Public Programs
From cheese making to composting to animal adventures, our on-farm public programs offer inspiring ideas, hands-on skills, and fun experiences on the farm. Adults, kids, and families are welcome for tours, workshops, and programs throughout the year.
Find out about public programs in Chicago.
- Explore Food & Farming – walking tours, beekeeping, and more
- Fun for Families – day and overnight programs for the whole family
- Day Camps On the Farm! – day camps for kids
- From the Fields to the Kitchen – cheese making, soap making, and more
- Learn to Garden Organically – organic gardening and composting for the home gardener
- Sustainable Building Skills - "whole tree" architecture, building with cob, and more
Click on the title of each event below to view upcoming dates or download a PDF version of our calendar.
Click here for complete registration information.
To learn more about the programs listed below, contact Deb Crockett, Program Director, at 815.389.8455 or workshops@learngrowconnect.org .
Note: Because this is a working farm and residence, we cannot accommodate unscheduled visitors.
Explore Food & Farming
Learn more about our Farmer Training Initiative.
Walking Tour of Angelic Organics
Join us for a tour and introduction to Angelic Organics, the Biodynamic vegetable farm in northern Illinois featured in the award-winning documentary film The Real Dirt on Farmer John. We will explore what makes this a biodynamic and community supported agriculture (CSA) farm. Learn basic strategies for growing food without chemical inputs and see the seasonal work underway at the farm. Wear sturdy shoes (conditions may be muddy!) and clothes appropriate for the weather.
Introduction to Biodynamic Agriculture
Join us for an introduction to the comprehensive ecological methods behind the Biodynamic farming movement inspired by Rudolf Steiner. We'll explore the farm, learning how soils, plants, animals, and people together form a dynamic living organism. Hands-on activities will include preparation-making, applications to compost and fields, plant observations, and learning how to use planetary calendars. Angelic Organics' own Farmer John will discuss the inspiration, evolution, and vision of this farm, as well as his experiences visiting Biodynamic farms around the world. Co-hosted with Angelic Organics Learning Center and Michael Fields Agricultural Institute.
Farm Dreams: Assessing Risks & Resources to Start a Small Farm or Market Garden
Have you ever dreamed of starting your own farm? In this interactive workshop, we'll learn about types of sustainable farming careers in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, take part in a series of self-assessments, and be better prepared to decide whether to pursue a farming business is the right choice for you. We'll hear about regional training opportunities through the Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT), university extension, small business development centers, and others. Includes a presentation of farming enterprises, a tour of a growing site, and an opportunity to ask questions about the development of successful local farms.
Thinking about getting a goat? Come learn about the basics of different breeds, housing, feed requirements, and breeding. We’ll learn how to milk a goat, trim hooves, and what to look for when purchasing your first goat. Learn methods for processing milk, including pasteurization, using a milk separator, and making ricotta and yogurt.
Learn about the beauty of working with bees using a top bar hive. After discussing the design and management of top bar hives, the class will construct several hive bodies for some participants to bring home.
Real Dirt on Farmer John, with Farmer John!
Enjoy the award-winning movie The Real Dirt on Farmer John with an outdoor screening at Angelic Organics. A lively discussion with Farmer John (and possible music with Lesley Freeman, the bee lady from the movie!) will take place after the movie. Please bring lawn chairs or blankets.
Towards Saving the Honeybee: A Holistic Beekeeping Workshop
Gunther Hauk is a holistic beekeeper with over 30 years of experience. Turning the tide of the honeybee’s spiraling death rate is a task dear to his heart. You’ll learn beekeeping methods that run contrary to conventional practices but have been proven to increase the honeybee’s health and vitality. This special workshop is presented in honor of Lora Krogman's life and passions.
Women's Overnight at Angelic Organics
Come enjoy the farm while camping with other women! We’ll complete a work project, do chores together, enjoy a leisurely walk around the farm, and share an evening around the campfire. For meals, we’ll pick, prepare, and share delicious food from the farm. Bring your tent and friends!
Fun for Families
Animal Day for Families (Full day program)
Bring your kids to the farm for a day of hands-on experiences with the animals. Help the crew milk the goats, feed the horses, and gather eggs from the ducks and chickens. See how you can produce soil from kitchen scraps with worm boxes. Tour the farm and explore how animals fit into the rest of the farm. Make goat’s milk ice cream and enjoy a potluck meal under the trees near our new timber frame barn.
Fun with Farm Animals (Preschoolers and parents)
Meet our baby chicks, care for pregnant goats, and gather eggs from the chickens in this 3 week program series for preschool children and their parents all about farm animals. Wear clothes suitable for outside farm work.
Adventures with Farm Animals (After school program)
Elementary-age youth are invited to this afterschool program to help our farm crew care for the livestock, learning about a different animal every day. Feed hay to the cows, gather eggs from the chickens, and care for our pregnant goats. Wear clothes suitable for outside farm work.
Cornbread from the Ground Up
Starting with ears of dried corn, we’ll cook up a feast of tasty cornbread. Family members of all ages are welcome to take turns as we shuck, shell, winnow and grind the corn. After gathering eggs and other goodies from the farm, we’ll bake our bread in an outdoor earthen oven. Learn about the long history of corn, and have a recipe and tips about seeds to bring home. Parents register with children.
Eggs-cellent Adventures
In this program all about eggs, come meet the chickens and ducks, find out how baby birds develop, and collect colorful eggs from our rare-breed chickens. Using natural dyes, each family will color eggs to bring home. Children must be accompanied by adult.
The Buzz on Bees: A Family Program
Come to the farm to learn all about amazing honeybees! We’ll play games to learn about bee biology, find out what to plant at home to help the bees, and taste honey straight from the hive. If weather conditions permit, we’ll be able to open a hive and see the bees at work in their home. Parents register with children.
Family Farm Overnight
Come pitch a tent in the savanna and enjoy family time, outdoor activities, a farm tour, interacting with the animals, and optional work projects. Gather food from the farm to prepare in an evening campfire and fresh breakfast. Bring camping gear.
Father's Day Overnight
Hey kids! Surprise dad with a camping trip at the farm for Father’s Day! You bring a tent, farming clothes, and your father, and we’ll have a fun time planned, with games, farm work, a campfire, and exploring the land. Gather food from the farm for a delicious dinner and breakfast.
Home-milked Ice Cream
Can you guess what three ingredients in ice cream come from the farm? Together, we’ll milk the goats, visit the beehive, and look for wild fruit on the land... then make up a batch of truly home-grown ice cream! Parents must accompany children.
Kids with Cob
Come cooperate with others to construct a mini eco-village while learning natural building techniques. Use your hands to build model homes using a mixture of clay, sand and straw, called “cob”, then use your imagination to create stories about people in the community. While we build, we'll also bake bread in our cob oven. Parents must accompany children.
Kidwatch
Come to the farm to learn about goats, play with the babies already born, and — if the timing is right — witness a live birth. You’ll join us to feed the animals, learn about goat pregnancy and birth, and share a potluck lunch. The visit comes with naming rights for any goats born under your watch. Children must be accompanied by adult.
Worms in the Basement!
Learn all about the wriggly creatures that contribute to our soil. Make a small indoor worm bin to take home with you to begin composting veggie and fruit scraps right in your house. Parents must accompany children.
Amazing Farm Animals Day Camps on the Farm!
Download our flyer for 2009 Summer Day Camps
Kids with Kids Mini-Day Camp
Our 3-day spring break mini-camp will introduce (people) kids to the goats, right in the middle of birthing season. Come explore the farm, work and play with the animals, and help care for baby goats and their mothers.
Amazing Farm Animals Summer Day Camps
The farm animals at our Learning Center welcome your children to an exciting week of working, learning and exploring our educational farm. All children will help milk the goats, gather eggs from the chickens, while participating in a different theme each week. Programs for children entering grades 1 to 6 include: Playing with Your Food, What's Cookin' on the Farm, Fun with Farm Animals, and Art on the Farm. Our middle school day camp is for youth entering grades 6-8. A shorter "Fun with Farm Animals" day camp is available for 4-7 year olds.
From the Fields to the Kitchen
Cheese Making Workshop
This hands-on workshop in our farm setting will introduce the process of cheese making from start to finish (from milking the goats to tasting fresh goat’s cheese). We'll learn how to make ricotta, chevre, mozzarella, feta, and more!
Live Culture in the Kitchen
Did you know that the healthy bacteria in yogurt can be used to help preserve and enhance vegetables? Come learn how to make yogurt, sauerkraut, and other traditional foods with chef instructor Michael Staver of Kendall College and Brightflower Nursery. Bring wide-mouth jars to take home your own samples.
Soap Making Workshop
Learn to make a wonderful and gentle soap using goat’s milk. Our lovely goats provide the milk, and our veteran soap-maker explains the process and facilitates the hands-on soapmaking. Everyone will make several bars of soap to bring home.
Wine Making Workshop
After introducing the science of winemaking, we’ll jump right into making a small batch of wine. Each participant will use wild fruits to make at least one gallon of wine starter (or “must”) for fermenting at home. Participants with wild fruits at home (such as mulberries or grapes) are encouraged to bring them; otherwise, we'll gather them from the farm. If you have them, please bring a potato masher, a glass jug, and a five gallon food-grade bucket from home.
Food Preserving 101
The novice food preserver is invited to this basic introduction and practical skills course. After an overview of food safety and reasons to preserve, we jump right into hands-on demonstrations of freezing, dehydrating, and canning, using fresh strawberries as an example. Take a delicious jar of strawberry jam home with you!
Cheese AND Bread!
Combine our delicious cheesemaking class with a tour of the farm, a breadbaking class using our earth oven, and a light lunch of cheese, bread and salad that you’ve made straight from the farm. Program includes lunch, a full day of instruction, and samples of bread and cheese to take home.
Convert Your Car to Veggie Oil!
Join Pete Probst from Indigenous Energy to learn how to run your diesel engine on vegetable oil. After discussing environmental benefits of converting your car, we’ll learn all about obtaining and processing used vegetable oil, plus modifying your engine. Cook up a small batch of biodiesel, and see a demonstration car in action.
Planning Your Organic Vegetable Garden
Lift the winter blues in this workshop on designing an organically managed home vegetable garden. We’ll talk about various methods for building soil, plus planning for space needs and crop rotation. Especially for beginning gardeners, or those ready to convert to non-chemical techniques. Bring your dreams for this year's garden, and leave with a garden map and planting calendar. We'll share a potluck lunch.
Build a Raised Garden Bed
Together we'll build, fill, and plant a raised garden bed with wooden sides. Learn about selecting materials, building the soil, and more.
The "Ins" and "Outs" of Composting
Learn what makes a successful compost pile, and decide which methods will work best for your household. Overview various types of compost bins, build a pile together, and tour our farm-scale compost operation. Meet the worms in our vermiculture system, and find out how to implement indoor composting at home. Dress to work outside!
Starting Your Organic Vegetable Garden
Celebrate spring by learning techniques for organic soil preparation and planting. We’ll learn about soil texture and soil life, plus how our Biodynamic farm tends and feeds the earth. We’ll cover the basics of double digging, prepare a garden bed, and learn about seeding and transplanting through hands-on projects. Dress to work in the garden, and bring lunch.
The Care and Pruning of Fruit Trees
Interested in growing your own fruit without chemicals? Learn about variety selection, siting, planting methods, sustainable care, accommodating “pests” and disease, and proper pruning techniques to maximize longevity and yields. Get hands-on experience as we prune the fruit trees in our orchard.
What's Up in the Garden
Monthly sessions at the Learning Center’s demonstration garden will lead you through the steps of seasonal care for your organic vegetable plants. Hands-on topics will vary monthly and include: trellising, weed prevention, dealing with insect pests, harvesting and storing vegetables, planting a fall garden, using cover crops, preparing for winter and more! Perfect for a beginner gardener looking for seasonal guidance.
Sustainable Building Skills
Download our flyer for 2009 Sustainable Building workshops
Come join us to learn to build with cob, an age-old natural building technique with simple materials such as clay, sand, and straw. The emphasis will be on hands-on learning as we learn to mix cob and earthen plaster, and provide you with the skills to build a cob structure in your own backyard.
Sustainable Building Design
Sustainable architect Roald Gundersen will present an overview of sustainable building design options, show examples of his recent design work, and interpret the features of the Learning Center buildings (including whole tree architecture, passive solar heating, strawbale walls, and two styles of composting toilets). The afternoon will provide an opportunity for students to create charrettes of their own dream buildings, then receive feedback and guidance on finding local resources from Roald.
Whole Tree Architecture
Learn state-of-the-art skills in sustainable construction that you can apply to your own building projects using trimmings from your backyard trees. We'll receive expert instruction in whole tree design, framing and finishing from architect Roald Gundersen. In this hands-on workshop, you'll learn about forestry, tree selection, peeling bark, and assembling a simple structure. The finished product is functional, beautiful, and inspiring!
