Originally published in the Summer 2024 edition of the OEFFA newsletter. “It’s been great. It’s been a lot of momentum. We’re doubling and tripling each year,” shared Cory Stratton during my first visit to Truest Farms in May 2023. The Champaign County farm is co-owned by Cory and his father, Mark, but it’s truly a family-run operation. Cory’s high school sweetheart and wife Kirsten uses her background as a veterinary technician to support the pasture-raised livestock, and their five-year-old daughter Claire enjoys playing with the chicks and pushing the chicken tractor. Spanning 21 acres, the regenerative farm is unrecognizable from its previous life planted in conventional corn and soy. All…

Originally published in the Spring 2024 edition of the OEFFA newsletter. Years ago, Pam Mack began a heartfelt mission to pay tribute to her late daughter: to grow and provide healthy, organic vegetables for everyone. L Marie Ltd is an organic farming company that prioritizes promoting the well-being of the current generation while ensuring sustainability for future generations. Located in Richland County, the farm covers five acres, with approximately half of the land dedicated to cultivating an extensive variety of vegetables. This includes collard greens, kale, Swiss chard, onions, leeks, tomatoes, peppers, squash, beets, zucchini, okra, cucumbers, bush beans, and more. The farm features 40 100-foot rows and 19 raised…

Originally published in the Winter 2024 edition of the OEFFA newsletter. Ed Snavely’s warm greeting was matched by a warmer-than-usual December day. There were few clouds in the sky as we made our way down the long driveway to Curly Tail Organic Farm. Ed pointed out features in the surrounding landscape as we stood chatting in the late fall sunshine. The white barn far in the distance was where he grew up and later worked with his father, a conventional corn and soy farmer. Pioneering a Purer Way of Farming Farming wasn’t always in the cards for Ed. He enjoyed it but didn’t envision a career as a farmer. But…