Upper Midwest CRAFT

2023 Updates:

March to March Membership Cycle

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More membership options!

See the 'Membership' tab below for more information

Upper Midwest Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) is a farmer-led training alliance organized by alternative agriculture farmers in the Stateline region: northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, and Chicagoland. We welcome all levels of experience, whether you’ve never farmed before, you seek advanced training, or you’re transitioning to sustainable agriculture.

Join our network

Upper Midwest CRAFT is built on the practice of farmer-to-farmer training where shared farmer experiences, wisdom, methodology, discussion, and place-based knowledge strengthen the community of regional growers at any and all levels of skill and experience.

Membership

To join the Directory - submit a profile survey.
To see Membership Discounts, check tab below

US Military VETERANS: contact us to receive FREE membership!

Membership Discounts

Membership includes discounts for:

Angelic Organics Learning Center programs
Center for Agrarian Learning at McHenry County College workshops

History

The first CRAFT program was founded in Hudson Valley, New York in 1995. In 1997, ten farmers from northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin founded the second program in the United States - Upper Midwest CRAFT. Since then, the alliance has become one of the leading efforts to train the next generation of alternative agriculture practitioners: organic, biodynamic, silvopasture, regenerative, permaculture, no-dig/no-till, and conservationist farmers. Graduates, who now lead dozens of new local farms, are trained by some of the most accomplished farmers in the Midwest. More than 85 sustainable farms in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin belong to the Upper Midwest CRAFT. Coordination is provided by Angelic Organics Learning Center.

CRAFT Outside of the Stateline Region

Visit www.craftfarmer.org to find a CRAFT organization near you!