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Love of land and agriculture showcased in Illinois

8 families were honored during the 2004 Conservation Farm Family Awards Program for the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts, held this week in Springfield. Yours truly served as the humble emcee. I am humbled by the commitment and the love these families have for the land. It sounds like such a cliché’ to say “every family was a winner,” but that is true.

The Bushnell farm family from Ogle County took top honors Monday night. Meg Bushnell, who started the operation with her husband in the mid-50’s, praised the other families for conservation efforts implemented on their respective farms.

The Schneider farm family from Venedy, Illinois in Washington County, has implemented a “circle of conservation.” Dairy is a big part of their operation. Utilizing the dairy, nutrient management, conservation projects, and crop and forage production, this family has truly completed that circle.

Gerald and Lois Neher farm near Anna, Illinois. They bought their farm 13 years ago.
Soil losses were estimated at 15 tons or more per acre per year. Today, soil loss is less than a half ton per acre per year on the entire farm. They save eight hundred tons of soil per year on their farm. That is truly a success story in Illinois agriculture!

If you are interested in this program and would like to enter your family farm, or you know someone who is deserving, just contact your county Soil and Water Conservation District for more details. This awards ceremony, which I have emceed 6 or 7 times over the past 13 years, is one of my favorite events, because the families have such honest passion and true love for the land.

The Bushnell family will be recognized during Ag Day festivities August 17, at the Illinois State Fair. (Yes, for those of you who were wondering, there WILL be an Illinois State Fair this year.)

Illinois Director of Agriculture Chuck Hartke was on hand for the awards ceremony Monday evening. He told me he is “ready” for the fair. Me, too! I love the Illinois State Fair. It is a melting pot of people that I have known all of my life. For years in my youth, I took 4-H projects to the fair. For most of the past 19 years, I have covered the Illinois State Fair as a farm broadcaster.

There is one person who just might love the state fair more than I do. Marla Behrends covered the fair as a farm broadcaster for many years before becoming Industry Relations Manager for the Midwest Dairy Association in Illinois. For the past 2 years, she has been busy promoting the dairy industry and working with producers in the dairy barns at the fair.

This year, Marla tells me, “The Midwest Dairy Association is very pleased to be named manager of the Dairy Building at the Illinois State Fair. We are putting together the exhibits and the games and will be supervising the dairy products competition. We are also operating concessions in the dairy building.”

The Illinois Pork Producers Association has the Pork Patio. The Illinois Beef Association operates the Rib-eye Corral. Now Illinois dairy farmers have the dairy building. Marla believes this is a great opportunity for Illinois’ dairy farmers. “They are the ones out there milking their cows 365 days a year, making sure there is a great product in the dairy case for everyone.”

Her excitement is contagious. I asked about tradition and changes. “Oh, Cyndi,” she said, “We aren’t going to take away any of the great tradition of the dairy building! The butter cow will stay as a focal point of prominence in the building. There will be a new twist to the games, with the introduction of the 3-a-day program, which is of course, the importance of 3 dairy items in your diet every day.”

Another change will be the introduction of some new menu items. I am not privy to all of those new items yet, but Marla did tell me sundaes with fresh fruit toppings will be available, along with the traditional milkshakes, hard and soft-serve ice cream, white and chocolate milk, and cream puffs.

Marla tells me the cream puffs will be ready when the dairy building opens at 9 each morning of the fair.