November - Kane County Farm Bureau

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Ka
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unty Farm B
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Co
Since 1912
VOL. 79 NO. 11 NOVEMBER 2014
Scholarships help local students study agriculture
College students and high
school seniors pursuing a degree
in an agricultural related field
are invited to apply for Kane
County Farm Bureau Foundation scholarships and internships. Go to www.kanecfb.com
to download an application.
Print and complete it by hand, or
send us an electronic copy. Or,
pick up an application at the
KCFB office at Randall Rd. and
Oak Street in St. Charles.
Farm Bureau internships are
also available for the winter,
spring and summer breaks in
2014-15. A separate application
is available on our website. The
Kane County Farm Bureau
Foundation offers several scholarships to members or dependents of members who wish to
pursue higher education in an
agricultural related field. The
Foundation provided 27 scholarships last year and since 1989 has
awarded over $350,000 in tuition
assistance to college students.
General Scholarships
To be eligible for a Kane
County Farm Bureau general
scholarship, the member or
dependent must have been a
member in good standing for two
years. The student must also be
planning an agriculture related
career. A brochure is available to
assist students in identifying
those careers and areas of study.
Foundation President’s
Scholarship
The President’s Scholarship
is reserved for the high school
senior among Foundation scholarship applicants possessing the
most outstanding combination
of scholastics, activities, goals
and ACT score. The President’s
Award Scholarship will provide
a minimum $1,500 to be applied
towards tuition.
John Buck
Memorial Scholarship
Buck was the founder of
Buck Brothers, Inc. and J.W.
Turf, both of Hampshire, dealers
DATES TO REMEMBER
November
November 6
Board of Directors, 7:30pm
November 11
Veterans Day
November 12
Women’s Committee, 9:15am
November 21
Turkey Orders Due
November 21
Citrus Orders Due
November 25
Turkey Pick Up, Noon-4pm
November 27 & 28
Office closed for holiday
Happy
Thanksgiving
and distributors of John Deere
farm equipment and golf course
maintenance equipment, respectively. Late in 2001, the family
of John Buck established the
John
Buck
Memorial
Chuck Swanson
Memorial Scholarship
The
Chuck
Swanson
Memorial Scholarship was
established by the family and
friends of the former Farm
A p p lic a
t
a v a ila b io n s
K C F B F le fo r
oun
S c h o la r d a tio n
s h ip s
When it comes to college – every dollar counts. According to data
from the Labor Department, the price index for college tuition grew by
nearly 80 percent between August 2003 and August 2013. That is nearly twice as fast as growth in costs in medical care and more than twice
as fast as the overall consumer price index during that same period.
Last year the KCFB Foundation awarded 27 scholarships to help local
students reach their academic goals. Applications for 2015 are available now and are due Feb. 15.
Scholarship for agriculture students through the Kane County
Farm Bureau Foundation. An
endowment to the Foundation,
supplemented by an annual John
Buck Memorial Open golf outing, provides funds for $1,000
scholarships for higher education for agriculture students. Any
student in Kane, DeKalb,
McHenry, Boone, Lake, DuPage
or Will County is eligible to
apply. A similar scholarship
program has been established by
the family through the Midwest
Golf Course Superintendent’s
Association.
NOVEMBER
SPECIALS
Bureau Director and long-time
volunteer to provide awards for
students residing in Kane
County pursuing a degree in an
agriculture-related career field.
Mary K. Heckel-Blickle
Memorial Scholarship.
This new scholarship for
2015 provides a $1,000 college
scholarship annually to a student who resides in Kane or
Macon County Illinois. Mary’s
family established the scholarship to pay tribute to her farming legacy and promote the
growth of the next generation of
agricultural leaders.
For more information on
Foundation scholarship programs, call Kane County Farm
Bureau at 630-584-8660.
Application
deadline
is
February 15, 2015.
Legislators earn Friend
of Agriculture award
In October, local lawmakers
were recognized with the
“Friend of Agriculture” designation and several were able to
set up visits from Kane County
Farm Bureau representatives to
receive their award. In all, 13
legislators with offices in
Kane County received the
ACTIVATOR Friend of Agriculture award. In addition, one
candidate was endorsed by
ACTIVATOR for the open seat
in the 50th State Representative
District.
Recipients are approved by
local farmer-trustees of ACTIVATOR, Illinois Farm Bureaus
Political Involvement Fund.
ACTIVATOR evaluates incumbent candidates for Congress
and the Illinois General
Assembly based on their voting
record on issues of importance
to Illinois farmers.
Voting records for Congress
and the General Assembly are
based on weighted average
votes on farm related issues.
The weightings are assigned by
the Illinois Farm Bureau Board
of Directors for each two year
session. In addition to meeting
minimum voting record requirements, incumbents must also
receive a majority vote from
local farmer-trustees from their
districts before being named
“Friends of Agriculture.”
Kane County Farm Bureau
works with local legislators and
public officials year-round to
ensure a strong future for farming in Kane County.
CongRess
senate
Fresh, local turkey
In honor of Thanksgiving, the special for November is fresh
turkeys. These are locally raised, fresh, free-range turkeys that are
individually wrapped and boxed, which makes them perfect for
holiday entertaining or as gifts. Farm Bureau Member price is
$3.28 per pound. Plus members receive a 10% discount ($2.95/
lb). Non-member price is $3.77/lb.
Turkeys vary in weight, so please
indicate the weight you would like
and we will get as close as we can
(exact weight cannot be guaranteed). Order yours by Nov. 21 by
calling Kane County Farm Bureau
at 630-584-8660. Pick-up is at
Kane County Farm Bureau on
Tuesday, November 25 (noon–4
pm), in time for your Thanksgiving
dinner! Read about the local farm
where these turkeys are raised and
get your order form on page 6.
Start planning your Thanksgiving feast! Order your turkey from the Kane
County Farm Bureau. They’re delivered fresh, never frozen to our office
and you pick it up the same day.
Fresh Florida Citrus
Perfect for holidays & gift giving.
See page 8 for order form.
RepResentative
Top row, left to right:
6th District Congressman Peter
Roskam; 8th District Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth; 11th
District Congressman Bill Foster;
14th District Congressman
Randy Hultgren.
Second row:
22nd District Senator Michael Noland; 25th District Senator Jim
Oberweis; 33rd District Senator Karen McConnaughay; 35th District
Senator Dave Syverson; 42nd District Senator Linda Holmes.
Third and fourth rows:
12th District Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (KCFB adopted legislator); 49th
District Rep. Mike Fortner; 70th District Rep. Bob Pritchard; 83rd
District Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia; 50th District Rep candidate Keith
Wheeler (open seat candidate).
Last chance!
Christmas Raffle
college scholarship fundraiser
See page 3 for details
PAGE 2
KANE COUNTY FARMER
NOVEMBER 2014
KCFB Board Meeting review
October 2
directors for their assistance at
EPA and the Corps of Engineers
October’s meeting of the
the Harvest Leadership Picnic at
from implementing the Waters
Kane County Farm Bureau
of the U.S. proposed rule.
the Volpp Farm in September. He
Board of Directors included a
Participants included Craig
reported on the farm shop meetreport from Gerard Fabrizius of
Bradley, Beth Engel, Jerry
ing with Lt. Governor candidate
Maple Park on his IFB Leaders
Gaitsch, Bob Gehrke, Lisa
Evelyn Sanguinetti held at Mike
to Washington D.C. trip.
Geisler, Eldon Gould, Sandra
Kenyon’s farm on Sept. 8. A
Gould, Michael Kenyon, Dale
Items on a consent agenda
group of farmers discussed issues
Pitstick, Gerald Regan, Wayne
approved by the board included
with Sanguinetti that will affect
Schneider & David Wheeler.
Sept. minutes, membership
their farming operations, includKCFB President Joe White
reports, financials, a $1,500
ing EPA’s proposed changes to
and manager Steve Arnold prodonation
to
Illinois Ag
the Waters of the U.S. rule and
Leadership Foundation, a
Recently,
the
Batavia
$200 item to be donated
Chamber
of
Commerce
and
to IAA Foundation, and a
Fox
River
Chambers
pledged
contract with the County
a generous donation to the
of Kane for the hiring of
Kane County Farm Bureau
an intern for assistance
Foundation on behalf of
with a food hub feasibility
Culver’s CEO Craig Culver
study.
(left), the guest speaker at the
Informational items
Chambers’ Fox River
circulated included an
Luncheon
& Expo at
RFP for Consulting
Eagle
Brook
Country
Services for the County’s
Club
in
Geneva.
Food Hub Feasibility
Culver told the story
Study for which KCFB
of how one restaurant
Inset:
Culver’s
Res
contributed $5,000 in
turned into more than
taurants
have
a
strong
fiscal 2013-14 and
500 through hard
IFB
Action
Team history of showing supApplications which are port for agricultural education. work, never reducing quality, and hiring peoThey expressed their apprecia- ple who have a heart for providing exceptiondue by Nov. 24.
Nick Ajster of Clifton tion for farmers with this blue al service. KCFB Information Director Ryan
Klassy (right) was there to thank the chamLarson & Allen then pre- barn in Beaver Dam, Wis.
bers and Mr. Culver for the donation.
sented details on the 2014
financial
audit.
Directors
vided details on KCFB
infrastructure improvements.
approved the 2014-15 KCFB
Schneider provided an
Foundation activities. A new
budget, and discussed the
update on ACTIVATOR Trustee
scholarship will be offered this
October information and trainCommittee meetings and correyear by the family of the late
ing topic, and membership dues.
sponding Friend of Agriculture
Mary L. Heckel-Blickle in her
Beth Engel reviewed a list of
awards announcements to rechonor, providing $1,000 to a sturecent Harvest for ALL hunger
ognize local legislators for their
dent residing in Kane or Macon
relief donations including those
work on agricultural issues.
County. A new brochure is available at KCFB and online highfrom Glenn & Louise Johnson,
Lastly, Schneider recognized
lighting all KCFB Foundation
Elburn Coop, Jon DeRaedt, and
volunteers who took part in
scholarships. Directors disBornemann Family Farm.
recent IFB Action Request
cussed the progress of the
Wayne Schneider thanked
Contacts on HR 5078 to stop
Farmers urge EPA to
withdraw proposed water rule
Professional associations and
businesses across the country
have been calling for the U.S.
Environmental
Protection
Agency (EPA) and Army Corps
of Engineers (Corps) to drop
their proposed Waters of the
U.S. regulations.
Groups opposed to the rule
include the American Farm
Bureau Federation and Illinois
Farm Bureau, Illinois Chamber
of Commerce, Home Builders
Association
of
Illinois,
Association of Illinois Electric
Cooperatives, and the Small
Business Administration.
Created in 1972, the Clean
Water Act has helped to make
significant strides in improving
the nation’s water quality. The
Act regulates so-called “waters
of the U.S.” Until now, those
have been defined primarily as
waters that can be navigated.
State and local governments
have jurisdiction over smaller,
more remote waters such as
ponds and isolated wetlands.
However, the EPA and the
Corps are seeking to expand the
definition of waters of the U.S.
to include not only navigable
waters, but also puddles, ponds,
ditches, small wetlands and
even land that resembles a
If the agency can regulate every body of water from the largest to the
smallest, and even those areas that aren’t wet most of the time, as it is
proposing in this rule, then there are effectively no limits to the agency’s
regulatory reach. – DitchtheRule.fb.org
Beef store is now open!
Sat. 9-4 or by appointment
100% hormone free beef.
Selling individual cuts. Buy as little or as much as you want.
Mark & Linda Schramer, Owners
8N840 Lakin Road, Maple Park
815.895.4691 • 1-877-FOR-FDBA
Sample Packs make great gifts!
stream during a rainstorm but is
dry otherwise.
Illinois
Farm
Bureau
President Richard Guebert, Jr.
explained that if the expanded
definition is allowed, permits
and other regulatory roadblocks, having to hire environmental consultants for example,
(continued on page 4)
You receive the Kane County
Farmer because you are a Farm
Bureau member. If you are a
farm operator or owner, you
benefit from a local, state and
national organization committed
to agriculture and your way
of life.
If you do not have direct ties
to farming, your membership
helps promote local farms and
farming, encourage wise use of
our limited natural resources and
preserve farmland and our agricultural heritage while allowing
you to enjoy COUNTRY insurance and the many other benefits
of one of Illinois’ premier membership organizations.
We appreciate your membership and continued support and
we welcome your comments on
the content of the Farmer. We
encourage you to make recommendations about farm, home,
food, natural resource, renewable
energy or agricultural heritage
and history related topics for
inclusion in future issues of the
Farmer.
Foundation’s latest fundraiser
for Foundation scholarships, the
31 Days of Christmas Outdoor
Raffle. Tickets are available
through Nov. 30.
In his Kane County Board
report, Mike Kenyon talked
about the recent County resolution declaring September
Farmer Appreciation Month and
provided updates from the Kane
County Ag Committee.
The following delegates
were named to the 2015 IFB
Annual Meeting, Dec. 6-9 in
Chicago: Joe White, Wayne
Schneider, Beth Gehrke, and
Beth Engel. Alternates are
Donna Lehrer, Karl Kettelkamp,
Nan Long, and Beth Engel.
In national issues, Steve
Arnold thanked Mike Kenyon,
Craig Bradley, Jerry Gaitsch &
Donna Lehrer for their comments on WOTUS and proposed
changes by the U.S. EPA and
Army Corp of Engineers.
Directors discussed plans to
attend the American Farm
Bureau Federation Annual
Meeting in January in San Diego.
Several directors plan to attend.
In his manager’s report Steve
Arnold said that the Batavia
Chamber of Commerce recently
made a generous contribution to
the KCFB Foundation in the
name of their Oct. 2 Expo guest
speaker Craig Culver, CEO of
Culver’s restaurants. Arnold also
provided a review of KCFB
membership renewals paid so far
this year and compared the numbers to the past seven years.
KCFB membership dues were
due Oct. 1.
Correspondence circulated
included: Don Norton, CEO,
Illinois
Ag
Leadership
Foundation, thanks for KCFB
contribution of $1,500 to
Illinois Ag Leadership Program;
Kellie Ruder, Maple Park,
thanks for purchase of pig at
Kane County Blue Ribbon livestock
sale;
COUNTRY
Financial, enclosing a 2014
“Mid-Year Report” for CFB
leaders; Gerald Regan, enclosing a newspaper article on Gail
Borden Library district expansion referendum; letter from
KCFB Foundation to Illinois
State University and UWPlatteville, $2,000 in scholarships enclosed.
KANE COUNTY FARM BUREAU BOARD ATTENDANCE
OCTOBER 2014 THRU SEPTEMBER 2015
OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN
J. BORNEMANN
C. BRADLEY
F. CARLSON
B. COLLINS
C. COLLINS
B. ENGEL
G. GAITSCH
B. GEHRKE
M. KENYON
K. KETTLEKAMP
D. LEHRER
A. LENKAITIS JR.
N. LONG
W. SCHNEIDER
S. SCHRAMM
A. VOLPP
J. WHITE
JLY AUG. SEP.
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
*New Director April **New Director September
Kane County Farmer
KANE COUNTY FARM BUREAU
PUBLISHED MONTHLY
Steven J. Arnold, Editor
Suzi Myers, Ag Literacy Coordinator
Gwen Gaglione, Membership Secretary
Audre Pack, Training Specialist
Ryan Klassy, Information Director
Elizabeth Polovin, Administrative and Program Assistant
Perry Hazelwood, Building & Grounds
OFFICE: Randall Rd. between Routes 64 & 38
Address: 2N710 Randall Rd., St. Charles
PHONE: 630-584-8660
[email protected] www.kanecfb.com
OFFICE HOURS: 8:30-5:00 Monday though Friday
(USPS No. 289700)
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Kane County Farmer
2N710 Randall Rd., St. Charles, IL 60174
Periodical Postage • Paid to St. Charles, IL 60174
Year Subscription: $2.00
■ DISTRICT 1
Aurora, Sugar Grove,
Big Rock Twnshp.
Nan Long
11461 E. County Line Rd.
Big Rock, IL 60511
815-693-7214
Donna Lehrer
7S027 Jericho Rd.
Big Rock, IL 60511
630-556-3476
Steve Schramm
7328 Perry Rd.
DeKalb, IL 60115
630-557-2410
■ DISTRICT 2
Kaneville, Blackberry,
Gen./Bat. Twnshp.
Bill Collins
1125 Lewis Rd.
Geneva, IL 60134
630-484-6852
Karl Kettelkamp
0S860 Rowe Rd.
Elburn, IL 60119
630-365-2713
Joe White
President
47W727 Main St. Rd.
Elburn, IL 60119
630-557-2517
■ DISTRICT 3
Virgil, Campton,
St. Charles Twnshp.
Frank Carlson
104 Sumac Court
St. Charles, IL 60174
630-513-9980
Chris Collins
1143 Anderson
Elburn, IL 60119
630-934-4642
Al Lenkaitis, Jr.
6N352 Fair Oaks Dr.
St. Charles, IL 60174
630-561-9514
■ DISTRICT 4
Burlington, Plato
Elgin Twnshp.
Beth Gehrke
12N860 US Hwy. 20
Elgin, IL 60124
847-697-2538
Mike Kenyon
Secretary/Treasurer
1250 E. Main St.
South Elgin, IL 60177
847-741-1818
Craig Bradley
37W791 Orchard Lane
Elgin, IL 60124
847-888-2380
■ DISTRICT 5
Hampshire, Rutland,
Dundee Twnshp.
Beth Engel
15N638 Walker Road
Hampshire, IL 60140
847-683-3482
Gerald Gaitsch
10613 Brittany Ave.
Huntley, IL 60142
847-669-2003
Wayne Schneider
Vice President
721 Lindsay Lane
West Dundee, IL 60118
847-428-3350
NOVEMBER 2014
KANE COUNTY FARMER
31 Days of Christmas fundraiser–
buy tickets by Nov. 30
Only a few weeks remain to
get your tickets in the Kane
County Farm Bureau Foundation’s “31 Days of Christmas”
Outdoors Raffle. This college
scholarship fundraiser offers 31
chances to win a prize, with a
different prize available every
day of the month.
Winners are determined by
exactly matching the winning
evening Pick 3 Illinois Lottery
number for that day. Winners
receive a Cabela’s gift card for
the value of that day’s prize,
valued from $200 to $500 (look
left for a full list of prizes).
Proceeds benefit KCFB
Foundation scholarships and
agricultural education. This
year the Kane County Farm
Bureau Foundation celebrates
25 years of promoting education, leadership development
and research in agricultural
fields. Over the past quarter
century, the Foundation has provided $350,000 in scholarships
and internships.
Tickets are $20 each. Get
yours today! Submit the form
at left, stop by Kane County
Farm Bureau (Randall Rd. &
Oak Street, St. Charles) or
call 630-584-8660 with VISA
or MC.
IFB, IPPA hosting informational
meetings on state CAFO rules
By Kay Shipman,
Illinois Farm Bureau
Livestock farmers are invited
to hear details of the new state
rules for Concentrated Animal
Feeding Operations (CAFO) at
seven informational meetings
next month hosted by the
Illinois Farm Bureau and
Illinois
Pork
Producers
Association (IPPA). It is impor-
tant to note that portions of the
updated rules impact all livestock farms – not just those
required to obtain National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) permits from
the Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency.
The closest meeting for Kane
County Farm Bureau members
is on Nov. 19 at DeKalb County
Farm Bureau, 1350 W. Prairie
Drive, Sycamore. Information
will be presented from 4pm6pm followed by a meal at 6:30
pm. Call 815-756-6361 to register. The meetings are open to all
farmers. There is no charge, but
reservations are required at least
one week prior to the meeting
date.
Commodity Conference is Nov. 25
The
2014
Illinois
Commodity Conference will
take place Tuesday, November
25th, at the Marriott Hotel &
Conference Center in Normal,
Ill. The annual one-day event
brings together farmers from all
over the state to discuss the trials and triumphs the agricultural
industry faces. “Striving to
Sustainably Feed the World”, is
the theme for the conference,
which starts at 10:00am.
A full day of speakers
includes: Richard Levick,
Chairman and CEO of LEVICK, a global strategic communications firm; Rod Snyder,
President of Field to Market;
Caroline
Wade,
Nutrient
Watershed Manager at Illinois
Corn;
Mike
Plumer,
Coordinator of Illinois Council
on Best Management Practices;
and Lauren Lurkins, Director of
Natural & Environmental
Resources at Illinois Farm
Bureau.
Participants should register
with their respective commodity
groups. Registration is $60 by
November 15 and $90 after.
Students can register for $25. For
more information, visit ilcommodityconf.wordpress.com.
PAGE 3
31 Days of Christmas Raffle
Tickets: $20. Submit the form below, stop by Kane County
Farm Bureau (Randall Rd. & Oak Street St. Charles) or
call 630-584-8660 with VISA or MC.
A different prize available every day!
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Martin Archery Trophy Hunter XTR $329.99
Cabela’s Women’s Pro-lite Snow Shoe Combo $219.99
Champion 3500 Watt Generator $429.99
Marlin Model XT 22 LR Bolt Action Rifle $219.99
Moultrie M-1100i 12mp Infrared Trail Camera $229.99
Echo Carbon Prestige Premier Fly Combo $229.99
Leupold BX2 Cascade 8x42 Binoculars $279.99
Benjamin Trail NP XL 1500 Pellet Gun $319.99
Garmin Echo 501C Sonar Fish Finder $269.99
Big Game The Partner 2-Man Ladder Stand $249.99
Minn Kota 445 V2 Bow Mount Trolling Motor $499.99
Badlands Realtree XTRA Clutch Hunting Pack $329.99
Parker Challenger Crossbow Package $449.99
Oakley M2 Frame Polarized Sunglasses $240.00
Emotion Temptation 11 Kayak $449.99
Luminox Color Mark Watch $335.75
Shimano Calcutta Model #200GTB Baitcasting Reel $229.99
Coleman 54qt Stainless Steel Cooler $199.99
Mossberg 535 ATS Pump Action Shotgun $399.99
Masterbuilt Sportsman Elite 30” Black Analog Smoker $229.99
Sevylor Rio Hunt and Fish Model Canoe $439.99
Cabela’s Ultimate Cook Station $229.99
Cabela’s 12” Commercial Grade Vacuum Sealer $329.99
Bushnell The Truth Range Finder $199.99
Cabela’s Gift Card $499.99
Guardian 6 Person Tent $369.99
Cabela’s V Bottom Fryer $299.99
Pro Hero Silver Edition GoPro Camera $299.99
Grandview Outdoor Fireplace $399.99
Liberty Ammo Gun Safe $419.99
Gamo Whisper Fusion Air Rifle $299.99
ts:
Ticke0
$2
“31 Days of Christmas”
Outdoors Raffle
Please send me ______ tickets Total enclosed: _______________
New farm program dates announced
Name ________________________________________________
Coverage for the 2014 through
2018 crop years
Mid-April 2015 through
summer 2015 – farmers sign
contracts for the 2014 and 2015
crop years
October 2015 – payments
for the 2014 crop year will be
made, if needed.
USDA helped create online
tools to assist in the decision
process, allowing farm owners
and farmers to enter information
and see projections that show
what ARC and/or PLC will
mean for them under possible
Address ______________________________________________
The Agriculture Department
has formally announced dates
associated with new farm programs authorized by the 2014
farm bill that are important for
farm owners and farmers to know.
Important dates include:
Sept. 29, 2014, to Feb. 27,
2015 – landowners may visit
their local Farm Service Agency
office to update yield history
and/or reallocate base acres
Nov. 17, 2014, to March 31,
2015 – farmers make a one-time
election of either Agricultural
Risk Coverage or Price Loss
future scenarios. The new tools
are now available at www.fsa.
usda.gov/arc-plc.
USDA provided $3 million to
the Food and Agricultural Policy
Research Institute at the University of Missouri and the
Agricultural and Food Policy
Center at Texas A&M (co-leads
for the National Association of
Agricultural and Food Policy),
along with the University of
Illinois (lead for the National
Coalition for Producer Education)
to develop the online tools.
Email ________________________________________________
City, State, Zip _________________________________________
Phone (_______)_______________________________________
■ Mail to above address
■ Mail to:
_____________________________________________________
City, State, Zip _________________________________________
Return with check payable to Kane County Farm Bureau Foundation,
2N710 Randall Rd., St. Charles, IL 60174 or charge my:
■ Visa ■ MC#______ ______ ______ ______ Exp____/ _____
Signature ___________________________ Date____/____/ ____
A scholarship fundraising activity of the Kane County Farm Bureau FOUNDATION
Farmer’s
Market moves
indoors for
the winter
Think farmer’s market season ends when the snow flies?
Think again. The St. Charles
Farmers Market has announced
beginning Nov. 7 it will take its
show inside with the Indoor
Farmers Market in Baker Hall
at Baker Memorial United
Methodist Church in St.
Charles. Hours are 9am-noon
every Friday through May.
Shoppers at the Indoor Market
can expect to see many of the
same great products they see at
the outdoor market, which runs
from June to October. Items
will include locally raised and
produced food products, bakery goods and artisan crafts,
ceramic and jewelry. For further information and to offer
volunteer help contact Rob
Murphy at 630-988-0705.
PAGE 4
AG LITERACY CORNER
By Suzi Myers
H
ere we are in the month of
Thanksgiving, the day set
aside for us to be thankful for all
with which we are blessed.
Thanksgiving is a day of gratitude, “a feeling of appreciation
or thanks.”
About 20 years ago, I took a
challenge to write 5 things that I
was thankful for each day ... this
was called a gratitude journal.
Why did I do this? The author,
Sarah Ban Breathnack, who I
saw interviewed on TV, said;
“You simply will not be the
same person two months from
now after consciously giving
thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life.
And you will have set in motion
an ancient spiritual law: the
more you have and are grateful
for, the more will be given you.
Sounded too good to be true,
but I decided to jump on the
band wagon and journal my
gratitude. I still do this, all these
years later. Why? Because I
have found that if I take a
moment each day and am thankful for all the blessings in my
life, I feel better. I’m not sure
that her statement about the
more I’m grateful for, the more
will be given is actually true,
how can I compare? But I do
know that I have changed my
attitude and am living a life that
makes me happy.
Recently, I watched a message given by David SteindlRast, a monk and interfaith
scholar, called “Want to be
happy? Be grateful” (http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=
UtBsl3j0YRQ). He has a
method for living gratefully:
STOP: take time to think about
A look inside a very
useful farm machine
This fall, you’ll see lots of
farmers using combines to harvest crops in area fields. What is
a combine? It’s a machine that
harvests grain crops (wheat,
oats, rye, barley, corn, soybeans
and flax). Where does it get its
name? It COMBINES three
operations of harvesting into
one operation:
1) reaping (cutting down the
plant)
2) threshing (taking the
husks off)
3) separating (taking the
grain from the shaft)
For corn, it cuts down the
plant, husks the corn cob and
takes the corn off the cob. The
combine spits out the stalk
where it stays on the field or is
baled for bedding for livestock.
Combines are important because fewer
people are needed to
harvest a crop.
Each corn stalk grows just one ear of
corn typically. Multiple ears per plant
can exist if resources (space, water,
nutrients, etc.) are not limited.
When field corn matures it begins to dry and turns from green to a tan or
brown color. The corn kernels begin to dry too.
Farmers monitor the corn and when it has dried
enough (generally around 15% to 18% moisture
content) farmers harvest the corn using a combine.
Scan this QR code with your smart phone for a
video of a combine in action on a Kane County
farm.
EPA rule
(continued from page 2)
would stand in the way of conducting routine business activities like building fences, removing debris from ditches, spraying for weeds and insects, and
removing unwanted vegetation.
“At best, the proposal looks
like a misguided attempt to
monitor water,” Guebert said.
“At worst, and most likely, the
proposal serves as an opportuni-
ty for the EPA to gobble up privately owned land and call it
federal land.”
In Illinois alone, 25 business
organizations and farm groups
have joined together in opposition of the proposed regulations.
Similar coalitions have popped
up in individual states, as well as
nationwide. Organizations and
individuals concerned about the
proposal have spent the last five
months filing comments with the
(continued on page 8)
Providing Quality Dental Care for the Entire Family
KANE COUNTY FARMER
what you are given, LOOK:
open all your senses and see
what opportunity is there for
you to be grateful, and then GO:
take the opportunity and be
grateful.
At the end of his lecture,
there was a recap and then some
ways to live this life of gratitude
in the form of challenges:
Level 1 Challenge: Create
a daily reminder on your smartphone or make a mini-sized
poster where you write down
one of the following messages:
“Today, I am thankful;” “I have
so much in my life to be thankful
for;” or a similar type message
that you make sure you see on a
regular basis. The goal with this
challenge is to try and put you
back into a “gratitude state of
mind” every time you see it.
Level 2 Challenge: Create
your own, “Be Thankful” poster
or collage that you can read
every day. Fill it with quotes,
sayings, and pictures that resonate with you and make sure
you put the poster in a place
where you can read it every day.
Level 3 Challenge: Create a
NOVEMBER 2014
Gratitude Log. Every day for
the next 30 days (starting
today!) write down three NEW
things you are thankful for. By
writing down three new things
you’re grateful for every day for
30 days you can literally re-wire
your brain to start scanning the
world not for the negative, but
for the positive first.
Whether you take my challenge of finding things to be
grateful for in your life or not,
I wish you a wonderful
Thanksgiving ... one with abundant blessings.
Book of the Month
A simple book with a message, How to Bake an American
Pie tells how to make a pie (our
country)
using
special
American ingredients. “Here’s
how to bake an American pie
(first ever made on the Fourth of
July):” Karma Wilson uses bold
letters to accentuate the important words in her poetry. Her use
of American expressions as
ingredients is found throughout
the book: “Preheat the world
until fiery hot with a hunger and
thirst to be free. Now find a
giant melting pot on the shores
of a great shining sea.”
A tactic Ms. Wilson uses
throughout the book is repetition, so a young reader/listener
can read along with you.
Periodically she will add the
page “And though it’s getting
mighty high, that’s just the start
of American Pie!” Children will
recognize this page and want to
read with you.
Illustrations throughout the
book show a cat and a dog making the pie. Raul Colon paints
pictures of America such as
Bald Eagles, Statue of Liberty,
the melting pot, apples, farm
land, palm tree beaches, our
flag, Mount Rushmore, and
more. Children would enjoy
finding the American symbols
in the book.
The book ends with: “Now
roll out a top of spacious skies
to cover this country of ours.
Place in God’s grace and allow
to rise. Then garnish with 50
bright stars ... Serves: just as
many who wish to stop by.”
Thanks to a request years
ago by Bob Konen and Dean
Dunn that Kane County Farm
Bureau start a library of agriculturally themed books for public
use, we have an ever growing
selection of titles. Feel free to
come in and check out all our
books.
How to Bake an American Pie
by Karma Wilson
Auto | Home | Life | Retirement
NOVEMBER 2014
KANE COUNTY FARMER
Compiled by Suzi Myers & Gwen Gaglione
Pies
Did you know?
• About 186 million pies are
sold in grocery stores each
year. And that doesn’t include
restaurants, food service or
price clubs. It’s enough to
wrap around the globe and
then some.
• Pumpkin pie was introduced
as an American harvest holiday tradition in 1623.
• Pies are thought to have been
created as a way to preserve
food though baking out the
water to prevent mold. Early
pies weren’t just sweet; they
were commonly made from
meats and vegetables too.
What is Americans’ favorite
pie?
19% apple • 13% pumpkin • 12% pecan
10% banana cream • 9% cherry
Make pumpkin pie IL’s state pie! Aunt Pat’s
simple flaky
Current State Pies:
pie crust
Pumpkin pie should be our state pie, according to downstate lawmaker Rep. Keith Sommer, who figures that’s a sweet way to make
sure people know that pumpkins are big
business in Illinois. According to a recent
Chicago Sun Times article, Sommer intro- Maine is blueberry pie
duced legislation to make the designation in
Massachusetts is
September, in time to honor the yearly
Boston cream pie
pumpkin festival that takes place in his
Oklahoma is pecan pie
hometown of Morton, near the largest
Vermont is apple pie
pumpkin canning plant in country.
No other state has dibs on pumpkin pie as its official pie and
Sommer expects his bill to come up for debate next spring.
Top Pumpkin producing states:
Illinois
California • Ohio
Pennsylvania
New York • Michigan
Find out more from the Bounty of
Kane at www.bountyofkane.org for
more locally available Farmer’s
Markets and Farm stands!
Pie Jokes
Q: What’s the best thing to put into a pie? A: Your teeth!
Q: Why did the pie go to a dentist? A: Because he needed a filling!
Q: What pie can fly? A: A magpie
Pies word search
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cup flour,
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 tsp. salt
3-4 tbsp. ice water
Additional flour for rolling
Directions
1. In a chilled bowl, cut together
first three ingredients into peasized pieces.
2. Add water one tablespoon at
a time and mix sparingly until
dough forms a ball. DO NOT
OVERWORK!
3. Roll out onto a floured surface
until 1/4 inch thick. Yields one
10 inch
pie crust.
R W
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PAGE 5
P
U
BANANA CREAM
CHEESE
CHERRY
CRUST
DESSERT
FAT
FILLING
• Pie wasn’t always for dessert!
In the 19th century, fruit pies
were a common breakfast food.
• When asked “Who makes the
best pie?” 27% of people said
“Mom,” 26% went for the
convenience of store bought
and just 17% thought
Grandma does pie the best.
• The first mention of fruit pie in
print is in Robert Green’s
Arcadia (1590): “thy breath is
like the steame of apple-pyes.”
• At one time it was against the
law to serve ice cream on
cherry pie in Kansas.
• Boston Cream Pie is a cake,
not a pie.
• In the 1890’s, “pie” was commonly used to mean anything
easy, a cinch; the expression
“As easy as pie” stems from
that.
• 90% of all pumpkins grown in
the U.S. are grown within a 90
mile radius of Peoria, IL.
• Savory hand pies filled with
meat and vegetables called
pasties were made for Welsh
miners and are still popular in
the Upper Peninsula of
Michigan.
• 1 in 5 Americans admit to
having eaten an entire pie by
themselves.
Chicken and Kale Hand Pies
Ingredients:
Pie Dough for two pie crusts
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour, plus
more for rolling
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 leek (white and light-green
parts only), halved lengthwise,
cut crosswise 1/4 inch thick, and
rinsed well
1 small bunch black (Tuscan)
kale, tough stems removed,
coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, leaves
Pumpkin Pie
Spinner
Materials:
Paper plate
Scalloped edged scissors
Orange or rust colored card
stock, cut in a circle and a 1/8
size wedge cut out
Brad
Letter stickers
Pencils, markers and crayons
Instructions:
1. Cut the edge of the paper plate
with the scalloped edge scissors
to resemble a pie crust.
2. Divide the plate into eight
equal sections. In each section,
write or draw what you are
thankful for.
3. Use the letter stickers to put
the words “I am thankful for” on
the cardstock circle. Attach the
circle to the plate with the brad
so it spins around.
ILLINOIS
PASTIES
PASTRY
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup cooked chicken, torn into
bite-size pieces (about 5 ounces)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Divide dough in half. On a
floured sheet of parchment
paper, roll out one half to a 14inch round. With a knife or biscuit cutter, cut out six 4 1/4-inch
circles (rerolling dough once if
necessary) and transfer, on
parchment, to a baking sheet.
Repeat with remaining dough,
cutting out six (larger) 4 1/2inch rounds. Chill rounds on
sheet until ready to use.
3. In a large skillet, melt butter
over medium-high. Add leek and
cook, stirring, until soft, 3 minutes. Add kale and thyme, season with salt and pepper, and
cook until kale wilts, 3 minutes.
Sprinkle flour over mixture and
stir to combine.
4. Add broth and bring to a boil.
Cook, stirring often, until mixture thickens, 2 minutes.
5. Transfer to a medium bowl,
season with salt and pepper, and
stir in chicken. Let cool slightly.
6. Place a heaping 1/4 cup
chicken mixture and 1 tbsp. on
each of the smaller dough
rounds, leaving a 1/2-inch
border. Brush edges with egg
and top with larger dough
rounds; using fingers, press
edges firmly to seal. Cut a small
vent in each pie.
7. Bake until browned and crisp,
30 minutes, rotating sheet
halfway through. Let cool slightly
on sheets on a wire rack. Serve
warm or at room temperature.
PECAN
Congratulations!
PRESERVE
PUMPKIN
SAVORY
THANKSGIVING
WHIPPED CREAM
Name ______________________________________________________________________________
Days to celebrate
in November…
Address ____________________________________________________________________________
11 Veteran’s Day
27 Thanksgiving Day
City/State/Zip ________________________________________________________________________
November is National:
Telephone ___________________________ Email ________________________________ Age ______
Please complete and return to the Farm Bureau, 2N710 Randall Road, St. Charles, IL 60174
by November 15, 2014 to be entered in our drawing for a
12 pound fresh HoKa Turkey compliments of Kane County Farm Bureau.
• Fun with Fondue Month
• Peanut Butter Lover’s
Month
• Pepper Month
• Raisin Bread Month
Mary Purkart of Geneva!
Mary’s name was chosen from
the entries received for correctly completing last month’s
“Taco” word search puzzle. For
her participation, Mary receives
everything she needs for a great
taco meal – including corn taco
shells, flour tortillas, rice and
salsa. Thank you, Mary for
reading the Kane County
Farmer and continue to watch
each month for more chances to
win prizes from the Kane
County Farm Bureau!
PAGE 6
KANE COUNTY FARMER
CLASSIFIED ADS
CLASSIFIED AD RATES
Classified advertising rates: 20
cents per word/$10 minimum (50
word max). DISCOUNTS for members: Associate members, 20%;
Voting members, 30%; PLUS
members, 40%. Advance payment
requested. Ads due by the 15th of
every month for the next issue. No
advertising (classified or display)
for financial or insurance services
will be accepted. Call 630584-8660.
FOR SALE
Fresh Frozen Lamb & Pork –
raised by Enjoy Pioneer Farm.
No MSG, Antibiotics, or Nitrates.
Call: 847 683 2863
Craftsman tools – 10” circular
saw on stand; bench top band
saw; belt-disk sander; drill press;
and steel work bench w/multi
drawers. $750 for all. Addt’l hand
power tools also available, Call
Bob – 630 377 1056
WOOD BURNING FURNACE,
Aristocrat ASF 80 supplemental/
stand-alone, like new condition,
beat high propane costs $525.00
O.B.O. HAY BALE ELEVATOR
w/motor 24 ft. length portable (6’12’-6’ sections) $375.00 O.B.O.
PLATFORM FEED SCALE, balance bar to 1,000 lbs. Fairbanks
Morris, great condition $250.00
O.B.O. Call: 630 365 2147
SERVICES
Hand Made Black Jack Table – to
professional scale $350/OBO
with chips. Call: 630 762 1171
Jim Verhaeghe & Sons, Inc. –
Tree removal, tree trimming, &
stump grinding. Backhoe work &
Tile Lines. Fully insured – Free
Estimates – Jim Verhaeghe Sr.
Call: 847 334 5730
Farm site demolition & clean up.
New horse barns with underground utilities and earthwork.
Drainage tiles, pasture mowing,
spraying, new seeding, inter
seeding & fence installation. We
follow SIU Plant & Soil Science
Practices. 10% discount for Farm
Bureau members, 5% if you mention this ad! Berning Earthwork
Inc.: Tom Berning 630-330-9970,
BerningEarthWorks@comcast.
net; Galusha Farms, Steve
Berning, 630-878-6350, steve@
GalushaFarm.com. Call: 630330-9970
WANTED
Will pick up for free unwanted or
old snowmobiles. Also buying
older Polaris snowmobiles 1977
& 1978 TXL & 1979 TX’s Call
Jon – 630-254-9446
Want to buy vintage & used tools
Call Chris – 630 550 7182
I pay $10 for any of Grandpa’s
overalls in any condition. Must be
1960’s or older. Blame Justin
Bieber for making them cool
again. Call Katherine – 630 888
1073
Women’s Corner
By Louise Johnson
Women’s Committee Chair
G
reetings! Lots of farming
news to fit in this issue, so
just a recipe for you this month.
This recipe is a very quick, easy
way to enjoy your fresh apples.
The recipe is from a
Champaign-area church
cookbook. The taste varies
somewhat with different
apple varieties. You may be
able to reduce the amount
NOVEMBER 2014
of butter; however, I’d try it as
written the first time!
Easy and Yummy
Fried Apples
3 large apples, cored and sliced.
1/2 c. butter
Cinnamon and brown sugar to
taste
Sauté the sliced apples in the
butter in a large skillet over low
heat. When they are slightly
browned on both sides, liberally
sprinkle apples with cinnamon
and brown sugar. Cover and let
simmer another 10 minutes.
(This makes 4 servings.)
While the rest of us were getting treats ready for trick-or-treaters,
members of the KCFB Women’s Committee, including Flo Dangelo
(left) and Evelyn Lootens, were preparing baskets of goodies to help
remind Kane County farmers about the importance of farm safety.
Candy with messages like “Don’t be a ROLLO-ver victim! Make sure
your equipment has rollover protection!” and “Don’t get caught
TWIXt a rock and a hard place! Practice farm safety!” were distributed to more than a dozen agricultural businesses and places that
farmers frequent. In all, 1500 bars were labeled, sorted & out for
delivery in 90 minutes. The Women’s Committee wishes farmers a
safe and productive harvest season.
facebook.com/
kanecountyfarmbureau
2015 FB Calendars here
Believe it or not – 2015 is just a few
months away! Members are invited to pick
up a 2015 calendar at the Farm Bureau
office in St. Charles. This year’s themes are
Antique Tractors and Agriculture. Just
another way to say “Thanks!” for being a
Kane County Farm Bureau member.
Talking Turkey
By Martin Ross,
Illinois Farm Bureau
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an
excerpt from Martin Ross’s article which you can find in its
entirety at www.kanecfb.com.
Read more about these fresh,
locally raised birds and order
yours using the order form below.
Kauffman Turkey Farms at
Waterman has supplied fresh
oven-ready turkeys for Northern
Illinois tables for more than 75
years. Founding farmer Howard
Kauffman left his indelible
mark on the still-thriving operation: The “HoKa turkey” is a
regional fixture.
Some things have changed
under son Robert’s watch.
Advanced breeding has produced a more robust bird, and
consumers demand ever more
from their turkey.
Some things remain the
same. Even at a whopping
80,000 birds, the Kauffmans run
one of the country’s last independent family turkey farms
with its own federally inspected
dressing plant. While his turkey
is fresh and local, Robert
Kauffman resists trendy catch-
phrases such as “organic” or
“free range.”
And Kauffman remains
steadfast in one key commitment: Safety first.
The DeKalb County farmer
raises birds both on the range
and, during the winter, in what
he refers to as the “house” – an
environmentally
regulated
indoor facility. Responsible care
is a crucial factor in consumer
safety, welfare of the turkey
flock and the Kauffmans’ bottom line.
“Every year, the turkey we’re
raising is slightly different,”
Robert Kauffman says. “[But]
the way we keep that bird healthy
hasn’t changed. You start off with
a very clean environment – we
do a complete cleanout and disinfection after a flock has left.
We try to keep the entire building, the entire environment, the
water lines as clean as possible
and get that bird off to an excellent start. It’s not really going to
have a developed immune system for at least five weeks. We
have to keep it healthy.”
Read more at www.
kanecfb.com.
Kane County Farm Bureau
Thanksgiving Turkey Program
______ # of turkey(s). Requested weight(s) _________________
DEADLINE FOR ORDERING IS Friday, NOVEMBER 21st .
Payment is due at pickup at the Farm Bureau
on Tuesday, November 25 Noon-4pm
Name: _______________________________________________
Telephone Number: ____________________________________
Member Number: ______________________________________
Mail to: Kane County Farm Bureau,
2N710 Randall Rd., St. Charles IL 60174 • 630-584-8660
Kane Coun
ty Fa
members rerm Bureau
10% disco ceive
unt
service wo on all
rk.
NOVEMBER 2014
FALL FESTIVAL FUN
By Ryan Klassy, Information Director
W
hat do nylons, a bale of
straw and a preschooler
have in common? Allow me to
explain ...
Last month my daughter and
I spent a few hours in St.
Charles checking out the many
displays by area residents, businesses and youth groups featuring a different take on that
lovable character known for a
new-found appreciation for his
own brain – the scarecrow.
Scarecrow Fest is a wonderful
fall tradition, a perfect family
destination, and a good
reminder that we all have farming connections.
Before scarecrows were
known for taking on wicked
witches, battling our friendly
neighborhood Spiderman, or
adorning city parks for a weekend fall festival – they actually
scared crows. And of course they
can still be used for just that. To
be fair to crows, their presence,
mostly near small plots or gardens, could prevent all sorts of
birds from making off with seeds
and eating crops. But the crow
apparently did the most damage
and got top billing. Good thing –
the Scaresparrow Festival just
doesn’t have the same ring.
As usual, I was amazed at the
creativity and artistic talent put
to use getting these straw
stuffed characters to do just
about anything...hold a dumbbell, play a guitar, stand on one
foot with a baby scarecrow on
one knee.
After I dragged my little girl
away from the 7-foot-tall animated flying purple people
eater, which seemed to be the
only thing outside of a Frozen
character that can stop a 4-yearold in her tracks, we bee-lined
for the make your own scarecrow station. That’s where the
stockings come in.
It turns out the top part of a
pair of nylons stuffed with straw
and tied at the waist makes the
perfect head for a scarecrow.
The legs, tied to belt loops or
knotted at ankle height, help you
keep the body parts connected.
And the preschooler? She’s
required to build the loose straw
pile needed for a torso, head and
four limbs, and to direct her 40
What’s new at the
COUNTRY agencies?
St. Charles Agency, Bob Effner,
Agency Manager
JOSH AUSTIN has been
named the Financial Representative of the Month for
September 2014 in the St.
Charles/Elgin Agency, as
announced by Agency Manager,
Robert J. Effner, Sr., CLF ®,
LUTCF. Josh has provided tangible plans for addressing the
immediate and long term insurance and financial security
needs of his clients through
COUNTRY Financial’s diverse
products and services: Auto,
Farm, Home, Life/Disability/
Health/Annuities/Long Term
Care, Retirement Planning,
Business and Investments. Let
Josh’s expertise help you! You
may contact Josh at his office,
822 Centennial Dr., Hampshire,
or by phone/email/website:
847-683-2100, josh.austin@
countryfinancial.com, www.
countryfinancial.com/josh.
austin. Congratulations, Josh!
Aurora Agency, Kevin Gomes,
Agency Manager
Brian Guenther, Financial
Representative with the Aurora
Agency, is our Financial
Representative of the Month for
September, 2014. Brian began
his career with COUNTRY
Financial in January of 2002
and services clients out of his
office located at: 1920 Wilson
Street, Batavia, 60510 (630)
406-6900.
Brian’s professionalism and
vast knowledge of auto, home,
life, commercial and financial
products make him a great person to do business with.
Congratulations, Brian!
Recruiter of the Month
Kane County Farm Bureau
Blackberry Dr. in Geneva and
honors the person or persons
may be reached at 630-2621059. As a token of our appreciwho sign the most members into
our organization. This
ation, Ashraf will
receive two tickets to
month, the honor goes to
Ashraf Gerges, who
the Charlestowne Movie
signed 17 new members.
Theater.
Thank you, Ashraf
Ashraf has been an
agent with COUNTRY
for your continued support of the Kane County
Financial since May
2011. Ashraf services
Farm Bureau and congratulations on your
clients from the office
located
at
2172 Ashraf Gerges success!
KANE COUNTY FARMER
year-old companion on the best
way to stuff the straw into the
nylons. Her oversight was somewhat helpful and very much
appreciated because, not being a
woman or a bank robber, I was
surprised at how easily something as fragile as a piece of
straw can puncture pantyhose.
So I carried back to our car
PAGE 7
two somewhat lumpy looking
dolls. Their appearance even
scared me a little, so I’m sure
my front lawn should be free of
crows for a while.
Memorial scholarship
pays tribute to ‘farm girl’
memories and promote the
The Kane County Farm
growth of future generations of
Bureau Foundation is proud to
farmers.”
announce a new scholarship for
The family still owns the
2015. The Mary K. HeckelMacon County farm which
Blickle Memorial Scholarship
will provide a $1,000 college
scholarship annually to a student who resides in Kane or
Macon County, Illinois.
Mary’s son, Jim Blickle of
Geneva, said the scholarship
will help the family’s agricultural legacy live on. After his
mother passed away in 2010,
Jim and his wife Charlotte have
been looking for a fitting tribute
Mary K.
to her memory.
Born in 1915, Mary’s parents
Heckel-Blickle
farmed in Long Creek
Township in Macon
County, Ill. There, she
attended a one-room
school house and was
responsible for farm
chores, which she did in
a dress, it being the days
when young ladies
didn’t wear pants.
“Mom was a farm
girl, it was important to
her and she told us a lot
of stories about her time
Mary with her father Roy A. Heckel on their
there,” Jim said. “We
County farm.
thought working with
the Kane County Farm Bureau
Mary’s grandfather acquired
Foundation would be the perfect
through the 1812 land grant proopportunity to honor those
gram. While they don’t farm the
land themselves, they are very
close to the local farmer who
does. He lives in the farmhouse
and has raised crops on the farm
for years. Mary requested in her
will that he be allowed to continue to do so, providing future
generations of the two families
the chance to continue the relationship and keep the land in
production.
Jim Blickle said it’s that spirit of handing the land down to
the next generation that drives
his desire to provide annual
scholarship funds. He added,
“If the scholarship can help
even one young person get their
start in farming or an
agricultural field of
study, I think that’s very
important.”
Visit kanecfb.com to
download an application
and viewall available
KCFB
Foundation
Scholarships. One application is used to evaluate
candidates for all scholarships offered by the
Foundation.
Macon
Application deadline
is February 15, 2015.
Recipients will be named in
April. Call 630-584-8660 with
questions.
Christmas tree discount for KCFB members
Marks’ Tree Farm, which has
been doing business in St.
Charles for three decades, will
again establish a Christmas tree
lot at the Kane County Farm
Bureau between Thanksgiving
and Christmas Eve. Marks’ provides quality, fresh cut Frasier
Fir, Balsam Fir, Spruce and
White Pines grown on their
farm in Northern Wisconsin.
All trees on the lot will be
tagged with a price and Kane
County Farm Bureau members
will receive a $10.00 discount.
We hope you take advantage of
this convenient and money saving member service. And, while
you are at the Farm Bureau, stop
inside for holiday gift ideas
including toys tractors, and a
selection of meat, poultry, BBQ
spice, pecans, chocolate clusters,
and
more!
NOVEMBER 2014
KANE COUNTY FARMER
Hunger study reveals insights
on Kane County hungry
A new study by Northern
Illinois Food Bank and Feeding
America shows that nearly
600,000 people in northern
Illinois turn to food pantries and
meal programs to feed themselves and their families. The
Hunger in America 2014 study
is Feeding America’s sixth
extensive study of hunger.
Completed every four years,
the study surveys the food
pantries and feeding programs in
the Northern Illinois Food Bank
(NIFB) network and the people
who seek food assistance from
them. It provides insightful
demographic data, offering a
snapshot of who Northern Illinois
Food Bank serves. According to
the Hunger in America 2014 local
findings, NIFB serves more than
71,000 people each week.
Patrons use food pantries and
feeding programs on average
eight times per year.
Findings include:
• Children under age 18
make up 36 percent of hungry,
seniors age 60 and older make
up nine percent.
• Among all hungry neighbors, 40 percent identify as
white, 33 percent identify as
Hispanic or Latino and 17 percent identify as black or African
American.
• 66 percent of households
that use the Food Bank’s services have incomes that fall at or
below the federal poverty level.
• 78 percent of people who
use the Food Bank’s services
have a high school diploma or
general equivalency diploma,
and 30 percent have completed
some college, earned a business,
trade or technical degree or completed a four-year college degree
or higher level of education.
The study shows that clients
are making tough choices. Based
on the report, 77 percent of
households the Food Bank serves
had to choose between paying
for food and utilities in the past
12 months, and 62 percent had to
choose between food and paying
for medicine/medical care in the
past 12 months.
Harvest for ALL update
As the fall harvest rolls along, local farmers continue to fulfill their pledges of crop proceeds to local
food pantries, helping supply 3 meals a day to some of the 600,000 people in northern Illinois who need
assistance. KCFB offers its sincere appreciation to the following for their pledges of crop proceeds,
cash, farm products or labor. Visit www.kanecfb.com to download a participation form or call
630-584-8660.
Names shown are pledges made as of October 15, 2014 and not previously recognized. Pledges made
after that date will be updated in subsequent issues of the Kane County Farmer. Names with an asterisk
(*) are commitments already fulfilled.
Renewed commitments
Donor
*Mike & Carol Kenyon
*Mike & Carol Kenyon
EPA rule
PAGE 8
Several Kane County farms
and businesses offer
e Christmas trees Thes
Abbey Farms – Aurora
s
location:
630-966-7775
include
Heinz Brothers Greenhouse – St. Charles
630-377-6288
Klein’s Farm & Garden Market – Udina
847-683-9647
Kuipers Family Farm – Maple Park
815-827-5200
Lee’s Trees – Lily Lake
630-365-2116
Pine Apple Acres – Huntley
847-669-3251
Randy’s Vegetables – Elgin
847-428-5244
Spring Bluff Nursery – Sugar Grove
630-466-4278
Tom’s Farm Market & Greenhouse – Huntley
847-669-3421
Trellis Farm & Garden – St. Charles
630-584-2024
Beneficiary
Food for Greater Elgin
Northern Illinois Food Bank
(continued from page 4)
EPA, detailing their fears.
“Hundreds of Illinois farmers have taken the time to write
personalized comments detailing their outrage with the proposed rule and file them with
the EPA,” Guebert said.
Still, Guebert added, more
needs to be done. Due to the
public backlash surrounding the
proposal, the EPA again extended the deadline to file comments
to Nov. 14, 2014. That means
those that haven’t filed comments still have time to get their
concerns written down and sent
to the EPA.
“It’s time to definitively tell
the EPA and the Corps to ‘Ditch
the Rule,’” Guebert said. “Clean
water is important to all of us.
Farmers and businessmen alike,
we all drink the same water and
we need it to be safe. But this
isn’t about clean water. It’s
about the EPA overreaching and
overregulating yet again. It’s
about a government land grab
and limitless federal jurisdiction. And it’s about the federal
government infringing on property owners’ rights. And that
doesn’t just affect farmers ... it
affects us all.”
For more information, visit
http://ditchtherule.fb.org.
Holiday Product Order Form
Citrus, Nuts, Cheese, Meat, Popcorn, Spice
ORDER DEADLINE: Friday, November 21, 2014
“Helping to keep America Picked up for 45 years”

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