Our Story
Over 150 years in the Sterling, IL area.
Our happy herd of dairy cows enjoying an evening snack.
Our Landis family arrived in the Sterling, IL area from Pennsylvania in the mid 1800’s and first settled in what is today the Sinnissippi Park area. We have been at our “home farm” address just north of Sterling for almost 100 years.
In 2008 our parents decided to transition the small family dairy and grain farm to organic. Jacob, Joshua, and Jonathan grew up helping on the farm through the transition and early years of being an organic farm.
After going away for college and working at some different places, Jacob, Joshua, and Jonathan decided to move back to Sterling to farm. We work together under the name JL Acres, managing over 1400 acres of pasture and farmland for the 2024 season. The majority is certified organic or in transition.
In 2019 we began to discover the regenerative farming movement and implement some of its principles into the organic farming operation (see link below). Primarily, we grow corn, soybeans (sometimes for the food market), wheat, and hay. We have often added sunflowers, oats, and field peas depending on the year. On the dairy side we sell milk to Organic Valley and also raise up our own calves to sell for meat.
Today we try to grow cover crops on as many acres as the weather allows, and integrate livestock or manure where possible. We try to minimize soil disturbance and reduce erosion wherever we can.
We look forward to continuing to manage the land in responsible ways that leave it healthy and productive for future generations.