Harold Wilken (right), owner and operator of Janie’s Farm in Iroquois County, with his son Ross. (Photo Illinois Stewardship Alliance)

An economy of diverse corn, wheat, and beans varieties is growing in Illinois. The grass-roots infrastructure investments are coming from farmers, bakers and chefs, and University of Illinois faculty and students.

Janie’s Farm, near Danforth in Iroquois County, is building a commercial-scale mill to add value to their diverse staple crops, which will now be sold to wholesale accounts in Chicago and eventually throughout Illinois.

Harold Wilken, owner and operator of Janie’s Farm is modeling the new installation on an operation in upstate New York that sells flour to New York City.

A group that included Livingston, McLean and Woodford University of Illinois Extension Educator Bill Davison recently spent a week at Farmer Ground Flour, a mill near Ithaca, N.Y., to learn from an early adopter in New York’s grain economy.

According to Davison, “the trip provided our group with a clear view of the future for Illinois and confirmed that we are on the right track. The people we visited were very open and willing to share their hard-won knowledge. They provided key insights into mistakes to avoid, and pieces of equipment and techniques to use to make everything work.”

On the trip, the group learned that a system that consistently meets food grade standards must have the right varieties, equipment, techniques, and attention to details to ensure every task is done at the optimum time.

Growing in healthy soil, harvesting early with appropriate equipment, and promptly cleaning and drying grain greatly increase the chances that a crop will meet the quality standards for food grade.

“Seeing a functioning system and talking to the people who are making it work showed us that Illinois is ready to build upon their success. We have reached a critical mass and now have the people, equipment, and knowledge in place to sell food grade grains into local markets,” said Wilken.

Strong buyers with the right equipment are required. Epiphany Farms Restaurant in Bloomington recently announced its intent to open a new bakery and test kitchen that will focus on using local wheat in their breads. Their baked goods will be sold in a new retail space that will be an important outlet for people to be able to purchase authentic baked goods.

The students at University of Illinois are also placing financial support behind the local grain economy. The student sustainability committee on campus recently approved a $250,000 grant to build a mill and test kitchen in the food pilot lab on campus. This new facility will be used to evaluate new varieties of grain and flour that will be used in the dining halls.

By 2017, when all of the above projects are operational, Destihl Brewery, already selling beer in 13 states, will be opening a new 14 million dollar facility in Normal. This craft brewery and many others like it across Illinois represent a large potential market for food grade grains.

A combination of new technologies, resilient crop varieties, fertile Illinois soils, and the revival of farming skills and knowledge gives Illinois farmers an opportunity to tell a compelling story that will help reconnect people to their food and their communities.

For more information, contact Bill Davison, Extension unit educator, Local Food Systems and Small Farms – Livingston, McLean and Woodford Unit at (309) 663-8306, or by email wdavison@illinois.edu.