Where people, plants, and animals thrive together.
Hi friends,
September 4, 2024
As we head into the harvest season, I am grateful for all the love and care (the seeds and the soil amendments) invested into Liberty Prairie over the decades. It is because of you that we have so much to celebrate.
At the end of 2023, Liberty Prairie began the transition from a Private Operating Foundation to a Public Charity. We joined forces with Prairie Wind Family Farm and became Liberty Prairie NFP, recognizing that we are stronger together. From the beginning, our work centered on reinforcing a strong local food system. That work continues today as we focus on sustainable green jobs.
The Liberty Prairie Farm Store opened in November 2023, becoming Lake County’s first local food hub. We are proud to call Lake County home and believe Midwesterners should be able to eat food produced in the Midwest all year. We are developing programs to bring more people to the farm to connect with their food, nature, and one another. We are interconnected, and we are harnessing our resources and values in service to a healthy Lake County.
Building bridges and pathways toward land, human, and local economic health.
We are celebrating:
THE CONSERVATION FARM
Healthy soil and diverse ecosystems
Hands-on learning
Increased farm experiences
Student Internships
FOOD ACCESS
Grown for and by the community
Midwestern food for Midwesterners
OUR LIFEBLOOD
Staff and Board
Volunteers and Donors
Come play with us
e a l t h y s o i l s u p p o r t s d i v e r s e e c o s y s t e m s
We implement efficient water and mineral cycles on our 95-acre conservation farm to support healthy soil.
Using regenerative farming best practices, we work toward holistic land management that supports people, plants and animals thriving together.
This season’s focus includes:
Executing a holistic land plan that honors conservation practices, organic food production, and enriches the soil, year over year. Beginning rotational grazing in our new silvopasture field. We divided the field into paddocks to steward the health of the land. Long term, our plan is to let our grazers “work” in other parts of the Conservation Farm.
Partnering with Savanna Institute to increase the number of edible trees and shrubs in our pastures and fields and along our waterways. Trialing elderberry varieties and increasing perennial crops. Hosting University of Illinois researchers to study avian populations within our agroforestry systems.
Observing insect populations and biocontrol efficacy in our tunnel food growing systems.
What our partners are saying:
G e t y o u r h a n d s d i r t y .
Plant Sale & Farm Festival
Students and interns from District 127 grew veggies, fruit, and flowers from seed in our greenhouse as part of their coursework for the class Engineering for a Sustainable Future. This immersive and multidisciplinary curriculum led students on an academic journey from seed to sale. Liberty Prairie sourced native plants from our friends at Possibility Place, a Chicagoland nursery, to sell alongside the student-grown annuals. Student musicians, artists, and activity leaders ensured fun was had by all that attended.
Our partnership with Liberty Prairie is crucial in creating an environment where students can authentically apply the skills they've learned in class.Through initiatives like the plant sale, students develop entrepreneurial skills while supporting Liberty Prairie's educational offerings.
This collaboration is special because it makes learning REAL Relevant, Engaging, Authentic Learning—particularly through the Engineering a Sustainable Future class, which reintroduces Future Farmers of America to Lake County, unlocking student scholarships, leadership opportunities, and internships. Additionally, students benefit from the social-emotional advantages of nature and the farm, such as stress reduction, improved mental health, and a sense of community.
~Gina Schuyler Administrator of Careers & Community
Partnerships Grayslake Community High School District 127
PLANT SALE & FARM FESTIVAL OUTCOMES
$20,000 raised 1,000 people attended 50 volunteers supported 5,900 plants sold
The Community Garden
The community garden provides an idyllic spot for your garden. Nestled between horse stables, 16 acres of pasture, and prairie landscape, we offer 54 plots for lease on one half acre of arable land.
We emphasize building soil and organic matter naturally, using compost, mulch, and low till approaches. Each garden reflects the growing priorities, individual artistry, and spirit of the gardener.
Our 2024 gardeners hail from as nearby as Prairie Crossing (54%) to further locales including Volo, Waukegan, Vernon Hills, and Long Grove.
Liberty Prairie Farm Store
970 Harris Road Suite 1B Grayslake, IL 60030
Store hours: Wednesday - Sunday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Serving customers from Lake County and beyond!
Goals include:
1.) Supporting farmers with a year-round marketplace. 33 farms and food businesses from within 300 miles in stock.
2.) Increasing access to local food. WIC vouchers accepted and soon SNAP and Link Match benefits will be too.
We grow a wide variety of certified organic vegetables on 16 acres within the 95 acre Conservation Farm.
Our veggies are distributed in several ways:
Seasonal Farmshare Program
Our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program is a weekly subscription service. 250 families signed up to share the season’s bounty this year. Delivery sites include nine Chicago suburbs and one corporate location. Information about the 2025 program will be available late fall - stay tuned.
Sold in the Liberty Prairie Farm Store
Sold at Supermercado Gonzalez in Waukegan
Featured in Elawa Farm’s Winter Share
Donated to Avon Township Food Bank
I am so excited for the Liberty Prairie Farm Store to be welcoming more growers as well as more shoppers with the addition of WIC/Senior Vouchers and soon SNAP/Link. The growth and recognition of the work with Grayslake D127 is extraordinarily inspiring…seeing high schoolers in awe of everything the farm has to offer is so heartwarming. This fall’s ribbon cutting for the outdoor classroom, The Living Laboratory, will be the icing on the cake and enable even more learning experiences on the farm.
~Eliza Fournier, Chair
Executive Director Managing Director
Karen Wilkes, karen@libertyprairie org
Jen Miller, jen@libertyprairie org
Conservation Farm Director Office Manager
Jeff Miller, jeff@libertyprairie org
Nancy Jansen, nancy@libertyprairie org
Seasonal Farm Staff Administrative Assistant
Jesus David Aviles Meraz
Miguel Montero Meraz
Anacleto Garcia Rodriguez
Cleto Alexander Garcia Rodriguez
Liberty Prairie Farm Store
Karen Kunz, karenkunz@libertyprairie.org
Board of Directors
Eliza Fournier, Chair
Brooke Hecht, Secretary
David Alexander, Treasurer
Jerry Adelmann
Adam Carson
Paul Geiselhart
Don Malin
Vicky Ranney, Founder
Sebastian White
Board Emeritus
George Ranney, Founder
Patrick Aubyrn, patrick@libertyprairie.org
Volunteer Manager
Penny Burke, penny@libertyprairie.org
Your time is a gift.
Volunteers contributed over 300 hours of service from January through June for a combined value greater than $10,000!
Those listed gave 8+ hours of time during the winter and spring
Lori Dwinell
John Frye
Margie Rader
Steve Sennot
Sue Jackson Sunny Sonnenschein
Karen Kunz Christine Swanson
Catt Miller. Zeb Wilkes
Paul Nielsen
Tracy Nielsen
Thank Thank Thank you! you! you!
Wally Winter
Donor Appreciation
Our ability to deliver on our mission is rooted in community support. The following individuals and institutions made a gift between January - June 2024.
Foundations
Searle Funds at the Chicago Community Trust
Harold M & Adeline S Morrison Family Foundation
David & Lisette Eisendrath Foundation
National Philanthropic Trust
Community Groups
Town and Country Garden Club of Libertyville
Individuals
Anonymous
Nathan & Mayumi Aaberg
Jerry Adelman
David & Tiffany Alexander
Patrick & Rachel Aubyrn
Connie & Jeffrey Barhorst
Allison & Christopher Bates
Adam Bazer
Christina Belmonte
William Bender
William Braden
Donna & Daniel Brouillard
Jackie Burke
Penny Burke
Peggy & Alberto Bustamante
Lindley Caldwell
Laura Calvert
Andrea Carrero
Jeanne Cook
Richard Curtis & Sharyl Kleinstein
Kristina Dalton
Jackie de Batista
David & Gale Dewar
Amy Dickinson
Melanie Dillon
The Fournier Family
Catherine & John Frey
Paul & Chris Geiselhart
Liz Graziano
In Honor
Rachel Bowers - In honor of Aimé DeLattre
The Gordon Charitable Fund - In honor of the Huckstadt Family
Matthew Vella - In honor of Olivia
In Memory
Dale Kehr - In memory of Dean Kehr
Christine Swanson - In memory of Charles Phillip
Brooke & Peter Hecht
Charlotte Hendrickson
Mary Hess
Lucy Hubrich
David Husemoller & Margaret Wingo
MaryClare Jakes
Nancy & Brian Jansen
Cathy Keffer
Jamea Kemple
Elizabeth Kestler
David Knight
Shruthi Kumar
Karen Kunz
Arthur Lifshin
Marylynn Logan
Ann Marie Martin
Colleen McKenna
Stacey Menheer
Jen & Jeff Miller
Sara Miller
Wendy Morgan
Maurine Neiberg
Douglas & Persephone Nerge
Elaine Ogawa
Karen O’Hayer
Joan Passanante
Michelle Petersen
Megan Peterson
Sarah Powers
Traci Molly & David Reis
Alexa Rhyan
Jenny Ross
Cristina Sanchez-Lopez
Gary Schiappacasse
Catherine Shannon
Carol Sonnenschein & Stuart Feen
Linda Swarthout
Stevan Tontich
Laura & Kurt Topel
Anite Velez
Margaret Warzecha
Elizabeth Wheatley
Linda Wiens
Karen & Zeb Wilkes
Lynne Winandy
Wallace Winter & Ellen Ewing
Karin Wisiol
Kristin Ziegler
Jeannine & Gary Zipfel
Mary & Bob Zorc
In-Kind
Thrifty Nickel Handyman
Sunny Sonnenschein
Liberty Prairie Farm Store 970 Harris Rd Suite 1B
Grayslake, IL 60030 (224) 541-4173 Liberty Prairie Headquarters 550 Harris Rd
Grayslake, IL 60030 info@libertyprairie.org
