'A personal connection' for your food

BARRINGTON – When their first son was born in 2008, Jessica and Dominic Green realized neither wanted to continue their career paths.

The two kicked around ideas, knowing they wanted to model good behavior for their children. Both are also big on food and sustainability. Inspired by British chef, farmer and activist Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall of River Cottage, who kicked off the small farm and grow-your-own movement in the UK, the two decided to take an active role in the local food movement.

The couple took courses through the Angelic Organics Learning Center in Caledonia and then did an apprenticeship of sorts at a Grayslake farm.

In the summer of 2010, the two launched their farming endeavors at the Barrington home of Jessica’s mother. They grew for 15 family and friends at no cost to see if they enjoyed the farming lifestyle. The two affectionately refer to that summer as Year 0 for The Gentleman Farmer. The Gentleman Farmer practices organic farming.

“The organic side of things is a no-brainer,” Jessica said. “I was raised with a mom who was into health foods and ate pretty organically.”

Now in their fifth year of growing and fourth year in business, the two have 100 Community Supported Agriculture shares. The Gentleman Farmer has also since moved from the small backyard farm in Barrington to a 7.5-acre farm in Barrington Hills, five acres of which are currently being used for growing.

“We’re living in a day where there is so much cancer and so much disease,” Jessica said, adding pesticides and chemicals have an effect not just on nature, but also on those consuming the items.

Dominic said while most farmers come from a long line of farmers, he does not.

“We’re very new to this, so I’m on an exponential learning curve,” Dominic said. “I’ve really been learning from scratch and reading books and calling farmers. There’s not a week that goes by that something completely surprising doesn’t happen.”

While Dominic learns from mistakes made in previous years, the season is nonstop farming from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. during the week, plus the Barrington Farmer’s Market on Thursday nights and at the Logan Square Farmer’s Market.

The Green family previously lived in Chicago, but now live in Barrington. Jessica grew up in Barrington and is a 1996 graduate of Barrington High School. The couple have two children, Henry, 6, and Oliver, 3. The boys spend time on the farm and Henry loves putting on his apron to help out at the market.

“I think every year I’ve bitten off a little bit more than I can chew, but that’s where I thrive,” Dominic said.

Dominic added he is popular at the farmer’s markets because people really like to meet the actual farmer growing and farming their foods.

“I think it’s that personal connection you can’t get at the grocery store,” Dominic said.

If people still have questions after talking with him, he said, he invites them to the farm to show them his methods. The farm is generally closed to the public.

The Gentleman Farmer’s 2014 Veggie CSA Subscription offered two options this year. A full share, which fills the member’s market bag with seven to 10 vegetables harvested weekly for a total of 20 weeks, or a half share, which fills the member’s market bag with seven to 10 vegetables harvested every other week for a total of 10 weeks.

New this year were worker share positions that allowed people to work one shift per week all season long to earn a full CSA share every week.

Dominic is modest about what he and Jessica do and said they aren’t doing anything new.

“This is going back to how people farmed three or four generations ago,” Dominic said. “Most of the things I grow, most people grew in their backyards 150 years ago.”

Jessica added that organic farming supports the community and environment though.

“Dominic and I were really inspired by being able to provide for the community,” Jessica said.

For more information on The Gentleman Farmer, visit www.gentleman-farmer.com.