Crop Mob on Spence Farm

Join other Chicago area residents who are committed to a sustainable food supply. We'll be taking a biodiesel bus from Chicago to Spence Farm 100 miles south of Chicago. Spence Farm in Livingston County was first settled in 1830. You'll be joining the Travis Family; Marty, Kris, and Will, descendants of the original settlers. We'll assist them with harvesting their organic Iroquois corn and sorghum. The farm supplies leading restaurants in Chicago like Frontera Grill and Blackbird with specialty produce and its famous Iroquois corn.

Conventional agriculture accounts from 18 to 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Organic and sustainable farms like Spence Farm do not use the chemical and carbon-based inputs of conventional farms and are an important part in solving our climate crisis.

Because the farms are typically family owned and operated, most of the labor is done by hand. The term "Crop Mob" was coined by city dwellers who have an interest in sustainable agriculture and would like to help more than just by going to the farmer's market or joining a CSA. The "Crop Mob" gives the farmer(s) a valuable source of volunteer labor.

You'll need to bring the following for the trip:

Hand held gardening or pruning shears to help with the harvesting
Sturdy shoes or boots and a change of socks.
Gardening or work gloves.
A re-fillable water bottle.
A hat & sunscreen
A sweater or light jacket.
Snacks for the trip down and return home.
Money in case you'd like purchase some products from the farm.

Children are welcome, however, because we will be on the bus for a while, and the inherent risks of working on a farm, this trip is more appropriate for children over 12 years of age.

Lunch will be provided. A suggested $20 donation is requested to cover the cost of transportation and lunch.

Links & other information -

Spence Farm: http://www.thespencefarm.com/

NYT stories on:

Spence Farm: http://nyti.ms/cjTtgB
Crop Mobs: http://nyti.ms/8XS16l

Sorghum, rise to prominence: http://www.lavidalocavore.org/diary/4047/sorghum-rise-to-prominence

Chicago Oxfam Action Corps: www.chicago.oxfamactioncorps.org