Supporting Sustainable Agriculture

October 2015

Sheep at Sun Dappled Farms
Sheep at Sun Dappled Farms. Photo: Sun Dappled Farms Facebook page

The Heart of Illinois Group took action to support Sun Dappled Farms, a small, local, chemical free farm in Peoria County near Farmington. Akron Services, Inc., has plans to redevelop and expand an old grain elevator next door to the farm. The agribusiness corporation, with three existing facilities in Peoria County, filed a zoning request to enable them to add large chemical and fertilizer storage and services. Owners of the farm have concerns that these plans will affect their business. The HOI Group Executive Committee approved sending an e-mail alert to the Group members in Peoria County to let them know how they could help. They also sent a letter to the Peoria County Zoning Board of Appeals to express the Group’s concerns, including that the zoning request did not fit with the Peoria County Comprehensive Plan. 

Sun Dappled Farms includes a market garden, grass fed livestock, orchard enterprises and a vacation rental/farm tourism business. In recent years they have planted fruit and nut trees in a perennial agriculture system that produces local food while sequestering carbon and providing a haven for bees, butterflies and other wildlife. Sun Dappled Farms also provides sustainable agriculture education and field learning opportunities. It is a case study site for the Savanna Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing restorative, savanna-based agricultural systems through research, education and outreach.

Concerns expressed by the farm owners included:  an estimated 2,200 semi-truck round trips in the first year alone creating noise from braking and accelerating as well as diesel fumes, chemical dangers from the storage of a large quantity of anhydrous ammonia just steps from where they live and work, grain dust, noise from grain dryers, and bright security lights at night.

Following a hearing by the county Zoning Board of Appeals and then the county Land Use Committee, both recommending approval of the Akron Services request, the matter went to the Peoria County Board. After hearing public comments at their meeting on October 8th, the county board voted to approve the request.

Thank you to those who sent e-mails to officials, signed the farm’s on-line petition, attended hearings or offered public comment in support of Sun Dappled Farms. Learn more at the Sun Dappled Farms Facebook page and their HomeAway restored farm house rental

Please support sustainable agriculture in YOUR community and eat local.