Sustainability

Perspectives

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  Becky Martinez

  Glen Ellyn, IL

  I believe the best research is hands-on and up close.

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  About Me

  I'm a busy mom of twins. Our family, along with our two dogs, loves spending time outdoors and being active. I love learning and experiencing new things!

  Why I'm a Field Mom

  I want to see where my food comes from and share what I learn with others. With all the conflicting information about what foods to feed your family, I am looking forward to learning firsthand from the people who grow it.

  From a Mom

  (On the hog tour I learned) It's all somewhat GREEN/ECO-FRIENDLY! Using the manure to fertilize the crops and feeding them bakery crumbs and discards are two ways this process is participating in some serious recycling!

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  Amy Rossi

  Naperville, IL

  I'm involved with my church, and I volunteer at school.

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  About me

  I have a degree in archaeology, I'm involved with my church, and I volunteer at school.

  About my family

  We have six children ranging from 15-years old to 2-years old. My family is into many sports:  hockey, baseball and basketball, etc. We enjoy movie nights on Fridays and barbeques on the weekends. Books are also big in our house.  Many of our kids are voracious readers.

  Why I'm a Field Mom

  I want to learn about farming life and the families who own and operate these farms – and teach my kids about the values we share. I find the whole idea of growing food or raising livestock to feed hundreds of people amazing. I don't think anyone who hasn't grown up on a farm actually has any idea of what goes on in their day-to-day lives – me included! It's easy to sit here in Naperville and go to the grocery store and not think about having to work for our food.

  What I hope to see on the farms

  I hope to visit a cattle or pig farm. I am most curious about the treatment of the animals. My view of animals is only of my pets that live indoors with my family. I don't know if I could separate my feelings for the animals enough to send them to market. It will be interesting to hear the farmer's take on it.

  From a Mom

  I like how everything at the farm is used and reused. Recycling at its finest! (grow corn, feed cattle, gather cattle manure, spread on fields to grow more corn). The use of Texas wasps to combat flies is ingenious. What a way to naturally fend off pests.

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  Betsie Estes

  Elk Grove Village, IL

  I'm back in Illinois after spending eight years in Texas.

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  About me I was raised in the Chicago area, and I'm back after spending eight years in Texas. I'm constantly trying to find new ways to cook things that will be appealing to preschoolers! About my family We have two children, 4-year old daughter Sophie, and 3-year old son Daniel. We love to take bike rides, go fishing, travel, and enjoy everything this amazing area has to offer. My husband and I split the cooking duties. Some of our favorite meals are our weekend breakfasts – my biscuits and gravy are to die for!

  Why I'm a Field Mom

  I worry about the hormones and antibiotics in food and how those things will affect my children down the road. I also worry about the demise of the family farm and the livelihood of the people who work so hard to keep this country healthy, happy and well-fed. Family farms are such an important part of America's heritage, and they need to be revered and preserved. I think everyone should know how much work goes into getting food from the field to the table.

  How I plans my family's meals

  There's a lot more planning that comes with being a mom, and especially a working mom! Not only do I have to make sure I'm cooking food my kids will eat and still offering healthy options, I have to plan every single meal well in advance to make sure the preparation will fit into our busy lives.

  From a Mom

  Over the years farmers have been able to produce a greater yield from a smaller area of land - not because anyone is manufacturing products like giant ears of corn, but because the plants they do grow are more efficient - such as being able to be planted much closer together than variations from 100 years ago.

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  Farrah Brown

  Glendale Heights, IL

  I'm a part-time nurse, so it's challenging to cook every night.

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  About me

  I'm a part-time nurse, so it's challenging to cook every night. I've made some big changes in the way my family eats over the past year, starting us on a journey toward healthier eating and ridding our diets of unnecessary preservatives
  and additives.

  About my family

  We have two sons, age 5 and age 3. We love to ride our bikes to the park and enjoy time outdoors. We love reading and doing crafts together. I love to take my boys on adventures – finding a new spot every week to explore and have fun and broaden their horizons.

  Why I'm a Field Mom

  It's becoming increasingly important to me to know exactly where my food is coming from, and be able to trust that it's safe and healthy. Fresh meat and produce from trusted sources has become one of my obsessions. I would love to be able to see the farms firsthand, and learn about the processes involved in growing the food I feed my family.

  How being a mom has changed my family's view of food

  Now, we definitely put more time into planning a menu that provides the most possible nutrition and balance while still trying to stay within a modest budget.

  From a Mom

  They are always striving to make their farm more efficient so that they can maximize their yields and minimize the costs (both for them and the consumers).

  Mike Martz, one of the farmers, said "It's either doing 1 thing 100% better or 100 things 1% better, but we are always trying to improve." I love that! I think I might have to adopt that phrase for myself.

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  Julie Barreda

  Chicago, IL

  I'm a former marketing and corporate training professional.

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  About me

  I'm a former marketing and corporate training professional, now mostly a stay-at-home mom, school volunteer and occasional freelancer. I love the idea of learning about a different way of life – one that puts food on our table – and getting to share that with other people.

  About my family

  We are a party of five: me, my husband, our 10-year old daughter Evie, 8-year old daughter Maddy, and 4-year old son Michael. Our proximity to Wrigley Field make going to baseball games a regular event for our family. We go to church every Sunday, enjoy bike riding on the lakefront and boating in the summer.

  Why I'm a Field Mom

  Just like money doesn't come out of an ATM, food doesn't just arrive at your table each day. There's much more real story behind it – that's what I want my family to know and appreciate. As city people, we often forget that Illinois is an agricultural state, and a lot happens outside of the city. The Field Mom program can really help bridge the gap between farmers and consumers.

  The food choices I feed my family

  I really try to make good, conscientious choices about what I buy in the store. I rarely buy soda, sugared cereals or anything with sweetened with artificial sugars. I try to serve balanced meals that are colorful and healthy. The biggest challenge is time and meal planning.

  From a Mom

  On the Martz farm, Mike made a point to mention that no one had said anything about the flies after we were done touring the cattle operation - because there weren't any (or at least, not many). Wasps brought in from Texas control the fly population by eating the flies before they ever develop into adulthood.