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Soil Health Week Applications, Common Ground Film Showing, Jobs on the Farm
As our friends at Illinois Stewardship Alliance remind, life-sustaining soils are the state's most precious resource. That's why the Alliance — Illinois' premier public policy advocate for the local food and farm communities — is planning its annual Soil Health Week with a series of live and virtual programs to be presented March 3 to 9.
They are currently harvesting applications for programming segments related to the critical importance of building and restoring our soils, in order to ensure the sustainability of our food system.
The following comments from Sara Cortes, Soil Health Week Coordinator at Illinois Stewardship Alliance, spell out what the organization is looking for in proposals that must be submitted by February 10.
We are now accepting event proposals for Soil Health Week 2025, happening March 3–9, 2025!
This is an opportunity to showcase your work and highlight the importance of healthy soil in Illinois.
Last year. Amy Bartucci, a dedicated Alliance Board Member and Soil Health Caucus Member, co-hosted a live pantry garden demonstration that drove home the value of a circular food economy.
Attendees learned how plant matter returns to the soil that organically nourishes plants feeding Fremont Township residents in a demo co-hosted with the Illinois Food Scrap Composting Coalition and the Fremont Township Highway department.
Are your creative juices flowing yet?
Any event idea, big or small, highlighting the importance of soil health will be considered.
Topics can range from cultivating healthy soils, how soil impacts local ecosystems and agricultural practices, to nutrition and more.
Event formats can include virtual presentations and discussions, panels, in-person workshops, field days, or anything else you can imagine.
We welcome creativity!
Click the button below to submit your event proposal.
Farmers Rising Non-Profit to Host Feb. 7 Showing of Common Ground Regenerative Ag Documentary
Farmers Rising, the farmer education non-profit based in Caledonia, Illinois, is hosting a showing of Common Ground, the 2023 documentary that makes a powerful case for regenerative agriculture practices.
The showing will take place on Friday, February 7, from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., at Nordlof Center's J.R Sullivan Theater, 118 N Main St. in the north-central Illinois city of Rockford.
If you have not seen the movie and can get to Rockford for this event, I highly recommend it. This important documentary focuses on the role of regenerative agriculture in fighting climate change and restoring the vitality of our nation’s badly damaged soils, and it is an excellent example of how engaging storytelling can transmit a powerful message.
The story highlights farmers such as Gabe Brown of North Dakota and Rick Clark of Indiana, who lead by example by employing practices that are better for people, better for the planet and better for their plants and soils. It also features Hollywood stars — Jason Momoa, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelson, Rosario Dawson, Laura Dern and Ian Somerhalder — who help carry the story about why regenerative agriculture is a matter in which we should all be interested.
The film was created by Josh and Rebecca Tickell, the married couple who have been producing impactful documentaries about environmental protection and destruction since 2007.
Kiss the Ground, their 2020 prequel to Common Ground, helped educate people from all walks of life about why regenerative agriculture is better for people and the planet. That film was based on Josh's 2017 book, Kiss the Ground: How the Food You Eat Can Reverse Climate Change, Heal Your Body and Ultimately Save Our World.
Click the button to get your tickets.
Want to Work on a Regenerative Farm? Wanda Farms in Harvard, Illinois is Hiring
Speaking of regenerative agriculture, livestock farmer Joe Wanda — founder of Wanda Farms in Harvard, Illinois, located not too far from Farmers Rising in north-central Illinois — is one of our region's most vocal advocates for these practices. And he is seeking two new employees for his expanding operation.
The open positions are for a warehouse manager (click here for the job description) and large livestock manager (click here for the job description).
And if you'd like to learn more about the inspiring work that's going on at Wanda Farms, check out this article about my visit to the farm last June.
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