DANFORTH, Ill. — Join us for a Field Day with Marbleseed’s 2023 Farmers of the Year, Ross and Harold Wilken, on Friday, Aug. 4 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Ross and Harold own and operate a multi-generational family farm using the latest technology to raise hybrid and heritage food-grade grains, serving large and small food companies, as well as many brewers and distillers, with their certified organic corn, soybeans, wheat, rye, oats, buckwheat, and other grains.
As 4th and 5th generation farmers on the fertile land of Iroquois County, Ill., they are continuing their family’s tradition of caring for the soil and growing good food for their community. Harold explains, “I remember the way my grandparents farmed—without the use of pesticides, and with a focus on nurturing strong soil health. I continue in their footsteps, using hand and machine cultivation instead of herbicides, and seek to leave the soil deeper, richer, and healthier than I found it.”
Their farming philosophy is to restore the life and health of the soil through crop rotation and cover- cropping. These practices add nutrients to the soil, sequester carbon, increase water absorption, prevent soil erosion, and can suppress weeds, insect pests, and soil-borne plant diseases. Additionally, they aim to provide jobs, on the farm and in their mill, that help keep their rural community healthy—economically, environmentally, and socially.
From farm to mill to your belly, come see how grains get from field to food with Marbleseed’s Farmers of the Year, Harold and Ross Wilken. Tour Janie’s Farm and Mill and partake in local treats and lunch featuring the farm’s grains. We will hear from researchers and farmers about the agronomic aspects of producing food-grade small grains in an organic system as well as from the folks who turn the yields into food for their community. We will also hear from some of the young producers who are working to build and maintain this local grainshed and continue to connect farms directly to the people they feed. Space will be limited, so register early for what will surely be an awesome day at the farm!
This Field Day is hosted in partnership with OGRAIN, Artisan Grain Collaborative, Illinois Extension, and the Emerging Crops Coalition. The Field Day is sponsored by Albert Lea Seed.
Register for the event here: RSVP
Marbleseed, formerly known as the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), was established in 1995 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to supporting farmers in their transition toward sustainable, organic farming systems that are ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially just. https://marbleseed.org/; 888-906-6737; info@marbleseed.org.
— Marbleseed
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