Illinois Farm Families Blog

This past week was another mostly dry and warm one. Some rain showers passed through the area late evening on June 17. Rainfall amounts varied from 2 to 4 tenths in the county. Although rain was forecasted later in the week, it didn’t materialize. Temperature highs for the week were in the mid 90’s with low humidity.

On the bright side we finally received enough moisture to germinate seed in the dry bare areas of both corn and soybean fields. There was an enough plant emergence to change decisions to replant these areas that have been bare for 3 to 4 weeks.

Corn planted in early April is starting to tassel. There was a report of corn in the southern part of the county of being four foot tall and tasseling. This is an area of the county which has received very little rain since the beginning of April.

Soybeans plants are approximately 6 inches tall and farmers are post treating these fields for weeds. Water hemp is the obvious weed in many fields and it’s amazing how quickly this weed will grow despite the dry conditions. Herbicide application has been a challenge due to the high, warm winds that seem to start early in the day.

Double crop soybean planting went as quick as wheat harvest. Plant emergence is going well due to the much needed rain at the time of planting.

Continue to pray for rain and have a good week.

David Hankammer

Farmer

Well, our last tour is done and my head is still swimming!  We saw SO much on this trip, and I’m definitely still processing a lot of it.  The highlight for me was our visit to a Monsanto research facility – I could have stayed there for days!  It was fascinating, and I’m so very grateful I got the chance to go.

One of the really cool things about this tour was that it was an overnight, which gave us a unique opportunity to talk more in-depth with our fellow Field Moms.  In our conversations, I was surprised to learn that another Field Mom did have issues with pork production after seeing the Gould’s farm.  To me it was just like any other production facility; to her it raised some serious questions about how she wanted to feed her family.  So I’ll buy commercially raised pork with no qualms and she’ll make another decision.  Neither of us is making a better decision than the other – but we’re making the right choice for our families.  That’s the wonderful thing about this program; it’s given us insight, allowed us to form our own opinions, and empowered us at the supermarket.  Just like any of the other hot button issues moms face (breastfeeding, going back to work, etc) there isn’t one RIGHT answer about how to feed our families – you just have to do the best you can with the knowledge you have and make the right decision for you.

Our weekend tour started on a Friday night – we had dinner with a bunch of local farmers and just got to have some nice conversations about what was going on in all of our lives – it’s stuff like that that makes me see that there’s really no difference between the farmers and the city moms!  The next morning we were on the road early – we got to see how crops are loaded onto barges on the Mississippi River, and from there travel to St. Louis, New Orleans, and sometimes all the way to China!

We had a lovely lunch and got to tour the Moore’s farm before heading off to Monsanto.  I honestly think I could write a book on everything we learned there! What surprised me the most at Monsanto was that it was built just like a normal farm – crops in the fields, exposed to the elements – no barbed wire, no attack dogs, no privacy fence. For a company that so many people claim is doing evil and  secretive things, they seemed very open, honest, and eager to tell us all about their work.

We had a long drive home this time, and there were a lot of good conversations going on and a lot to reflect on during the ride. Honestly though, I didn’t really have a TON of questions about my food before becoming a Field Mom.  I’m the kind of person who generally does a lot of research, makes a decision, and feels confident in it.  A lot of people asked me on this trip why I wanted to be involved with the program, and I felt bad, because I didn’t have a rehearsed answer for them – I really couldn’t come up with an answer at all.  But here’s why – it’s because of THEM.  The people were the reason I wanted to connect with the Farm Families.  Having spent over 8 years in Texas, I got pretty used to a different way of life than we have here in Chicago.  Most importantly, I got used to the people – hardworking, independent, tough-as-nails women who are equally gorgeous in a pair of work boots or in rhinestone-encrusted flip flops.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my Chicago, and I love the women here – but this city is where I was raised; Texas is where I grew up, and the female role models I had there are a big part of that. 

I’m so glad I was able to meet women like Deb Moore, Carla Mudd, Amy Roady, and so many more awesome ladies who helped us out, answered our questions, and made us feel at home in a totally foreign environment. And so with that in mind, if there’s anything I’m going to take away from this experience it’s in the lessons I want to pass on to my Texas-born daughter: To work hard. To have respect for the world around her. To dream big. To marvel in what has been placed upon this land. And most of all, to approach every day as a blessing, an adventure, and to never take anything for granted.  I’m so thankful that the Illinois Farm Families gave me the opportunity to relearn those lessons for myself!

Betsie Estes

I think most of the moms out there will agree with me.                                                                                                            Grocery shopping with your kids is challenging.  I have three kids:  Bella, 6 years; Mae, 4 years; and Nolan, 3 years.  Walking through the aisles is a coordinated dance to avoid other carts, continuously apologize for the kids being in the middle of the aisle, and grabbing teeny-tiny hands away from the shelves of endless goodies.  Whew, I’m exhausted just writing that. 

Here’s what I am absolutely grateful for at the grocery store:  knowing that I can walk up to the butchers counter and order meat that is 100% safe for my family.  I am confident in purchasing chicken, pork, and beef for my family.  Farmers today are very concerned with providing your families (and their own families) with a very healthy and safe product.  I don’t have to look for those labels touting “Antibiotic Free”.  Farmers today do not routinely use antibiotics in their animals.  Plus, the FDA has strict guidelines to review and approve all antibiotics used in meat.  The US Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) monitors and tests meat to ensure there are no harmful residues, as laid out by the FDA, entering the food supply.

I can speak mainly on the pork side of the story, since we raise hogs.  We only use antibiotics to protect our animals’ health and welfare.  Those antibiotics are used under strict guidance from our veterinary team.  Pig farmers are also taking our commitment to the next level through programs like We Care® and Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) Plus certifications.  The We Care® initiative shows our commitment to practices that protect human health, which includes careful management of antibiotic use.  The PQA Plus certification is designed to help farmers develop good production practices, especially in relation to responsible antibiotic use and animal well-being.  Today, over 55,000 farmers have achieved PQA Plus certification, including my husband and myself.

Remember US and Illinois farmers support responsible use of antibiotics (in both humans and animals), and seek out specific, professional guidance from veterinarians before using any antibiotics.  We are continuously updating our research to ensure that we are only getting better at growing a healthy, well-balanced, and safe diet for our families and yours.  So, to my fellow mommies, don’t stress about the labels on meat in the grocery store.  Worry only about whether or not your kid is running over other shoppers with your cart. 

Kate Hagenbuch
Hagenbuch Farms
Utica, IL

On Monday, June 11th the area was blessed with rain. Rainfall varied from four tenths to 1.5 inches in the county. It was a welcomed weather event which refreshed the growing crops on the farm. Temperatures were mild with lows in the upper 50’s to highs in the mid 80’s.

Corn planted in late March has started to tassel. The corn crop in all fields seemed to have jumped in height with the welcomed rain. The rain also has given us an opportunity to replant corn on some the slopes which have a poor stand of corn. The seed in these areas germinated but couldn’t survive or develop due to the lack of moisture.

The early planted soybeans have gotten off to a good start and continue to develop well. However, some of the fields planted in the later part of May have an uneven stand with many of the slopes looking bare. After inspecting a field several days after the rain, the seed in these areas has germinated and is pushing toward the surface. Hopefully, there will be enough plant population emerge to keep the field.

The majority of the wheat was harvested before the rain. With renewed soil moisture many of the farmers in the area are quickly planting soybeans and grain sorghum in the wheat stubble.

Locally grown sweet corn and peaches has hit the roadside stands. One peach grower has claimed this is the earliest harvest in memory. This is due to the early start of spring. Local grain bids are corn $6.31, soybeans $13.92, and wheat $6.06.

Have a great week.

David Hankammer
Farmer
St. Clair County

I've said it before and I'll say it again- I feel so fortunate to have been one of the inaugural members of the Field Moms program with the IL Farm Bureau.  What an incredible experience this has been!  Getting to talk with and ask questions of the people at the source of farming and food production in this country is an invaluable opportunity and one that I don't at all take for granted.  We had our third and final farm tour on June 9th and once again I am left with so much gratitude and awe but also some tough questions and things I need to think through.
 
This tour was in western IL, right near the Mississippi River and the Iowa border. Such pretty country!!  We had a lovely dinner with some local farmers and their wives on Friday night then headed to the hotel to get some sleep for a full day of farm touring on Saturday.  (sidenote:  although I didn't get to sleep very long, I DID get to sleep in a dark quiet room in a hotel bed all by myself...  heavenly!) 

 Our first stop on Saturday was the Twomey Company/CGB Enterprises.  They are a company that farmers hire to provide chemical fertilizers and herbicides and spray them in the farmers' fields.  The fertilizer they make is a mixture of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) which are all elements found in soil naturally.  Twomey just adds stabilizers to keep the nutrients in the soil longer and mixes them at precise concentrations depending on the needs of the specific farmer and his soil.  I know that "chemical "is a trigger word for most of us.  It is for me.  I am leery of any chemicals that are sprayed on my food or the soil my food is grown in as I don't want them to end up in my body or my children's.  But these are the same ingredients in any manure a farmer may use as fertilizer, just a little more precise and specialized.  They do use anhydrous ammonia during the production of the chemicals which is a little  concerning to me.  I'm not thrilled about something that is potentially harmful to your skin, eyes, mucous membrances, etc..  if you are exposed being used to fertilize the food we are eating.  But Twomey and the farmers promise that it is safely metabolized by the plant during the growing process and is no longer present in any final food product of the plant.  I believe them, truly.  But I need to sit with this one for a little more before feeling totally secure.

Before moving to the next part of our day, they drove us to their barge loading facility (where grain corn gets shipped to all over the country and the world) on the Mississippi River and it was just beautiful.  For reasons I am not totally sure of, seeing the river made me miss the beach.
 
Part two was a visit to Ron and Deb Moore's farm in Roseville, IL.  There they grow corn and soybeans and raise some cattle.  We got to see our "Field Moms Acre" of soybeans which they are documenting and using to teach us all about the process of growing and harvesting soybeans.  The biggest take-away lesson for me from the Moore's farm was learning about all their soil conservation efforts.  They have built tow wall structures to prevent erosion and improve water quality.  On a hay wagon tour around their property, we learned about the grass waterways and filler strips and other major projects they built with some cost-sharing assistance from the government conservation reserve program.  All these things are intended to preserve the land they love and create improved homes and water quality for all the wildlife in the area and the human residents too.  It was truly impressive and inspiring to see how much effort/time/money they have put into giving back to land that is their source of life and income.

After an amazing lunch of ribeye steaks (you don't get much fresher than eating a delicious grilled steak on site at a cattle farm!), we headed off to the Monsanto Learning Center and research fields and Monmouth,IL.  We have all heard of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and probably have strong opinions either way.  I tried to go in with an open mind, anxious to hear what they had to say and to learn about their role in this whole picture of where my food comes from. 
At Monsanto, they specialize in hybrid breeding of seeds.  They call it "genomics"- genetic marker assisted breeding in  order to increase crop yield and crop quality.  Their goal is to be able to produce the same amount of food using less land and less resources and less water.  And they do this by creating plants that can withstand stress better: insects, drought, wind, etc...  They are using scientific knowledge gained through research to help the farmers in the fields grow better, stronger crops so that they in turn can produce healthy, high-yield crops used to feed America and people around the globe. 

A specific example of their work: the Monsanto researchers have taken BT (Bacillus thuringiensis), a bacteria found in soil that is toxic to the root worm, a common pest to corn plants, and found a way to incorporate this bacteria into the corn plant itself.  This "GMO" corn is now resistant to this pest and can grow stronger and healthier in the field.  According to them, BT is non-toxic to mammals due to our acidic stomach so any amount (which they say is minimal) that we ingest when eating this corn is insignificant. They are doing things like this with almost any crop you can think of- improving they way the seeds grow and use resources so that the farmer can get higher yields and we can get better food.

I get what they are doing.  And I even get why they are doing it.  The folks at Monsanto, along with EVERY OTHER PERSON I have met during this Field Moms gig, are very concerned with the task before them to provide enough food to feed 9billion people by the year 2050.  The average farm today feeds 155people for a year compared to 26people/year in 1950.  But that's not enough.  They have to do more, and often times be able to produce more with less resources.  The farmers and everyone involved in the business of agriculture are always busy at trying to improve their processes, increase their gains, produce more food using less resources.  All with this goal in mind of being able to keep up with the growing global population.  They are mindful growers, not just farmers.  No one is simply throwing some seed on a field and hoping for the best.  They are analyzing every step to see how they can improve and do what they do better and safer and more economical.  And you cannot help but look at all that goes into farming (soil, seed, animals, research, business, ...) and be amazed at the passion and skill with which they do their jobs.  It is awe-inspiring and everyone needs to know how lucky we are that we have them behind the scenes doing all that they do. 

But the other side of the story is this- while I am deeply grateful for how mindfully they grow/produce food for my family and for the world, I too am mindful.  I am very mindful of what I eat and where it comes from.  And there are things that people are afraid of because they don't know about them and there are things that we should genuinely be concerned about.  And in all honesty, I am not 100% sure where this whole GMO thing lands on that spectrum.  I think I can truthfully listen to the folks that make the fertilizers and herbicides that are sprayed on the crops and be a little concerned but mostly feel content with their explanation of the needs of a healthy plant and why what they do is both best for the plant AND safe for my family. I can listen to the presentation by the researchers at Monsanto and understand both the heart and the goal of what they do and appreciate both for their sincerity.  They are good people with good goals.  But at the end of the day, I have to mindfully consider all I have heard and make the best choice for my family.  And I am not sure exactly what that is yet, but being willing to hear without judgement is the first step. 

That is what this program has been all about.  It has been my opportunity to take my questions about hormones and chemicals and GMOs to the source- to the farmers and researchers themselves- and give them the chance to answer honestly and dispel any myths that may be running rampant amongst us non-agricultural people.  And then it is my job to bring what I have learned back to my community and tell honestly the truth that I learned and my reaction to it.  We should not be afraid simply because we don't know.  And we should never let rumor or one person's side make up our mind on anything.  We have to give the farming community back their voice in all this debate over the safety of our food. And from what I have seen this year, our food is not just safe.  It is amazing.  And these farmers are amazing.  Do I still have some questions and reservations about different things?? Yes.  But if this Field Moms program has taught me anything, it has taught me that being a mindful eater means finding out the truth from the source and not listening to hype.  I am a mindful eater who appreciates the hard work and the fruits of the efforts of the mindful growers that I have been blessed to spend time with.  

This past week has been consistent in respect to the weather. It was dry and the temperature high was in the low 80’s. Despite a promising chance of rain for the beginning of the week, only a few areas received a couple tenths of an inch. Most of the area remained dry.

The corn crop is developing well on soil moisture. However it is showing signs of stress by rolling and pointing its leaves upward toward the sky, begging for rain. Some of the fields planted in mid-May on rolling ground have areas that haven’t emerged yet and the viability of the seed is starting to become a concern. Weed control is becoming a challenge. Areas of some fields which had previously held water from heavy spring rain are experiencing an outbreak of water hemp and climbing milkweed. The other extreme are fields which received very little rain to fully activate herbicides and begs the question to the level of weed control remaining for the season.

The soybean crop is also having similar problems due to the dry conditions despite rapid and timely planting. There are a lot of uneven stands of soybeans due to the dry soil.

One bright spot to the dry conditions is that it has dried the wheat crop down to favorable conditions, allowing harvest to move into full swing. Report of yields varies from the high forties to mid-sixties bushel per acre.

Hopefully a shower of rain will pass your way in the coming week.

Local grain bids are corn $6.15, soybeans $14.32, and wheat $6.18.

David Hankammer
Farmer
St. Clair County, IL

In an effort to enhance the understanding of where the food that citizens are eating comes from, a collaborative effort has been established by the Illinois Farm Bureau and Illinois corn, soybean, beef and pork producers. Field Moms is comprised of mothers from urban areas such as Chicago and surrounding suburbs.

This is the inaugural group of Field Moms, who’s nine members were given a tour Saturday of a soybean plot, a sweet corn plot and a first-hand observation of various conservation practices applied to farmland. Field Moms is a group open to any mother interested in learning more about agriculture and the work that goes into the meals they prepare for their families.

Many local farm families open their doors for the Field Moms to make a field trip to their operations. On Saturday, Field Moms met for the third time since the group was established. This time, the family having the tour was Ron and Deb Moore, whose farm is located just north of Roseville, making this tour the farthest journey thus far for the Field Moms.

Field Moms were given soybeans similar to those planted in the plot of the land they studied. They have been growing the beans in pots at their homes. Although the moms’ plants are unable to obtain as much sunlight as the field plants due to their urban location, many of the moms are happy to have seen growth from their beans.

The organizers of Field Moms hope to expand the program to encompass the entire state, as they have had much positive reception for the first year of the program.

According to Amy Thompson, president of the Farm Bureau for Warren and Henderson counties, “it is just as beneficial for us as it is for them. We also get to learn about Chicago life. It is a two-way street.”

Thompson said the program has calmed many of the fears the mothers had about their food, because it allows them to ask questions and receive answers from the actual people growing the food.

“These are educated women who have questions and make up their minds on their own,” said Thompson.

Organizers of Field Moms hope that after the group has completed its tours, they will return home and share the information they have gained with their friends and families. Those in charge of Field Moms wish to reach a much larger audience and expand the number of moms in the group. Eventually, they hope to create a similar group for fathers as well. One organizer said, “There are plenty of people in every county that do not know where their food comes from.”

The first tour Field Moms took in October was a trip to see cattle, raised for both beef and dairy. During the field trip, the moms also examined a corn field, and were given the chance to ride in a combine, an opportunity most city dwellers never receive.

The second tour in March brought the moms to a hog confinement operation to see the process that goes in to creating the pork they serve.

A vital asset for Field Moms is the blog which both the farmers and the moms write for after the tours end. The moms describe their impressions of the tours and any knowledge they acquired. The website of Field Moms program is www.watchusgrow.org.

Along with the blogs, it also contains biographies of the moms and the farming families, videos from past tours, topics of interest and the ability to ask any question about farm families, the moms or the agricultural process.

One mother, Amy Rossi, who is a stay-at-home mom with six children, ages 3 to 15, was interested in learning about agriculture technology.

“I also pictured farming as being simple, but I was wrong.” Rossi said. “The combine is able to drive itself.”

Rossi has already begun putting the knowledge she has acquired to use, as she is much more selective as to which products she purchases to feed her family.

 MATT DUTTON

The Register-Mail

As I sit down tonight to write this, there are exactly 10 days left before I embark on a journey across the state with the IL Farm Families Field Moms.  That is, 10 days to prepare for my journey.  Read:  10 days to prepare my husband for taking care of the kids and getting them where they need to be.  Can anyone else commiserate with me?  I have already begun the daunting task of listing out everything that I do with (but mainly for) the kids:  when medications need to be taken, what sorts of food are okay for breakfast, how much T.V. we should really be watching, where the sunscreen and bug spray are, where they need to be and when, etc., you know the drill.

All that aside, I am excited to get yet another chance to talk about all the amazing things that agriculture in IL is about.  I am so proud to be able to be part of the “soybean” focused tour because soy is such a vital part of my family’s livelihood, namely raising pigs.  I hope that I can bring some new information and another voice to the discussion.  I will be fresh home from World Pork Expo the three days prior, so I am hoping to be able to share some updated information on upcoming innovations in the Pork world, plus foster some more discussions about how closely knit the crop and animal sides of farming really are. 

What will be most exciting about our journey is that it will connect all of the previous tours together.  We will have the opportunity to learn about the soybean planting process (which the Field Moms have already begun at home!) and “in the field” views of how soybeans are grown.  Our tour will also take us to the river to view a barge terminal and learn about where our corn and beans go from here.  In addition, we will be discussing how much of the corn and soybean crops are used in feeding livestock here in ILLINOIS!  No tour would be complete without some amazing meals, too!  We are in for some great hospitality provided by Ron & Deb Moore, friends from the Warren/Henderson County Farm Bureau, IL Soybean Association, and the Cattleman’s Association.  Another awesome treat is the Monsanto Research Farm Tour, where we will have an opportunity to ask lots of questions about things like why GMOs are okay and why we apply certain chemicals to certain types of crops. 

I think all of this is going to fuel a new conversation on the bus ride back.  We may be tired mommies, but we will most definitely leave with a renewed sense that farmers are doing their best to provide everyone’s families with delicious and nutritious foods.

Kate Hagenbuch
Hagenbuch Farms
Utica, IL

The past week has been another dry week despite the promising potential of rain in the weather forecasts. After threats of thunderstorms from the west, the week ended with approximately four-tenths of an inch total rainfall from two separate showers. The first shower disappeared quickly due to the dry soil and warm temperatures. The second shower provided a greater benefit due to overcast skies and cooler temps, allowing the moisture to move to the root zone of the growing crop. Daytime temperatures cooled down to the low 80’s from the previous week highs of the mid 90’s.

The corn is quickly growing due to the cooler temps. Plant height ranges from 4 inches to waist high. The plant roots are down in the soil moisture and reaching deeper. There are areas lying in dry soil waiting for moisture to germinate it. Hopefully we received enough moisture get these areas growing.

Many of the early planted soybean fields have emerged and can be seen down the row. However, a large number of fields were planted during the week of high temperatures and like the corn; some of seed is in dry soil. Hopefully the rainfall was enough to get it spouted and keep it growing.

Some farmers have tried to combine wheat this week but found that the crop isn’t as matured as it appears. After inspecting our fields, I notice the grain is still soft and substantial number of stalks with green color remaining. Wheat harvest is still several days away.

Local grain bids are corn $5.07, soybeans $13.34, and wheat $6.13.

Have a great week.

David G. Hankammer
Farmer
St. Clair County