Sola Gratia Farm started out with four acres and a prayer, but from the very beginning back in 2012, we have been true to our mission of sharing our bounty with those in need and being good stewards of the land.

In our first year, we hired a farmer and a part-time farmhand, installed a greenhouse and cooler, purchased some basic equipment, and tilled the land with a walkbehind tractor. Humble beginnings, but we grew produce for our 80 CSA members and donated more than 5,000 pounds of fresh produce to the Eastern Illinois Foodbank.

Currently, we have a team of nearly 20 staff including 5 permanent year-round and 15 seasonal employees working through broad, strategic partnerships to ensure we are serving our community. We have more than 200 families in our CSA membership now, and also sell produce at the Urbana Market at the Square and Champaign Farmers Market as well as retail and wholesale outlets. Our donations have expanded as well — last year we distributed more than 16,000 pounds of fresh produce through the Eastern Illinois Foodbank, two free neighborhood markets, the Jubilee Café, and the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen.

All of our farmland to date has been leased. So when presented with the opportunity to buy 29 acres of prime farmland and woodland just a quarter of a mile away, we thought it was too good to be true! Now we have purchased this land and started work on developing a model community farm.