Our story
Our story began with a small raised vegetable bed at our first home located in city limits of Canton, Illinois. A desire for more space found us outside Canton years later with chickens, a few donkeys, and a larger garden, which would inevitably be given back to weeds each year by late summer. We were hobby farmers and for the most part, we still consider ourselves this. We have had many farm fails, and in an effort to correct our mistakes through reading and watching videos, regenerative agriculture seemed to show up as a fix in all contexts. Fast forward 10 years. Our farm moved again to our current location on the west side of Canton, our family grew to include our 3 kids, and our farming enterprises increased as well. We still embrace our failures and find that they continue to provide us with opportunities to grow and learn. We try to embrace this lifestyle and have recognized how important community is to make it work. We claim to be experts on nothing and enjoy the process that each new day brings.
Our approach
Our approach to farming is centered around our farm’s 4 core commitments: …growing food and raising animals with respect to their design. We understand there are many opinions on this, but we do as best as we can to model our practices around this concept.
…leaving the land better each year. Using regenerative practices, we want to build healthy soil for years to come.
…operating with honesty and integrity. We would rather lose a sale with honesty than make a sale without full disclosure.
…our family and faith. Our family inspired this journey, and we want to honor their legacies through our farm.
“Where ever you’re going, that’s where you are.”
-James(Doc) Gardner
Stephenson Farm 