Central IL Modern Homesteading and Self-Sufficiency Series Continues
The "Modern Homesteading & Self-Sufficiency" workshop series was launched by the University of Illinois Extension staff in Bloomington, Illinois on Wednesday, August 21st, from 5:00-7:30 PM at the McLean County Extension Office. Maggie Ray, Extension Program Coordinator in Murphysboro, Illinois, and a Southern IL homesteader, guided program attendees in becoming "modern homesteaders" based on her own personal experiences. The program covered:
- Finding Your “Why” – why do you want to learn modern homesteading skills?
- Realistic Goalsetting – how to begin this lifestyle without getting carried away
- Time Management – how to incorporate these skills into already-busy lives
In the second half of the launch seminar, Nick Frillman, Local Food Systems & Small Farms Educator, gave a brief presentation on using cover crops like winter peas, oats, tillage radish, and cereal rye to revitalize tired soils for increased production. Additionally, audience members learned how to use cover crops in early fall 2024 to start new crop production beds for spring 2025.
If readers missed this workshop, but are interested in learning about these concepts, they can email Frillman at frillma@illinois.edu. The recorded lectures from Ray and Frillman are available or free viewing on the Extension Unit YouTube channel.
The second workshop at the Unity Community Center's Food Production and Demonstration Garden on September 5th, in Normal, IL, taught participants the basics of how to use corn, pole beans, and winter squash to plant a 3-Sisters Garden - an indigenous interplanting gardening strategy that maximizes garden space and makes the plants stronger together. They also were taught by visual demonstration plots how to use summer cover crops to smother problematic weeds, and how to grow fresh baby ginger in high tunnels.
For those who prefer to learn by doing, there are two hands-on workshops coming up. Act quickly as spaces are limited. All locations are an hour’s drive or less from the center of Bloomington.
Crafting Herbal Gifts from the Homestead – with Wertheim’s Gardens (Atlanta, IL) – Cost: $20
Join Herbalist Amy Wertheim and Nick Frillman, University of Illinois Extension Educator, on Saturday, October 12th, from 1:00PM to 3:30PM for a presentation and hands-on workshop.
Learn the best techniques for harvesting and preserving your herbal harvest for home use, and create herbal gifts for the holiday season.
Sausage-Making: History, Art, and DIY – with Slow Hand BBQ (Peoria Heights, IL) – Cost: $20
Once home-raised pigs and other livestock are processed, what do you do with it all? Turn the surplus meat into delicious sausage! Michelin Star Chef Josh Lanning and Extension Educator Nick Frillman will teach the basics of sausage making, using casings, and more. The event will take place on Monday, October 21st, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Participants will have the opportunity to taste the sausage and take home some recipes.
The goal of these workshops is not to be just a series of one-off educational events, but instead be a way to develop a community of practice of modern homesteading culture throughout Central Illinois, by increasing community resilience through skillbuilding.
For all the details and registration links, visit go.illinois.edu/lmw/events or email Frillman at frillma2@illinois.edu.