2 FARM PROGRESS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2011
www.herald-review.com
DECATUR, ILLINOIS
Richland awarded for green efforts
Keeping it running
By CHRIS LUSVARDI
Lake Land College, John Deere train mechanics together By CHRIS LUSVARDI H&R Staff Writer
Tim Walker of Atwood grew up wanting to farm but has discovered the reality of making a living doing so is difficult without having a large amount of land. Instead of focusing on farming, Walker turned his attention to a unique mechanical training program offered at Lake Land College in Mattoon. Walker completed the John Deere Ag Tech training program, a partnership between the global agricultural company and the college, in May 2010. He now works for Heath’s Inc. in Monticello. “Unless I win the lottery, I don’t have the money to be able to go out, buy a bunch of machinery and start farming,” Walker said. “It’s the next best step being able to be around the equipment, play with all of it and work on it. You don’t need a million dollars to try to make a living at it.” Walker likes the variety of his work and having different pieces of equipment to work on — ranging from tractors, combines and planters to mowers. “Every combine is different and have similar problems but are caused by different reasons,” Walker said. “It’s not like assembly line work where you’re doing absolutely the exact same thing every day, all day, day-in day-out, year-round.” Lake Land has been training technicians for John Deere since 1993, instructor
“The idea grew to do it for the community,” Sullivan said. Richland Community ColThe markets fit the suslege is making steps toward tainability model because improving the environment farmers do not need to be guided by the principles of burning a lot of fuel to get sustainability. products to consumers, FloriThe college has been focusan said. ing on its sustainability A Sustainable Safari proefforts since 2007 when it gram was organized in July joined the Association for the for children ages 5 to 15 to Advancement of Sustainabilivisit Richland’s farm area to ty in Higher Education, or learn about planting vegetaAASHE. It recently was bles, recycling and other susawarded a bronze status tainable efforts. through the group’s SustainThe college has ability Tracking become involved Assessment and with the city’s Rating System, Sustainable or STARS. Decatur effort The ratings aimed at achievinclude gold, siling environmenver, bronze and tal, economic and participant stasocial impacts to tus. improve the livThe idea of ability and quality sustainability of Decatur. starts with farmGreg Florian, “A big part of ers, said Greg Richland Community that is education, Florian, RichCollege vice president teaching about land’s vice presiof finance what is a sustaindent of finance. able base tenant,” “Farmers really were the first to be sustain- Florian said. “Sustainability touches every part of the able,” Florian said. “It’s been institution. We want to get around to preserve the envimore involved with the city to ronment. We’re going to keep make the community better.” putting it all in place.” Richland administrators Hosting the Farm Progress want to integrate sustainabilShow is a major way for ity into all of its classes. Richland to show off its Renewable energy subjects efforts. Since the show was such as biofuels and wind last in Decatur, the college energy are the easiest places has started to reach out to the community in other ways. to start, Sullivan said. It is discussed in other “We’re already doing classes, but not always in a things all over campus,” said formal way, Sullivan said. Lisa Gregory, chief of staff “In an economics class, for Richland President Gayle Saunders. “It’s about learning they may talk about it, but we don’t have it written how to do things better.” down,” Sullivan said. “It will During the past two growbe a massive undertaking to ing seasons, Richland has identify all the pieces.” held Saturday Produce MarA sustainability coordinakets to provide local growers tor will be hired to weave the and students a place to sell various pieces together, Florifresh products. an said. He said a job The produce used to be description is being develsold during the lunch hour, oped for that position. said Nancy Sullivan, Richland’s network administrator. clusvardi@herald-review.com|421-7972 H&R Staff Writer
‘Farmers really were the first to be sustainable.’
Herald & Review photos/Kelly J. Huff
Sloan Implement mechanic Zach Hughes prepares to check the diagnostic codes with his service advice software that can tell him almost anything that is wrong with the tractor’s systems. Hughes is a 2008 graduate of Lake Land College’s John Deere Ag Tech training program. TOP: Mechanic Cody Brummet, a 2010 Lake Land graduate, prepares his electrical meter to check and electrical plug under the hood of a tractor.
A C L O S E R L O O K AT P R O G R A M The John Deere Ag Tech program provides advanced training needed and valued by more than 1,500 dealerships across North America. The Moline-based company partners with schools, including Lake Land College in Mattoon, to provide the training. Requirements include a high
school diploma or equivalent, registering for and meeting all college entrance requirements, finding a John Deere dealership to be a sponsor, taking all required course and laboratory work and maintaining the required GPA. For more information, visit www.johndeerepowerup.com.
Allen Drake said. Over the years, it has helped to fill a void for the company. While completing the training, students look only at John Deere equipment, Drake said.
That’s unlike other programs — even those within the college — that Drake said use various brands of equipment. “Our goal is to train people to work for John Deere deal-
ers,” said Drake, who worked for John Deere dealers for 19 years before starting at Lake Land. “We can’t really satisfy that demand. Most of that time, we were almost always looking for more people to work in the service department.” Graduates of the program are able to see a career ahead of them and have an easier time than most getting started. “Somebody who is successful in this will have a good successful career,” Drake said. “People need to look at
AG TECH/PAGE 5
COME AND SHOP OUR 30,000 SQ. FT. WAREHOUSE MONDAY-FRIDAY 8-5 • SATURDAY 9-3 • CLOSED SUNDAY
1/2 mile south of Arthur on Vine St.• Arthur
(217) 543-2082
Transforming Your Business from the Outside • Asphalt Paving • Concrete Paving • Pavement Maintenance • Decorative Pavement • Sport Surfaces • Construction Management
DunnCo.com 217-429-4444
Come See us at The Farm Progress Show at 2nd Progress St. Lot 247! Find Value at Farm & Fleet Hours: Mon - Fri 8:30 am - 9:00 pm Saturday 8:30 am - 8:00 pm Sunday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
1191 W. Southside Dr. Decatur, IL (217)423-3720
w w w. f a r m a n d f l e e t . c o m
www.herald-review.com
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2011
DECATUR, ILLINOIS
FARM PROGRESS 3
Changing with the times 4-H adapts to keep up with kids’interests, experiences By MEGHAN YEARTA H&R Staff Writer
D I D YO U K N O W ?
They say life was better in the “good old days,” but that’s all relative when it comes to life in the 4-H Club. As an advocate of the organization for more than 60 years and a recent inductee of the 4-H Hall of Fame, saying Mary Jo Stewart has experienced change would be an understatement. “I joined 4-H when I was 10,” the Decatur woman said. “Back then, all the girls in a program learned to do one thing, like sewing. We still laugh about the elastic waist we learned to put in skirts.” Stewart, a Georgetown native and 4-H member of Vermilion County, recalled using the material of feed sacks their fathers would give them as fabric for skirts and dresses. Boys would work on projects involving small farm animals, or corn and soybeans. But gardening was one of the most prevalent projects in 4-H at the time. “Almost every family had a garden,” Stewart said. “Kids would want to learn how to garden so they could help.” Despite the organization’s roots in agriculture, which are partially attributed to the club’s association with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 4-H has evolved into much more. Because the organization has reached out to more youth in urban areas who have no agricultural background, they have applied a greater focus on leadership, citizenship and communication skills. “There’s more to it than cows, pigs and canning,” Stewart said, with a laugh.
The role for Macon County 4H and University of Illinois Extension volunteers has expanded since the Farm Progress Show has been in Decatur. The organization had a group of volunteers helping out at the shows in 2005 and 2007. At the 2009 show, it took over all aspects of one food court at the event, preparing to serve an estimated 20,000 people over the three days of the show. It is preparing for the same job at this year’s event. The Moultrie-Douglas 4-H Club has been trying to reach more children than those who grow up on a farm, including by holding the Moultrie County Conservation Field Day for fourth-graders in May. “You don’t have a cow, but you have a hobby,” said Angie Welker, 4-H community worker for the University of Illinois Extension Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Moultrie and Shelby unit. “We try to expose them to everything. The more you do, the more you learn.” Today’s 4-H Club in Macon County shapes its programs around three mission mandates: science, engineering and technology, healthy living and leadership and citizenship. “4-H meets the needs of the people at that time,” said Amy Leman, 4-H youth development educator for Macon County. “When it was founded in the early 1900s, agriculture was the primary way of life. But since society continues to change, so do the needs of the people.” The science and technology
sector has grown the most over the years. 4-H plans accordingly by offering more than 100 projects that accommodate children’s growing interest, including robotics, photography, even global position and information systems. “I had to learn to use a computer,” Stewart said, recalling her days as an extension educator. But technology isn’t the only thing that has changed. While traditional 4-H group meetings would be held at home and led by parents, meetings now are held in public places such as a church or the extension office. Projects are worked on at the meetings as well, rather than at homes with families. “4-H promotes positive youth development,” Leman said. “What they’re learning in the program is only one aspect of the experience.” This does not mean 4-H’s foundation in agriculture is lost. Leman noted the prevalence of agriculture in today’s society as children learn about food and nutrition — especially in Macon County with agricultural processors Archer Daniels Midland Co. and Tate & Lyle, two of the main employers in the area. “We remind our children that food does not come from a grocery store,” Leman said. “It comes from a farm. And there will always be jobs in this industry. People will always need to eat.” The organization ensures a safe environment, openness, a positive relationship with a caring adult and character building skills that instills
independence and prepares them for the future. These are the skills that leave a lasting impression, said 4-H volunteer and U of I Extension intern Cory Washington, who was in the club since his freshman year in high school. “It has opened so many doors for me since I’ve been involved,” Washington said. “It has truly been a huge impact on my life.” hrnews@herald-review.com
Herald & Review/Kelly J. Huff
Mary Jo Stewart has seen many changes over the past 60 years as an advocate for 4-H program. She wrote the history of the 4-H camp in Piatt County and recently was inducted into 4-H Hall of Fame.
We’ll Get You Growing Our comprehensive line-up of products and services includes
Fertilizer • Chemicals NH3 • Custom Application 2 Convenient Retail Locations: 1119 N. Morgan St. • Shelbyville, IL 62565 Contact: Rick Summers / Heath Summers
217-774-3899 2628 E. 1500 N. Road Moweaqua, IL 62550 Contact: Fred Kessel / Brent Stock
217-226-3712
Business Dir ector y Don’t Replace It, Lift It!
We Raise Settled Concrete and Straighten Basement Walls
1 www.fourwindsrv.com Maroa (US 51) 217-794-2292 E. Peoria (Hwy 116) 309-699-6231
2
FREE ESTIMATES!
3
FULLY INSURED
Driveways • Foundations • Patios • Sidewalks & More
Commercial • Residential
217-358-4141
Our Parents Make the Best Pizza! Matthew, Josh, Calli, Hannah
OPEN FOR LUNCH EVERYDAY of Macon County inc.
DELIVERY Decatur, Mt. Zion & Forsyth Our drivers only carry $15.00 Cash
428-4400
SPECIAL 16” 5 Topping PIZZA
$
11
99
+ TAX
Extra Cheese Not a Topping
Expires 12/31/11 South Shores Original Pizza Place Family Owned & Operated Since 1977 OPEN ALL HOLIDAYS EXCEPT LABOR DAY
Ag Supplies, Crop Protection Products, Fertilizer, Seed, and Custom Application Services. 1-800-223-1337 Visit one of the 12 Branches
TAGGART FARM SUPPLY ALL AG CHEMICALS AT WHOLESALE PRICES Ph: 217-932-4648 24 hours HAZEL DELL, IL.
Mon-Fri 7-5; Sat 7-12
www.powerplusequipment.com
Deano’s Backhoe Service Field Tile Repairs - Surface Drainage - Excavating Driveways - Septic Systems - Rock Waterproofing of Basements & Crawlspaces
763-6062 Dean Kendall
Guaranteed to give you a cold refreshment at a reasonable price and in a friendly atmosphere. Kick back, cool down and enjoy!
Selling Farm-Raised Deer Custom Butchering
“Custom Butchering & Wrapping To Your Expectations”
102 N. Main St. • Atwood, IL • 217-578-2250 Monday - Thursday 8-5 • Friday & Saturday 8-6
N. DINEEN ST
ATWOOD PROCESSING
NW PROGRESS AVE.
Specialty
After a day of Progress all roads lead to the A.I.W. Hall N. 27TH ST
——— Quality Meat Is Our ———
Quality Auto Service Since 1947
FARM PROGRESS
REAS BRIDGE RD.
E. PERSHING RD.
A.I.W. HALL 2882 N. Dineen 875-2416
24 Hour Towing Full Service Auto Repair 1725 S. Franklin St. - South Shores
www.billingsleytowing.com • 217-428-5421
4 FARM PROGRESS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2011
www.herald-review.com
DECATUR, ILLINOIS
‘Not your father’s corn’ Seed salesmen work continues past planting By CHRIS LUSVARDI H&R Staff Writer
Each year, farmer Craig Moore wants to improve yields on the crops he grows near his Niantic home. Finding the best way to do so requires taking time to research and consult with those he has grown to trust. Picking the right seed is one of the first and most important decisions Moore can make. “There’s your dollars and cents, your net profit,” Moore said. “I want to plant varieties to diversify the risk. Once you see it’s going to be good, you want to push it.” Moore’s work doesn’t stop once the seed is in the ground.
Herald & Review/Kelly J. Huff
Jeff Brown, DeKalb Seed Corn territory sales manager, checks rows of seeds on an ear of corn with Niantic farmer Craig Moore as they try to predict the bushel average of the field. He must keep an eye on how the crops are growing and having extra sets of eyes can help. Moore scouted some of his
fields for any developing problems during an early August visit with DeKalb corn brand territory sales manager Jeff
Brown. With hot and dry weather this summer, they seemed somewhat disappointed in what they were finding with indications pointing toward lower than normal yields. With years of experience between them, they know things could still recover before it comes time for harvest. In any case, Moore appreciates the knowledge Brown brings with him. “Trust is a big thing,” Moore said. “He’s not just a seed salesman. He’s not going to steer me in the wrong direction.” Brown knows his job goes beyond selling a bag of seed. “It’s servicing and knowing products,” Brown said. “We want to get the right product on the right farm.” Working for Monsanto Co., Brown has a large team of experts at his disposal. Even standing in the middle of a
corn field, finding the right person in the network to help is just a few clicks away. “I can take a picture and send it,” Brown said. “It’s just going to get faster. The thing is we’ve got to keep up with it.” Moore said he uses the Internet and social media sites, including Twitter, to receive information while he is in the field. It has changed how he does business. As a result, companies are realizing they need to find new ways to provide customers with the information they rely upon. DeKalb uses a text messaging service and plans to launch a mobile website that helps to show more information specific to a local area, said Jason Hoag, DeKalb marketing manager. “Seed companies often like to communicate performance information at a national
level, but as a farmer, I want to know what’s going on in my particular county,” Hoag said. “I want to know what’s going on in Macon County.” The DeKalb brand has been in development for the past 100 years. It was started by a small group of farmers and local businessmen from DeKalb in 1912, Hoag said. After starting in the northern part of the state, Illinois has continued to be a good market with a steady level of sales success for DeKalb, Hoag said. Monsanto acquired DeKalb in full in 1998. DeKalb is seen as the St. Louis-based company’s national corn brand to go along with a dozen regional choices. Hoag said the company wants to continue to build upon what has been developed over
DEKALB/PAGE 5
THE FORMULA FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE. POWER, CONTROL, AND FLEXIBILITY The NEW T6000 tractors from New Holland are your formula for success. With 80 to 135 PTO ph models available in Delta, Plus and Elite configurations, T6000 tractors are perfect for haying operations, heavy loader work, roadside mowing or row-crop applications.
T6000
Here are just a few of the available features that boost your productivity: HIGH-VISIBILITY HORIZON™ CAB - COMFORT AND QUIET FAST STEER™ SYSTEM - EFFORTLESS TURNING POWERSHIFT TRANSMISSIONS - “SET AND FORGET” CONVENIENCE CUSTOM HEADLAND MANAGEMENT - PUSH-BUTTON CONTROL SHARP TURNING SUPERSTEER™ FWD AXLE - EXTRA SHARP TURNS TERRAGLIDE™ FWD AXLE - BETTER TRACTION AND RIDE
Mattoon Farm Pride S. Rt. 45 • Mattoon, IL • 234-2105
Our roots trace back more than 140 years. With more than 100,000 acres under management and over 175 years of combined experience, the professionals at Busey are committed to maximizing value for clients through our range of comprehensive services. Contact us today to learn how our team can help you.
busey.com
Decatur 130 N. Water 217.425.8275 Champaign 3002 W. Windsor Rd. 217.351.2744 LeRoy 301 E. Cedar St. 309.962.2311 Shelbyville 200 W. Main St. 217.774.5515
®
www.herald-review.com
DEKALB
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2011
AG TECH
Continued from Page 4
Continued from Page 2
the past century and increase productivity for farmers. “The focus of DeKalb is fundamentally the same,” Hoag said. “We want to be leaders in performance and innovation through advanced breeding technology, biotechnology and by bringing those two together, along with a professional dealer network and strong agronomic support. We think we can deliver that over the next 100 years.” The company believes it can offer the best choices for farmers, Hoag said. “Within our DeKalb portfolio, we can address the needs of our farmer customers,” Hoag said. “We also realize not everybody is going to plant 100 percent of their acres to DeKalb. At the end of the day, they want to make an educated decision that’s best for their farm.” Technological advances in the plants have included insect control, weed control and refuge management, Hoag said. “There’s the old saying, ‘It’s not your father’s Oldsmobile,’ ” Brown said. “Well, this isn’t your father’s corn.” Despite the seed technology currently possible, there is one thing nobody has come up with a solution for. “It’s amazing technology in the plants,” Brown said. “But we still can’t make it rain.” clusvardi@herald-review.com|421-7972
this as a career. So far, this has been a career that has some staying power.” Students start off by interning at a dealership they’ve found to be their sponsor and are paid for the time they work while completing classes. “While they’re earning a degree, they have the ability to work here and learn about John Deere,” said sales representative Grant Tice of Sloan Implement in Assumption. “They hit the ground running. When they graduate, they have a career ahead of them. So they don’t have to worry about going to interview for jobs. They’ve already got something lined up.” Given the uncertainty of the economy, Tice said the agricultural industry is an excellent place to be working in right now. “For us, as a growing company, it’s important to be recruiting and hiring young people for careers in agriculture,” Tice said. “We need to be hiring people.” Not everybody remains working for John Deere, but those who move elsewhere feel better off after completing the program. “There’s always going to be a need for good mechanics,” said Jake Semple, a 2009 graduate who worked for Schilling Brothers Inc. in Newton. “The
teachers were not just reading from a book. They had the experience, and that’s what made the program.” Semple said he left the dealership to go work for the Jasper County Highway Department, which afforded him the time to work on his own farm. Finding the right job is part of the reality facing those who want to remain farmers but need to find a way to make a living. It takes evolving skills to make it all work, Tice said. “Everything now is computerized,” Tice said. “Every combine or tractor you see is loaded with computers and wires on it. Our equipment is exclusive to John Deere, so having that knowledge gets them specialized in the field.” All diagnostic work is done on laptops. Parts catalogs are a thing of the past, Tice said. Machines steer themselves and GPS systems help farmers with precise applications. Service repair work is often done in the fields, especially during the spring and fall when time is most critical. Most students are from smaller towns and are familiar with farming, Drake said. However, some have come from places such as the Chicago suburbs. Walker felt it was to his advantage having grown up on a farm, knowing what a combine is and what parts it has. “I had a lot of experience
knowing what the equipment was and a basic idea of what it’s like.” Walker said. The equipment is big, expensive and can be complicated, Walker said.
DECATUR, ILLINOIS
“If it was anybody walking off the street who tries to start working on something, they’re going to be overwhelmed,” Walker said. “They’re going to have a lot
FARM PROGRESS 5 of problems figuring out what’s going on without the background in the training program.” clusvardi@herald-review.com|421-7972
217-235-0549
4100 Dewitt Ave. Mattoon, IL.
Does Your Job Have You Down A Lot? Many jobs today require repetitive motion which can lead to overworked muscles. Others require extremely physical demands on your entire body. Over time, strains and stress can cause serious pain. With the proper care, you can treat or even prevent pain. When your work gets you down, call Dr. Messamore, DC, he can help straighten things out.
1533 North Water St. Decatur, IL 217-428-7762
www.decaturbackdoc.com | Appointments available Mon-Fri 8-6 and Sat. 8-12
Bring This Coupon in for
Bring This Coupon in for
60 Off First Initial Visit FREE CONSULTATION
$
Expires 8/31/11
Excludes Medicare & Medicaid
Expires 8/31/11
Excludes Medicare & Medicaid
Central Illinois
Auctioneers Serving All Your Auction Needs!
Old
Firehouse
Auction Center
768-4710 John Craig, Auctioneer www.johncraigauction.com IAL #04000578
Mark Schackmann, Auctioneer
WE BUY ESTATES! REAL ESTATE • COMMERCIAL • FARM ANTIQUES • HOUSEHOLD • CONSIGNMENTS APPRAISALS
Moss Auction Team has been setting the standards in the farm real estate auction industry since 1960. We specialize in farm land real estate, agriculture equipment and personal property. We get results!
www.schackmann.com 801 W. Fayette, Effingham, IL 62401
Moss Auction Team, LLC 14999 E. 1500th Road, Paris, IL (217) 465-4545 www.mossauctionteam.com
Bauer Auction Service 45 Years of Experience with Agriculture Auctions
SEE YOU AT THE 2011 FARM PROGRESS SHOW AUCTION FOR FFA AUG. 30-31
Central Illinois Auctions
Farm & Machinery Auctions Agriculture & Recreation Land Sales Closing Out Farm Sales Hank Bauer Home (217) 459-2806 Cell (217) 259-5956
www.bauerauction.com
Don Bauer Home (217) 459-2579 Cell (217) 259-5093
Toll Free 1-877-400-1011 • 217-342-4500 w w w. s c h m i d a u c t i o n . c o m
“AUCTIONEERS THAT WORK FOR YOU”
Dean Rhoades Lic #040.000395 Home 217-864-5394 Cell 217-855-6277
Lester Crandall Lic #041.0001347 Home 217-864-0468 Cell 217-620-4827
041000782 0750109558
WWW.CENTRALILLINOISAUCTIONS.NET WWW.CENTRALILLINOISAUCTIONS.NET
Tim Phillips Auction Service
Bethany, IL 217-412-1651 or 217-665-3895
Complete Auction Ser vice Machinery Sales Real Estate Sales Estate Auction Sales STANFIELD AUCTION Michael Stanfield 4504 State Hwy. 130 Charleston, IL 61920 345-7772 www.stanfieldauction.com
6 FARM PROGRESS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2011
www.herald-review.com
DECATUR, ILLINOIS
Planting a seed FFA brings knowledge of agriculture to classroom, in hopes of it blossoming By CHRIS LUSVARDI H&R Staff Writer
keeter, a 5year-old llama, was trying to give kisses to the children who came to see him at this summer’s Christian County Fair.
S
For the most part, the children seemed to return the affection in one way or another, mostly trying to feel Skeeter’s soft coat. Even when he tried to steal one young girl’s hat, it made the child laugh. Those volunRachal Wolfe, former teering Taylorville FFA member their time for the exhibit, including members of the Taylorville FFA chapter, wanted the children to have at least
‘In the surrounding areas around town, everything is based on agriculture, yet they’ve never seen animals and don’t understand ag.’
Herald & Review photos/Kelly J. Huff
Andrew Sims and Eric Sweeney, Okaw Valley High School students, ask elementary school student Calvin Cribbet about the display on the table as they offer information about agriculture mechanics during the annual Agriculture Day event in Bethany. TOP: Claire Hunt, 7, of Taylorville gets a personal greeting with a pony at an Interactive Farm Exhibit put on with the help of local FFA members at the Christian County Fair. that level of comfort around the animals. “In the surrounding areas
around town, everything is based on agriculture, yet they’ve never seen animals
Arthur Farm Pride 1201 N. Vine, P.O. Box 288 Arthur, IL 61911 (217) 543-2116
and don’t understand ag,” said Rachal Wolfe, a former Taylorville FFA member who
will be a junior in college. “They think it’s just tractors and cows.”
Wolfe was helping out with the Christian County Farm Bureau’s interactive farm
www.herald-review.com
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2011
Hunter Marshall, an Okaw Valley High School student, offers to let elementary school students Peyton Durbin, Maverik Cutler and Nicholas Carpenter pet one of the ducks on display during the school’s annual agriculture show in Bethany. exhibit during the county fair. Being in FFA was a worthwhile experience, so much so that Wolfe wants to continue to find ways to be involved with it. “If not for FFA, my high school experience would not have been nearly as good,” Wolfe said. “It’s one of the best things that has happened to me.” By the time students are old enough to be in FFA, they can begin to pass on their knowledge of agriculture to younger children and explain how much deeper it runs. They can talk not just about animals but crops as well. At some schools, FFA members work all year to set up hands-on learning opportunities for younger students. For the past two years, the Okaw Valley High School Agricultural Department has hosted an agriculture show in May for students in
D I D YO U K N O W ? Monsanto Co. is offering free admission into the Farm Progress Show to Illinois FFA students and advisers Wednesday, Aug. 31, with the donation of nonperishable food items. A bag of nonperishable food should be brought to the bus entrance of the Farm Progress Show. The offer is part of Monsanto’s community food drive in partnership with the United Way of Decatur and Mid-Illinois to benefit Decatur area food pantries. The equivalent of 42,600 pounds of food was collected during the 2009 show. kindergarten through third grade. The goal is to design interactive activities for the younger students to gain insight into the agricultural industry, agriculture teacher and FFA advisor Emily Perry said. Booths have included a petting zoo, machinery, a
tractor pull, baby chicks, plants, trees, dairy, safety and wildlife. A similar presentation has been made at Maroa-Forsyth High School, which organizes an Ag Day event each spring. The children seem to enjoy seeing the variety of animals on display after getting to interact with them for a while, said Kayla Heise, who was the MaroaForsyth FFA chapter’s reporter. “At first, they think the animals are out to get them,” Heise said. “We’ve changed their view on farm animals to show they’re friendly, not wild. Being able to apply it to their life is important.” While the focus at a younger age is to begin exposing children to the world around them, the high school students are old enough to be thinking about their futures and what role agriculture will play in that. Joel Ashburn, 15, a sopho-
DECATUR, ILLINOIS
FARM PROGRESS 7
Stephen Franklin, 5, of Taylorville doesn’t let his arm injury prevent him from learning how to rope a steer at the Christian County Fair.
‘It’s not all fun. Farm kids don’t always get to ride around on their bikes. It is work, then fun. That helps later in life.’ Joel Ashburn, Taylorville High School sophomore
more at Taylorville High School, wants to go to college, but he hopes to eventually return to the farm. Not everybody is like that with fewer opportunities to make a living on a farm. The average age of a farmer in Christian County is 54 years old. “Farming is a gamble,” Ashburn said. “You don’t always have a paycheck. I don’t think you could jump into it.” Ashburn said he has grown up learning about farming, and his responsibilities have expanded as he has gotten older. He now is able to help out with most tasks during planting and harvest, but getting to that
point has involved sacrifice along the way. “It’s not all fun,” Ashburn said. “Farm kids don’t always get to ride around on their bikes. It is work, then fun. That helps later in life.” The older students know they can’t take for granted that others know what they’ve already learned, so that’s part of why they enjoy opportunities to share their experiences. “It surprises me how different we are,” said Heise, who also has helped out during the Macon County Farm Bureau’s Agucation event for area fifth-graders held at Richland Community College. “You would assume other kids know. We can be
in neighboring towns and have such different upbringings.” Wolfe hopes that people who visit exhibits such as the Interactive Farm can appreciate what farmers do. “We want to provide a fun experience so they will be interested,” Wolfe said. “It’s good to have kids teaching kids. It makes it more relatable. They are a whole new generation.” In the years ahead, Wolfe hopes to add more animals to the exhibit so it will outgrow the building where it has been held. She said that will be a sign they have been getting their message across to others. clusvardi@herald-review.com|421-7972
www.herald-review.com
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2011
DECATUR, ILLINOIS
FARM PROGRESS 9
Lessons with a bite
A CLOSER LOOK Ag in the Classroom dates back to 1981 when the U.S. Department of Agriculture helped each state address agriculture education based on its own needs. Every state and territory has an Ag in the Classroom presence. In Illinois, the Illinois Farm Bureau Agriculture in the Classroom program merged in 2005 with Partners for Agricultural Literacy. Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom combines the efforts of the Farm Bureau, Facilitating the Coordination of Agricultural Education, University of Illinois Extension, Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts and others.
Ag in the Classroom teaches students about where their food comes from By CHRIS LUSVARDI H&R Staff Writer
A lesson Jennifer Edgecombe taught this spring to kindergarten students at Harristown Elementary School had them eating their vegetables. It was a simple, yet effective, way to get them started learning about how agriculture affects their lives. “It’s a great way to learn about the farm to fork concept,” said Edgecombe, the ag literacy coordinator at the Macon County Farm Bureau. “We’re opening their eyes to where their food comes from. Everything has to fall into place to get one dinner on the table.” Teachers Kris Sites and Karla Sullivan said they appreciated the lessons that their students are taught during Ag in the Classroom visits. Some of the students seemed surprised to find out how much they enjoyed eat-
ing radishes. “It all ties together,” Sullivan said. “It expands their knowledge, as they taste what they’re learning. It’s good to have reinforcement.” The lessons take on added significance for children growing up surrounded by corn and soybean fields, even as fewer are involved in farming operations but live in small towns such as Harristown. As students get older, Edgecombe and other educators expand on the ideas they teach to those who will have the opportunity to continue the next generation of agriculture. With so much to learn, the lessons go beyond the classrooms during assemblies and field trips. Macon County Farm Bureau organizes an Agucation field trip for fifth-graders each spring to Richland Community College. Much of what is taught is geared toward try-
Marcus Ricci of the Macon County Soil and Water Conservation District explains the rules of a quiz game about soils to Mount Zion Intermediate School fifth-graders.
Joseph Bromfield, who plays Coach, shows J.L. Reed, portraying Johnny Junkfood, how much sugar is in one can of a soft drink. The Emmy award-winning FOODPLAY production was performing at Okaw Valley Elementary School.
Herald & Review photos/Kelly J. Huff
After a story and art project on vegetables, Jennifer Edgecombe, the ag literacy coordinator at the Macon County Farm Bureau, passes out vegetables to Harristown Elementary School kindergartners. ing to get children started at a young age thinking about possible career opportunities. In agriculture, the job possibilities are plentiful but the students need to know what’s available. “It’s important for them to know what is going on around them,” said Deb Harper, a fifth-grade teacher at Oak Grove School in Decatur. “We talk about the jobs they can get. It’s very important to their future.” In other schools throughout Central Illinois, the ideas are similar. Students at Okaw Valley Elementary School in Bethany and Main Street School in Shelbyville took part this year in a Foodplay presentation sponsored by the Illinois Soybean Association. The interactive, touring performance in April encouraged students to get excited about eating healthy. The school has fewer farm kids than before, Okaw Valley Principal Paula Duis said. Duis wants students to appreciate the job farmers do for them. “If farmers are not good stewards, they’d be out of business,” Duis said. “They wouldn’t have a livelihood. Agriculture isn’t what it is even from when I was a kid.” Farmers want for the children and others to learn about their ever-changing business. “A lot of people think farmers are just in it for the dollar,” said Sue Yarnell, Moultrie County ag literacy coordinator. “Farmers want them to be healthy. Nutrition and exercise are key components at a young age.” The reality is farming itself can be an expensive proposition, yet having a taste of what’s going on is important with all the possibilities that exist, said Dave Opperman, a Logan County farmer. “Some of them have never been around farm equipment,” Opperman said as he helped out during an Ag Education Day this spring at the Lincoln Area YMCA Activity Center. “Farming has changed dramatically and gotten bigger.” Not a lot of people work on the farm anymore, said Mindy Bunselmeyer, a program adviser with Facilitating Coordination in Agricultural Education. In fact, she said less than 2 percent of the population is farmers. No one career opportunity
exists, and Bunselmeyer showed more than a dozen different jobs from implement
dealers to marketing and working at a grain elevator during her presentation at the
Agucation event. The increasing uses for crops provide additional opportunities for work, Bunselmeyer said. “There are lots of jobs between the farmer and grocery store,” Bunselmeyer said. “Even if we can’t turn it into food, we’re going to turn it into something useful.” clusvardi@herald-review.com|421-7972
Plan For Your Future With Brock® Grain Bins and Accessories from Shivers®!
Y
ORK Bin Co. Strasburg, Illinois 62465 Phone (217) 644-2270