Join Kane County FarmBureau at Chicago’s BrookfieldZoo for a “Summer Nights” eventSaturday August 1 from 4pm-9pm. The summertime eventhelps visitors see the popular zoofrom a different perspective,when it’s cooler and less crowd-ed. The evening celebration willfeature cool jams and fun activi-ties for the whole family.

Farm Bureau volunteers fromKane County will be on hand toshare information about areafarms and answer your questionsabout how your food is grown.Bring lawn chairs and blanketsto enjoy a wide range of livemusic and entertainment. FarmBureau will sponsor SummerNights events on Friday andSaturday nights through August8 – but August 1 is your chanceto meet up with local farmersfrom your community.

Choose from a variety of foodand refreshment options, all sur-rounded by your favorite animalsand some of the most beautifullandscapes in Chicagoland.Summer Nights will feature kid-friendly activities, and will betopped off with a new spectacularlaser light and video show.

Summer Nights featuresthemed roaming performersfrom 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., includingMardi Gras, renaissance, andpirates. Fun kids’ entertainmenton the East Mall kids’ stage,sponsored by JULIE, Inc., starts

at 6:00 p.m. and will featuremusic, magic, juggling displays,acrobatics, and creative story-telling. At 7 p.m. Mr. Blotto willplay on the zoo’s East Mall mainstage. They’ll take the jam bandaesthetic into areas unfamiliar tothe standard jam scene, playingan extensive combination ofcovers and original material.

Zoogoers can stroll throughthe zoo’s 216 acres of beautifullandscapes and see the zoo andanimals in a whole new light.An array of dining options andbeer and wine gardens will offer

guests a unique selection ofscrumptious food and beverageitems.

The Summer Nights dis-counted price also includes achoice of one of the followingin-park attractions:

Butterflies!, Dolphins inAction, The Carousel, HamillFamily Play Zoo, HamillFamily Wild Encounters, MotorSafari, and Stingray Bay.

Admission to Brookfield Zoois $16.95 for adults and $11.95for children ages 3-11 and sen-iors 65 and over. Children 2 and

under are free. After 4:00 p.m.,there is a $2 discount off admis-sion for Summer Nights.Parking for members is free atthe North Gate or $2.00 atthe South Gate. Parkingfor nonmembers is half-price ($5.00) after 4:00p.m.

For more informationvisit www.ilfb.org/summernights.

KCFB extends a special invi-tation to all our members toenjoy a night at the ballpark andopportunity to join in somegood summer fun! Join your fel-low Farm Bureau members for aKane County Cougars game atFifth Third Ballpark in Genevaon Thursday, August 13. Thegame starts at 6:30pm.

Ticket packages are $16 eachand include admission plus $10

in Ozzie Dollars to be used onany food item or ice cold bever-ages. Plus, it’s Thirsty Thursdayfeaturing $1 select beers andsmall sodas. KCFB will drawnames for prizes including FarmBureau themed ratchet drivescrewdrivers and USB phonechargers for your car. COUN-TRY Financial will be handingout free stylus pens to the first1,500 fans that night too.

Bring your family and friendsto watch the Cougars take on theGreat Lakes Loons. You’ll enjoygreat reserved seating for anexciting view of the game. Afterthe game you’ll get to enjoy afireworks show from the comfortof your seat. Call 630-584-8660to reserve your seats byThursday, July 30. Advance pay-ment required. VISA andMasterCard accepted.

Enhance the quality of life for member families;Promote agriculture, farms & food; and,

Advocate good stewardship of our land and resources.

VOL. 80 NO. 7 JULY 2015

DATES TO REMEMBER

JulyJuly 2Board of Directors,7:30 pmJuly 3Office Closed/Independence DayJuly 9Nominating Committees, 6:30p.mBoard of Directors, 7:30p.mJuly 13Fair Set-up, Young Farmers,6:30pmJuly 15-19Kane County FairJuly 24KCFB Director NominationdueJuly 27-28IFB/CFB Presidents Conf.July 29IFB Commodities ConferenceJuly 29John Buck Memorial Golf Outing, Marengo

PorkChops

Our featured product for themonth of July is Inboden’sMeats delicious seasoned porkchops. Each 5 lb. box comes in8 oz. or 10 oz. and bonelessand bone-in varieties. Eachchop comes in a vacuum sealedplastic bag. Just thaw, cut itopen and pour it out on yourgrill for a perfectly seasoned,thick, juicy pork chop everytime. Price is $25 per box forKCFB members, $24 for plusmembers and $29 for non-members. It’s a Farm Bureaumember favorite! Available atKane County Farm Bureau,Randall Road and Oak Streetin St. Charles.

FEATURE

D

PRODUC

T

Chill out with KCFB at Brookfield Zoo Summer Nights

Summer Ag Institute 1 took teachersto local farms and agricultural busi-nesses. Here, Dan Klein showsteachers an ear worm trap on hisfamily’s produce farm in Burlingtonand explains how devastating thepest can be to a sweet corn crop.Read more about these teachers’travels on page 4.

Enjoy Live Entertainment,Food, and Family Fun – August 1

KCFB welcomes summer internKane County Farm Bureau is

pleased to welcome the 2015KCFB Summer Intern, KristiVan Oost. Kristi graduated fromBurlington Central High Schoolin 2012 and is currently a seniorat Truman State University, pur-suing a degree in Agribusinesswith a minor in Equine studies.She is the youngest daughter ofRobert and Anne Van Oost ofElgin. Kristi is a varsity swim-mer for the Truman State swimteam, and enjoys reading, bingewatching Netflix, and ridinghorses in the limited amount of

free time college life allows. Growing up in the suburbs,

Kristi enjoyed hearing her

grandfather tell stories about hislife growing up on a farm and

enjoyed taking horse riding les-sons. In high school she fol-lowed up on her farming inter-est by taking agriculture classesand participating in FFA activi-ties. She has continued herinterest in agricultural activitiesat Truman by becoming a mem-ber of Sigma Alpha professionalagricultural sorority as well asjoining Truman’s collegiateFarm Bureau chapter.

Kristi is eager to increase herknowledge of the inner work-ings of the agriculture industryas well as experience all the

wonderful opportunities KaneCounty Farm Bureau has tooffer during her internship.

Kane County Farm BureauFOUNDATION offers intern-ships to qualifying collegeapplicants during winter, springand summer breaks. Over thepast 25 years the Foundationhas provided more than$360,000 in scholarships andinternships to area studentsstudying in agricultural fields ofstudy. For more informationvisit the scholarship and intern-ship page at www.kanecfb.com.

KCFB ‘Seats & Eats’ night at Kane Co. Cougars

Attend the 2015 IllinoisFarm Bureau CommoditiesConference to hear the latestprojections from experts onfarmland prices, the economicimpact of agriculture, markets,weather, farm legacies, cover

crops, precision farming, andconsumer trends. The event willbe held Wednesday, July 29 atthe Marriott Hotel andConference Center, Normal, IL.

As the Illinois FarmBureau’s Centennial year

approaches, join us as we exam-ine current and future issues thatwill affect Farming: The NextHundred Years. An IFB Farmer-Consumer Dialogue andReception with the Illinois Farm

IFB Commodities Conference

Kristi Van Oost

(continued on page 3)

It’s Peach order time! Order form on page 8

June 8Retiring IFB Region 2

Manager Bob Dyer joineddirectors at the June meeting ofthe Kane County Farm BureauBoard of Directors. Dyer, whohas worked for Farm Bureau fornearly 36 years, announced thatRyan Ford will take over thepost as of July 1.

Public Relations andMembership committee chairBeth Engel reviewed a number ofactivities and events. Harvest forALL hunger relief pledge formshave been mailed to past partici-pants. The American FarmBureau Federation Women’sCommunication Boot Camp isscheduled for October 13-16.KCFB will host a “Summer

Nights” event at Brookfield Zooon August 1 and a “Seats andEats” outing at Kane CountyCougars on August 13.

In Direct Marketers andSpecialty Growers news, com-mittee chair Donna Lehrershared information about a June9 Food Hub Feasibility StudyGrower/Buyer Meeting to beheld at KCFB, preceded bytours of area farms.

Plans are being made for theannual KCFB Harvest Picnicthis fall. Governmental Affairsand Public Policy committeechair Wayne Schneiderreviewed preliminary plans forthat event and expressed thanksto Nan Long and Bob Gehrkefor their responses to an IFB

Action Request on TradePromotion Authority.

The KCFB FOUNDATIONhas developed a new way formembers to contribute to col-lege scholarships and classroomoutreach. A FOOD>Forwardannouncement and pledge formwill be mailed to all votingmembers and information madeavailable at www.kanecfb.com.Directors also discussed partici-pation in the John BuckMemorial Golf Outing on July29 in Marengo. The event raisedscholarship funds administeredby the KCFB Foundation.

The board reviewed plans foractivities at the Kane CountyFair including Bucket Rafflefundraisers, consumer educa-tion activities, fun activities forkids, and the CommodityCarnival sponsored by the CMEGroup and National 4-HCouncil.

Statewide issues included theupcoming IFB Marketers toWashington program, scheduledfor August 10-13. Applicationsfor Strength with AdvisoryTeams are due by July 31.Directors also discussed therecent passing of the EPA’sWaters of the U.S. rule and itspossible detrimental effects onfarmers and landowners.

Correspondence circulatedincluded: Executive Summary,FARM Illinois (The Food and

Agriculture RoadMap forIllinois) established to develop acomprehensive strategic plan toenable Illinois and the Chicagoregion to become the leadingglobal hub for food and agricul-ture system innovation;Congressman Randy Hultgren,thanks for KCFB Foundation

scholarship efforts; Rep. SteveAndersson, invitation to June 11Open House; Nancy Bowron,enclosing donation forSPROUTS program; andMarissa Chapa, Erich Turk,Tyler Fabrizius, and Katie Arndt– thanks for KCFB Foundationscholarships.

PAGE 2 KANE COUNTY FARMER JULY 2015

Kane County FarmerKANE COUNTY FARM BUREAU

PUBLISHED MONTHLY

Steven J. Arnold, Editor

Suzi Myers, Ag Literacy CoordinatorAudre Pack, Training Specialist

Ryan Klassy, Information DirectorElizabeth Polovin, Administrative and Program Assistant

OFFICE: Randall Rd. between Routes 64 & 38Address: 2N710 Randall Rd., St. Charles

PHONE: 630-584-8660info@kanecfb.com www.kanecfb.com

OFFICE HOURS: 8:30-5:00 Monday though Friday

(USPS No. 289700)POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Kane County Farmer

2N710 Randall Rd., St. Charles, IL 60174

Periodical Postage • Paid to St. Charles, IL 60174Year Subscription: $2.00

■ DISTRICT 1Aurora, Sugar Grove,Big Rock Twnshp.

Nan Long11461 E. County Line Rd.Big Rock, IL 60511815-693-7214

Donna Lehrer7S027 Jericho Rd.Big Rock, IL 60511630-556-3476

Steve Schramm7328 Perry Rd.DeKalb, IL 60115630-557-2410

■ DISTRICT 2Kaneville, Blackberry,Gen./Bat. Twnshp.

Bill Collins1125 Lewis Rd.Geneva, IL 60134630-484-6852

Karl Kettelkamp0S860 Rowe Rd.Elburn, IL 60119630-365-2713

Joe WhitePresident47W727 Main St. Rd.Elburn, IL 60119630-557-2517

■ DISTRICT 3Virgil, Campton,St. Charles Twnshp.

Frank Carlson104 Sumac CourtSt. Charles, IL 60174630-513-9980

Chris Collins1143 AndersonElburn, IL 60119630-934-4642

Dale Pitstick128 N Hadsall St.Genoa, IL 60135630-816-0223

■ DISTRICT 4Burlington, PlatoElgin Twnshp.

Beth Gehrke12N860 US Hwy. 20Elgin, IL 60124847-697-2538

Mike KenyonSecretary/Treasurer1250 E. Main St.South Elgin, IL 60177847-741-1818

Craig Bradley37W791 Orchard LaneElgin, IL 60124847-888-2380

■ DISTRICT 5Hampshire, Rutland,Dundee Twnshp.

Beth Engel15N638 Walker RoadHampshire, IL 60140847-683-3482

Gerald Gaitsch10613 Brittany Ave.Huntley, IL 60142847-669-2003

Wayne SchneiderVice President721 Lindsay LaneWest Dundee, IL 60118847-428-0488

You receive the Kane CountyFarmer because you are a FarmBureau member. If you are afarm operator or owner, youbenefit from a local, state andnational organization committedto agriculture and your way of life.

If you do not have direct tiesto farming, your membershiphelps promote local farms andfarming, encourage wise use ofour limited natural resources andpreserve farmland and our agri-cultural heritage while allowingyou to enjoy COUNTRY insur-ance and the many other benefitsof one of Illinois’ premier mem-bership organizations.

We appreciate your member-ship and continued support andwe welcome your comments onthe content of the Farmer. Weencourage you to make recom-mendations about farm, home,food, natural resource, renewableenergy or agricultural heritageand history related topics forinclusion in future issues of theFarmer.

KANE COUNTY FARM BUREAU BOARD ATTENDANCEOCTOBER 2014 THRU SEPTEMBER 2015

OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JLY AUG. SEP.C. BRADLEY X X X X X X X X X F. CARLSON X X X X X X X X X B. COLLINS X X X X X X X X C. COLLINS X X X X X X X X X B. ENGEL X X X X X X X X G. GAITSCH X X X X X X B. GEHRKE X X X X X X X X M. KENYON X X X X X X X X X K. KETTLEKAMP X X X X X X X X X D. LEHRER X X X X X X X N. LONG X X X X X X X X X *D. PITSTICK X X X W. SCHNEIDER X X X X X X X X X S. SCHRAMM X X X X X J. WHITE X X X X X X X X X X X

*New to the Board of Directors 2/1/15

Beef store is now open! By appointment only

100% hormone free beef.Selling individual cuts. Buy as little or as much as you want.

815.895.4691Mark & Linda Schramer, Owners8N840 Lakin Road, Maple Park Sample Packs make great gifts!

KCFB Board Meeting review

Providing Quality Dental Care for the Entire Family

Calling allfarmers!Do you have a vested

interest in agriculture? Doyou have a desire to gatherideas and do somethingabout the challenges andopportunities of farming inKane County? Then per-haps you should considerrunning for a seat on theKane County FarmBureau’s Board ofDirectors.(See page 6 for more information)

KANE

JULY 15-19JULY 15-19

Growing up in small townIllinois (pop. 178, including dogsand horses) in the 1960’s-70’s,farms were all around me. Beinga ‘townie”, I knew nothing aboutwhat was going on out there inthe fields, but I was fascinatednonetheless. It was the era ofspace exploration, but that wasonly on television. Tractorsmeanwhile, were big, powerfuland local. And everybody knewthat farmers were feeding theworld. Horsepower and Human -itarianism – farmers had it all.

The town (Fowler, in westernIllinois) was so small that whenthe wind was right, the fendermounted tractor radio of anytractor working on the edge oftown could be heard everywherein town. And in those days offew tractor cabs and multipletillage operations, that was quiteoften. Unlike the hip-hop thatrattles the leaded glass windowsof my home nowadays, this wasa welcome sound wafting overthe low, throaty rumble of anunseen diesel engine. Country

JULY 2015 KANE COUNTY FARMER PAGE 3

Horsepower & humanitarianismmusic, local weather and marketreports, and play-by-play of theSt. Louis Cardinals or ChicagoCubs was the typical fare.

Our single-storyelementary school onthe edge of town had afarm field less than 20feet outside our class-room’s north facingwall of windows.From 2nd through 6thgrades, we boys couldwatch the tillage oper-ations, the plantingand harvestingprogress, as well asthe meadowlarks, robins, cardi-nals, and occasional orioles orred-tailed hawks that landed onthe old wooden fence posts.Grudgingly, we occasionallyfocused our attention on theblackboard too.

Not being raised on a farm, Inever had a 4-H livestock proj-ect and I missed out on FFA too,thinking (wrongly) that it wasjust for the farm kids. But Iabsorbed enough from my envi-ronment to know that duringsummertime on the local farms,experience took a back seat towork ethic. A teen could makemoney baling hay & straw,walking soybean fields and de-tasseling corn. So I did.

Those experiences led me tothe University of Illinois.Eventually I overcame a nastyfear of asking stupid questions(self-defined as the ones every-one raised on a farm alreadyknows the answer to) and I stud-ied agronomy (plant and soilscience) with a healthy measureof animal science and agricul-tural economics throw in.

That education was notenough to help me survive myfirst career, farming. (AlthoughI did get a fender mounted radio

on a 4520 JohnDeere!) Farming inthe 1980’s wastough, even for thosewell established, butI’m forever gratefulfor the experience. Itled me here today –to a 25 year career inan agriculture relatedfield, doing a job Ilove that I didn’tknow existed when I

graduated college.At about the time I saw the

need to embark on a secondcareer, 1989, Kane County FarmBureau leaders decided to estab-lish a not-for-profit educationaland charitable Foundation. TheFoundation was established toadvance scholarship, farm &food education and service to thecommunity.

Regarding its primary pur-pose, scholarship, it’s done aremarkable job. In the past 15years alone, it has providedscholarship funds to 285 stu-dents. Paid, hands-on intern-ships have been provided to anadditional 20 in the past decade.But challenges remain ...

The first is demographic &global – by 2050 there will betwo billion more hungry mouthsto feed around the world. Thesecond is directly attributable tothe first – to meet this globalfood challenge our industryneeds to attract and retain thebest minds to farming, agricul-ture and food policy. But USDAstatistics show a gap of 25,000

college grads annually for jobsin agriculture related fields.

That’s why the KCFB FOUN-DATION has announced a newinitiative to help fill that gap andmeet that challenge. We call itFOOD>Forward. Our goal issimple, to raise funds for class-room education about food andfarming and to provide collegescholarships for local studentsstudying for careers in agricul-ture related fields of study.

I believe that America’s farm-ers are engaged in the world’smost competitive industry. I alsobelieve that farming is amongsociety’s most humanitarianenterprises. And I know thatamong us are plenty of farm andnon-farm kids that would like tocontribute to, and earn a livingfrom, the industry that feeds us all.

The world has changed muchsince I was in elementary school,but here, and now, there are stillkids looking out classroom win-dows. Some see farms and farm-ers. All have unanswered ques-tions and dreams for the future.Our Foundation exists to helpstimulate learning about agricul-ture, farms and food and to helpthose who dream of careers in theindustry to attain a collegedegree – regardless of their back-ground. That’s the best way tomeet the challenge of providingfood for a hungry planet.

A KCFB Foundation FOOD>Forward Pledge form is on page2 of this month’s Kane CountyFarmer. I hope you’ll considermaking it a part of your givingtradition.

Together, we can secure abright future for farms and food.

Farm fresh fruits & veggiesFruits & Vegetables/Farm StandsAbbey Farms2855 Hart Rd., Aurora630-966-7775 info@abbeyfarms.org

Ben’s Giant Pumpkins& Farm Market43W200 Jericho Rd., Sugar Grove630-466-1331 jkov200@aol.com

Enjoy Pioneer Farm*17N400 Big Timber Rd., Hampshire 847-683-2863enjoypioneerfarm.com

Goebbert’s Pumpkin Patch42W813 Reinking Rd., Hampshire 847-464-5952pumpkinqueen13@aol.com

Gould Cider Mill2S230 Green Rd., Elburn630-365-2233 www.facebook/gould-cider

Green Fields Farm0S951 Green Rd., Elburn630-365-3903 berries@andersale.com

Heritage Prairie Market& Education Center* 2N308 Brundidge Rd., Elburn 630-443-5989 www.hpmfarm.com

Klein’s Farm & Garden MarketRoute 20, Udina & 1175 Lillian St., Elgin 847-683-9647kleinfarmmarket@aol.com

Kuipers Family Farm 1N318 Watson Rd., Maple Park815-827-5200 www.kuipersfamilyfarm.com

Norton Farm39W369 IL Rt. 64, St. Charles630-377-8118 www.nortonsproduce.com

Prairie View Farm Market48W130 Route 72, Hampshire 847-683-4970 prairieviewfarmmarket.com

Pushing the Envelope Farm1700 Averill Rd., Geneva630-578-3313genevafarm@gmail.com

Randy’s Vegetables I-90 at Randall Rd., Elgin/ Sleepy Hollow847-428-5244 randysvegetables@aol.com

Spring Bluff Nursery*41W130 Norris Rd., Sugar Grove630-466-4278 springbluffnursery.com

Stojan Vegetables2N874 Howard Rd., Maple Park815-827-3265 stojans.vegetables@gmail.com

Tom’s Farm Market & Greenhouse 10214 Algonquin Rd., Huntley 847-669-3421 tomsfarmmarket.com

Wiltse Farm Produce50W379 Rt. 38, Maple Park 815-739-2573 www.wiltsefarm.com

Windy Acres Farm*37W466 Fabyan Parkway, Geneva630-232-6429 windyacresfarmstand.com*CSA subscription service alsoavailable

Community SupportedAgriculture (CSA)/Subscription Services (Fruit & Veggies)Esther’s Place/Lamb of God Farm201 W. Galena, Big Rock630-556-9665 www.esthersplace-fibers.com

Families (IFF) City MomAlums will be held 6-8 pm onTuesday, July 28.

This year’s conference fea-tures two General Sessions.Mary Shelman, Director,Agribusiness Program, HarvardBusiness School will discusshow global economic and con-sumer trends are driving uniqueopportunities and challenges forfarmers and the food industry.

Hear about the latest food inter-ests and how companies, farm-ers, and even nations are work-ing to capitalize on them. DaveAlwan, Owner, Echo ValleyMeats is a local Shark Tank con-testant. He will energeticallylead you through his tale ofrealigning his family’s tradition-al meat shop into a modern day,consumer-oriented, profitablefamily business.

The conference includes 20workshops, exhibitor and tradeshow, Historical Exhibit of

Illinois Farm Bureau andIllinois Agriculture, Nightbefore Farmer-ConsumerDialogue and Reception withIFF City, Mom Alums, andmuch more!

Register by July 20. The con-ference is open to all FarmBureau members, staff, andother agricultural professionals.Call Kane County Farm Bureauat 630-584-8660 to register.

Conference(continued from page 1)

Grandstand

Schedule of

Events

Wednesdayclosed

Thursday, 7 pmTBA

Friday, 7:30 pmChampionship Bull Riding Saturday, 2 pm & 7 pm

Championship Bull RidingSunday, 2pm & 7pmSmash Em Bash EmDemolition Derby

By Steve Arnold,Manager

Kane County Farm Bureau

Dan Yunk is a resident ofKansas and prolific writer ofchildren’s stories about agricul-ture. Kailey’s Ag Adventurescombines his previous booksinto one. The first chapter spot-lights cows and how they giveus their milk, covering eachprocess the milk goes throughuntil it reaches us at the store.The “does chocolate milk comefrom brown cows?” question isasked and answered in the book.(Yes, there are A LOT of chil-dren that think chocolate milkcomes from brown cows.)

Next is the soil neighbor-hood ... the story of Clay and hisfriends Rocky and Sandy thatlive in the soil neighborhoodbelow the surface of the earth.They have an annual root festi-val and the story talks abouttheir gathering of nitrogen andphosphorous to feed the roots.It’s a fun way to teach the make-up of soil and how important itis to the health of a plant.

Other topics covered are car-

ing for animals, wheat andnutrition.

The book is a mixture ofphotos and cartoon illustrationsthat lead the children through avery informative story of agri-culture. The book would begreat to share with the childrenin your life, which you can findin our library that was starteddue to a request years ago byBob Konen and Dean Dunn thatKane County Farm Bureau starta library of agriculturally-themed books for public use.

Book of the month

Kailey’s Ag Aventuresby Dan Yunk

Our Summer AgricultureInstitutes and the National

Ag in the Classroom conferencewere held throughout June ... itis always a month of a lot ofwork, but a time of rejuvenationfor me. Why? The National con-ference is a time of networkingand learning so many new ideasof how to teach where your foodcomes from ... the latest andbest are there for me to capture.As far as the SAI tours, I soenjoy watching the teacherslearn about agriculture and howit touches their lives in waysthey have never thought of. (Iwas just discussing this with mygrandson the other day ... itseems to me that our brain isaware of lots of things but toactually connect that informa-tion together into knowledge ofsomething seems almost like an“I never knew that” moment.)

As the teachers progressthough the week they learn whatthe farmer does throughout theyear and their constant learningcurve of the industry, with allthe changing technologies andnew research. The teachersattach a face to the producers inour area – the dairy farmer, theproduce grower, the pork pro-ducer, the grain and hay farm-ers, and the sod farmer who alsogrows organic and conventional

grain crops. They ask questionsof the farmers and learn aboutprecision farming or integratedpest management practices thatare used from the farmers them-selves.

There are folks that special-ize in different niches of agri-culture that we visit. The teach-ers felted a dragon fly from thewool produced from localsheep. The bee man came to talkto us about the use of bees inagriculture, their specializedsociety that produces our honeyand the current problems withour bee population.

We visited a business that isbased on seeds ... how they doresearch to develop the bestplant varieties and the coatingof seeds to make them largeenough to see when planted ormaking of the pellet of seeds tomake it easier to plant those thatgrow well together, such as let-tuce varieties. Then the adver-tising and showcasing of theseplants in a garden setting sowholesalers can see the plants intheir element get excited aboutand purchase them for us to usein our gardens.

Then we went to some pro-cessing plants, where the meator milk was changed into an endproduct of a hamburger patty or

PAGE 4 KANE COUNTY FARMER JULY 2015

AG LITERACY CORNERBy Suzi Myers

(continued on page 7)

These 13 local teachers will take information about Kane County farmsback to their students. Here they pose with the John Deere tractor theytook for a drive at Buck Brothers in Hampshire. Visit Kane County FarmBureau’s Facebook page for more photos of their tour and video of oneof them behind the wheel of an even bigger piece of farm equipment.

Supplies needed:Paper plateScissorsGlueStaplerA pencilYellow and orange constructionpaper or oak tagCrayons, paint or markersGoogly eyes (optional)Instructions:

1. Trace your hands on yel-low construction paper, then cutthe hands out. If you don’t haveyellow construction paper, usestiff white paper, then paint it yel-low (or use markers).

2. Fold a paper plate in half.3. Paint it yellow and let it dry4. Staple the hands near the

fold on one end – these will bethe tail feathers.

5. Using yellow constructionpaper or oaktag, cut out a circle(about 3 inches across or a littlebigger) – this will be the duck’shead.

6. Using orange constructionpaper or oaktag, cut out an elon-gated oval with one end cut off –this will be the duck’s bill. Fold

the end of the beak over, makinga small tab (this is where youwill put the glue).

7. Glue the bill onto the circle(put the glue on the small tabthat will be folded under the bill).Draw eyes above the bill (or glueon small googly eyes).

8. Staple the head to thepaper plate (near the fold line,opposite the tail feathers).

9. Using orange constructionpaper or oaktag, cut out the duck’sfeet – they should be connectedby a short strip of paper. To draweach foot, start with an oval, thendraw a zigzag on one end.

10. Fold the paper where thefeet meet the strip of paper.

11. Staple each foot to thebottom of one side of the paperplate, right inside the fold line ofthe foot.

12. You now have a cuteducky that will stand up! Don’tforget to give it a name!

JULY 2015 KANE COUNTY FARMER PAGE 5

Name ______________________________________________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip ________________________________________________________________________

Telephone ___________________________ Email ________________________________ Age ______Please complete and return to the Farm Bureau, 2N710 Randall Road, St. Charles, IL 60174

by July 15, 2015 to be entered in our drawing for a fun prize.

A T Q W V A U C T I O N B N Y A H

R S W I N E Y O L Q T E I I S C E

B J T X R P G X V T J U D G E G E

N E P D Y I A E O G I D C I S V D

O T K C Z N D G T R Y C X G R S S

F V G A M Z N E T A I Y K M O D K

N S S T C I W C S N B B K E H S G

O U U T B D F U D D I L B Y T D O

F M K L S I O T J C R G E O W S A

O M E E S T I B I H X E O S N U T

S E T B K Z Q C F A E S R D O S S

S R I C E C R E A M X N N Q T H U

S T I B B A R S T P S U L R U O P

L I Y J C E V Z G I W Z R I A F H

E M S E Z I R P U O X E R I U B Q

D E A I C O T T O N C A N D Y X K

W I B C O P R E S E R V E R S C H

~~~~~~~~~~~ Fair Fun ~~~~~~~~~~~

Paper plate duck craft

CongratulationsRobbin Valentich of Elgin!Robbin’s name was chosenfrom the entries received forcorrectly completing lastmonth’s Wordsearch puzzle.Robbin receives a fruit andveggie themed prize. Thankyou, Robbin, for reading theKane County Farmer and con-tinue to watch each month formore great opportunities fromthe Kane County FarmBureau!

Compiled by Kristi Van Oost &Suzi Myers

State Fair butter cow history

AUCTIONBARNSBINGOCAKECATTLE

COTTON CANDYEXHIBITSFAIRGOATSGRAND CHAMPION

HAYHORSESHOT DOGICE CREAMJUDGE

PRESERVERSPRIZESRABBITSRIBBONSRIDES

SUMMER TIMESWINETICKETSVEGETABLES

Q: What dance was very popular in 1776?A: Indepen-danceQ: What did one flag say to the other flag?A: Nothing. It just wavedA: What would you get if you crossed George Washington with Cattle

Feed?A: The Fodder of Our CountryQ: Do they have a 4th of July in England?A: Yes. That’s how they get from the 3rd to the 5th Q: What do you call a sleeping bull?A: A “bull-dozer”

July is:NationalHot Dog MonthIce Cream MonthPicnic MonthCell Phone Courtesy MonthDays to celebrate:1 International Joke Day4 Independence Day5 Work-a-holics Day6 National Fried Chicken Day15 Cow Appreciation Day21 National Junk Food Day23 National Hot Dog Day30 Father-in-Law day

Fairs: Summer tradition with deep rootsI t’s summer once again, and that means that Fair season is upon us! But before you pack your sunblock and walking shoes, let’s ask

ourselves this one thing ... just where did fairs originate? By definition, a fair is a gathering of people to trade goods, display animals and enjoy associated traveling entertainment. TheRomans were the first to hold fairs, however back then they were considered a holiday. They transformed quite a bit by the MiddleAges, a time where Christianity was prominent and monarchy was the popular form of government. Like most things at this time,fairs were held in correspondence with a religious occasion, often the celebration of a patron saint. Fairs in this century weretemporary markets, used for long distance and international trade. Fast forward to now, where fairs are held all over the world,celebrating a multitude of different occasions. Perhaps the most well-known type of fair is the heavily populated agriculturaltrade show in the summer, most commonly referred to simply as “Fair.”

Illinois held its first ever state fair in 1853, in Springfield. After bouncing around to various other locations, it returnedto Springfield permanently in 1894. Put on by Illinois State Agricultural Society, the first state fair lasted four days. While the state fair has greatly changed over the past 140years, one thing that hasn’t changed is the joy people get from participating in this event!

The first ever Butter Cow,sculpted by John K. Daniels, wassponsored by Beatrice CreameryCo. at the Iowa State Fair in 1911in order to promote dairy prod-ucts in the area. The exhibit waswildly popular, and due to itssuccess, is still continued today.The tradition quickly spreadthrough the Midwest, and todaya lovely butter bovine can beseen at fairs in Iowa, Illinois,Wisconsin, andMichigan.

The ButterCow has been anunofficial icon ofthe Illinois StateFair since itsdebut in 1922, andis currently spon-sored by theMidwest DairyAssociation. Thecurrent sculptor,Sharon BuMann,morphs over 600pounds of unsalt-ed butter into a lifesized bovine beau-

ty. All sculpting is done by handover a wire and wood frame tomaintain the shape. The entireprocess takes around two days,and is on display in the dairybuilding for the entire fair. Afterthe fair, the butter is removedand reused for another sculpturethe next year. This year’s cre-ation will be unveiled onThursday, August 13th at theIllinois State Fair.

Funnel CakesIngredients:3 eggs1/4 cup of sugar2 cups milk1/2 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons of baking powderVegetable oil (for frying)Instructions:

1. Beat eggs and sugar together and then add the milk slowly –beat. Add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth and creamy.

2. Pour batter into a funnel and at the same time, use your finger toplug the hole. In a large cast iron pot, add 2 inches of oil to the bottom.

3. When the oil becomes hot, move your hand over the pot andslowly release your finger so the batter can start cooking.

4. Move funnel around to make designs BE CAREFUL NOT TO GETBURNED!

5. Brown on both sides – then immediately remove and drainextremely well.

6. Top with brown sugar, ice cream, powdered sugar, etc. asdesired toppings

4th of JulyFUN!

Happy summer andHappy Fourth of July!Look for fresh-picked sweet

corn from local vegetablestands. Sweet corn is great forJuly 4th gatherings. Look onlineabout grilling ears of corn in thehusk or in foil. Do you knowthat you can use a bundt pan toremove kernels from the cob?Use the center of the pan to holdthe corn upright on-end. Then asyou cut down to cut off the kernels, they will be collected

in the pan.Summer is a time for fun in

and around water. Be aware thatdrowning doesn’t look like TV’sversion of drowning: loudsplashing and calling for help!NO! Instead the person will bequiet, with the mouth mostly inthe water, hands up, andglassy/closed eyes. Do a‘google search’ for the full arti-cle about this phenomenon. Donot jump into the water to savesomeone, unless you’ve beentrained. Instead use a ‘pool

hook’ or other item to pull theperson out of the water.

I have a recipe from ColleenS that I had misplaced and justfound! Enjoy!PORK WITH POTATOES

1 lb. lean pork, cut into thinstrips

4 medium potatoes, cut into3/4” cubes

1 T. vegetable oil1 c. cherry tomatoes1/3 c. apricot jam2 T. dijon mustard

Microwave the potatoes untiltender. While potatoes cook,heat oil in a large skillet overhigh heat. Add pork and tossuntil done. Drain grease. Addpotatoes and tomatoes. Sautéand toss for 3 minutes. Add jamand mustard and toss until jamis melted. Season with salt andpepper.

PAGE 6 KANE COUNTY FARMER JULY 2015

Women’s CornerBy Louise Johnson

Women’s Committee Chair

TO: Nominating Committee, Kane County Farm Bureau2N710 Randall Road, St. Charles, IL 60174

Name (please print) _____________________________________

Mailing Address________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Township___________________________ District # __________

Telephone (_________)__________________________________

Signature _____________________________________________

Membership # _________________________________________Mail to this form to: Kane County Farm Bureau, 2N710 Randall Road, St. Charles, IL 60174

Return by Friday, July 24, 2015The Nominating Committee will evaluate candidates

and propose a slate to run for director.

KCFB seeking Director nominations

Would you like to takecharge of your future by settingpolicy and building relation-ships that will last throughoutthe next generation of agricul-tural landowners and leaders?You could do just that as amember of the Kane CountyFarm Bureau Board ofDirectors. The Board consists of15 farmer-directors, three seatsin each of five East-West dis-tricts. District 1 consists ofAurora, Big Rock and SugarGrove Township; District 2 isKaneville, Blackberry, Genevaand Batavia Townships; District3 is Virgil, Campton and St.Charles Townships; District 4 isBurlington, Plato and ElginTownships; and District 5 isHampshire, Rutland, andDundee Townships. Directorsserve two-year terms, thereforeone-half of the directors seatsare up for election each year.There are seven seats up forelection this year: two seats ineach District 1 and 2 and oneseat in each of Districts 3- 5.

Our members belong to theFarm Bureau for many reasons.

Some join to take action onbehalf of agriculture. Others jointo support Farm Bureau policiesor assist with program efforts.Farm Bureau works on the locallevel, in Springfield and inWashington D.C. to supportaction not just on farm issues,but on many of the same thingsyou’re concerned about: protec-tion of private property rightsand the quality of the rural envi-ronment, tax policies and eco-nomic growth, and the qualityand safety of our food supply. Ifyou are an individual “voting”member, you are eligible to runfor the Board of Directors andhelp look out for the best inter-ests of all of our members.

The KCFB Board meets thefirst Thursday evening of eachmonth. For more information,about service on the Board ofDirectors, please contactPresident Joe White at 630-557-2517, Manager Steve Arnold at630-584-8660, or any memberof the Board of Directors. Tonominate yourself or a neighborfor consideration, please fill outand return the form below.

Thanks to our donorsThe KCFB Foundation offers its sincere appreciation to the fol-

lowing for contributions to our community service, education andscholarship programs. Names shown are contributions received as ofJune 15, 2015 and not previously recognized. Numerous pledgeshave also been made and will be listed here when they are fulfilled.

Harvest for ALLSeveral KCFB members renewed their Harvest for ALL hunger

relief pledges to the local food pantry of their choice. Summer is a greattime to help your local food pantry, because families need to providefood in the absence of school lunch programs. Visit www.kanecfb.comto download a participation form or call 630-584-8660.Renewed commitmentsDonor BeneficiaryStewarts Fields Northern Illinois Food BankGlenn & Louise Johnson Northern Illinois Food BankDennis & Beth Engel Burlington-Hampshire Food PantryLowell & Marita Knief Burlington-Hampshire Food PantryMary Grommes Holy Angels Food PantryScott & Michele Horton Northern Illinois Food BankNew commitmentsDale & Linda Drendel Northern Illinois Food BankFOOD>Forward

A new KCFB Foundation initiative to increase classroom educa-tion resources and provide college scholarships for local studentswas launched in June. New commitmentsDonors:Micheal Wurtz Mike & Carol KenyonSteve & Gladys Arnold Bill & Karen CollinsSPROUTS

An in classroom reading program with agriculture themed bookdonations to public and school libraries, established in memory oflong time member and volunteer Bob Konen.Donor Denis & Nancy Bowron

John Buck Memorial Golf OutingThe 15th Annual John Buck

Memorial Golf Outing will beheld Wednesday, July 29 atMarengo Ridge Golf Club inMarengo. Cost is $110 pergolfer and includes 18 holes ofgolf with cart, box lunch, cock-tails, dinner and more. You donot need a complete foursometo register. Cost for dinner andcocktails only is $45. Registerby July 15 by contacting Brenda

at JWTurf@foxvalley.net or847-683-4653, or Michelle atadmin@buckbrosinc.com or847-683-4440. Space is limitedto the first 144 paid entries.

All proceeds benefit the JohnBuck Scholarship fund, which isdistributed to the Kane CountyFarm Bureau Foundation, theMidwest Golf Course Super -intendents Association and theNorthwest Golf Course

Superintendents Association tobe awarded to students seekinghigher education.

For 2015, four recipientswere awarded $1,000 JohnBuck Memorial Scholarshipsadministered by the KCFBFoundation. They are KatieArndt of Malta, Brenton Barteltof Carpentersville, ErikDunteman of Big Rock andBridget Halat of Genoa.

St. Charles Agency, Bob Effner,Agency Manager

TED SCHUSTER has beennamed the Financial Rep -resentative of the Month forApril 2015 in the St. Charles/Elgin Agency. Ted’s office is at32 Cross St., Sugar Grove orcontact him by phone/email:630-466-9600, ted.schuster@countryfinancial.com,

BOBBI BOSTON has beennamed the Financial Rep -resentative of the Month forMay 2015 in the St. Charles/Elgin Agency. You may contactBobbi at her office, 2N710Randall Rd., St. Charles or

by phone/email: 630-485-5155,b o b b i . b o s t o n@ c o u n t r yfinancial.

Both Ted and Bobbi haveprovided tangible plans foraddressing the immediate andlong term insurance and finan-cial security needs of theirclients through COUNTRYFinancial’s diverse products andservices: Auto, Farm, Home,L i f e / D i s a b i l i t y / H e a l t h /Annuities/Long Term Care,Retirement Planning, Businessand Investments. Let theirexpertise help you!

Congrat ulations, Ted andBobbi!

Aurora Agency, Kevin Gomes,Agency Manager

BRIAN GUENTHER,Financial Representative withthe Aurora Agency, is ourFinancial Representative of theMonth for May, 2015. Brianbegan his career with COUN-TRY Financial in January of2002 and services clients out ofhis office located at 1920 WilsonStreet, Batavia, 60510, (630)406-6900. Brian’s professional-ism and vast knowledge of auto,home, life, commercial andfinancial products make him agreat person to do business with.Congratulations, Brian!

What’s new in the COUNTRY agencies?

Your Farm Bureau membership means Value

CONNECTWITH US

There are many develop-ments on agricultural issues

taking place right now. EPAexpansion of waterways regula-tion, country of origin labelingon meat products, a decrease inthe renewable fuel standard, toname a few. Many of the issueschange from day to day and itcan be difficult to touch on thefiner points in our monthly pub-lication. So it goes with avianinfluenza.

There are 207 reported casesacross 15 states according to areport by The University ofIllinois Department of Agricul -

tural and Consumer Sciences(ACES). More than 37.5 millionchickens and 7.4 million turkeyshave been lost either to the virusitself or culling done to stop thespread of the disease. Ducksand geese are thought to be themain culprits for spreading thedisease, through their drop-pings, although theories vary onhow it’s getting into the poultrybarns themselves. Many farms,especially larger facilities, typi-cally have strict biosecuritymeasures in place to preventthese types of situations.

The numbers will have

changed by the time you readthis, but the outbreak hasslowed due at least in part towarmer temperatures whichslows the spread. States likeIowa and Minnesota, which leadthe way in egg laying chickensand turkey farming respectively,have been hit the hardest. Mostof the cases are clustered in theupper Midwest and in all 15states have confirmed cases. Asof this moment none have beenreported in Illinois.

What are they doing with allthose birds? The carcasses arecomposted, incinerated, buriedor sent to landfills. To be surethe sheer number of destroyedbirds is a challenge in itself. It’sa daunting task that officials inIowa and other states have beengrappling with.

What does it all mean to youthe consumer? Higher eggprices for one. According to the

JULY 2015 KANE COUNTY FARMER PAGE 7

THE EFFECTS OF AVIAN FLUBy Ryan Klassy, Information Director

“Helping to keep America Picked up for 45 years”

Kane County Farm Bureau members receive 10% discount on all service work.

FOR SALE

Riding Lawnmower, 2007Simplicity Regent 22 H.P., 44”deck. Call: 630 365 6341

SERVICES

Jim Verhaeghe & Sons, Inc. –Tree removal, tree trimming, &stump grinding. Backhoe work &Tile Lines. Fully insured – FreeEstimates – Jim Verhaeghe Sr.Call: 847 334 5730

Farm site demolition & clean up.New horse barns with under-ground utilities and earthwork.Drainage tiles, pasture mowing,spraying, new seeding, interseeding & fence installation. Wefollow SIU Plant & Soil SciencePractices. 10% discount for FarmBureau members, 5% if you men-tion this ad! Berning EarthworkInc., Tom Berning 630-330-9970,BerningEarthWorks@comcast.net; Galusha Farms, SteveBerning, 630-878-6350, steve@GalushaFarm.com. Call: 630-330-9970

WANTED

Will pick up for free unwanted orold snowmobiles. Also buyingolder Polaris snowmobiles 1977& 1978 TXL & 1979 TX’s CallJon, 630-254-9446

Want to buy vintage & used toolsCall Chris, 630 550 7182

CLASSIFIED AD RATESClassified advertising rates: 20cents per word/$20 minimum (60words or less). DISCOUNTS formembers: Associate members,20%; Voting members, 30%; PLUSmembers, 40%. Advance paymentrequested. Ads due by the 15th ofevery month for the next issue. Noadvertising (classified or display)for financial or insurance serviceswill be accepted. Call 630-584-8660.

U.S. Labor Department thecombined regional weekly aver-age price for large eggs rose toabout $2.43 a dozen in May,more than double the price froma month before. In mid-JuneUSDA reported the U.S. aver-age price for a dozen Grade ALarge eggs in grocery storeszoomed by 55 cents in just oneweek. That’s awhopping 42-per-cent increase, butsmall compared tothe 273 percentincrease in “breakereggs”, which arecracked open andblended into allkinds of productsfrom mayonnaise tocake mix.Restaurants and gro-cery stores acrossthe country are shorton supply too. In some areas ofthe country customers are limit-ed to buying just a few eggs pervisit.

Broiler chickens, the ones weeat, are in more southeasternstates and are outside the areahardest hit by avian flu. Andalthough turkey flocks havebeen affected, it looks likethere’s no need to change yourholiday meal plans just yet. Thelatest ACES report said the datadoes not point toward a highlikelihood of a shortage ofturkeys this Thanksgiving.

The impact on the agricul-ture industry is substantial. U.S.News reported that the U.S. nor-mally exports about 30 millioneggs every month, but will nowhave to import eggs from theNetherlands. Farms where the

virus is detected must destroyall of the birds, clean their facil-ities and them wait weeksbefore testing the barns for anysigns of illness before theyrestock them with birds.

Two important things tonote: 1) the influenza strainsthat have been identified havenot affected any humans and are

not considered a risk to publichealth and 2) Avian influenzacannot be transmitted throughsafely handled and properlycooked eggs or poultry. Formore information visit best-foodfacts.org and scan the QRcode next to this article for afact sheet from the U.S.Department of Agriculture.

CLASSIFIED ADS

Scan this QR code with yoursmartphone for a useful bird flufact sheet.

ice cream. The teachers have tosuit up in smocks, hair nets, spe-cial boots and clean their handsand boots prior to and afterentering the plant ... all this toassure us of a safe food supply.

We also learned about farmlife from growing food and pro-cessing it for private use to mak-ing the farm more diverse so itcan continue to support the fam-ilies when children grow up andwant to return to their familyfarm. Pumpkin farms that thechildren run to help them withtheir college expenses give themfirsthand knowledge of how toplan, plant, advertise and selltheir pumpkins ... or addingproducts to their pumpkin road-side store that will help to raiseeven more money. They learnedthat many farmers have to becreative in their use of land toensure a future for them andtheir children. Maybe thatmeans changing from dairy tograin/hay farming, planting sodor organics, investing in differ-ent seed or implements thatallow for the highest yield so we

can continue to feed the world. The last couple of years

(maybe due to a new curriculumpush) there has been a greatinterest in all the careers that arebased on the agricultural industry– 1 out of every 4 jobs is relatedto agriculture. Many teachershave a light bulb moment whenthey realize that agriculture is notjust the planting and growing ofcrops. They see the research area,marketing, protection of waterand soil, finance, insurance, gov-ernment policies and more.

Of course, the riding in anddriving of a combine and tractorare highlights of the tour, butthis is also a learning time as thediscussion of precision farmingand its dependence on GPS sys-tems for planting and fertilizingthe crops for the best usage ofthe fields.

July means the Kane CountyFair where we use some of theideas gleaned in June to helpmake our area of the fair a greatplace to visit. Looking forwardto seeing you there.

Ag Lit(continued from page 4)

Summer Ag Institute teachers get suited up for a tour at OSI in WestChicago. Founded in 1909, the family company was the first to supplymeat for McDonald’s hamburgers.

Savor summerwith sweet peaches -see page 8 to order

The loss of tens of millions of turkeys and chick-ens to avian flu could have wide-reaching effectson your grocery bill.

Bobbi Boston Keith Eakins Luke Fawkes Jonathan Gonzalez Donna Tonovitz

PAGE 8 KANE COUNTY FARMER JULY 2015

Farm ZooWed.–Sat. Noon – 8 pmSun. Noon – 5 pmKids can see and learn about farm animals.

Farm Facts & Fun Scavenger HuntWed.–Sun. 1-3 pm & 5-7 pmSearch the fairgrounds for farm animal stamp loca-tions & answer farm-related questions to completethe “Farm Facts & Fun Scavenger Hunt”! Braveadventurers 10 & under who complete the challengereturn to the Farm Bureau booth for a FREE icecream cone! Pick up an entry form at the FarmBureau building at the fair (Age categories: 5 andunder, 6-8 and 9-10).

Commodity Carnival(Sponsored by National 4-H Council and CME )Kids fill a plastic egg with marbles representing the inputs needed to raise their own pig. Drop theegg into a giant “plinko board” to see how marketforces affect your investment and see what yourprofit will be. Prizes include stress ball pigs. An inter-active game brought to you by the 4-H Council andCME Group.

Country Store Wed. – Sat. Noon – 8 pmSunday Noon – 4pmChoose from agricultural themed items that caninclude farm toys, children’s books, farm-themedcrafts, Farm Bureau & John Deere logo wear andhats, ag-themed coloring books & more.

Ag in the Classroom activitiesThursday, July 16 from 1-3 p.m.Kids enjoy a fun, hands-on agri-learning experiencebrought to you by the KCFB Women’s Committeeand KCFB Ag in the Classroom.

RafflesThe KCFB Foundation will be conducting our annualBucket Raffle featuring a variety of prizes for a priceof only $1 per ticket – and great odds of winning! Allproceeds help advance agricultural education forstudents of all ages in Kane County.

KANECOUNTY

KANECOUNTY

JULY 15-19

Visit the Farm Bureau at the

See you there!

Enter a KCFBmembers-only

raffleto win a

BBQ gas grill

JULY 15-19

See you there!

KANECOUNTY

KANECOUNTY

JULY 15-19

See you there!

KANECOUNTY

KANECOUNTY

Daily drawings forFarm Bureau pork chops,chicken breasts,and hamburgers

Proceeds from all CountryStore sales and Raffles benefit Kane County Farm BureauFoundation’s agricultural scholarships and Ag-in-the-Classroom programs.

Order

Fresh PeachesThe Kane County Farm Bureau is nowtaking orders for juicy, homegrown Peaches fresh from RendlemanOrchards, a southern Illinois grower. These delicious peaches are washed, hydrocooled, graded to U.S.#1 Extra, 21/2 inches and up in size, and packaged in a 25 poundwax coated fancy box with a lid. They are delivered to our office onRandall Road the morning of pickup in a refrigerated truck forfreshness and long lasting quality.The grower recommends the peaches, which are available in themonth of August, for their sweetness and juicy flavor. The peachesare freestones (easily comes off the pit). If you like to make peachpie or cobbler, or you like to can or freeze peaches, now is the timeto take advantage of this once a year offer.Peaches are highly perishable. They are shipped when they are a lit-tle green so that when they arrive they are not bruised with juicerunning out of the box. The grower recommends that the peachesbe refrigerated immediately when you get them unless you are plan-ning to can or freeze them within the next day. Then when you wantto use them, you can take out however many you think you will usein the next day, let them sit out in a paper sack overnight, and theyshould be ripe and ready to eat or cook with. Peaches should notbe out of the refrigerator for more than 24 hours. If they are left outtoo long, they are very susceptible to mold.The price for a 25 pound box is $29.50 (member price) and $26(Plus member price), $31 (non-member price). PAYMENT IS DUEWITH ORDER. You can order by filling out the form and sending itin with your check, or call the Farm Bureau at 630-584-8660 and paywith a Visa or MasterCard. Pickup will be on Thursday, August 20from 2-6 p.m. at the Farm Bureau office, west side of the building.

Quantity:

________ boxes @ $29.50 Member; $27 Plus Member; $32Non-member (per 25 lb. box)

Amount Enclosed: $ ____________________________________

Name: _______________________________________________

Telephone Number:_____________________________________

Member Number: ______________________________________Mail to: Kane County Farm Bureau,

2N710 Randall Rd., St. Charles, IL 60174 or call 630-584-8660DEADLINE FOR ORDERING IS 5 p.m. Thursday, August 13

Pickup is at the Farm Bureau onThursday, August 20 from 2-6 p.m.

The Illinois Soybean associ-ation will offer a workshop July21-23 at Kane County FarmBureau in St. Charles to helpteachers gain knowledge ofagricultural science methodsand technology from farmersand experts in the field. “TheScience of Soybeans” coversmany topics including plant

biology, genetically modifiedorganisms (GMOs), pesticideuse and application, and incor-porating agriculture topics intoNGSS.

No agricultural knowledge isneeded for this introductorycourse. Transportation is pro-vided for tours to farmsthroughout Kane, DuPage and

DeKalb counties. There is noregistration fee and a $500stipend will be awarded to eachparticipant. The workshop islimited to just twelve partici-pants – so apply today!

To request an application orfor more information call JulieBlunier at 309-634-1876 oremail julieblunier@gmail.com.

The Science of SoybeansA workshop for high school science educators

Kane County Farm Bureauhonors the person or personswho sign the most members intoour organization. Last month,we had a four-way tie! Congratsto Bobbi Boston, Keith Eakins,Luke Fawkes and DonnaTonovitz who each signed fournew members. Bobbi has been afinancial representative withCOUNTRY® Financial sinceOctober 2004 and Keith sinceJanuary of 1993. They bothserve clients from the office at

2N710 Randall Road, St.Charles. Luke has been withCOUNTRY since June 2006and Donna since July 2004.They serve clients from officesat 1814 Grandstand Pl in Elginand 1118 E Main St in StCharles respectively. KeithEakins was the first to respondto our email trivia question tie-breaker and receives 2 tickets toCharlestowne Movie Theater.

For this month, the honorgoes to Jonathan Gonzalez, who

signed five new members.Jonathan has been a financialrepresentative with COUNTRY®

Financial since March of 2010.He serves clients from his officeat 1750 Grandstand Place Suite20, Elgin and may be reached at847-742-0001. Jonathan alsoreceives two CharlestowneMovie Theater tickets.

Thank you all for your con-tinued support of Kane CountyFarm Bureau and congratula-tions on your success!

Recruiter of the Month

CONNECTWITH US

Phil Farrell has been namedPresident and General Managerof Elburn CooperativeCompany. Farrell, pre-viously Vice Presidentand head of GrainMerchandising, hasover 20 years of experi-ence in the grain busi-ness. He and his wifeKris live in St. Charlesand have three childrenJack, Ava, and Kate.

“Phil has been key to the suc-cess and growth of the companysince he started 15 years ago as

the Head Grain Merchandiser,”said Tracy Jones, Chairman of

the Elburn CooperativeBoard of Directors.“Phil has gained therespect of his peers inthe industry for notonly his work withElburn Cooperative andputting the company onthe map in the grainexport business, but

also for his work with the Grainand Feed Association ofIllinois.”

Jones added that the Board is

pleased to have someone withPhil’s knowledge and experiencestepping in to lead the company.Chief Financial Officer, TomKnief, has been given an expand-ed role to include the title of VicePresident.

Elburn Cooperative has beenin business since 1921 servingits patron owners as a full serv-ice supplier of agronomy, feed,seed, energy, and grain market-ing services from 12 locationsin north-central Illinois andsouth-central Wisconsin.

Elburn Coop names FarrellPresident, General Manager

Phil Farrell