City Farm, a CRAFT member farm and partner in the project

We invite you to explore your urban farm dream and make it a reality—from business plan to fresh-grown product!

Our Growing for Market Project was launched in 2007 to help people in the Chicago area plan, practice, and start fresh food and garden businesses. Many of the growers in the project are transitioning from hobby production—in backyards or community gardens—to growing fresh produce and value-added products for local farmers’ markets, retail stores, and restaurants.

Through the Growing for Market Project, you can:

• Learn from successful Chicago-area businesses growing fresh produce and other food, making products like soap and honey, distributing organic food, operating farm stands and restaurants, and more.
• Evaluate your current skills and assets.
• Identify potential markets and products
• Create a farm enterprise business plan.
• Network with others starting their own urban farm enterprises.
• Begin growing for market.

Please check our calendar for upcoming urban farmer training events.

The Growing for Market Project builds on the Learning Center’s long-term partnerships with successful urban and rural farming enterprises, our CRAFT and Stateline Farm Beginnings? training programs, and our community-based urban agriculture projects in Chicago.

Interpretation and translation for Spanish speakers is available.

For more information, contact Martha Boyd, Program Director, at 773.288.5462 or urbangrower@learngrowconnect.org.