Farm animals may come to Brunner forest preserve in Carpentersville
About 20 percent of the Brunner Family Forest Preserve may soon be home to a for-profit organic farm with nearly 1,400 animals, according to a new plan before Kane County Forest Preserve District commissioners.
Farming isn't a new use for forest preserve land in the county. About 5,000 acres is already leased out to local farmers for commercial use. But the farm operation would be new to the Brunner preserve, which some consider the "crown jewel" of the district's land holdings.
The district purchased the 740-acre parcel near Carpentersville in 2008.
Commissioners have sought sensible ways to restore and preserve the large barn on the property ever since.
Monica Meyers, the district's executive director, told commissioners this week putting a new farm operation in the barn would not only preserve the barn but improve it and the surrounding structures and land.
The plan would also bring some new revenue to the district.
Barrington Natural Farms is the prospective tenant for the barn and up to 150 acres surrounding it.
In the first year of the pending five-year deal, the district would charge $50 an acre to lease the land.
The price doubles in the second year to $100 an acre and maxes out at $200 an acre for the remainder of the agreement.
There are also four, five-year renewal options in the deal. That equals a maximum commitment of 25 years for the lease, unless commissioners and the farm seek more renewals.
The company wants to expand because demand for its organic products outstrips its current capacity. That's good news for the district - the pending agreement would also give the forest preserve district a 5 percent cut of any products sold by the company that originate on the Brunner property.
Those products would include cheese, milk, eggs and meats. There will be broiler and egg chickens, beef and dairy cows, and pigs on the property if commissioners approve the deal.
Commissioner Becky Gillam is the lead champion of the pending agreement. She said the farm will help address local demand for freshly-butchered meats and locally-grown vegetables and eggs.
Forest district President Mike Kenyon, a farmer himself, hailed the additional promise of public education programs about farming at the site as part of why the deal would be a good move.
"We're getting the barn used. We're getting youth education. We're getting animals out there for people to see every day. And, we're not hiring an employee to do it," Kenyon said. "I think it's a home run."
Commissioner Phil Lewis deemed it more of a bunt single. Both he and Commissioner T.R. Smith expressed some concern about the possible perception that the district is entering into the commercial farming business by taking some of the profits.
Lewis also worried about setting a precedent by using such a large portion of a preserve for a private commercial use.
"I'm a bit concerned about parceling off 150 acres, which is a substantial amount of that forest preserve, for the exclusive use of a citizen for a grant total of $30,000 a year," Lewis said. "That's a fraction of what we paid for that place. We have other barns and other places for farming. Why would we do it here, and we wouldn't do it some other place?"
In the end, commissioners passed the proposal on to the forest district's executive committee for further debate.