At Crate Free USA, we consider ourselves to be pretty pragmatic. We work to improve the lives of factory farmed animals today and not wait for an unrealistic time of when the world will go vegan.
To that end, we urge people who do consume meat to source it locally, especially from farmers they know and trust. That’s why we created our mobile app which highlights wonderful farmers all over our home state of Illinois – farmers who respect the animals and land; farmers who are using regenerative practices, who pasture raise their animals and do not confine them in cages or only indoors.
We want to remind our local friends to not forget about our truly local farms. They are smaller which by nature oftentimes allows them to take better care of the land and their animals. And many are surprisingly close to Chicago.
Part of the rural plains of Illinois, Kankakee county is located just about 55 miles south of Chicago, in the Northeastern part of the state. Here are three small farms in the Kankakee area that we’d like to feature as we head into Farmers Market season.
Songbird Hill Farm
Courtesy: Songbird Hill Farm
Founded by Jeff and Page Lambert in 2021, this couple calls themselves “dreamers” who began their farm as a response to dissatisfaction with the quality and taste of chicken available in stores.
They started small. Their first farming endeavor began with 10 chickens in their backyard nearly 10 years ago. Their first chicken dinner blew them away because of the amazing taste and flavor.
Their mission became “cultivate a healthier food system while bringing vitality to the land.” They follow a model called “Pastured Poultry” which focuses on rotating the birds’ pastured area each day to provide them with the ability to hunt and peck fresh areas for living insects, worms, leaves and seeds. Their diet is then supplemented with locally sourced, balanced, non-GMO feed to provide necessary energy and protein. The birds get to be outside in the clean air and sunshine and partake in their natural instincts and behaviors.
Songbird Hill Farm offers whole chickens and chicken cuts for sale, with delivery and pick up options available.
Nature’s Choice Farm
Courtesy: Nature’s Choice Farm
Started in 2006 by Eric and Samantha Sexton, Nature’s Choice Farm is located in Grant Park, IL. Their mission is to raise a large variety of pasture-raised animals to provide healthy meat for family and community members. Among the animals on their farm, you will find turkeys, chickens, lamb, cattle and pigs. The animals are all free to roam on pasture and are never kept in cages. They do not use antibiotic or hormone regimens. And their feeds are non-GMO (not genetically modified).
The variety of pasture-raised meat that you can buy at Nature’s Choice Farm is diverse; there are 20 different types of cuts of pork and 31 different cuts of beef offered along with a selection of chicken, turkey and lamb cuts.
Customers are contacted for their individual preferences so their orders can be cut and packaged to their liking. It’s possible to choose exactly how much meat you want, how you want it ground, different types of sausages, and thickness of chops, etc.
Eric and Samantha have created positive relationships with farmers in their area so that they can expand the areas they serve in central Illinois. Bulk orders as well as in-stock smaller bundles are available by contacting the farm directly.
Sonas Farms
Courtesy: Sonas Farms
Located in Manteno, IL, Sonas Farms is owned and farmed by Amy and John Donze. The couple is passionate about regenerative farming,allowing animals to express their natural behaviors and instincts, feeding the community, and encouraging awareness between people and their food.
John is a fourth-generation farmer in central Illinois who had a passion to diverge from the conventional grain farming that he grew up practicing. Amy grew up in the southern suburbs of Chicago and had a variety of experiences that led her to view farming from a mission-based lens so she could make positive changes to the modern food system.
The heritage American Aberdeen Angus cattle at Sonas Farms live outdoors year-round and eat a 100% grass diet. The farm also produced pasture-raised poultry and pork.
Chickens are moved to fresh pastures multiple times each day to ensure they have fresh pasture available for grazing.
Amy and John are also passionate about finding the highest quality processors for their animals and cultivating relationships with local processors and butchers. After investing up to 1000 days’ worth of love and care into their animals, Amy and John want to feel they are entrusting their animals’ last day on the earth to their friends and colleagues, rather than strangers.
Standard and specialty cuts plus delivery are available, provided by Amy and John themselves. Sonas Farms offers bulk local delivery or farm pick-up and they strongly encourage you to visit the farm.
The Illinois Guide to FACTORY-FREE MEAT, DAIRY, & EGGS
Look forward to trying non
Hormone beef