Here's what's going on at the farm now!

We still have shares for the 2010 season available. Please contact us ASAP.

Crème de la Crop is officially certified organic!

Future plans for the farm include:

• A second heated greenhouse that will be built as ecofriendly as possible.
• Getting grants for windmills and solar panels.
• Putting up the retail facility (the building is already purchased). You will be able to purchase local natural and or organic cheeses, honey, meats, dairy, and more.
• We are putting together a proposal for a not for profit farm learning center. Some of the plans include offering tours, back to the basics classes, and structured age specific gardens where everyone can get their hands into the soil and experience nature first hand.
• Planting bamboo for our own usage (primarily staking plants). Bamboo is the number one exported item from China. It is considered a grass that grows very fast that has tendrils and replants itself. About 25 years ago some of the bad farming practices on the farm had created these large wash outs. We will be filling them up with the wood mulch that we get from the city and topdressing them with the composted mulch (that is in the center of the mulch pile). This is where we are planting our bamboo. By doing this we will be turning implantable land to valuable land, preventing soil erosion, and turning it into a safe area that we won't have to worry about driving machinery into.
• Planting endangered fruit trees, apples, pears, plums, peaches, and cherries (100 trees per year); as well as endangered annual fruit and vegetable crops. We will be planting the trees on the grounds that are very steep where it is practically impossible to produce row crops. Here's an article about heirloom apples.
• We were informed by our Organic Certifying Agency that it would be very easy for us to grow mushrooms. They told us we could spread wood mulch around our fruit trees then release mushroom spores around them; nature will take over from there.
  

2010 CSA Program Information

Registration for 2010 CSA program is well underway. We still have shares available. Here is the 2010 Application.

Crème de la Crop is in the process of expanding. We received our USDA Organic Certification on August 31, 2009. In the coming months, we plan to do the following:
(1) construct another greenhouse to increase production of are wonderful variety of heirloom tomatoes and other specialty crops.
(2) establish a market on the farm for Free Range Poultry, Steroid and hormone-free pork, beef from grass fed cows, and organic milk and cheeses...we are looking into collaborating with local suppliers (if you know anyone please let us know).
(3) develop a non-profit Community Education Program on the farm that creates workshops for young students and adults interested in learning more about organic farming. The workshops would include topics such as safe and sustainable agriculture, planting and harvesting techniques, GMOs, farmworker justice, perceptions and perversions of "local", the history of pesticides and fertilizers, and gender equality in farming, among other topics. We are interested in connecting with local schools, local community organizations and inner city schools in Chicago.

An Opportunity to try Crème de la Crop Produce

Due to an abundance of our crops, we will be offering an opportunity for non CSA members to try our produce. We will regularly post what produce is currently available, and everyone is invited to email us with their order. Produce will be available on a first come, first served basis.

Please email us at cremedelacrop@msn.com if you would like to receive weekly updates on produce available to purchase and pick up at the farm.

Certified Organic Fruit Share Program

Because our farm is located in the Midwest, there is a limited amount of fruit we can grow and offer to you. Again this year you will be able to purchase fruit grown by family farms like ours. We are collaborating with a very reputable wholesale organic produce distributor. This local company is family owned and seeks out only the best fruit. They are doing their part to reduce fossil fuels by seeking out the most local organic growers. Please see the Order Form.

Phone Office: 219.510.4547
Phone Farm: 219.462.9587
Phone Fax: 219.477.2001

Please contact Crème de la Crop at cremedelacrop@msn.com for more information.