Meet Your Farmers: Jeanne Phelan and Patty McPhillips

Jeanne Phelan and Patty McPhillips, Fresh Harvest Farm, farm on two small plots of land just south of Chicago in Mokena and Frankfort. Now in their second year, they grow a variety of mixed vegetables and herbs. An ambitious goal for the two women was to start a CSA vegetable subscription series with a target of 50 customers for the first year. They currently have 32 cutomers signed up, which means that the farmers will have to deliver a weekly supply of fruits and vegetables.
For many farmers, this can mean not only a steady income but also the requsite pressure to deliver even if the weather is too cold preventing the crops from ripening to the point of picking.

Phelan and McPhillips are urban farm crusaders: Through their research the two women have discovered that none of the townships in their area of Will Co. have development plans that includes preserving farmlands. That means that the fertile topsoil of Will County can be paved over for housing developments.
The two farmers continue to voice their opinions inpublic forums about the importance of urban farming and local food production to local administration officials and neighbors.