More than 4,000 people turned out for the three-day Family Farmed Expo extravaganza at the UIC Forum in Chicago in mid-March to participate in a celebration of local food and other products made on nearby farms, according to the event’s planners.

Jim Slama, president of the Oak Park-based non-profit that organized the event, noted close to 130 vendors were on hand to display and sell their goods and services. What made the event stand out, however, was the high caliber of workshops for people who work in the local food sector and for others who came to take some good advice home to their families, he said.

 “All three days had amazing workshops with leaders in their field both regionally and nationally,” he said. “I’m grateful for the level of speakers we attracted who were willing to give of their time to talk about their expertise in the local food system.”

The first two days of the Fifth annual Expo (March 11-12) focused on meetings, workshops and a trade show that was geared toward individuals already working in the local farming food sector or anyone looking to learn the ropes about getting started. Workshop topics included Financing Farms and Farmers, Greening your Restaurant, Preparing for Wholesale Success, and Rockstar Farmers (including famed local TV journalist/environmentalist Bill Kurtis who raises his own grass-fed cattle). Investors and economic development specialists were on hand to discuss opportunities and help educate regional farmers and food processors.

Friday night was a highlight with the Expo’s Localicious party, a benefit event open to all. The food-focused party doubled up family farms with more than a dozen chef-driven restaurants to give party-goers a broad sampling of the locally-sourced foods prepared with flair at Chicago-area restaurants. Proceeds from the evening support FamilyFarmed.org, which is an instrumental player in building the vast network of local food systems.

The last day was designed with the general public in mind and many came to check out new trends, including tips on growing your own food or raising chickens in your own backyard. Many showed up to taste terrific local food from vendor samples and celebrity chef demos, including Rick Bayless and Gale Gand. A kids corner featured activities, food and room to run around.

Chicago resident Mary Ellen Messner arrived with her twin 19-month-old boys and husband Jim in tow on Saturday to check out what the Expo had to offer. “I thought it would be mostly food here, but I was surprised to find sheep’s wool and soaps for the bath,” she said, adding, “We also ran into
lots of like-minded friends.”

Some Expo-goers sat in on one of a multitude of workshops to learn about new ways to incorporate local food into their everyday life. One session on Farming in the City was standing-room only, where a panel included veteran urban agriculture expert Ken Dunn of the Resource Center. He encouraged residents to take over vacant lots in their neighborhoods and turn them into community gardens. “There’s more than 20,000 vacant acres in Chicago, which can produce all the greens we need to feed people in this city,” implored Dunn.

Master Gardener Jeanne Pinsof Nolan told the audience not to be intimidated about transforming their own front or backyards into vegetable gardens that can reduce a family’s carbon footprint and begin to make our city a more sustainable place to live. Moderator Erika Allen of Growing Power, Inc., urged attendees to call their aldermen to support a newly-introduced ordinance that would create special zoning for urban agriculture.

Jacqueline Smith, a master’s degree student at DePaul University, said the Farming in the City panel was awesome. “They inspired me to get my own container boxes and start growing my own garden,” said Smith, who also has a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics. She also applauded the city’s efforts to create urban agricultural zoning.
 
Smith attended the Expo with friend Rose Scott, who co-chairs the farmers market at Trinity United Church of Christ on the city’s far south side on 95th Street and Eggleston Ave. “We know we’re in a food desert where we live and we want people to eat healthier and have access to more fresh vegetables,” she says. “I learned a lot here today that I can take back to my church and farmers market.”
 
Many CSA (community supported agriculture) representatives were on hand to explain their farmer-supported concept of buying shares in a season of crops and then enjoying the bounty on a weekly basis once the produce is harvested. Irv Cernauskas, a co-owner of Irv and Shelly’s Fresh Picks CSA, said lots of families who stopped by to chat with him and co-owner Shelly on Saturday were new to the idea of CSAs, but were eager to learn more. He also participated in a couple of panel discussions during the Expo, including one for consumers called “Local & Organic Eating on a Dime.”

Eric Rose, an owner of mushroom farm and gourmet food purveyer River Valley Ranch & Kitchens in Burlington, Wisconsin, participated in a couple of financing sessions during the Expo and introduced some new products to consumers at his table in the main exhibit space on Saturday. New items included a portobello ravioli and portobello chili.

“I met some new faces here and of course saw many people I already know,” said Rose, who is a regular at the Green City Market in Lincoln Park. “I love coming here because it’s like a farmers market without the rain.”