Events
We host monthly events on the farm or with partners to connect with our community, share skills, and provide farm updates. We’re often adding new events to our schedule, so be sure to check back often!
Do you have an idea for an event you’d like to see at the farm? Email us and suggest it!
Seed Starting Workshop
Discover how to start your own seedlings and get a head start on your garden for the 2025 growing season!
Our farm staff will guide you through the seed starting process and teach you how to care for your seedlings until they’re ready to be transplanted.
You will leave the workshop with your very own tray of seeds, primed for growth!
$20 Suggested Donation
Registration is required: click here to register.
Earth Day Celebration!
Happy Earth Day!
Happy Earth Day! At the heart of our operation lies sustainable agriculture and we are dedicated to practices such as soil building and conservation, creating habitats for pollinators and wildlife, organic integrated pest management, cover cropping, crop rotation, nutrient management, and conserving water through drip irrigation, among others! Join us at Sola Gratia Farm for an Earth Day Celebration + Community Classroom Open House on April 22nd from 4 - 6 PM. We are excited to offer a public tour of our bee garden, share about our efforts towards supporting local flora and fauna, and hopefully plant some more native species! (weather permitting) Happening concurrently is the first of FOUR Community Classroom Open Houses! This is a wonderful opportunity to explore and engage with our outdoor education space. Make sure to take note of how the Community Classroom looks in April, as you’ll be amazed how much a growing space, like a garden or farm, transforms throughout the season! Attend all four Community Classroom Open Houses, and you’ll be entered into a raffle for some exciting farm goodies!
Sola Gratia Farm Earth Day Celebration: Bee Garden Tour & Community Classroom Open House
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025 from 4 - 6 PM
Sola Gratia Farm (*Original Site) 2200 Philo Rd. Urbana, IL
Annual Spring Plant Sale
Our Annual Spring Plant Sale will be open daily 9 AM - 5 PM, starting May 9th and running through May 18th. You’ll find a wide selection of farm-started, organically-grown plants, including vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers, as well as both annual and perennial decorative plants from Country Arbors Nursery. This event serves as our largest fundraiser of the year, and we invite you to include us in your spring planting plans. By shopping with us, you support our mission to provide high-quality, natural produce to the community, while also giving your garden a fantastic start to the growing season! Cash, card, check, and LINK accepted.
Details:
Sola Gratia Farm's SPRING PLANT SALE 2025!
May 9-18, 2025. Open from 9am-5pm!
Sola Gratia Farm, 2200 S. Philo Rd. Urbana, IL
Community Seed Exchange
Calling all experienced seed collectors and new gardeners alike! We invite you to participate in our seed exchange event at our new building! We encourage folks to bring seeds they are willing to share along with some extra containers to take home additional seeds. Remember to bring labeling materials as well! Carpooling is encouraged, as parking is limited.
Calendula Salve & Herb Salt Workshop
At Sola Gratia Farm, we embrace the concept of practical gift-giving this holiday season. Treat yourself to the knowledge of cultivating calendula in your garden and discovering its benefits. You'll also have the opportunity to create 2, 2 oz containers of calendula salve to gift to your loved ones (or perhaps keep one for yourself!). Additionally, we’ll dive into the world of homemade herb salts and participants will be able to make 2 pint jars of their own custom blend! A pre-registration fee of $30 is required to cover material costs. All materials will be provided on the day of the workshop. Sign up today, as spaces are limited!
Fresh Fruit Fundraiser
Help support our mission at Sola Gratia Farm: making healthy food accessible for all by nurturing productive land and cultivating diverse, inclusive communities.
Shindig at Sola - Benefit Concert & Open House!
Join us at the new site to enjoy food by Blue Dragonfly Catering, a cash bar featuring local Riggs beers and wines, an open house (fields and farm buildings!), and live music by the very talented Jason Ringenberg! Jason is renowned for blending traditional country music with energetic punk rock, and in 2008 was awarded the Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance. Let’s rock this open house together as we celebrate all of Sola’s accomplishments over the past 12 years. We have been dedicated to producing locally-grown, high-quality, natural produce for the community, donating 20-30% of our produce to those in need, and promoting healthy lifestyles and community engagement through volunteering, special events, outreach, and education programs.
To support our fundraising efforts, this is a ticketed event that requires registration.
Shindig at Sola - Children's Concert!
We will kick off Sola’s Shindig with a children’s’ concert at our Community Classroom featuring Farmer Jason, created by rock music icon Jason Ringenberg, uses music to both educate and entertain children about farm life and the beauty of nature. The character is inspired by his farming roots and passion for the outdoors. Kids and families of all ages are welcome! This is a free event.
Guided Bird Walk + Yoga Class
Join us at Sola Gratia Farm for a morning dedicated to relaxation. We’re hosting a guided bird walk and a yoga class back-to-back! This 2-part event will begin at 8 AM at our greenhouse located at 2200 Philo Rd. After a brief discussion about what to expect on the bird walk, Jamie Schwieneke, a Sola staff member and founder of CU Bird Nerds facebook group, will lead everyone through some birding hotspots on the original acres and new farmland. The bird walk is expected to last between 60-90 minutes. Once we make our way back to the greenhouse, we will find a nice spot to set up for yoga class. We are so grateful to have Rachel Bass-Guennwig from Daily Bread Yoga back with us on the farm to lead us through class, where we will aim to soothe and revive both the body and mind. Come for the relaxing morning an stay for the homemade farm tea when we’re done! We welcome folks of all birding and yoga skill levels.
Recommendations:
Bring binoculars, if you have them
Wear comfy clothes, perhaps in layers
Bring a yoga mat or towel
$10 donation appreciated
Fall Plant Sale Day 2
We're having a Fall Plant Sale!
Fall is an exciting time to revamp your garden after the summer crops are through. Come shop from us August 23 & 24 to stock up on starts - we'll have cooking and salad greens, scallions, beets, peas, herbs, and flowers! This sale is in conjunction with St. Matthew Lutheran Church's Rummage Sale & Craft Fair!
Details WHERE: 2200 S Philo Rd. Urbana, ILWHEN: August 23 & 24 from 8AM to 1PM
Direct any questions you have to the comments or events@solagratiacsa.com
Fall Plant Sale Day 1
We're having a Fall Plant Sale!
Fall is an exciting time to revamp your garden after the summer crops are through. Come shop from us August 23 & 24 to stock up on starts - we'll have cooking and salad greens, scallions, beets, peas, herbs, and flowers! This sale is in conjunction with St. Matthew Lutheran Church's Rummage Sale & Craft Fair!
Details WHERE: 2200 S Philo Rd. Urbana, ILWHEN: August 23 & 24 from 8AM to 1PM
Direct any questions you have to the comments or events@solagratiacsa.com
Fall Garden Workshop
Join us for a Fall Garden Workshop on Thursday, August 22, from 5-6pm! Our staff will lead a fall garden planting demo and cover topics such as what crops to plant in the fall, seasonal gardening tips, and how to prepare your garden for winter. Join the workshop and then stop by our Fall Plant Sale the following weekend to pick up everything you need! (No charge; $15 recommended donation.)
Farm Olympics
U.S.A! U.S.A.! Excited for the Summer Olympics? After cheering on our athletes in Paris, why not extend the fun to the Farm? Get your game face on and join us for Farm Olympics on Saturday, August 10th at 11AM! It is going to be a blast with games, prizes, and great photo opportunities. Pack a blanket and a basket, because there will be plenty of room for folks to enjoy a picnic. All ages are welcome to join in on the fun at this FREE event! Check out our flyer or send us an email at events@solagratiacsa.com for more information. Let the games begin!
Asahi Open House at St. Matthew
Asahi Open House at St. Matthew! This is an intro to the gentle Finnish exercise Asahi, and we're excited that St. Matthew is hosting. More details and sign-up on their page!
Urbana Amble
Sola Gratia Farm is excited to share a space we have been working on for our community - The Community Classroom! Please join us during the Urbana Amble to add some of your personal touches to this space by filling it with works of art. Materials will be supplied.
Plant Sale
Open 9am-5pm every day, May 10-May 19!
Visit our annual Plant Sale to pick up some of our organically-grown vegetable, herb, and fruit starts, as well as perennial and annual decorative plants sourced Country Arbors, our favorite local nursery! Just in time for Mother’s Day and garden planting season, it’s the perfect chance to celebrate Spring by bringing some of our plants home with you. Cash, credit, check, and LINK cards will be accepted.
Seed Starting Workshop
Learn how to start your own seedlings at home and get a jump start on your garden in the 2024 season! Farm staff will lead you through the process of seed starting and how to care for your seedlings until they are ready to go into the garden. We will also talk about seed saving and discuss some techniques. You’ll get to go home with your own tray of seeds ready to grow! Participation in this event will be limited, so please sign up in advance: Sign Up
A recommended donation of $15 will help us cover supplies for everyone attending the workshop. Thank you!
Seed Starting Workshop
Learn how to start your own seedlings at home and get a jump start on your garden in the 2024 season! Farm staff will lead you through the process of seed starting and how to care for your seedlings until they are ready to go into the garden. We will also talk about seed saving and discuss some techniques. You’ll get to go home with your own tray of seeds ready to grow! Participation in this event will be limited, so please sign up in advance: Sign Up
A recommended donation of $15 will help us cover supplies for everyone attending the workshop. Thank you!
Annual Meeting
Our Annual Meeting will feature a presentation from farm leaders on our production, programming, and impact in 2023 - including updates on our expansion. It’s a great opportunity to hear an overview of where our farm currently stands and what we are aiming to do in the upcoming year.
Happy Hour @ Riggs Beer Company!
Join Sola Gratia Farm staff and friends at Riggs Brewery for some fun and fellowship to see you through the long winter!
State of the Plate: Health-Related Impacts of Food Insecurity and Food Insecurity and Child Welfare
The Healthy Champaign County Food Access Alliance is hosting a new series of monthly presentations, State of the Plate, to inform and inspire participation in the 2024 Champaign County Food Summit.
January’s State of the Plate presentations will feature:
Nicholas Lee, RD, LDN, and Noelle Park, MS, RD, LDN, of OSF Healthcare, discussing Health-Related Impacts of Food Insecurity
Jesse Helton, PhD, Associate Professor of Social Work at Saint Louis University, discussing Food Insecurity and Child Welfare
No registration is required. Join on Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81915777208?pwd=ZCtPbUpRcVpwV2VDRUNPSTJSWUdVQT09