Lake County Farm Stroll features CLC campus land
The College of Lake County's campus farm, located on the east side of the Grayslake Campus, will be among nine local family farms featured on the second annual Lake County Farm Stroll. Area residents can take free, self-guided tours from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16.
The event, which will take place rain or shine, has no beginning or end. Participants simply choose the area farms they wish to visit and bring cash for food and activities at each farm. For safety, participants are asked to dress appropriately and leave pets at home.
At CLC's farm, highlights will focus on the college's recent Bee Campus USA status, received in the spring.
College representatives also will conduct tours of the campus arboretum, which helped the college earn a Tree Campus USA designation this year.
Literature on CLC's horticulture programs, including sustainable agriculture, will be available. Additionally, the college's Farm Market will sell campus-grown tomatoes, peppers, squash and assorted greens.
The campus farm offers hands-on learning for students in CLC's horticulture and sustainable agriculture programs. Students help plan and implement the growing of crops in both outside plots and in two transparent plastic hoop houses that extend the growing season, according to Matt DeRose, local food coordinator in CLC's horticulture department.
Selected produce, including tomatoes and lettuce, is used in CLC's Café Willow on the Grayslake campus.
"We're excited to be a part of the Farm Stroll because it's an opportunity to introduce people to local foods that they otherwise may not be aware of," DeRose said.
The Farm Stroll is a joint effort of the University of Illinois Extension office in Grayslake, the Lake County Farm Bureau and CLC.
Participating farms include:
• College of Lake County Sustainable Farm, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake.
• Fields & Fences Equestrian Center, 36550 N. Hunt Club Road, Gurnee.
• Golden Oaks Farm, 27730 W. Bonner Road, Wauconda.
• Grow Well Farms, 145 S. Green Bay Road, Lake Forest.
• Jameks Farm, 40822 N. Kilbourne Road, Wadsworth.
• Krueger's Vegetable Stand, 28572 W. Route 120, Lakemoor.
• Prairie Crossing Farm, 32400 N. Harris Road, Grayslake.
• SafeHouse Farm Alpacas, 25550 W. Cuba Road, Barrington.
• University of Illinois Extension/Farm Bureau, 70 Hwy. 45, Grayslake.
For more information about the Lake County Farm Stroll, visit web.extension.illinois.edu/lm.
To find out the latest offerings from the College of Lake County Farm Market, visit www.facebook.com/clchorticulture. For more information on CLC's horticulture program, visit www.clcillinois.edu/programs/hrt.