What We Do
This mark’s Heritage Prairie’s third year of four-season growing based on the methods and work of Eliot Coleman. In the previous three years Heritage Prairie has cultivated just over 1 acre of the 6 acre farm. Beginning in the 2010 season, an additional 7 acres adjacent to the existing farm has been leased increasing the area to be cultivated to a total of 8 acres. The new acreage will allow Heritage Prairie to grow and provide even more local, fresh, and organically grown food for an increasing demand in the Chicagoland area among chefs and farmers’ markets.

Heritage Prairie Farm employs a combination of high production, low acreage, four-season methods developed by Eliot Coleman, combined with the staff’s expertise and experience growing in the Fox Valley. In order to extend the growing season and maximize the most efficient use of land, we use a system of four moveable greenhouses, succession plantings, and crop rotation. With this system we have been consistently among the first farms at market to offer tomatoes for sale and among the last farms at market selling spinach, carrots, and radishes. In a relatively brief period, Heritage Prairie has established a strong reputation for providing very high quality, reasonably priced produce.

Throughout the year we produce the following vegetables: amaranth, arugula, asparagus, beans, beets, broccoli, broccoli raab, cabbage, carrots, celeriac, chard, collard greens, cauliflower, cucumber, eggplant, fennel, garlic, mixed greens, cilantro, dill, basil, rosemary, peppermint, thyme, kale, leeks, various head and leaf lettuces, melons, onions, parsnips, peas, peppers, potatoes, radicchio, radishes, rutabaga, shallots, spinach, strawberries, summer squash, tomatoes, tomatillos and turnips.

In addition to seasonal vegetables, we grow specialty produce year-round in our fully heated green house. These include micro greens and petite greens for market and restaurant sales. Depending on the time of year, we typically offer the following micro greens; cilantro, basil, curly cress, pea tendrils, sunflower sprouts, pac choi, mizuna, shungiku, amaranth, beet, and our own, unique mix of micro greens (HPM Mix).

Due to our family farm’s small size it is not economically feasible for us to seek USDA Organic Ceritifcaiton. However we are Certified Naturally Grown.

	Hoophouses houses use solar energy to heat the soil to temperatures above that of the air outside the house. That means we can plant and grow crops almost year-round.
To the right, three different varieties of lettuce are grown in one of our hoophouses. Because of the unique design of the house, we were able to start this lettuce when there was snow on the ground.
This is Christafine, the minature donkey. She was brought to us by Field of Dreams, an organization that helps animals that are "in-between" homes and helps them to be healthy in body, mind, and spirit so they can find their forever homes. She has been with us on the farm for a few years.
Pictured to the right is one of our goats, Annie.
	In the foreground is Immajean, identfied by her large white blaze. In the background on the left is Daisy, also curious about our photographer. And in the background on the right is Mr. Matthews.