Illinois Farm Families Blog

By the year 2050 our global population is estimated to reach upwards of 10 billion people.

So how do you feed that many people...

...you feed them Franken-Corn!

Or at least that's how I originally viewed the subject of GMO's prior to my latest visit to the Jeschke Corn and Soybean Farm.

I mean, honestly, it's understandable that anyone who hears the term Genetically Modified Organism would go running to a small corner of the earth to purge and then start their own 1 foot by 1 foot garden. The term conjures up a fear of the unknown. It makes us think of mad scientists who are pumping seeds full of unsafe untested "stuff". I say "stuff" because most of us haven't a clue as to what stuff is changed within the DNA because fear stops us cold in the grocery aisle. Do not buy!

I admit that it's me I'm describing. I'm easy prey to fear mongering and after my latest farm visit with my fellow Momma's, I gotta say that I'm not so anti-GMO anymore (insert streaks of thunder and shrieking lightning here)! Okay...so I'll qualify that statement. I'm not so anti-GMO when it comes to corn and soybeans...animals are a different story.

Now for the nitty gritty...

GMO usage is one of my main concerns regarding our food production in the United States; and rightfully so given that some leading foreign countries refuse to incorporate its usage into the food supply and at the very minimum require that every product be labeled accordingly. In the U.S., 88% of corn and 94% of soybeans are grown using biotechnology, and none require labeling. However, when one considers the requirements for a successful harvest, its understandable that farming has moved in this direction.

Limited planting season, weather, soil type, pests and farmer stewardship are all major variables in the farming industry. So much so that our most recent April downpours made it difficult for some farmers to get their seeds in the ground. Hence for every missed day in the field, Farmer Paul Jeschke stood to lose upwards of 350 bushels, equivalent to nearly $1500...per day! Corn is typically the first crop to be planted because it's the most resilient to cold weather, but it scorches if temperatures rise above 85 degrees. "They say you can hear the corn growing at night," said Donna Jeschke, as corn absolutely loves 65 degree nights when it does most of its growing. Got dry or sandy soil?!?!? Well, good luck planting on less than stellar land. And for goodness sake if there is a roundworm outbreak you can forget about salvaging the corn...these pests attack corn at the root!

So with these variables, there have been genetic modifications to resist some of the above issues. While planting in a timely manner is still a priority, there is a new seed that is coming on the market that will be more tolerant of extreme weather conditions. There are also a variety of corn seeds available today that are designed for varying soil types, and now your less than stellar plot of land will still yield fruitful results. In addition, the arrival of roundworm is no longer a death sentence for corn due to the bacterium Bacillus Thuringiensis. Essentially the bacterium is inserted into the DNA of the corn as a protein and roundworms get sick once they partake in a corn feast. However, this bacterium is completely digestible by mammals. Now on the organic side of the fence, this same sort of bacterium is used on organic corn, but it is used topically and requires that farmers be very attentive to their crops (ultimately running the chance of some crop loss).

So here's the farmer rationale for the use of GMO's.

a. Less use of dangerous herbicides
b. Less use of fuel
c. More food supply to feed a growing population

Here's the flip side, (because you know I always have to play devil's advocate), while one of the major genetic modifications is pest control, farmers are seeing that some strains of roundworms are in fact becoming resistant to the bacterium Bacillus Thuringiensis and a new breed of roundworms are moving in. So are we (in combination with natural selection) ushering in an onslaught of super bugs? What kind of affect will this have down the line?

According to Farmer Jeschke, we should "use the GMO's while they work instead of worrying about it 10 years down the line." Now part of me wants to suspend all concern (because quite frankly all of this worrying can get quite exhausting), but a part of me is a fervent believer that everything has a cause and effect, a positive and negative trade-off. Still, I have yet to uncover concrete reason for concern.

One comment by Farmer Jeschke really resonated with me. He stated that "[farmers] do not plant a seed because the seed seller is a nice guy...We plant because we have a good yield. Their interests are aligned with the farmers; there is no trickery!"

Talk about food for thought! Our local farmers are experts in their fields (pun intended) and as consumers, at some point there has to be a healthy sense of trust that farmers are working on our behalf to create a product that is nourishing and healthy for consumption, and that furthermore they would sound the alarm if something were awry. I too would like to believe that there is no trickery, after all, aren't farmers eating their crops too?

Now as usual, I've written much more than the average reader would venture to read, but there is still much more to share. I'll simply list a few takeaways and if you'd like to learn more feel free to hit me up with questions!

5 Takeaways:

1. One of the primary Genetic Modifications is for pest control
2. Farmers are using tons of technology to manage their fields. So much so, that they can ride in their tractors and the machinery can do the planting all by itself. Big shout-out to cutting edge military technology and hydraulic systems.
   Technology helps to:
       a. make planting and harvesting easier and more efficient
       b. save money due to precision
       c. create a more responsible way to input seeds and chemicals
3. Each silk stalk belongs to a kernel...cool!
4. Less than 1% of sweet corn is grown in the U.S. and 99% of corn is grown for other uses. China is the biggest consumer of soybeans (which is supplied for their livestock)
5. Corn pulls nitrogen from the ground and soybeans replace it. There are natural minerals that are now put into the fertilizer to replace the minerals that are depleted by any given crop. Hence crop rotation is no longer required at the end of every harvest season. 
6. Okay--so I told you there would only be 5 takeaways but consider this a bonus (tee hee). So here goes it... The 4th of July is the peak production of sweet corn and the 15th is when prices typically start to drop! Bon Appetite!

What's your take on GMO's? Is it an uphill battle? Is there cause for war?

Amina Nevels, Chicago

If you haven’t noticed, earlier this year, I stepped foot into the role of an Illinois Farm Families Field Mom (say that three times fast) so that I could get a chance to learn more about how the food in our state is grown and distributed to families like mine. While I’m still reeling from the Farm Mom’s field trip that I took two weeks ago, I’m learning that I am pretty secure in the choices that I make with my family. This particular field trip, we learned about how corn and soybeans are planted, harvested and what they are used for.

We visited the Jeschke farm in Mazon, Ill. and the husband and wife team were super gracious to us. I know that it must be pretty intense when having to discuss the use of GMO’s in this day and age – and support the reasoning behind your choice. And believe me, the Farm Mom’s didn’t leave ANY questions unasked. We wanted answers as to why SO MUCH of our produce today have GMO’s. Some of us are secure in our choices, and some are still not convinced that this is the way that farming should be going. However, everyone who visited the farm walked out with respect for the way that the farmers presented their reasoning.

This huge planter is responsible for getting all of the acreage of corn and soy planted in precision. The tractor is computerized AND has GPS so that the ending row is never more than 6 inches away from the next row when the tractor turns. It was fantastic to watch and I felt like a little kid back when I would watch farmers down in Tennessee and Mississippi when visiting my Granny Blackburn for the summers.

Our soybean acre (which is roughly the size of a football field – trust me, we walked it) was revealed to us during this field trip. We were able to see the new soybean sprouts a couple of weeks after they  had been planted.

Oh! There they are! Did you know that the seed shell comes up with the soybean? So those “leaves” that you see are actually the bean being split and pushing up through the soil. Neat, huh? 

Here is the beginning of a corn-stalk. Another fact: Corn stalks only produce one ear of corn each. You may be lucky enough to get two ears. None of that cartoon depiction over this way. 

Mrs. Houseful’s Five Takeaways:

1. Corn stalks produce one ear per stalk. One acre will yield several thousand ears of corn
2. Roughly 1% of the corn grown in the world is sweet corn. All other is corn used for products such as cereal, meal, gas, and oil.
3. Illinois farmers are required to have no more than 85% of their crop be GM.
4. Soybean and Corn acres also get their own type of doctor. Someone who tests the soil and makes sure that the nitrogen balance is correct for planting
5. Farmers really love getting their new seed catalogs just as much as some women enjoy getting their new seasonal clothing catalogs.

I do hope that those of you who are following my adventures are learning something. I sure am! You can follow my tweets @HFofNIcholes and the Illinois Farm Mom’s hashtag at #IlFarmFamilies

 Natasha Nicholes, Chicago

Before my visit to the Jeschke’s farm to explore corn and soybean farming, I never really considered the amount of scientific knowledge and the extent of formal education modern farmers had to have. While I regarded farming as an incredibly hard job, one that took lots of hands-on experience and apprenticeship, I had an antiquated vision in my head. I thought most of their knowledge came from years in the field, under the tutelage of family members and became almost instinctual. I knew one could go to college and study agriculture, but didn’t really put it together that these people went back to the farms and actually became farmers. This visit helped me to realize that farming is a highly scientific, professional endeavor. Farming is truly a complex science. It requires an astute level of knowledge in chemistry, biology, meteorology and economics.

There’s even a bit of philosophy and ethics rolled into it.  All of these disciplines overlap to become the science of agriculture that I never really ever considered. Chemistry and biology come into play when you learn that the fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides aren’t thrown into the ground willy-nilly. The farmland is divided into a grid, and the soil in each section is sampled and sent to a lab to be tested, or in many instances, the lab can come to the field. The soil is tested to determine the levels of Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorus present. Similarly, manure used to fertilize the soil is also tested for the same elements so that it can be targeted to the areas that require that amount of elements, and supplemented if needed.

While there’s tech support for the computer-based machinery, there’s also tech support for the soil and seeds. The price the farmers pay for the seeds includes general support and information via websites and newsletters but also on-site, hands-on support from experts who test and analyze soil samples.

While homeowners and landscapers are able to purchase and apply herbicides and pesticides at will, farmers must be licensed in order to use these chemicals on their crops. Illinois has very stringent regulations and requirements of its farmers regarding pesticide application, including monitoring of wind conditions and location near waterways. Paul stays on top of developments and the latest findings regarding “super-weeds,” or herbicide resistant weeds. He says he makes sure to rotate herbicides and closely monitors what is persistent in his field.

While it’s a science, farming is also a gamble. The Jeschkes plant 15-18 varieties of corn and about 8 varieties of soybeans. Each variety has different attributes and because crop success is dependent on a range of conditions, especially weather, they can never be sure which will do best.

Whatever one’s opinions are about GMO’s, pesticides or the nutritional benefits or harm of crops such as corn and soy, it’s undeniable that modern farmers are the ultimate scientists. They closely observe their fields and conditions and develop different modalities based on their analysis. As licensed professionals, they seek to better their craft through research and from experts. And as true scientists-their success is based on the quality of their results.

5 Take Aways

1. Farming is incredibly high tech. The tractor we saw has auto-steering, a GPS receiver and can plant one acre in two minutes, or 30 acres an hour! Using I-Pad and other highly efficient monitors in the tractor, farmers can target and customize planting, fertilizing and weed control down to the square foot.  There are classes and even tech support services that will come out to the farm.
2. Those sprayers you see out in the field aren’t for irrigation. They’re pesticides.  The farmers we spoke to don’t like using pesticides, but feel the levels they use are safe. They prefer to plant GMO crops that have pest resistant properties instead. Additionally, in Northern Illinois, there are rarely irrigation efforts for corn and soybean plants. Just rain!
3. Most fertilizers are natural. When they aren’t using manure from their own livestock operations, the commercial fertilizers they employ come from generally natural sources such salt mines and mineralized fossils from sea beds.
4. Those signs along the highway next to fields saying Pioneer or Beck’s aren’t the owners of the field. Those are just advertisements. In fact, 94% of all farms in Illinois are family owned.
5. Farmers have a rivalry similar to Chicago’s Cubs vs. Sox legacy. It’s not sports teams though-it’s the machinery manufacturer the farmer uses. If you’re Green-you like John Deere, if you’re Red, you like Case.

Becky Martinez, Glen Ellyn

My primary goal for May’s tour of the Jeschke’s farm was to be a sponge and soak up knowledge.  Despite a job that revolves around food, I do not know much about farming.  I do know that I love to plant what I can in my postage stamp-sized city garden and watch it grow.  Last year, I harvested more than 100 jalapenos off of one plant.  I used homemade compost in my garden to encourage growth, but I also used Miracle Grow and threw down weed killer at least twice during the summer.   So clearly I’m not growing organic!  The debate about biotech seeds or genetically modified organisms (GMO) interested me and I wanted to hear directly from a farmer – a subject matter expert in my opinion – about this topic.  

Touring the farm instilled in me an appreciation for the planning and continuous work that the Jeschkes do to ensure their land is kept safe and healthy.  Paul Jeschke said early in the tour, “Part of our responsibility to the environment is to give the soil what it needs.”  Give the soil what it needs…those words kept resonating with me especially when it comes to biotechnology.   Seed variety or engineered seeds allow farmers to be more efficient, save money otherwise spent on pesticides and herbicides which in my opinion and the Jeschkes can be harmful, and create a more responsible way to ensure the success of the plant or crop.  New varieties of seeds must be grown in test plots and endure a seven to 10 year application process through the USDA. 

After spending the day with Jeschkes, I cannot imagine either farmer growing something harmful on their land for human or animal consumption.  Both were so eager to graciously share their home, land, stories and their vast knowledge about growing soybeans and corn.

A few days after the tour, I looked up a few items we had discussed while walking around the farm with Paul and Donna.  I surfed the web for more information about possible health risks associated with GMOs and found none.  However, the reoccurring summation from articles was that the broad scientific consensus concurs that crops developed through genetic modification pose no greater risk than conventional foods.  I also looked up the 2011 organic bean sprout E. coli outbreak in Germany that killed 31 people.  We were discussing the perception that organic is mostly or always better to purchase versus non-organic.  However, organic farms – unfortunately – can put crops at a greater risk for contamination from bacteria in manure that goes chemically untreated.  

I am sure that I will still buy some organic items – tomatoes – but I also fully understand that I cannot avoid genetically modified foods and in fact have been consuming those foods for quite some time.  I am also beginning to better understand the risks associated with organic products especially produce.  I like to follow the advice of everything in moderation, and think that advice can be applied to folks debating the use of GMOs.  

Diane Letson, Chicago

This past Saturday, I traveled with more than 20 Illinois Farm Families "Field Moms" from the big city to the small town of Mazon, llinois, where I had the chance to learn more about the lives of Illinois Farmers. In particular, corn and soybean farming, as Paul and Donna Jeschke welcomed us onto their beautiful home and farm.

As a city mom that encounters most of her food in the aisles of a grocery store, I have much to learn about how our food is planted and harvested.

Here's what I learned while visiting the Jeschke farm:

• Farming is hard work, and farmers are dedicated to their craft. It truly is a craft, and a job that permeates your entire life. There are stretches where farmers work almost nonstop
• Farming is high tech. Donna's nephew, who works on the farm and holds a degree in engineering, showed us some of the farm trucks and machinery: everything works in tune with GPS and high tech systems that baffled me. High technology aptitude is a must for today's farmers.
• The work that our Illinois farm families do has a worldwide impact. You know those shipping containers you see rolling on the train tracks near your home? They carry goods from China into the U.S., and carry Illinois-grown grains back to China. The Jeschke's have also hosted farmers from around the world, and in turn have visited farms in other countries, hoping to learn from one another and work together to improve farming for all.
• Farmers care about their product and do their best to make sure that it's healthy and nutritious. The Jeschke family has been farming in northwestern Illinois since the early 1900s. For generations, they have been committed to raising crops to provide not only for their own family, but also families near and far. "Farming is our lifestyle and our business. We work diligently to grow the crops that help put food on your family’s table," explains Donna.

Throughout the summer and into harvest time, I'll be following along with my very own acre of corn grown at the Jeschke Farm. Will it be knee high by July? Let's hope for a bumper crop!

To learn more about Illinois Farm Families, check out:

  Amy Bizzarri, Chicago

The past week has been a blur, as Illinois farmers set records planting corn. Has anybody slept at your house?

Wait. What day is it?

I'm sitting at our 4-H meeting, which is really the only way I know it's Monday. The past week has been a blur.

As of last Monday, May 13, we hadn't planted a seed. We'd had 14 inches of rain in the preceding month. Rivers had been out. Some of them twice. We'd been stuck in a three-week pattern of three decent days, then four rainy ones. Never enough time for anything to dry out. Temperaments were, shall we say, running a little ragged.

And we weren't alone on our farm. Aside from parts of Illinois north of I-80, the rest of the state was in the same boat. No corn planted.

It all changed last Tuesday. The weather broke, the soils dried out. And pretty much ever since then, my husband has been planting corn, punctuated by intermittent patches of sleep. Each night of the past week, John ran until 10:30, 1:30, 11, midnight, 10:30 and 1:30. Then back up and planting in the morning. I've packed lunches, hauled meals, delivered pizzas and made milkshake runs.

Illinois Department of Agriculture confirms what we've experienced. As of last week, just 17% of the corn in the state was planted. By this week (Monday, May 20), 74% was planted.

That may just be historic. A close second would be 2009, when a vast majority of the corn crop went in over Memorial Day weekend. And it confirms what we've said all spring; that when the weather would (eventually) break, Illinois farmers have the ability to get it done in a hurry.

This is why we have big machinery. This is why we have technology that works in our favor. It's called capacity. So that when it's time to put 26 million acres of a $13 billion crop in the ground, we can do it and we can do it in a hurry.

And sleep? We'll catch up on that eventually. We've got beans to plant next.

Holly Spangler, Marietta

Originally published in Prairie Farmer, May 20, 2013. Reprinted with permission.

Visiting a corn and soybean farm as a Field Mom with Illinois Farm Families has given me a whole new perspective on fertilizer. I used to think that fertilizer meant manure and not much else. Now I know that fertilizer means much more than poop.

As we were riding on the bus to the Jeschkes’ farm, Haley Siergiej, a representative from Nutrients for Life, told us about her trip to a potash mine. I was completely confounded. A mine? Why does fertilizer come from a mine?

Right there and then, Haley was kind enough to teach us the basics about fertilizers. The three most important nutrients for crops are NPK: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. Nitrogen is in the air, but plants like corn need to absorb nitrogen from the ground. Phosphorus comes from dead fish—fossilized marine life. Potassium is mined from old sea beds under the earth and mostly comes from salt. It is also known as potash. These three minerals are processed into fertilizers to give the soil nutrients that crops need to grow.

Since crops such as corn and soybeans take nutrients from the soil every year, farmers need to replenish the soil with fertilizer every year. By testing their fields, farmers can determine exactly which nutrients are in the soil and which nutrients are deficient. This information helps the farmer know which fertilizer to use and how much is needed. Farmers also rotate their crops to some extent; corn takes nitrogen from the soil, but soybeans put nitrogen back into the earth.

Another way farmers help keep nutrients in the earth is by using new farming methods. In the past, farmers would till the land before planting crops. Paul Jeschke, our host, explained that as a boy he loved smelling a freshly tilled field and watching the birds come eat the worms from the black furrows. Now he knows, however, that nutrients were being released into the air causing that great scent--not a good thing. Improved herbicides and biotechnology help farmers grow crops with less tilling before planting and less cultivating in between rows of crops during the growing season. Farmers use less fuel and there’s less wear and tear on their farming equipment, making it last longer. The nutrients stay in the soil where they belong. All these things are good for our environment.

Not only are nutrients important for the crops, they are also important to us. When the plants are strong, healthy, and full of nutrients, they in turn give nutrients to the livestock such as cattle and hogs. When we eat beef and pork, we also receive those nutrients. Just like the crops, we need NPK in the foods we eat.

 5 key observations:

• Farmers use GPS technology to efficiently guide their planting.
• Corn is a type of grass. Just as your lawn doesn’t grow well with thatch, corn prefers a cleaner field and requires more tilling than soybeans.
• Farmers use a variety of herbicides to prevent “super weeds” --herbicide resistant weeds--from growing.
• Genetically modified field corn can reduce the use of pesticides by helping the corn plant become more pest resistant.
• Farmers are stewards of the land, and they keep up with new technology to help provide food for all of us.

Christa Grabske, Mount Prospect, IL

On May 18th Donna and Paul Jeschke were kind enough to open their home and farm to the latest invasion, the 2013 Illinois Field Moms.

Did you know there two types of corn? The one we chomp on is known as sweet corn which is only a small portion of what is planted. The larger crop of corn is actually field corn.  Field corn can be found in corn flakes, corn meal, feed for animals and ethanol.  Just like tomatoes, there are several varieties based on the needs of the farmer. Some seeds are better in sandy soil while others are better suited for different moisture environments.  What is universal is most of the field corn in Illinois is shipped overseas.

This fall we will visit a different farm during crop harvesting.  If the visit is anything like the Jeschke Farm we are in for a treat. Stay tuned for that summary.  In the meantime, check out Ginny Marie’s view on this farm tour at: www.lemondroppie.com.  There is picture of her and a cutie farmer.

Sharon Blau,  Des Plaines

This all began because I wanted to learn more about agriculture, and since I never pursued the field in college, I thought this could be a way to learn more and teach my children as well. The month before the tour I started researching, asking questions, and learning what I could, specifically about GMOs, pesticides, and organic foods. By the day the tour, I was mad at the way the US farmers grew food, disturbed about the lack of GMO labeling on US packaging, and confused about organic foods. I read so much about "dirty" foods last week I was hesitant to eat anything in my refrigerator! Then, the day of the tour came, and I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting myself into, but I knew I would walk away with some sort of adventure and knowledge to share with my family and friends.

It began on the bus. We found a seat on a comfortable bus bound for Paul and Donna Jeschke's corn and soybean farm in Mazon, IL. Three farmer’s wives and women in the Ag industry led a discussion and were answering our countless questions in a handheld microphone for the entire drive. They were very knowledgeable and open to any question we fired at them. They would simply smile and repeat the question and then take turns answering them thoroughly as our pencils flew over notepaper. 

After what seemed like a fraction of the time, we arrived near the Jeschkes farm. We passed by the type of barge that carried Phosphate and Potash mined in Florida, then saw newly planted fields that were first showing their rows, and finally the Field Mom’s corn and soybean acre. Our farm education continued from here off the bus. After an expensive tractor and planter was explained we took a short walk to the fields and learned from Dr. Brown, Agronomy Manager from Growmark, about the corn and bean plants, pests, pesticides and crop nutrients.

I learned that the same people who I thought a few hours before were out to get our family, and myself, are really people like you and I who are trying to make the best use of our country’s land using science and technology. Although, I still don’t believe that GMOs are completely safe for us, I now do understand why farmers choose GMO seed over non-GMO seed. I also understand more about pesticides, crop nutrients, and organic foods. Lastly, you still need to wash your organic fruits and vegetables before you eat them. Organic foods can be dirty!

Thank you Illinois Farm Families for creating this wonderful and program and to the Jeschkes for opening up your home and offering your time to educate us. I feel fortunate to be a part of this, and I am looking forward to what this Program has in store for us on the next tour!

Valerie Johnson, Elgin

I consider myself a relatively reasonable human being. I am modeling this behavior after my mom and grandma, who have strong morals and convictions, but tend to question and be skeptical, in an educated, calm manner.

Thus, my thoughts on the GMO (genetically modified organism) debate tend to err on the side of science, but I try to do a little research while I'm at it.

There's a craze going on. A food craze. An "eat nuts and berries and twigs" and "processed foods are the devil" craze, and while I agree, I would rather my kids eat fruit than fruit snacks, does that make corn bred to withstand drought that we planted evil? Does that genetic modification make us as farmers evil?

Answer from a majority of the crowd: No.

However, how does this corn that we inevitably harvest for fuel and food products and not to be confused with sweet corn that you can pick and eat, fit into the GMO debate?

Well, good question. Because to me, it's a simple answer: It shouldn't, because scientists have done their research.

I am not a scientist, but my understanding of GMOs is that it's just breeding. It's crossing these traits with those. It's making the outcome of the crop fit the need of our growing population. It's like Joe buying a "good bull" to breed with a "good cow." It's just genetics. There's no evil.

Scientists are in the lab, researching, and they're not evil scientists. They are just regular dudes who are wearing white coats and looking at CELLS. They're not figuring out a way to make the American public fatter. They have extensively studied this particular crop and have found a way for farmers like us to continue to survive during the driest of years and now the wettest of springs, and still harvest a corn crop so you folks can fuel up your SUVs with gas to get to Trader Joe's to purchase organic, non-GMO (supposedly) food and then make a stand on not eating conventionally grown food (sorry for the sarcasm, I'm grouchy today).

There's plenty of information out there that is both pro and con GMO. However, writers and skeptics like Fourat Janabi who have written books with anti-GMO sentiments, have back pedaled. Janabi has since written a second edition to his book, Random Rationality, realizing there's not much footing on the GMO debate. Thanks to conversations with scientists like Kevin Folta (read the conversation here if you're interested in the science behind GMOs, plus it's an entertaining piece), Janabi has written pieces of information so that people like me can see the GMO debate a little more clearly.

GMOs are not making us sick or fat. CHOICES are making us sick and fat. Regardless of whether you eat organic or conventional, there is no debate when you're eating too much of the wrong stuff. However, with all this GMO debate, and all the press it's getting, scaring the pants off of many Americans, it's filtering down to farmers like us, and that stinks, because we're just trying to keep up with the needs of a bigger and bigger population. GMOs are helpful in this respect, and if you don't believe it, try growing your organic garden without water this summer, and see how it turns out.

So before you post another shared "eat this not that" article on Facebook, check your sources, and think of my face, my husband's face, and know that we're not in cohoots with some big agricultural company, or trying to give you cancer or get you fatter or whatever. We're just trying to make a living in this crazy occupation that doesn't get a regular pay check, is dependent upon the weather, and has the responsibility to fuel and feed a growing global need.

Lucky us.

Emily Webel raises corn, cattle and four kids along with her husband, Joe, in Northwest Illinois.

This article originally appeared in the blog, Confessions of a Farm Wife, and is reprinted with permission from the author.