Jian Ping's column
Organic Food from Wisconsin
Organic Food from Wisconsin
By: Jian Ping
I met with Joel and Jai Kellum at the Buzz Café in Oak Park late in February. They were in town to
deliver to a local church fair different variety of onions, potatoes, turnips, along with organic eggs and
honey, all produce from their organic farm, King’s Hill, near Mineral Point, Wisconsin. I was surprised to
learn they still had so many products for sale in the middle of winter. We chatted in the Café over our
meals—all made from locally grown organic food. I had written about King’s Hill Farm before for Asian
Wisconzine. However, because the Kellums have done so much since then, and more importantly, the
planting season is about to start, I feel that it’s a good time to talk about the farm and introduce their CSA
program again.
I have visited King’s Hill Farm a couple of times since the Kellums took over its management in 2008.
The progress they have made in less than two years was phenomenal. They have expanded the
infrastructure to provide living quarters for interns during the growing seasons, added two greenhouses
and a state-of-the-art vegetable washing facility. They also constructed more warehouse space,
including a large refrigerated area. The Kellums truly epitomize today’s “next generation” of young family
farmers who are dedicated to producing organic food.
I met with Joel and Jai Kellum at the Buzz Café in Oak Park late in February. They were in town to
deliver to a local church fair different variety of onions, potatoes, turnips, along with organic eggs and
honey, all produce from their organic farm, King’s Hill, near Mineral Point, Wisconsin. I was surprised to
learn they still had so many products for sale in the middle of winter. We chatted in the Café over our
meals—all made from locally grown organic food. I had written about King’s Hill Farm before for Asian
Wisconzine. However, because the Kellums have done so much since then, and more importantly, the
planting season is about to start, I feel that it’s a good time to talk about the farm and introduce their CSA
program again.
I have visited King’s Hill Farm a couple of times since the Kellums took over its management in 2008.
The progress they have made in less than two years was phenomenal. They have expanded the
infrastructure to provide living quarters for interns during the growing seasons, added two greenhouses
and a state-of-the-art vegetable washing facility. They also constructed more warehouse space,
including a large refrigerated area. The Kellums truly epitomize today’s “next generation” of young family
farmers who are dedicated to producing organic food.
They farm without using chemical pesticides, hormones, antibiotics or GMO’s. They practice
permaculture, a specific version of sustainable farming which emphasizes maintaining Earth’s
ecosystem, reducing waste, and living with nature.
At King’s Hill, the Kellums put the theory into practice. They raise many animals, including turkeys,
ducks, geese, pigs, chickens, and even a couple of llamas to protect the fowls from predators. They use
their manures to enrich the land. They plant a variety of fruit trees and bushes, along with a long list of
vegetables and herbs. They have 20 bee hives for honey and cultivate mushrooms in timber. It’s a
dynamic universe at the farm. Joel has received advanced permaculture certificate from Midwest
Permaculture, and Jai, besides managing the day-to-day operation, is also a certified Yoga master and
gives Yoga lessons to interns on the farm and in Mineral Point.
King’s Hill is a beautiful place sprawling over 850 acres of rolling countryside and woodlands. The
Bonner Branch flows through the farm into the Pecatonica River some miles down the valley. The
Kellums set up their own CSA Program (Community Supported Agriculture) and want to share the bounty
of the harvest with the community. The CSA program allows its members in Wisconsin and the greater
Chicago area to subscribe a share of the seasonal organic fruits and vegetables through the summer and
fall. The large variety of vegetables and herbs include spinach, lettuce, snap peas, potatoes, shallots,
rhubarb, asparagus, radishes, snow peas, mini-onions, kale, fennel, beets, green beans, cucumbers,
yellow squash, chard, zucchini, broccoli, napa-cabbage, bottle-neck onions, tomatoes, sweet onions,
leeks, carrots, cabbage, celery, corn, bok choy, peppers, eggplants, celeriac, cauliflower, turnips, winter
squash, pumpkins, sunchokes, rutabaga, parsnips, brussel sprouts, sage, scallions, cilantro, garlic, dill,
thyme, basil, oregano, marjoram, strawberries, melons, and berries. The produce is delivered to local
pick-up sites every week or every other week from June to November, depending on the season and
location.
“We stand by the ideal that claims a regular diet of seasonal foods and vegetables does more for
developing minds and bodies than does an occasional purchase of organic spring mix,” Jai says.
In addition to the bounty that CSA members will receive throughout the season, King’s Hill also sells
free-range chicken and duck eggs, honey, and shitake mushrooms. These are available together with the
succession of vegetables listed above at the King’s Hill Farm stands at the following farmer’s markets:
1. The Chicago Botanic Garden – (Kings Hill Farm is the selected partner of the Chicago Botanic Garden).
1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL
On the first and third Sundays from June through November
2. Independence Park Farmers Market
3945 N. Springfield Avenue, Irving Park, Illinois
On a variety of Sundays from June through October
3. The Glenwood Sunday Market
N. Glenwood Avenue and W. Morse Avenue, Rogers Park, Chicago
Every Sunday from June through October
4. The Green City Market
South End of Lincoln Park, Chicago
Every Saturday from May through November
5. Mineral Point Farmers Market, 151 Madison Street, every Saturday
6. 40 West Lewis St, Platteville, every Friday
7. Manna Café: 611 N Sherman Ave., Madison, every Friday
8. Vom Fass: 3236 A University Ave., Madison, every Friday
9. 5730 Meadowood Drive, Madison, every Friday
10. 13 Woodcroft Circle, Madison, every Friday
King’s Hill Farm is Certified Organic by Mosa (www.mosa.org) and endorsed by Macsac (www.
macsac.org.)
Now the Kellums are getting ready to plant for another wonderful season. Visit their website to check
out more information: www.kingshillfarm.com/csa.htm or contact Jai Kellum at King’s Hill directly at (708)
434-5834.
Another spring, another year of healthy and good living. Enjoy the organic food from King’s Hill,
Wisconsin!
Jian Ping is the author of "Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China." The book is currently being developed
into a docu-drama film by award winning director Susan Morgan Cooper. For more information, please
visit www.mulberrychild.com, www.moraquest.com and www.smearedtype.com.
permaculture, a specific version of sustainable farming which emphasizes maintaining Earth’s
ecosystem, reducing waste, and living with nature.
At King’s Hill, the Kellums put the theory into practice. They raise many animals, including turkeys,
ducks, geese, pigs, chickens, and even a couple of llamas to protect the fowls from predators. They use
their manures to enrich the land. They plant a variety of fruit trees and bushes, along with a long list of
vegetables and herbs. They have 20 bee hives for honey and cultivate mushrooms in timber. It’s a
dynamic universe at the farm. Joel has received advanced permaculture certificate from Midwest
Permaculture, and Jai, besides managing the day-to-day operation, is also a certified Yoga master and
gives Yoga lessons to interns on the farm and in Mineral Point.
King’s Hill is a beautiful place sprawling over 850 acres of rolling countryside and woodlands. The
Bonner Branch flows through the farm into the Pecatonica River some miles down the valley. The
Kellums set up their own CSA Program (Community Supported Agriculture) and want to share the bounty
of the harvest with the community. The CSA program allows its members in Wisconsin and the greater
Chicago area to subscribe a share of the seasonal organic fruits and vegetables through the summer and
fall. The large variety of vegetables and herbs include spinach, lettuce, snap peas, potatoes, shallots,
rhubarb, asparagus, radishes, snow peas, mini-onions, kale, fennel, beets, green beans, cucumbers,
yellow squash, chard, zucchini, broccoli, napa-cabbage, bottle-neck onions, tomatoes, sweet onions,
leeks, carrots, cabbage, celery, corn, bok choy, peppers, eggplants, celeriac, cauliflower, turnips, winter
squash, pumpkins, sunchokes, rutabaga, parsnips, brussel sprouts, sage, scallions, cilantro, garlic, dill,
thyme, basil, oregano, marjoram, strawberries, melons, and berries. The produce is delivered to local
pick-up sites every week or every other week from June to November, depending on the season and
location.
“We stand by the ideal that claims a regular diet of seasonal foods and vegetables does more for
developing minds and bodies than does an occasional purchase of organic spring mix,” Jai says.
In addition to the bounty that CSA members will receive throughout the season, King’s Hill also sells
free-range chicken and duck eggs, honey, and shitake mushrooms. These are available together with the
succession of vegetables listed above at the King’s Hill Farm stands at the following farmer’s markets:
1. The Chicago Botanic Garden – (Kings Hill Farm is the selected partner of the Chicago Botanic Garden).
1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL
On the first and third Sundays from June through November
2. Independence Park Farmers Market
3945 N. Springfield Avenue, Irving Park, Illinois
On a variety of Sundays from June through October
3. The Glenwood Sunday Market
N. Glenwood Avenue and W. Morse Avenue, Rogers Park, Chicago
Every Sunday from June through October
4. The Green City Market
South End of Lincoln Park, Chicago
Every Saturday from May through November
5. Mineral Point Farmers Market, 151 Madison Street, every Saturday
6. 40 West Lewis St, Platteville, every Friday
7. Manna Café: 611 N Sherman Ave., Madison, every Friday
8. Vom Fass: 3236 A University Ave., Madison, every Friday
9. 5730 Meadowood Drive, Madison, every Friday
10. 13 Woodcroft Circle, Madison, every Friday
King’s Hill Farm is Certified Organic by Mosa (www.mosa.org) and endorsed by Macsac (www.
macsac.org.)
Now the Kellums are getting ready to plant for another wonderful season. Visit their website to check
out more information: www.kingshillfarm.com/csa.htm or contact Jai Kellum at King’s Hill directly at (708)
434-5834.
Another spring, another year of healthy and good living. Enjoy the organic food from King’s Hill,
Wisconsin!
Jian Ping is the author of "Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China." The book is currently being developed
into a docu-drama film by award winning director Susan Morgan Cooper. For more information, please
visit www.mulberrychild.com, www.moraquest.com and www.smearedtype.com.
| Jian Ping |
(Above) The Kellum family; (below)
lettuce and turkeys on King's Hill Farm
lettuce and turkeys on King's Hill Farm