leafy greens. These include salad greens, head lettuce, kales, and dandelion. In addition, the Rhoads grow specialty tomatoes and some herbs like cilantro and basil. The farm also has a young planting of Asian pears, which are just coming into bearing age.
West Central Indiana - Kevin Cooley, Tippecanoe County . The Cooley Family Farm specializes in growing over 275 varieties of naturally grown produce. They believe in providing high quality products to promote healthy living and are committed to builiding healthy soil for the growth of nutritious fruits and vegetables. They grow a wide variety of vegetables nearly year round and sell the produce at their 100-year-old farmstead.
Illinois
Northern Illinois - Dave Campbell and his wife, Mary, own and operate a certified farm (Lily Lake Organic Farm)located near Elburn, Illinois. The entire 224-acre grain and hay farm has been certified organic since 1991. Prior to 1988, Dave farmed organically on his father's dairy farms in both Illinois and Wisconsin. He is currently serving on the administrative council for SARE. Dave is a member of a farmer/research team from the University of Illinois Sustainable Ag program, and is also assisting in developing an organic farming curriculum for extension personnel from the states of Michigan, Indiana and Illinois.
West Suburban Chicago - Nathan Hutt-Tiwald of Green Earth Institute in Naperville, Illinois grows vegetables on a 60-acre farm in the western suburbs of Chicago and markets them through a CSA serving 400 families. Nathan and his father, Steve Tiwald, along with interns and volunteers, cultivate 40 different vegetables and herbs on 11 acres. They maintain cover crops of alfalfa and red clover on the remainder of the farm, in anticipation of rotating the vegetable fields to other areas of the farm in future years. They have applied for and are awaiting organic certification. The Green Earth Institute farm is located in suburban Naperville , 30 miles west of downtown Chicago . The farm, now surrounded by suburban houses (see photograph at http://www.greenearthinstitute.org/about.html ), is leased from The Conservation Foundation, a local not-for-profit land and watershed protection organization. The land is protected from development by a conservation easement. In 2002 Steve founded the Green Earth Institute, a not-for-profit educational organization dedicated to nutritional health and environmental sustainability. The organization leases the farmland to grow organic vegetables and provide educational programs for children and adults.
West Central Illinois - Anne Patterson of Living Earth Farm in Farmington, Illinois has been involved in sustainable market gardening since 2001. She has been an advocate for the taste, health and nutrition benefits of local, organic food systems for ten years. As a registered dietitian and former food consultant, her attitude began to change regarding how food is grown and raised after hearing Patrick Holden, Director of The Soil Association, UK, speak at Natural Products Expo.
Anne owns and operates Living Earth Farm located on 80 acres in Peoria County and 15 acres in northeast Fulton County. The farms consists of three acres in vegetables, fruit, herbs, cut flowers and hazel nut bushes along with ten acres of pasture, seven acres of prairie, fourteen acres of hay, an acre of walnut and pecan trees and a large amount of woodland. She has sold at local Farmers’ Markets, natural food stores and ran a CSA for four years. Presently she sells to a fine dining restaurant and direct to customers via customized orders through her Friends of Living Earth Farm E-List. Anne spent two years researching organic farming practices before she left full time nutrition consulting and made the “jump.” There was an instant bond between her philosophy and love of food and that of organic farmers. She started Living Earth Farm in 2001. Anne divides her time between the farm and part time nutrition consulting. She and her husband Jim are converting an 80-acre farm near Trivoli to a more diverse farm that grows a variety of nut trees, vegetables, fruit brambles and natural prairie.
Iowa
Northwest Iowa, O'Brien County - Paul Mugge of Sutherland, IA.
We're expanding the New Ag Network ...
Minnesota
Carmen Fernholz is a farmer and the organic coordinator for research management at the University of Minnesota.
Wisconsin
Erin Silva is a specialist within the Center for Integrated Ag Systems at the University of Wisconsin.
