Our Urban Farm

In 2011 GlennArt Farm developed as an urban farm on the west side of Chicago when David and Carolyn Ioder started with  two full-size does (female goats).  Since that time they have maintained about five dairy goats and managed about nine kids (baby goats) in the summer season. ​

​The animals are kept at a large pen at the Midway Park address in the winter months and in the garage at night. In the summer the Ioders make use of a large lot one block east of the house.  In the winter David and Carolyn send the nanny goats  back to Wisconsin to be bred and take a break to plan the next season.  

During high season from April to November, David and Carolyn make cheese, milk goats seven days a week, and are local suppliers of eggs and honey. 

The Ioders have organized a Goat Guardian Guild, which consists of a club membership of interested people from all walks of life. Members help with the cost of importing hay and participate in goat keeping without owning the animals.

Since 2011, they have forged connections with a variety of people, including gardeners, children, youth groups, and garden groups.

The Ioders are always looking for land.  Currently they use about three lots in the summer season with the largest lot on Waller street between Lake and Race. 

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Our Mission

At GlennArt Farm, we are dedicated to the Austin neighborhood on Chicago's West Side. We are grateful to be able to provide services based in an area that offers both challenges and unexpected joy. We:

• Give credit to a high power for any success we have
• Restore community -- the community comes first
• Provide healthful food; we are in a food desert and we provide options that people wouldn't have otherwise

Our Founders

​Both Carolyn and David Ioder have roots in farming: their parents  grew up on farms and currently still own farmland in Illinois and Missouri. Carolyn's father worked as a food scientist in the corporate world, so food and milk production has always been a subject of discussion in Carolyn's life. David works as a math teacher in the Chicago Public Schools. Carolyn stopped working as a librarian to raise her son and discovered  urban farming while homeschooling.

These last years David and Carolyn decided to name their urban farm in honor of their fathers who were both named Glen. David's grandfather is named Arthur and their son is named Arthur. So GlennArt Farm was named.