The Weblog
The local foods movement is alive and well in Champaign County! Here are some updates on other projects while we finalize our virtual market:
Local Producers Map:
Our local producers map is ready for publication and you will soon be able to find it on gochampaign.com. Copies will be distributed around the community, in the local telephone book, and other “hangouts”. The guide lists the location and contact information for nearly 50 local producers within our county. The map was a project of the Local Food Council and printed with the help of some local sponsors including the Monument Square District, Champaign Bank, the Community Improvement Corporation, the Chamber of Commerce, the Farm Bureau and others. It is a great start to finding a local source for Champaign County’s finest!
Junior's Farm
Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go
Down to Junior’s farm where I want to lay low
The low life, high life, oh, let’s go
Take me down to Junior’s farm…
(Wings – Junior’s Farm)
It was an amazing day out in Fletcher at Lee and Jennifer Ruff’s farm!! They are the most delightful and interesting couple with plenty of tales that weave their dating, farming, marriage all into a sweet and hilarious life.
The drive down their lane was so pretty and you could catch a glimpse of Lee finishing up his afternoon chore list. We were greeted by Jennifer who gave us a bit of history of them, their past plans, future plans, and how they came to be on this little, sustainable, organic/chem free farm.
It is amazing what these two accomplish…they are out there, every single day, doing it all. We saw their beautiful fields, their chickens, their pigs, got to see the beautiful lettuce that is growing and that they bring to us, each week. They showed us where the sorghum action all happens. Lee has moved buildings, they have cultivated a life that involves just about everything they are growing, butchering, planning.
The tour ended all too soon and I enjoyed the day so very much!!
I would love for each of you to think about conducting a farm tour. It was so exciting to see another one of our growers/producers in their habitat.
This little market is so fortunate to offer so many unique growers/producers, all with different backgrounds, different visions, different goals. It brings us all together, one story at a time, and allows us to bring such a colorful backdrop to our customers, each week.
This finds us on a Sunday night after a busy week for most of us. Think about the week to come, and think about how busy you will be. Think about how the growers and producers, of this market, want to do the work for you! Place your trust in us, your faces of all things local, and we will make the week a bit easier for all of you…
It’s already a rock and roll kind of market on a Sunday night with all kinds of orders and SO MANY NEW CUSTOMERS!! Keep it up!! Let’s blow the market out of it’s best record!!
Peace and Love,
Cosmic Pam