This FB event is for the full 7 part series! PLEASE NOTE: The location of these events is 201 7th St, Rockford, IL 61104.

Farmers Rising cultivates sustainable, inclusive farming communities where LGBTQIA+ farmers are valued land stewards and leaders in building resilient, sustainable food systems.

Huge shout out to our co-host The LIAM Foundation. To register, visit https://www.farmersrising.org/farm-programs.html

LGBTQIA+ folks have been stewarding land and feeding our communities forever and continue to today. Whether this is news to you or you're living the life, this is the series for you. In each session, we'll collaboratively explore practical ways to engage with our local food system as it is and as we are, consider how our queer ways of thinking and being can strengthen the system, and build community with each other and our food system allies.

Coming together to build a local food system that respects all people and the land we share is an act of collective liberation. All are welcome and wanted, and we will be centering queer experiences and perspectives.

Dates/Topics:

4/14/24 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM - Queering Local Food: Accessing Local Food on a Tight Budget

4/21/24 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM - Queering Local Food: Cook local by roasting any vegetable

5/19/24 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM - Queering Local Food: What's local in Northern Illinois?

5/25/24 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM- Queering Local Food: Local food crawl May 2024

6/9/24 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM - Queering Local Food: Cook local by making refrigerator pickles

6/19/24 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM - Queering Local Food: Local food crawl June 2024

6/23/24 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM - Queering Local Food: Local food showcase potluck

More info about each event:

4/14/24 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM - Queering Local Food: Accessing Local Food on a Tight Budget: Eating local, sustainable food is for everyone. Come find out how to access free and reduced cost locally grown food using government programs and community mutual aid. We'll also explore what food sovereignty is and why it matters for building strong, liberated communities.

4/21/24 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM - Queering Local Food: Cook local by roasting any vegetable: Roasting is a great strategy for cooking your locally grown vegetable haul. We'll learn how to successfully roast just about any vegetable, practice preparing vegetables to be roasted, and share ways to use roasted vegetables either right away or as you need them. We'll finish up by taste testing a hearty salad made from seasonal, locally grown veggies.

5/19/24 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM - Queering Local Food: What's local in Northern Illinois?: There are a lot of foods that we can grow locally. Some of those foods are pretty easy to find (zucchini in August, am I right?!), but others are less available. For example, you wouldn't know that plums, hazelnuts, and raspberries are all native to this land by perusing a farmers market. Allyson will guide the group through a collaborative discussion about what we can eat from local sources now, what could change so that we can eat more things from local sources, and ideas for next steps for eaters and growers alike.

5/25/24 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM- Queering Local Food: Local food crawl May 2024: If you're curious about where you can get local food in Rockford, or what to do once you get there, come tour some spots with us! On our May Crawl, we'll visit the North End Farmers Market, Choices Natural Market, The Interfaith Community Garden, and the UU Neighborhood Free Pantry. Meet up with us at the 7th Street Building (Midtown) at 10am to carpool or join us along the route.

6/9/24 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM - Queering Local Food: Cook local by making refrigerator pickles: If you love pickles but aren't making your own yet, now is the time to learn! Join us to find out how refrigerator pickles are different than other types of pickles, explore the creative possibilities by tasting some pickles, and make a jar with seasonal, local vegetables to take home.

6/19/24 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM - Queering Local Food: Local food crawl June 2024: If you're curious about where you can get local food in Rockford, or what to do once you get there, come tour some spots with us! On our June Crawl, we'll visit the Farmers Rising Rockford CSA Farm, Rock River Valley Food Pantry, Owl's Roost Farm, and the Growing Together Community Garden. Meet up with us at the 7th Street Building (Midtown) at 4:30pm to carpool or join us along the route. Folks who are also signed up for the Local Food Showcase Potluck (June 23rd) will be able to take home a free bag of produce from Owl's Roost Farm to use for their potluck dish.

6/23/24 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM - Queering Local Food: Local food showcase potluck: Celebrate local food with us at this potluck where every dish will feature at least one locally grown ingredient. We'll provide breads and drinks and each person over the age of 16 who registers will be responsible for bringing a dish to share that includes at least one locally grown ingredient. If you also register for the Local Food Crawl June 2024 event, you will have the option to take home a bag of produce from Owl's Roost Farm to use for your potluck dish. Others folks can choose to get their locally grown ingredient from a farmers market, CSA, community or home garden, or a food pantry that stocks local produce. Contact allyson.r@farmersrising.org for suggestions if you're not sure what to make or where to get your locally grown ingredient.