Est. 2017
Yemm Farm
Neil & Becky Yemm City Kids to Farm Interns to Farmers. We are passionate about all things Jesus, healthy families and communities, food forests, permaculture, and regenerative farming.
After starting out as interns on an organic farm, then learning all we could from a variety of other experts and methodologies, we wanted to find a way to combine our love for:
- local, organic and chemical-free food
- regenerative farming
- community and ministry
We decided the best way to do that was to build our own food hub.
It seemed fitting to name it the "Good Soil Food Hub" after the parable of the good soil in the Bible and the seeds that were planted in us as interns and also after the life-giving, carbon-sequestering, and rich, microbial soil produced by regenerative farming.
In addition to our own farm products, we now offer marketing, sales, and delivery services for our farmers. We also offer direct-to-consumer home delivery and wholesale services to restaurants, schools, churches, and other institutions.
We look forward to working with you!
Read more about us on our "About Good Soil Food Hub" page.
Est. 2017
Silver Creek Farms
Tony Stirling is the founder of Valley Fresh Harvest. He grew up on a corn and soybean operation in central IL. After graduating from Illinois State University he moved to Princeton, IL and started working in corn research with Pioneer. There he met his wife, Leah, and they bought a farmstead outside of Ladd in 2013.
Wanting to diversify their work schedules, Tony took a new job with Illinois FBFM where he gained a lot of business and tax experience. They then started their aquaponics lettuce farm (Silver Creek Farms) in 2017.
Silver Creek Farms specializes in growing hydroponic lettuce in a controlled greenhouse environment, allowing them to provide fresh, chemical-free greens year-round. Their commitment to sustainable farming ensures that local restaurants, grocery stores, and the community have access to high-quality, locally grown produce.
Tony was able to start Valley Fresh Harvest in 2022 with the help of the Down At The Farms network. He has since started to build up a local farmer group in the Illinois Valley area (15 farms and counting!) and hopes to continue to build up relations with local farmers so that we can help as many farm families as possible. DAF allows us to fill in holes that we can't get from our local farmers currently but we hope to continue to get more local farmers in our group so that we can have the most local products available to our local community!
Read more about their farm, practices, and Valley Fresh Harvest store here.
Est. 2016
Bland Family Farm
A family owned and operated organic farm in Illinois. My wife Marcella and I started the farm in 2016 with one simple goal: to make quality, healthy products for our family and our local community. From produce, to eggs, to chicken, to beef, our mission was to grow our food as nature intended; naturally.
We are proud to share our passion both for the farm and for sustainable agricultural practices with our four amazing kids Lincoln, Hadley, Morris, and Henry. We grew and raised our own food first because we wanted superior food and know where it came from. We wanted the highest quality, most nutrient dense food. This became a priority for our family and the passion for this translated into something we could offer for others.
Read more about their farm & practices here.
Est. 1993
Buckhorn Dairy
Buckhorn Dairy is located in the Mt. Sterling, IL area where they raise a herd of their Grass-Fed Holstein and Brown Swiss cross dairy cows. They are a small family operation and produce pasteurized and non-homogenized milk selections and cheese.
Est. 2021
Itty Bitty Micro Farm
Jessica & Michael Hicks, founders of Itty Bitty Micro Farm
It all started like a classic small-town story: we grew up, met, fell in love, got married, and built our family here. Fast forward a couple of decades, and with four kids at home, we wanted to feed our family the best possible food. We love cooking and experimenting with nutritious meals, often featuring produce from our own fruit trees.
Today, what started as a family garden has grown into a thriving 4,000 sq. ft. GAP Certified urban micro farm. We’re proud to provide our community with fresh, healthy food, grown with care year-round. Our microgreens are grown using organic soil and seeds, and we never use any chemicals—ensuring they're as fresh and natural as possible, though we're not USDA certified organic. (Yet!)
Itty Bitty Micro Farm—where family, community, and good food come together.
Learn more about their journey and practices here.
Est. 2017
Janie's Mill
The idea for Janie’s Mill sprung up one day as Harold was watching tons of his organic wheat flow into a semi to travel far from Janie’s Farm.
He suddenly thought, "Really?! My grain has to go 700 miles to feed a chicken, when there’s all these millions of people nearby who eat bread?”
And so the seed of what would become Janie’s Mill was planted. It took years of research and planning before we began stone-grinding grains from Janie’s Farm in the spring of 2017. We worked with bakers to get their input and feedback and by fall, we were milling consistent, high quality flours that earned kudos from both home and professional bakers. We’ve been milling those flours, and adding more to meet bakers’ specific needs ever since, and can’t wait for you to use our flours, grits, and whole grains in your kitchen or bakery!
Learn more about Janie's Mill and their practices here.
Est. 2012
Carroll's Timber Edge Farm
We are a 4-acre sustainable farm, 3 miles west of Pontiac, IL, growing a wide variety of vegetables, as well as apples for our 11th season. Our produce is marketed through our CSA, at the downtown Pontiac Farmer's Market, and in local, downstate, and Chicago restaurants, and through Chicago local fresh produce vendors. Our location is 100 miles south of Chicago, with Amtrak service and Rt 66 attractions close by.
We have had a large family garden for over 25 years. Acting upon our desire to share this healthy goodness and bounty with others, we enlarged the garden, added a hoop house and drip irrigation, and worked alongside some great interns to serve our CSA shareholders and farmer's market customers since 2012.
Learn more about their farm here.
Est. 2020
4A Ranch
At the 4A Ranch, our mission is to honor God through the stewardship of the land, animals, and community He has entrusted to us.
We are committed to preserving the rich traditions of ranching while embracing regenerative agricultural practices that restore the land and promote the well-being of all livestock and wildlife. Through the care of our land and animals, our dedication to responsible farming, and our commitment to growing quality product, we seek to foster a thriving, regenerating ranch that reflects our Christian values. We strive to provide healthy, ethically raised food and cultivate a balanced, Christ-centered operation for future generations.
Learn more about their farm and practices here.
Est. 1990
Cahokia Rice
Alongside the Mississippi River, the Gerard family settled on this land and began farming it. They recognized the potential of the fertile Illinois soil on the banks of the river, and their farm has flourished for four generations. In 1990, descendant Blake Gerard returned to the land seeking to revitalize this multi-generational farming operation.
Today, Blake continues to carry on his family’s legacy. A recognized pioneer in the rice industry, his work is never done. Blake’s passion for farming paired with his intimate understanding of the rice market allow him a unique perspective on producing the highest quality rice without sacrificing the unique characteristics that set family-owned and operated farms like his apart. He is constantly looking to improve his methods and to better his product, a commitment we all share here at Cahokia Rice.
We utilize environmentally friendly practices, growing our rice without the use of GMO’s and minimizing the amount of water and fertilizer we add to our product while still maintaining a healthy crop.
We mill and package our crop in small batches to maximize taste and nutrition, harvesting the grains when they contain peak protein content.
Read more about Cahokia Rice here.
Est. 2024
Lemay Mushroom Operation
Springfield, Illinois based gourmet mushroom farm servicing Central Illinois.
We are an independently owned small gourmet mushroom farm based out of Springfield, Illinois. Our focus is to create a source of wholesome locally grown food for sale at local farmers markets, stores, and restaurants.
Learn more about their operation here.
Est. 2019
Abundant Pastures
Our family is located in Southern Illinois trying to live the simple life. After being married for a few years and beginning to raise children of our own we began learning the importance of knowing what we eat and where it comes from. Our family is blessed with five beautiful children and we grow and raise as much of our own food as possible. We believe that food is medicine. The most nourishing food is real and grown the way God intended. We feel the best way to know your food is to know your farmer and we look forward to answering any and all questions about what goes into the products we sell.
We are dedicated to offering nourishing, quality, local food that your family will love.
Your Farmers,
Matt and Lea
Learn more about their growing and animal husbandry practices here.