Hello faithful members, newsletter subscribers, contributors, and occasional perusers,

I wanted to let everyone know that I've made a big decision regarding the future of Chicago Locavores and the website. After a lot of thought and consideration, I've decided that the whole operation needs to be dramatically scaled back. Although I still believe there is a need and a place for a membership group such as this, it appears that my eyes were a bit bigger than my stomach! The transformation from online group to non-profit, site maintenance, and programs have proved too overwhelming for me at this point, so I have decided to transform Chicago Locavores back into a smaller blog-esque site instead of the current many armed beast that it is.

What does this mean for the site? All the resources that have been collected (links, maps, etc) will remain intact, but will be presented in a different, simpler format. The blog will still exist, but really just as a way for me to share local food tidbits I come across or restaurants I visit with the potential for occasional interviews, specials, and contributions from others. Input will still be greatly appreciated, but only in the form of blog comments.

What does this mean for you? If you are a site member back from the beginning, you'll be receiving an e-mail in the near future that will allow you to opt in or out of blog e-mail notifications (you'll still be able to subscribe to the RSS feed too). If you became a site member with a donation, you'll be receiving the same e-mail but you'll also be given the option for a donation refund. If you're simply a newsletter subscriber or occasional site peruser, all of the resources and every area of the site will now be open to you. The last "official" newsletter will be sent out as soon as the website transformation is complete, after which point the newsletters won't be coming out with any specific regularity.

I want to thank each and every one of you that has helped Chicago Locavores over this past year, especially those of you who have contributed ideas or offered services. As I said, I still believe there is a need for websites and organizations like this, but currently there are others who are able to devote far more energy and time to helping you achieve your locavore goals. In fact, I'll be sure that the first new blog posting will be dedicated to pointing you in the direction of other resources. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the new blog. I look forward to creating a better, more compact, more manageable, and ultimately more helpful site very soon.

Sincerely,

Nina Interlandi Bell
Chicago Locavores