As most people were preparing for a festive Fourth of July weekend, farmer Doug Yunker was perched high in his massive combine harvesting wheat.
The grain collected was the first certified organic crop harvested on Forest Preserve District land. The harvest at Jackson Creek Preserve in Green Garden Township was the culmination of a multiyear plan to convert the field from conventional agriculture to organic farming.
Farming keeps invasive species and woody vegetation off the land until the District has the funds to restore it to its natural state. Acreage farmed using organic methods will make the transition even smoother.
“Organic farming improves soil health by relying on biological and mechanical practices rather than synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides,” said Judith Wallace, the Forest Preserve’s land management coordinator.
Cover crops used by organic farmers and natural fertilizers increase organic matter in the soil, she added.
“Higher organic matter improves water infiltration, reduces erosion and helps prevent soil loss,” she said. “Because synthetic chemicals are not used, there is also less risk of runoff entering nearby waterways.”
The Forest Preserve District has 3,165 acres in row crop farming: 2,778 acres in conventional row crops and 387 acres in organic crops.
Organic opportunity
Yunker, whose family has been farming in the region for more than 100 years, obtained the Forest Preserve’s first organic farm license for 147 acres at Jackson Creek Preserve in 2022.
A second organic license was issued for 155 acres at Huyck’s Grove Preserve in Wilton Township. This land is expected to become certified organic in 2028. A third license for 86 acres at Donohue Grove Preserve in Wesley Township is scheduled to be established in 2027.
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