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Eight years ago, Beth and Jody Osmund left corporate jobs (with Arthur Andersen and Allstate, respectively) in Chicago to start Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm north of Ottawa, IL. Jody�s grandfather purchased the land sixty years ago when sustainable practices were the standard not the exception. The land had been farmed conventionally with a conservation bent for 30 years prior to the Osmund�s move to the farm.
When they began the farm, Beth went back to her first profession of teaching, while Jody focused on farming and caring for their two young boys. Initially, they leased five acres and have converted them to sustainable, chemical free, biological farming practices � 2.5 acres were planted to vegetable production with remainder being seeded to perennial pasture.
Egg and meat production were gradually added as was more of the farm ground. At present, 30 acres of tillable ground is planted in forage crops. The whole farm has been chemical free since 2004. Pastures are enriched with composted animal manures and are rotationally grazed to maximize farm generated fertility.
In addition to crop rotation, Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm uses multiple species, rotational grazing. Laying hens follow grazing cattle to help control parasites and spread and incorporate manure. Meat birds (chickens and turkeys) move over recently grazed or baled paddocks spreading additional manure to enrich the pastures. The portable chicken field pens are moved twice a day and provide precise, uniform manure coverage on the paddocks while allowing the birds to graze and exercise on fresh grass. Pigs graze and till areas of the pasture slated for renovation.
Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm began with a vegetable CSA and the Ottawa farmers market as sales outlets. In 2005, the Logan Square (Chicago) farmers market was added as an additional sales outlet. In 2007, Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm provided 23 weeks of vegetables to over 70 CSA members� families and another 30 families received a monthly meat share beginning in June � this is in addition to vegetable and meat sales at the farmers markets and other direct sales methods (freezer meats, on farm sales and limited retail sales).
Sustainability is so important to Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm that it was part of our name before a seed was planted or an animal was purchased. Sustainability informs our farming practices, purchasing decisions, processing, product pricing, marketing channels, human resources, and succession planning.
Our farm is living system that respects the natures of our animals and plants and nurtures them naturally. We buy, locally. Our animals are butchered by artisans with family businesses. Food is sold at its true cost. It is not deflated by government subsidy or inflated by middlemen. Profit margins are calculated to provide a living wage and to maintain the land as a farm. We sell our products locally. Finally, our business and farming decisions reflect our desire to pass on a farm and business to our sons that can sustain their families long into the future.
www.cedarvalleysustainable.co
http://www.localharvest.org/reviews.jsp?mid=5067
http://www.eatwild.com/products/illinois.html
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