The renovation of a dilapidated hog barn, the creation of a mobile goat milking parlor and the purchase of a supercharged egg washing machine are just a few of the projects that will be funded in 2016 with grant money from the Frontera Farmer Foundation, a nonprofit started by Rick and Deann Bayless and the staffs of Frontera Grill and Topolobampo.
Since its inception in 2003, the foundation has awarded nearly $2 million in grants to small Midwest family farms. It’s an effort to help local farms and to highlight the vitality of Chicago’s culinary culture in restaurants, CSAs and Farmers’ Markets. More about the Foundation.
This year’s crop of winners are using the small capital development grants for projects big and small, each offering the farmers a chance to expand their operations. All will increase the availability of good food in the Midwest.
It is with great pleasure that we announce these winners of the 2016 grants.
Bob’s Fresh & Local
Elmhurst, IL
Project: New planting and weeding equipment to accommodate sales for CSA shares and an on-farm store.
Butternut Sustainable Farms
Sturgis, MI
Project: A new hoop house for additional space to grow heirloom and cherry tomatoes, two of the farm’s most important and profitable crops.
Dorothy’s Grange
Blanchardville, WI
Project: Restoration of a dilapidated hog barn, which will help the piglet survival rate and expand the availability of endangered Large Black hogs and Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs.
Endless Greens
Evanston, IL
Project: Installation of solar panels to power and heat an urban farm, with the goal of going off the power grid completely and making Endless Greens a truly sustainable farm.
Faith’s Farm
Bonfield, IL
Project: Portable housing for rabbits that live and forage naturally on pasture.
Frillman Farms
Prairie View, IL
Project: Construction of a modest washhouse for vegetable preparation and packaging.
Gravel Road Farm
Waupauca, WI
Project: Construction of a new packing shed, where all produce will be cleaned, packed, and stored, and where washing equipment, coolers and CSA boxes will kept.
Gretta’s Goats
Pecatonia, IL
Project: A mobile goat milking parlor to aid this micro dairy in producing farmstead cheese and other dairy products from sustainably raised goats.
Heartland Meats
Mendota, IL
Project: Equipment to make beef stock from bones and end-of-day produce from farmers’ market vendors.
Kinnikinnick Farm
Caledonia, IL
Project: Purchasing a manure spreader for better on-farm nutrient recycling and improved feed quality.
Midnight Sun Farm
Harvard, IL
Project: Purchase of specialized farm equipment — seeder, transplanter and irrigation tools — that will help the farm make the leap from managing four acres of vegetable production to managing 20 acres.
Mint Creek
Stelle, IL
Project: Chicken housing for winter and a new egg washing machine capable of washing 1000 eggs in an hour, rather than the 120 eggs per hour done by hand. Together, the projects are expected to enable the expansion of the farm’s flock of laying hens from 750 to 5000 birds.
Olden Produce
Ripon, WI
Building a new cold storage, indoor loading and processing shed and retrofitting two greenhouses with solar heat storage.
Sin Fronteras
Minneapolis, MN
Project: Renovating a trailer for on-farm refrigeration, upgrading transportation and purchasing landscape fabric and low tunnels.
Terripin Farms
Fowler, IL
Project: Construction of two high tunnels for the early production of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and carrots, and winter production of leafy greens, brassicas, and root crops.
The Urban Canopy
Chicago, IL
Project: Purchase of compost and topsoil that will double the urban farm’s growing capacity, increasing access to greens, vegetable, winter storage crops and other fresh produce.
Trogg’s Hollow
Poplar Grove, IL
Project: Construction of a high tunnel on the southern edge of our grape arbor and goat paddock that will allow for both season extension and early growing of certain crops — and to help support the farm’s CSA and market farm business
Turnip Rock
Clear Lake, WI
Project: Construction of an addition the farm’s existing bedding pack barn, allowing the farm to increase cow carrying capacity, cow comfort, and cleanliness.
