Elawa Farm Foundation

What Elawa Farm Foundation does

Elawa Farm Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that stewards a historic 1918 farm campus at 1401 Middlefork Drive, Lake Forest, Illinois, with a mission to enrich the greater Lake County community as a center for experiential learning that broadens access to education, nutritious food, and the local food system. The foundation operates a two-acre-plus restored garden producing over 9,000 pounds of sustainably grown fruits, vegetables, and cutting flowers annually using field rotation, cover cropping, beneficial predation, organic composting, honeybee pollination, and drip irrigation, alongside a commercial kitchen, the on-site Cafe at Elawa Farm led by Executive Chef Lee Kuebler, the Garden Market, and ADA-accessible Discovery Garden and Discovery Hive learning spaces. The organization generates revenue across more than ten streams: cafe and market sales, five CSA tracks (Full-Diet, Produce-Only, Flower, Peony, and Meat Shares), private event and wedding rentals in the Hay Barn and Potting Shed, summer camps, classes and programs, animal sponsorships, seedling sales, farm tours, donations via PayPal, and an annual Harvest Benefit Dinner.

Elawa Farm's go-to-market is a hybrid community-led, direct-to-consumer, and event-driven model: a ~22-person staff (plus hourly cafe and event roles) operates the farm, cafe, and market on-site, supported by online ticketing through Tock, a Squarespace website, email newsletter, and Chicago Tribune earned-media coverage, while distributing wholesale to local restaurants and grocers. Beyond commercial revenue, the foundation runs a Food Access Program that has served more than 10,000 Lake County families facing food insecurity since 2020 via partnerships with North Chicago Community Partners, Roberti Community House, and Phoenix Rising Foundation, plus a Workforce Development Program committing 10% of its workforce to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in partnership with the Center for Enriched Living and Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep. Funded primarily through donations, the Harvest Benefit Dinner (with a 2026 goal of $325,000), and tiered capital gifts up to the $100,000+ Stewardship Circle, the foundation is currently executing a $2 million "Keep Elawa Growing" capital campaign ($1.5M raised from lead donors) to add an indoor classroom, visitor center, hoophouse, expanded commercial kitchen, and a community cooking school incubator serving 6-8 emerging food businesses.

Name

Elawa Farm Foundation

Legal name

Elawa Farm Foundation

Website

https://elawafarm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1917

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Elawa Farm Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a historic 1918 farm in Lake Forest, Illinois, running a farm-to-table cafe, garden market, multi-track CSA, camps, weddings, classes, and food access and workforce development programs for Lake County families and individuals with disabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Agriculture & Agritourism

NAICS

Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112), Support Activities for Animal Production (115210)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food) (CRAHAHAE), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

Keywords

• Sustainable agriculture
• Community supported agriculture
• Farm education programs
• Food access nonprofit
• Agritourism services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake Forest

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Cafe Sales: Farm-to-table breakfast, lunch, coffee service, and weekend brunch at The Cafe at Elawa Farm, open Wednesday through Sunday, 8am-3pm. Led by Chef Lee Kuebler with seasonally inspired menu.
2. Market Sales: Garden Market sales May-October and Winter Market January-April featuring produce, flowers, prepared foods, baked goods, and curated products from local farmers and artisans.
3. CSA Subscriptions: Community Supported Agriculture program including Full-Diet CSA, Produce-Only CSA, Flower CSA, Peony Share CSA, and Meat CSA with weekly/biweekly or monthly deliveries.
4. Animal & Bee Sponsorships: Sponsorships for chickens, ducks, and beehives offering naming rights, eggs/honey products, and visit experiences.
5. Seedling Sales: Pre-order of organically grown vegetable and herb seedlings for customer pickup at The Market.
6. Private Event Rentals: Wedding, corporate, and private event rentals including Hay Barn and Potting Shed venues with catering options.
7. Camp Programs: Farm Camp for ages 5-7 and Farm-to-Table Cooking Camp for ages 8-11 running Monday-Friday during summer months.
8. Classes & Programs: Adult cooking classes, family programs, youth classes, and special workshops led by internal team and guest educators.
9. Donations & Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations via PayPal, mail, phone, stock gifts, and annual Harvest Benefit Dinner fundraiser.
10. Capital Campaign: $2 million Keep Elawa Growing Initiative campaign to expand education and food access programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Elawa Farm Foundation operates a historic 1918 farm campus in Lake Forest, Illinois as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, stewarding two-plus acres of sustainably grown produce and cutting flowers. It sells this through The Cafe at Elawa Farm, the Garden Market, and CSA subscriptions (Full-Diet, Produce-Only, Flower, Peony, and Meat shares), while delivering educational programs including summer camps, cooking classes, farm tours, and at-home garden consultations. The foundation also operates food access programs donating to families facing food insecurity, workforce development for individuals with disabilities, and private event/wedding venue rentals.

Product overview

Elawa Farm Foundation operates a multi-faceted agritourism and community food access organization featuring The Cafe at Elawa Farm (farm-to-table breakfast/lunch service), the Garden Market (seasonal produce and artisan goods), and diverse CSA programs (Full-Diet, Produce-Only, Peony Share, Flower Share, and Meat Share). The Foundation runs Camp Elawa (summer day camp), Discovery Garden and Discovery Hive (ADA-accessible learning spaces), Classes & Programs (cooking classes, farm tours, family activities), Farm Dining (community dinners and special events), and Private Event/Wedding Rentals. Food access and workforce development programs serve Lake County communities, while Edible Yards provides at-home garden consultations. The Keep Elawa Growing Initiative is a $2 million capital campaign for facility expansion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Cafe at Elawa Farm Farm-to-table breakfast, lunch, and coffee service open Wednesday through Sunday 8am-3pm, featuring seasonally inspired menus using ingredients from the farm's gardens and local farm partners, led by Chef Lee Kuebler.
• Garden Market Seasonal market offering freshly harvested produce and flowers from the farm's fields, prepared foods and baked goods from the kitchen, plus curated products from local farmers and artisans.
• Full-Diet CSA Weekly or biweekly share of Elawa Farm vegetables and herbs along with locally sourced fruit, dozen eggs, mushrooms, bread, and grain products from partner farms, running June through October.
• Produce-Only CSA Weekly share of fresh produce grown at Elawa Farm, supplemented with items from local farmers for a broad array of sustainably grown items throughout the growing season.
• Flower Share CSA Eight-week weekly bouquets of fresh, seasonal flowers grown and arranged at Elawa Farm, hand-picked during peak season for diverse and vibrant arrangements.
• Peony Share CSA Three-week share offering freshly arranged peony bouquets complemented by accent flowers and lush greens from the farm's fields, with a 10% discount compared to market flower bouquets.
• Meat Share CSA Monthly share of 15 pounds of frozen and packaged meat cuts including pasture-raised beef, pork, and chicken from Living Light Farms in Central Illinois, running July through December.
• Seedling Sale Annual pre-order sale of organically grown vegetable and herb seedlings including tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, herbs, and flowers with pickup dates in May.
• Camp Elawa Summer day camp for children ages 5-11 including Farm Camp with gardening and cooking activities, and Farm-to-Table Cooking Camp for culinary education, held Monday-Friday sessions.
• Classes & Programs Educational programming including adult cooking classes with guest chefs, family programs (Goat Stroll, Hooves & Hugs, Farm Tours, Yoga), and youth classes (Farm Camp, Little Yogis, Adventures at Elawa).
• Farm Tours Free public tours on select Saturdays from May through October covering farm history, current initiatives, regenerative farming practices, and seasonal growing cycles, plus private tours available by request.
• Private Event Rentals Venue rentals for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations including Hay Barn, Potting Shed, and various lawn spaces with tiered packages and catering options.
• Golden Hour Events Early evening rental packages for corporate events, cocktail receptions, and intimate dinners in the Hay Barn or Potting Shed, available May through October with farm-to-table catering.
• Edible Yards by Elawa Farm At-home garden consultation service providing initial garden assessments, soil testing, crop planning, problem diagnosis, and ongoing coaching for home vegetable and cut flower gardens.
• Farm Dining Programs Community dinner series including Burger Night (Wednesdays), Summer Grill Night (Thursdays), and special multi-course Farm Dinners featuring seasonal ingredients and local sourcing.
• Food Access Program Community food distribution initiative donating fresh harvest and kitchen meals to families facing food insecurity in Lake County through partnerships with food pantries, churches, and community organizations.
• Workforce Development Program Employment and training program partnering with Center for Enriched Living to create inclusive job opportunities for individuals with disabilities in cafe, market, and farm operations.
• Animal Sponsorships Seasonal sponsorship program for ducks, chickens, and bee hives offering naming rights, farm produce in return (eggs, honey), and special visit experiences with the animals.
• Annual Fundraisers Annual fundraising events including the Harvest Benefit Dinner (goal of $325,000) and Summer Solstice BBQ to support food access, educational, and workforce development programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fed more than 10,000 families facing food insecurity since 2020
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• North Chicago Community PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership for food access programs including Soup & Bread Night in winter. For each ticket sold at community supper series, one serving donated to NCCP's Family Care Closet program. Burger Night and Summer Grill Night also donate servings.
• Roberti Community HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeekly fresh harvest and garden seedling donations during growing season to support food access mission.
• Phoenix Rising FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeekly fresh harvest and garden seedling donations during growing season to support food access mission.
• Center for Enriched LivingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership creating inclusive, paid employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in cafe, market, and farm roles. Committed to 10% of workforce from CEL.
• Cristo Rey St. Martin College PrepcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternship and career readiness training program for local high school students from Waukegan, providing workforce development opportunities.
• Living Light FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily-owned farm in Central Illinois (Paxton) providing pasture-raised beef, pork, chicken, and lamb for Meat CSA. Also supplies eggs for Full-Diet CSA. Owners Tim and Sarah Roth use rotational grazing.
• Wild Trillium FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal farm partner providing produce items for Full-Diet CSA share.
• Mick Klug FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal farm partner providing produce items for Full-Diet CSA share.
• Four Star MushroomsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal mushroom supplier providing pint of mushrooms for Full-Diet CSA share.
• Publican Quality BreadminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBread supplier providing weekly loaf for Full-Diet CSA share.
• Meadowlark OrganicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal grain supplier providing granola, flour, dried beans for Full-Diet CSA share.
• TeffolaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal grain supplier providing products for Full-Diet CSA share.
• Funksgrove Heritage Fruits and GrainsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal grain supplier providing products for Full-Diet CSA share.
• Wanda FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEgg supplier providing dozen eggs for Full-Diet CSA share.
• Tala CoffeeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal roastery in Libertyville providing expertly roasted coffee beans for The Cafe.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming: Regional food and farming nonprofit operating a working farm in Cold Spring, NY with CSA, education, events, and food system advocacy; comparable nonprofit governance model and mission to broaden access to local food systems, similar to Elawa.
• Soul Fire Farm: Black-led nonprofit farm in Petersburg, NY focused on food sovereignty and ending food insecurity through trainings, CSA, and youth programs—compares on the impact-nonprofit + food-access + education dimension of Elawa's mission.
• Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture: Nonprofit historic farm in Pocantico Hills, NY that operates CSA, farm-to-table dining, education programs, and food-access initiatives on a multi-acre campus—closely mirrors Elawa's combination of regenerative agriculture, on-site cafe/market, and nonprofit education mission.
• Appleton Farms (The Trustees of Reservations): Historic working farm in Ipswich, MA operated by a nonprofit land trust running CSA, farm store, education programs, weddings, and public trails—closely analogous historic-property-with-modern-agritourism model.

Emerging players

• Project GROWS: Smaller-scale nonprofit farm in Staunton, VA combining farm production, food access distribution, and youth education—comparable operating model at a smaller scale with food-insecurity mission overlap.

Regional players

• Heritage Prairie Farm: Cedarville, IL farm offering farm dinners, weddings, CSA, and on-site brewery/store near Chicago—directly comparable regional competitor across Elawa's wedding/event and CSA revenue streams.
• Angelic Organics Learning Center & Farm: Caledonia, IL-based nonprofit CSA farm and education center serving the greater Chicago region—shares Elawa's CSA model, regenerative practices, and Northern Illinois/Chicago-area operating geography.

Broad incumbents

• Rodale Institute: Large-scale nonprofit in Kutztown, PA focused on regenerative organic agriculture research, education, and food access advocacy—broader scale peer sharing the sustainable-agriculture-nonprofit mission and food-systems focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/elawafarm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Elawa Farm Foundation