Wins for the Commons 

Thanks to the generosity of community members inspired by a vision of ‘Farms Forever’, we incorporated AOA community land trust as an Illinois non-profit, and, in little more than a decade, we built on the success of the 2012 ‘Save the 70’ campaign (that sparked the creation of AOA) with three subsequent AOA campaigns to purchase and protect land for the commons:

• 39 acres in 2014 - AOA secured majority ownership in AO North LLC, 

• 23 acres in 2016 - AOA purchased the Peterson Farmstead that hosts buildings of both John Peterson (formerly Angelic Organics CSA) and Farmers Rising (formerly AO Learning Center), and 

• 10 acres in 2017 - AOA purchased a neighboring farmstead for the ‘launch the lodge’ campaign to expand protected acres (see Kinnikinnick Fields on map).

For background on each successful campaign and win for the commons, click the underlined text above for 'Save the 70', '39 acres', '23 acres', and '10 acres'.  

The maps below show parcels where AOA community land trust has worked or is working to remove land from the speculative marketplace and place it into the commons where these living lands are protected in perpetuity for organic-biodynamic agriculture, farming education, and land conservation. 

For a narrative key from 2018 to the aerial maps, click here. 

DONATE HERE to the FARMS FOREVER FUND

Please give to the Farms Forever Fund!  

We aim to raise $20,000 

to protect the land commons 

and transition to a new generation 

of farmer stewards.  

Please read our appeal letter here.