Local Foods and Small Farms

Happiness matters. Mei Shao’s path to farming is unique. Raised in China, her parents encouraged a very traditional educational path. She studied in the U.S. and became a very successful executive architect for one of the most prestigious firms in the country. But happiness matters. ...

Every Monday, Becky Stark and her husband, Nick Batchelder, pick and pack vegetables grown on their Midnight Sun Farm and deliver them to Empower Boone Food Pantry just a few miles down the road in Capron.And, every...

Since March of 2024, 15 organizations have brought farm fresh, local foods to underserved communities across Illinois through the IL-EATS program. Funded by the USDA’s Local Food Purchase Assistance initiative, IL-EATS has allowed organizations like Eastern Illinois Foodbank to meet the needs of...