Central Illinois Farm Beginnings™ 2007–2008

In her application for Central Illinois Farm Beginnings, 44-year-old Teresa Starks stated that “I have the passion, the attitude, the land, the tractor, the time... but not the expertise.” She added that her “idols” were her “granny and grand-dad, and aunt and uncle, who were self-sustaining farmers.” Terry is currently traveling an hour each way to spend time with her mentor, experienced local vegetable farmer Anne Patterson. She is also beginning to plant her vegetable, herb, and flower market garden, as well as tending her fruit orchard. She is even planning a “harvest festival” when she will open her farm to families who want to pick their own pumpkins and gourds. Soon Terry will be providing her community with the best food possible.

Fifty-five-year-old Freddie Jones grew up in rural Alabama, where his family always had a garden. It was his lifelong dream to own his own farm, and now that he has retired from his position as the Assistant Superintendent of the Department of Water Management in Chicago, he is pursuing that dream. Freddie felt his biggest obstacle to success was being a first-generation and minority farmer. He wanted to take Farm Beginnings because he recognized that he needed information and contacts to be successful. Although he entered the class thinking that we would expand his quarter-horse operation, he ended by presenting his plan for “Sunset Trail Ranch,” which would focus on raising meat goats and marketing them to various minority communities, including Hispanics, Muslims, Africans, and African-Americans. Freddie is currently being mentored by Derek Hall, a local meat goat farmer. His farm mission is “to sustain good health, maintain our customers’ trust, be environmentally sound, and produce the very best.” Now that Freddie’s long-awaited dream of being a farmer is becoming a reality, he will soon be producing “the very best” goat meat to feed various minority communities.