Interviewed: February, 2023

Michelle Blackburn, Agriculture Specialist

Management Policy and Structure: All departments within the Forest Preserve District of Will County (FPDWC) have policies for how things are to be done. The Natural Resources Department has, for example, policies on how it carries out habitat restoration. Policies have also been established for how farmland is managed. Initially, these policies were focused simply on licensing details. Later conservation was added as a goal and consideration. After working with Delta Institute, the FPDWC took the policies further by stating that regenerative agriculture principles would govern how farmland would be managed. As the policies were modified, the staff then began to modify the language of leases so they were in synch with the policies. The lease frameworks also provided a bit of wiggle room in case there was an opportunity to do something unique at a site that fit the FPDWC’s general principles. This led, too, to staff having the freedom to enter into multi-year leases rather than being limited only to the standard three-year lease. In addition, the policy spells out how organic farming leases would be treated. “It’s good to have all of this in writing,” says Michelle Blackburn. “If there are any questions, we can explain that the license language and Ag Land Use Policy has been approved by the Board of Commissioners.”

The board had little opposition to the changes to the agricultural policy. Blackburn believes this was because of a number of factors. First, staff had been talking about the needs and issues for years. Second, once other institutions started adopting regenerative farming practices (like the Illinois Department of Natural Resources beginning its cover crop program) and Delta Institute initiated the leasing toolkit for area institutions, FPDWC board and staff shared a desire to get on board with the larger movement. 

In the larger perspective, however, the FPDWC board sees agriculture as a stopgap interim land use until the parcels can be restored to habitat. 

Farmland management used to be included in the Planning Department along with real estate, landscape architects, and natural resources. Recently, they split the department so there is now a conservation department that  is responsible for natural resources and farmland management. This structural change has been beneficial for farmland management, as conservation is now a larger concern for how farmland management is done. 

Organic Farming: The FPDWC released the first organic grain farming Request for Proposal (RFP) by a farmland-owning institution in the state. In addition, the FPDWC found enthusiasm for further moving its farming in a more regenerative direction from the efforts and ideas of Delta Institute and the Liberty Prairie Foundation. Easing the effort was having the opportunity to look at the McHenry County Conservation District’s (MCCD) lease for its bison grazing operation at Pleasant Valley. “They did so well with their RFP,” says Blackburn, “and the framework was so easy to understand. I asked Brenna at MCCD if I could model our organic grain RFP in the same way. And it worked out great.”

The relationship with the Yunker family (the farmers that made the successful bid for the organic grain RFP at the 147-acre Jackson Creek farm parcel) has worked well. “They’re honest,” says Blackburn, “and are just great people and great resources about both organic and conventional farming.”

Early on, the Yunkers put in a 50-foot prairie buffer to separate their organic field from the conventionally farmed field next to it. They also began by cover cropping everything and are adding a small grain to one of the fields that is part of the larger property they are farming. At the end of the summer of 2022, Blackburn happened to be checking out the waterway in the vicinity of the fields the Yunkers are farming. “I noticed all of these monarchs,” says Blackburn, “Next thing I know one of the trees in the area is full of monarchs. I hope this is the beginning of observing an increase in insect population and biodiversity.” 

When the FPDWC put out an RFP for another property, however, there were no bidders. Later the Yunkers gave Blackburn feedback on the RFP and explained that it wasn’t the right kind of field layout for organic farming as it didn’t easily allow for in-row cultivation.

The FPDWC plans to transition other farmland to six-year organic leases in the future, but before they release any more RFPs, the FPDWC will evaluate potential fields and consider input from farmers about the location and layout of potential fields. FPDWC staff must also determine what the future restoration plans are for potential fields. There are several organic grain farmers in the county at the moment who might be interested in picking up more acres.

Edge of Field Practices and Prairie Strips: In two farming licenses, the FPDWC  required the installation of contour prairie strips for erosion control and 50-60’ buffers along a creek in some other fields. For both the prairie strips and the stream buffers, erosion management was the number one priority, and wildlife conservation was the second. “I found even the stream buffer strips,” says Blackburn, “attracted birds and butterflies constantly. That’s something you want to see.” 

Prairie strips can be burned by department staff or volunteers. Within the prairie strips, FPDWC staff have observed nests of ground-nesting birds as well as eastern kingbirds which nested on the edge of the field next to the prairie strips two years in a row. During a recent tour of the one prairie strip, FPDWC staff also heard the calls of orchard orioles for the first time. The tenant farmer has the responsibility of mowing the field borders regularly and the prairie strip once a year (no shorter than six inches).

Hay: FPDWC has approximately 1,000 acres in grass hay production to keep weed pressure in those grassland areas under control. Hay is, in the FPDWC’s perspective, a restoration tool as the FPDWC will seed a row crop field to native grasses and forbs, then sometimes cutting, or ‘haying’, is needed for weed suppression and to stimulate the growth of some species. Some areas are “early hay” and others are “late hay.” Late hay fields have their first and only cutting after August 1, to allow the nesting and fledging of grassland nesting birds that have been observed in the field For early hay fields, there is no restriction on timing and the farmer may be able to get two cuttings. It has been Blackburn’s experience that the grassland birds she sees are gone and fledged by mid-July/early August There are some species that can conceivably get two broods in.

Some hay farmers, however, don’t want the hay after August 1st as they claim the grasses have lost their nutritional value. 

The general challenge the FPDWC has with its hay management system is finding farmers willing to go out multiple times to mow, bale, and remove grass hay when there’s not much of a market for grass hay in the area of Will County where most of the FPDWC’s grasslands are. “And the challenge is also our roadways,” says Blackburn. “Some farmers say the roads are pretty dangerous (when hauling hay and mobilizing equipment).” But the FPDWC wants to persist in using grass hay as a restoration tool.

Farmer Relationships: It is the FPDWC’s practice to require farmers to come into the FPDWC office each year to sign any documents, submit any required records, and pay their rent for the next year. “It’s good to be face to face,” says Blackburn. “You can have a map out and talk about problem areas. I think they feel better, because they’re getting it all out there and letting you know what’s happening. You have to have a good working relationship. And then I can feel comfortable being honest as well, and they feel like their landowner cares.”

Staff Capacity: The FPDWC is hiring a permanent part time person for the natural resource management crew. This person will also help out with farm field inventories, checking compliance with the farm license agreements and hay permits.  

Local Food Production and Beginning Small-Scale Farmers: Blackburn has been meeting a number of beginning farmers in her county who want to grow local food (usually vegetables) on a small scale. These farmers are looking for smaller patches of land and are having a hard time doing so. Despite the challenges around infrastructure (water, etc.), Blackburn wants to further explore how the FPDWC could help farmers like these get a start and serve the county. The FPDWC has already signed one lease with a local food grower and is working closely with her.

Making Change: Blackburn’s experience has been that partnerships around knowledge sharing and resource sharing are essential. “It’s all about partners,” she says. She also shares that tenacity is critical for bringing about changes in larger institutions. The initial reaction to proposals for changes may not be favorable, but persistence can win people over. “Don’t take no for an answer,” she says.