Jewish Life Campus at
Shtetl Farm & Ranch
This special place was created out of a yearning to reconnect Jewish Life to the older shtetl and farming lifestyle. It is a reflection of a time when people were more connected to the world around them, and had a greater appreciation for where their food was coming from.
Shtetl Farm & Ranch was founded by the Tannenbaum family, who came from the city with little-to-no farming experience or knowledge. It is a developing farm dedicated to learning and preserving the farming lifestyle in a fun and educational way. Currently, there is a large garden, apple, cherry, mulberry, and peach trees, 130+ chickens, goats, and bees, as well as fields for hay and areas for additional farming activities. We also have spaces dedicated for communal, camp and recreational use, including: basketball court, large pool, tetherball, playground, fields for sports, hiking paths and event spaces.
The organic produce from the garden is sold locally as well as distributed to the needy through Café on Vine, and our eggs are brought and sold to the Jewish community in Chicago. Fresh honey is used to make honey cakes that are brought to community members for Rosh Hashana. We have also begun learning how to milk goats and make goat cheese. We currently bail hay on approximately 12 acres. The hay is sold and used to maintain our livestock. The proceeds of items sold are used to help preserve the farm and the activities that happen on it. Thus, we provide a place for people from both inside and out of our community to learn about farming in a hands-on way taught through the Jewish perspective.
