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Farming and farm families in the Springfield diocese contribute much to making the quality of life better for people, not only in their own communities but also for people around the
world. Farm families played a major role in the growth and development of the diocese, which is most often described as a small rural diocese.
Anyone who has driven the length and breadth of the diocese — which spans the entire south central section of Illinois from Indiana to Missouri — might dispute the "small" part, until
you consider it refers to the population numbers. But there is no denying the "rural" part.
Yet, like everything else in today's global economy, life on the farm is changing in Illinois. The Rural Life Committee in the diocesan Office for Social Concerns is working hard to
raise awareness of both the importance of the land and also the sacredness of all creation.
"There is so much written today about food and about diets," says Sister Jane Boos, SSND, director of OSC. "What we are looking to do is to remind people we are what we eat. We want
to connect the nutrition that God has given to us through the produce of the local farm."
"Buy Fresh, Buy Local" is the theme the rural life committee is promoting.
"Part of the committee's work is to provide seminars in different parishes throughout the diocese to look at the spirituality of eating," says Sister Jane. "Eating is a part of who we
are as human persons, created in God's image. The purpose of the seminars is also to look at community-supported agriculture, to learn how communities together can help support the farm and receive produce from
that."
One of the members of the rural life committee is Bill Becker of Springfield, who has his doctorate in plant pathology from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Becker, a
farm consultant, is a strong advocate of sustainable agriculture. At the Springfield Dominicans' Jubilee Farm, located just west of Springfield, Becker helps to develop and maintain healthy soil through biological
farming, not through the use of pesticides.
"I am trying to rediscover God's plan through all the natural resources that we have," says Becker. "In doing this we are working with the biological aspects of soil, along with the
chemical and physical factors, in order to achieve a synergy that neither factor can give us alone."
Last November the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops unanimously approved For I Was Hungry and You Gave Me Food: Catholic Reflections on Food, Farmers and Farmworkers. It is their
first comprehensive statement on agriculture to be released in 15 years and in it the bishops raised concerns about the "increasing concentration and growing globalization of agriculture and its impact on the
nation's food supply, food safety and the overall farm economy.
"Agriculture is not just another economic sector," say the bishops. "It is about food and hunger, the way we treat those who grow and harvest our food and fiber, and what kind of
nation and world we are shaping."
Agriculture and rural life, farmers and farm workers have been longstanding concerns for the bishops. "But the forces of increasing concentration in agriculture and increasing
globalization in our world are raising new questions that have significant human dimensions and ethical reflections," say the bishops in their reflections, which were published in booklet form in January.
Their hope is to continue to dialogue about the moral dimensions of agriculture and to renew efforts to advance the dignity of farmers, ranchers, and farm workers.
Farmers Markets
One of the easiest ways for people to show their support for farmers is to shop local farmers markets, says Jim Schumacher, associate director of rural life ministry. "In this way we
are directly helping the farmers themselves," he says.
"Lots of people are supporting their local markets, and many communities throughout the diocese offer one or more days of farmers markets," says Sister Jane.
Clarence and Janette Unkraut sell produce, honey and bee-raising supplies at the Effingham Farmers Market, as well as at their farm. Clarence, a retired farmer who used to raise row
crops, now concentrates his efforts on putting in a big garden.
One rainy day in late March, he was expecting a shipment of over 2,000 sweet onion plants from Texas. When the Effingham market starts up again in June, rhubarb and asparagus will be
some of the first crops they will have for sale. Radishes, lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, and possibly some early-variety beets will also be available.
As the season progresses, their produce items will change. There will be several varieties of red tomatoes, as well as Roma and some cherry tomatoes. "We sell an awful lot of pink
tomatoes, too," says Janette.
When the Effingham farmers market first started in the mid-1990s, it was located in the parking lot at the old outlet mall, just off Interstates 70 and 57. There were only two or
three sellers at first. When the outlet mall was torn down and replaced with a huge Menards store and parking lot, the farmers market was moved to Route 45 south, in the grassy area at the Village Square Mall.
"We've been told we can have it there as long as a grocery store doesn't go in there," says Janette.
Last year there were anywhere from 11 to 13 vendors at the Effingham market, which is held Fridays and Saturdays through October. Some vendors come out only once or twice.
"We had a couple of ladies set up with flowers for sale," says Clarence. "In the fall there have been some with craft items for sale."
The Unkrauts supplement their own produce, purchasing peaches in southern Illinois or melons from Indiana. They also sell their own honey, popcorn, pecans and black walnuts. They also
sell gooseberries and raspberries. For a while they sold Amish jams and jellies.
One year when the market was still just off the interstate, a truck driver stopped and asked if they had any tomato jam. "He told me his grandmother would always make tomato jam,"
says Janette. "I had just made some homemade tomato jam, so he bought a jar. He went back to his truck, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see he was sitting there eating it, and I was thinking, I hope he
likes it. Pretty soon he got back out of his truck and came over to me and said, 'Oh that tastes just like my grandma used to make. I'll take every jar you've got.'
"We do make a lot of new friends at the farmers market," she says.
"We enjoy meeting people from different parts of the country," says Clarence.
The Unkrauts also learned what people from different ethnic backgrounds are looking for in produce. "We have a lot of Asian people who are looking for things like bitter melon, okra,
tomatoes, green beans, and sweet corn," says Clarence.
Okra is a very big seller, and people may kid about the abundance of zucchini, "but we just about always sell out of zucchini," says Janette.
They've learned to wipe their tomatoes and other vegetables. "If you put something dirty out, it won't sell," says Janette.
Most people don't try to talk down the prices. "We see what the other venders and grocery stores are charging, when we set our prices," Janette says. "You have to build up a customer
base. We have a lot of regulars."
Most of their harvesting is done the evening before market day and then they are up at daylight, loading up their goods. "We pick lettuce early in that morning to keep it fresh, than
put it in a dishpan filled with ice," says Janette. Styrofoam coolers help keep things like green beans stay fresh. What they don't sell goes into the compost pile at the farm.
Sometimes their grandchildren will help them at the market. "They like to pick up the stuff, and see how much it weighs," says Janette. "I've taught a granddaughter how to count back
change to people, as a way of checking her math when she handles a sale."
Sometimes their daughter will bring her children to the market, and spread a blanket out on the grass for a picnic lunch for the children to eat as they visit with their grandparents.
"The kids think that is great," says Janette.
For a list of farmers markets in Illinois, click on http://www.specialtygrowers.org/bounty.htm, or contact the Illinois Dept. of Agriculture at (217) 782-2172, or toll free (800)
273-4763.
Community Supported Garden at La Vista in Godfrey
Two years ago the Oblates of Mary Immaculate turned several pastures on the grounds of their novitiate in Godfrey into part of a brand new ministry. The pastures are now a
community-supported garden, which together with an ecological and learning center make up the Oblate Ecological Initiatives. The ministry developed as a response to Oblate 2000 Rule, which says justice, peace and
the integrity of creation is an integral part of evangelization.
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Photo by Cathy Locher
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Each week during the growing season, shareholders at the Community Supported Garden at La Vista have harvested vegetables ready for them to take home.
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Father Maurice Lange, OMI, is the director of the new ministry. "When I was a novice in 1985, there was a garden here. But it had not functioned as such for a long while. Yet when
I started digging, I was able to find the rich loam where it had been," says Father Maurice.
"We began holding informational meetings in 2001 to drum up interest in the program, and after we had a significant number of people commit to it, the Oblates gave us the go
-ahead to conduct a nation-wide search to hire a farmer to hire to work the land." The garden is totally organic, sustainable agriculture which enhances conservation practices for the soil, and gives just
remuneration for the farmer.
The Community-Supported Garden attracted 65 shareholders in its first year, and has grown to 85 this year. A share, which costs $500, entitles the
shareholders to come out each week, mid-May through mid-November, to pick up their share of produce which is harvested and ready for them.
Surplus produce is donated to local food banks. Shareholder gatherings, which include such things as field walks or food preparation information, are
held every other month. Shareholders also give three hours of contributive labor each month, doing such things as working on a grant-writing committee or infrastructure committee.
"I'm sold on it," says Cindy Gelsthorpe, of Godfrey. "It's fantastic sharing seasonal produce with friends and family."
Direct marketing all-natural foods
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Photo by Cathy Locher
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Five-year-old Clare VandenBergh helps fill the feed trays fro the 2-day old baby chicks on her family's farm in Witt.
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At Tom and Sue VandenBergh's small 40-acre family farm in Witt, dairy cows and beef cattle graze in the grassy fields. Free-range hens and roosters are moved around the pastures in a
portable hen house on wheels, which the VandenBergh's have dubbed the "egg mobile." Chickens are thriving in moveable floorless shelters which are partially open on the top, giving the
chickens access to fresh air and sunshine, as well as to what Tom refers to as a "clean, nutritious salad bar of fresh greens" on the ground to eat. The
chicken shelters are moved from place to place in the pasture, after the cows have grazed the fields.
"Each species complements the other," says Tom. "It's highly diversified, a way of all natural farming."
The VandenBerghs wanted to grow wholesome food for their family, and Sue wanted to stay home to raise their children, Clare, 5; Katharine, 2; and
Mary, 8 months old. So direct marketing their naturally grown foods makes good sense.
"There is no way we can compete on price with the big supermarket chains, but we can compete on freshness, quality, and openness," says Tom.
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Photo by Cathy Locher
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Cows, roosters and hens laying eggs are everyday sights for 2-year-old Katherine VandenBergh.
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They don't spray pesticides or use synthetic fertilizers on their land, nor do they feed their animals growth hormones. They sell their milk to Prairie Farms, but their pastured poultry, eggs,
grassfed beef and garden produce go directly to customers from their farm.
"We have people come from Vandalia, Springfield and Pana to buy from us," says Sue.
In the spring they put out a newsletter and send order forms out to their customers. To learn more about the VandenBergh Farm, or to be included on their mailing list, call (217) 594
-2570, or write them at 15261 E. 21st Rd., Witt, IL 62094.
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