Loading Out Pigs

We recently went through the process of loading all 1300 pigs out of our nursery barn, and moved them to a finishing barn. In our nursery barn, we receive piglets that have been weaned from their moms’ at about 18 days of age and weighing about 15 pounds. They grow in our barn for 8…

2017 Farm Progress Show

If you were to ask several Illinois farmers what they did this past week, more than likely they would tell you they found time, amidst their busy endeavors, to attend the annual Farm Progress Show in Decatur, IL. For 64 years, people from all over the country and across the globe have attended this event…

Seeing Dusty Crophopper

"Look Mommy! Look Daddy! That's 'Dusty Crophopper!'" We heard excited squeals from the girl crew in the backseat as they spotted one of their favorite movie stars in the sky. Like the Planes character, these flyers are fascinating to watch. Just look at the pictures I took. How can you not be impressed? Swooping down…

Knee High by the 4th of July?

What does the 4th of July have to do with growing corn? There's an generations old rhyme I've known as long as I can remember "knee high by the 4th of July," which could be used as a standard measure for the corn crop.  But these days it hardly seems relevant. More like "head high…

Ag Career Panel

Our county Farm Bureau organization partners with the Farm Bureau organizations of several surrounding counties to provide a two day workshop for (non-agriculture) teachers at all of the schools in those counties. Several participants reported the highlight of their first day was visiting a local pig farm. Part of the morning session today was a…