Our History

In the winter of 2023, frustrated Farmer City residents, deprived of a local grocery store, initiated discussions and conducted research to address the issue. The early pioneers of this endeavor connected with Sean Park, who serves as the Program Director at the Illinois Cooperative Development Center within the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University. Sean introduced the community to the concept of a cooperative business model. The Farmer City Chamber of Commerce enthusiastically embraced this idea during their annual dinner, leading to the creation of a Facebook page that rapidly garnered over 250 enthusiastic followers.

As spring arrived in 2023, we hosted our inaugural community meeting in collaboration with Western Illinois University, drawing more than 40 local residents who showed their commitment by volunteering to serve on our steering committee. The committee now comprises nine dedicated community members. Local media outlets caught wind of our initiative, featuring us on television and radio programs. The steering committee has been diligently laying the groundwork for a successful cooperative grocery store in Farmer City, addressing aspects like our name, logo, incorporation documentation, and the store's location, among other considerations.

More recently, the steering committee completed a comprehensive feasibility study and enlisted the services of a consultant to assist in devising a fundraising plan. We have also settled on a name for our project, "The Farm To City Harvest Store," and are actively working on a logo. Additionally, we've transitioned from our initial Facebook Group to an official Facebook page. To stay informed and stay connected, we invite you to like our Facebook page or join our monthly email newsletter list.