I took off from my alley and garage on the northwest side of Chicago on a sunny Saturday morning to jaunt out to Larson Farms, wondering what the day had in store for me. Would I really learn anything? Was I going to be bored out of my gourd by the slow pace of farming? Was leaving my kids and husband for eight hours on a Saturday worth it?
 
As I drove, I thought of all the questions I had, and whether any of them would unknowingly put off my gracious hosts. I certainly had my suspicions on whether there were things hidden about the way our food is grown and harvested. Once I met Mike and Lynn Martz, I knew I was with good people. We discussed the grain operation and all the technology that goes into analyzing yields and creating a best output to maximize the harvest. We discussed the time and energy it takes to have a successful harvest. We discussed hormones and antibiotics and the crazy misinformation circulating out there. During lunch I got a great understanding of the passion and dedication that it takes to be a family farmer.
 Read more...