Sam1 2017 07 14

AG Mag

Northern Illinois

Still Standing

4-H continues to thrive locally despite societal, financial obstacles CROP OUTLOOK: What’s the forecast for 2017?

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 440 STERLING, IL 61081 P.O. Box 498 Sterling, IL 61081

BUDGET BATTLE: Federal funding for ag in danger?

A Publication of Shaw Media

Summer 2017 AG Mag

1

AG Mag

Index

Northern Illinois

Publisher Don T. Bricker Advertising Director Jennifer Heintzelman

COVER STORY PAGE 8

Editor Jeff Rogers Magazine Editor Jeff Rogers Page Design Jeff Rogers Reporters & Photographers Ali Braboy, Peter Balser, Ashley Cady, Pam Eggemeier, Chris Johnson, Michael Krabbenhoeft, Alex T. Paschal, Lucas Pauley, Rachel Rodgers and Vinde Wells Published by Sauk Valley Media 3200 E. Lincolnway Sterling, IL 61081 815-625-3600 Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of the Northern Illinois Ag Mag may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Sauk Valley Media cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Sauk Valley Media cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this magazine.

4-H defies the odds

Kids are busy. Funding has been cut. But 4-H remains a strong organization locally.

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Index 2017 FORECAST PAGE 17

Rough start to the season

Northern Illinois farmers had an already relatively small planting window made even smaller by a wet and chilly spring. How will that impact this year’s crops?

Jacob Perino is a young man in a business where farmers never really retire.

Your guide to farmers markets in the Sauk Valley.

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AG Mag

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Index FOCUS ON FOOD PAGE 22

Summer sizzler Pork loin and veggies make for a perfect summer meal

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AG Mag

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STILL MAKING THE BEST BETTER Despite challenges, local 4-H membership remains steady

BY ALI BRABOY For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

T

oday’s teenagers are more busy than their parents were when they were young.

Fewer kids are growing up with an interest in agriculture.

Funding for the University of Illinois Extension has dipped, and county units have consolidated.

All might be reasons for a commensurate decline in the number of kids participating in 4-H clubs and programs. So is that what’s happening locally?

No, says Janice McCoy. nnn She’s the county Extension director for the Carroll, Lee and Whiteside counties unit. McCoy said the number of kids involved in 4-H has

remained steady for the past 5 to 10 years. Today, she said, there are about 600 enrolled members in 4-H in the three counties who participate regularly in the organization.

McCoy said there are probably another 1,000 or so youths in the three counties who are involved with 4-H in some way.

One of those busy teenagers who manage to also be active 4-H’ers is Mitch Clodfelter, 17, of Sterling. He’s been able to stick with the organization for at least 9 years, he said.

CONTINUED ON 94

Andrea (from left), 11, Allyn, and Brett Buhrow, 14, all from Ashton, walk Jake, the pig, to the show barn during the 2016 Lee County 4-H Fair in Amboy. (Michael Krabbenhoeft/ Northern Illinois Ag Mag)

8 Summer 2017

4CONTINUED FROM 8 He plays football, competes in track and participates in numerous clubs through school. But Clodfelter said he has wanted to focus on what will help him most after he graduates, and 4-H has taught him valuable communication and leadership skills.

“4-H is probably what’s going to help me the most when I get out of high school,” he said.

Clodfelter’s parents got him involved in 4-H, and his sister, Meghan, 20, was in the organization ahead of him. Clodfelter said he found a lot of peers who were older than him who served as role models and great examples of why to stay in 4-H. He said he devotes between 5 and 15 hours a month to 4-H. He’s president of the Genessee Hillbillies 4-H club, has been a counselor at 4-H camp the past couple of years, and has been part of the 4-H Federation for Whiteside County.

That he stuck with 4-H isn’t unusual, Clodfelter said. In fact, he said, most

About 4-H 4-H is the nation’s largest youth development organization, and its goal is to assist young people and their families get skills needed to be proactive members in their communities. Its motto is “To make the best better.”

There are almost 200,000 members each year who participate in Illinois 4-H programming. The organization is open to youths ages 5 to 18.

Get involved

Interested in volunteering with 4-H or learning more?

• Janice McCoy is the county Extension director for Carroll, Lee and Whiteside counties for the University of Illinois Extension.

She can be reached at 815-632-3611 and janmc@illinois.edu More information can be found at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/clw/whiteside4h/ • Jodi Baumgartner is the 4-H program coordinator for the University of Illinois Extension for Ogle County.

She can be reached at 815-732-2191 and jbmgrtnr@illinois.edu More information can be found at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/bdo/4hcamp/ kids are in the organization for the long haul. Younger kids stay in 4-H to be with their friends, he said, and older kids remain because the time and effort put in sharpens skills that will be beneficial in “real life” after college.

Megan Geiger, 18, of Sterling, has stayed with 4-H for about 13 years

because she has always enjoyed it and has made friends.

The recent high school graduate said she had been involved with track, cross country and some volleyball while in high school.

CONTINUED ON 104

Michael Krabbenhoeft/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Claire Fettig of Tampico demonstrates a color wheel spinner to kids in the Super Summer STEAM Camp at the Prophetstown Park District. Fettig, a longtime 4-H member, was one of the leaders of the 5-week camp.

AG Mag

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4CONTINUED FROM 9 She also had a part-time job that ranged from 15 to 25 hours per week of work. But she still found time for 4-H, and this past year she was the vice president for the Genesee Hillbillies. She spent about 2 hours per month of work with 4-H, she said.

Geiger thinks more kids should get involved with 4-H, as there are opportunities for volunteer work and scholarships.

Erin Stichter, 17, of Erie, has been involved for 11 years.

Being part of the organization has given her the opportunity to meet new people and build relationships with others in 4-H. She was part of a group that went to the National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, Georgia. The experience gave her the chance to meet members from across the nation who taught her about leadership and team development.

She’s part of the Fenton Wizards and Federation for Whiteside County. She spends about 10 hours per month on 4-H, she said.

Outside of the organization, Stichter is busy with cross country, student council, National Honor Society, involvement with her church – Erie United Methodist Church – and babysitting.

She said she finds time for 4-H because it’s relaxing and provides her an outlet to do things she likes.

Michael Krabbenhoeft/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Rachel Hill, who was a member of the Palmyra Hillbillies 4-H club, helps participants in the Super Summer STEAM Camp with an art project in early July at the Prophetstown Park District.

There are 354 members in Ogle County. That’s down from about 400 in 2007, said Jodi Baumgartner, 4-H program coordinator for University of Illinois Extension in Ogle County.

The slight decrease is probably the

result of kids being busy with other activities, Baumgartner said. But the kids who get involved love the program and the friends they make along the way, she said.

“They want to give back even when they’re gone.”

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AG Mag

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A growing passion Young farmer says it’s key to ask, and answer, questions

BY CHRIS JOHNSON For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

P

assion, hard work, and humor: Those three traits motivated a fourth-generation farmer to leave the college classroom and return to the Deer Grove family farm.

As a college-educated man, Jacob Perino, 24, could have been satisfied with his job in the ethanol industry.

Instead, he uses that income to support his family’s County Line Cattle.

“Farming is not work, it is what I love,” Perino said.

CONTINUED ON 144

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4CONTINUED FROM 12 “Once you do farming, you do not want to leave.”

Perino is a young man in a business where farmers never really retire.

The wealth of experience these farmers have is important, however, as younger generations need to ask questions to ensure this knowledge is passed on.

“Stop by a farm, ask questions, and ask if you can help out,” was Perino’s advice to teenagers interested in agriculture.

“You may be told no, but you may get stories and advice about farming. I know that we need more young farmers to step up and continue the tradition to keep our country growing.”

Another option is to stop by and visit with the producers at local farmers markets.

Many communities hold markets 1 or 2 days a week. These producers may be part of a larger farm operation, but they might be a niche farm. One thing they have in common is the stories they have to share.

Perino said these niche farms are a glimpse into how farming was done in the past. “People want to support their local farmers and people want to know where their food is coming from.”

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A chance to talk agriculture with the Speaker of the House

BY CHRIS JOHNSON For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

When asked if anyone wanted to make a trip to the nation’s capital, Jacob Perino didn’t hesitate.

“I raised my hand,” said Perino, a 24-year-old farmer from Deer Grove.

He was being asked by a Growmark representative after having attended classes at his local Growmark-FS co-op to learn about farming.

“I am ag. I am the young face of ag.

I want more young people my age interested in ag,” Perino said.

“I wanted to go because I am a young farmer, and I wanted to share my story.”

Less than a month later, Perino was part of an Illinois delegation in a private meeting with Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, who he calls “just a normal guy, but he has one of the hardest jobs.”

The 30-minute meeting was a chance converse with one of the most powerful man in government about agriculture.

“We had a good conversation. He was interested in what we had to say,”

Perino said.

The trip was part of the National Council of Farming Cooperatives and was a 3-day time for co-ops to meet with leaders and discuss concerns and lobby for the Farm Bill. Every co-op from grains and livestock, to berries and fruits was represented.

Perino had a chance to talk with Illinois congressmen about infrastructure needs in the county.

With highways, bridges, and locks and dams aging, there is a need to improve the crumbling system to meet the demands of all industries, not just agriculture.

“The roads are not adequate for today’s needs. The roads need to be improved to increase weight limits,” Perino said.

Also needing attention are the locks and dams along the Mississippi River that allow barges to move goods through. The amount being shipped today cannot be handled by the current system, Perino said, and barges get backed up waiting for a turn to get through the logjams.

CONTINUED ON 164

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AG Mag

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Jacob Perino describes the structure and roots of a corn plant as he looks to see how this year’s crop is faring on a Carroll County farm.

(Chris Johnson/Northern Illinois Ag Mag)

4CONTINUED FROM 14 “People want to know the story behind their food, and as farmers, we need to share the stories,” Perino said.

That breakfast you had this morning? Bacon and eggs, toast and coffee? It was all because of farmers.

“A farmer was up at 5 a.m. every day, even on holidays, milking the cows so you can have butter,” Perino said.

“If it were not for people like us, we would be naked and hungry,” Perino said with a laugh.

Unfortunately, some stories are hard to overcome. Perino said it takes one bad apple to give a black eye to the farming community on social media and in news broadcasts.

Perino encourages farmers to combat any negative press by “opening up the farm to see the livestock and see how we treat our animals like family.” Perino practices this advice at the family farm 16 Summer 2017

by inviting customers to the farm.

Perino said he would like to see farmers sharing their knowledge to encourage children to be interested in agriculture – be it in the field or in support industries – because “we need younger people interested in farming.”

“We need more people in college learning agriculture,” he said.

Farms today are getting bigger as technology assists in creating higher yields.

Classroom education will not only help farmers understand the technology they use, but might also aid the development the next wave of equipment.

New and experienced farmers will always need advice and assistance throughout their carreer. All they need to do is ask.

“Farming is a community, but for people to know about our community we need to share our stories,” Perino said.

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AVERAGE AT BEST?

Farmers look to catch up after wet spring, expect lower yields

BY RACHEL RODGERS For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Corn and soybean farmers are working to catch up from a difficult start to the season, but yields will likely fall short of last year.

Lee County farmer Allyn Buhrow said many area growers harvested their best corn crops in 2016, but there’s not

much chance of a repeat this year because of unfavorable planting weather in the spring.

There was an abrupt warm-up around April 20, the optimal time to plant, but that gave way to heavy rain and freezing temperatures just a few days later, causing delays in a relatively small planting window in Northern Illinois, he said.

CONTINUED ON 184

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AG Mag

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4CONTINUED FROM 17 “We hit some really challenging conditions, and it’s not ideal this far north to plant that late,” Buhrow said. “An extended wet and cold period takes a lot of vigor out of the seed.”

The Sauk Valley saw a considerably wetter spring compared to last year, with precipitation nearly 70 percent higher in Morrison and about 60 percent higher in Dixon, according to Illinois State Water Survey data.

Spring rainfall totals were 16.32 inches in Morrison and 15.03 inches in Dixon, up from 9.64 and 9.43 inches last year, respectively.

The United States Department of Agriculture reports that corn and soybean production trailed behind last year’s levels in the Northwestern Illinois region.

By July 9, corn silking was at 11 percent, down from 37 percent during the same time last year, and soybean blooming was at 32 percent, down from 42 percent.

Statewide, corn silking jumped from 12 percent to 33 percent between July 2 and July 9; the 5-year average was 45 percent, according to USDA weekly crop progress reports.

Soybean blooming reached 31 percent, compared with 36 percent last year.

Going from wet to very dry conditions could put a strain on the crops, but there’s been generally good soil moisture in the area, Buhrow said.

Production could pick up if that soil moisture remains consistent in the summer followed by a mild fall.

“We’re trying to catch up, and we’re going to need some very good conditions,” he said.

Corn yields are difficult to predict given complications during the growing season, like delays from wet conditions, but the USDA estimates potential yields to be at or below 170.7 bushels per acre.

Yields in Lee and Whiteside counties last year were about 200 bushels/acre for corn, up from 188.4 in Lee and 184.8 in Whiteside in 2015, and 60.8 bushels/ acre for soybeans, about the same as 2015.

On the national level, corn yields are projected to be about 3.7 million bushels less than last year.

“I think it’s going to be variable from field to field,” Buhrow said. “I don’t think it’s going to be anything like last year for both corn and soybeans; we’re probably looking at an average crop at best.”

The price of corn has fallen or been relatively stagnant since 2013, when the market year average was $6.89 per bushel. That figure dropped to $4.46 in 2014, $3.70 in 2015 and $3.61 last year.

The USDA estimates the current mar-

Ag Consultation

keting year to range from $3.25 to $3.45 per bushel.

Gary Schnitkey, an agriculture economist at the University of Illinois, said the midpoint of that range is often used as a price Gary forecast, in this case being Schnitkey $3.35.

The USDA projects the market year average to stay at a steady $3.35 through 2019.

“A relatively large change in supply/ demand or structural change likely is needed to get corn prices above $4 per bushel,” Schnitkey said.

The average for soybean prices is expected to grow from $8.95 to $9.40 and stay flat for the next 2 years as well.

Illinois farmers are shifting more land to soybean crops, converting an estimated 200,000 acres from corn to soybeans this year, the USDA reports.

Buhrow said soybeans diversify a farm, and costs and labor are lower.

“The price ratio between corn and soybeans is more favorable, and in the last few years, farmers have found they’re getting higher yields in soybeans than, say, the last time they planted 10 years ago,” he said.

In Iowa, though, farmers have planted 100,000 fewer acres in soybeans and upped corn production by 200,000 acres.

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USDA 5-year outlook on corn and soybeans Year 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

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Corn

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Corn

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Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

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ABOVE: Tomatoes at Jerry Poci’s stand at the Dixon Farmers Market.

RIGHT: Assorted vegetables and a Rock Falls Farmers Market bag on display at Galen Shank’s booth.

PHOTOS BY PETER BALSER FOR NORTHERN ILLINOIS AG MAG

MARKET?

IF SUMMER PUTS YOU IN THE MOOD FOR SOME FRESH, LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCE, HERE’S WHERE TO LOOK

ABOVE: Flowers for sale at Jerry Poci’s booth at the Dixon Farmers Market.

LEFT: Home grown garlic for sale at Deb Lathrop’s booth at the Rock Falls Farmers Market.

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Summer only 815-626-3830 Famous for super sweet Bi Colored Corn, and there’s green beans, tomatoes, peppers, melons and more. Michigan peaches and apples in August-October. www.selmi.com/ Poci’s Market and Greenhouse May 1- Oct. 31 10 a.m to 7 p.m. daily 9571 Hoover Rd, Rock Falls 815-626-0630 Melons, peaches, vegetable and flower assortments. www.facebook.com/PocisMarket/ AG Mag

21

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BY LUCAS PAULEY For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

ummer is such a wonderful season.

I know it’s hot, and sometimes, it can make you feel like you’re going to melt.

But there’s just something about the warmer air that makes me want to be outside. I often find myself outdoors, burning some calories while doing something fun.

Thank goodness for that.

Because you know what else summer makes me want to do?

Grill, chill, cook and create.

Drink, laugh, and eat everything on my plate.

But not every summer party needs to be brats, burgers and beers – he says mostly to himself – especially when there are so many good, green choices to go around.

Even when it’s not quite time to start harvesting from your garden, there are a wide variety of great vegetables available at local farmers markets and groceries.

Lucas Pauley/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Lemon, butter, garlic salt and pepper seems really simple, and you’re right, it is.

But it’s so, so good. nnn On this particular night, my wife, Michelle, and I took two staples – green beans and Brussels sprouts – and gave them a little taste of summer. The green beans were wrapped with bacon and topped with a brown sugar glaze, and the Brussels sprouts shined with lemon,

butter and garlic.

We paired those with a spiced pork loin and it made for a great summer plate perfect for dinner for two – with leftovers – or a party with friends and family.

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4CONTINUED FROM 23 Note: We planned to cook the vegetables on the grill, but got rained out.

In my opinion, grilling vegetables is always ideal – when you can – in the summer.

SPICED PORK LOIN Servings: 8 About 2.5 lb pork loin 1 onion Seasoning (mix to your preference): Cajun seasoning, chili powder, salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary and ground cinnamon 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season pork loin.

2. Grease baking dish with olive oil or butter. Place pork loin in baking dish and surround with chopped onion for flavor.

3. Cook for 1 hour or until pork reaches internal temperature of 145 degrees. It’s a good idea to continue to check near the end of the hour. I raised the temperature a few degrees after about 50 minutes.

GREEN BEAN BACON BUNDLES Serves: 7-8 About 1 lb of fresh green beans, trimmed About 1 lb of bacon 1 tablespoon brown sugar Salt and pepper to taste 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Lucas Pauley/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

The spiced pork loin is seasoned, surrounded by onions and ready for the oven.

2. Cook bacon on stove until slightly cooked. Reserve any drippings.

3. Trim and wash green beans. Bring large pot of water to boil. Add green beans and cook 3 minutes. Remove and place in a bowl of ice water to

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4. Dab beans dry and toss with reserved bacon drippings, and salt and pepper to taste.

CONTINUED ON 254

4CONTINUED FROM 24 5. Cut each slice of bacon in half and wrap around 6-8 green beans. Secure with a toothpick and place on a pan.

6. Combine brown sugar with tablespoon of water and brush over each bundle.

7. Roast 20-22 minutes or until bacon is crisp and beans are lightly roasted.

– Adapted from spendwithpennies.com recipe

Lucas Pauley/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

These green bean bacon bundles smell amazing out of the oven, but make sure they cool off a bit before you dig in.

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LEMON GARLIC BUTTER BRUSSELS SPROUTS Serves: 5-6 1 lb Brussels sprouts 2 tablespoons melted butter Juice from 1/2 lemon Garlic salt, pepper to taste Extra virgin olive oil for cooking 1. Divide and rinse Brussels sprouts. Melt butter in microwave. Heat skillet on stove to medium-high heat.

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3. Cook for 10-12 minutes or at least until they are golden brown, stirring occasionally.

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REASON TO WORRY? Trump’s budget blueprint includes deep ag cuts, but insiders confident Congress will come to farmers’ rescue

T

BY PAM EGGEMEIER For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

he staunch support of agriculture last November helped put Donald Trump in the White House, but the president’s first proposed budget could have farmers rethinking their decision.

The president says he can balance the federal budget in 10 years, and his proposed 2018 budget would hit agriculture hard. The proposed cuts include 21 percent to the Department of Agriculture, 36 percent to crop insurance, and $50 billion to ag subsidies in the next decade.

CONTINUED ON 274

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4CONTINUED FROM 26 The USDA’s Rural Development programs would stand to lose $477 million in the Trump budget. Those programs bring funds to rural America for everything from infrastructure and technology upgrades to grants and loans for economic development and home purchases. The technology program has brought broadband services to an estimated 6 million Americans in rural areas.

While the proposed ag cuts are severe, most of the responsibility for drawing up federal budgets falls to Congress.

Early in the process, it appears farmers can again count on lawmakers to protect their interests.

The House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee met in late June, producing a bill that basically ignored all of the proposed ag cuts. “The presidents’ budgets are just a blueprint that says here are the administration’s policy priorities,� said Adam Nielsen, director of national legislation and policy development at the Illinois Farm Bureau. “Congress will do what it wants based on what it hears from its constituents.�

Nielsen said the overriding message in the Trump budget is that enough domestic cuts must be made to carry out the president’s promise to build

“The president had a lot of support from farmers, and I think this proposed budget and some other actions have taken them by surprise. The trade policy has left many in ag scratching their heads.�

Adam Nielsen

Director of national legislation and policy developement, Illinois Farm Bureau up the military. Although Trump has proposed a $54 billion increase to the defense budget, it falls short of expectations. The House and Senate Armed Services committees want an additional $37 billion designated for the military.

Nielsen said many cuts, including to commodities programs, can be made only in the next farm bill. Hearings for reauthorizing the new bill have started in the ag committees of both chambers.

The current version expires in September 2018. In the 2014 farm bill, $23 billion was cut from the Ag Department over a 10-year period. “Spending for subsidies is mandatory, but with the next farm bill there will be some pressure to keep what we have,�

Nielsen said.

While Nielsen said he is encouraged by what he’s hearing about ag spending in Congress, the fact remains that the Trump budget has pared more than 4 times the amount the farm lobby

expected from ag. The deep cuts aren’t the best way of thanking farmers for their votes. “The president had a lot of support from farmers, and I think this proposed budget and some other actions have taken them by surprise,� Nielsen said. “The trade policy has left many in ag scratching their heads.�

Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, said he is confident that farmers have a steady base of support in Congress. “There are some haircuts in this budget to deal with a national debt that is out of control,� Kinzinger said. “This is just a blueprint that has to go through Congress though, and I don’t think what the president put out will ever be reality.�

While he didn’t see cause for alarm within the ag industry, the congressman said the proposed budget does send a foreboding message.

CONTINUED ON 284

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4CONTINUED FROM 27 “The proposed budget would cut the State Department in half, and that’s not going to happen, but we do need to understand that tough decisions must be made in the future,” Kinzinger said.

Kinzinger said Congress understands that farmers have already made budget sacrifices.

While more could be comRep. Adam ing, he thinks crop insurance Kinzinger should be safe.

In the last farm bill, a fundamental shift was made from subsidies to insurance as the industry’s safety net.

Despite disappointments with trade policy, immigration and the budget, Kinzinger said ag is still excited about the new administration.

“Farmers feel less threatened by regulations and bureaucracy,” Kinzinger said. “Business is breathing a little easier for the same reasons.”

While the GOP is downplaying any political implications, lawmakers on the other side of the aisle are concerned about the messages the administration is sending to America’s heartland.

“President Trump’s budget is the latest example of him turning his back on rural America,” U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos said. “He won our 17th Congressional District and the rural states, and now he’s treating us as a fly-

“Farmers feel less threatened by regulations and bureaucracy. Business is breathing a little easier for the same reasons.”

U.S. Rep Adam Kinzinger

R-Channahon, 16th Congressional District over country.”

Bustos said looking out for agriculture interests is a personal fight. She is the granddaughter of a hog farmer, the niece of dairy farmers, and a cousin to Angus beef producers.

“It’s hard to see a 21 percent cut to USDA proposed at a time when the farm

economy is struggling,” Bustos said. “The president also has proposed deep cuts to crop insurance, and there are families who are relying on that in bad times so they don’t go bankrupt.”

Agriculture is the number one economic driver in the 17th District, but commodities prices are in a deep

down cycle.

USDA projects that net farm income will fall again in 2017, the fourth consecutive year it Rep. Cheri has dropped.

Bustos Income has dropped by about 50 percent since 2014.

Bustos said she hopes the president comes around and realizes that America’s heartland has the best farmers in the world, and they are counted on to produce food for the world.

CONTINUED ON 294

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4CONTINUED FROM 28 While Trump said some of the right things during the campaign, Bustos questions whether the president understands the importance of rural America in the nation’s economy.

“He said during the campaign that he would end the war on the American farmer – his quote – but we’ve learned that it’s not what he does, it’s what he says,” Bustos said.

Bustos is encouraged by what she’s seeing from her seats on the House Agriculture and Transportation and Infrastructure committees, which also bodes well for negotiating a new farm bill.

“Both committees work very well across the aisle, and there’s been a real attempt to get the nation’s work done,” Bustos said.

Both committees are advocating for the Rural Development programs. Downsizing them would impact everything from rural business services to badly needed water system projects.

CONTINUED ON 394

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AG Mag

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Michael Krabbenhoeft/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Bruce Scholl and his son, Scott, stand in front of the newest building on their Polo farm. It’s a 2,016-square-foot insulated structure that makes it easier to store their equipment. It was built by Andersen Statewide Buildings in Rock Falls.

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Long gone are the days of community barn raisings.

Today belongs to quick, efficient and long lasting contemporary structures.

Old lumber frames could be built only 36 feet wide, and as years went on posts in the ground would begin to rot, said Kyle Stumpenhorst, owner of Rural Renovators in Franklin Grove.

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4CONTINUED FROM 30 “Barns have evolved, for sure,” Stumpenhorst said.

Now, structures can be built 120 feet wide with either treated wood or concrete columns or a concrete foundation. This means there’s less chances for the foundation to break off from the ground due to age or weather.

This new way of building – post frames – uses less and more efficient material. This makes it cost less, puts little strain on the environment, and provides a maintenance free exterior. Not to mention they are easier to install and quicker to put up.

A 40-foot-by-60-foot structure today would cost about $35,000, said Rick Andersen of Andersen Statewide Buildings in Rock Falls.

That number would triple if a customer wanted an old style wood barn.

It takes about 6 days for Stumpenhorst to complete a small barn and 2 weeks for bigger structures. He works with a crew of only two or three people. Back in the day, the whole neighborhood made the event a party. So what changed?

Andersen said fewer people started to farm livestock. Instead of a community having to build 50 barns, they were building only 10.

Also, equipment started to get bigger, Andersen said, so larger structures had to be built to house them. Barns now serve multiple purposes, and are used not just to store equipment but also as a work space for farmers.

Some of Andersen’s customers are Bruce, 56, and Brent, 58, Scholl, of Polo. They are the fifth generation to farm their land.

They have several stuctures on the property, but the newest is a 36-foot-by-56-foot insulated structure that makes it easier to store their equipment. They took down three smaller buildings on the property that were unuseable, one of which dated back to 1936.

“I don’t think we could have even remodeled them,” Bruce said. Andersen built them a much larger 60-foot-by-117-foot structure about 6 years ago.

“They don’t ask you for an old barn anymore,” Andersen said of his customers. He may have a few hobbyists who want smaller, older structures, but he has to send out for a price quote because it is so rare.

“It’s just progression,” Andersen said.

Photos submitted

Pictured are the Scholl farm in rural Polo before (above) new barn structures were built on the property and after (below).

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FARMING LEGACIES

Vinde Wells/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Laurie and David Sherrick stand by the sign that welcomes visitors in the front yard of their home and farm west of Polo. The Sherricks and their two teenage children live on the farm that David’s grandparents bought in 1937 when they moved from Minnesota.

‘WE LOVE THE LIFESTYLE’ Sherricks work to pass on farming legacy

BY VINDE WELLS Northern Illinois Ag Mag

A

Polo farm couple are living their lifelong dream.

David and Laurie Sherrick, who have both always wanted to farm, are living and working on land that has been in their family for 8 decades.

“We love the lifestyle,” David, 54, said.

“All you’ve ever wanted to be is a farmer,” Laurie, 53, said with a smile. “And it worked out for me because ever since third grade I wanted to marry a farmer.”

The couple and their two teenage children live on the farm west of Polo that David’s grandparents, John and Evelyn Reid, bought in 1937 when they moved from Minnesota.

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His grandparents and parents, Don and Dorine Sherrick, farmed together, and David and Laurie, in turn, farmed with his parents.

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John Reid shows the scraped knee and torn pants he got in a too-close encounter with a power takeoff in 1964.

4CONTINUED FROM 32 “My dad and grandpa ran a good operation,” David said. “It causes me to appreciate the generations before and the stability and foresight they had to make it possible for us.”

With that in mind, the couple began buying farmland in 1989 to build on what they already had as a legacy for their own children.

“If our kids decide to farm, they will have the same operation we had,” he said. “It’s been a great lifestyle and a lot of hard work.”

“But there’s a sense of satisfaction in it,” Laurie said.

David agreed.

“We have put out a lot of risk, but in return we’ve been greatly blessed,” he said. “There’s times farming when crops

Photos submitted

David Sherrick rides on a tractor with his father, Don. David and his wife, Laurie, farmed with his parents until they retired. Before that, Don and David’s grandfather, John Reid, farmed the land. look so good, it’s just overwhelming that God has allowed us to manage a couple of square miles of some of the best soil in the world.”

His grandfather’s operation was typical of the era, David said, with a dairy herd, beef cattle, hogs, and chickens.

They raised corn, oats, and hay to feed their livestock.

David was born in a small house just across Eagle Point Road from his grandparents’ home.

Later, his family moved to a larger brick home a short distance away, and when David and Laurie were married

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they moved back to the house where he was born.

They built a new house for their own family in 1996 on the farm that had been his grandparents’.

“I moved three times and only got a quarter-mile away,” David joked.

When David was growing up his father and grandfather milked 50 to 60 cows in a stanchion barn. Chickens were always part of the operation, too.

“My grandparents always had chickens and always sold eggs,” David said.

CONTINUED ON 344

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AG Mag

33

Photos submitted

LEFT: Polo FFA member David Sherrick holds one of the hens that helped him earn a state proficiency award. RIGHT: The family pickup truck reflects three generations: “Reid and Sherrick, John-Don-David.�

In fact, that became a major part of the operation.

They started with 1,500 hens and expanded from there. “In 1970, Grandpa got tired of milking cows and built a chicken confinement building,� he said.

The building, large enough for 12,000 Leghorn hens, was located across the field on the farm where Don and Dorine lived.

David’s grandfather had planned on the chicken operation as his retirement, but died unexpectedly the following year when David was only 8 years old. “We kind of inherited the

chicken project,� he said with a chuckle. “Raising chickens at that time was not glamorous.�

Every day meant “running eggs� – after gathering them, the eggs had to be put on a conveyor, where a machine candled them, washed them, dried them, sorted them by size, and put them in cartons.

And after that, every day during his elementary and high school years, his mother and grandmother drove David and his two sisters to Dixon, where they went door-to-door selling the eggs. “I’m sure we complained about it, but we learned some people skills and how

to make change,� he said.

It also paid off when, as an FFA member in 1981, he won a state proficiency award with his chicken project.

David and Laurie were married in 1984. “Then I inherited the chickens, too,� she joked.

CONTINUED ON 364

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History happened on the Sherricks’ farm One spot in David and Laurie Sherrick’s farm was the stage for a rich bit of history.

William Durley, a miner, was ambushed and killed during the Black Hawk War by a band of Native American warriors in what is now a field off Galena Trail Road just west of Polo.

A sign and stones mark the site where his body is buried and tell the story.

When the war began in the spring of 1832, settlers at Buffalo Grove, now Polo, were warned of Black Hawk’s victory at the Battle of Stillman’s Run in what is now Stillman Valley.

The settlers were ordered by the Army to leave the area and go to the military headquarters at Dixon’s Ferry, now Dixon.

Durley was part of a group carrying dispatches from

Vinde Wells/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

A historical marker and two large rocks mark the spot where a William Durley is buried. He was killed in 1832 by a band of Native American warriors. of a grove of trees on what is now the Sherrick farm, one of the soldiers suggested taking a different route because of the increased chance of an ambush.

However, the others opposed the idea, and when Durley entered the woods on

Col. James M. Strode in Galena to Gen. Henry Atkinson at Dixon’s Ferry.

After delivering their dispatches, they left Dixon around 3 p.m. on May 19, 1832, to return to Galena.

According to one account, as the group neared the edge

horseback he was cut down by gunfire.

Durley was buried near where he had fallen.

His remains were later exhumed and reburied in the present location close to the road. – Vinde Wells

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AG Mag

35

4CONTINUED FROM 34 By 1988, it had become obvious that 12,000 chickens was too few to compete in the egg market efficiently, David said, and that part of the operation was discontinued.

Instead, they began buying feeder pigs and finishing them for market.

A huge garden was also a three-generation project.

“Gardening was a big deal,” David said.

His grandmother grew sweet corn, tomatoes, squash, and Indian corn, selling it to area groceries as well as individuals.

She kept careful records of who her customers were and how much she made. In 1970, her hard work bought in $267.89.

David and Laurie farmed with his parents until they retired. At that point, the younger couple bought the operation and continued it.

Besides finishing hogs, they also finished 500 beef cattle every year until their large barn was destroyed by a fire in 1999.

Today, the Sherricks farm 1,300 acres, planted to row crops. They own 1,000 acres and rent the other 300.

“I joked, when I had chickens, pigs, and cattle and all the chores to do, that when I grew up I wanted to be a grain farmer. I guess I’m grown up now,” David said with a grin.

He still feeds out 12 to 20 beef cattle every year, just because he likes them.

“I’ve always enjoyed the cattle,” he said. “I have a few around because I enjoy them.”

Photos submitted

This newspaper photo shows the Reid, now Sherrick, farm as it looked about 60 years ago.

Technology and larger machinery over the years have made farming faster and less labor intensive, David said.

Years ago they spent several days picking 5,000 bushels of corn and putting it in the crib, then shelling it, and cleaning up.

“Now we combine 5,000 bushels in a few hours,” he said.

A nearby grain terminal with a rail spur has made a difference as well.

In 2009, David’s parents sold several acres of their property along U.S.Route 52 near the intersection with state Route 26 to Bocker Ruff LLC for the terminal.

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David hauls the grain from his fields by tractor and wagon to the terminal.

“Every train that leaves here takes 450 trucks off the roads,” he said.

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FARMING LEGACIES

Farming is in the Deets’ blood

BY VINDE WELLS For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

F

arming wasn’t a question of if, but when, for Norm and Marti Deets.

“We always knew we would be farming. It’s in the blood,” Marti, 58, said with a smile.

They farm on land southwest of Polo, almost on the Ogle-Carroll County line and less than a mile from Whiteside County.

Norm, 60, agreed that farming is in their blood.

“I grew up doing it, so it was natural. I want to keep it in the family,” he said. “It’s a way of life. You either like it, or you don’t.”

It’s clear that they both enthusiastically embrace it.

“It’s peaceful. It’s a safe way of life,” Norm said. “It’s a great place to raise a family.”

They have a grown daughter and son, who were both raised on their farm, and three grandchildren.

CONTINUED ON 384

Marti and Norm Deets pose next to their renovated barn built in the 1870s by Albert Schryver.

(Vinde Wells/Northern Illinois Ag Mag)

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4CONTINUED FROM 37 “When we moved here, it was really dark,” said Marti, who had been accustomed to living in town. “It was an adjustment because it was kind of isolated. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything to be able to raise our kids here.”

Norm and Marti met at Millikin University in Decatur, graduated in 1979 and 1980, and married shortly after that.

Marti grew up in Maroa, a farming community in central Illinois, where her dad was a teacher.

Norm grew about a half-mile west of their current home in Carroll County on a farm that had been in his family for generations. His cousin still owns it.

Norm worked for Community General Hospital in Sterling, for 31 years, the last 16 as its CEO. Throughout that time, he farmed with his father, Omer. He decided to retire from the hospital almost 5 years ago to farm full-time.

“We kept expanding. I couldn’t do both, so I decided to do the farming part,” Norm said.

When he was growing up, his father milked cows, farrowed and raised pigs, and had a few sheep and chickens His father had purchased 110 acres in

1952, and and then an additional 120 acres.

He bought what is now Norm and Marti’s farm in 1972. At that time, the farm was rented to Harlan and Lois Voss.

“I helped Harlan make hay when I was growing up,” Norm said.

He and Marti bought 80 acres, including the farmstead, from his father and moved there in 1985.

“This is an interesting farm,” Norm said. “It’s 160 acres, 80 acres are in Ogle County and 80 acres are in Carroll County.”

Today they farm 500 acres, most of which they own. The rest is rented from Norm’s father.

They raise corn, soybeans, and alfalfa.

Norm has used no-till practices since 1985 to enrich and preserve the soil.

“The soils out here are a little light.

It’s what they call timber soil,” he said.

“No-till builds the soil and prevents erosion.”

He introduced the use of cover crops 5 years ago.

“That’s enhanced the soils as well,” he said.

Over the years, most of the original farm buildings have been torn down.

The two exceptions are the house and barn, both built in the 1870s, by Albert Schryver.

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“It was known as the Schryver farm,” Norm said.

He said they considered removing the barn, too, but decided to renovate it instead, and now uses it as a machine shed.

“It’s all pegged. It’s just as square as the day it was built,” he said.

Norm said farming is an enjoyable and essential profession.

“I like the renewal with planting every year,” he said. “And being your own boss isn’t a bad thing.”

“It’s a high risk profession but it’s high reward – not just financial rewards, it’s family, your friends, and your neighbors.”

It’s also a responsibility not to be taken lightly.

“It’s a huge base of knowledge that you possess,” he said. “Less that 2 percent of people feed the nation. It’s gratifying and it’s scary. To some degree, your life revolves around the grain market and the weather report.”

Developing strong values is part of farming, Marti said.

“It’s not glamorous,” she said. “But it instills a work ethic. Norm’s dad is the same as he is with the work ethic.”

Norm also helps teach ag classes in the Creating Enterpreneurial Opportunities program at Whiteside Area Career Center in Sterling.

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4CONTINUED FROM 29 The programs have helped an estimated 112,000 small businesses and created about 450,000 jobs in rural areas.

Bustos said funding must be protected for agricultural research and development.

Trump’s proposed budget called for closure of The National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria.

Nielsen said he thinks funding will hold up well for Rural Development and the Peoria ag lab, based on his conversations with the committees.

Bustos said if the president is the businessman he claims to be, he would understand that there is a $10 return on every dollar that goes into the her district’s storied ag center.

“There are 85 Ph.Ds and another 115 scientists who walk through the door of that lab every day,” Bustos said. “It’s where they figured out how to mass-produce penicillin.”

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organizations and other ag advocacy groups are hopeful that lawmakers will have a better understanding of the challenging economic environment farmers are facing.

In years past, Congress has shot down proposed budgetary cuts to agriculture’s safety net, including a $3 billion reduction to crop insurance 2 years ago.

Illinois Farm Bureau projects that up to half of the state’s farmers will file insurance claims this season in accordance with flooding, replanting or abandoned acreage provisions.

Farmers are also anxious about the president’s talk on health care, trade and immigration policies.

Trump has made no secret of his disdain for the TransPacific Partnership and North American Free Trade Agreement. Farmers heard the talk during the campaign, but hoped much of it was just rhetoric and the U.S. wouldn’t walk away from the pacts. One-third of the nation’s farm income is generated by exports.

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