Producer
Midnight Sun Farm
Contact: Becky, Nick
Address: 18444 County Line Rd. Harvard, IL, 60033
Phone: 708-275-9301
Website: https://midnightsunfarm.com
About Us
Nick Choate-Batchelder and Becky Stark own and operate Midnight Sun Farm. We started farming in 2010 on land rented from the Liberty Prairie Conservancy in Grayslake, IL. In 2014, we moved with our son Ray to our current farm home in
Capron, IL (near Harvard). We were lucky to be able to partner with a couple who believe sincerely in the importance of local agriculture and small farms, and have enabled us to purchase this land and grow our business through their flexibility and support.
At our farm, we grow vegetables and herbs and raise laying hens and, sometimes, turkeys. These days we do all of the work of farming and marketing ourselves.
We follow farming practices that preserve the ecological integrity of our farmland and the areas surrounding us.
Capron, IL (near Harvard). We were lucky to be able to partner with a couple who believe sincerely in the importance of local agriculture and small farms, and have enabled us to purchase this land and grow our business through their flexibility and support.
At our farm, we grow vegetables and herbs and raise laying hens and, sometimes, turkeys. These days we do all of the work of farming and marketing ourselves.
We follow farming practices that preserve the ecological integrity of our farmland and the areas surrounding us.
Practices
We are farming on land that we have occupied since November 2014. We grow our produce without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, using farming practices that conserve soil and water, promote soil fertility and health, and preserve the health of surrounding ecosystems.
Pest and Disease Control
Our primary method of pest and disease control is to promote overall plant health and vigor and maintain an appropriate crop rotation. We use floating row cover to deter flea beetle damage. We occasionally use inter-cropping, beneficial insects, diatomaceous earth, and BT, an OMRI-approved biological control agent, to manage pests.
Weed Control
We use cover cropping to decrease weed emergence and discourage weed growth. We occasionally use mulch or green mulch to discourage weed emergence. We use mechanical cultivation (both tractor-based and manual) to control emergent weeds.
Feeding the Soil
We use cover cropping to increase soil carbon and nitrogen content. We spread manure produced by our chickens and turkeys on our fields, and often pasture our livestock directly on our fields, to increase overall soil fertility. We also work closely with Midwestern BioAg to obtain soil tests and we apply OMRI-approved fertilizers, such as micronutrients, when needed (for example, during planting).
Sourcing Seeds
We source our seeds from several seed companies, all of which have non-GMO pledges. We source organically produced seeds when they are commercially available, and use conventionally produced seeds when organic seeds are unavailable. We start seedlings in our greenhouse in plug trays, in a compost-based, OMRI-approved potting mix from Wisconsin. We occasionally apply fish emulsion to our seedlings before they are planted out.
Raising our Animals
We house our laying hens in a permanent barn and adjacent pasture and forested area. The birds have access both to dry, sheltered areas and ample pasture, and they can move freely throughout the barn and outside areas during the day. We use rotational pasturing, coupled with moveable shelters, to house our turkeys.
We raise all of our poultry from chicks, and do not use growth hormones or antibiotics. Our poultry is fed a conventionally-grown grain ration, overflow from the produce operation, and whatever bugs, grass, seeds and other greenery they can forage in the pasture and forest.
Pest and Disease Control
Our primary method of pest and disease control is to promote overall plant health and vigor and maintain an appropriate crop rotation. We use floating row cover to deter flea beetle damage. We occasionally use inter-cropping, beneficial insects, diatomaceous earth, and BT, an OMRI-approved biological control agent, to manage pests.
Weed Control
We use cover cropping to decrease weed emergence and discourage weed growth. We occasionally use mulch or green mulch to discourage weed emergence. We use mechanical cultivation (both tractor-based and manual) to control emergent weeds.
Feeding the Soil
We use cover cropping to increase soil carbon and nitrogen content. We spread manure produced by our chickens and turkeys on our fields, and often pasture our livestock directly on our fields, to increase overall soil fertility. We also work closely with Midwestern BioAg to obtain soil tests and we apply OMRI-approved fertilizers, such as micronutrients, when needed (for example, during planting).
Sourcing Seeds
We source our seeds from several seed companies, all of which have non-GMO pledges. We source organically produced seeds when they are commercially available, and use conventionally produced seeds when organic seeds are unavailable. We start seedlings in our greenhouse in plug trays, in a compost-based, OMRI-approved potting mix from Wisconsin. We occasionally apply fish emulsion to our seedlings before they are planted out.
Raising our Animals
We house our laying hens in a permanent barn and adjacent pasture and forested area. The birds have access both to dry, sheltered areas and ample pasture, and they can move freely throughout the barn and outside areas during the day. We use rotational pasturing, coupled with moveable shelters, to house our turkeys.
We raise all of our poultry from chicks, and do not use growth hormones or antibiotics. Our poultry is fed a conventionally-grown grain ration, overflow from the produce operation, and whatever bugs, grass, seeds and other greenery they can forage in the pasture and forest.