Illinois Farm Families Blog

Lynn and Mike both operate separate areas of the farm. Lynn works the grain side and Mike works the cattle side but they both have to work together. How cyclical the whole process of farming is was surprising to me. I like knowing that farmers use all of their resources to the best of their ability, nothing is wasted. I was impressed by their love of their farm and the people and animals that live there. I won't look at my food in the same way ever again!

 The Drendel family’s dairy farm

 Ahhh Milk! My family drinks about 6 gallons of milk a week, so seeing just where it comes from was insightful and interesting. Learning about cows and calves and their lot in life was a little unsettling for me. Being a Mom to six kids, I felt a certain affinity for the cows and the fact that they are never allowed to nurse their calves was somewhat sad. I am intelligent enough to know that the cows are there for a reason and it isn't to raise a “family.”

 Once I got over that fact, I did manage to learn about milk production. I got to see the stages of a cow's life, the calves, the “teenagers” and the adult females. When it was time for milking, the cows knew where to go and were willing participants in the milking process. We were allowed into the parlor and got to watch the cows being hooked up to the machines for milking. We even got to stick our thumbs inside the milking machine to feel exactly what the cow feels. Once again, the technology used in farming is amazing. We learned what pasteurization means and homogenization is. When asked about skim milk, Dale chuckled and gave us the lowdown on 1%, 2%, and whole milk 3.5%! We were able to ask about anything we saw.

 The Drendels had their veterinarian on hand to answer the question about hormones in the milk. I believe he answered the question intelligently and honestly. I know, for myself, I believe that milk is milk. Whether grain fed, grass fed, organic, or not, the dairy farmer cares about the welfare of their cows. They are their livelihood and they treat the cows like family. The Drendel’s farm was well run and Dale, Linda, and their daughter Julie were welcoming and open to answering all of our questions. My family will continue to do their part in consuming milk!

 Amy Rossi
Naperville, Illinois

After lunch (at a century old, haunted restaurant, no less!) we headed on to Dale and Linda Drendel’s dairy farm.  They had the red buildings I had expected to see at the Martz farm, but that didn’t mean they were running a small operation.  Again I was greeted with more technology and high-tech gadgets than I ever expected to see on a farm.  We first toured the barn that housed all the young calves – these were absolutely adorable!  As an animal lover it was a little hard for me to stomach the fate of the animals we saw with Lynn and Mike, so it was nice to know these little ones had a longer lifespan ahead of them.

We then headed on to watch actual cows being milked.  No milkmaids on stools here – the cows are milked in a herringbone parlor by machine.  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.  After this we headed off to the show barn, where we got to see the prize-winning Lindale cows.  These girls are the best of the best (and have the longest lifespan of any of the animals we saw on the farms during these tours) – and according to the Drendels’ daughter, Julie, they know it!

While in the show barn we heard from the Drendels’ veterinarian.  He was asked about the hormones and antibiotics in milk, and I found his response quite comforting.  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.  As far as the hormones, we learned that the hormones given are naturally-occurring in the cows, and the amount is not nearly as much as I’d imagined.  My kids were raised from infancy in west Texas, and we didn’t have a Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s or anything of the sort nearby, so they were brought up on regular old milk – hormones and all.  Since it wasn’t an option for us I never gave it a second thought – until we moved to Chicago, and I was surrounded by people who buy fancy things like almond milk and organic, hormone-free milk (which, at $6 a gallon, is out of reach for us anyway).  I’ll be honest, that’s something I’ve had a lot of guilt over since we moved, so I was glad to release some of that after hearing an expert opinion for myself.

All in all, the day was incredibly eye-opening.  I saw things I never imagined I’d be lucky enough to see, and talked to people I never in a million years thought I’d be talking to.  I feel so lucky to have been chosen as a Field Mom, and I can’t wait to continue this journey and learn even more over the next year.

Betsie Estes

Elk Grove Village, IL

I tend to be easily persuaded, to believe the person I am listening to at the moment.  I am a people-pleaser by nature and that seems to come with the territory.  But when it comes to the truth about the foods that I feed to myself and my family,  I don't want to just believe what I am hearing in the moment.  I want to know what is really true and then act on it.  I think most of us can agree on that.

When I heard of the opportunity with the IL Farm Families to go see different farms across Illinois and meet the farmers and see what they do, I knew I wanted to join them.  What better way to get the truth about how our food is grown and farmed than straight from the farmers themselves.  And this past Saturday, I got the chance to do just that.

Our first visit was to Larson Farms in Maple Park, IL, a cattle and grain farm. Founded back in 1953, this farm defines "family farm" with all the kids and now even the grandson (and great grandson) of the original farmer still making this farm their livelihood. And what an operation it is!! 

While there, I took copious notes on the facts and figures of their grain-corn and beef cattle operations.  But, reflecting back on the day the important things I learned there have little to do with specific numbers and details. 

I walked away from Larson Farms feeling so very impressed with how intentional they are about their farming. I don't have to get bogged down in the details because they do that for me. For all of us. Down to the exact mix for the feed for their cattle and the soil samples that tell them where to concentrate most of their seed and what nutrients need to be added to the soil to give them the healthiest yield possible. So impressive. They are always striving to make their farm more efficient so that they can maximize their yields and minimize the costs (both for them and the consumers). Mike Martz, one of the owners, said "It's either doing 1 thing 100% better or 100 things 1% better, but we are always trying to improve."  I love that !  I think I might have to adopt that phrase for myself.

Another thing that stood out about Larson Farms, is their commitment to supporting Ethanol as an alternative energy source. They sell their grain to the Ethanol factory and then purchase the end product grain back from the plant for use in the feed for their cattle.  According to Lynn Martz, they support Ethanol because "we can grow it, we can use it. It's very renewable. Its a win-win."

Oh, and I got to ride in a combine and harvest some corn! My boys were super impressed, commenting that Mommy might be in their next "Mighty Machines" DVD.  :)

The second farm we visited was Lindale Dairy Farm in Hampshire, IL.  It was striking to me how although we were on a totally different type of farm, so many of the same themes rang out. They are mainly a dairy farm but they also farm corn and wheat and hay as a means of growing their own feed. Dairy farming has been passed down their family through many generations and they are passing it on to their kids too. 

Linda started out our tour by saying "We hope to show you that we are very conscious of using our resources to the best of our ability." And I think that she did show us that. The Drendels, just like the Martz family, put their whole heart and life into this farm. Seeing their farm and hearing them introduce us to their cows gave me such a sense of gratitude for their diligence and work ethic. 

I loved seeing Linda Drendel interact lovingly with the cows and tell the story of how she nursed one calf back to health shortly after its birth. It is more than evident that they take great pride in this craft they have chosen.

We had a very frank discussion with their vet regarding growth hormone and antibiotics and organic milk.  It was so thought-provoking and enlightening to ask these questions to someone who TRULY knows what he is talking about. They live these questions, they think about this stuff all the time.

The same goes for the discussion we had about grass vs. corn fed beef with Mike Martz. They have studied these things and come to conclusions based on scientific facts and true data.  Talking to these farmers about such questions was exactly why I wanted to be a Field Mom. I want to get the truth from the source. They were not afraid to answer our questions or give us the facts they know. And I was truly grateful for that.

Now, in all honesty, I am still thinking about some of the things the Martz and Drendel families talked about last Saturday. Like I said, I tend to whole heartedly agree with the person I am talking to at the moment. So I need some time to chew on the things they said regarding the importance of what the cattle eat and use of pesticides and growth hormone and all such questions. I need to weigh it all with the other things I have heard and read and see if I can figure out the truth that is probably somewhere in the middle. But getting to see the farms firsthand gave me the utmost respect for these families and what they do.

They are growing food and raising livestock in order to feed my family and their own. They live off these farms and eat what they grow. That speaks volumes to me. They care about what their little grandson eats just as much as I care about my own boys and they do all they can to provide the highest quality food for my table and theirs.  But beyond that, they care about feeding our world and keeping up with population demands.

I am so grateful to be a Field Mom and get to see all these things first hand. I love the conversations that have started between farmers and moms. I love hearing truth from their lips and seeing it with my own eyes. I love seeing their passion and dedication and maybe being able to encourage them a little along the way. Hopefully, I will be able to share with those around me what I am seeing and learning and bring you along on this journey with me.

You can find out all about the Field Mom program and meet all the moms and the farmers at www.watchusgrow.org.

Farrah Brown

Glendale Heights, IL

Of the 10 Field Moms, 7 were able to attend – a number that's not surprising given the number of small children and potential for sickness, family obligations and more. One extra Chicago mom and blogger, Emily Paster, also attended.

Saturday, if you'll recall, was incredibly windy in the northern half of the state so we started off our day inside, where Mike and Lynn Martz shared how they got their farming start. Let me just say, for the record, they operate one very impressive farm. Mike manages the cattle feeding operation (with 2,700 head on the farm on Saturday) and Lynn manages the 6,300-acre grain operation. Among many other things, they shared how circular their operation is: Lynn raises corn. Mike buys corn from Lynn for the cattle. Cattle eat corn and produce manure. Lynn injects manure into fields for fertilizer. Lynn grows more corn. Corn is used to make ethanol. Gluten and distillers grains are by-products of ethanol production. Mike buys gluten and distillers grains to feed to cattle. Who produce more manure. Which grows more corn.  And so on and so forth. I think the Field Moms were impressed by that. Heck, I was impressed by that.

While we were inside, Mike also gave a quick lesson in beef selection at the grocery store. He brought out several packages of the same cut of meat and talked about different quality grades. Higher grade=more marbling. More marbling=more flavor. He pointed out that marbling is mono-unsaturated fat.

"It's like eating olive oil," Mike said. "That's the kind of fat that's good for you, and we haven't done a very good job in the beef industry of telling you that." The bad fat is what most folks cut off – the thick stuff around the edge.

And before anyone could even ask, Mike talked about hormones and antibiotics. He reported that while he understood people's concerns, he suspected they might not know the whole truth: that a 3 oz. steak from an untreated steer has 1.3 nanograms of estrogen. That a 3 oz. steak from a hormone treated steer has 1.9 ng of estrogen. But the baked potato you'll eat with your steak? It has 225 ng of estrogen. (To note, a nanogram is one-billionth of a gram. So 0.6 ng is equal to slightly more than half of one billionth of a gram.)

Then he talked antibiotics. About how they only use them when an animal is sick. About how every drug has a withdrawal time – a period of time after the medicine is given before the animal can be slaughtered. How their computerized charting program flags every animal that's been treated and won't let them ship one before the withdrawal time is over. And how packers test and test, and if they find drug contamination, USDA can trace it right back to Mike's farm. "I don't need that. And I don't want to eat meat with drugs, and I don't want you to eat it either."

Really, we could have almost called it a day at that point; that's how valuable Mike's lesson was – and how good he was at relating it to the Field Moms. But it was only 9:30. Time to brave the wind.

We headed outside and to their cattle facilities where Mike pointed out their handling facilities were designed by Temple Grandin, noted for her ability to design equipment that calms the cattle. He showed how they ultrasound cattle, using it to design the exact feed type and amount that animal will need. We walked out to the cattle buildings, to the grain handling facility. We talked about grain quality and moisture and watched them dump a semi load of corn. We walked back to the field and each mom took a ride in the combine and in the tractor/auger wagon (driven quite handily by the Martz's daughter-in-law, Jamie). We talked yield maps and variable rate fertilizer application.

After lunch, it was on to Dale and Linda Drendel's dairy farm, at Hampshire. We talked milk safety, we wore snazzy bio-booties and we went into the parlor to watch them milk. We visited the baby calves. We checked out some fancy champion Holsteins, part of the Drendels' show cattle herd. Suffice to say, they've done well in the Holstein show ring, as evidenced by the wall of silver and purple in the farm office.

And among the highlights at the Drendel farm was the chance to visit with their herd veterinarian. He answered questions on hormones and BST and rBST, and how there's no discernible difference between the two. Indeed, milk cannot be labeled BST-free because every cow produces BST and it occurs naturally in milk. Instead, milk producers label it rBST-free (recombinant BST). He also shared how when one farm he consulted with decided to stop using rBST, it was a marketing decision and not a scientific one. "I don't think you should turn your back on technology. But I think consumers should have a choice and in that circumstance, they were saying they didn't want it."

It was a whirlwind of a day and in a nutshell, I think we were all better informed at day's end – myself included. I had some great conversations with some of the moms before they boarded the bus. We all experienced information overload, but those I spoke with were impressed with the technology and the care for the animals.

Sure, that's little surprise for farm folk. But with any degree of luck, given a few more days like Saturday, eventually it'll be little surprise for Chicago Field Moms, too.

 

Holly Spangler,
Marietta, Illinois

Want to know more about Illinois agriculture and life on a young family's farm? Check out Holly's Prairie Farmer blog.

It was fun to watch the excitement on the Field Mom's faces as they learned the details of their first farm tour.  Watching their excitement brought me back to when I first moved to the farm from Cook County.  Everything was new and exciting and now they get to experience the farm to see how we grow their food.  

I will be riding the bus from our meeting point to the farms and spending the day with the Field Moms.  I will have the opportunity to answer their questions, take pictures of them in the combine, in the tractors, on the farms and milking the cows.  We will have all day to discuss what is happening on today's farms and what it takes to get food to their table.

It has been a dry year on the farm so I can't believe I am really hoping for a dry day!  If it does rain, they will be able to experience how the weather dictates what is done on the farm.  

Be sure to check back in the next few weeks as the Field Moms begin posting photos and their impressions of their farm tour.  You can meet the Field Moms by checking out the Meet Our Field Moms tab. 

Deb Moore
Roseville, Ill.

 

On the grain side of our farm, it’s the size and cost of our equipment that shocks people. (Actually, the cost of equipment shocks me too...)

And when we go to the feedlot, people are really surprised at how much care we take with each animal. They’re fascinated with the ultrasound, and what we can predict about every heifer and steer.  

Even with 3,500 head of cattle, we still know each one individually.  Our animals are receiving a lot more care than you’d ever imagine, just driving by the farm.

So I’m really looking forward to the Field Moms visiting.  It’ll open up communications – and it’ll be fun and surprising for all of us.   

Lynn Martz
Larson Farms
Maple Park, Illinois