Macroscope = an imaginary instrument devised by French scientist Dr. Joël

de Rosnay in his 1975 book The Macroscope: A New World Scientific System (Le Macroscope: Vers une vision globale) to introduce the systems view of the world to a wider audience.

~70,000 gallons of milk in 1 year

Most comfortable at a temperature of -18 C

Macroscopes are not just imaginary – the term is now used to describe the real tools and techniques used to study complex systems (like food systems).

The business acumen that created our industrial food production, distribution and marketing systems is worthy of respect – equal acumen is needed to create successful local food systems

WIU/Allison Organic Research Farm in Roseville, IL

We mostly investigate management strategies for highly mechanized “organic” row crop systems that produce low-value grains for sale by the semi-load to grain merchants

but we are also starting to explore higher value crops

Microwave popcorn packing facility in Central IA where “Rocky Popcorn” gets packed

We are dabbling in a few other purple and gold crops!

“pepperonis” are slices of purple

fleshed sweet potato

2 salads featuring local farm products, prepared by Cornucopia and served at the 2010 Allison Farm field day

Chicago’s Downtown Farmstand

A venue for IL crops including our popcorn

Barefoot Gardens CSA

Late May Early June

Mid June Late June

Good Hope Gardens CSA

FIG Local Food Dinner – 5 courses of fine dining

FIG Local Food Dinner – free event featuring fall produce in January

Distributing transplants during the Heritage Day parade

FIG Children’s Tent at Macomb Farmer’s Market

Container gardening at WIU and housing projects

Container gardening at Lincoln elementary school

Growing Power garden in Chicago

“Mound Farm” in Galesburg

Only 2 hits within a 10 mile radius :-<

Harnessing the power of entrepreneurial ingenuity

Key to the success of local food systems