The Fearless Farm Finances workshop is an intensive, full-day training designed to help farmers build confidence and clarity in managing their farm’s financial health. Through practical, hands-on activities, and real-world examples, participants will explore essential financial management topics including recordkeeping, enterprise analysis, cash flow planning, and profitability tracking. Whether you are a beginning farmer or looking to strengthen your existing financial management skills, this workshop provides the tools and knowledge needed to make informed business decisions and build a more resilient farm operation.

What You’ll Receive:

Your registration includes the full-day workshop and lunch. Participants will leave with a comprehensive resource book, practical tools, and take-home materials that can be immediately applied to their farm business. The workshop package represents more than $100 in educational value, providing resources and training designed to support long-term farm success.

The Food is Medicine half-day workshop brings together food system leaders including farmers, healthcare practitioners, and institutional partners to explore how collaboration can improve health outcomes through nutritious food access. Participants will examine how these sectors can align their efforts, from sourcing and prescribing fresh foods to integrating nutrition into care and community programs. Through discussion, shared learning, and practical examples, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of emerging Food is Medicine initiatives and identify opportunities to strengthen partnerships that support both community health and local food systems.

What You’ll Receive:

Your registration includes this half-day workshop and lunch. Participants will receive educational materials, resources, and insights from experienced professionals working across agriculture, healthcare, and community nutrition. Attendees will leave with new connections, practical ideas, and a better understanding of how collaborative Food is Medicine strategies can benefit individuals, communities, and local economies.

The Bloom into Profit: Roadside Bouquet Stand half-day workshop is designed for flower growers, aspiring agritourism operators, and small farm entrepreneurs interested in turning fresh-cut flowers into a profitable business. Participants will learn how to successfully launch and operate a roadside bouquet stand while maximizing flower production throughout the growing season. The workshop covers practical strategies for increasing seasonal blooms, selecting varieties for continuous harvest, creating eye-catching bouquets that attract customers, and generating additional income from homegrown flowers.

In addition to production and marketing techniques, attendees will gain hands-on experience designing bouquets, explore opportunities to offer floral design workshops and classes, and learn how to incorporate flower sales and floral experiences into a agritourism business. Whether you are just getting started or looking to expand an existing operation, this workshop provides practical tools and creative ideas to help you grow your flower enterprise.

What You’ll Receive:

Your registration includes this half-day workshop and lunch. Participants will receive hands-on bouquet design instruction, educational resources, and leave with a beautiful fresh-cut flower bouquet they create during the workshop. Attendees will also gain practical guidance on developing floral workshops, events, and agritourism experiences that can create additional revenue streams for their farm or business.

Ready to expand beyond direct-to-consumer sales and access larger markets? This interactive half-day workshop is designed for farmers and food producers interested in selling produce, proteins, and value-added products through wholesale channels. Participants will gain a practical understanding of wholesale terminology, buyer expectations, licensing requirements, food safety audits, and market readiness.

The workshop begins with an educational session that demystifies the wholesale marketplace and provides actionable guidance for navigating buyer requirements. Attendees will then hear directly from wholesale buyers, distributors, and food system partners during a moderated panel discussion focused on current purchasing needs, common producer challenges, and strategies for building successful buyer relationships.

The program concludes with a hands-on working session where participants will develop a professional product list and introductory sales sheet that can be used to begin conversations with wholesale buyers. Participants will leave with practical tools, industry insights, and greater confidence to pursue wholesale market opportunities.

What you’ll receive:

Your registration includes this half-day workshop and lunch

The Food System Roadmap workshop is a collaborative half-day session designed to bring together farmers, food businesses, commuity organizations, institutions, policymakers, and other food system leaders to discuss the future of Illinois’ food system. Participants will engage in meaningful conversations about the opportunities and challenges facing local and regional food systems and explore strategies to build a stronger, more resilient, and more connected food economy.

Through interactive discussions and facilitated planning activities, attendees will help identify priorities, develop systems-based solutions, and explore coordinated approaches to addressing issues such as food access, market development, workforce challenges, infrastructure needs, and economic growth. This workshop provides a unique opportunity to contribute ideas, strengthen partnerships, and help shape the roadmap for the future of the state’s food system.

What You’ll Receive:

This is a half-day workshop designed to encourage meaningful engagement and collaboration among food system stakeholders. Participants will receive workshop materials and resources, connect with food system leaders from across the state, and leave with a deeper understanding of current priorities, emerging opportunities, and collaborative strategies for advancing a stronger, more sustainable, and more equitable food system.

Following the workshop, join food system leaders, stakeholders, and partners for an evening of networking, collaboration, and discussion. This engaging dinner session provides an opportunity to strengthen connections across the food system while learning about the progress and future direction of the Illinois Food System Roadmap.

Participants will hear updates from the Food System Roadmap Task Force, receive reports on Phase II accomplishments and outcomes, and learn about upcoming priorities and opportunities for engagement. The evening will highlight ways individuals and organizations can contribute to implementation efforts, support collaborative initiatives, and help shape the next phase of the Roadmap. Whether you are already involved or looking to become engaged, this session offers valuable insight into the Roadmap’s progress and the work ahead.

What You’ll Receive:

Dinner is included with registration.