Rock Creek Farm

07/20/2022

Sharing recent news coverage of Iroquois Valley farm partners!

In awe of our neighbors (close enough) and close friends Locavore Farm. ***Do not miss on the opportunity to dine, tour and celebrate at their new Sumac Creek Farm this season!

Reserve tickets -> https://www.locavorefarm.com/dineontheland

07/08/2022

A couple photos from the Rock Creek Farm stop on the recent Growing with Agriculture Field Day, a tour of farms in Will County organized by Chicago Wilderness. It was a privilege to meet such a knowledgeable group with a myriad of fascinating connections to agriculture.

Dave Miller, Co-founder of Iroquois Valley Farms and Co-Chair of the Board, welcomed the tour in the dairy barn-turned community gathering space. Dave spoke about the company’s founding in Iroquois County and relationships built over the years; A community that has grown to 60+ farms in 16 states, supported by over 600 investors to date. He concluded with the proverbial bringing home of the company’s work building community capital in facilitation of diversified agriculture and rooting this experience at Rock Creek Farm.

Following Dave, new farm partner and Rock Creek row crop manager, Corey Johnson, and his father Rick Johnson, described beginning management on fields in the final years of transition to organic, and plans for no-till soybeans and strip tilled corn next season. Much more to come from the Johnsons, true leaders in the community and innovators in the field.

Many thanks, again, to Chicago Wilderness and all tour participants. Until the next event!

06/15/2022

Many thanks for organizing this wonderful tour with Will County and local farmers. Rock Creek Farm is the first stop!

We're looking forward to learning about tour participants' interests and experience in agriculture. Iroquois Valley Farms co-founder and former CEO, Dave Miller, will speak to the company, its diverse portfolio of organic farms, and Rock Creek Farm in early stages of growth and development.

Visit the event page, and support the work of Chicago Wilderness -

https://www.chicagowilderness.org/page/GrowingFieldDay

Join us NEXT Friday, June 24 for an in-person bus tour of 4 farms in Will County showcasing the future of and regenerative, sustainable practices. Invite your elected officials along to show them what farming should be!

Register: https://rb.gy/ciyoil

04/22/2022

Wishing our local community, fellow midwesterners and all northern hemisphere inhabitants a blessed spring season.

Restoration of the historic farmhouse is near completion right in time for a few community events that will be posted soon.

This past week was busy with floor sanding throughout the house. Pictured is the "community room," on the second floor where the original fir is quite a sight.

On the outside, concrete in front of the Morton building and a sidewalk to the house were put in this week.

Watch for posts on farm gatherings at Rock Creek and boosts of other local events!

Pictures of native woody perennial blooms coming soon 🍃

01/06/2022

Happy New Year!

The "dairy store" will be open in the historic farmhouse this Saturday, the 8th, from 9-12. This week's selection: whole milk, vanilla yogurt, kefir and small fruit yogurts from Rocky Road Dairy.

Many thanks for following our progress on the restoration of the landscape and farm buildings this past year.

All 340 transition to organic acres were put into cover crop and 80 certified organic acres were planted to alfalfa hay. Several thousand plants, composed of 12 new woody perennial species, were added to the field border windbreaks. 3 native fruit and nut orcharding were planted, as well.

In the house, new windows, electric, plumbing, entryways, siding, bathrooms and a geothermal heating and cooling system were installed. Upgrades to the dairy barn made the hay loft a sought-after meeting and party space.

We so appreciate everyone who has worked on and visited the farm. Look out for updates and invitations to events this year.

12/10/2021

Another reminder that Dave will be at the farmhouse selling Rocky Road Dairy products TOMORROW, SATURDAY, from 9-12.

Rocky Road's website here:

rockyroaddairy.com

'Milk The Way God Intended,' IS RIGHT.

12/06/2021

Lookin pretty festive around here! Took advantage of unseasonably warm temperatures and low wind this past week to finish painting the old dairy barn. We're excited to see this space transformed for all kinds of events in the future. Who doesn't love a barn party?

12/01/2021

Beautiful cedar siding was finished on the historic house's back porch! Paint or not to paint, that is the question...

The farm is mostly quiet until spring/summer when woody perennial planting and haying will start anew.

***The main attraction this winter is ongoing Illinois dairy product sales in the historic farmhouse on Saturdays from 9-noon. A store that will sell a diversity of local farm products is in the works. For now, come get yogurt, kefir, and cheese from Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery and Rocky Road Dairy.***

Wishing everyone a healthy and bright holiday season!

11/17/2021

While the Rock Creek Historic Farmhouse and Farm Store is still under construction, the public is welcome to visit ***Saturdays from 9-12*** to taste a selection of local, organic dairy products and make purchases. Yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese and an assortment of cheeses from Rocky Road Dairy and Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery will be available. We look forward to seeing you!

11/11/2021

Come over to Rock Creek this Saturday for a tour and to hear about farm planning over a cup of hot cider. We will be serving up some samples of Illinois dairy products that will be sold at the farm store in the near future, too! See invite. Thanks!