The role of the farmer is to steward the land. This is what we aim to do above all else.

We aim to grow the highest quality and most nutrient dense food possible while improving the farm ecosystem and listening to what the land wants rather than pushing our own agenda onto it. By taking care of the soil, using heavy compost amendments, and encouraging life in the soil, our produce naturally grows to be the highest quality.

Our farm prioritizes our customers’ feedback on what crops they prefer and when. We use this information as a way to guide our crop plan, and we encourage communication with our customers while sharing behind-the-scenes footage of the work and lifestyle at Down River to offer transparency and connectedness.

According to National Geographic, agricultural communities developed approximately 10,000 years ago when humans began to domesticate plants and animals. Farming — at its core — is essentially human intervention in nature.

Rather than destroying nature in order to grow human food, Down River Farm believes you can grow food for humans and be an asset to all living things with smart ecological practices and a little more hand labor.

Soil is the MOST IMPORTANT substance in the existence of every single life form. Without it, the entire chain of microbes, bacteria, fungi, plants, rodents, mammals, predators, and eventually humans would collapse. Therefore, it is my principle goal to protect, preserve, and rebuild the soil.

Period.

So what does this translate into?

No synthetic fertilizers or chemical -cides. We believe in treating the whole, not the symptom. Every chemical -cide is just an excuse for not doing your homework.

Smart Management. By planting a diverse range of crops, pests find it much more difficult to locate food from a distance.

Founder Evan Barry began his farming career volunteering on a 1.5 acre market garden in Asheville, North Carolina. It was there he had realization after realization about where our food comes from and the facade with which much of the industry hides behind. From conversations with the farmers he worked with, he became inspired to continue within the field. He spent 10 months working there, first in a part time position and then as a full-time employee, before moving onto his next adventure.

After this experience, he decided to travel and explore agriculture internationally. He left for what ended up being a year in South America working on six different farms in Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and Argentina. From sheep in Patagonia to cacao and coffee in Ecuador, to a vineyard in Argentina. The experience of learning where, how, and who were behind these plants that we call commodities was fascinating. These experiences allowed him to see the cultural implications of our actions and to see the world from a very unique perspective.​

In an effort to be closer to his family upon return, he sought a job as a farmhand near Chicago. He found his way to Henry's Farm, where he feels he truly began witnessing the dance that is farming. He learned the way one crop weaves into another seamlessly. The spring lettuces make way for mulching tomatoes, which falls into the first summer squash harvest then the intensive weeding sessions; next, the sweet corn harvest makes way for the green bean harvest, leading back to lettuces in the fall, and finally clearing the field before the first frost.

The cycle seems so simple and logical yet so complex. But with a little knowledge and a lot of awareness, one is able to draw lines from crop to crop; seeding, planting, weeding, mulching, harvesting and seeing how they connect/relate to each other. Evan learned how to focus on each of his senses and movements to farm as effectively and efficiently as possible. He embraced and soon embodied how to live and breathe this profession, day in and day out, for the entirety of a season.

KAITLYN LUCAS

In 2012, Kaitlyn Lucas graduated from Illinois Central College with a degree in Culinary Arts Management. She has worked in Peoria area food service establishments such as catering at Wildlife Prairie Park, line cook at Jonah’s/Oyster Bar, and Barista at Zion Coffee Bar.

In 2015, after watching various documentaries revealing where our food comes from and what is in it, Kaitlyn decided to start going to the Peoria Riverfront Market to explore what local produce Peoria had available, and she started a vegetable garden in her backyard. This is where she began to discover her love for the natural world. She fell in love with the Riverfront Market and the produce available.

She continues to expand her backyard garden with hopes of establishing permaculture that can thrive there for years to come. Kaitlyn began working at Down River in 2021 after a few years of being a regular customer and CSA member. She enjoys that this job combines so many elements that bring her joy: learning, nature, the farmer’s market, and community.

FLETCHER KOEHRSEN

Fletcher Koehrsen is a 22-year-old graduate of Illinois State University currently living in Peoria with his partner, Jody, and their two cats Bryzzo and Colby Jack. This is his third season at DRF, and he loves working outside. He has a passion for vegetables, and has been a vegetarian for four years. His favorite veggie is badger flame beets.

When he's not at the farm, his work continues as an artist, focusing on drawing and painting, though he has experience in many mediums.

He also enjoys hiking, cooking, traveling, and having game nights with friends (watch out for him at the poker table). He befriends his houseplants, and has an impressive lemon tree collection. He's looking forward to a great season, and can't wait to see everyone at the riverfront market this summer.

Without community, the world would feel pretty empty. Sharing ideas, empowering individuals, being informed about local happenings, putting money into small businesses and knowing your neighbors has sustained societies for thousands of years.

Our farm aims to follow this model as well. By purchasing compost from a local company in Peoria, cover crops and other supplies from local seed companies (Kelly Seed), getting bulk items from Peoria Brick Company, and of course all of our everyday shopping.

We put our money where our mouth is when it comes to purchasing as many of our goods locally as possible. We also sell to numerous outlets around town to allow more people access to our food.

As a team of young, emerging farmers welcoming more and more young growers, Down River Farm is encouraging a movement of youth back to rural areas and welcoming diverse perspectives on the land.

Supporting our farm means supporting the next generation of farmers growing food for local markets, an essential element of a more resilient regional foodshed.

Down River is on a mission to elevate our local food system and empower our customers with easy recipes for the products we offer at market and in our CSA shares.

We want our farm to be a hub for the community. We have hosted dinners with local chefs, organized tours, and held events with other local artisans at the farm. We welcome guests to the farm throughout the seasons and offer CSA pickups at the farm. We also offer online ordering for delivery or pickup and sell at the Peoria Riverfront Market.

It is an honor to be in a position to educate our community at every step of the cycle, from the seeding and growing of their food all the way through to the experience of the flavors and nourishment when it hits your plate.

Down River Farm is a small scale, largely hand tool operation that utilizes biointensive production techniques to maximize yield and sustain a successful business with a small amount of land.

The farm also prioritizes season extension by growing in unheated high tunnels. This enables us to constantly push the envelope with an expansive selection of products that other farms in the area do not offer.

We use heavy compost amendments to increase our organic matter content in the soil. This is largely provided by Better Earth Compost, a local company producing compost from yard scraps, kitchen scraps, and other byproducts from individuals, businesses, and schools in Peoria. Utilizing this invaluable resource means we are completing the nutrient cycle within our own community. Our own vegetable waste becomes our fertilizer.

We grow a diverse selection of crops, ranging from specialty herbs for Peoria and Chicago restaurants to standard red tomatoes for direct retail customers, on leased land and have bootstrapped the farm. We pay our employees a living wage or more and always hire folks from the Peoria area.

Additionally, we are partnering with the organization Peoria Grown to expand access to healthy/affordable options for nutrient-dense produce for underserved communities in Peoria in partnership. They bring healthy foods into these areas through their Market 309 program.

Peoria Grown also works with nutritionists from Bradley to put on cooking classes for both youth and adults in these underserved, underrepresented communities, offering valuable opportunities to learn how to create meals with healthy recipes featuring local produce.

By doing this, we are helping to ensure these overlooked parts of our community have access to the highest quality, most nutrient dense foods. We are working to send food from the farm to their various programs and ensure culturally appropriate, desirable foods are provided.