Claire Hodge joins TLC as new farm program assistant

TLC is happy to welcome local farmer Claire Hodge to the team as the farm program assitant. Claire will develop TLC’s Women’s Learning Circle program through funding from a Food:Land:Opportunity grant.

We asked her why she chose to become a farmer, and here is what she said:

I come to farming from a couple of different angles – I am at least a fourth-generation farmer in my family, but I took a different route by focusing on organic vegetables and fruit.

I’m also an agroecologist by training – I first studied and worked as a wildlife biologist, but then began to notice the largely negative impact agriculture systems were having on wildlife worldwide. I started exploring sustainable agriculture and began working on an organic market farm. I was hooked, and then went on to get my M.S. in sustainable agriculture and research organic farming systems.

In 2021, I jumped at the opportunity to start my own small farming business, Sunfleck Farm. I grow over 200 varieties of regeneratively grown vegetables on less than an acre, and at farm(h)er scale, do all of the work by hand. I market through a CSA (signup still open!), host a farmstand on Fridays from 3-6:00 p.m. at Soulful Prairies, and sell to restaurants.

I love growing food for my family and community – I thrive outdoors, working with my hands, and solving problems. I’m thoroughly enjoying networking and generating connections with other farmers in the McHenry county area, learning how we can all help each other in our efforts toward building a more resilient local food system.