SVM Ag Magazine - Summer 2022

You’ll find a lot of farms toys and more down on the farm.

You can’t have a say if you don’t have a voice, and a Polo producer is making sure his fellow farmers have one.

Vintage goods, home decor livestock feed and more — this store really chicks all the boxes.

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Magazine editor & Page design Rusty Schrader

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Publisher/Ad Director Jennifer Heintzelman

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inside

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For land’s sake

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Their very own toy story

Ag experts say that if farmers want to get the most out of their soil, they should heed the advice from experts in the field.

Once upon a time a couple started a down-home store that sold toys and more, and their hard work and all play has paid off.

The future is in our hands Researchers say it’s important that our soil gets a clean bill of health, and a growing number of farmers agree with them.

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At their service

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This store Chicks all the boxes

You can’t have a say if you don’t have a voice, and farmers have one in Illinois Farm Bureau vice president Brian Duncan.

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By Cody Cutter | Sauk Valley Media

Norm Deets has spent his farming career trying to get the most out of the land that’s given him a livelihood.

So when he set aside 30 acres for research, it might have looked to some like a decision that came out of left field, but it wasn’t. It came out of another field Deets was interested in: the field of science. That’s why, when researchers were looking for farmers who’d let them get their hands dirty in the name of science, he decided to do his part — not only for his own farm, but farms everywhere.

The Milledgeville farmer is taking part in a study with the University of Illinois funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, in which researchers observe the changes in soil health over a 5-year period.

The first year concluded last August.

Deets, 65, has seen firsthand the benefits of promoting better soil health. He implemented no-till and cover crop practices for more than 35 years and has seen healthier soil and improved yields, but he knows those are just his own observations. Having science back him up is something he welcomes, and he’s enjoyed seeing what UI’s Extension Service has come up with through soil sample collections.

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SOIL HEALTH cont’d from page 5 Utilizing a 30-acre field for the research, one half has cover crops and the other half does not.

“I had personal things that I believe, but I didn’t have anything that the University of Illinois would have that would measure and quantify it for me,” Deets said. “I’ve been no-tilling since 1985, so I’ve seen some things happen. No-tilling alone only took me to a certain degree of soil health.

“We can’t really walk out there and look at it and say, ‘This is healthy, and this is not.’ I can view things and I can see things, but they have the science.”

Soil health has become an increasingly important topic in the ag industry in recent years as both farmers and researchers have come to realize the important role healthy soil plays, not only in farmers’ bottom lines — with increased and healthier yields — but in the environment, too, where healthier soils can impact water and air quality.

Leading the way in helping soil get a good check-up are soil conservation practices such as notill farming and cover crops. No-till leaves behind crop residue after the harvest to help protect the topsoil from erosion caused by wind and rain. The remnants left behind also help the crops that follow by increasing water retention. Cover crops are planted not to harvest, but to help slow erosion, smother weeds, improve water retention, add organic matter to the soils, attract pollinators and control pests and diseases.

Deets has been a believer in cover crops, embracing the practice on his farm in recent years. He tried them out first on his soybean fields and then in his corn fields. It worked great, he said.

“When they came up with the thought process of cover crops, I started doing that and my soil responded,” he said.

SOIL HEALTH cont’d to page 8

AT RIGHT: Norm Deets owns around 700 acres of farmland between Milledgeville and Polo, and has allotted 30 of them to be used for a soil health research study overseen by University of Illinois Extension educator Chelsea Harbach.

The study aims to show how no-tilling and cover crop practices improve soil quality and prevent runoff from polluting watersheds.

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SOIL HEALTH cont’d from page 6 Deets religiously takes time to read about ways to get the most out of his soil, and an article on the topic that appeared in an Illinois Farm Bureau magazine a couple of years ago really caught his attention. In it, farmers were asked if they would be willing to participate in soil health studies. Deets was happy to oblige. His farm became one of nine in Illinois to be a part of the study, and his was especially unique in being the northernmost among them, located in an area where the soil makeup has much to do with the topography.

In northwest Illinois, the ground is made up of a lot of timber soil, formed under forest vegetation. This is different from the central part of the state and its prairie soils.

According to the Illinois State Museum, the difference between prairie and forest soils is the thickness of the carbon from living organisms; forest soils have less carbon and nitrogen than prairie soils, and are less fertile.

The nearest farm to Deets’ in the Extension study is in Wyanet, in south-central Bureau County, where there’s less timber soil.

Chelsea Harbach, a commercial agriculture educator with the UI Extension’s Monmouth office since August of 2019, is overseeing the study on Deets’ farm. Her family has farmed in the hilly topography of Jo Daviess County for years, and she is using that knowledge to help her in her soil health research.

One of the great things, she said, about improving soil health in northwest Illinois specifically is that it also increases aggregate stability — a measure of the ability of soil aggregates to resist degradation when exposed to external forces such as water and wind erosion, as well as shrinking and swelling processes.

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“If you have more stable aggregates in your soil, you’re going to see less erosion,” Harbach said. “If you’re using cover crops, you’re going to see less erosion, too, so with the hillier topography of northwest Illinois, thinking about improving soil health will definitely decrease soil loss and help mitigate nutrient losses as well.”

On Deets’ 30-acre research plot, there are two sampling points in each half, determined by a random GPS point. Visits to collect soil and data are done in the spring and fall, with the spring session also dedicated to a soil penetrometer reading to assess water infiltration, as well as a collection of cover crop biomass. Soil health change indicators can take some time to accumulate, and the tests also include nematode assessments in the second and fifth years

SOIL HEALTH cont’d to page 9

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SOIL HEALTH cont’d from page 8 Deets also has taken his soil to get evaluated by the Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources program in Champaign. In that study, he also presents his data that comes from what the soil produces; between that and the specifics of the soil, the program develops a rating system to show how well farmers are making use of the soil in their area, as well as providing ways to improve or maintain their rating. Since participating a couple of years ago, Deets has maintained five-star ratings for all of his acres, and proudly displays STAR signs on his property.

There has been a renewed effort in utilizing cover crops in the past decade, Harbach said.

“Our soil is our No. 1 greatest resource, and we’ve kind of used it and abused it for a long time, and have not really thought about soil as its own living entity that we can really benefit from if we take care of it,” Harbach said. “We can look at the soil as not just minerals and stuff, but it is a living, breathing thing. We need to CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVALLEY.COM take care of the biology of the soil, and by taking care of the biology of the soil, it’s going to help our plants, too.”

Tilling, although it can manage some plant diseases, can make soil susceptible to erosion and crusting, she said.

“We really need more people to start doing this stuff if we’re going to have a significant impact,” Harbach said. “As you increase soil health, you also increase the capacity of sequestering the carbon.

As we worry about climate change and the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide, soils can be a significant resource in capturing and mitigating some of that problem.”

Deets and the University of Illinois Extension hosted a field day Aug. 19 of last year, which was the first in a series of field days over the next few years at the nine farms in the soil health study. Deets talked about his farming system and the steps he’s taking to improve his farm’s soil health. Many farmers Deets knew showed up — some to listen and some to ask questions, as they weighed whether they wanted to utilize cover crop practices on their own farms.

Dennis Busch, agriculture professor at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, was the featured speaker; he brought a rainfall simulator to use in a demonstration at the field day. Other speakers included Stacy Zuber, an Illinois soil health specialist with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service; and Rachel Curry, a watershed outreach coordinator with the Extension.

Norm Deets' commitment to soil health has earned his soil samples a five-star ratings from the Saving Tomorrow's Agriculture Resources program in Champaign.

SOIL HEALTH cont’d to page 10

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SOIL HEALTH cont’d from page 9 Busch also brought along a pair of jars with water and soil in them to give attendees a look at the benefits of cover crops.

Both jars came from studies that Busch has done both in Jo Daviess County and Grant County in southwest Wisconsin; one jar came from a creek with runoff from farms that didn’t utilize cover crops, and another jar came from a creek with runoff from farms that did utilize them.

The difference — pun intended — was quite jarring.

“The jars were the most powerful thing, to see how much soil was in the runoff when you don’t use a cover crop versus when you do use a cover crop,” Harbach said. “You had to really see it to believe it. It was so powerful.”

Soil runoff can snowball the further it goes along the nation’s watershed, with all of northwest Illinois’ streams and creeks eventually flowing into the Mississippi River, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico, where a growing “dead zone” has become a bigger problem with each year that passes.

USDA GRAPHIC

SOIL HEALTH cont’d to page 11

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SOIL HEALTH cont’d from page 10 The zone is an area of low oxygen that can kill fish and marine life near the bottom of the sea, due to nutrient run-off — particularly nitrogen and phosphorus — from farms, lawns, sewage plants and other sources that flows into the river and triggers algae blooms that choke the oxygen out of the water. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimated last year that there are 6,334 square miles, or more than four million acres, in the zone where fish and bottom-dwelling species can’t survive.

Deets has made significant improvements to areas around a creek that runs along his properties in an effort to further prevent additional runoff from getting into the water.

“We have to be really conscious,” Deets said. “New Orleans doesn’t want our soil, nor do they want our fertilizer. We have to do better at keeping it here. It’s better for us economically to keep our soil. We can’t replace it, it would take thousands of years.”

That’s something Deets’ father, Omer, realized more than 40 years ago. When he noticed that his soil wasn’t getting the results he wanted, he looked at no-tilling as a way to combat that. Converting from till to no-till is a big change, but Omer did that around 1980 and Norm has continued to reap the benefits.

SOIL HEALTH cont’d to page 12

Norm Deets (left) and his father, Omer, farmed together in the Milledgeville area for more than 50 years before Omer passed away in April.

Norm has followed in his father’s footsteps, into the same fields where dad began to experiment with ways to improve soil health. Omer embraced the no-till practice more than 40 years ago.

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SOIL HEALTH cont’d from page 11 Omer started farming in the early 1950s, and between father and son they built up nearly 700 acres of crops. As resourceful as Omer was, he still was the kind of person who probably wouldn’t have taken a chance at having a bunch of young scientific researchers poking and plodding on his farm, Norm said, but he still “got a big kick out of” the field day his son hosted.

The field day also was one of the last agriculture adventures that Norm and Omer shared together, as Omer died this April at 95.

“He wanted the farm to be better for future generations,” Deets said. “He got me going on this, and I’ve just kind of taken it. I’m really grateful that he got me going, and that we can do some fun things now because it really has improved the farm land.”

Deets estimates that about 30 to 40 percent of farmers in Carroll County have utilized no-till practices, but there are many who are hard to convince to make the change.

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Deets photographs a field from atop a silo on his Milledgeville farm.

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SOIL HEALTH cont’d from page 12 As he approaches retirement age, he keeps the future his dedication to soil health in mind. None of his children are interested in owning the farm, but he still wants to make sure whoever takes over shares his beliefs and mindset about soil health. He doesn’t want to see nearly 50 years of work washed away.

“Farmers don’t like to be told that they need to do this or that, but we also have to be responsible,” Deets said. “It’s better to be ahead of the curve on this, than behind the curve.”

Deets is proud to be a leader in the local no-till farming concept, and has enjoyed sharing his experiences with ag researchers.

While some farmers aren’t as willing to share data, said he sees it as benefiting the greater good.

He and Harbach agree that when farmers take part in studies, it can add credibility to the research and help convince others to do the same.

“I’m really thankful to the University of Illinois for the opportunity,” Deets said. “Hopefully we can get something measurable and see what happens.” n YOUR LOCAL DEALER

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Thetopicofgettingthemostoutoffarmlandrunsasdeepasthesoil.InadditiontoourstoryabouttheNormDeetsfarm,NorthernIllinois AgMag also talked with a couple of soil health specialists, to share their perspectives on the topic ...

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RUSTY SCHRADER/SVM PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

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By Cody Cutter | Sauk Valley Media

uring a child’s roadside adventure, there’s one word on a sign that will get them to whip their head around, widen their eyes and start asking mom and dad: “Can we stop?! Can we stop?! Can we stop?!”

Toys.

That one word can spark the imagination and get any kid fired up for fun — put a toy in their hand and you’ll put a smile on their face, and you can do both at a shop in Lena. All you have to do is head through the village on state Route 73 and stop at Down on the Farm Toys and More, a place where people in the driver’s seat can give their back seats full of bubbling energy a lot to smile about.

More than 3,000 square feet of toys, puzzles and decor greet wide-eyed kids and customers, with much of the merchandise rooted in farming — but like the sign says, there’s more. Folks will find Hot Wheels, Legos, FisherPrice toys, Barbies and selections from the Melissa and Doug line.

You’ll also find David and Enola Troxell, the couple behind the toy counter who are keeping the toy store tradition alive and well in the little village about 12 miles north of Lake Carroll.

You’ll also find something else at the store, and a lot of them: smiles.

The Troxells have seen countless kids get giddy over the gobs of toys and more on their shelves during the 15 years they’ve been in business — and that’s one of the best parts about their job.

“It’s fun to do when you see the kids’ eyes open so wide when the first come in,” Enola said. “When they come in and see all of the toys, sometimes they can get a little overwhelmed I think.”

TOYS cont’d to page 20

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TOYS cont’d from page 21

CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVALLEY.COM

There’s a lot to see at Enola and David Troxell’s store, Down on the Farm Toys and More, in Lena. Big toys, little toys, all sorts of toys, and more. “It’s fun to do when you see the kids’ eyes open so wide when the first come in,” Enola said.

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The fact that the shop has lasted so long gives fans of toy stores something to smile about, too.

Toy stores were a more common site decades ago, found in downtowns big and small, but these days it’s harder to find one. Big box stores and online sales have made it hard for standalone stores to peddle toys, but Down on the Farm has bucked that trend. The Troxells have managed to stay on top of trends while also stocking items you won’t find in big-box stores. They also know their market — a farm market.

Found in the heart of farm country, the couple caters to kids looking for farm toys.

The shop gets customers who come from both the country and city, and they both enjoy farm toys. The Troxells have seen many a youngster from the city who’ve had their eye on farm toys, fascinated with the

TOYS cont’d to page 21

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TOYS cont’d from page 20 “They like what they see every day,” David said. “They see the farmer spreading manure every day, and they want a manure spreader, or maybe their grandpa has a combine.”

But it takes more than just farm toys to make a business grow. There’s the “Toys and More” part of their business name, too: cars, trucks, puzzles, dolls, action figures, and more.

“We get more toys for everyone else, so it’s more than just farm kids that come in here,” Enola said. “We have games, dolls and puzzles, and try to be unique in what each toy looks like.”

The couple’s toy story didn’t begin with Down on the Farm. David grew up on a farm and knows his farm toys, and Enola used to run a children’s retail shop, the Little Peoples Store, during the 1990s. They’re also parents, so they’ve got some firsthand experience in fun for kids.

A few years after The Little Peoples Store closed, they started to get the itch to get back in business, so they decided to start a store from scratch.

They started selling farm toys at regional toy shows, and that went well enough that it inspired them to plow ahead and start a store of their own. More than a decade later, the couple is still making kids smiles, and making some-

thing else that’s pretty special, too.

“We get to make friends, too, and not just customers,” Enola said. “A lot of kids just really get excited.”

Speaking of friends, some friendly farm rivalry also plays out on the store’s shelves — and all you have to say is “Are you green or red?” and you’ll know what it is. The store doesn’t take sides, though.

There’s room for both colors at Down on the Farm: John Deere green and IH red. New Holland fans will find their blue, too.

As for the kids? Well, they’re not too picky.

“If it’s green, or it’s red, they want that color,” David said.

The store carries most brands of farm toys, such as SpecCast, Bruder, Greenlight, and of course, Ertl — which once was its own popular farm toy company, and now is a brand under the Tomy Company. Kids who are hooked on Fisher-Price toys will find them at Down on the Farm, and there’s a whole herd of farm animals — horses, pigs, ponies, chickens, and more — waiting to find a new home in a child’s toy box.

TOYS cont’d to pages 22 & 23

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Down on the Farm recently started carrying the Green Toys line, made from 100% recycled milk jugs.

Kids can start their own horse farm and hire some helping hands, too, like Makayla, to school the horses, and Jake the farrier, to take care of the their hooves and shoes.

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PHOTOS: CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVALLEY.COM

Down on the Farm carries more than just toys.

Both kids and kids at heart can find something at the store.

While wide-eyed kids are eying up what they want, the kids at heart can browse Down on the Farm’s home decor and more, including wind chimes and puzzles

Are Hot Wheels more your speed than tractor tires?

Down on the Farm can put you in the tiny driver’s seat.

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TOYS cont’d from page 21

Down on the Farm Toys and More, 502 S. Schuyler St. in Lena, is open Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Find it on Facebook, go to downonthefarmtoys. com or call 815-369-4444 for more information.

For the budding young builders, a fleet of construction vehicles is available — dump trucks, mixers, scoopers and more. Police cars and fire trucks can also be found on the scene. For ones who want to get behind the wheel, the store has rideable toys, too.

“Kids see what dad drives, what grandpa drives,” David said, and they want to be just like them.

One company has even managed to milk more out of the materials it uses, and its line of toys can be found at Down on the Farm. The Troxells added Green Toys to their inventory last year. Green Toys is a California-based company that makes toys out of recycled milk jugs, which are shredded into flakes, pressed into pellets and molded into parts.

While the kids can walk the aisles and let their imagination run wild, the store also has items for the folks who bring the kids to store — farm-themed decor, collectible signs, framed pictures and figurines. For the collector, some premium toys can be found in a glass case.

For many, a walk down the aisles is like a stroll down memory lane.

“Over 15 years, we’ve had kids come in and they’ve come back with their kids,” David said.

“They’re brand-new kids, and their parents will tell them about how they used to buy toys here when they were younger. Then there are kids who graduated with our kids, and they stop in all of the time.”

If you can’t make it to the store, purchases can be made online with plastic or PayPal, at downonthefarmtoys.com and its Facebook page.

But there’s still nothing quite like visiting a toy store in person.

“We have a couple with a boy and a girl who come to visit their parents every year from Arizona, and they make a point to come here every year,” Enola said. “The boy collects cars and trucks.”

It’s experiences like that that make the Troxells proud and happy that they’re doing something they enjoy, and their customers enjoy, too.

“It took us a long time to build up the clientele that we have,” Enola said, but that time has been worth the investment.

“It’s not about the money,” she said. “Sure, it helps, but we’re here for people.” n

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BRIAN DUNCAN

IFB Vice President sin

ce 2017

hen Brian Duncan isn’t tending to his family farm in western Ogle County, chances are he’s at someone else’s — sometimes here, and sometimes around the world.

As the Illinois Farm Bureau’s Vice President, Duncan, 57, is an extra set of eyes and ears for his fellow farmers, keeping an eye on issues — local, national and global — that affect ag producers, and listening to what they have to say.

An independent pork processor, Duncan and his business partner, Keith Poole, both of Polo, raise around 70,000 pigs a year that are marketed to pork suppliers in the Midwest.

Helping Duncan on his farm with all of the work are his family: wife Kelly, daughters Emma, Molly and Sarah, and son Levi.

The children, all of whom were homeschooled on the farm, represent the third generation to work on the family farm, but Brian’s ancestors have farmed elsewhere in the Polo area for nearly 150 years.

Duncan’s family has been a big help in recent years, with Brian also tending to his duties as an agriculture representative for the state. He was elected vice president of the farm bureau in December 2017.

He previously served on the state Young Farmers committee, on the Ogle County Farm Bureau board and then as president of the Ogle County Farm Bureau for 13 years.

DUNCAN cont’d to page 26

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DUNCAN cont’d from page 25 Not only has Duncan been busy on the road, but also in the skies as well: His travels recently have taken him around the world, as part of an IFB delegation that traveled to Europe earlier this year to spend two weeks learning how things are done in farm fields on the other side of the globe, and their impact on farmers back home. While there, they got a firsthand look at public policy and the affects of climate change and global

trade. On top of his travels, Duncan does a “Policycast with the VP” podcast on the Illinois Farm Bureau’s website. The podcast touches on topics such as current Illinois Farm Bureau policies and how the organization advocate for agriculture in its home state.

Duncan recently talked with Northern Illinois AgMag to discuss current agriculture topics and what it takes to be a leader in the profession. That interview begins on the next page ...

When he’s not on the road, Brian Duncan is an independent pork producer and also custom feeds cattle, along with raising corn, soybeans and wheat. He and wife, Kelly, have four children and two grandchildren.

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We just passed the halfway point in 2022. How has this year been so far for the farming community, and how you do think the rest of the year will pan out?

Agriculture always has challenges and opportunities. Some of the challenges this year have certainly been the rising cost and availability of our inputs, both on the crop side and on the livestock side. We’ve seen the price of many crop inputs triple as opposed to what they were last year. We’ve seen challenges with the availability of certain crop products. There’s a great uncertainty over what the future holds for fuel availability for this fall. As we go down the road here in the next couple of years, particularly with the availability of the fertilizer that we need to grow corn in this area, will it be available as we see complete disruptions of the supply chains?

The disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine, I think, will have a generational impact. So those are some of the challenges. The opportunities? Fortunately, the prices we receive for our products has gone up. Even farmers are price takers and not price makers, and so we hope that those prices remain high. On the livestock side, the cost of feed has risen so much that livestock has become a breakeven proposition. There are challenges and opportunities, and we’re trying to navigate in a very unsettled environment.

Has the Farm Bureau been able to help combat the rising fuel prices that farmers have to deal with, for transport and farm machinery?

It’s not as easy as flipping a switch. The farm bureau continues to urge the Biden Administration to ramp up production of fossil

fuels. We recognize, and I recognize, that our energy generation portfolio needs to be diversified with renewables as well as fossil fuels. In agriculture, we are very dependent on fossil fuels, and we need to make sure there’s an adequate supply to run our machines. This kind of infrastructure takes time, and as we see the disruption of the energy markets caused by redistribution of product that was coming from Russia, as far as liquefied natural gas, that disruption is very real and we’re competing with the rest of the world for some of our energy needs.

What has it been like to be in a leadership position?

It’s a tremendous privilege. I never take that for granted. It’s been very exhilarating at times to be a part of, and to see the influence that the farm bureau has in the corridors of power, whether it be in Springfield or Washington D.C. I’m really proud of the team that the Illinois Farm Bureau has in Bloomington, and the work that we do on behalf of our members, and to see that up close. I knew when I was county farm bureau president that the Illinois Farm Bureau had a good team, but I was more focused on the local stuff. Now to see all of the talent that the Illinois Farm Bureau has, it’s just been amazing. Particularly with the work that we did during the COVID closures and the work that we did carrying forth the needs of our members during that really challenging time, and now moving out of that it’s very invigorating and very challenging.

DUNCAN cont’d to page 28

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DUNCAN cont’d from page 27 I’ve also enjoyed getting to know and appreciate how varied agriculture is in Illinois. The needs and the people are different across the state. Getting more of the statewide perspective has been very enlightening.

What made you want to take the path to leadership?

I’ve always been a big believer in the farm bureau and the work that we do. Farmers are such a small part of the population, a small percentage of the population, that we need to have a united voice on issues, so I’ve always been very active in the farm bureau — from right when I started farming. I became active in the Young Leaders Committee, and Kelly and I did a lot of stuff there. Really believing in it, and serving on the county board, and serving as county farm bureau president was a great opportunity. To work in Ogle County and work with a really good manager, Ron Kern, having that kind of partnership and seeing what we can do for the farmers in Ogle County got me interested in maybe wanting to do the same thing for the farmers in the state.

Is there anything that you’ve taken from your experiences at the Ogle County Farm Bureau that perhaps has influenced others throughout the state?

Listen well. Think through all of the options. Work closely with

staff. Listen to the expertise. That’s been one of the biggest things that I’ve learned through leadership, and to consider all points of view, but remembering that Illinois Farm Bureau is governed by the members and the policies are put in place by the members. The reliance on those policies is what really drove me as county president and now what guides me as [Illinois] vice president.

How many different places have you been to during your 4 1/2 years as vice president?

One of the most interesting experiences I’ve had just occurred earlier this spring, when we took a market study tour to France and to the UK. We were in Europe for 7 days after the invasion of Ukraine, and that’s when the Europeans really started to drive home to me as I heard how impacted they were by it, that this was going to be a very, very big deal for American agriculture.

How did that trip come about, and how did you become a part of it?

Illinois Farm Bureau historically has done market study tours in which we take a group of leaders around the world and either look at issues or opportunities. I was on the very first one, in 2001, when I went to China.

DUNCAN cont’d to page 30

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DUNCAN cont’d from page 28 This [recent] one was a small group of leaders that were taken and we went there to talk about European Union farm policy and how it could really impact and really bleed over into the United States. Then it ended up being a discussion about geopolitics and global food availability, and all that because of Ukraine. Everything on that trip changed as the invasion happened, and it was really timely.

That was quite a time to make that trip: You go there expecting to do one thing and then something else happens. Was it difficult dealing with something like that?

It was a complete pivot. It was very exciting, and we have an excellent team at Illinois Farm Bureau, and a ton of expertise at our fingertips that we were able to prepare ourselves for the pivot. A lot of it has been listening well to the farmers and what the people are saying over there about the Ukraine situation. I really think listening well and following policy is really been what I’ve tried to do well as farm bureau vice president.

What were the big takeaways from that trip?

I would say how similar the farmers are. We stayed in Paris and London, and we went to Brussels to spend one day with the EU. As we talked to farmers, we found their hopes, aspirations and frustrations are very similar.

DUNCAN cont’d to page 32

TIMOTHY EGGERT/FARMWEEK

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DUNCAN cont’d from page 30 One of the big takeaways was that the farmers in Europe would love to have an organization with the clout and the influence that Illinois Farm Bureau has. In fact, many of the farmers that we met with were asking us to take messages to their leaders in Brussels, to the EU, on ag issues because they really didn’t feel like they had an effective voice. They were hoping that we could deliver some messages for them. We met with farmers from Normandy, wheat growers from the middle of France, farmers in the UK, and they all face a whole set of more restrictive regulations over there than we do. There are a lot of frustrations, but still a lot of the same hopes: They want to have a family farm and have a legacy for the next generation with what that all looks like. There’s a great appreciation for the similarities and the influence, and how fortunate we are in the state and in this country to have an organization like farm bureau.

What lessons did you bring home from that trip that could help farmers back home?

It’s very important to get involved — not be passive but to get involved in organizations. Let your voice be heard, do not assume that no one’s listening. Do not assume that you cannot make a difference because I truly believe an individual can, working through our organization.

So don’t be frightened like some of those people overseas?

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Don’t be scared or intimidated. I’ve met with senators and representatives, and leaders in the EU. They care about agriculture and want to hear what farmers have to say, so never take that for granted.

Any future trips planned?

We’re going with the Young Leaders to tour the East Coast and agriculture there soon. I’ve been on a couple of board trips to different parts of the country to study agriculture: the southeast, to Texas. In July we’re heading to the Port of Savannah [in Georgia]. There’s always opportunities to learn, and that provides a broader base of knowledge as we make decisions regarding agriculture in Illinois.

Do you have any other leadership roles?

I also serve on the Sauk Valley Community College Board of Trustees [as vice chairman]. The college is another institution that we are fortunate to have. I was a graduate of Sauk, and as I’ve seen up close, the work that the leadership that the team and everyone else does at Sauk Valley Community College, it’s just such an incredible resource for good and for growth in this region. I’m incredibly proud of the work that’s done by the people there and proud to be a part of it.

What do you think of Sauk’s agriculture program, which has been expanding recently?

DUNCAN cont’d to page 33

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DUNCAN cont’d from page 32 To see the ramp-up of the ag program, that’s exciting as well.

People can drive by that college every day and just take it for granted — but don’t. It’s an incredible resource for this community. The team at Sauk — not just the ag program but everything Sauk brings to the region — and the leadership that’s there with President [David] Hellmich and his cabinet, I’m so proud to be a part of that.

With such a long family history in farming, did you ever think about being anything other than a farmer?

I started farming right out of high school, but toyed around with some different things. I got my degree from Sauk in social sciences and thought about being a teacher, but this has been a great place and a great opportunity. Now, with the next generation now wanting to be a part of it, wanting to come back and be a part of the farm, it’s fun to see the next generation and we just hope there continues to be opportunities for them to be part of the farm bureau. I’ve got great help and a great team of employees here on the farm to make this all happen. In addition to the family, we have about seven full-time employees, and a partner in the hog business, Keith Poole, that really makes things smooth on the hog side, so I’ve got a great team working here.

What’s great about farming in Ogle County?

We have incredible diversity. We have great soils. We have a good

Online: Go to ilfb.org for more information on the Illinois Farm Bureau.

Go to https://tinyurl. com/5832rmad to hear episodes of “Policycast with the VP,” anUFB podcast hosted by Duncan. Contact: Brian at bduncan@ilfb.org. infrastructure for livestock growth, for people who want to raise livestock. We have readily available markets, whether it be rail loaders or ethanol plants or river terminals, they’re all close. We have good, tight communities, and that’s one of the big keys as to why Ogle County agriculture is so strong.

For people who want to be involved in agriculture leadership, what does it take to be successful at it?

Successful leaders recognize that they are servants first. They have that mindset and willingness to want to serve, but then also have a passion and an ability to communicate that passion, and have that passion be contagious so that other people can pick up on it. I think those are key. There are different styles of leadership: There’s the quiet leader, there’s the cheerleader, and there’s not a one-size-fits-all. I think that the desire to serve and the passion of serving is pretty important. n

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here some people see something and think it’s past its prime, Vicki Miller sees it as a prime opportunity.

She’ll see an old feed scoop and think “potted plant holder.” An old wagon? Shelving. An old table? A new place to add a little bit of country to your decor. For her, things don’t get old, they just become vintage — and if they’ve got some life left in them, Miller will find it and bring it to her shop, Vintage Chicks and Feed, a few miles east of Leaf River.

It’s all about finding something in pieces that other people may have overlooked — a certain charm and character in search of a new home.

“I’ll buy things from people who have their grandmother’s stuff, or don’t have anything to do with it,” she said.

“At least I know that someone is going to come and love it, and it’s going to have some other way to be used.”

CHICKS cont’d to page 36

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The shop carries rusted relics with rural charm along with locally produced soap, candles, lotions, honey, syrup, barnwood items, jewelry, shirts and hats — and then there’s the other half of the business name: “and Feed.”

In the kind of shop you’d only find in rural America, this store with vintage decor also sells feed. Miller and her husband, Gene, farm in the area and raise cattle, so they have connections with the two grain companies, Purina and Hueber, to supply them with food for pets, birds, livestock — even llamas and emus.

Purina feed comes from Missouri, while Hueber’s feed comes from farms closer to home. Hueber is based in Creston, and has elevators throughout northern Illinois.

When the business opened 7 years ago, Vicki had planned to sell just feed, but then she hit upon the idea of adding some rustic decor to the store, and Vintage Chicks and Feed was hatched.

“We can have two kinds of people coming through the door,” Miller said. “There’ll be someone who, maybe they’re coming in for feed and they’ll be like, ‘Oooh, that can be a gift for somebody.’ It makes it a lot of fun to have both.”

For many of Miller’s customers, visiting the feed shop is like a taking a trip down memory lane. She’s heard stories over the years from customers who’ve seen something in the shop and it sparked a memory about a gadget their mom or grandma had in the kitchen, or the tools and toil of days gone by with dad or grandpa out in the barn.

ED I A

CHICKS cont’d from page 35

M AW SH

@ For Vicki Miller, Vintage Chicks is more than just a business; it’s her happy pla ce.

“People love coming in and just spending time loo king,” Miller said. “That makes me happy.”

L

“A lot of people just come here and love looking around,” Miller said. “It brings back memories.”

Miller enjoys hearing the stories and learning new things, and she gets a real kick out of seeing what customers can do with the things she sells. For them, beauty is in the I’s of the beholder: Ideas, Inspiration and Ingenuity. “[They] can look at something and go, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s so cool,” Miller said. “I’m inspired by my customers because a lot of times they are the ones who have the vision, or they’ll come in looking for something because they’ve seen an idea, and they’ll send me pictures of how they bought something here, and how they put it in their home.”

The store also is a place where local growers and artisans can sell their products. Among them: the Oregon Soap Shoppe, Pecatonica River Honey, Hough’s Maple Syrup from rural Mount Morris, sheep milk lotions from Walden Woods in rural Leaf River, and Plowboy candles and wax melts from Freeport.

The store can also help customers turn something old into something that looks new, with Dixie Belle Paint. And for people who have to muck about outside, Vintage Chicks carries a line of muck boots from The Original Muck Boot Company.

When some of the local vendors stop by the shop to restock their supply and chat with Miller, they also get a chance to chat up customers, something you won’t find at a chain store, Miller said.

CHICKS cont’d to pages 37 & 38

Cameras and kitchen goods, tools and toys, books and barn wood — if something catches Vicki Miller’s eye, it’ll end up at her store, where she hopes it’ll catch someone else’s eye.

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Another wing of the building houses bags of feed and old books — feed for animals on the bottom floor and food for thought on the second floor. Chairs are set up in the book room so people can browse before they buy.

Miller likes to mix things up with her displays, changing about every other month, giving customers a reason to not just stop by once, but more often to see what’s new.

“You don’t want it to look the same when you come in next time,” Miller said, “you want it to look different. It’ll be worth your while to come back in 3 months.”

Customers from near and far have visited Miller’s AL VinEX shop, many who’ve been part of the Vintage Shop Hop, tage Chicks a semi-annual road trip showcasing more than 400 owner Vickie Miller likes vintage shops, barn sales, and boutiques in northto support local vendors by ofern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. The first Vinfering them a place where they can tage Shop Hop of this year was the first weekend sell their products, like these birdof March, and several curious travelers stopped houses (above), goodies from Hough’s

by Vintage Chicks to take a gander at its items, Maple Lane Farm in Mount Morris share a story or two, and even get their dog some (center), and even a special fragrance food to munch on along the trip. of soap from the Oregon Soap “We’ll roll out the red carpet for them on those Shoppe (bottom) to celebrate days,” Miller said. “We’ll have treats and giveaways, the store’s seventh anand it’s super fun.” niversary.

CHICKS cont’d to page 39

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“Any time they can help me, I love for them to be a part of it,” Miller said. “People are so sweet when I’m teaching Miller also hosts a few events of her own throughout them how to make change, talk to people and have that the year. The Chick Thing, a play on words of a popular eye contact. They just love it, and people love it. They’re flea market in nearby Pecatonica (The Pec Thing), will like, ‘We’re so glad you’re teaching them to do that.’ [My have around 30 resale vendors on May 14 and Sept. 17. The grandkids will] go, ‘Someday we’re going to run this place, shows began 5 years ago with only a few tables, but greatly NaNa.’” expanded during the recent COVID-19 pandemic when Sometimes, customers will ask Miller for help more people were looking for things to do outdoors. finding that certain something, and Miller keeps “People love coming in and just spending a list of the items. They’ll give her an idea Vintage time looking,” Miller said. “That makes of what they’re looking for, and a phone Chicks and me happy. Just come and enjoy yourself. number to contact them if she finds what Feed, 700 E. state Then sometimes people will talk to other they’re looking. She’ll take the list with Route 72, is open from people.” her when she finds the time to search the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, A glance behind the counter will tell area for second-chance items, and when Thursday and Saturday. Find customers what Vintage Chicks and Feed she’s lucky enough to have one of those it on Facebook or Instameans to Miller. A sign reads “My happy “A-ha!” moments — when she makes a cusgram, or call 815-973place,” and for her, that’s exactly what it tomer’s day by finding what they’re looking 2432 for more inforis: a place where old items can find new life for — it gives her another reason to smile, mation. and people can make new friends. A place and her customers too. where she can spend time with her family.

“Come for the experience and just enjoy yourHer daughter, Amy, helps around the store from self,” she said. “I wanted to get that feel where you can time to time, as well as her grandchildren, Coehen, Cylee come in with your family, come in with your dirty boots and Addy. When the grandchildren are working, they enjoy to get feed, and have it be like home and a comfortable getting their own name tags and telling customers that place to be. It’s my happy place, and I hope it will be other they’re “chicks in training.” people’s too.” n

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“153 Years of Neighbors Helping Neighbors”

Providing Insurance coverage for local homes and farms Since 1869 AMBOY LAMOILLE Leffelman & Associates Leffelman & Associates Amboy 815-857-2125 lisa@leffelmanassoc.com

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