Who’s Your Farmer: Banford Road Farm

Duke’s recently reached out to our local farmers and producers to participate in a project that will highlight their contributions to our local food system. By sharing their stories and insights, we hope to raise awareness of our local small businesses and spark conversations about the importance of sustainable practices.

Name

Jason Sonnefeldt

Business Name

Banford Road Farm

What product(s) does your business produce?

Salad greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, eggplant, herbs, flower bouquets.

Where is your business located?

Woodstock, IL

Where can consumers find your products?

Woodstock Farmers Market, Park Ridge Farmers Market

What do you see as major problems with our current food system?

Industrialized agriculture destroys soil health. Dead soil leads to diminished nutrient density in vegetables. Shipping times from California ensure short lived salad greens. Cooking skills in the general public have also atrophied.

How does your product show us how our food system could be better?

Banford produce is grown in biologically active soil with lab verified organic matter levels exceeding 10%. This is triple the average for farms across the United States. Our growing system literally sequesters atmospheric carbon in the soil (carbon negative) while the average big farm is a net emitter of carbon into the atmosphere through tillage and mismanagement of animal manures.

What would you say to a young person looking to enter your field?

Welcome to paradise.

How do you balance the pursuit of profit with the responsibility to your community and the environment?

We pay our workers more than any other farm in our area and we farm ecologically, not industrially. Fortunately, customers are willing to pay a premium for top quality vegetables, so we can afford to steward our soil properly and pay our workers well.

Who is your favorite artist and why?

I like the Lumineers. Their music reminds me of times spent living and working out in the country.