englewood community farms prospectus and business …€¦ · englewood community farms will be...

ENGLEWOOD COMMUNITY FARMS PROSPECTUS AND BUSINESS PLAN

Created by The Urban Farm Pathways Project

with support from

The Searle Funds at the Chicago Community Trust

December 21, 2015

URBAN PATHWAYS | ENGLEWOOD COMMUNITY FARMS

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REPORT PREPARED BY TESKA ASSOCIATES, INC.

front cover from top: Kenya Vera Sample, Darius Jones

FARM PATHWAYS | ENGLEWOOD COMMUNITY FARMS

CONTENTSExecutive Summary 1Who We Are – Urban farmers, NeighborSpace, Training Organizations

Section 1 Our Vision 5Community-controlled farm space along future Englewood trail in urban agriculture district

Section 2 Land for Farming 8Vacant land reclaimed for production of healthy food and jobs

Section 3 Markets 14 Locally grown food for Englewood and Greater Chicago

Section 4 Organizational Development 18Balancing benefits from shared resources, training, and connections with independence for farm enterprises

Section 5 Budget and Fundraising 24Operations to be self-sustaining; funds needed for initial buildout

Section 6 Preparing the Farms 29Ten-year plan for creating a thriving urban agriculture district



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Our vision is to create and support community-based urban farms in Englewood managed as business enterprises by local farmers.

Urban Pathways meeting at Kusanya Café


1ENGLEWOOD COMMUNITY FARMS PROSPECTUS AND BUSINESS PLAN

Urban farmers will create community-based farm enterprises in Englewood along the elevated rail viaduct between 58th and 59th Streets. Englewood Community Farms will provide land for-profit or cooperative farming operations on contiguous parcels of land. The farmers will con-trol and manage their own operations, while shar-ing resources such as tools, soil amendments, refrigeration, hoop houses, fencing and security and build a support network with local partners.

Englewood Community Farms will be created by Grow Greater Englewood (GGE), a neighbor-hood-based collaboration whose goal is to cultivate a healthy and resilient food system and economy. It will acquire land via a new entity, the Englewood Community Land Trust Cooperative, which is being created by GGE with assistance from NeighborSpace. A diverse marketing plan tailored to the individual needs of the farmers will tap into the Chicago area’s strong markets for locally grown produce, creating dependable revenue streams for participating farm-ers. Target markets will include high-end outlets such as farmers’ markets and restaurants, large-vol-ume produce distributors and low-margin local mar-kets including corner stores and food pantries.

Phased development will allow Englewood Community Farms to grow over time, adding new farmers, additional growing spaces and ancillary

businesses. An initial two-acre site could begin with four growing spaces and a shared hoop house, later adding features such as an orchard, more hoop houses, additional small farms and related indoor facilities. This would provide space for approximately 6-10 farmers. The vision is for urban farming to expand over time, providing permanent farms for additional farmers and increasing economic oppor-tunities for the Englewood community.

Potential organizational and business structures are being developed to launch Englewood Community Farms and the Englewood Community Land Trust Cooperative. Initial capital needs are estimated at approximately $400,000 to cover land acquisition, soil remediation and preparation, common facilities and equipment. While the start-up of the support operations would need grant support in the early years, by Year 3, with approximately eight farmers, it could produce approximately $75,000 in net reve-nue. Fundraising will be necessary to support the capital needs as well as the early years of operation and support services.

Englewood Community Farms is a collaboration focused around its farmers and the network of part-ners brought together through Grow Greater Englewood (GGE). GGE will set up a Land Trust, build out the infrastructure to support the farmers, and arrange partnerships for technical assistance where needed on specific skills. Through this structure, the

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Community-controlled farms in an urban agriculture district



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goal is for community-led decisions that will employ local residents, provide opportunities and grow the technical and entrepreneurial skills of both the orga-nization and the individual farm enterprises who will be able to benefit from shared resources, but have the flexibility to make their own decisions on crops, scale, and the types of markets they want to serve.

The farms will help transform the Greater Englewood area from a food desert to a hub of local food pro-duction and a driver of economic and community development, eventually connected by a new nature trail along the elevated Englewood Line, and con-nected to other economic drivers, businesses, and community institutions.

The Urban Farm Pathways project was created in early 2015 to connect urban farmers to available land alongside a planned 1.7-mile nature trail on the elevated railroad viaduct between 58th and 59th Street in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood.

The project was convened by the local nonprofit land trust NeighborSpace in coordination with Grow Greater Englewood, a collaboration whose goal is to cultivate a healthy and resilient food system and economy. Four farm training organizations (Angelic Organics, Growing Home, Growing Power, and Windy City Harvest) participated and provided extensive experience through their experience in

administering training, incubator, and on-the-ground experience in Chicago. More than 25 individ-uals and organizations engaged in the six-month planning process:

Urban farmers helped frame this plan based on their experiences at farm incubators, rooftop farms, com-munity gardens and rural farms.

Farm-training organizations contributed data on urban-farm budgets, production capabilities and professional development needs.

Grow Greater Englewood recruited local farmers and is preparing to launch the Englewood Community Land Trust Cooperative; it will be the farms’ nonprofit manager.

NeighborSpace recruited participants, convened the meetings and will work with the Englewood Community Land Trust Cooperative to prepare and acquire the land.

The planning firm Teska Associates facilitated meetings, documented the process and created this business plan.

This initial work was supported by Food: Land: Opportunity – Localizing the Local Food Shed, a multi-year initiative of The Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust. A grant to NeighborSpace supported the series of planning meetings and development of this report. A parallel grant to Angelic Organics Learning Center supported capac-ity building at Grow Greater Englewood to provide the relationships, systems and infrastructure neces-sary to support farm enterprises in Englewood.

Who We Are

Urban farmers, NeighborSpace, nonprofit partners



Initial interviews with farmer-training organizations and land trust experts helped define the scope of work. Monthly meetings began in April 2015 and were supplemented by field surveys, visits to other urban farms, and committee work around budget projections and asset surveys.

FarmersZarakhia Ahmadiel Educator on food-related issues and food buyer with Soul Vegan.

Mecca Brooks Coordinator of Bronzeville Community Garden and Rooftop Farm; graduate of Windy City Harvest.

Elisha Hall Founder of The Rooted Initiative wellness and entrepreneurship education cooperative; mar-keting coordinator for Healthy Food Hub.

Victoria James Graduate of Windy City Harvest; owner of vacant land conveyed via City of Chicago Large Lot program.

Darius Jones Former General Manager and partner Gar field Produce Company ; Coordinator of McCormick Place Rooftop Farm; graduate of Windy City Harvest (WCH); farmed at WCH’s Legends South site.

Johnnie Owens Coordinator of community garden at 4158 S. Calumet for Centers for New Horizons; completing Windy City Harvest certification.

Safia Rashid Farmer at Your Bountiful Harvest Family Farm; farmed 1/4 acre plot at WCH Legends South site; developed local farm stand; trained interns in sustainable urban agriculture; graduate of Windy City Harvest.

Julian and Kenya Vera Sample Manage commu-nity garden at London Town Homes; farm multiple lots in Morgan Park; teach children about farm ecology.

Jeanine Toombs Intern at Washington Park Youth Farm; completing Windy City Harvest certification.

Randy Toranzo Farmer at Growing Power’s Farmers for Chicago site in South Chicago.

Process and Participants

Legends Farm



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CommunitySonya Harper, L. Anton Seals and Barbara Pillow Sidibeh, Grow Greater EnglewoodCo-convenor of Farm Pathways planning process; community collaborative dedicated to cultivating a healthy and resilient food system and economy and a facilitator of a broad coalition of local organizations throughout Englewood.

Perry Gunn, Teamwork EnglewoodCommunity development organization that devel-oped 2005 Englewood quality-of-life plan calling for urban agriculture district along 59th Street viaduct.

Farm-training OrganizationsMartha Boyd and Tedd SnowdenAngelic Organics Learning CenterEducation arm of Angelic Organics farm provides learning opportunities for youth and adults in Wisconsin and Illinois; developing Eat to Live Garden and Farm at 70th and Princeton in Englewood.

Angie Mason and Kelly Larsen, Chicago Botanic Gardens Windy City Harvest Training organization with 13 farm sites operates certification programs, apprenticeships, a youth farm, entrepreneurship and career training, and tran-sitional jobs programs.

Harry Rhodes and Rebekah Silverman, Growing Home, Inc.Employment training organization with two farm sites in Englewood (Wood Street and Honore Street) along 59th Street rail viaduct.

Erika Allen, Growing Power Farm-training organization with sites in Milwaukee and Chicago including Iron Street Farm; manages seven-acre Farmers for Chicago site at 89th and Mackinaw in South Chicago.

Support organizations & individualsBen Helphand, NeighborSpaceNonprofit urban land trust that preserves commu-nity gardens and farms by acquiring and holding land for community partners; provides basic insur-ance, water and links to support networks.

Scott Goldstein, Patrick Barry, Heidy Valenzuela, and Jodi Mariano, Teska Associates, Inc.Urban planning and landscape architecture firm; facilitated Urban Farm Pathways planning, devel-oped conceptual drawings, and developed this report.

Greg RosenbergResearcher of cooperatives and other issues related to urban farms; conducted first round of interviews with farmer-training providers and other experts.

Nate Ela, University of Wisconsin-MadisonResearcher of land-ownership and business struc-tures related to urban farms; participated in planning meetings and provided background on potential business structures.



Our vision is to create and support community- based urban farms in Englewood managed as business enterprises by local farmers.

Located alongside or near the elevated rail viaduct between 58th and 59th Streets, Englewood Community Farms will build community connec-tions, create local wealth, support food entrepre-neurs and develop a stronger local economy.

It will initially provide land for four to eight for-profit or cooperative farming operations supported by a new entity, the Englewood Community Land Trust Cooperative, which will be a part of Grow Greater Englewood and will provide operations manage-ment, community outreach, coordination and fund-raising. The farms may also include a produce stand, volunteer program, community garden, events and educational opportunities.

Grouped on contiguous parcels of land, the farmers will control and manage their own operations, while sharing resources such as tools, soil amendments, refrigeration, hoop houses, fencing and security. Training workshops and peer-to-peer exchanges will help farmers increase their expertise, and joint market-ing of some produce will create steady income streams.

Phased development will allow Englewood Community Farms to grow over time, adding new farmers, additional growing spaces and ancillary busi-nesses. It will become a key economic generator and help transform the Greater Englewood area from a food desert to a hub of local food production.

COMPATIBLE LAND USECreating farms on vacant land in Englewood has been widely supported by a variety of planning activities and implementation projects. The neigh-borhood’s vast supply of available land – combined with a weak market for housing and other develop-ment – has prompted multiple concepts for alterna-tive development. Agricultural and related uses have been recommended in multiple plans and projects:

• The 2005 Englewood Quality-of-Life Plan called for an urban agriculture district that would provide business, job training and employment opportuni-ties while improving availability of fresh produce. The plan called for as many as 20 acres of farm space plus a food-processing center and farmers’ market.

• An example of implementing the goals of this plan include the establishment of Englewood’s first urban farm on Wood Street in 2009 by Growing Home, which later and expanded to a second site

OUR VISION1

Community-controlled farm space along future Englewood trail



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on Honore Street on the south side of the Englewood line in 2011. Both farms include hoop houses to extend the growing season; Wood Street includes a small building (right) for cleaning and packing produce.

• Openlands and others developed the New Era Trail Community Vision Plan in 2009, calling for a trans-formative redevelopment of the abandoned rail corridor that would include park space, agricultural uses and a festival plaza.

• The City of Chicago’s 2014 Green Healthy Neighborhoods plan recommended development of “productive landscapes” in Englewood near existing farms, community gardens or park space. Some of the farms would be adjacent to the ele-vated trail in an urban agriculture district.

In 2015, the City of Chicago is concluding a land swap with the trail corridor’s previous owner, Norfolk Southern, and initiating a multi-year process to con-vert the Englewood Line to recreational uses. Development of the trail will create significant ben-efits for the adjacent Englewood Community Farms, including improved visibility, more pedestrian traffic and enhanced security.

COMMUNITY FOCUS Englewood Community Farms will have a strong connection to the local community and reflect Englewood’s African American heritage. It will actively recruit and develop farmers from Englewood and other South Side neighborhoods, and will include community programming so that the farm complex becomes an integral partner with local res-idents, community organizations, schools and oth-ers. Over time, Englewood Community Farms will help create a healthy, economically vibrant and safe neighborhood.

ACTION STEPS

Steps to develop Englewood Community Farms are outlined in each section of this report as a starting point for discussion and implementation. Timing for each action step is suggested, with four levels of urgency:

NOW Essential to project launch: Fall/Winter 2015-2016

PILOT Lays groundwork for pilot farm operations in 2016

LAUNCH Necessary to begin farming on locally controlled land by Spring 2017

GROWTH Steps for long-term development in Years 2 through 10



ACTION STEPS GETTING STARTED Implementing this vision will require extensive community outreach, meetings with public officials, recruitment of skilled farmers, fundraising and other tasks. The first steps are to build support for the concept, develop criteria for recruitment of farmers, reach out to businesses and other community stakeholders, and build the capacity of Grow Greater Englewood (GGE) to lead the development of the farms. Over this first year, GGE will convene farmers regularly and begin to implement the structure, ground rules, revenue models, and marketing efforts.

ACTION STEP TIMING

1.1 Share concept of Englewood Community Farms with neighborhood orga-nizations, businesses and individuals to solicit feedback and support.

Now / On-Going

1.2 Meet with farmers regularly to develop structure, ground rules, and responsibilities.

Now / On-Going

1.3 Inventory local assets that could support the farm enterprise, including senior citizens, youth organizations, churches and other organizations in Englewood.

Now

1.4 Develop political support for the land acquisition and subsequent farm development.

Now / On-Going

1.5 Develop criteria for participation of farm enterprises. Now

1.6 Connect the farm enterprise to local businesses, economic development organizations and citywide resources.

Launch

Growing Home Wood Street farm



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With an estimated 700 acres of vacant land in Greater Englewood, it is likely to take many years to fully redevelop the land for residential, retail, urban greening and other uses, according to the 2005 Englewood quality-of-life plan. That is a primary reason that the City of Chicago and neighborhood partners have made urban agriculture a priority land use.

Small-scale urban farming is a viable strategy because plots as small as one-eighth acre (about one 40’ x 125’ city lot) can provide adequate growing space for a farmer using intensive planting methods. A shared space for six to ten farmers or more, as envisioned by this plan, could be assembled in phases. Because the blocks along the Englewood Line are split by the ele-vated line, the goal is to assemble contiguous spaces of between two and four acres at the outset, and expand to neighboring blocks over time.

City data, field surveys and public data show ample vacant land near 58th and 59th Streets, on both sides of the viaduct. Analysis conducted for the 2005 qual-ity-of-life plan shows that 32 blocks or half-blocks were one-third or two-thirds vacant, and six blocks were more than two-thirds vacant.

The City of Chicago owns many of these lots (out-lined in green below) and has expressed interest in conveying land to a well-organized urban agricul-ture operation. Many other lots are privately owned (outlined in blue). Land values are generally low, but the land will need to be acquired in contiguous increments.

Initial analysis and field work shows that many clusters of vacant land are available in the corridor and are potentially suitable for farm development (Figure 5).

LAND FOR URBAN FARMING2

Vacant land reclaimed for production of healthy food

above: Julian and Kenya Vera Sample



Figure 1. Englewood trail corridor – Vacant land by ownership – West section

Figure 2. Englewood trail corridor – Vacant land by ownership – East section

Aerial mapSource: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AEX, Getmapping, Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, swisstopo, and the GIS User Community

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Vacancy and brownfields mapPrepared by Teska Associates, Inc. | Last updated on November 23rd, 2015´0 750 1,500 2,250 3,000375

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10

Choosing the initial location for the farms will require additional information about the land as well as its context within the community. An ideal location would include:

A nearby community anchorSeveral potential land clusters are adjacent to existing or potential anchors, including the vacant Bontemps School campus, Hermitage Park, the Growing Home farms and busy retail corners. Locating next to an anchor improves access, visibility and security.

“Clean” soilMost urban soil includes contaminants including lead from old house paint. Former industrial sites and gas stations may include more serious contam-ination and/or underground storage tanks. Soil test-ing is essential to determine the viability and cost of a potential site. While many parcels are contami-nated, the costs of remediation will need to be built into the development budget to have a full sense of capital costs. Due to the prevalence of past uses and contaminants, it is likely that some remediation expenses will be needed to create a large enough area for development of the farms.

Contiguous open spaceLand with buildings or other obstructions may require demolition in addition to soil preparation. Contiguous parcels with good alley or street access are preferred, as are plots without heavy tree cover. Remaining con-crete floors or parking areas may be an asset as they can be used for driveways and parking as well as a base for hoop houses or raised planting beds.

Potential for phased growthA location that has additional vacant or underutilized land nearby or adjacent is preferred. An adjacent

building could be useful for future food-processing, refrigeration, tool storage and office uses.

Proximity to potential trail access pointAs a major visual landmark along the future Englewood trail, the farm sites should be considered for their abil-ity to integrate with potential trail access points, which are likely to include ramps to the embankment.

Creating a community land trustThe large amount of vacant land along the corridor suggests potential redevelopment for multiple uses beyond agriculture. To create a vehicle that would be able to acquire land for Englewood Community Farms and for these other purposes, including busi-ness development that creates jobs, Grow Greater Englewood proposed creation of the Englewood Community Land Trust Cooperative, whose first acquisition would likely be land for agricultural uses. The land trust is envisioned as a locally controlled entity that could shape future development that is responsive to neighborhood interests.

A GGE committee focused on development of the land trust began meeting in September 2015 under the leadership of Grow Greater Englewood, with support from NeighborSpace. The organizational structure of the farm enterprise will be informed by the structure and scope of the land trust as described in Section 4. Principles of the Land Trust Include:

• Community input and decision-making• Contiguous spaces for supporting local farmers• Ability to clean the land for appropriate use• Proximity to local assets such as parks, schools,

future trail access point, etc.



ACTION STEPS LAND FOR FARMING Land acquisition, critical to the startup timeline, involves a succession of legal and technical undertakings.

ACTION STEP TIMING

2.1 Identify clusters of vacant city-owned and private land that meet the criteria for a farming site, including synergies with adjacent uses and potential access points for the planned Englewood trail.

Now

2.2 Take first steps to establish Englewood Community Land Trust Cooperative. Work with lawyer to establish Land Trust. Recruit Board. Develop vision, mission and operations. Define purpose of land that could be developed utilizing Land Trust.

Now

2.3 Begin discussions with the City of Chicago about conveying suit-able land. Identify suitable parcels. Develop budgets for environ-mental testing and remediation, if necessary.

Now

2.4 Access existing environmental reports and conduct technical assessments of target properties as needed.

Now

2.5 Develop site design and phased development plan for targeted properties. Develop plans for start-up and long-term develop-ment of land.

Pilot

2.6 Develop capital budget and sources and uses of funds to get plots farmer-ready, including site clearance, environmental reme-diation, purchase of soil and mulch, and common facilities (fenc-ing, storage, hoop house).

Pilot

2.7 Assess related issues including proximity of available privately owned land and potential partnerships or conflicts with nearby landowners.

Pilot

2.8 Create and execute the legal mechanisms necessary to transfer land to the community land trust. Pilot



12

Figure 3: One of the key issues identified by the Urban Farm Pathways participants is how new farms can be located next to key community assets. The photo above shows the vacant Bontemps School and the potential for locating a new farm near the campus.Building windows have been filled in, creating an undesirable character at the street face

Tall shrubs block sight lines

Blank pole mounted sign presents an undesirable appearance to the street

Public walk lacks street lighting

Single building mounted light provides limited lighting at the public walk

Bridge structure requires maintenance, lighting and paint

Overhead utility poles contribute to an undesirable community character



Figures 4 and 5: Conceptual drawings for a new urban farm next to a renovated Bontemps School with the Englewood Trail converted to a nature trail in the background. Visualizations by Teska Associates.

Low landscaping and bollard style lighting promotes clear and open views at the public walk

Enhanced pedestrian crossings define pedestrian access

Adaptive reuse of the former school building includes window replacements, canopies and balconies to reinforce property ownership

Transparent fencing and low groundcover plantings provide natural access control.

Urban agricultural features are oriented towards the street face

The public way is reinforced with the relocation of utility poles, addition of street lights and canopy trees

Additional building mounted lighting contributes to improved surveillance of the street and sidewalk

Bridge structure is enhanced with lighting and art panels

Retaining walls are enhanced with mural art panels and wall mounted downlighting

Ramp access to the Edgewood Line is provided via universally accessible ramp and transparent rail.



14

There is huge unmet demand for locally grown food in Chicago and the Midwest. Despite rapid recent growth of urban and regional farms, Chicago-area restaurants, grocery stores and food distributors are unable to procure adequate supply of local produce.

Training organizations including Windy City Harvest, which operates 13 small farms in metro Chicago, and Growing Home, which has two farms in Englewood, report that there is market demand for high-quality local produce. Organic and sustainably grown pro-duce is especially wanted by local restaurants and consumers, as is local food that is available before and after the traditional growing season thanks to season-extension techniques such as hoop houses.

The strong demand for local produce means that Englewood farmers will have multiple choices for their output, depending on the quality, quantity and types of food they grow. As shown in Figure 5, the value of produce varies widely depending on how it is marketed, ranging from high-end, high-priced outlets to high-volume, steady markets that bring lower prices.

The urban farmers envision business plans that bal-ances higher yielding markets that support farm operations with other outlets that provide fresh pro-duce at affordable levels to local residents. This range of markets includes:

MARKETS3

Locally grown food for Englewood and Greater Chicago

above from left to right: Rebekah Silverman, Ben Helphand, Sonya Harper, Nate Ela, Barbara Pillow Sidibeh, Safia Rashid, and Darius Jones



Direct to consumerGreen City Market in Lincoln Park, catering to higher-in-come shoppers and specialty chefs, can support the highest possible prices for local produce, especially if organically grown and recently harvested. In general, selling at one of Chicago’s more than 50 farmers’ mar-kets produces higher margins because the farmer is selling directly, without a broker or distributor.

Restaurants and retailDirect marketing to restaurants and stores can bring high values, though the chef/buyer may want only certain items, or refuse what is offered if it does not meet quality standards or quantities needed.

Produce distributorsDistributors pay about 40 to 50 percent of the farm-ers’ market price but can absorb large quantities of certain high-demand vegetables. Windy City Harvest, for instance, consolidates food from its farms and sells it in bulk to Midwest Foods, a distributor that stresses locally grown produce. Other distributors and food-service operations are also steady buyers.

Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA)Many urban and rural farmers offer subscriptions to weekly produce boxes for a set fee that is paid at the beginning of the season. Ranging from 16 to 30 weeks in term, the CSA programs provide dependable upfront income in exchange for a flow of produce that varies each week depending on the harvest.

Women Infants & Children (WIC) food boxes, LINK cardsGovernment programs offer another source of steady income. WIC boxes include a selection of fresh vege-tables that are sold at subsidized prices to mothers with young children. The state’s LINK food cards can be used at many farmers’ markets, and some use grant support to reduce costs for purchasers, who typically double the value of the purchase. These are low-mar-gin outlets but can provide steady income.

Farmstand and food pantriesGrowing Home’s Wood Street Farm in Englewood sells direct to local residents through its weekly farm-stand, with low prices to reflect local income levels. Some farms and community gardens produce food for sale at low prices to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, or for free distribution via neighborhood food pantries.

Growing Power Iron Street farm



16

Farm economicsLocal growers report that an intensively managed urban farm can produce about $2 to $3 worth of pro-duce per square foot of growing space, which yields $10,000 to $15,000 from a one-eighth-acre (5,400-square-foot) piece of land. As on many rural farms, income from produce sales is generally not enough to support a full-time position, but can pro-vide significant supplemental income for individuals and families who work their plot on a part-time basis.

Many urban farmers and small-scale rural farmers have found that even a small amount of land can produce large quantities of salable produce if the land is inten-sively planted across an extended growing season. By starting seedlings early in hoop houses and trans-planting them into weather-protected “low tunnels,” cold-weather crops such as lettuce, broccoli, radishes and onions can be ready to harvest by May, and the growing space can then be replanted with hot-weather crops including cucumbers, tomatoes, egg-plant and peppers. In some cases, a third crop can be harvested from the same ground by planting frost-tol-erant crops for late autumn and winter harvest.

Potential Markets for Farm OutputHigher Prices – More ValueLower Prices – Community Benefits

Farmers’ Markets• Direct to consumer• Best prices at “high-end” markets• High demand for some crops

Restaurants• “Farm to table,” “organic”• Potential for high prices• Difficult market to serve• Might refuse unwanted items

Specialty grocers• Seek local, organic produce• May require larger quantities• Demand varies

CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)• Weekly box or bag of mixed farm

output (16 to 24 weeks)• Allows variations week to week• Subscription payment upfront• Delivery/logistics challenges

WIC Boxes• State program to provide nutritious

food for Women Infants and Children

• Steady demand (16+ weeks)• Low price per box

Neighborhood Farmstand• Provides access to produce in food

desert• Prices must be lower than in

higher-income neighborhoods• Requires long-term commitment to

attract customers• Can include use of LINK Card

subsidy (i.e. “Double Value”)

Distributor/Food Hub• Potential high volume, steady

markets • May require aggregation from

multiple farmers• Can serve restaurants, specialty

grocers, institutions• Prices at mid range, vary by demand

Partnerships• Connects farmers to specific

markets/consumers• Each partnership customized • Requires steady output

Examples:• Farmers’ Market at corporate site • Institutional buyer committed to

local produce• Public agency or its contracted food-

service provider

Value-added products• Processing can create higher value• Might extend shelf life, allow use of

“seconds”• May require food-safety certification• May need capital and partnerships

with others

Food Bank, Pantries• Food sold at low prices or donated

to local pantries• Provides food where it is needed

most

Corner Stores• Brings fresh produce to neighborhood

markets• Addresses food desert problem• Allows healthier eating

Figure 6. Value of crops by type



ACTION STEPS MARKET DEVELOPMENT Strong knowledge of markets, crop values and demand will be important as the farmers plant their first crops and bring them to market.

ACTION STEP TIMING

3.1 Build relationships with local produce buyers through existing sales channels and discussions about future market needs.

Pilot

3.2 Develop Englewood-specific market potential through inquiries to the Whole Foods Englewood store, under construction; Kennedy King College’s culinary program and restaurant; other local restaurants such as Dream Café on 61st Street and Kusanya Café on 69th Street; corner grocery stores; produce distributor Goodness Greeness, located adjacent to the rail corridor at 5959 S. Lowe; and local food pantries.

Pilot

3.3 Investigate potential partnerships with produce consolidators, including Midwest Foods, Local Foods and others.

Pilot

3.4 Fine-tune revenue scenarios for sales for various levels of farm activity, so that participants fully understand the farm’s capital and operational costs.

Launch

Most small-scale farmers experiment with high-er-value crops including heirloom varieties of toma-toes, hard-to-find ethnic vegetables for sale to restaurants and grocery stores, herbs and flowers. Some farms add chickens and other poultry because “free-range” eggs can be sold for $5 a dozen at farm-ers’ markets. Value-added products – such as salsas, apple cider or other foods prepared from fresh pro-duce – can also bring higher profits.

Englewood farmers will be able to reduce their cap-ital and operational costs through group purchasing of farm inputs such as compost and shared expenses on large capital items. See Section 5 for more details.



18

As a multi-farmer, community-based enterprise, Englewood Community Farms will create a wide range of synergies that help the farmers, buyers and community and will be supported by Grow Greater Englewood. By pooling resources and knowledge, and by advancing multiple farming models on adjacent plots, the farms will be more productive and more resilient than a stand-alone, single-farmer operation.

Like the incubator farms run by Windy City Harvest and Growing Power, the Englewood farms will reduce costs for each participant by providing shared equip-ment and pooled resources, including items such as:

• A centralized shipping container for storage of tools and other equipment, including more expen-sive items such as mechanical tillers that will be shared and available through reservations.

• One or more hoop houses will allow all partici-pants to start seedlings before Chicago’s last frost (typically April 20). The hoop house can also extend the season beyond the first autumn frost (around October 20). At right, hoop houses at Growing Power’s Iron Street farm.

• Bulk shipments of wood chips, compost and aged manure will reduce per-yard and delivery costs for these essential soil amendments.

• Water sources and appropriate piping or hoses to bring water to each farm plot.

• An outdoor wash-and-pack station will allow farm-ers to trim, wash and pack their produce for deliv-ery to distributors or farmers’ markets. Photo at right shows the two-farmer prep station at Windy City Harvest’s Legends South farm.

• Fencing and locked gates will provide a secure perimeter, and security services will be contracted if necessary. A portable toilet will be required.

Major capital items that are critical to farmers as they grow will be purchased for the first phase, if fundrais-ing allows, or in subsequent phases. These include a van or truck for produce deliveries ($20,000 used, or $37,000 for a refrigerated van) and, when business levels warrant, an indoor space for produce prepara-tion, refrigerated storage and production of val-ue-added products in a food-certified kitchen.

SHARING SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGEA powerful benefit of the collaborative will be the diversity of experiences and interests among the farmers, training organizations and neighborhood

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT4

Balancing benefits from shared resources, training, network connections with independence for farm enterprises



partners. An asset survey of potential farmers showed high levels of interest and expertise across many sub-jects, from planting regimens to business practices.

One form of interaction will center around farming practices. The farm-training organizations are likely to provide educational and technical assistance, and the farmers have expressed interest in monthly workshops that allow them to learn from each other and from outside experts. Topics might include:

• Farming practices such as scheduling of plantings and harvests, intercropping of different vegetables in the same growing bed, natural pest control, trel-lising and vertical gardening.

• Growing and marketing of specialty crops such as ethnic specialties (Ethiopian kale, African birds-eye peppers, sorghum), honey, flowers and herbs.

• Soil building including use of soil amendments such as compost and manure, raised beds, fertiliz-ers and composting of plant waste.

• Season extension tools and techniques including use of cold frames, low tunnels, agricultural fabric and hoop houses.

• Markets development including restaurants, dis-tributors, direct sales to consumers and Community Supported Agriculture.

By encouraging multiple approaches, the Englewood Community Farms will become a laboratory of urban farming practices and produce sales. Farmers will be encouraged to develop their own approaches to selecting crops, timing harvests, developing markets and sustaining a customer base. This will help create overall stability and resilience of the operation as com-pared to a monolithic organization that has one approach and a smaller set of products and customers.

NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKSRegular interaction with neighborhood residents, gar-deners and businesses will bring another level of interaction to the Englewood Community Farms. By forging such partnerships, the farms will contribute to stronger community ties and development of a healthy-food culture where fresh produce is readily available to all residents regardless of income levels.

Grow Greater Englewood will support the farms by leveraging existing collaborations with community partners, including Teamwork Englewood, which con-venes neighborhood meetings and manages com-munity development programs; Greater Englewood Community Development Corporation, the neigh-borhood’s leading economic development organiza-tion; and Residents Association of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.), which uses outreach and social media to promote Englewood and organize neighborhood activities such as So Fresh Saturdays in local parks.

Potential community activities include development of a community training garden as part of the farm; food- and environment-related workshops; a com-munity farm stand for produce sales; and educa-tional tours of the farm.

GROW GREATER ENGLEWOODGGE was organized to lead initiatives around urban greening, sustainability and urban agriculture in the Englewood community and is a coalition of many organizations and individuals committed to this mis-sion. It is well-situated to lead the implementation of this effort and will need the support from a wide network of resources to achieve this groundbreaking work. These steps will include the requirements to set up a Land Trust, build out the infrastructure to support the farmers, and arrange partnerships for



20

technical assistance where needed on specific tech-nical skills. Through this structure, the goal is for community-led decisions that will employ local res-idents, provide opportunities, and grow the techni-cal and entrepreneurial skills of the organization and farmers in the community.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTUREEnglewood Community Farms is a collaboration focused around its farmers and the network of part-ners brought together through Grow Greater Englewood. Though its primary function will be to produce locally grown food, it will also be a learning organization, a tool of economic development, a driver of community environmental improvements and a hub of community activities.

Englewood Commmunity FarmsPotential Organizational Structure

NeighborSpace

• Provides assistance on creation of land trust and land acquisition

• Brownfield assessment

Grow Greater Englewood

• Leads community engagement

• Facilitates outreach• Provides workforce

development• Secures resources

Farm Training Organizations(in formation)

Angelic Organics Learning Center, Growing Home, Growing Power, Perry

Avenue Farm, Soilutions, Sweet Water Foundation,

Your Bountiful Harvest, Windy City Harvest

• Provide assistance (aggregation, distribution, training)

Farm Enterprises

• Run own businesses• Share some resources• Commit to core concepts

#1 #6#2#3

#4 #5

#8

#7Common storage,

equipment

Farmers lease plots of 1/8 to 1+ acre

Supporters

• City of Chicago• Economic development

organizations• Foundations• Businesses

• Distributors• Grocery stores/chains• Restaurants• Farmers Markets/Farm Stand• WIC and CSA boxes• Food pantries

Food to Markets

Community Partners(in formation)

• Greater Englewood CDC• Residents Association of

Greater Englewood• Teamwork Englewood

Community garden/share

d space

Englewood Land Trust• Community control of land• Leases land to farm

enterprises• Prepares land for farming• Secures resources

Figure 7. Potential organizational structure



The organizational structure will support this diverse set of activities, and will require active coordination and leadership. The business structure for individual farmers is not yet determined (see choices below), but the role of most partners has been discussed and is likely to take a form as shown in Figure 10.

Farmers are at the center of the initiative, working various size plots depending on their interests and experience. Grow Greater Englewood (GGE), will coordinate local resources, inventory the needs of each farmer, manage the core services, and spear-head the Englewood Community Land Trust Cooperative, which will acquire land for the farms

and other uses. NeighborSpace will assist in devel-opment of the land trust, based on the organization’s experience with more than 100 community gardens and farms, including Growing Home’s Honore Street Farm.

The farmers will receive technical support from the farmer-training partners, and organizational support via GGE, which will manage the farm’s nonprofit operations and rent space to the farmers. GGE also will serve as primary liaison to public officials, foun-dations and community organizations, and will con-vene meetings as appropriate to connect farmers to the resources they need.

Randy Toranzo, Growing Power



22

COOPERATIVE OR INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES?Three primary business structures have been dis-cussed for farmer participation:

Cooperative modelThere are many examples of successful food cooper-atives, housing coops, and cooperative businesses, typically involving shared ownership that is defined through bylaws created for that particular enterprise. The Chicago Honey Coop is a successful model in Chicago that has been able to grow its market and distribution network. The Shared Ground Farmers’ Coop in Twin Cities, MN, for instance, is a marketing and distribution cooperative owned by farmers that sells to consumers, distributors and institutions. Green City Growers is a worker-owned cooperative in Cleveland that operates a three-acre greenhouse producing lettuce and other greens. Our Harvest is a union worker-owned urban farming cooperative in Cincinnati. Development of a cooperative will require legal and business-structure guidance.

Independent contractorsFarmers could operate as independent contractors who lease their land and equipment from the non-profit partner or land trust. Each farmer would have his or her own business with independent revenue streams, paying taxes as independent contractors and deducting expenses of running their farm oper-ation. Farmers would agree to certain lease and pro-ductivity requirements to maintain access to their land, and to a set of principles developed for all who participate in the Englewood Community Farms. This structure would not prevent farmers from pool-ing or aggregating their produce with others, split-ting the revenue on a per-unit basis.

Limited Liability Corporation (LLC)Some urban farmers in Chicago operate as LLCs, a business structure that could be considered for indi-vidual Englewood farmers or as a group of farmers. The advantage of an LLC (or similar business struc-ture) is that the for-profit entity has the authority to quickly make decisions and operate as a business. Sweet Beginnings is a business owned by the North Lawndale Employment Network that could serve as a model to explore further. Regardless of the farmer-business structure, the over-all enterprise is likely to require many types of start-up work, including market development, farmer training, farm management, fundraising, community and polit-ical outreach, and business-plan development.

Much of this work will depend on volunteerism or the commitment by nonprofit partners to contribute from their own existing resources. Fundraising will focus on filling essential positions and funding capital needs. As the farms develop, revenue streams from produce sales will support both operational and capital needs.

Windy City Farms



ACTION STEPS ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Realizing the vision of Englewood Community Farms will require successful collaborations among farm enterprises, community partners, resource organizations and others.

ACTION STEP TIMING

4.1 Continue to convene interested farmers and involve them in planning, fundraising and organizational development.

Now / On-Going

4.2 Solicit simple business plans from farmers to help develop the pilot and launch phases and to gauge needs for land and equipment.

Now

4.3 Recruit partner organizations in Englewood to spread the word and build support for development of urban agriculture.

Now / On-Going

4.4 Develop plans for farming in 2016 to maintain momentum and interest while land is being acquired and prepared for farming.

Now

4.5 Develop the Englewood Community Land Trust Cooperative and, if necessary, an interim partnership to advance the farm develop-ment while the land trust is being created. Identify key roles and responsibilities and potential lead organizations and individuals who can move forward on necessary steps.

Now

4.6 Continue development of a business structure that includes the landowner, nonprofit partners and farm enterprises.

Now

4.7 Engage legal and business experts as needed to assess organiza-tional choices and bring recommendations to GGE and the farm enterprises.

Pilot

4.8 Implement the chosen business structure, including incorpora-tion papers and all necessary licensing and operational requirements.

Launch

Windy City Farms



24

A three-year budget was created to determine the financial feasibility of creating a sustainable business strategy. The budget starts with an estimate of the capital needs.

Based on experiences of similar urban farms, includ-ing Growing Home, Windy City Harvest, and the experience of farmers participating in the group, the upfront capital expenses are estimated at approxi-mately $400,000.

These expenses include:• Purchase of land (since most blocks in the corridor

have a mixture of public and private lands).• Environmental costs (this amount may fluctuate

greatly depending on the specific condition of the land. Phase 1 and 2 environmental analysis is rec-ommended prior to purchase or acceptance of land in order to determine a more accurate budget estimate and control for costs).

• Security and fencing (required by City of Chicago ordinance).

• Hoop house (estimated at approximately $20,000 per hoop house).

• Soil preparation and compost.• Irrigation (estimated at $37,000).• Storage (could be conversion of an existing garage

or structure).

• Refrigeration (essential for produce).• Equipment.• Soft costs (including legal, licensing, environmental

testing, title and recording, appraisal and survey).

The total estimate for the capital expenses is $404,000. Ideally, all of this upfront capital is raised through a combination of:• Private grants targeted to urban agriculture, food

systems and/or workforce development.• Public grants.• TIF funding for infrastructure, site cleanup and

environmental remediation.

If it is not possible to raise all of the capital expenses up front, a 10-year loan of $84,000 at 5 percent inter-est would result in a $10,878 annual payment.

BUDGET AND FUNDRAISING5

Operations to be self-sustaining; funds needed for initial buildout



BUDGET AND FUNDRAISINGEnglewood Community Farms Capital Budget

REVENUE NOTES

SOURCES OF FUNDS

Grants $320,000 Combination of private and public sources to support upfront capital expenses

Loan $84,000 $84,000 10 year loan at 5% interest

TOTAL SOURCES $404,000 Total sources of revenue

EXPENSES NOTES

LAND

Purchase Donated land

Environmental $100,000

Security & Fencing $80,000

HARD COSTS

Hoop House $40,000 $20,000 per hoop house

Soil Prep

Compost $24,000 Compost

Irrigation $12,000

Storage $8,000

Refrigeration $6,000

EQUIPMENT

Tools & Equipment $30,000

Van $20,000 Note: $37,000 for refrigerated van

SOFT COSTS

Legal $5,000

Licensing/permits $2,000

Environmental $6,000

Title and recording $4,000

Appraisal $2,500

Survey $4,500

Labor $60,000

TOTAL EXPENSES $404,000



26

OPERATING BUDGETFor Englewood Community Farms to be financially viable, the operating budget must at least break even, including covering all expenses of the farmers and producing sufficient revenue to support their livelihoods (either on a part-time or full-time basis).

Revenues include:• Direct market sources, including farmers’ markets,

restaurants/specialty grocers and Community Supported Agriculture shares.

• Distributors, such as Midwest Foods.• Community (lower margin), including an

Englewood Farmstand, Women Infant Children (WIC) boxes and value-added products.

The budget developed below illustrates the concept for the shared support structure of the model. Each farmer will develop their own business, choose their own crops and markets but benefit from the shared resources detailed below.

Over three years, revenues are expected to increase from approximately $148,000 in phase 1 to $271,000. These revenue assumptions include a three year grant

of $50,000 per year to defray start-up expenses. This will require intensive use of the land and a well-orga-nized system of farming, along with an effective mar-keting strategy that serves both higher-end market sources as well as community outlets.

On the expense side, the budget assumes a basic stipend to the farmers of approximately $10,000 per farmer to cover upfront expenses such as seeding and supplies and labor, along with a full-time project coordinator to lead marketing, aggregation of pro-duce and development of the farm facilities. The base stipend would be replaced over time with earned expenses.

Additional expenses include:• Equipment maintenance• Debt payment (if needed)• Marketing• Insurance• Utilities (gas, electric and water)• Sales tax• Business licenses

Based on this budget scenario, the farm would break even in year 1, rising to net earnings of approxi-mately $78,000 in year 3. This would be a modest amount of earnings per farmer, but if revenues con-tinue to grow on this path, the farmers will earn greater incomes in future years.

The operating budget also includes a $10,878 annual payment over 10 years toward upfront capital expenses. If all of the capital expenses can be sup-ported though private and public grants, the bottom line would be even stronger.

Wash and Pack, Legends Farm



REVENUES YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 ASSUMPTIONS

Direct Market

Farmers Markets (Green City Mkt) $7,500 $10,000 $15,000 100% of cost

Restaurants/Specialty Grocers

CSA $30,000 $46,350 $63,654 $30 per box, 20 weeks

(100 in year 1, 125 in year 2, 150 in year 3)

Distributors (e.g. Midwest Organics) $34,800 $67,208 $89,610 $2.00 per square foot

Community

Englewood Farmstand $8,000 $10,000 $12,000 50% of direct market

WIC $10,000 $18,540 $25,462 $15 per box, 16 weeks

Value-added products

e.g. Honey $4,000 $6,000 $8,000

Beauty and other products $4,000 $6,000 $8,000

Grant support for start-up expenses $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 Three year start-up grant(s)

TOTAL REVENUES $148,300 $214,098 $271,726

EXPENSES YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 ASSUMPTIONS

Labor

Farmers $ 40,000 $50,000 $60,000 Base stipends for farmers

Project coordinator $ 40,000 $41,200 $42,436 Marketing and aggregating demand

Laborers $10,000 $15,000 $20,000 Combination of paid and volunteer

Equipment maintenance $4,000 $4,500 $5,000

Debt Payment (if needed) $ 10,878 $10,878 $10,878 10 year $198,000 loan at 5% interest

Marketing $ 5,000 $5,150 $5,305

Insurance $ 2,500 $2,500 $2,500 Liability insurance

Gas & electric $5,000 $6,000 $7,000

Water $ 4,000 $4,500 $5,000

Sales Tax $12,976 $18,734 $23,776

Business Licenses $100 $100 $100

Contingency $ 8,000 $ 9,750 $11,450 5% of total

TOTAL EXPENSES $142,455 $168,312 $193,445

NET EARNINGS $5,845 $45,786 $78,281 Earnings to be distributed to farmers based on individual earned revenues

Englewood Community Farms Operating Budget



28

ACTION STEPS BUDGET AND FUNDRAISING Acquisition of land and the launch of Phase 1 will require evidence of financial feasibility. More work is needed to provide that evidence, including:

ACTION STEP TIMING

5.1 Develop and implement a fundraising plan for the pilot phase and launch.

Now

5.2 Fine-tune the capital budget by having it vetted by other urban-farm experts and by checking costs of the required capital items.

Pilot

5.3 Work out multiple scenarios for operational costs and revenues based on different business structures, number of farmers and types of market outlets. Test these assumptions with existing urban farmers and during the pilot stage of Englewood Community Farms.

Pilot

5.4 Develop organizational structures and partnerships as needed to sustain the farm enterprises and allow for future growth.

Launch

Windy City Farms



ACTION STEPS BUDGET AND FUNDRAISING Acquisition of land and the launch of Phase 1 will require evidence of financial feasibility. More work is needed to provide that evidence, including:

ACTION STEP TIMING

5.1 Develop and implement a fundraising plan for the pilot phase and launch.

Now

5.2 Fine-tune the capital budget by having it vetted by other urban-farm experts and by checking costs of the required capital items.

Pilot

5.3 Work out multiple scenarios for operational costs and revenues based on different business structures, number of farmers and types of market outlets. Test these assumptions with existing urban farmers and during the pilot stage of Englewood Community Farms.

Pilot

5.4 Develop organizational structures and partnerships as needed to sustain the farm enterprises and allow for future growth.

Launch

Full development of an urban agriculture district in Englewood – consisting of multiple farms, ancillary food-related businesses and a healthy-food culture – will take 10 years or more. Englewood Community Farms seeks a central role in the district’s growth, and expects to show strong initial progress within three years.

The district’s development path will be influenced by philanthropic funding, government support and the interests of local farmers and entrepreneurs. Initial discussions with the City of Chicago indicate its willingness to convey appropriate properties for the Englewood farms to a well-organized local entity. While the land transfer is being negotiated, the orga-nizational structure for the farms can be finalized and market development can begin.

PREPARING THE FARMS6

Ten-year plan for creating a thriving urban agriculture district

Growing Power Iron Street farm



30

In the approach outlined below, land transfer will take place in 2016, followed by formal launch of Englewood farming operations in the spring of 2017. To maintain momentum and continue to develop farmer participation, pilot farming operations might be initiated in 2016 on other land, including other urban farm sites that have unused space available.

PREPARING THE LAND A phased approach allows the farm to start quickly, with core uses only, and add additional farm capabil-ities as financial resources and farmer capacity grow. Figure 7 shows a conceptual four-phase development on a two-acre (half city block) site, with new land and structures added in each phase, as follows:

Phase 1

Includes three hoop houses, three farm plots, a wash and pack station, refrigeration, a com-munity space for a farmstand and fencing.

Englewood Farms – Development Phases

Concept

2015• Convene for planning• Develop concept and potential

structures• Identify farmer assets, needs• Develop business plan and

proposal• Create budget scenarios• Recruit core farmer participants• Recruit core partners• Plan for incorporation of

Englewood Community Land Trust Cooperative

• Begin fundraising

2016 – Year 1• Convene community board or

board of directors• Begin coordination of farming

operations (possibly at interim locations)

• Develop market relationships• Recruit corporate partners• Acquire land• Identify needs, adjust business

plan as appropriate• Raise startup funds• Begin farmer workshops,

training

LaunchPilot Growth

Years 2-3• Prepare land for farming• Finalize legal structures• Bring on full complement of

farmers• Begin full-scale marketing

operations• Raise funds for specific needs

Years 4-10• Increase productivity, profits• Recruit new farmers• Extend growing season and

market season• Develop value-added products

or specialty crops• Develop indoor facilities for

food prep, refrigeration, offices• Raise funds

Figure 8. Evolution of Englewood Community Farms

Phase 3

A microbusiness incubator space in an adjacent property provides office and production space for food-related enterprises.

Phase 2

Adds two additional farm plots, an orchard space, an aquaponics venture in an existing building and a small parking area.

Phase 4

More growing space is added along with another hoop house if needed. The farm now totals approximately two acres, enough for eight farm-ers with from one-eighth to one-half acre each.



Figure 9. Conceptual farm layout for first phase of development

Figure 10: Conceptual layout for all four phases of development



32

ACTION STEPS PREPARING THE FARMS Farm phasing will depend on the energy and determination of project partners, the number of interest-ed and capable farmers, and financial commitments from supporters. Action steps include:

ACTION STEP TIMING

6.1 Develop list of needs and budget for launch including amount of space for cultivation, fencing, tools, hoophouses and storage.

Pilot

6.2 Share multi-phase, long-range plans with partners, potential funders and public officials.

Pilot

6.3 Work with farmers and other partners to determine future Launch

6.4 Implement phased growth to add land and facilities as needed. Launch - Growth

6.5 Clean the land – work with City of Chicago to complete environ-mental clean-up of land.

Launch

6.6 Build out Phase 1 by starting with at least one hoop house, sev-eral farm plots, a wash and pack station, refrigeration and a com-munity space.

Growth – Phase 1

6.7 Manage farms for first one to two years and evaluate progress; make adjustments.

Growth

6.8 Build out Phase 2 by adding additional farm plots, an orchard, and indoor space for workshops/events.

Growth – Phase 2

6.9 Evaluate progress, assess need. Growth – Phase 2

6.10 Build out Phase 3 based on refinement of business model; add microbusiness incubator space and additional office and produc-tion space for food-related enterprises.

Growth – Phase 3


6.12 Build out Phase 4, adding additional capacity for hoop houses, aquaponics, farm plots and amenities.

Growth – Phase 4

6.13 Evaluate progress, assess need, update business model. Growth – Phase 4



ACTION STEPS PREPARING THE FARMS Farm phasing will depend on the energy and determination of project partners, the number of interest-ed and capable farmers, and financial commitments from supporters. Action steps include:

ACTION STEP TIMING

6.1 Develop list of needs and budget for launch including amount of space for cultivation, fencing, tools, hoophouses and storage.

Pilot

6.2 Share multi-phase, long-range plans with partners, potential funders and public officials.

Pilot

6.3 Work with farmers and other partners to determine future Launch

6.4 Implement phased growth to add land and facilities as needed. Launch - Growth

6.5 Clean the land – work with City of Chicago to complete environ-mental clean-up of land.

Launch

6.6 Build out Phase 1 by starting with at least one hoop house, sev-eral farm plots, a wash and pack station, refrigeration and a com-munity space.

Growth – Phase 1

6.7 Manage farms for first one to two years and evaluate progress; make adjustments.

Growth

6.8 Build out Phase 2 by adding additional farm plots, an orchard, and indoor space for workshops/events.

Growth – Phase 2


6.10 Build out Phase 3 based on refinement of business model; add microbusiness incubator space and additional office and produc-tion space for food-related enterprises.

Growth – Phase 3


6.12 Build out Phase 4, adding additional capacity for hoop houses, aquaponics, farm plots and amenities.

Growth – Phase 4

6.13 Evaluate progress, assess need, update business model. Growth – Phase 4

NEXT STEPSThe critical next steps for Grow Greater Englewood and its partners are to start to put this plan into action. Over the Fall through Winter of 2015 and 2016, GGE will be conducting outreach to stakeholders, decid-ing on criteria for farmer recruitment, building out the organization, and exploring land acquisition.

This period is critical to reach certain milestones.:• Drafting and executing the establishment of the

Land Trust.• Convening farmers to develop operating proce-

dures, ground rules and responsibilities• Recruiting at least four farmers who are commit-

ted and available to commit to launching farms in the first phase

• Working with partners to identify land, conduct environmental testing, and finalizing capital budget; and

• Redefining operating budget based on the final phased land plan, refinement of market assump-tions, and developing relationships with distri-bution outlets.

Over the course of 2016, as the organization builds out, legal issues are addressed, prospective land is tested, and budgets are finalized, the Englewood Community Farms can begin to take shape. The Action Steps in this Business Plan provide a frame-work for a concerted effort to realize a vision that has been in place in the community since the 2005 Englewood Quality-of-Life Plan. It will be up to local leaders, with the assistance of a strong network of partners, to move forward to create financially viable enterprises that pursue urban farming in the Englewood community.

Johnnie Owens, Julian Sample, Kenya Vera Sample, Rebekah Silverman



34

Ben Helphand Executive [email protected](773) 826-3127www.neighbor-space.org

Sonya Harper Executive DirectorGrow Greater [email protected]

Contact Information

Growing Home Honore Street Farm (from Englewood Line)Growing Home Honore Street farm seen from Englewood Line



Growing Home Honore Street Farm

The project sponsors would like to thank the generous support of the Searle Funds at the Chicago Community Trust. We would also like to thank the participants in the process – the farmers, community members, and farm training organizations (Angelic Organics, Growing Home, Growing Power, and Windy City Harvest) for their time and expertise, and Patrick Barry who was the lead scribe for the project.

All photos courtesy of Patrick Barry and Scott Goldstein. Visualizations developed by Teska Associates.

www.teskaassociates.com

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