Shopping Spree to provide hunger relief...stretch their grocery dollars with healthy, nutritious...

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stretch their grocery dollars with healthy, nutritious food. Typically, consumers spend just 10 percent of their disposable annual income on food. This low number is thanks to the effi- cient efforts by America’s farm- ers and ranchers, who work hard every day to provide a safe, abundant and affordable food supply. All of the groceries collected during the 5-minute spree are purchased by the Farm Bureau and donated to the respective pantries. Waubonsee Commun- ity College President Dr. Christine Sobek will compete in the February 20 event and be joined by another local public official. Through this and other recent hunger relief efforts including Harvest for ALL and the related Million Meal Challenge, KCFB members have donated the equivalent of more than 1.75 million meals to area food pantries. On Monday, February 20, Kane County Farm Bureau will host its 15th annual Food Check-Out “Challenge,” a Shopping Spree to benefit local food pantries. The public is invited to come watch local offi- cials race to collect food to help restock the shelves of two area food pantries. The contest will once again be held at the Batavia Jewel-Osco, on Randall Road at Main Street in Batavia. Food Check-Out Week teaches Americans how to Enhance the quality of life for member families; Promote agriculture, farms & food; and, Advocate good stewardship of our land and resources. VOL. 82 NO. 2 FEBRUARY 2017 February Featured Product Pork Chops Our featured product for this month is Imboden’s Meats delicious seasoned pork chops. Each 5 lb. box comes in 8 oz. or 10 oz. and boneless and bone-in varieties. Each chop comes in a vacuum sealed plastic bag. Just thaw, cut it open and pour it out on your grill for a perfectly seasoned, thick, juicy pork chop every time. Price is $25 per box for KCFB members, $23 for plus members and $28 for non- members. It’s a Farm Bureau member favorite! Available at Kane County Farm Bureau, Randall Road and Oak Street in St. Charles. Shopping Spree to provide hunger relief Fourth graders explore farming at Ag Days Did you know the felt on a pool table comes from a sheep’s wool, or that crayons can be made from soy- beans? Neither do lots of kids. Many also don’t realize that food comes from farms, not the store. A snapshot of farms and farmers will be on display for two days, March 21 & 22, inside the Fieldhouse at Mooseheart Child City & School near Batavia dur- ing AG Days. For three decades this Kane County Farm Bureau agricultural expo has been helping fourth graders walk away with a better under- standing of where their food comes from. Up to 2,000 kids will learn about farm products that go into everything from Can YOU describe biotech- nology? Fourth graders who attend Ag Days can, by the end of their day-long experience with agriculture. Whether you’re someone who doesn’t know a grain bin from an airplane hangar, or you log hun- dreds of hours in the cab of a combine – you can help Kane County ten- year-olds learn about farming and what it does for the world. Call 630- 584-660 to learn how. (continued on page 6) National Chili Day is Thursday, February 23rd and what better way to celebrate than by making a winning pot of chili - while supporting the KCFB Foundation. Judging will be based on ICS criteria: good chili flavor, texture, con- sistency, blend of spices, aroma and color. A trophy plus 25% of the entry fee for each category will be award- ed to the top creations in the following: Best Homestyle Chili; Best Non- Traditional Chili; Best Wildlife Chili; Best Vegetarian Chili (chili without meat) The judging for the best in each category will begin promptly at 4:30 PM by a panel of “celebrity” judges. Winners will be announced at the conclu- sion of judging. A People’s choice chili will be selected at the end of the night via public vote. Chili’s will be num- bered and the public will be invit- ed to vote for their favorite. The People’s Choice award winning chili (trophy PLUS bragging rights) will be announced February 24th. Prizes will also be awarded for best presentation or theme (plan for 30” of table space) and best recipe card. Multiple recipe cards are encour- aged. Not a cook but still want to cel- ebrate national Chili day? Head on over to the KCFB office for a public tasting at 5:30PM. A $5 donation will get you a 3 portion “flight” of chili sample bowls, a grilled cheese sandwich while supplies last. Additional bowls drinks, and snacks can be purchased as well. All entry fees and event proceeds benefit the KCFB Foundation in support of agri- cultural education and college scholarships. How to enter: 1. Call, email, or mail in the entry form below by February 17th to: KCFB Foundation Chili Cook-off, 2N710 Randall Road, St. Charles, IL 60174. E m a i l : [email protected] Phone: (630) 584- 8660 2. Pay the entry fee ($15 per member, $25 per non-member). Make checks payable to: KCFB Foundation. Visa, Discover, or MasterCard accepted in person or over the phone 3. Cook a minimum of 6 quarts of chili and bring it to the KCFB at or before 4PM on Thursday, February 23. For more information, check out www.Kanecfb.com\Chili. KCFB Foundation to host National Chili Day Cook-off! Entry Form (due by February 17th): Head Cook: ___________________________________________ Chili/Team Name _______________________________________ Type(s) of Chili: ___ Homestyle ___ Non Traditional (meat _______________) ___ Vegetarian ___ Wildlife (meat _____________________) Address______________________________________________ City___________________________ State____ Zip___________ Phone (_________) ____________________________________ Entry fee: $15.00 (Member) and $25.00 (Non-Member) Make checks payable to: KCFB Foundation. Visa, Discover, or MasterCard accepted in person or over the phone Are you the reigning champion of chili among your friends and family? Why not test your recipe against other chili lovers at the KCFB Foundation National Chili Day Chili Cook-Off! NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING N otice is hereby given that the 104th Annual Meeting of the Kane County Farm Bureau will be held at the Kane County Farm Bureau, 2N710 Randall Road, St. Charles, IL 60174 on Tuesday, April 4, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. for the purpose of receiving and acting upon reports of officers, the board of directors and manage- ment for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, and to announce the eight directors elected to serve terms of one or three years to represent Districts 1through 5, as determined by a Resolution of the Board of Directors adopted January 7, 2016, and for transaction of any other business that may properly come before the meeting. Michael Kenyon, Secretary KCFB sponsors a shop- ping spree where public officials race to collect food for local food pantries. In 2016, County Board member TR Smith piled his cart high before checking out, raising over $900 for The Burlington-Hampshire Food Pantry. The public is invited to watch the 2017 “Food Check-Out Challenge” at 10:30am on Monday, Feb. 20 at the Batavia Jewel-Osco. DATES TO REMEMBER February February 2 Board of Directors, 7:30pm February 13 Water Test Kits Available (Through Feb. 24) February 15 KCFB Foundation Scholarship Applications Due February 17 Chili Cook-off entries due February 20 Food Check-Out Challenge Shopping Spree, 10:30 a.m., Batavia Jewel February 23 Chili Cook-off, 5:30pm February 27 Water test kits/samples to be returned to KCFB

Transcript of Shopping Spree to provide hunger relief...stretch their grocery dollars with healthy, nutritious...

Page 1: Shopping Spree to provide hunger relief...stretch their grocery dollars with healthy, nutritious food. Typically, consumers spend just 10 percent of their disposable annual income

stretch their grocery dollarswith healthy, nutritious food.Typically, consumers spend just10 percent of their disposableannual income on food. Thislow number is thanks to the effi-cient efforts by America’s farm-ers and ranchers, who workhard every day to provide a safe,abundant and affordable foodsupply.All of the groceries collected

during the 5-minute spree arepurchased by the Farm Bureauand donated to the respective

pantries. Waubonsee Commun -ity College President Dr.Christine Sobek will compete inthe February 20 event and bejoined by another local publicofficial.Through this and other

recent hunger relief effortsincluding Harvest for ALL andthe related Million MealChallenge, KCFB membershave donated the equivalent ofmore than 1.75 million meals toarea food pantries.

On Monday, February 20,Kane County Farm Bureau willhost its 15th annual FoodCheck-Out “Challenge,” aShopping Spree to benefit localfood pantries. The public isinvited to come watch local offi-cials race to collect food to helprestock the shelves of two areafood pantries. The contest willonce again be held at theBatavia Jewel-Osco, on RandallRoad at Main Street in Batavia. Food Check-Out Week

teaches Americans how to

Enhance the quality of life for member families;Promote agriculture, farms & food; and,

Advocate good stewardship of our land and resources.

VOL. 82 NO. 2 FEBRUARY 2017

February Featured Product

Pork ChopsOur featured product for this month is Imboden’s Meats deliciousseasoned pork chops. Each 5 lb. box comes in 8 oz. or 10 oz. andboneless and bone-in varieties. Each chop comes in a vacuum sealedplastic bag. Just thaw, cut it open and pour it out on your grill for aperfectly seasoned, thick, juicy pork chop every time. Price is $25per box for KCFB members, $23 for plus members and $28 for non-members. It’s a Farm Bureau member favorite! Available at KaneCounty Farm Bureau, Randall Road and Oak Street in St. Charles.

Shopping Spree to provide hunger relief

Fourth graders explorefarming at Ag DaysDid you know the felt on a

pool table comes from a sheep’swool, or that crayons can bemade from soy-beans? Neither dolots of kids. Manyalso don’t realizethat food comesfrom farms, not thestore.A snapshot of

farms and farmerswill be on displayfor two days,

March 21 & 22, inside theFieldhouse at Mooseheart ChildCity & School near Batavia dur-

ing AG Days. Forthree decades thisKane County FarmBureau agriculturalexpo has beenhelping fourthgraders walk awaywith a better under-standing of wheretheir food comesfrom. Up to 2,000kids will learn

about farm products thatgo into everything from

Can YOU describe biotech-nology? Fourth graderswho attend Ag Days can, bythe end of their day-longexperience with agriculture.

Whether you’re someonewho doesn’t know a grainbin from an airplanehangar, or you log hun-dreds of hours in the cabof a combine – you canhelp Kane County ten-year-olds learn aboutfarming and what it doesfor the world. Call 630-584-660 to learn how.

(continued on page 6)

National Chili Day isThursday, February 23rd andwhat better way to celebratethan by making a winning pot ofchili - while supporting theKCFB Foundation. Judging willbe based on ICS criteria: goodchili flavor, texture, con-sistency, blend of spices,aroma and color. A trophy plus 25% of

the entry fee for eachcategory will be award-ed to the top creations inthe following:

Best HomestyleChili; Best Non-Traditional Chili; BestWildlife Chili; BestVegetarian Chili (chiliwithout meat)The judging for the best in

each category will beginpromptly at 4:30 PM by a panelof “celebrity” judges. Winnerswill be announced at the conclu-sion of judging.

A People’s choice chiliwill beselected at the end of the night viapublic vote. Chili’s will be num-bered and the public will be invit-ed to vote for their favorite. ThePeople’s Choice award winningchili (trophy PLUS bragging

rights) will be announcedFebruary 24th. Prizes will also beawarded for best presentation ortheme (plan for 30” of tablespace) and best recipe card.Multiple recipe cards are encour-aged.

Not a cook but still want to cel-ebrate national Chili day?Head on over to the KCFB

office for a public tasting at5:30PM. A $5 donation will getyou a 3 portion “flight” of chilisample bowls, a grilled cheese

sandwich while supplies last.Additional bowls drinks, andsnacks can be purchased aswell. All entry fees and eventproceeds benefit the KCFBFoundation in support of agri-cultural education and college

scholarships.How to enter: 1. Call, email, or

mail in the entry formbelow by February 17thto: KCFB Foundation

Chili Cook-off, 2N710Randall Road, St.Charles, IL 60174. E m a i l :

[email protected]: (630) 584-

86602. Pay the entry fee ($15 per

member, $25 per non-member).Make checks payable to: KCFBFoundation. Visa, Discover, orMasterCard accepted in personor over the phone3. Cook a minimum of 6

quarts of chili and bring it to theKCFB at or before 4PM onThursday, February 23.For more information, check

out www.Kanecfb.com\Chili.

KCFB Foundation to hostNational Chili Day Cook-off!

Entry Form (due by February 17th):

Head Cook: ___________________________________________

Chili/Team Name _______________________________________

Type(s) of Chili:

___ Homestyle ___ Non Traditional (meat _______________)

___ Vegetarian ___ Wildlife (meat _____________________)

Address______________________________________________

City___________________________ State____ Zip___________

Phone (_________) ____________________________________Entry fee: $15.00 (Member) and $25.00 (Non-Member)Make checks payable to: KCFB Foundation. Visa, Discover,or MasterCard accepted in person or over the phone

Are you the reigning champion of chili among yourfriends and family? Why not test your recipeagainst other chili lovers at the KCFB FoundationNational Chili Day Chili Cook-Off!

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING

Notice is hereby given that the 104th Annual Meeting of theKane County Farm Bureau will be held at the Kane County

Farm Bureau, 2N710 Randall Road, St. Charles, IL 60174 onTuesday, April 4, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. for the purpose of receiving andacting upon reports of officers, the board of directors and manage-ment for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, and to announcethe eight directors elected to serve terms of one or three years torepresent Districts 1through 5, as determined by a Resolution of theBoard of Directors adopted January 7, 2016, and for transaction ofany other business that may properly come before the meeting.

Michael Kenyon, Secretary

KCFB sponsors a shop-ping spree where publicofficials race to collectfood for local foodpantries. In 2016, CountyBoard member TR Smithpiled his cart high beforechecking out, raisingover $900 for TheBurlington-HampshireFood Pantry. The publicis invited to watch the2017 “Food Check-OutChallenge” at 10:30amon Monday, Feb. 20 atthe Batavia Jewel-Osco.

DATES TO REMEMBER

FebruaryFebruary 2Board of Directors, 7:30pmFebruary 13Water Test Kits Available(Through Feb. 24)February 15KCFB Foundation ScholarshipApplications Due February 17Chili Cook-off entries dueFebruary 20Food Check-Out ChallengeShopping Spree, 10:30 a.m.,Batavia Jewel February 23Chili Cook-off, 5:30pmFebruary 27Water test kits/samples to bereturned to KCFB

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Would you like to have lunchwith an Illinois State Rep -resentative or Senator? KaneCounty Farm Bureau’s Lunchesto Legislators (L2L) programgives you a chance to do justthat! We need qualified volun-

teers for this annual visit thatallows Farm Bureau membersto get better acquainted with legislators.This year’s program will be a

two-day event in March, allow-ing more flexibility for volun-

teers to find a time to partici-pate. Farm Bureau volunteerswill arrange visits to districtoffices of Kane County’s sixstate senators, nine state repre-sentatives, four congressmenand the offices of our U.S.Senators in Chicago. Equippedwith boxed lunches, FarmBureau policy books and farmand food facts literature, they’llexpress their appreciation forthe legislators’ hard work. To volunteer to assist with

this program, please fill outthe form below and mail back tothe KCFB office prior toFebruary 28.

January 2017Directors welcomed Bert

Veldhuizen and Kathy Koshini,two of seven “31 Days ofChristmas” raffle winners in theKCFB Foundation annualscholarship fundraiser. At thebeginning of the meeting,Koshini, winner on two separatedays, was presented with giftcards totaling $700 andVeldhizen was presented a $280Cabela’s gift card. President JoeWhite thanked all who support-ed the Foundation by purchas-ing raffle tickets. The raffle tick-ets are an important element infunding the Foundation forfuture scholarship recipients.The Board heard reports on

the Aurora COUNTRYFinancial Agency from agencymanager Kevin Gomes, as wellas a report from IFB Region 2manager Ryan Ford. Joe White gave the

Presidents report. He told theboard that the District 1, 2 & 4President’s Meeting would be

taking place in late January atDeKalb CFB. He asked if theboard had questions or topicsfor the meeting. A StatewidePresident’s and Managers meet-ing on HR topics is scheduled inMarch, the location still beingdetermined. White alsoinformed the board about theproposed Nominating Com -mittee for 2017. The Committeerecommendations included:District 1, Jeff Bornemann, andalt. Ray Feldott; District 2,Sandy Gould, alt Trent Pierson;District 3, Andy Lenkaitis, altGerard Fabrizius; District 4,Alan Volpp, alt Carolyn Gehrke;District 5, Dan Heinrich, altLloyd Goebbert. The boardapproved all appointments. TheNominating Committee willmeet prior to the FebruaryBoard meeting and may chooseto interview incumbent candi-dates for re-election at the meet-ing. White also reminded theboard that notices regardingelection ballots and annual

meeting will be mailed out inlate March. Arnold gave the Manager’s

Report, starting by circulatingthe Membership MattersMonthly and the Calendar ofevents. Arnold informed theboard that January meeting dateswere needed for Finance andGovernment Affairs committees.Arnold spoke about the lobbyremodeling. Two bids will besought for the project. Hereminded the board membersabout the Technology Grant duein April and the FOTO Grant duein May, as well as suggestionsfor each grant. B. Collins gave the PR &

Membership report. Heinformed the board on contribu-tions to the KCFB Foundationduring the previous monthincluding: FOUNDATIONDirect Mail Year end contribu-tions by: Janet Spohr, CraigSpohr, Edward Regole, Mikeand Helen Biddle, Mark Regole,Thomas Halat, Lynn and Betty

PAGE 2 KANE COUNTY FARMER FEBRUARY 2017

Kane County FarmerKANE COUNTY FARM BUREAU

PUBLISHED MONTHLYSteven J. Arnold, Editor

Suzi Myers, Ag Literacy CoordinatorAudre Pack, Training Specialist

Elizabeth Polovin, Member Services CoordinatorKristi Van Oost, Development & Program CoordinatorValerie Johnson, Administrative & Program Assistant

OFFICE: Randall Rd. between Routes 64 & 38Address: 2N710 Randall Rd., St. Charles

PHONE: [email protected] www.kanecfb.com

OFFICE HOURS: 8:30-4:30 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 60174Year Subscription: $2.00

■ DISTRICT 1Aurora, Sugar Grove,Big Rock Twnshp.

Nan Long11461 E. County Line Rd.Big Rock, IL 60511815-693-7214

Donna Lehrer7S027 Jericho Rd.Big Rock, IL 60511630-556-3476

William KeckP.O. Box 281Sugar Grove, IL 60554630-466-4668

■ DISTRICT 2Kaneville, Blackberry,Gen./Bat. Twnshp.

Bill Collins1125 Lewis Rd.Geneva, IL 60134630-484-6852

Karl Kettelkamp0S860 Rowe Rd.Elburn, IL 60119630-365-2713

Joe WhitePresident47W727 Main St. Rd.Elburn, IL 60119630-557-2517

■ DISTRICT 3Virgil, Campton,St. Charles Twnshp.

Frank Carlson104 Sumac CourtSt. Charles, IL 60174630-513-9980

Chris Collins1143 AndersonElburn, IL 60119630-934-4642

Dale Pitstick128 N Hadsall St.Genoa, IL 60135630-816-0223

■ DISTRICT 4Burlington, PlatoElgin Twnshp.

Beth Gehrke12N860 US Hwy. 20Elgin, IL 60124847-697-2538

Mike KenyonSecretary/Treasurer1250 E. Main St.South Elgin, IL 60177847-741-1818

Craig Bradley37W791 Orchard LaneElgin, IL 60124847-888-2380

■ DISTRICT 5Hampshire, Rutland,Dundee Twnshp.

Joe Engel516 Sawgrass Ln.Hampshire, IL 60140847-347-5561

Gerald Gaitsch10613 Brittany Ave.Huntley, IL 60142847-669-2003

Wayne SchneiderVice President721 Lindsay LaneWest Dundee, IL 60118847-428-0488

You receive the Kane CountyFarmer because you are a FarmBureau member. If you are a farmoperator or owner, you benefitfrom a local, state and nationalorganization committed to agri-culture and your way of life. If you do not have direct ties

to farming, your membershiphelps promote local farms andfarming, encourages wise use ofour limited natural resources andpreserves farmland and our agri-cultural heritage while allowingyou to enjoy COUNTRY insur-ance and the many other benefitsof one of Illinois’ premier mem-bership organizations. We appreciate your member-

ship and continued support andwe welcome your comments onthe content of the Farmer. Weencourage you to make recom-mendations about farm, home,food, natural resource, renewableenergy or agricultural heritage andhistory related topics for inclusionin future issues of the Farmer.

KCFB Board Review

Beef store is now open! By appointment only

100% hormone free beef.Selling individual cuts. Buy as little or as much as you want.

815.895.4691Mark & Linda Schramer, Owners8N840 Lakin Road, Maple Park Sample Packs make great gifts!

Landmeier, Kenneth and NancyMeyer, Edward Butts, Scott andMichele Horton, Andy andSarah Lenkaitis, James andDeloris O’Connell, 1st FarmCredit Services, Thomas andJanet Runty, Richard and WilmaPhillips, Richard Bartels, Davidand Carol Bateman, Charles &Mary Ellen Heidgen, Wendelland Mary Dienst, P and LindaWilliams, Steve and KatieDownen, Edward and MargaretWesemann, John Zeissler,Robert and Julie White, YuhongWang, John and Nan Long,Dunteman Grain Farms, Philand Kristine Farrell, Dan andCharene Nagel, Harvest forALL contributions by: GehrkeFamily Farm to Food forGreater Elgin; Suzanne Myersto Northern Illinois Food Bank,Steven & Gladys Arnold to

Northern Illinois Food Bank,Mike Kenyon to Food forGreater Elgin, Karl & JulieKettelkamp and Paul “Griz”Stover to Elburn Food Pantry,Mike Dienst & Family to StVincent DePaul of Maple Park,and Food>Forward Contrib -utions by Steve & GladysArnold, John & Patricia Kozik. In the Government Affairs &

Public Policy arena, WayneSchneider reminded the board ofthe upcoming committee meet-ing and spoke about the FoodCheck-out Challenge shoppingspree, sharing possible dates,locations, and candidates. Theshopping spree will be takingplace on Monday, February 20that the Jewel Osco in Batavia at10:30AM. Schneider informedthe board of the need to set dates

Lunches to Legislators

Name: _________________________________________________

Phone:_________________________________________________

Email Address: __________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________

City:_______________________ State:____ ZipCode: ___________

Legislative District: _______________________________________

Congressional District: ____________________________________

Do you have a relationship with a current elected official? If so, who?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Which Farm Bureau policies on state and national issues can you support? _______________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Please provide a brief description of your agricultural backgroundand/or legislative priorities:_________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Farm BureauBoard MembersJoe White,Wayne Schneider,and Mike Kenyonloaded up a cool-er with lunches tobring to IllinoisState Legislatorsin 2016. Thisannual visit thatallows Farm Bureau members to get more acquainted with legislators.Interested in having lunch with an Illinois State Representative orSenator? Fill out the form below to be considered as a volunteer!

KANE COUNTY FARM BUREAU BOARD ATTENDANCEJANUARY 2017 THRU DECEMBER 2017

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JLY AUG SEP OCT NOV DECC. BRADLEY X X X X X X X X X X XF. CARLSON X X X X X X X X X X XB. COLLINS X X X X X X X X X X X XC. COLLINS X X X X X X X X X X X XJ. ENGEL X X X X X X X X X X XX XG. GAITSCH X X X X X X X X X X X XB. GEHRKE X X X X X X X X X X X XW. KECK X X X X X X X X X X XM. KENYON X X X X X X X X X X X XK. KETTLEKAMP X X X X X X X X X X X XD. LEHRER X X X X X X X X X X X XN. LONG X X X X X X X X X X X XD. PITSTICK X X X X X X X X X X XW. SCHNEIDER X X X X X X X X X X X XJ. WHITE X X X X X X X X X X X X

Illinois Farm Bureau willonce again organize a trip toWashington D.C. for FarmBureau Leaders this spring. TheLeaders to Washington trip isset for Monday-Wednesday,March 6-8. The registrationdeadline is February 7.The program is conducted

twice each year in March andSeptember. Because of an abun-dance of laws and regulations

facing the farming community,it is important for farmers tobuild relationships inWashington D.C. Farm Bureau leaders visit

our nation’s capital to helpimplement Farm Bureau policy.There, the group of men andwomen from across the statewill meet with legislators andtheir staff to talk about issuesimportant to Illinois agriculture.

Members interested in repre-senting Kane County on theMarch trip should contact KaneCounty Farm Bureau at 630-584-8660.

Visit D.C. with Farm Bureau in March

(continued on page 4)

Page 3: Shopping Spree to provide hunger relief...stretch their grocery dollars with healthy, nutritious food. Typically, consumers spend just 10 percent of their disposable annual income

Kane County Farm Bureauand Kane/DuPage Soil andWater Conservation District will

cooperate to offer a water test-ing program in February. A highquality water supply is vital for

families. This program helpsprovide peace of mind and iden-tifies potential problem areas.

Kits are available at KCFBfrom Monday, Feb. 13-24. Pickup test kits from Kane CountyFarm Bureau, 8:30-4:30pm orfrom the Kane/DuPage Soil andWater Conservation District,8:00-4:30 p.m., Mondaythrough Friday.Collect the

water sample onSunday, Feb. 26and return it toKCFB onMonday, Feb. 27. Costs vary for

depending onwhich tests youhave performed on your water.Three kits are available:A. Basic Package (NitratePackage) – $45.00Tests for nitrate, nitrite,

ammonia, chloride, sulfate, sol-uble phosphorus, silica and spe-cific conductivity.B. Pesticide Screen – $80.00Indicates the presence of tri-

azine herbicides, lasso, dual orharness.

C. Metals – $95.00Tests for 23 different metals.Detailed sampling instruc-

tions will be included in each kitand additional information onhow each test can help you isprovided at the Farm Bureau or

Kane/DuPage Soiland WaterConserva t ion’sDistrict offices.Testing will beperformed byH e i d e l b u r gCollege WaterQ u a l i t yLaboratory in

Tiffin, Ohio, a certified lab thathas been nationally recognizedfor its work in testing rivers andlakes, and results are maileddirectly to your home. We are able to provide these

deeply discounted testing feesonly because we are providingthe laboratory a bulk number tobe tested. Testing will be offeredin February only. For moreinformation, call Kane CountyFarm Bureau at 630-584-8660.

Do you have an interest inagriculture? Would you like totake charge of your future bysetting policy and building rela-tionships that will last through-out the next generation of agri-cultural landowners and lead-ers? Do you have a desire togather ideas and do somethingabout the challenges and oppor-tunities of farming in KaneCounty? Then perhaps youshould consider running for aseat on the Kane County FarmBureau’s Board of Directors. The KCFB Board consists of

15 directors, three seats in each

of five East-West districts.District 1 consists of Aurora,Big Rock and Sugar GroveTownship; District 2 isKaneville, Blackberry, Genevaand Batavia Townships; District3 is Virgil, Campton and St.Charles Townships; District 4 isBurlington, Plato and ElginTownships; and District 5 isHampshire, Rutland, andDundee Townships. Directorsserve three year terms. With theapproval of new bylaws in late2015, there are now 5 seats upfor election each year, 1 in eachDistrict.

Our members belong to theFarm Bureau for many reasons.Some join to take action on behalfof agriculture. Others join to sup-port Farm Bureau policies orassist with program efforts. FarmBureau works on the local level,in Springfield and in WashingtonD.C. to support action not just onfarm issues, but on many of thesame things you’re concernedabout: protection of private prop-erty rights and the quality of therural environment, tax policiesand economic growth, and thequality and safety of our foodsupply. As a regular (voting)member, you are eligible to runfor the Board of Directors andhelp look out for the best interestsof all of our members.The KCFB Board meets the

first Thursday evening of eachmonth. For more information,about service on the Board ofDirectors, please contactPresident Joe White at 630 557-2517, Manager Steve Arnold at630 584-8660 or any member ofthe Board of Directors. To nomi-nate yourself or a neighbor forconsideration, please fill out andreturn the form below to theNominating Committee byFebruary 15.Board elections will be held

by ballots mailed to regular(voting) members of the associ-ation in March.

Calling all Farmers & Landowners!

FEBRUARY 2017 KANE COUNTY FARMER PAGE 3

TO: Nominating Committee, Kane County Farm Bureau2N710 Randall Road, St. Charles, IL 60174

Name (please print) ____________________________________

Mailing Address _______________________________________

____________________________________________________

Township__________________________ District # ___________

Telephone (________) __________________________________

Signature_____________________________________________

Membership # (if known) ________________________________

Form completed and returned by:

Name________________________________________________Mail to this form to: Kane County Farm Bureau, 2N710 RandallRoad, St. Charles, IL 60174. Return on or before February 15,2017. The Nominating Committee will evaluate candidates

and propose a slate to run for director.

Get your chance to win oneof six great prizes in KaneCounty Farm BureauFoundation’s Winner’s ChoiceTractor Raffle. All proceedsfrom the annual raffle benefit

Foundation CollegeScholarships and FarmBureau AgriculturalLiteracy programs. Tickets are $10 each or

3 for $25 and are avail-able at Kane County FarmBureau (2N710 RandallRoad, St. Charles), from

the Farm Bureaudirectors listedon page 2, withVISA or Master -

card at 630-584-8660, or by sendingpayment with theticket request formbelow.New in 2017,

bring your Winner’sChoice raffle ticket sub forFREE family admission to thepopular Tough-A-Tractor eventtaking place April 7-9 on theKCFB front lawn.

In 2016, the Foundationawarded over $30,000 in schol-arships & internships. Your con-tributions to the Foundation,through the annual raffle andother events throughout theyear, help students attain theirdegrees, reach their goals, andhelp secure a bright future forthe Ag industry. The grand prize winner in the

annual raffle to be drawn at ourTouch-A-Tractor event onSunday, April 9, 2017 can chooseone of three great prizes: a nicelyrestored 1953 Farmall Super C ora John Deere X350 riding lawnmower or $2,500 cash. There’s agreat lineup of food, fuel andFarm Bureau prizes that includesecond prize of $500 in groceries,third prize $500 in fuel, andfourth prize is $250 in KaneCounty Farm Bureau Bucks. For more information and

rules on this year’s raffle, schol-arship programs or other KCFBFoundation programs and serv-ices, visit www.kanecfb.com orcontact Steve Arnold at 630-584-8660.

Help raise Foundation scholarshipfunds with Tractor Raffle

KCFB Foundation Winner’s Choice Tractor RafflePlease send me ________ tickets ($10 each or 3 for $25)

Name_____________________________________________________________________________

Address___________________________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip______________________________________________________________________

Email ______________________________________Phone (_______)________________________`Return with check payable to Kane County Farm Bureau Foundation,

2N710 Randall Road, St Charles, IL 60174 or charge my:

___ Visa ___ MC #________ ________ ________ ________ Exp _____/_____

Signature ____________________________________________________ Date _____/_____/ _____

Get peace of mind with water test

Bring antique tractors toTouch-A-Tractor, Apr. 7-9Now’s the time to think about

knocking the dust off thatantique tractor in the shed. Ifyou only take that tractor oneplace this year – make it Touch-A-Tractor at the Kane CountyFarm Bureau!Our 12th annual Touch-A-

Tractor will be held Friday –Sunday, April 7-9, 2017. We’remaking preparations to bringsome farm to the city for thisever-popular event that’s fun forthe whole family. If you have anantique tractor – whether you’vespent hours restoring it or it’s astill working tractor with lots offarming memories – please con-sider bringing it to the event. There’s nothing like the look

on a child’s face when they sit inthe seat of a tractor they normal-ly only see from the road or in abook. This year you’ll get a spe-cial commemorative gift inappreciation for participating. Due to space limitations and

the size of modern farmmachines, the Farm Bureau willagain call on Sugar Grove areafarmer Bruce Nagel, a long-timesupporter of Touch-A-Tractorand Ag Days, to provide thenecessary modern tractors, com-bine, tillage equipment, sprayerand planter to display for oururban and suburban neighbors.But antique tractors are needed– and the more the merrier!All tractor participants will

also be treated to a free dinner at5:30pm on Thursday, April 6 atKane County Farm Bureau.Bring your tractor that night, orpark it on the lawn anytime dur-ing the week leading up to theevent.Just clip and send in the form

below or call 630-584-8660 tolet us know the make and modelof tractor you’ll be bring. Wealso need farmers, or retiredfarmers, to explain how theequipment works. So if you canbe there any day of the event –please let us know!

Kitsavailable at KCFBstartingFeb. 13

Help make Touch-a-Tractor a success.____ Contact me about volunteer opportunities (Saturday, April 8or Sunday, April 9)____ I would like to bring the following farm equipment or livestockto display for your guestsPlease provide a brief description of the equipment/livestock. Fortractors, include year, make, and model.

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Name________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________

City_____________________________ St____ Zip ___________

Phone (__________) ___________________________________Clip and return to Kane County Farm Bureau, 2N710 Randall Road, St. Charles, IL 60174

We need YOUR antique tractor tomake moments like this. Bring anantique tractor to Touch-A-Tractor,April 7-9 and we’ll have dinner onthe grill for you on Thursday, April6 to show our appreciation.

Special offer and dinner for participating tractor enthusiasts

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It seems that every year Istrive to simplify my life byorganizing my basement. Imake some progress, quit andthen realize I’m still not done.I’ve read lots of books, tried dif-ferent strategies and even hadmy niece come help me see that“I surely don’t need that any-more.” (This was right after Iretired from teaching and had somany supplies in my basement.) I even have on my refrigera-

tor “Have nothing in your hous-es that you do not know to beuseful or believe to be beauti-ful.” One of my favorite quotesby William Morris, an Englishtextile designer, poet, novelist,translator, and socialist activist,who died in 1834. Yes, 1834 ...

guess having too much stuff inyour home has been a problemfor a long time. Setting aside time for declut-

tering the basement is one hugehurdle for me. I’m one thatwants a block of time to devoteto my basement. I might havefound a solution to this as I wasreading even more hints to less-ening the clutter load. Take 15minutes a day and spend thatdecluttering ... every day. Wow,that just might work. I couldtake my four boxes (trash, giveaway, keep and relocate) andwork for 15 minutes, walk awayand then continue the followingday. That means almost 2 hoursa week ... yippee. In just onemonth, I would have had done 8

hour’s work ... that’s one wholeday ... a day that I can’t seem tofind in my busy calendar. I needto go for this concept, it justmight work.If I have any extra moments,

I could do the “12-12-12Challenge” in other parts of myhome, like the closets ... ugh.This challenge is a simple taskof locating 12 items to throwaway, 12 items to donate, and12 items to be returned to theirproper home. Supposedly thiscan be a really fun and excitingway to quickly organize 36things in your house.I’m excited ... wonder how

long this will last. At least it’snot one of my New YearResolutions, so who knows, Imight have a basement void ofany (realistically most) cluttersoon. Wish me luck.Hope to see you at the Chili

Cook-Off here at the KCFB onFebruary 23rd. Maybe I can tellyou about the successes in myanti-clutter campaign.

PAGE 4 KANE COUNTY FARMER FEBRUARY 2017

AG LITERACY CORNER

By Suzi Myers

Book of the monthSince this is National

Inventor’s Month, our book isvery pertinent. The book is cen-tered on two of our great histor-ical inventors; Thomas Edison,who was interested in electricityand Henry Ford, whose passionwas machines. Each of the men struggled to

create their inventions, but itseemed to Henry Ford thatThomas Edison had many moresuccesses than he had. Fordwanted to meet Thomas Edisonto find out his secret to success.Eventually they did meet. AfterFord told of his trials inventinga car that would be available toeveryone, Edison told him,“Keep at it.” That was the secret... don’t give up ... keep at it. The “Keep at it” theme can

be used in so many facets of ourlives, making this book one to

read to children. This is onlyone of the children’s booksavailable for check out from ouragricultural library here at theKCFB. Our library began due toa request years ago by BobKonen and Dean Dunn. Wehave an ever growing selectionof titles. Feel free to come in tobrowse in our library.

The Inventor’s Secret–WhatThomas Edison Told Henry Ford

by Suzanne Slade

Women’s CornerBy Louise Johnson

Women’s Committee Chair

Have a Happy Valentines Day!Before Spring arrives and

Spring chores begin, take time toclean your dryer vent. Lint canbuild up in the vent, from thedryer to the outside exit. Thiscan cause dryer exhaust gases toback up into your house and cancreate a fire hazard. Accordingto the U.S. Consumer ProductSafety Commission, more than15,000 fires are sparked eachyear by clothes dryers. Neverrun your dryer when you areasleep; do not run your dryerwhen you are away: you need tobe alert for problems so you cancall the fire department!Do you have a favorite black

purse that has gotten nicked orscratched? Sometimes you can

use a black marker to cover themark. Test an inconspicuousarea first. Black shoe polish alsosometimes works; however, itmay rub off. Be careful to getthe marker only on the scratchbecause the marker will beslightly different than the sur-rounding, original finish.Heads up for the Drivers’

Safety Course that will be held atthe Farm Bureau! COUNTRYFinancial, and most other insur-ance companies believe aDefensive Driving course is sobeneficial that they give dis-counts on policy premiums fortaking this course. Check withyour agent. You do not need totake the course every year to geta discount. The DefensiveDriving course will be held onApril 25th and 26th.

How about a nice HamburgerBar-B-Que recipe for February?The combination of equalamounts of vinegar and sugarreally adds to the flavor of thisrecipe. This recipe is from mycollege roommate, Nancy R.

BBQ Burger Mix2 lbs. ground beef1 c. chopped onion

1/2 c. chopped green pepper1/2 c. chopped celery2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce1/2 c. ketchup2 T. vinegar2 T. sugar3 tsp. (=1 T.) Worcestershiresauce

1-2 tsp. salt [I omit this if it’salready in the tomato sauce.]

1/4 tsp. PepperBrown the meat. Remove the

grease. Add vegetables andcook for 5 minutes. Addremaining ingredients and mix.Cover and simmer for 20 min-utes, stirring occasionally.Spoon onto hamburger buns. Itis OK to halve the recipe, or todouble it.

for the 2017 Lunches toLegislators program, and thatregistration for the IFBGovernment Affairs LeadershipConference was due inFebruary. A new StormwaterTechnical Advisory Committeeis seeking a Farm BureauRepresentative, IFB has estab-lished benchmarks for 2017Action Requests, and registra-tion for Leaders to Washingtonis due February 7th. A written AITC report from

Suzi Myers was circulated andthe board received updates fromthe Young Farmers Committee.This update informed the boardthat 4 Committee memberssigned up to attend the IFB YoungLeaders Conference in EastPeoria. They were also reminded

of the YF Holiday Party onJanuary 6th at Sorrento’sRestaurant and that the YF-FFAAcquaintance Program wasscheduled for January 26atNorthern Illinois Food Bank at5pm. Finally, the board wasinformed that IFB sent an addi-tional $500 for the Young FarmersCommittee to donate to the FoodBank from the sale of IFB YLHarvest for ALL Tractors. The meeting concluded with a

Manager’s Report from Arnold.He spoke about the Tower lease& Property Taxes, Certificationof Status of Exempt Property,Christmas tree contract renewal2017, and new KCFB officehours (8:30-4:30). The next scheduled Kane

County Farm Bureau Board ofDirectors meeting will be heldThursday, February 2 at7:30pm.

Board meeting(continued from page 2)

See you at Touch-A-Tractor April 7-9, 2017

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“If you know beans aboutchili, you know chili has nobeans,” by Jerry Jeff Walker,country music singer.

Texas Red is a potent, pun-gent concoction of chili thattouts a no-frills approach to chili:just meat, spices and as manychiles as you can stand. Nobeans are in Texas Red. ToTexans, anything else isn’t evencalled chili.

Springfield-style “chilli” is asaucy stew with no fear of a littlefat in the mix. The Midwest -erners go with a mild, cumin-

heavy spice mix and usually adda generous helping of beans.

Cincinnati Five-Way Chili Iscloser to Italian Bolognese thanTexas Red. Developed during theRoaring Twenties from Greekroots, this thin chili usesMediterranean spices such ascinnamon, allspice, cloves andcocoa. Then serve over spaghettinoodles.

Did youknow:

The first chili mix was concocted around 1850 by Texan adventur-ers and cowboys as a staple for hard times when traveling. Thetrail cooks pounded dried beef, fat, pepper, salt, and the chile pep-pers together into stackable rectangles which could be easily rehy-drated with boiling water. This amounted to “brick chili” or “chilibricks” that could be boiled in pots along the trail. In the late 1800’s, it is said that the Texas prison version of breadand water (or gruel) was a stew of the cheapest available ingredi-ents (tough beef that was hacked fine and chiles and spices thatwere boiled in water to an edible consistency). The “prisoner’splight” became a status symbol of the Texas prisons and theinmates used to rate jails on the quality of their chili. Texas chili went national when Texas set up a San Antonio ChiliStand at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Spanish priests deemed chili the “soup of the devil” and preachedsermons against indulgence. Chili con carne was dubbed the Lone Star’s state food in 1977. 1993 the state legislature of Illinois named Springfield “The ChilliCapital of the Civilized World.” At its peak, Springfield boasted overa dozen chili parlors, three chili canners and exports of over fourmillion cans per year. Chasen’s Restaurant in Hollywood, California probably made themost famous chili. The owner of the restaurant, Dave Chasen(1899-1973) kept the recipe a secret, entrusting it to no one. Will Rogers (1879-1935), popular actor, cattleman, banker, andjournalist, called chili a “bowl of blessedness.” Jesse James (1847-1882), outlaw and desperado of the oldAmerican West, refused to rob a bank in McKinney, Texas becausethat is where his favorite chili parlor was located. U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson was a big chili lover. His favoriterecipe became known as Pedernales River chili after the location ofhis Texas ranch.

FEBRUARY 2017 KANE COUNTY FARMER PAGE 5

Compiled by Suzi Myers

Z B U O R R I P W J I Q A O W L W N E A

Q J K F S C C I B W S B T V B X K V J N

X O B A H A L T W P H E Y I Q C S V T A

R J X A Y L A A R O R I T D V R Q V A I

J E S E I Y Z I K L U E T D G J X F D R

T E N N T P N D I Q V B B E L R U F Z A

N N O J I G E N E C M S Y P C T L N H T

E I S W F L G P C O N S I S T E N C Y E

S G J I E A I F P Q O O P Z F P T Q R G

V T E D J T E H V E B H S J T E E A S E

T L E E Z E S Z C X R T I L C A B X E V

D R G Y B X T B V S H S P U U I S W R M

I T A N N I C N I C P S G Y M D X T X G

X Z T Y L M B X J O L A K Q I T Z S E F

B G E F E E O O K X Y C G C N E R S A Y

C D H M A G L A R M F M J H I R G U H N

O G N N F T U L B S Q V F F E R F Z I O

L L S T Z X Q Q B V Y Y X D P T B G E A

O B B R G Q U I W A Z W B R V D T Z R S

R I K Q A M O R A F V D C K U T X I G W

B G I K T N S B P V T I A E S I I N G K

Name _______________________________________________________________________________

Address _____________________________________________________________________________

City______________________________________________ State ______ Zip_____________________

Telephone (______)___________________ Email ___________________________________ Age _____Return to: Kane County Farm Bureau, 2N710 Randall Road, St Charles, IL 60174 by February 15, 2017

to be entered in our drawing for a chili-themed prize.

Chili

National Hot Breakfast MonthNational Black History MonthNational Canned Food MonthChocolate Lover’s MonthAmerican Heart MonthAmerican History Month

February Holidays:National Groundhog Day ..... 2ndNational HomemadeSoup Day.............................. 4thNational Send a Cardto a Friend Day ..................... 7thNational Pizza Day................ 9thValentine’s Day................... 14th Presidents Day ................... 20th National Chili Day............... 23rd

February is:

CongratulationsMary Purkart of Geneva!Her name was chosen from theentries received for correctlycompleting last month’s WordSearch Puzzle. For her partici-pation, she receives wonderfulsnowglobe! Thank you, Maryfor reading the Kane CountyFarmer and continue to watcheach month for more greatopportunities from the KaneCounty Farm Bureau.

AROMABEANSBITEBRICKSCAYENNECHASENCHILICINCINNATICOLORCONSISTENCYCUMINILLINOISMEATPEPPERSREDSPAGHETTISPRINGFIELDSTEWTASTETERLINGATEXASVEGETARIANWHITE

Simple and savory – A simple recipe to haveyour children help make would be to spread chili on a piece of toastand put a piece of cheese on top. Broil till cheese melts and enjoy.

Chili cook-offs• The most famous and well

known chili cook-off took placein 1967 in Terlinga, Texas, a bor-der town about 400 miles west ofchili’s alleged birthplace, SanAntonio. The cook-off competi-tion ended in a tie vote when thetie-breaker judge spit out hischili, declaring that his tastebuds were “ruint,” and said theywould have to do the whole thingover again next year.• On October 5, 1952 at the

Texas State Fair in Dallas, Texas.Mrs. F. G. Ventura of Dallas wonthe Texas State Fair contest andher recipe was declared the

“Official State Fair of Texas ChiliRecipe” and first ever “WorldChampion Chili Cook.” Mrs.Ventura held her title as WorldChampions Chili Cook for 15years.• Chili Appreciation Society

International which has approxi-mately 50 “pods” or clubs in theUnited States and Canada andsupports over 400 sanctionedchili cook offs involving thou-sands of participants each year. • Attributes chili cook-off

judges look for in chili:TASTE is the most important

factor. The taste should consist

of the combination of the meat,peppers, spices, etc, with no par-ticular ingredient being domi-nant, but rather a blend of theflavors.

CONSISTENCY – Chili musthave a good ratio between sauceand meat. It should not be dry,watery, grainy, lumpy, or greasy.

AROMA – Chili should smellgood.

COLOR – Chili should lookappetizing.

BITE (after taste) is the heatcreated by the various type ofchili peppers and chili spices.

Cincinnati Chili recipe

Have a chili pepper relay

Prep Time: 15 minutesCook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutesYield: 6 to 8 servingsIngredients:1 large onion, chopped1 pound extra-lean ground beef(hamburger)

1 clove garlic, minced1 tablespoon chili powder1 teaspoon ground allspice1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 teaspoon ground cumin*1/2 teaspoon red (cayenne)pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetenedcocoa or 1/2 ounce gratedunsweetened chocolate

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershiresauce

1 tablespoon cider vinegar1/2 cup water1 (16-ounce) packageuncooked driedspaghetti pasta

Toppings (seebelow)

Instructions:In a large frying

pan over medium-highheat, sauté onion, groundbeef, garlic, and chili powderuntil ground beef is slightlycooked.Add rest of ingredients except

for spaghetti noodles and top-pings. Simmer uncovered for an

hour. Cook spaghetti and transfer

onto individual serving plates(small oval plates are tra-ditional).

Ladle CincinnatiChili mixture overthe cookedspaghetti and servewith toppings ofyour choice.Oyster crackers are

served in a separate con-tainer on the side.

Toppings:Oyster CrackersShredded Cheddar CheeseChopped OnionKidney Beans (16-ounce) can

1. Divide children into two ormore teams and have each teamform a line. 2. Give each team a long red

balloon (their “chili pepper”). 3. Kids pass their chili pep-

per down the line as quickly aspossible. The first player passesit between his legs, the second

over her head, the third betweenhis legs, and so on. 4. When the pepper reaches

the last child, they race to thefront of the team’s line and startthe chili pepper down again. 5. The relay ends when the

first player from one of the teamsreaches the back of his team’s

line, gets the chili pepper, andreturns it to the front of the line.

Geographical styles of chili

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Back when I was a student atTruman State University,

which feels like ages agodespite only graduating in May,one of my best friends namedChristina took up residence atthe University Farm. This resi-dence was more like a job, asstudents needed to apply for theposition by filling out an appli-cation and get interviewed bythe farm manager before beingselected. The university farmhad one duplex house, each sidewith a kitchen, bathroom, fami-ly room, and two bedrooms.Each year two male studentsand two female students wereselected to reside in farm hous-ing and tend to the farm choreswhile they were living there. Having a best friend who

lived on the farm meant that Ispent the vast majority of myfree-time there. We were both in

a lot of the same classes and hadvery similar interests and hob-bies, so naturally we spent a lotof time together. It wasn’tuncommon that late-night studysessions would turn into sleep-overs, which then turned into meassisting in morning farm chores. Now, that year it was rather

snowy in NortheasternMissouri, and on one fineevening we were informed thatcampus would be closed the fol-lowing day due to heavy snow-fall (yes, snow days happen incollege too). Our current studysession for Agricultural Ethicsquickly changed into a nightfilled with hot cocoa and realityTV shows, blissfully happy tono longer have an ethics quizthe following morning.Our wake-up call came early

as usual and we quickly dressedhead to toe in our Carhartt win-

ter gear and headed out to domorning chores. We were bothsurprised at the vast amount ofsnow that has accumulatedovernight, but loaded up into theRanger to start our rounds.Morning chores at that time con-sisted of feeding the 5 pasturesof cattle, tending to the needs ofthe horses boarded at the farm(which included feeding, water-ing, turnout and mucking stalls)feeding the university horses,and of course making sure everypasture had water. As we startedwe quickly decided this morningwas going to take more than thenormal hour out of our morning.We ran into all sorts of issuesthat morning ... stuck gates, bro-ken fences, and worst of all ...iced over water troughs. By the time we finished the

“morning” chores we were cov-ered in show, soaked in frozenwater (among other questionablesubstances), and had frozen ears,fingers, and toes. Worst of all, weonly had a few hours beforeevening chores needed to bedone. It felt like my toes had onlyjust started to thaw before weheaded out to do it all over again. My experiences helping my

PAGE 6 KANE COUNTY FARMER FEBRUARY 2017

“Helping to keep America Picked up for 45 years”

Zimmerman Recycling, Inc.

301 Industrial Drive, DeKalb

(815) 756.8600

FOR SALE

Winpower PTO generator model#25/15 PT2 $1,000.00 Call Tom –630 464 4140

Ariens Snow Blower, electricstart, 5HP, 24” cut, 4 sp forward/2sp back. Self-propelled. $300OBO. Call: 630 997 4306

SERVICES

Autumn / Winter Tree Pruning &Removal. Ask about my no-haul-away DISCOUNT. www.ArborJoe.com – ISA Certified ArboristJoe. Call: 224 789 8773

Jim Verhaeghe & Sons, Inc. –Tree removal, tree trimming, &stump grinding. Backhoe work &

Tile Lines. Fully insured – FreeEstimates – Jim Verhaeghe Sr.Call: 847 334 5730

HELP WANTED

Entry Level Position, 30-35 hrs.weekly, Must be a self-starter &team player. Applicants shouldbe computer literate with pleas-ant phone voice & manner. Someovernight travel required. Officeis located on St Charles, eastside. Call Bob to discuss thisposition – Call: 630 377 5807

WANTED

Will pick up for free unwanted orold snowmobiles, call Jon –Bobcat work & weed mowing;deliveries of dirt, stone, sand &mulch. Call Jon at 630-254-9446

Want to buy vintage & used toolsCall Chris – Also, we docleanouts. Call: 630 550 7182

FREE

7 ft. x 7 ft. single-pane temperedglass window, suitable for officeor farm shop. Call Steve – 630-584-8660.

To church, school or not-for-prof-it, 12 ft x 4 ft. oval conferencetable and 12 chairs. Call Steve –630-584-8660.

CLASSIFIED AD RATESClassified advertising rates: 20cents per word/$20 minimum (60words or less). DISCOUNTS formembers: Associate members,20%; Voting members, 30%; PLUSmembers, 40%. Advance paymentrequested. Ads due by the 15th ofevery month for the next issue. Noadvertising (classified or display)for financial or insurance serviceswill be accepted. Call 630-584-8660.

CLASSIFIED ADS

St. Charles Agency, Bob Effner,Agency ManagerEdward Stuehm has been

named the Financial Represen -tative of the Month for December2016 in the St. Charles/ElginAgency, as announced byAgency Manager, Robert J.Effner, Sr., CLF®, LUTCF.Ed has provided tangible plansfor addressing the immediate andlong term insurance and financialsecurity needs of his clientsthrough COUNTRY Financial’sdiverse products and services:

Auto, Farm, Home, Life/Disab -ility/Health/Annuities/LongTerm Care, Retirement Planning,Business and Investments. LetEd’s expertise help you! His con-tact information is: 425Williamsburg Ave., Geneva,60134; Phone 630-845-8245;email [email protected]. Congrat -ulations, Ed!Aurora Agency, Kevin Gomes,Agency Manager

Brian Guenther, FinancialRepresentative with the Aurora

Agency, is our FinancialRepresentative of the Month forDecember 2016. Brian beganhis career with COUNTRYFinancial in January of 2002and services clients out of hisoffice located at: 1920 WilsonStreet, Batavia, 60510, (630)406-6017.Brian’s professionalism and

vast knowledge of auto, home,life, commercial and financialproducts make him a great per-son to do business with.Congratulations, Brian!

What’s new in the COUNTRY agencies?

The Kane County FarmBureau Foundation extends itsthanks to everyone who pur-chased and sold tickets for thethird “31 Days of Christmas”college scholarship raffle andfundraiser. After expenses, theraffle will provide nearly $3,000for college scholarship to stu-dents pursuing higher educationin 2017-18, toward farm andfood related careers.

With roughly one-third of theavailable tickets purchased, 7lucky winners had their holidaybrightened on 8 different dayswith gifts ranging from $220 to$500 in value. In lieu of actualprizes as depicted in the “31Days” calendar, winners wereprovided with gift cards toCabela’s for the actual value ofthe prize won, allowing, forexample, the winner of a shot-

gun to purchase a bbq grill, ortent, kayak, hammock, etc.The following got an exact

match to their ticket on theIllinois lottery evening Pick 3numbers during December: BertVeldhuizen, Bernard Patti,Kathy Konishi, Kory Kamp,Dave Diana, Kathy Chwee andSuzi Braun.Congratulations!

‘31 Days’ Raffle winners

The 365Day a Year Job

By Kristi Van Oost

friend at the farm really put howhard farmers work into perspec-tive for me. I made the personalchoice to help my friend withher work, but farmers oftentimes do not chore out ofchoice, but duty. If they don’ttend to their farms properly thenthey can’t make a living andsupport themselves and theirfamilies. Heat wave, thunder-storm or blizzard – farmersdon’t get a day off. Farming is a365 day a year job with no paidvacation or time off. WhileChristina experienced the farmlife for two years, she was luckyenough to work with a wonder-ful team and have friends tohelp along the way. It is herdrive and desire to help the hardworking farmers of Americathat makes her the perfect can-didate for the job she currentlyholds. Christina is a regionalFinancial Service Specialist

who helps get financing avail-able so farmers can continue tomake a living. Recently, I have taken up res-

idence at a small horse farm inSt. Charles. I am in charge offeeding the animals, and turningthem out in the morning. Whilethe property is significantlysmaller than the UniversityFarm, I still fall victim to frozenhands and toes quite often. Still,I get up every morning to tendto the animals before headingoff to work for the day. I workhard, but my hard work is nomatch for the other farmersthrough the Kane County area. Next time the winter weather

brings in a blizzard of snow,think about all the farmers cladin their Carhartts about to bravethe snowy tundra to earn a liv-ing so we can enjoy fresh foodfrom the store.

Each month we honor theperson who signs the mostmembers into our organization.This month, the honor goes toFelipe Rocha! Felipe has been aCOUNTRY Financial Rep -resen tative since August of2011. His office is located at541 N. Lake Street, Aurora. As atoken of our appreciation,Felipe receives two tickets toCharlestowne Movie Theater.Thank you for your continued

support of the Kane CountyFarm Bureau and congratula-tions on your success!

Recruiter of the Month

Felipe Rocha

Photos, clockwise from top left:

Kory Kamp of Elgin won the final “31 Days of Christmas” prize onDecember 31. He is excited about his prize, a Spotting scope valued at$350.00.

Bert Veldhuizen (l) of Elburn had his numbers chosen on December 11th,his prize being Cabela’s ATV/UTV Winch valued at $279.99.He collected hiscertificate at the KCFB Board meeting in January.

Kathy Konishi (r) was the lucky winner on two separate days; December 1stand December 17th. She collected her prizes at the January meeting of theKCFB Board of Directors from President Joe White (l).

fuel to clothing, baseball mittsto newspaper print. It’s the perfect time for you,

as a Farm Bureau member, toget involved. You can help with

activities that are all ready to go– no teaching or farm experi-ence is needed. Join us at AG Days March 21

& 22 as a Farm Bureau volun-teer. Come from 8:30-Noonboth days or whichever dayyou’re available.

Farm Bureau is the FoxValley’s largest and oldest agri-cultural association and theleader in education about farm-ing. We promise you an enjoy-able volunteer experience! Call630-584-8660 with questions orto reserve a volunteer spot.

Ag Days(continued from page 1)

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Voting delegates at the 98thannual meeting of the AmericanFarm Bureau Federation(AFBF), including 21 delegatesfrom Illinois, addressed IllinoisFarm Bureau’s (IFB) priorityissues, including submittals tosupport the Veterinary FeedDirective, develop policy for the2018 Farm Bill, and opposefarm drainage tile as a pointsource of pollution under theClean Water Act, among others. “Our delegates were instru-

mental in promoting and debat-ing several key policy resolu-tions to promote and protect theinterests of Illinois Farm Bureaumembers,” said RichardGuebert, Jr., president, IFB.“Illinois delegates addressedsubmittals regarding unmannedaircraft systems, environmentaland conservation issues, educa-tion, and the 2018 Farm Bill.”IFB delegates were success-

ful adding language that allowsfarmers to coordinate repair ofdamage from normal farmingpractices with the NaturalResources Conservation Serviceon highly erodible land; sup-ports legislation that reducesand eliminates burdensome fed-eral regulations; and encourages

consideration of transitioning toa new education model whichemphasizes student creativity,innovation, and teamwork.IFB delegates also were suc-

cessful in adding language tosupport keeping the food andnutrition titles together in theupcoming farm bill. During pol-icy debate, they also empha-sized the importance of cropinsurance and risk managementtools, including crop insurance,in the 2018 Farm Bill.“The farm bill discussion

lived up to its expectation of ahealthy debate,” Guebert said.“We in the Midwest and Illinoissupported trying to make riskmanagement tools a top priorityin AFBF policy. The policy did-n’t shake out exactly as wehoped, but we did get our voicesheard with regard to the impor-tance of crop insurance. In theend, we’re pleased with thedirection of policy and with howthe business session went.”In addition to successful pol-

icy submittals, IFB PresidentRichard Guebert, Jr., was elect-

FEBRUARY 2017 KANE COUNTY FARMER PAGE 7

Kane County Farm Bureau members receive 10% discount on all service work.

Apply for Foundation Scholarships by February 15The Kane County Farm

Bureau Foundation is offeringseveral scholarships to membersor dependents of members pur-suing college degrees. Thescholarship application deadlineis February 15, 2016. There are hundreds of careers

in the agriculture industry andhundreds of students from Kane

County studying in schoolsacross the country to prepare totake the lead in providing food,fiber and fuel for us all.Applicants may qualify for

KCFB General Scholarships, AgScholarships, the KCFBPresident’s Scholarship, ChuckSwanson Memorial Scholarship,the John Buck Memorial

Scholarship, the Mary L.Heckel-Blickle MemorialScholarship, and/or the AGCOParts Division Scholarships.Applications and details onscholarship requirements areavailable at www.kanecfb.comand at the KCFB office, 2N710Randall Road, St. Charles. Call630-584-8660 with questions.

Erin Gaitsch (l) of Huntley was one of 26 recipients of FoundationScholarships for the 2016-17 school year. She is currently attending BriarCliff Univer sity in Sioux City, IA. The Kane County Farm Bureau Foundationis offering several scholarships to members or dependents of memberspursuing college degrees. The scholarship application deadline is February15, 2016.

Find an application for KCFB Foundation Scholarships at www.kanecfb.com. There are approximately 22 millionpeople who work in agriculture related fields. The Agriculture industry offers hundreds of rewarding and challenging careers, with categories including: Agribusiness Management, Agricultural and Natural Resources,

C o m m u n i c a t i o n s ,Agriscience, ResourceDevelopment andManagement, Parks,Recreations, andTourism Resources,Pac k ag ing, Horticul -ture, Forestry, FoodScience, and Fisheries/Wildlife. IL Farm Bureau proposals

shape AFBF policy

Farm billworksession setfor MarchKane County farmers can

help develop Illinois FarmBureau’s 2018 farm bill priori-ties during a work sessionscheduled for March 15.Adam Nielsen, Illinois Farm

Bureau’s director of nationalissues and policy development,will a series of sessions through-out Illinois beginning this month,with one scheduled for 10 am onWednesday, March 15 at theKane County Farm Bureau.The session will include a

review of IFB and AFBF’s farmbill policy.Participants will break into

small groups and discuss what’sworking/what needs improvingin the 2018 farm bill.“You’ll send me back to

Bloomington with a list of 2018farm bill priorities for the IFBBoard of Directors and staff tochew on,” Nielsen said.For more information or to

register, contact Kane CountyFarm Bureau at 630 584-8660.

(continued on page 8)

Page 8: Shopping Spree to provide hunger relief...stretch their grocery dollars with healthy, nutritious food. Typically, consumers spend just 10 percent of their disposable annual income

PAGE 8 KANE COUNTY FARMER FEBRUARY 2017

“Wish list” items wanted for Touch-A-Tractor• Plastic culverts will make fun additions to our children’sactivities center. Both 30” and 60” are needed.• We are in search of 30 gallon plastic drums that can beused to create a lawn mower powered train for children toride in at the event. • Round or square hay bales – we are seeking three ofthese to add to our Touch-A-Tractor children’s activitiesarea to be used for climbing and recreational purposes. • Donations of old pots & pans, wood-en spoons and the like will be used tomake a “percussion string” in a tree onthe Farm Bureau lawn. This soundmachine is made by handing pots, pans,and other noise makers from the lowerbranches of a tree. • Farm related youth clothing, bootsand hats and other farmed themed items tohelp with a new addition to the event whichallows children to dress up like farmers for aphoto-op.

KCFB is seeking donationsof youth sized farm clothing/costumes (plus boots and hats),old kitchen utensils and cookingsupplies, and various otheritems commonly found or usedon farms. This list includes suchitems as plastic culverts suitable

for crawling through, cleanplastic 30 gallon drums for ariding mower “train,” and evenlarge round or square hay orstraw bales. If you are interested in pro-

viding a donation, or know of abusiness or individual that might

be interested in doing so, pleasecontact the KCFB office at (638)584-8660 or feel free to stop byour office with your item(s).Your donations will help

make our 12th Annual Touch-A-Tractor asuccess.

Touch-A-Tractor ‘wish list’

Through Harvest for ALL, KCFBmembers have contributed theequivalent of nearly 1.75 millionmeals to local food pantries.

The KCFB FOUNDATION offers its sincere appreciation to thefollowing for their contributions in response to our DecemberAgriculture in the Classroom fundraising appeal. These donationswill allow the Foundation to provide funding to improve classroomeducation about food andfarming. Names shown arepledges received throughDecember 20th.

Thanks to our donors...

Donor BeneficiaryDale & Linda Drendel Northern Illinois Food Bank – Milk 2 My PlateWilliam & Patricia Watson Northern Illinois Food BankAlan & Gayle Volpp Burlington/Hampshire Food PantryDave & Judy Klussendorf Northern Illinois Food Bank – Milk 2 My PlateJohn Van Bogaert Northern Illinois Food BankBill & Karen Collins St. Peter’s Food PantryWayne Schneider Northern Illinois Food BankCraig & Angela Bradley Northern Illinois Food Bank

Our FOUNDATION is dedicated to providing agriculture basededucation for the next generation, and to meeting the challenge ofproviding food for a hungry planet. We look forward to continuingsupport for scholarships, along with local classrooms and teachers,leadership training, and community youth education throughgrants to local FFA Chapters and 4-H.

Food>Forward provides a source ofunrestricted funds for the KCFBFoundation to use for Scholarship,Agricultural Literacy and support ofFFA, 4-H and community serviceprograms.

DonorBill & Karen CollinsJay Schrock (in memoryof Joel Schrock)

Glenn and Lorraine Lenschow Dale and Linda DrendelThomas R. Smith David and Judy KlussendorfEdward and Marilyn Campbell Robert Harner

Names shown are contributionsreceived December 20, 2016 throughJanuary 20, 2017.

ed to his second consecutivetwo-year term on the AFBFboard of directors, representingthe Midwest region.Many of the 259 IFB mem-

bers attending the AFBF annualmeeting also participated in animpromptu call-to-action during

AFBF President Zippy Duvall’saddress. During the address,members contacted members ofCongress in support of a regula-tory reform bill currently mov-ing through the U.S. House ofRepresentatives.IFB Young Leaders also took

home national awards withGrant and Kristen Strom ofKnox County winning the

Young Farmer and RancherAchievement Award. For takinghome the top prize, Stroms wontheir choice of either a 2017Chevrolet Silverado or a 2017GMC Sierra. They also will

receive a paid registration to theAFBF FUSION Conference inPittsburgh Feb. 10-13.Mark and Sara Mitchell of

Grundy County advanced to thetop 10 finalists in the Young

Farmer and Rancher Excellencein Agriculture Award, and LynnDoran of Champaign Countyadvanced to the Sweet 16 in theYoung Farmer and RancherDiscussion Meet.

AFBF policy(continued from page 7)

Touch-A-Tractor returns in AprilKane County Farm Bureau’s 12th Annual Touch-A-Tractor event brings a little bit of the farm to the

city April 7-9 at Kane County Farm Bureau, Randall Road at Oak Street, in St. Charles. Hours areFriday noon-4pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10am-4pm. New this year will be a $2 adult or $5 fam-ily donation request at Touch-A-Tractor. Attendees can show their Winner’s Choice Raffle ticket stubfor FREE admission. At the conclusion of the events on Sunday, April 9 the winning tickets will bedrawn in the KCFB Foundation Winner’s Choice Tractor Raffle. If you’d like to bring an antique tractor, other farm equip-

ment or livestock to Touch-A-Tractor, to add to the ambienceand enhance the learning environment for our city neighbors,please call the KCFB at 630-584-8660.

Nominations sought forKCFB Director

The Kane County Farm Bureau is seeking eligible candidatesfor election to the association’s Board of Directors. A Farm Bureaudirector is an individual who helps provide governance, set poli-cies, and supports the philosophy and actions of the organization.Directors should be willing to dedicate time to make a differencein agriculture and to provide direction, inspiration, and motivationto the largest, most influential and effective farm related organiza-tion in Kane County. Eligible candidates are “MM” members (farmers and farmland

owners) residing in Kane County.Five directors will be elected, by ballots mailed in March, to

MM members in each respective District. KCFB has five districtseach made up of three townships. To suggest potential candidates for election, members should

call 630-584-8660 by February 15, or fill out the form on page 3.

The times, they are a changin’Interested in getting more information on upcoming events, mem-

bership benefits, Farm Bureau news, volunteer opportunities, etc. fromKane County Farm Bureau and other local sources? Give us your emailaddress and we will add you to our list of members interested in beingkept up to date on all the latest happenings within the organization. As an incentive, Farm Bureau Members who send in their

email address will be entered into a drawing for a $25 GroceryCertificate card to Meijer. To enter, fill out the form below andmail it back to the KCFB office prior to March 24th. Return to: Kane County Farm Bureau, 2N710 Randall Rd, St.

Charles, IL 60174 by March 24th

Member Name: ________________________________________

Email address:_________________________________________