Growing up in a small farming community, I have always been surrounded by people in the agriculture industry. I myself though, was not raised on a farm and had little knowledge about agriculture. School and participating in sports was all I knew for many years of my life. Once I arrived in high school, I had the opportunity to join and be a member of FFA for all four years. This was my first real in depth look into the world of agriculture.
After graduating high school, I spent the summer working for my cousin Kyle’s auction company (Kyle Kelso Auctioneer) and for my uncle Clarke and his brother Kurt on the farm (Kelso Brothers). I spent two years at Carl Sandburg College where I obtained my Associate in Arts Degree. During those 2 years I continued working at both the farm and the auction company. At this time, I also began working for Jed Rhoades (Rhoades Real Estate and Land Auction Services).
In the fall of 2018, I transferred to Western Illinois University where I began a major in Finance. After completing a year of Finance courses, I remember sitting down trying to figure out my future after college. I quickly realized that all three jobs I was splitting my time between, had a connection to agriculture. Working on the farm, helping with machinery auctions for the auction company, and assisting the Real Estate Company with Land Auctions. There I was completely surrounded by agriculture. This is when I realized that maybe I should take a look into changing my major. While I didn’t want to completely abandon Finance, I decided to major in Agriculture and minor in Finance. Since making this adjustment, I have enjoyed my agriculture courses, and learned a lot from my professors. I am looking forward to completing my degree in agriculture and graduating from WIU.
“It is impossible to have a healthy and sound society without a proper respect for the soil.” – Peter Maurin
My name is Blaine Rench and I am from Bushnell, IL. I am a student at Western Illinois University with a major in Agriculture and a minor in Finance. Thank you for checking out my blog.
If you ever have to drive through Havana Illinois on a day when the grain markets are open and the prices are up, here’s a piece of advice: don’t end up like Clark Griswold sandwiched under the trailer of a semi because you weren’t paying attention. It’s not uncommon to be backed up behind a convoy of semis at one of two stoplights, where they end up in an empty lot only to wait a couple more hours just to unload at one of three the grain storage facilities. Although it does create a minor traffic jam, it’s nothing compared to Chicago rush hour.
Having grown up just outside of town on a farm, I have become accustomed to the semi traffic to and from the elevators. While it does cause some congestion, we’re very fortunate to have the Illinois River at our disposal to send out grain across the world. Cargill, ADM, and WGM are the three grain storage companies that have their facilities along the river where they’re able to send their grain straight from a bin, to an empty barge.
Selling the grain and sending it off to it’s next stop in the supply chain is less hectic. One single barge that is at capacity will hold around 62,000 bushels, equivalent to 58 semis. These barges typically haul around 10 to 15 barges and will pick up loaded ones from the elevators and are sent to New Orleans to larger elevators, eventually making their way to a destination thousands of miles away. I spoke with Evan Houghton, who works alongside his father, Danny, at Jack Tanner Towing, and he said in a single year, Havana loads around 100 million bushels onto barges, the largest amount of any location on the Illinois River.
This past summer and into the fall months, the river was shut down due to repairs on several locks and dams. Grain elevators had no access to barges, which ultimately resulted in the elevators filling up rather quick. As I currently live along the river, not in a van, I have become accustomed to large spotlights glowing through the windows at anytime of the night. It resembles a searchlight that police use when searching for a suspect in a helicopter. It was odd to not have the barge light shine through during those months. No commodity was able to be moved on the river.
The Illinois River is an enjoyment for many. Boaters flock from all around the area to spend their day on the river traveling up to Peoria and back or find a sandbar and sit with their friends and family for the day. Some boaters will use the river to travel from their current location down to the Gulf of Mexico. Because of the invasion of Asian Carp, tubing and waterskiing have become more of a stunt performed by a daredevil; but it’s still possible. For agriculture, the river is a way to transport enormous amounts of grain from a rural Illinois town to across the ocean. Havana and the surrounding is fortunate to have a river where the commodity supply chain is greatly utilized. The next time you visit Havana, take a look at the number of barges lining the banks of the river, some of those might end up on the other side of the world.
“The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways.”- John F. Kennedy
About the Author
My name is Kurt Fornoff and I am from Havana, Illinois. I’m currently a senior at Western Illinois University majoring in Agribusiness Management. My plans after graduating are to find a job in sales or commodities. Many thanks to Evan Houghton for letting me bombard him with questions about grain exporting in Havana. I appreciate everyone taking the time to read this and learning more about agriculture.
Sometimes we have to walk through the storm or dance in the rain to find the rainbow on the other side. Picture taken by Brody Carmien.
When I arrived at Western Illinois University in the Fall of 2018, I counted down the semesters until I graduated. Looking back, I remember dreading how many semesters I had left and the feeling that I was never going to leave this place. Now, I only have a little over a year left and let me tell you, time flies! As a person that isn’t that far removed from high school and is in college currently, I thought that I would share some helpful pieces of advice that I have learned along the way.
Take it one day at a time!
As I already mentioned, when I started school, I began counting down the years, semesters, and weeks until I was done. I personally tend to over-think, panic, and get anxiety over school and events. I look too far ahead at things that I might not be able to control or at things that can change. If this is you, listen up! Everything will be okay, I promise. One thing that tends to help me is taking a deep breath, taking a step back, and then taking things one day at a time. Do what needs done ASAP and then prioritize everything after that. Ask yourself what is more important? What needs to be done sooner? What is worth the most points? Additionally, don’t procrastinate, it makes everything worse.
Get involved. Find your niche.
My biggest piece of advice for anyone is to get involved. Getting involved doesn’t only build your resumé it also allows you to network. Growing up, I was super involved in softball. In high school, I was super involved in FFA, student and class government, bunnies volunteer club, softball (until my sophomore year), and my senior year as a stat girl for wrestling. This allowed me to meet so many people that I would have not gotten the opportunity to do so if I wasn’t so involved. Also, be diverse in the things that you choose. Maximize your opportunity to network and to learn new things. Step outside of your comfort zone, I promise you that you’ll be okay.
In regards to college, I’m going to say the same exact thing! I am currently involved in Sigma Alpha – Professional Agricultural Sorority, as the newly elected treasurer; CFFA/PAS/AgEd Club, as the secretary; an Ag Vocator, as an ag council representative; and I’m also in Collegiate Farm Bureau. These clubs allow me to meet new people within the School of Agriculture but also out in the industry. Each of these clubs allows me to build myself professionally and personally. I honestly don’t think that I would be where I am today if it wasn’t for these organizations.
Additionally, whether it be in high school or college, the people that you meet could be your friends for a lifetime! Getting out and active can help you find your people, your friends, and your network. Getting involved will make your time more memorable and so much more fun.
Be nice to yourself!
I have a huge problem with forgetting to mark myself into my calendar. I am constantly going from event to event and doing homework. However, I’ve had to learn to add myself to my calendar. Whether that is to go on a walk, or watch a movie/show, or just sit in silence for 30 minutes. Whatever it is, pencil yourself in. It is important! Additionally, cut yourself some slack. You don’t always have to strive to be THE best, strive to be YOUR best. Nobody is perfect. Even if they seem to be, everyone has their flaws. Additionally, follow not only your gut, but also your heart and your brain. Things around you are going to be constantly changing wherever you go, but so will you. You’re going to change and grow into something that might surprise you. Change is hard and it’s not going to happen overnight, so be patient with yourself.
How to choose your next move.
This one is mainly for high schoolers, but others may find some benefit in it. I remember being asked in high school what I plan to do after I graduate. Sometimes I knew that answer and sometimes I didn’t, and that’s okay. It’s perfectly fine to not know what’s next! You don’t have to have your whole life planned out before your 20, not even before your 30. Life changes, plans change, stuff happens! There is so much more that is next like, community college, 4-year universities, tech and trade school, apprenticeships, cosmetology school, and much much more. For me at least, I knew I wanted to move on to higher education. Additionally, I changed my career path numerous times, and that’s okay. Do what makes you happy because your decisions are what you have to live with the rest of your life.
Another piece of this puzzle is the where. Where is the next move? Is it a community college less than 30 minutes from your house or a university 1,000 miles away from home? My tip to people is go where it feels like home. I grew up close to several prominent schools like Parkland College, the University of Illinois, and Illinois State University, to name a few. Personally, these just weren’t the places for me. They didn’t feel like home. Additionally, going away gave me the opportunity to experience something new, something that I wouldn’t have if I would have stayed near home. Look at your interests, your needs, what you want out of your education, and where your education could possibly take you. Go on campus visits, talk to faculty and staff, talk to the students, get a feel for how it really is. If you can, spend the night or shadow a student. These are the best indicators for whether or not it is the right place for you.
Take every opportunity and experience that you’re given.
Another helpful tip that I can give you is to take every opportunity that you’re given and don’t take a single minute of it for granted. Have faith in yourself and believe that you can do it. Before you know it that opportunity could be gone and you’re going to be sitting there regretting it. You know how I know this, because I have taken several opportunities and experiences for granted. Looking back, I wish that I wouldn’t have been so scared or that I wouldn’t have doubted myself so much. Don’t be scared of failure, chase your dreams and don’t let anything stand in your way. It’s the experiences along the way that make the best memories. Just stop and take it in before it’s all gone. If you don’t you’re going to look back and wish that you did.
Rock your word!
This is an activity that I learned about back in high school and let me tell you it has gotten me through so rough times. I actually learned about it from my Ag teacher and FFA Advisor during our summer officer retreat and training. My Ag teacher sat us down and told us to reflect on a word that we needed to work on. She then had us pick a rock and told us to write our word on it and decorate it. She then made us look up the definition. We then went around in a circle and told everyone our word, the definition of the word, and why we chose that word. The word that I chose was BOLD. I didn’t feel like I was standing up to my fullest potential. I felt like a grey highlighter. Every year since then I have chosen a word for myself. So far my words have been: BOLD, UNSTOPPABLE, BELIEVE, and BREATHE. I challenge you to rock your word.
The quote that I want to leave you with is this…
“If you fail, never give up because F.A.I.L means First Attempt In Learning.
End is not the end, in fact E.N.D means, Effort Never Dies.
If you get NO as an answer, remember N.O. means Next Opportunity.
Change your mindset!”
-Unknown
In summary, believe in yourself. Do your best and if you become overwhelmed, take a step back. Take those stressful weeks one day at a time. Maybe even try looking at challenges from a different perspective. Another thing, get involved within your school and community. This will allow you to meet new people, network, gain more experience, and have fun while doing so. In addition, don’t pass up opportunities and experiences because of fear. You don’t know if you’ll succeed unless you try. Also, when choosing your next move consider what you want. Look at your wants, needs, and values when making decisions. Lastly, rock your word!
Hello my name is Emma Carmien and I am currently a Junior at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois, obtaining my bachelors in Agricultural Business. I am involved on campus with Sigma Alpha – Professional Agricultural Sorority, CFFA/PAS/Aged Club, Collegiate Farm Bureau, and on the Ag Vocator recruitment team. Thank you taking the time to read my blog post!
When I was just eight years old, my passion for the agriculture industry began when I started showing livestock. In the ten years I spent in the barn, I learned more about myself and this industry that I would have ever thought. The barn was where my family grew close. Many early mornings and late nights were spent washing cattle, tread-milling sheep, and working pigs. Missed social events when I got to high school, because farm life doesn’t stop when you want to go to a Friday night football game. Countless laughs and memories made with my family and those who grew to be apart of my family through showing.
Cultivating A New Passion
Riley Troxell + Myself stocking vegetable flats in 2020. Photo taken by Mallory Boyert
My roots grew deeper into agriculture when I was 15 years old. I decided to get my first job, with plans to save up for a car (and more livestock of course.) I began working at Boyerts Greenhouse and Farm in Medina, Ohio, just roughly 5 miles from our family farm. I worked a few days a week after school and most weekends, helping out in needed areas and soaking up all the plant-knowledge I could get. It was easy for me to pick up all this information when I was in an environment with people so willing to share their knowledge with me. Six years later, you can still find me at the greenhouse in the summers and when I go home for winter break. I continue advocating for the agriculture industry while I am there and share all of the plant knowledge I have learned over the years with anyone I can!
Bigger And Better Things
At 18, my time in the show ring came to an end and it was time to go off to college. I had decided to attend Black Hawk College- East Campus as an agriculture transfer student. I enjoyed the first year and half of college. From sitting in the seats of the Dan Hoge auditorium, to Larson’s soil science labs; they are all experiences that I am grateful for and wouldn’t trade for anything. Spring semester of my sophomore year at Black Hawk College-East Campus, I was preparing to graduate with my Associates of Science and transfer to Western Illinois University. It was just a short time until a wrench was thrown into that and I was moving back home to Ohio to finish my degree via Zoom. COVID-19 flooded the media and Masks became our new norm. With the uncertainty of how little we knew about this virus, I was unsure of continuing my path in college and wanted to do something for myself.
Change of Pace
I began researching anything and everything small business, and trying to find the keys to be successful. Unconventionally, fashion happened to be my second passion. I can remember when I was little, putting on fashion shows for my whole family anytime I got new clothes for Christmas or birthdays. And my moms personal favorite, taking an extra 20 minutes in the fitting room at the mall because sometimes you have to dance in your new clothes just to ‘make sure they fit right.’ (I must be honest, this I have not yet outgrown and it definitely is her least favorite thing about shopping with me to this day.) Being true to myself, my followers, my love for fashion and, to the agriculture industry was my main goals of opening this business.
I knew I couldn’t let my love for fashion pull me from my agriculture roots, so I smashed them both together. June of 2020 I launched my business, Windy Roots Boutique LLC. I am fortunate enough to travel with WRB while still being a full time college student. In just ten short months, I have set up in five different states at different livestock shows and sales. As well as sent out packages to roughly 50% of the states in the United States.
The Big Picture
From my time spent in 4-H at eight years old, the growth I made as an individual in the greenhouse, to owning a small business at 21; I have learned that you can read all the books, listen to all the podcasts and watch all the videos in the world but the only one that will get you to where you want to be, is you. It takes a lot of courage to live in a world where we are constantly being told that who we are and what we settle for isn’t enough. Combine your passions to create authenticity, always be true to where your roots lie, and NEVER let anyone tell you that you can’t do something.
I would love for you to visit my website and follow along on my journey! You can find me @windyrootsboutique on instagram or at windyrootsboutique.com
Meet The Author
My name is Alexis Zgrabik from Seville, Ohio. I am a junior at Western Illinois University and the owner of Windy Roots Boutique. I currently study Agriculture Science with a minor in Agriculture Business. After graduation, I plan to grow my business and open a storefront someday.
We have always heard that if we love what we do we will never work a day in our life, I hope that holds true. I know it can be difficult to find things we are truly passionate about and want to do. We are always getting pulled in a hundred different directions, it is hard to dictate what we find enough passion in to be dedicated to it, to do everything we can to be great at it. Some days I wish I could go back and tell myself to focus on this and that so that I could have a clue what was waiting for me when I came to college. I spent two and a half years working towards a degree half-assed because I felt like I could not do anything else since I had always said I wanted to be a veterinarian. I had no passion for it and was miserable working towards that future, but I had always had a passion for farming and working to make the better, so to speak.
Growing up I always assumed that farming and agronomy was for men and that I would not be taken seriously if I pursued it. Thankfully when I came to Western my junior year I had to take an agronomy class and I took it with Dr. Mark Bernards. He lit the fire within me that I had for agronomy and I made the huge decision to change my major. I even applied to be one of his summer interns. He took a chance on me, and I was able to find the passion I had for agronomic research. This passion had also allowed me to become so much more dedicated to my classes, the research projects, and my future career.
I was spraying my research project at the WIU Kerr Farm. (Photo taken by Kinsey Tiemann)
I recently had a conversation with my parents about what I want. They were talking about their children and how my brother is the smartest academically, but I have the highest drive and work ethic. I know I am not the smartest when it comes to books, but what I lack there I make up in my willingness to work as hard as I can, when it comes to what I want. My dad said he has no worries that I will make it even though it will be tough since I wanted to work in a mans world because when someone looks down on me or says I cannot do something I am going to work that much harder to prove them wrong. That I can and I will because am not afraid and will not back down when it comes to the things I love and have a passion for.
Brian Crawford (my Dad) and I when I came to WIU as a potential student over five years ago. Photo credit goes to my mother Teresa Crawford.
We need to be dedicated if we want to make things for us and those around us better. Just because you have passion about something does not always mean you will be dedicated to see it through or work to be better at it. Those who want to make changes, are the ones who have a passion that drives their dedication. I think that everyone who has a passion, no matter what it is, should strive to show those around them that they are willing to work hard and go the extra mile. Show those who think you cannot do why you can and why you are going to be successful in the long run.
My name is Elaina Crawford. I am a senior majoring in ag sciences, and from a small town in Illinois named Sullivan. I grew up on my family’s farm and plan to one day take over. I grew up playing volleyball and riding horses. In college I was able to continue riding horses and was able to compete for the duration of my college career. I still ride and own my own horses.
When many people think of a small town they imagine nothing but fields, livestock, and a place to pass through along the way to wherever they may be going. To many, the idea of a small town may not be much or may even be associated with a negative perspective. A small town is much more than what most think, such as a sense of community, family, and to me it is home. Growing up, I have always lived in a small town of around 500 people and according to the 2020 census this number has changed to around 470. While this number may seem very small to most, the small town that I grew up in has given me so much more than what most could imagine. My hometown is Chandlerville, Illinois, and it is the place I grew up and lived in for 20 years. This place that I call home has given me so much and has helped to shape me into the person I am today.
In a small town, the community is not only the people living in the town, but rather it is your family. The community is made up of your neighbors, good friends, coworkers, and family. These are the first people to help you whenever you may need it, whether it be in a time of an emergency or something as small as an ingredient. In a small town, the pastor may be your best friend’s dad, the volunteer firefighters are made up of those you are very close with (the chief is like a second father), and those eating breakfast at the local restaurant may remind you of grandparents of yours. These people are very much not just regular community members, as they manage to take on many tasks and roles at a time, just to keep the place that I call home, running.
Photo By: Chandlerville Fire Department
While growing up and living in a small town, I have not only gained lifelong friendships and a second family, but also a major support system. About a year and a half ago, I lost both parents in a tragic car accident. This time in my life was very hard, and is probably the hardest thing I will ever go through. The love and support that I received from my small town was unimaginable. While I knew that my town was full of loving, caring, and generous people, the support I received during that time and to this day is truly special. Many people in the town, as well as other nearby communities came together to help my family. People came together to make donation jars, held a dinner/auction, made bracelets, and so much more. To me this is what living in a small town is all about and I will forever cherish small town living and the impact it has had on my life. Those who come from a small town are always willing to help others and there is no doubt that you will be greeted with a friendly smile or wave when you are in town.
Living in a small town has shown me how to appreciate the small things in life. Due to growing up in a small town, high school agriculture classes, and FFA, I have gained the passion for agriculture, which has led me to pursue a major in agricultural business and hopefully a future career in the agricultural industry. The hard work of local farmers never went unnoticed and I had always had this underlying passion to be involved in agriculture. To me a small town is finding the beauty in the rows of corn and beans that surround us on all sides. It is about this sense of unity from all of the hard work, dedication, and passion for the place that we all call home. I am from a small town and I would not have it any other way.
“It is not just another field, just another farm, no it is the ground we grew up on.”
Jason Aldean – Country Music Singer
Photo By: Jared William
About the Author
Photo by: WIU Visual Production Center
Hello everyone! My name is Destinee Jones and I am originally from Chandlerville, IL and now reside in White Hall, IL. I am currently a Junior at Western Illinois University, where I major in Agricultural Business and minor in Marketing. While being a student at WIU, I am apart of Sigma Sigma Sigma, Collegiate Farm Bureau, and the Centennial Honors College. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog!
My dad and grandpa started our family farm when my dad was younger and it was not anything special. It consisted of farming a couple hundred acres of corn and soybeans and also raising some hogs. As time went on they started farming more ground but it still was not something that one person could do for a full career without another form of income. My dad started selling crop insurance in 2011 and has been working for a 5,500 acre grain operation spraying for them for 28 years. He stopped spraying for the company when he started his own farming with a co-worker for the company he sprayed for. That now consists of 2,200 acres between grain and soybeans. My grandpa was a mechanic for Bliss Implement for a long time until the late 90’s then started his own mechanic gig in our own shop. In about 2011 he started selling Scag lawn mowers for a company called Scag Power Equipment.
We still farm the land that my dad and grandpa used to farm but my dad figured we needed something more. So he started farming with someone he worked with for a long time. We have always owned older equipment that got the job done but usually needed to be worked on before every planting season, now we have newer equipment that we hardly ever need to work on. It’s really nice having nicer things to do your work with but it does not start out like that.
My Grandpa was one of the biggest Scag dealers in this are and his sales grew every year. He met a lot of new people doing this and there were not many in the area that didn’t know him. Not only he was a great salesman, but he never stopped working on mowers at the age of 79. Unfortunately, he unexpectedly passed away this last August and we didn’t know what we were going to do about the business and everything surrounding it. We recently teamed up with a local mechanic and friend that we now do business with selling mowers and we could not be doing better.
The main point of this is that there are endless opportunities. I grew up thinking my family was just going to farm and go nowhere ahead from that (there is nothing wrong with just farming). In 2011, everything started changing and life got a whole lot more interesting. All it took was dedication and the drive to want more for yourself. My Dad has said since as long as I can remember,
There are endless opportunities in this world
Greg Smith
About The Author
My name is Talon Smith and I am from Princeville, IL. I attend Western Illinois University School of Agriculture studying Ag Business Management and minoring in Agronomy. My plans after graduation are finding a job in either the sales or agronomy field. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.
This our John Deere 8245R and Kinze 16 row corn planter.
I am the fourth generation of my family to work on the farm. We have a cow-calf operation and feed out feeder calves for a majority of the year. My family and I also raise oats, hay, soybeans, and corn. I enjoy our farm because it is diversified and I get to see a lot of different aspects of the Agriculture industry. If I had to choose, my favorite part about farming would be the reward of all the hard work that my family and I put into it each year. This includes raising crops until they are ready to be harvested or taking care of a newborn calf until he/she is ready to be sold.
How our Farm has Changed
I have seen numerous changes on our farm over the last ten years. We expanded our cattle production by picking up more pasture, and as a result our cow numbers have nearly doubled. We also have increased the number of tillable acres. But by far the biggest change in farming was the technology. Ever since I was young, I remember how the crops were planted and harvested; It was much more time consuming and so much slower compared to how it is now. Today we have GPS guidance systems on all of our row crop equipment and the tractors essentially drive themselves. It also seems that every year equipment is getting bigger and more efficient. However, it seems that planting and harvesting windows are getting smaller so the advancement in technology is a necessity.
Improvements on our Farm
We have made several improvements to our farm as well that are more conservation oriented. Instead of chisel plowing all of our ground every fall and then cultivating it in the spring, we now own a vertical till instead. We run the vertical till over our ground in the fall, then plant right into it in the spring. This has several benefits; It saves us time, fuel, hours on our equipment and barely disturbs the soil so we do not lose too much soil from erosion. Two years ago we started planting some cover crops on our farm as well. This is great for us because it helps with soil erosion and we can graze our cattle on it. After taking some classes here at WIU with Dr. Gruver I would like to put more of our acres into cover crop each year. I have learned how beneficial they can be; They improve soil health, reduce erosion, and the cattle love to graze them in the spring before planting season begins.
About the Author
Hi everyone! My name is Mitchell Gibson. I am Junior at Western Illinois University from Knoxville, Illinois. I am studying Ag Business. I hope to go back to my family farm after college and farm with my family. Thanks for reading my blog!
Grandpa Larry, Landon, and myself checking seed depth.
Farming has been in my blood for as long as I can remember. I have always wanted to be apart of something bigger on the family farm, and follow in my father’s foot steps. Watching as I grew up, seeing everything he did, and being able to ride in the tractor with him made me so happy. I’ve been told the story that I often rode with my dad while buckled in my car seat before the age of one! This is what has driven me to pursue agriculture and to come back home to the family farm.
Growing up on a family farm, I was able to learn from my grandpa everything that goes into farming. He would let me ride with him in the combine. I am also fortunate in the respect that both of grandfathers live within a few miles of our home and they both are active farmers.
Our family farm consists of my Grandpa Larry Arnold, my Grandma Carolyn Arnold, my uncle Jeff Arnold, my father Lance Arnold, my cousin Erick Arnold, my younger brothers Luke and Landon Arnold, and myself. I am very thankful for having such great influencers that have taught me a great deal of what I know about farming. Spending countless hours in the fields or working in the shop have created some of my greatest memories. I especially love it during harvest on the weekends when we are in full swing and we all stop for lunch. The whole family comes out. My grandma, aunt, and mother make lunch and allows us to stop for a bit. This brief time out allows us to not only discuss the events of the day, but often leads to entertaining conversations about me and my brothers!
I can get a phone call or a text from my father saying, “We need you back here on the farm” and it lights up my whole world. Now do not get me wrong I love school, but any chance I get to drive the hour back home to help on the farm I gladly take advantage of it. When I get back it is hard telling what I might be doing. It could be a Peterbilt or the tractor and auger wagon during harvest, or I might be in a pickup hauling seed during planting season.
Planting season 2020
It is rewarding getting told I look and act just like my father when I am working. I can recall countless times when I am working in the tractor and Grandma says to me, “You look just like your father.” It makes me excited to carry on the legacy of our family.
While many farm families in the Midwest are several generations deep, my family has a little less history. My grandfather was a welder when he got out of high school and soon decided that factory life wasn’t for him. He had been farming a few acres on the side, but decided to walk away from a paycheck and take the leap into full time farming at the age of 27. With very little outside help, grandma and grandpa started farming full time. Doing custom farming, raising hogs and a few cows, they did whatever they had to do to make ends meet. A year later, a neighbor sold them his farm and things slowly started moving.
Skip forward 50 years, the livestock has reduced to 40 head of cattle, but the row crop portion is still growing. Our family, as a whole, has accumulated many acres of farmland in the fertile Mississippi River bottom near Alexandria, Missouri. Some owned, some rented, but enough acres for three families to make a living off of. I am very proud of my grandparents and parents. They have been good managers and hard workers to get from nothing to nearly 5,000 acres in a span of less than 50 years. I hope to carry on this tradition in the years to come.
Harvest 2020
We are very proactive on our farm, incorporating new technology and trying different practices are some things that we have recently done. Just recently we pulled our planter in the shop to put a fungicide tank on it. On the front of the planting tractor we have saddle tanks for nitrogen to put on in furrow during planting and now we will be applying fungicide in the furrow as well.
I strive to continue helping the farm grow and do what I love. I want to see the land be preserved for generations to come. I can not stress it enough when I say I am proud of what I do and I want to carry on the legacy of farming in my family. After school when I get to return to the farm, I plan to pick up my own acreage and work on the side for awhile.
“Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute to real wealth, good morals & happiness.”
-Thomas Jefferson
About the Author
Hello, my name is Logan Arnold and I am from Kahoka, Missouri. I am a Junior at Western Illinois University majoring in Ag Science with minors in Agronomy and Precision Ag. I am in the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and on the Ag Vocator team here at WIU. I come from a farming family where we are heavily involved in row crop with some cattle. After graduating I plan to go work for 10 years to gain experience before returning to the family farm.
To most people the phrase “I was raised on a hog and grain farm in the middle of nowhere Illinois” doesn’t sound very appealing. When I was younger I would get questions similar to “do the pigs always stink”, “don’t you get tired of working on the farm”, and “do you get tired of eating pork all the time”. At the time, these questions would really make me think on windy days when the smell was ripe, the times I couldn’t go to the pool with my friends because there was work to be done, or when I thought couldn’t we at least raise cattle to so we could eat beef as much as pork, that growing up on a hog farm stunk (literally and figuratively). However, as I’ve grow up and met new people and experienced new places, I have become grateful beyond words to have grown up on a not so glamorous hog farm. Along the way I have learned a few lessons; here are a few of my favorites.
Photo credits to Kelsey Renee Photography
Let’s take it back to 2012. I’m 12 years old and helping wean pigs on a Thursday morning because there were not enough people to help that day. We finish weaning and my father who apparently had undying confidence in me told me to take the truck and trailer full of pigs down to my uncle’s house where they would meet me to unload them. Simple, right? WRONG. Unbeknownst to me, I would be driving the 1987 manual Ford F350 flatbed, keep in mind I had driven a manual at most two times before this. I was quite unsure of how this was going to go but hopped in confident in my ability to not kill it, I mean it was only 1/2 of a mile how poorly could it go? It went quite well at first, and I was pretty proud of myself as I made it through the intersection without killing it. It wasn’t until I started rolling backwards down the hill at the beginning of my uncles drive that it was pretty apparent to me that this was not going well at all. There I sat with my foot on the brake and clutch not knowing what to do after I had just rolled down the hill and had the truck in the road and trailer halfway in the ditch. Apparently a key piece of information that was not shared with me is you won’t make it up a hill in third gear.
While this is a funny story to tell now that I’m older, there is a lesson to be drawn from it. In life I’ve been thrown into situations like this where I thought the calling was too big for me to handle. I’ve had times that I’ve doubted myself but when these times come, I have to remind myself to have the same confidence as my young 12 year old self had when it came to driving that truck. Sometimes even when I have confidence in myself and try hard things I still fail, and I’ve come to learn that its okay to fail. But after failing I promise that you won’t find me sulking, I’ll be back in that truck learning how to get it up the hill in first gear.
“The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.”
-Masanobu Fukuoka
Photo Credits to Kelsey Renee Photography
This time I’m 14 doing weekend chores with my dad on a Saturday morning before basketball practice. My dad, Bret, was breeding and I was walking the teaser boar so he would know which gilts were in heat. As he was finishing up he told me I could go ahead and put the boar up. Now when I’m walking a 600lb pig on a leash I like to go slow so they know I am in control and determine which direction we are going. However this particular morning the boar was feeling extra spicy and decided it wanted to go for a run. As he took off I fell over a crate and was dragging behind him on the concrete slats. I remember “don’t let go, don’t let go” running through my head mixed in with “ow this hurts, ow this hurts”. My thinking was I can’t let go because what if the door to the hall is open and he goes out there, that will be a pain to get him back down here. As this was all going through my head I can hear my dad yelling “let go, let go”! Me, being the stubborn individual I am proceeds to hold on and get drug a little further before finally getting the leash hooked on the side of another gate.
Now I wish I could say that the lesson to be learned from this is perseverance, but thats not it at all. You see my dad had a totally different perspective of this incident, my dad could see that the door was closed and the boar was not going to get out. Often I worry and overthink about what my future will look like and what my purpose is. Sometimes planning it out in my head despite having doubts. But thought all the worries and anxieties I remind myself that even thought I might not see the bigger picture I have a God who has every single detail planned out for me. He has a plan in mind and will use me as He sees fit, and He loves me even when I find my faith wandering.
You see the best lesson I have learned from my childhood on the farm was not how to replace a roof, process a pig, or vaccinate. The best lesson I have learned is to put my faith in God and he will provide. “But I will bless the person who puts his trust in me. He is like a tree growing near a stream and sending out roots to the water. It is not afraid when hot weather comes, because its leaves stay green; it has no worries when there is no rain; it keeps on bearing fruit” – Jeremiah 17:7-8. My dad and his brothers put their faith in God each year as they put their crops in the ground not knowing what this season will bring but knowing that He will provide. They show their faith and devotion to Him every day by being caretakers of the animals and good stewards of the land. They show their faith each and every day by being honest, diligent and humble men and that is the greatest lesson I could ever hope to learn from the farm.
But I will bless the person who puts his trust in me. He is like a tree growing near a stream and sending out roots to the water. It is not afraid when hot weather comes, because its leaves stay green; it has no worries when there is no rain; it keeps on bearing fruit.
– Jeremiah 17:7-8
Hi, my name is Alaina Burgener and I am from Moweaqua, IL. I am a junior at Western Illinois University majoring in agricultural business with a minor in finance. I also own a women’s clothing boutique called MidWestern Sugar. My plans after college are undecided but I look to stay in the agriculture field.
Western Illinois University School of Agriculture 