The Power of 4-H

Like the FFA, 4-H was a vital part of my upbringing. As an 8 year old little girl, my parents decided it was time for me to get involved in our county 4-H program. Although being from Carthage, my parents enrolled me in the Chili Rising Suns 4-H group out of Bowen. I was terrified. I didn’t know any kids my age, how was I going to do this? But, I soon figured out just why my parents pushed me to do this. 4-H gave me so many things and here are just a few.

The first couple of meetings I stayed stuck to my mom’s side. I didn’t speak up and I was deathly terrified of talking to anyone. Soon, the meetings got easier and I began to make some really great friends. Speaking up wasn’t so bad and doing a presentation in front of the whole group wasn’t so hard. I was always a shy and quiet kid. I didn’t want to share my own ideas in fear of looking bad and I would never be first to raise my hand in class. While interviewing for my photography and sewing projects I learned to be confident in anything I was doing and I started to gain interview experience at a young age.  4-H is where I found my voice.

I ran for club office and held many office rolls over the 11 years I was involved. I became a part of the Hancock County 4-H federation where I had the opportunity to go to a county board meeting and talk about 4-H and how important it was to our county. I was involved in many community service projects where we would do a pet fair for various nursing homes and go caroling and bring cookies to shut ins. 4-H is where I learned to become a leader.

Showing pigs was probably the highlight of my 4-H days. I lived and breathed my show pigs. My dad would always say, “ This is your project. You do the work, you order the feed, you walk and wash your pigs, and I’ll see you on show day.” Although I didn’t bring home all the ribbons and trophies I had hoped, I took pride in the fact that my dad taught me how to work hard at anything I did. 4-H is where I learned to be independent, responsible, and hard working.

The greatest thing that 4-H gave me was my passion for agriculture. I learned I was passionate about advocating for the agriculture industry and I loved getting to invite my friends with other 4-H projects out to the barn to check out my show pigs.

Whether you come from an agriculture background or not, 4-H will give you the power to gain skills you can use every single day. I am so thankful that my parents gave me the opportunity to become a part of such an amazing organization that has made me a more confident and prepared adult.

For more information on Illinois 4-H and all it has to offer, check out the Illinois Extension link below!

http://4h.extension.illinois.edu

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About the Author

Ag Career Fair Student Portraits Fall 2019 300.5232

My name is Sarah Seitz and I am a Senior at Western Illinois University majoring in Agriculture Science. I am from the small town of Gladstone, Illinois. Thank you so much for taking time to read my blog.

County Fairs Create Unexpected Agricultural Ambassadors

Agricultural Ambassador: one who acts as a representative or promoter for agriculture

Believe it or not county fairs are more than just corn dogs, lemon shakeups, and hand-spun curly fries, county fairs are show barns, 4-H projects, and queen pageants. Now I know what some of you are thinking- “that last one does not belong.” Well I beg to differ.

New 2018 Reigning Queen and Contestants

County fair pageants are much more than young women vying to be the prettiest face. These young women are judged on interview skills, how they hold themselves, and on their speaking skills. Do some of these skills sound familiar to any of you that were apart of FFA? Well they should- Employment Skills and Prepared Public Speaking.

Yet, the most important aspect of being a county fair queen is the role of the title- “_____ County’s Agricultural Ambassador.” While many people forget this is their role, between the many appearances one must partake in, it is one that Adams County of Illinois does not take lightly. Contestants are taught and even encouraged to learn facts about agriculture, such as five products made from corn and soybeans. It’s easy to name the common ones, corn makes ethanol and corn syrup, whereas soybeans make soybean oil/vegetable oil and animal feed. However, I have personally found it amusing when people learn beyond the common uses and have a shocked face as to the many uses that both major crops can produce. For example, corn is also used in toothpaste, tires, diapers, Windex, cosmetics and adhesives. On the other hand, soybeans are also used in tofu, crayons, paint, coffee creamer, and nail polish remover.

I am personally lucky enough to be a resident of Adams County, Illinois, where agriculture runs through our blood and if it doesn’t then your educated on it. The Adams County Fair Pageant Director along with the help of the fair board and past queens set up an Ag Day every year for the upcoming fair queen contestants. Ag Day usually consists of touring a local row crop and commercial cow-calf farm or Ursa Farmers Co-op, then meeting our fair board for a genetically modified food (GMO) versus non-GMO food tasting, and finally playing a grain marketing game to see who can make the best profit.

Sierra Voss, a 2018 Miss Adams County contestant, states “Ag Day is a helpful refresher to those that grew up around agriculture but is very informative for those contestants that live in larger towns, such as Quincy, where most haven’t been exposed to agriculture. ”

During our time out on the local farm, we learned about the different seed varieties and what that farmer uses and why he chose that variety, the gestation time of calves, how to tell when a heifer or cow is about to give birth, and feed rations. On our visit to Ursa Farmers Co-op we learned how truckers drop off grain, how it is tested for moisture, and loaded on barges. Later in the day we met with the fair board to taste-test the “difference” between GMO foods and non-GMO foods. We taste-tested popcorn, chips and salsa, and chocolate. This exercise helps to learn about labels and the food we eat. The last learning exercise we did was marketing grain where each person gets to pick their bushels per acre and the amount of grain we want to contract per month. The amount of acres each person has is the same and the the amount a bushel of grain sells for each month is unknown until we place all our contracts. It’s interesting to see how well the contestants do versus the fair board (who the majority have farms themselves).

For some, this might have been their first time experiencing one or all of these types of lessons. However, they are offered not to make us feel dumb for not knowing these lessons already but to enrich us with agricultural knowledge. That away we will be better prepared not only if we were to win the pageant, but also to be able to talk with others about some of the tough conversions that swirl around agriculture.

Beyond Ag Day, County Fair pageants enrich young women about agriculture and the production of daily items used. Becoming an agricultural ambassador is not difficult and you do not have to be a county fair queen or contestant to do so. It just takes a little bit of time to educate yourself and seek out others who can inform you correctly. So next year when fair season comes around, instead of hanging out by the rides all day, take a walk through the Exhibitor Barn to see who was able to grow the best flowers or biggest vegetables, the 4-H Barn to see what the kiddos are learning and can create, the Horse Arena to watch real people be cowboys, the Olde Time Association to visit with the elderly who know the ways of the past, and of course to the show barns to see the best stock.

About the Author

My name is McKenzie Mann. I am a senior at Western Illinois University majoring in Agribusiness with dual minors in Agronomy and Animal Science. I am from Fowler, Illinois, where I grew up surrounded by farms but never had one myself. The passion and dedication of those around me helped realize my own passion for agriculture and respect for those who work in the field. I have ran in my county fair pageant three times. Each time I ran my public speaking and interview skills got better and I became more confident. I encourage any young woman that has any type of positive feeling towards agriculture to run in their county fair. Thank you for reading my blog.

Finding a Segway into Agriculture

I’ve always lived in city settings. As I got older and moved to different places, I was able to see the differences in agriculture in various states. Although I never had direct experiences with agriculture growing up, I always had an unanswered interest in what it meant to be a farmer. With no exposure, I had to find my own answers. I started with a basic idea of the importance of composting. Composting is the process of breaking down organic matter into fertilizer. It was an interesting starting point for my new journey because it can be very flexible to the space available. Composting was originally something I noticed many neighbors doing by putting organic material, such as peels and table scraps, aside to be added to a pile outside to be broken down by microbes.  As a sophomore in high school, I decided it would be something simple to start doing at our house and began looking into the possibility of having compost bins.

As we all know, the internet has a way of offering suggested links which may lead someone onto a completely different rabbit trail. From googling the question “What are the benefits of starting a compost pile”, I later found myself wrapped up in “worm farms”. A worm farm is an advanced compost system that involves a container with multiple stackable layers that can be changed out as worms compost materials and move upward to the next layer leaving behind finely composted material that is perfect for distributing as fertilizer in a garden bed or other desired areas. My google search left me with a $60 amazon purchase of the worm farm and 1000 red wriggler worms. Although my family and my friends thought I had gone off the deep end with this embarrassing curiosity I had, I was determined to make the most of it. It may have seemed like an odd interest to most, but it taught me a lot about soil health and crop growth. The research gave me the push and the insight to the agriculture industry: my, now, major of choice and something no one ever imagined I would become so passionate about.

Finding a door into specific interests is daunting in all aspects and a lot of times it can be clouded by doubt. Although it can be scary, it also holds the potential to be the best decision of your life. Without starting with a simple interest in compost I would not have the confidence to go into college chasing a major I had no background in and now love so much.

Hi! My name is Casey Roberts and thank you for reading my blog! I am a senior studying ag business with a focus in agronomy. I am from Naperville IL and I plan on finding a job related to seed sales. I am involved with many events on campus including Sigma Alpha and being an athlete on the Women’s Swim team. Go Necks!

China Vs. United States Tariff War

The United States and China have been trading goods for many years. Tariffs have been imposed on products that are imported or exported to a country. It is a form of income for a country. These tariffs between these two countries have been lopsided in recent and President Trump saw this unfairness between the two countries and decided to do something about it.

In July of 2018 the United States of America implemented tariffs on products being imported to the US. The Trump administration implemented 25% tariffs on more than 800 products imported from China. Items included are industrial machinery, medical devices, auto parts, also agriculture products soybeans and pork. In response to the US putting tariffs on goods coming in from China, the Chinese government placed tariffs on items being imported from the US to China.

Before this trade war began, the markets were shaken with the possibility of a crashing economy. Companies were forecasting damage to their bottom lines and higher prices for consumers to make up for it. There was also talk of a US recession. Fifteen months after this trade war began, the US has not seen a recession yet. Tensions between the two countries have been rising since this began.

Farmers have been hit hard by this trade war. China is a big customer for the United States soybean crop and for the hog market. Prices have been declining since July of 2018. According to Yahoo Business, the week of October 3 the Chinese bought 1.18 million tons of soybeans and purchased another large amount the week of October 7. This may be a wise buy on Chinese part due to the low commodity prices that farmers are currently facing. I also read in the article “China buys more US soybeans, record volume pork ahead of trade talks” by Karl Plume, that China ordered over 18,000 pounds of pork for delivery this year and ordered 123,362 pounds for the year 2020. This is good for a hog market that has been declining for the past year. Also influencing this purchase is African Swine Fever which has wiped out hundreds of thousands of hogs in China, and pork is a favorite meat there. China made a good buy as commodity prices have fallen the past fifteen months. So, is it good for the American farmer or a good buy for the Chinese?

https://china.usc.edu/sites/default/files/legacy/AppImages/trade-china-exports-lgweb.gif

            The US government has stepped in to help the farmers as this trade war has been going on. In the fall of 2018, farmers were offered the chance to take part in the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) through the Farm Service Agency, part of USDA. They were able to receive money on the bushels produced for the fall of 2018, farmers were also given a payment for their livestock they had on hand during the month of August. In 2019 another round of MFP payments came in the form of a dollar amount for each acre planted during the 2019 growing season. The Trump administration has been helping the farmer and polls show that the American farmer does support the President of the United States. But how much can an industry take? Commodity prices are stagnant while input prices continue to increase. The farming community needs to have a strong relationship with China to help be competitive in the global market. The farmer needs to make a decent income in order to be able to support all the industries related to agriculture.

https://china.usc.edu/sites/default/files/legacy/AppImages/trade-us-exports-2009-lgweb.gif

There is concern that the US agriculture sector will never fully recover from this trade war. China has reached out to other countries to fill their demand for soybeans. This will make it hard to win back foreign competitors. There also is a fear that there will be more trade wars in the future. The President is currently working on making a deal with China that will satisfy all involved and we will see a surge in market prices. For now, China continues to explore other options on filling their demand and it will be hard for the US to sell that amount to them again.

About the Author:

I’m Andy Smith from Princeville, IL. I am a senior at Western Illinois University majoring in Agriculture Science with a minor in Animal Science. I plan on returning to the family farm after graduation in December increasing our farrow to finish show pig and meat operation and work on the grain operation.

Finding a Segway into Agriculture

I’ve always lived in city settings. As I got older and moved to different places, I was able to see the differences in agriculture in various states. Although I never had direct experiences with agriculture growing up, I always had an unanswered interest in what it meant to be a farmer. With no exposure, I had to find my own answers. I started with a basic idea of the importance of composting. Composting is the process of breaking down organic matter into fertilizer. It was an interesting starting point for my new journey because it can be very flexible to the space available. Composting was originally something I noticed many neighbors doing by putting organic material, such as peels and table scraps, aside to be added to a pile outside to be broken down by microbes.  As a sophomore in high school, I decided it would be something simple to start doing at our house and began looking into the possibility of having compost bins.

As we all know, the internet has a way of offering suggested links which may lead someone onto a completely different rabbit trail. From googling the question “What are the benefits of starting a compost pile”, I later found myself wrapped up in “worm farms”. A worm farm is an advanced compost system that involves a container with multiple stackable layers that can be changed out as worms compost materials and move upward to the next layer leaving behind finely composted material that is perfect for distributing as fertilizer in a garden bed or other desired areas. My google search left me with a $60 amazon purchase of the worm farm and 1000 red wriggler worms. Although my family and my friends thought I had gone off the deep end with this embarrassing curiosity I had, I was determined to make the most of it. It may have seemed like an odd interest to most, but it taught me a lot about soil health and crop growth. The research gave me the push and the insight to the agriculture industry: my, now, major of choice and something no one ever imagined I would become so passionate about.  

Finding a door into specific interests is daunting in all aspects and a lot of times it can be clouded by doubt. Although it can be scary, it also holds the potential to be the best decision of your life. Without starting with a simple interest in compost I would not have the confidence to go into college chasing a major I had no background in and now love so much.

Hi! My name is Casey Roberts and thank you for reading my blog! I am a senior studying ag business with a focus in agronomy. I am from Naperville IL and I plan on finding a job related to seed sales. I am involved with many events on campus including Sigma Alpha and being an athlete on the Women’s Swim team. Go Necks!

Once a Bearcat, always a LEATHERNECK

Eighteen years old. An age where we are barely considered an adult, but considered old enough to decide what we want to do for the rest of our lives and where we want to go. I always knew I wanted to go to college one day, but I wasn’t sure where I would go or what I would major in. When my senior year of high school came around and I still didn’t know the answer to either one of those questions, I knew that time was ticking and I was running out of time to make a decision.

As a kid when I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always said I wanted to be a teacher and I had always had a strong interest in agriculture so, it only made sense for me to go to school to become an agriculture teacher. I had figured out the “what” but now I needed to figure out the “where”. I knew I needed to stay in my home state of Missouri for scholarship purposes so that only left me with about 3 options of colleges to go to for an agriculture education degree. My FFA advisor at the time had went to Northwest Missouri State University and loved it there, so now I had decided on where and I was all set.

The August following graduation, my family moved me to Maryville, Missouri, where I would begin my college journey to become an agriculture teacher. College is a big adjustment for any person and some people tend to have trouble at the beginning and not enjoy it. I never got over that feeling though, I never felt at home while I was at Northwest Missouri State University. So many of my friends there absolutely loved it so I thought it was just me. So, I continued to try new things to help my experience, I had made plenty of friends, joined different organization/ groups but I still didn’t feel like I belonged there. I then began contemplating transferring somewhere else but first I would give Northwest a year just to be sure. I went back and forth with this decision a lot because I knew I could stick it out at NWMSU, my grades were fine, I was doing well, I simply just didn’t like it. In addition, it is not as common for students to transfer from one university to another so I didn’t want people to view me as not capable of sticking with something or getting through college. After completing my first year at NWMSU, I went ahead and applied for classes there for the upcoming fall semester again, but I decided I would also go look at other schools just to see if I found something better. I also did not like my major so, I was now back at square one, unsure of what I wanted to do or where I would go.

All moved in and ready to start my college journey at Northwest Missouri State University

A girl from my hometown reached out to me and suggest I come look at Western Illinois University. I had never heard of this school, but was willing to give it a look just to see what it was about. When I came on my visit at Western Illinois University I met some of the most friendly students and staff. It was the complete opposite of NWMSU, but I could tell that everyone at WIU really cared about each other and their students. They were very welcoming and made me feel right at home, even though I was in a completely different state. So, I decided that I would transfer to Western Illinois University and give it a try. I can say that it is one of the best decisions I ever made. When I started classes in the fall, I was immediately welcomed with open arms and I felt that I had gained a new family in the agriculture department.

Some Sigma Alpha sisters at the Ag open house

I’m not going to say that moving to an entirely new state and living on my own wasn’t terrifying, because it was. I came in knowing only a handful of people that I had met while touring the campus. Since then though, I have gained some of the most meaningful friendships and relationships that I know will last a lifetime. So, if you are ever somewhere where you don’t feel that you belong, it is okay to leave. Just because something works for someone else, it does not mean that it is right for you! Don’t feel like you have to stay just because it is what people expect you to do or because you are afraid to make a change. It’s okay to change your major, or change schools or even not have any idea what you want to do because realistically most people don’t know what they want either. Lastly, it is okay to be nontraditional because it could turn out to impact your life in ways you didn’t know were possible, just like coming to Western Illinois University did for me.

My name is McKaela Bradley and I am from Memphis, Missouri. I am currently a senior at Western Illinois University majoring in Agriculture Business and will be graduating in May. I will forever be grateful that I was able to find my home away from home right here at WIU. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog!

Loving a farmer is hard during the busy seasons

Being married or even dating a farmer is sometimes difficult. Farming isn’t just simply an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. office job. It is long hours of never seeing each other, going to bed alone, and constantly running back and forth to the field all while trying to maintain your sanity. It is tough, but just know that you are not alone!

Couples my age are spending beautiful fall weekends at the pumpkin patches, apple orchards, haunted houses, and even enjoying their time at the local brewery drinking craft pumpkin beer. However, that is not the case for us. Sometimes we are lucky enough to go out to eat or enjoy a cold beverage together during harvest, but even at that, it is a miracle. Dating a farmer may be one thing, but dating a farmer during harvest is extraordinarily tough. It takes not only a lot of effort, but patience and it tests your relationship with your significant other. Here are a few tips/ tricks I have learned during this harvest season.

Make sure you know the field names/fields before harvest.

When they call for dinner, a ride, or even want you to come see them, never say “I do not know where that is”. Asking for directions to the field they are in while they are trying to multitask in the tractor or combine usually ends up getting told a landmark, take a left, then it is just about half a mile after the turn. 

Make sure you know all of the different fields and field names before harvest time rolls around. (Trust me on this, you will thank me later)

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Better go ahead and add meteorologist to your resume.

I am not kidding when I say this! When there is rain in the forecast, it is hammer down time. Be prepared to keep them updated where the rain is and when it will be here. 

Making plans…

If you are like me, you love to make plans! During the harvest season, do not even think about making any plans for both of you, unless they are broken down or it is raining. Which if that is the case, they normally are not fun to be around, and very cranky. Plan on spending time with your friends that also have their significant other in the field.

Make good food!!!

This is something I always admired because I love to cook! Cooking good food that is not messy and quick for them to eat is sometimes difficult. When they are working crazy long hours on only 4 hours of sleep, you want to make sure that the food is easy for them to eat.

You’re not their priority..RIGHT NOW

Be patient and flexible, never try making a sarcastic comment about being “neglected” because at this time of the year, they are not in the mood! Make an effort to go out to the field to see them. 

You may feel single…but remember that feeling is not forever!

During harvest, you may feel alone, but don’t think you are the only one that is feeling that way. A lot of other women are out there feeling it too! I find this very difficult for myself since I absolutely love everything about fall. I wish we could be that cute couple that is at the pumpkin patch but I know this is what he loves to do! 

Be Supportive!!!! 

What they want from us right now is to be supportive and understanding. Offering support to them will not only show how much we love them, but it could potentially put a smile on their face during a hard days work. They need your support, just like you need their support!

I hope these tips help you out during the harvest season! Remember to always text or call to tell them that you are always there for them and are proud of them! And if you want to take it one step further, go out to the field to see them, ride with them, and see what they need you to do. They will rely on you for a lot, but in the end it will always be worth it. 

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Hello! Thank you for reading my blog! My name is Kelsey. I am from Hopedale, Illinois. I attended two years at Lake Land College where I received my Associates and now pursing my Bachelors of Science in Ag Business. I am currently a senior. After graduation, my goal is to start my career in Ag Sales or Ag Marketing.

Bow-hunting: Mistakes Before the Shot

Photo By:Lance Krueger

With November now here, White-tail deer archery season is in full swing for western Illinois bow hunters. Like any avid hunter, we have been waiting for this moment since the end of last season. Now that it’s here, bow hunters are happier than kids on Christmas day. Without proper preparation and the right state of mind, you can do more damage to the game you hunt or find yourself going home empty handed. Here are some common mistakes hunters make before taking their shot and how to avoid the “What happened?” that often comes with these mistakes. 

The number one mistake I see hunters make is improper form. Proper form is the foundation of the bow-hunters world. Without a strong foundation the world just falls apart. Common issues I see hunters have is bad anchor points, too firm of a grip on the bow, and trigger control. When pulling back a bow string, you do not need to have a death grip on the bow handle. Too firm of a grip causes the shooter to pull the bow downwards, making the shot come in to low. To fix this, pull the string back and hold the bow loosely in your hand. It will feel strange and kind of sketchy, but I can assure you the bow won’t go anywhere and in doing so your shot will fly more true to where you aim. 

Tru-Fire Hand Release

Next you need to find the anchor point for you. The anchor point is the point where at full draw the string rests at the corner of the mouth. Depending on what kind of release you have, wrist or hand, your anchor will differ. With hand releases, you will draw the bow back and put your jaw bone in between the index and middle finger knuckle. Whereas with wrist releases, you will draw the bow back and put the top of your hand right under or slightly touching your ear lobe. From this point it’s all about trigger control. When you are ready to shoot, instead of pulling the trigger you want to slowly squeeze the trigger. Let the bow surprise you when it fires. If you anticipate the shot, it can throw your aim off and cause many missed opportunities. 

Tru-Fire Wrist Release

Once you get the form down; practice, practice, practice. I can not begin to guess how many deer I missed because of the lack of effort to be willing to put in the time to prepare myself. Get a target block or go to the local bow shop and practice for 45 minutes to an hour each day. This will make you very comfortable with your bow as well as your release.  

Photo By: David Fields

For me, the countdown to deer season starts in August. When August comes, that’s when I am out in the field scouting potential areas to hunt, move some deer stands and ground blinds around. When I find an area I like, it’s time to prep the area. It helps to have a friend come out and help you with this part to give you the ground perspective or the stand/blind perspective. You want to clear branches and excessive foliage that could deflect your arrows intended flight path. Keep in mind though, make sure you are leaving enough cover for yourself to remain concealed. After you have made all your preparations, you may consider setting up trail cameras or doing what I call a dry sit. A dry sit is when you go to one of the stands or blinds you have set up  without your bow and observe all the activity going on. 

Photo By: Charles Alsheimer

Okay you have done all your prep work, you have put in the time practicing and deer season is finally here. Time for the hunt to begin. You get to your stand, set up, and wait. Finally a deer walks down and is set up for a perfect shot. At this point, you start to sweat, your heart is beating like crazy and your shaking like a leaf in the wind. Hunters call this buck fever. Buck fever can cause you to rush and or take bad shots. Fellow outdoors men and avid bow-hunter, Hunter Imhof, says that “Rushing a shot 9 times out of 10 results in a misplaced shot or a complete miss. Always take your time when lining up the shot”. A trick I have learned to combat this feeling is to focus on a quarter of the deer that you want to hit, this being the heart and lungs. Also focus on breathing in through the nose out through the mouth. This will help calm your nerves and channel the pepped up adrenaline.

With these tips on bowhunting, I hope you can bag a deer and share it with the family. Remember you get more out of something if you are willing to put in the extra time. Harvesting a deer can be one of the most satisfying things to accomplish, but all hunters need to do so in a way that is quick and clean so the deer does not suffer. I look forward to hearing about some of the experiences you have had or to answer any questions you may have for me. 

Photo By: Amanda Lorentz

More about the author:

My name is Joe Marshall, I grew up outside the small town of Vermont IL. I’m currently a Senior at Western Illinois University, pursuing a degree in Agriculture Business with a minor in Agriculture Technology Management. I picked up hunting when I was 14 and always look forward to new experiences that come with it.

Author

Why are we in Agriculture?

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  KODAK Digital Still Camera

From left to right: Stephen, Shelby, Grandpa, Me, Scott
My siblings, grandpa and me at our hometown, Cameron, IL, for the 4th of July.

There are four kids in my family, Shelby, Stephen, Scott and myself. We come from a background of having all sorts of animals when we were little. We raised anything from llamas to emus to cattle to pigs and poultry. I don’t know if I would exactly classify us as farmers because we raised a lot of these animals just for fun. We also collect and restore antique John Deere tractors.

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Left: Our John Deere “Spoker” D on display at the Carl Sandburg Mall.
Right: My siblings and I posed on our 1936 John Deere D for a Christmas card photo.

My brothers and I have invested our lives directly into agriculture. A lot of this is because when we were younger we developed a passion for the industry. My brother, Scott, is a farm hand (Herndon Farms), truck driver and is starting his own cattle operation. My other brother, Stephen, is a Case New Holland technician at Birkey’s. For myself, I currently work at Martin Sullivan (John Deere) in the parts department.

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Left: Herndon Farms logo (credit: Scott Boyd)
Middle: Birkey’s logo (credit: Birkey’s Farm Store)
Right: Martin Sullivan logo (credit: Martin Sullivan)

I decided to take a second to ask my brothers why we do what we do. The way the agriculture industry has been looking is gloom but we try to stay motivated and keep our heads up. We all are in different areas within the industry so I thought it would be interesting to see what our answers are and how they vary considering we all came from the same background and took different routes.

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Left: Herndon Farms loading their semi during harvest. (credit: Jessica Herndon)
Right: Scott doing fieldwork by applying anhydrous ammonia (credit: Scott Boyd)

When I asked Scott why he is involved in agriculture he gave me the typical “Scott” answer. His first reply was “different obstacles daily- playing in the dirt always.” Anyone who knows Scott knows that he can’t sit still and that he can get bored easily. Having different tasks that he can do on a daily basis is something that he loves and where he thrives. Scott has been working for the same farmer since he graduated high school in 2014. During this time he has built friendships and relationships with people throughout his industry. He has also taken the time to get his CDL and has recently invested in a small group of cattle to raise for himself. Scott enjoys knowing that he isn’t going to have the same day twice. His favorite tasks on the farm are those that are classified under “playing in the dirt.” When asked what his favorite two things about his job are he replied with raising healthy crops and livestock and having a different challenge to face everyday.

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Above: Work being done in the shop and on the farm. (credit: Stephen Boyd)

I also asked Stephen why he’s involved in agriculture. He answered me with “I have enjoyed working on agriculture equipment since I was old enough to hold a flashlight. All the long hours techs put in getting customers’ combines and tractors ready to run during harvest time pays off when the customer has all of his crops harvested.” Stephen had a great opportunity when he graduated high school. He was sponsored by Birkey’s and sent to the Case New Holland certification program in Champaign, IL which he graduated from in 2016. He’s been with Birkey’s since he started school in 2014. Anybody that knows Stephen knows that he’s the type of person who likes to work hard so that he can then play hard. His favorite parts about his job are helping customers and learning about the new technology.

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Left: Picture at the John Deere headquarters after a two day training.
Right: Picture taken of me during a tractor pull in Fairview, IL. (credit: Dianna Boyd)

I decided to sit back and take a look at why I am involved in the industry. When I graduated high school in 2016, I knew I was going to be involved in agriculture but I wasn’t quite sure how. In April of 2018, I got the opportunity to join Martin Sullivan, a John Deere dealership. Knowing the background of John Deere and knowing it is a family based company, I was excited to see where the future would lead. Being the outgoing person that I am, I am always willing to meet new people and try new things. I have worked out of two of our stores in the past year and a half. This has allowed me to form relationships with a multitude of farmers and customers. I have also been able to form friendships with a lot of our techs and my coworkers. I used to think I was involved in the industry for the relationships and friendships I have built with the farmers and customers but I realize it is so much more than that. I am involved in the industry because it is a family industry. There are ups and there are downs but we all go through them together. I’m in this industry because it gives me another family and you can never have too big of a family.

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Hi guys and gals! Thanks for taking the time to read my blog! My name is Victoria Boyd. I am a senior at Western Illinois University studying Agricultural Business with a minor in Management. I’m originally from Cameron, IL but currently reside in Macomb, IL. Growing up my brothers and I were super close in school. The other day I was thinking about life and was just amazed at how what different paths we have taken in our lives but are still in such a close knit industry. Fun Fact: There have been days that all three of us have worked together for each other with our jobs (but I guess you’ll have that when all your jobs function together.)

I also want to throw a big thank you out to my brothers for once again being the subjects of my project. (I promise, you guys, it’s almost over!)

Taking City People Into The Life of a Small Town Farmer

By Jacquelyn Vela

Imagine walking on the streets hearing cars zooming by, horns hocking, people yelling, bicycles ringing their bells, and coins dropping on the floor. You are getting pushed and shoved and engulfed in the hustle and bustle around you while people are telling you to watch where you are going. Now, imagine walking on a street with near no noise. The only noise you will hear is someone nicely saying “good morning,” the occasional train whistle going off,  the farmers at work, and the smell of fresh manure. These are two completely different worlds. So how does one adapt to this lifestyle? I interviewed  Cameron Lambert-Haak to share his experience with us.    

Cameron lives in Carol Stream, Illinois where their population is over 42,000 people, and every town surrounding it has no less than 25,000 people. Macomb, Illinois has a population of about 19,280 people. The surrounding town’s population is around 9,000. That is a little more than a third of the surrounding towns around Carol Stream. When Cameron came to live in Macomb, you could only imagine the change he had to get use to. The biggest shock for him was how far he had to drive to get to somewhere like the mall. In his town, the mall was a five-minute drive but in Macomb it is about thirty minutes to an hour drive. In addition, he found it strange how there is mostly only one of each store around town. In Chicago, there could be four Dunkin Donuts within a mile.

“The fact that there is basically one of everything blows my mind.”

The one change he enjoys is how kind people are in Macomb. In the city, people tend to ignore you and if they do speak to you, they are probably yelling at you. That being said, living in Macomb has affected Cameron in positive and negative ways. The negatives involved living in a small community where there is not much to do. However, getting to know people better because he sees them around often has made a positive effect on Cameron.

“ I will always miss being away from a populated community where there is just a lot going on.”

I decided to take Cameron to the WIU farm and have the local farmer Jay, give him a tour. Watching a city boy on a farm was entertaining to the farmer and myself. Cameron was extremely entertained by the cattle and wanted to interact with them but the cattle did not want to interact with him. So we decided to bring him to the swine barn were we knew the animals would love human interaction.

Photo taken by Jacquelyn Vela on the WIU Piglet Nursery

Cameron was amazed by the size of swine up close. He commented on how he never realized how big the females were compared to the males. Surprisingly, the smell did not seem to bother him that much but we have to remember a city normally does not have the best smells either. The last stop on the farm was in the swine nursery, and Cameron gladly held a piglet. I asked him his thoughts on farmers of what their life consists of since he got a tour. He mentions how he always pictured farmers being rough and tough and from the tour, that seemed true all the way. It was no surprise to him how Farmer Jay was knowledgeable in most areas of the farm even though he primarily works with swine.

Living in a very populated city or a tiny town is like night and day. Cameron gladly shared his experience with the extreme living environment changes. In addition, he got a  tour of a farm and saw what it was like to run one. In the end, this city boy — even though its was a huge change in pace — highly enjoyed all of the animals at the farm and is happy that he got to live in a small town where he met some of his closest friends.

About the Interviewer!

This picture was taken on the WIU farm inside the piglet nursery.

This is Cameron Lambert-Haak and he is from Carol Stream, Illinois. Cameron is a junior at Western Illinois University majoring in Zoology and minoring in Scuba. After graduating he plans on finding a job in some zoo or aquarium.

About the Author!

Thank you for reading my blog! My name is Jacquelyn Vela and I am from Minooka, Illinois. I am a junior at Western Illinois University majoring in Agriculture Science with an emphasis in Animal Science and double minoring in Chemistry and Zoology. After graduating, I plan on going to graduate school for veterinary medicine.