In 2005, the Network for Evanston’s Future, in working on a broad sustainable agenda, formed the Evanston Food Policy Council to examine the idea of food as a central fact of human life, as well as a linchpin of our social and economic systems. Food connects everything – health, basic sustenance, environment, family, energy resources, transportation, economic development, pleasure, economic and social justice, security, and community. In discussing these issues within the community and at local events, the notion of growing organic food on a meaningful scale within our community soon emerged as an obvious and key component of a healthy food system. And so was born the vision of our own urban farm…

Thank you to our founding board members: Carolyn Zezima (Founding President), Carole Mark, Linda Kruhmin, Debbie Hillman, Patsy Benveniste, Liane Casten, Doug MacDonald, and Harry Rhodes.

We have taken the following steps towards achieving an urban farm and are in a very strategic position to succeed with the proper injection of funding:

February - December 2006:

1) Began shaping idea of urban farm/learning center in Evanston;

2) Held public meeting to share complete vision of urban farm and confirm that public support exists. Attended by over 80 citizens;

3) Recruited pool of 40-50 committed volunteers, and over 120 total who have become involved;

4) Organized core volunteer staff into six working committees to create a business plan, flesh out the physical needs, as well as plan on marketing, fundraising, and educational strategies;

5) Created local nonprofit corporation called “The Talking Farm;”

6) Formed a qualified and committed Board of Directors; and

7) Adopted bylaws and conflict of interest policy.

January – December 2007:

1) Filed 501(c)(3) and other legal documentation;

2) Entered into a fiscal agency agreement with a Chicago nonprofit, the Center for Neighborhood Technology to manage financial affairs pending IRS ruling;

3) Began planning educational vision and programming;

4) Held numerous meetings to develop marketing, fundraising, site, and business plans;

5) Held planning and visioning charrette to more fully envision the physical reality of a 2-3 acre farm;

6) Actively began search for suitable land;

7) Met with public officials – city manager, city dept supervisors, aldermen, Village of Skokie, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) staff/board;

8) Began to seek and form partnerships with educational, social service, religious and civic organizations, health care facilities and local businesses for expertise, technical assistance, and financial support, both in the planning/implementation and operation phases. Finalized partnership with Boocoo to bring our educational mission to their community center;

9) Continued public relations and education efforts to marshal visible public and political support, organize potential volunteer staff, raise funds, and create a solid market for the farm’s products. Featured in several articles in the Evanston papers and the Chicago Tribune, and appeared in local television interviews on Channel 6 and Chicago's CAN-TV and on panel at FamilyFarmed.org Expo in March 2007;

10) Appeared at the City Council's Health and Human Services committee meeting on April 4 at City Hall. On a motion by Alderman Elizabeth Tisdahl, the city council committee voted to lease 3 acres on the canal from the MWRD on behalf of The Talking Farm to use as a farm;

11) Albers-Kuhn Foundation gave The Talking Farm its first major grant of $20,000 for marketing and fundraising;

12) Skokie affirmed support for farm concept and spells out zoning and permit requirements for use of MWRD site, including need for development and approval of building and site plans;

13) IRS issued determination letter granting The Talking Farm 501(c)(3) tax exempt status;

14) Grant research and writing began in earnest;

15) The Talking Farm held its first fundraiser, a permaculture lecture and luncheon with Midwest Permaculture;

16) The Talking Farm had a table or speaking presence at numerous public events, Ridgeville Farmers Market;

17) Major meeting of stakeholders (MWRD, Skokie, Evanston and TTF) and attorneys where roles and steps for obtaining land begin to be fleshed out;

18) Email support list grew to nearly 600 interested individuals; and

19) Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management’s Neighborhood Business Initiative team created a 5-year fundraising strategy plan for The Talking Farm.

January to December 2008:

1) Began planning 2008 Mini-Farm, an outdoor classroom and demonstration site in Evanston's Twiggs Park Community Garden;

2) Recruited over 60 volunteers with experience, expertise or willingness to learn, working together on site design, starting seeds, procuring plants and supplies, construction, maintenance, watering, IPM, education and marketing/fundraising;

3) Broke ground at Mini-Farm and planted first seeds, ultimately producing 275 pounds of produce;

4) Retained interns Kelly Larsen, Northeastern Illinois University, Ari Hertz, Northwesern University and Avi Kurganoff, Evanston Township High School;

5) Began 2008 educational programs with classes on soil testing, herb spirals, kitchen gardening, urban farming basics, seed-starting, sunflower story time, scarecrow-making, and composting;

6) Retained services of architect Thomas Ahleman, Studio Talo, for logo designs and pre-construction architectural plans;

7) Participated in Evanston Garden Fair;

8) Marched in Fourth of July Parade;

9) Had presence at Ridgeville, Evanston, Skokie, and West End Farmers' Markets;

10) Sold produce to Wild Tree Cafe and Pick-a-Cup;

11) Featured in Evanston Roundtable;

12) Initiated discussions about collaboration with ETHS Applied Science and Technology Department, the Green Team, Senior and Independent Studies Programs, and Community Service Programs;

13) Participated in Evanston Ecology Center Green Living Festival with over 200 visitors to the MiniFarm;

14) Spoke at Rogers Park Garden Group;

15) Evanston City Council accepted Climate Action Plan and publicly acknowledged the importance and the work of The Talking Farm to the goals in the plan;

16) City of Evanston attorneys working on our behalf on MWRD site proposal;

17) Featured guest at the Skokie Sustainability Commission and invited to next Board of Trustees meeting;

18) Spoke at the Evanston Garden Club;

19) Participated in informational meeting with the Wagner Farm in Glenview;

20) Participated in the West End Florist Open House;

22) Spoke to the Evanston Environmental Association;

23) MiniFarm and Outdoor Classroom cleaned, mulched and put to bed for winter.

January - December 2009

1) Spoke about history and vision of The Talking Farm at the Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago;

 2) Presented at Grow Your Own Food Seminar in Wilmette about seed-starting, The Talking Farm and its satellite sites, canning and preserving and Legislation;

3) Received inital site and building designs from Studio Talo;

4) Hired first Administrative Manager, Judy Mendel, and set up office;

5) Partnered with Kingsley Elementary School at the Twiggs Park MiniFarm with the name "Kingsley Green Acre";

6) Consulted with Boocoo fo design of their backyard edible garden;

7) Linda Kruhmin featured in Shop Evanston's spring/summer compost article;

8) Consulted with Washington Elementary School about starting edible garden;

9) Met with ETHS Geometry and Horticulture classes regarding design for Edible Acre project;

10) Met with aldermen about West End Market and high school projects;

11) Kingsley Green Acres site readied for planting;

12) Received Garden Club of America grant for supervision of Edible Acre project;

13) Met with Northwestern University/SEED regarding edible demonstration garden;

14) Met with Oakton Community College - Skokie Campus regarding community garden on their property;

15) Received Evanston Community Foundation for Edible Acre project;

16) Hired Victoria Lantz to revamp web design and Contant Contact templates;

17) Received Rotary ClubLighthouse Chapter grant;

18) Started tweeting;

19) Installed gardens at Oakton Community College, Northwestern University, and Evanston/Skokie elementary schools;

20) Held four classes on food preservation;

21) Set up information tables at Glenview Farmer's Market, Evanston Farmer's Market, Oakton Community College and Evanston Township High School Community Service Fairs, Evanston Green Living Festival;

22) Highlighted in numerous articles in local periodicals;

23) Held highly successful first annual benefit at Va Pensiero, raising over $15,000;

24) Participated in Northwestern's campusCatalyst project;

25) Started posting to SkokieNet.org;

26) Spoke at Highland Garden Club, uncommon ground, Northwestern Hillel.

January 2010 to present

 1) The Skokie Park District Board agreed unanimously to take out the lease with the MWRD on the land where we hope to have The Talking Farm.

2) The Talking Farm moves into its own office space.