Illinois Extension educators are teaming up with McLane Farms outside of Jonesboro, Illinois, for the second meeting of the summer twilight series to share information about the production and marketing of largemouth bass and the diversification of including rice in their row crop operation. The free event is June 17 at 6 p.m.
McLane Farms spreads across 3,000 acres of low-lying fields just east of the Mississippi River in Union Co. Mitchel and Amy McLane, their daughter Drew, and son Koby all work full-time on the family farm. In the early 2000s, Mitchel and Amy began looking at ways to supplement their row crop operation and experimented with fresh water prawn. After a couple of years of raising prawn, they transitioned into largemouth bass production. The family has worked with Paul Hitchens, SIU Center of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, to expand production, upgrade to automated systems for feeding and aeration, and secure market outlets. While most of this meeting will focus on the aquaculture aspects of the farm, one of the rice fields is adjacent to the fish ponds and provides another example of diversification utilized on this mainly row crop family farm.
Over the past nine years, Illinois Extension has partnered with area farms to provide evening twilight meetings to allow participants to experience different production and marketing practices utilized by local producers. Individuals will have a networking opportunity at each meeting, which is important in forming relationships with other local enterprises. This opportunity helps to increase business for both parties, grow the capacity of our local foods and small farms, and support a stronger, more sustainable regional economy.
DATE: Monday, June 17, 2024
TIME: 6 p.m.
LOCATION: McLane Farms, 7962 State Rt. 146 West, Jonesboro Ill., 62952
DIRECTIONS:
From Jonesboro: Drive west out of town on IL Route 146. Turn right directly across from the Revlon Bar. Follow the gravel road to the machine shed.
There is no cost to attend these in-person programs, but registration is required. To register online for any or all of the meetings in this series, go to go.illinois.edu/twilightseries or call 618-695-2441.
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Bronwyn Aly at baly@illinois.edu. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your needs. University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.
SOURCE: Bronwyn Aly, Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator, University of Illinois Extension, baly@illinois.edu, 618-695-2441
ABOUT EXTENSION: Illinois Extension leads public outreach for University of Illinois by translating research into action plans that allow Illinois families, businesses, and community leaders to solve problems, make informed decisions, and adapt to changes and opportunities.
