Submitted
Lyndon Hartz, 27, of Wyoming, Ill., recently was named one of Mother Nature Network's 40 Farmers under 40.
Sometimes people find fame, and sometimes it finds them.
That"s what happened to Lyndon Hartz, 27, of Wyoming, Ill. at least 15 minutes" worth, anyway. Hartz is among Mother Nature Network"s 40 Farmers Under 40, who, according to its Web site, are "young and energetic idealists who are bringing local, sustainable food back to the table." Humble and matter-of-fact, Hartz seems to be thriving more on passion and hard work than idealism.
His story began when he graduated from Western Illinois University five years ago with a degree in Recreation, Park andTourism Administration. "I worked at a couple of state parks, and with the state"s budget cuts, it (the career path) didn"t seem like it"d work out for me. So I thought I"d go in another direction."
During his last winter break in college, he kicked around some ideas of what to do. His mom liked the idea of a vegetable farm, and in February of 2004 Hartz attended the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) organic farming conference. That struck more than the proverbial chord. "I bought a lot of books and tried to make connections. Shortly afterward I decided to make a go of it."
That summer, while balancing a final internship, Hartz rented two acres of farmland from his beloved grandfather, LaVerne Lebahn, of Sheffield, Ill., in exchange for a watermelon and extra produce. Hartz bought a tractor and away he went, spending his summer driving to and from Sheffield every day, about a 40-minute trip. "That first year, I just got my feet wet," says Hartz, selling "pretty basic stuff" in the towns of Princeton and Wyoming.
Over the winter of 2005, he purchased more farm equipment and installed a greenhouse with a furnace at his parents" house and added an acre from his grandfather. But in 2005, gas prices were creeping higher than ever, and Hartz needed more land for perennials. He needed local farmland.
It took a while, but after a local real estate agent convinced a landowner to divide some property, in December of 2006 Hartz called 10.5 acres in Wyoming his own.
So how does a 20-something secure a loan for nearly 11 acres of prime Midwest farmland? He wrote a business plan -- and got lucky. "They knew my family, but it was a leap of faith on the bank"s part Bank of Toulon," he says.
To supplement his investment, Hartz purchased two hoop houses, and in December of 2008, he and nine others founded the Good Earth Food Alliance (GEFA), which provides weekly shares of fresh produce through Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs). GEFA was born out of small farmers coming together and sharing the same goals to provide safe, chemical-free fruits, vegetables and herbs. The group sold its 110 CSAs in its first year (summer 2009) and has a mailing list of nearly 400 addresses. Founders include growers from Farmington, Elmwood, Dahinda, Brimfield, Country View Estates, Kickapoo, Knoxville, Manito, Cramer and Wyoming.
Though his food is chemical-free, Hartz hasn't sought organic certification.
"I"m not going certified organic, no," he says. "I tell people at farmers" markets we"re not certified, but we don"t use chemicals. Most people are OK with that."
As if he didn"t have enough to do, Hartz also is a part-time highway commissioner for Essex Township (Stark County), in charge of keeping the roads clean. Last winter his job was an everyday thing. "I didn"t get much sleep," he laughs.
This summer Hartz hired a staff of three high school kids, who planted, weeded and picked for the Peoria and Wyoming farmers" markets. Hartz says he produced "something like nine bushels of green beans a week and 400 quarts of strawberries. They"ve been a really good bunch of guys," he says.
"They definitely went above and beyond, and all three want to come back next year, so that"s good," he says, laughing.
His immediate plans include adding two more hoop houses this fall, plowing snow this winter, making changes to his Web site, and custom building his own farm equipment. He also has a 1968 Mustang pining to be tinkered with.
Five years after graduating from college, Hartz obviously has found his niche. Eventually he"d like to farm full-time, so he advises shoppers to "spend your money locally and keep the small farmer going."
For more information, visit hartzproduce.com and goodearthfoodalliance.com.
Ann Ring is a freelance writer living in Woodhull, Ill.
