Illinois Farm Families - Watch us grow

My first farm tour What struck me was how everything on the farms was interconnected. Some of the corn and soybeans that are grown go into the feed for the animals, then the manure is used to fertilize the fields, and so on. I could tell that Mike and Lynn are leading the pack of modern farming, and have set the bar very high for other family farms in the state. Read more of Betsie's Farm Tour Blog.

Experience what the cows feel

I got to put my thumb in the device used to milk them and feel the amount of pressure that’s used – it was actually pretty comfortable for me, so it was good to know the cows aren’t being hurt while they’re milked. 

Hearing it from the veterinarian

We asked him about the hormones and antibiotics in milk, and I found his response quite comforting. 

Antibiotics

Basically, just like beef from the farm, there’s a withdrawal period once cows are given antibiotics – so those never enter into the milk in stores.

Hormones

The hormones given are naturally-occurring in the cows, and the amount is not nearly as much as I’d imagined. 

Modern day success stories

I was picturing a little red barn, a white clapboard house, and a few cows or horses grazing contentedly. What I actually saw was a true modern-day success story – family-owned business savvy and entrepreneurial spirit at their finest. 

Betsie's Tour Photos