Welcome to Locavore U

Where experienced instructors, hands-on lessons, and a community of curious learners gather on the farm to learn traditional skills that will build confidence in your abilities to care for you and your people.

As a student of the Locavore U community, you’ll be equipped with information you can apply to everything from your small garden or 400 acres and everything in between. We’ll serve up classes that you can choose from based on your needs and goals.

Home

WELLNESS RETREATS

Wellness Retreats Begin January 2026

Locavore U Retreat Spotlight | A New Year, A New You

As we step into a new year—a natural season for reflection, renewal, and gentle reset—Locavore U invites you into a new-you opportunity designed to meet you right where you are. This experience begins with an online course and serves as the kickoff to a growing series of retreat experiences coming soon.

Meet Michele Ritchie, a trusted Locavore U coach and instructor, and a lifelong learner with years of experience in natural health. Michele has walked closely with the Locavore community as an educator and guide, helping people translate wellness practices into real, everyday life. This intimate offering reflects her heart as a coach: start slow and simple. You’ll begin with Michele’s gentle, accessible 7-day detox plan, then move toward meaningful lifestyle shifts at your own pace—no pressure, no perfection, just supportive guidance and shared learning.

What’s included:

A complete cleanse protocol
Guidance on juicing, herbs, fasting & detoxification
Recipes for teas, tinctures, smoothies, fresh juices & a 24-hour at-home liver flush
Key nutrition do’s & don’ts
A DIY “Domestic Detox” for a healthier home
Curated sources for trusted superfoods & supplements
A 7-day post-cleanse plan to extend your results

When: January 15 – January 22

Live online guidance and support

Cost: $75 (supplies not included)

Space limited to 10 participants

📩 Inquire at: thegoodlifecoach@proton.me

More info: Text/Call 773-317-4868 or email thegoodlifecoach@proton.me

Coming Spring 2026: Locavore U will expand wellness offerings both on and off the farm, including an in-town wellness retreat space just 23 miles south of Chicago.

Locavore U at a Glance

Hands-on classes, workshops and conversations to get you back to the basics, and relearning traditional skills
Register for as many classes as you wish
Classes are available March through December
Classes are 2-4 hours long
Class fees and supplies vary

We look forward to guiding YOU through YOUR journey as a student of Locavore U

2026 Classes

At Locavore U, we are currently curating and collaborating with our instructors to build a robust 2026 roster of classes, courses, workshops, camps, and retreats. Each offering is thoughtfully designed to be hands-on, relational, and practical—equipping participants with real skills for a more sustainable, healthy, and intentional life. Topics will span natural wellness, food systems, land stewardship, home skills, and lifestyle rhythms, led by experienced instructors who live what they teach. As the lineup takes shape, our focus remains the same: meaningful learning, shared experience, and education that translates into everyday life. Class formats, fees, and supplies will vary by offering.

Topics Covered in Locavore U Workshops:

(Workshops are scheduled throughout the year—check back often for new dates!)

Homestead & Land Stewardship

Construction for the Backyard Homestead
Creating Income from Your Land
Homestead Design
Permaculture Design for Backyards & Farms

Gardening & Food Production

Garden Planning – March 8 & March 15 (Register Now!)
Grow Your Own Victory Garden
Raised Bed Systems & Hugelkultur
Seed-Saving & Seed Banks
Natural Beekeeping 101 (Treatment-Free Beekeeping)
Natural Beekeeping 102 (Colony Collapse: What Are the Bees Telling Us?)
Raising Chickens for Eggs & Meat
Mycology & Mushrooms

Food Preservation & Culinary Skills

Sourdough & Grains
Traditional Foods for Daily Menus
Food Preservation: Dehydrating & Canning (Pressure & Water Bath)
Fermenting Vegetables & Gut Health
Making Bone Broth
Pasture-to-Plate: Smoke, Roast & Grill

Wild Foods & Herbal Wellness

Spring Detox 101
Wildcraft & Wellness
Wildfoods & Foraging
Herbal First Aid
Edible Flowers & Crystalized Flower Petals
Winter Seed Sowing

Handcrafting & Self-Sufficiency

Basic Hand Stitch for Garment Repair & Gift-Giving
Handcrafting: Felting Wool

New workshops are continually being scheduled as we refine our offerings and introduce fresh topics. Check back regularly to see what’s new and join us at Locavore U! If you are interested in joining our Instructors Collective, shoot us a message.

The Permaculture Course Offering

Locavore Farm is proud to collaborate with Midwest Permaculture to offer hands-on learning experiences that bring permaculture principles to life. As participants engage with Midwest Permaculture’s online and in-person coursework, they will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge in a real-world setting at Locavore Farm's 30-acre Sumac Creek estate. Through immersive, guided experiences, students will deepen their understanding of regenerative agriculture, sustainable food systems, and land stewardship—gaining practical skills that complement their studies.

Curriculum Overview:

Earthworks
Water Harvesting
Soil Building
Plants and Guilds
Food Production Systems
Humane Use of Animals
Alternatives to Alternative Energy
Natural Building
Aquaculture - Aquaponics
Community Governance

For more information including a deeper dive into the curriculum that will be offered, shoot us a message so we can schedule the right hands-on experience for you.