Partners

It has been a tough weather year for farmers, including those who grow pumpkins, mums and other specialty crops. Still, pumpkin growers such as Gail Sasse with Gail's Pumpkin Patch near Beason, and John Ackerman with Ackerman Family Farms near Morton share what you might expect from a visit. And, Ashley Buzan, perennial expert with Woldhuis Farms, Sunrise Greenhouse near Grant Park, shares how this year's crop of mums have fared and offers some tips on where to plant and help keep them looking good.

Some school districts in Illinois have started to source food for breakfast and lunch meals from local farmers and have resurrected scratch cooking. Connie Crawley, Food Service Director for Lincoln School District 27, shares details on how and why her kitchens have made the transition. Chef Greg Christian, who owns and operates Beyond Green Partners in Chicago, provides details on how he and his company make it happen every day and how they help districts and schools use more locally grown food and reduce waste.

The federally-funded program Eat. Move. Save. provides food aid recipients in Illinois with community-based nutrition education. Individuals and families eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase food have access to information and activities to prevent obesity and reduce the risk of chronic disease. In recent years, the Illinois-based program underwent an evaluation. Hear what's taking place with Trinity Allison, the Senior Program Lead, SNAP Education, University of Illinois Extension, and Daylan Dufelmeier, Director of the Chicago Partnership for Health Promotion, who help carry out the program.

You'll discover four dozen or so things to see and do this fall on this Illinois farm northwest of Chicago. Stade's (pronounced STAH-dees) Farm & Market near McHenry is a family affair with you-pick opportunities throughout the growing season and its "Farmtractions" park where you can have even more fun. In this episode, Vern Stade shares what the farm is all about and how you can make the most out of this and other visits to some Illinois farms that welcome visitors.

In the fourth of a series on farm-, family- and food-related places and events to discover, how about a Garage Band Night where you can bounce from garage-to-garage for great music and fun, or a fun run or walk right plus more on the historic, Route 66? Hear from Gina Willenborg and Carrie Copple with Teutopolis for Tomorrow about their town and event, along with Katie Funk and Jeff Hake with CORE McLean who share what's happening there too. Similar to several of the other communities featured in the series, these communities have participated in strategic planning with the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University.

On a busy block on North Broadway in Chicago, this growing company takes Illinois soybeans and makes them into a product that has been growing double digits annually for more than a decade. In a follow-up to a Partners podcast and Partners magazine and website stories two years ago, Jenny Yang, owner and operator of Phoenix Bean, which makes tofu and food products that use tofu, discusses her expansion and how she works with Illinois farmers to supply what she needs. Harold Wilken, who farms and operates Janie's Mill an hour-and-a-half south of Chicago, discusses the soybeans he grows for Phoenix Bean and why it's important he knows his customers.

Have you been to your local farmers market lately? Despite some challenges this year posed to farmers, most markets have started to burst with a bevy of fresh, Illinois-grown fruits, vegetables, flowers and more. Hear from some of the farmers who sell at markets, such as Quen Von Bergen, Jennifer Kinney and Joe Wanda in northern Illinois. Janie Maxwell, executive director of the Illinois Farmers Market Association, shares what's new and more too.

In the third of a series on farm- family- and food-related places and events to discover, come with us to the only Illinois county that's a peninsula known for growing peaches and other fruits, vegetables and crops. Debbie Kamp, Calhoun County farmer and owner of Hagen Family Orchard shares peach facts, figures and more. Cory Jobe, president and CEO of Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau, describes what else you can discover in this scenic and bountiful part of Illinois.

Summer weather extremes can be tough on gardens and yards. Might yours be in need of a rescue? Victoria Thomas, a farmer and horticulturist from southwest Illinois, shares her expertise on a unique set of plants you might want to consider for your garden and/or yard rescue. Jan Phipps, Partners website and magazine gardening writer, also provides some guidance. From her gardens, yard and farm in east-central Illinois, she discusses drought recovery, eco-dormancy, wildlife damage and some of the bizarre things that can happen to gardens and yards during extreme weather.

A survey to gauge the cost of a classic cookout showed slight relief in 2023. Yet some on the front lines of helping to ensure food security say food pantries remain busy. Hear details on the survey from Roger Cryan, Ph.D., Chief Economist, American Farm Bureau. Discover a creative program known as Partners in Produce, that provides fresh fruits and vegetables to several food pantries in Illinois, from MaryBeth Massey, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) Program Coordinator in east central Illinois.

In the second part of a series on opportunities for farm- family- and food-related places and events to discover, consider these activities and destinations to put on your travel calendars. Sheila Hoffman, mayor of Durand, Faith Ackerman, president of Durand Charm, LeAnn Clark, president of Durand Area Retailers, Trades and Services (DARTS), and Kelly Giovanine, executive director of Durand Charm, share why their community is special with an event that might be worthy of checking out. Michelle Misfeldt, board secretary of Revitalize Erie, and Danae Wunderlich, events chair of Revitalize Erie, share what’s taking place there and efforts to keep their small Illinois community viable. Both of these communities have been helped by the Western Illinois University-based Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs, which strives to breathe new life into small and medium-sized towns, villages and cities across the state.

This dairy power couple answers the question, "What do farmers do in summer?" and a whole lot more. Meet Joshua and Emily Reinhardt, who share everything from late night and early morning trips to the barn, robots, milk nutrition, working with family, juggling haying, chopping, mental health and more right from the barn office on their Randolph County, Ill. farm.

It's the perfect time of year to find out what you can do to help strengthen the power of pollinators. Find out why and how and about a free event in Chicago with Bona Heinsohn, Director of Government Affairs and Public Relations, Cook County Farm Bureau, and Raelynn Parmely, Environmental Program Manager, Illinois Farm Bureau.

As most Illinois farmers wind down planting, these two start harvesting. The 'Stahlhut girls" of Madison County, Kim Hansen and Kris Straub, grow lavender and open their former pig and dairy farm to the general public. Hear from the two who explain all about growing lavender, why they grow it and what they do with it all.

Fans of locally raised, locally processed meats say you can taste the difference. Tom Eickman with Eickman's Meat Processing in northwest Illinois and Erica Kelsey with Country Home Processing in southeast Illinois explain why and some of the unique things they do and make for you and others to try.

In the first of a series on opportunities for farm- family- and food-related places and events to discover, consider these affordable activities to possibly put on your travel calendar. Bob Norris helps lead Lincoln Days in western Illinois. Merri Sevey spearheads the new Freedom Fest in northwest Illinois. Both of their communities have been helped by an Illinois-based institute breathing new life into small and medium-sized Illinois towns, villages and cities.

A livestock farmer and an energy expert share their knowledge of great and safe grilling techniques. We talk cuts, foolproof ways to cook, energy use and storage. Hear from Wes Hornback, who with his family raise beef and pork, along with David Rich, Propane Marketing & Technical Services Manager, GROWMARK.

This new garden in suburban Chicago hopes its blooms benefit pollinators and vegetation cleans water from streets, parking lots, yards and fields. Learn what it's about and how you might replicate some or all of it with Beth Gehrke, Elgin area farmer and board member of the Kane County Farm Bureau, and Jonathan Koepke, president of Environmental Consultants and Planners (ENCAP), who helped design the pollinator and rain garden in the shape of Illinois.

What's taking place to have fresh, Illinois-grown-and-raised fruits, vegetables, meats and more available for school children in Illinois schools? Explore with two people helping to lead efforts to make it happen. Gary Cuneen serves as Executive Director for Seven Generations Ahead, and Mike Lewis is a Sustainable Agriculture Specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology.

Flower farming in Illinois continues to bloom, whether fields where you can roam, or on porches, in shops, and full buckets for you to select from at farmers markets. Hear from Kate Danner, Mercer County flower farmer and owner of Dandee Flowers, and Drew Groezinger, Jo Daviess County flower farmer and owner of Clara Joyce Flowers, on how and why they do it and how you can experience what they grow.

What do boots have to do with growing our food, feed for our animals and fuel for our cars and trucks? A lot, says "Farm Boots" book author Lisl Detlefsen, who along with its illustrator, Renee Kurilla, discuss what the book's all about and why you, and especially your children, grandchildren and others, might want to pick up a copy from your favorite bookstore or local library.

Illinois can have some wild and wacky weather. Helping you navigate is Don Meyer, who along with his wife Paula survived a tornado that destroyed much of their farm near Amboy in Lee County, Ill., and Zachary Yack, meteorologist with the National Weather Service serving Chicagoland out of Romeoville, Ill.

Discover an easy way for you and others to see faces, and hear voices of most of the people who own and operate Illinois farms. Lela Fausze, registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) with Midwest Dairy, and Heather Dollinger, who farms with her family in northeast Illinois, share why they and others are participating in a statewide effort known as, "We are the 96%."

Three different factors have been driving the supply and cost of eggs in recent months. If you might be thinking of raising chickens yourself, this episode can help you sort out many of the factors to consider whether it's right for you and your family. Ken Koelkebeck, Ph.D., University of Illinois (U of I) poultry specialist, and Katie Bell, local food systems and small farms educator, both with U of I Extension, provide the expertise.

What do GMOs, food and Mexico have in common? Most corn grown in the United States has been improved using biotechnology and the Mexican government has proposed banning some of our corn exports to the country, potentially impacting demand and food security. Sorting the issue out is Lynne Finnerty, agriculture and environment communications director, Biotechnology Innovation Organization, and David Salmonsen, senior director, government affairs, American Farm Bureau Federation.

Discover major findings of a series of surveys taken among 1,000 consumers on how we're coping with food prices, perceptions of the people who produce it, and some of the environmental and other policies that help keep food on our plates. Guests include Brenna Ellison, Ph.D., Associate Professor, College of Agriculture, Purdue University, and Jonathan Coppess, J.D., Associate Professor, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

We change clocks twice a year. Does it affect you? Does it matter to the people who grow our food, and the animals they raise? Explore some history, modern day challenges, the pros and cons of Daylight Saving Time and Standard Time, with Dr. Sabra Abbott, M.D., neurologist and sleep medicine physician, Northwestern Medicine, and Doug Scheider, Stephenson County dairy farmer.

What does it take to restore old buildings, let alone revitalize old main streets across Illinois to make them viable today? Brenda and Scott Haare helped do it with their building in west-central Illinois and have lived to tell about their adventure. Also featured is Chris Merrett, Ph.D., director and professor, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs, Western Illinois University.

Learn about Frank and Lucy McWorter and the family behind New Philadelphia, the newest unit of the National Park Service, in Illinois. Gerald McWorter, Ph.D., great-great grandson of Frank and Lucy and vice president of the New Philadelphia Association, shares some of his family history and the town's legacy. Heather Feezor, program manager for Looking for Lincoln, describes how the site fits into the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area. Philip Bradshaw, Pike County farmer, president of the New Philadephia Association, discusses some of the site's historical significance, along with what's to see and do there now and to come.

Want to meet and talk with the farmers who grow or raise what you're buying? Welcome to the Bull Valley Farm Country Store, located in the Chicago suburbs northwest of the city. Chris and Hannah McKee, of Rush-Mar Farms, a few miles away, along with Michele Aavang, who owns Bull Valley Farm and store, share what the new farm-to-table shopping experience is all about, what you might find and why you should consider making a visit.

A couple hundred couples have been through what's called the Strong Couples Project over the past couple years in an attempt to refresh, renew and reconnect relationships. Two partners who have been through the program, Lauren Olson and Joe Viola of Mansfield, Ill., share how they participated and what they experienced. The project's leader, Allen Barton, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Extension Specialist in Human Development & Family Studies, University of Illinois (U of I), and Michele Crawford, Community Health Educator, U of I Extension in Cook County, explain how the program works and what it's accomplishing.

Think you can't get fresh greens, fruits, vegetables in Illinois this time of year? Think again. Michael Hatfield, who grows hundreds of pounds of food offers up information on his specialties along with Janie Maxwell, Executive Director of the Illinois Farmers Market Association, who provides details on what you can and where you can find winter freshness in Illinois.

Want to know how some food companies decide what to sell and choices we have in stores? Shedding some light on how, where, what and why they source what they offer - is Mikel Hancock, St. Director of Sustainable Food & Agriculture for Walmart, and Rob Meyers, Vice President, Sustainable Agriculture for PepsiCo.

For several years, some farmers have been advocating for the ability to fix the increasingly complex equipment they use to grow food, animal feed and fuel. Hear why, what's transpired on the issue and what might be in store in the future on the right to repair issue. Those featured include Richard Guebert Jr., Randolph County farmer and president of the Illinois Farm Bureau, Zippy Duvall, Georgia farmer and president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, and David Gilmore, a senior vice president of Illinois-based John Deere.

They support farmers in your community and the vibrant Illinois farm and food sector at the local level. Listen to five specific examples of award-winning county Farm Bureau programs and why you might want to get more involved. Guests include Jill Frueh, manager of the Bureau County Farm Bureau, Bailey Conrady, assistant manager of the Champaign County Farm Bureau, Ruth Zeldenrust, Chicago Heights farmer and secretary-treasurer of the Cook County Farm Bureau, Rhodora Collins, agriculture literacy coordinator for the DeKalb County Farm Bureau and Mike Swartz, manager of the McLean County Farm Bureau.

The local foods movement in Illinois continues to evolve, with expanding fruit, vegetable and herb availability and variety, new farmers markets and places to experience Illinois agriculture. Randy Graham, a farmer who runs Curtis Orchard and serves as chairman of the Illinois Specialty Growers Association (ISGA) and Raghela Scavuzzo, ISGA executive director, discuss what's happening in the sector and an opportunity for you, your towns, cities, schools and more to jump on board the local foods movement.

Come with us to count down the top five Partners podcasts according to downloads of 2022. You just might be surprised to find out what interested most subscribers and listeners. Got an idea for one ini 2023? Send it to us at [email protected]

These two women make ensuring people enjoy and have fun in our state's largest city a priority because it's their job. Joyce Fong and Debbie Sawyer both serve as concierges at major hotels in Chicago and share what you can expect from them and what's worth discovering this time of year and beyond.

These two young men heavily influenced by their fathers share what they're making and/or marketing and rather unconventional ideas for holiday gifts. Both featured on the Partners website and in the winter 2022-23 edition of Partners magazine meet and hear Nicholas Burke of Carbon Forge Design in McLeansboro and Kirk Gregory Jr., with COUNTRY Financial in Chicago.

They have fun with food in classrooms and share how agriculture could lead to great careers too. Meet Eva Manzke, Interventionist at Walker Elementary School in Bedford Park, the newest Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year, along with Katrina Milton, Director of Ag Literacy for the Cook County Farm Bureau.

In the 4th part of our 4-part series on local, food-related farms and businesses, discover all you might want to know about saving some money buying meat in bulk. Hear from Brandon Klehm, University of Illinois meat judging coach, Cassie Rae, manager of Farmhouse Meats, and Kristin Huls, beef and dairy farmer.

'Tis the season to gather with family, friends - and maybe those you'd rather not be around or just want to enjoy without squabbles, conflicts, disagreements. Allen Barton, Ph.D., Asst. Professor of Human Development & Family Studies and Extension Specialist, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign discusses low- to moderate-grade conflicts and how you might consider handling them during the holiday season.

We all know we're paying more for what's on our holiday tables. Roger Cryan, Chief Economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and Veronica Nigh, Senior Economist for AFBF, help sort out who gets what share, prospects for taming costs, and some ways we, and the people who grow our food, are meeting these challenges.

Meet Sandy and John Brix, whose dog Bernice serves as more than a typical farm dog. John, a retired veterinarian, and Sandy, who helped manage the veterinary practice, have had a lot of dogs, but share why Bernice made a national list of outstanding farm pooches. Cyndie Shearing, a director of communications for the American Farm Bureau, also shares the "People's Choice Pup" roster for 2022 and how you can see them all and vote for your favorite.

They all had the opportunity to do something else than farm, but farming is what they stayed with or came back to do. Ride along with us during harvest, with Earl Williams, who farms near Cherry Valley, Bart Bittner, who farms near Bloomington, and Kim Meier, who farms near the Village of Ridott, as they shed light on the adventures of farming during harvest and more.

Results have been tabulated for favorite farmers markets across the state. Did your favorite make the Top 10 in Illinois list? We share results and hear from two vendors who sell their products at the top two, Mike Biver, Terra Vitae Farms, Woodstock, and Aaron Kinney, Piscasaw Gardens Farm, Harvard, along with managers of the top two markets, Linda Wozniak, Open-Air Farmers Market+ at The Dole, and Kelly Kempf, Woodstock Farmers Market.

Some Illinois farms that welcome visitors now include such things as crop mazes and haunted trails. Hear from John Lyons, which features a "Fear on the Farm" trail at Indian Creek Farmstead, and Jess Podany, with Bomke's Patch and it's "Udderly Amazing" corn maze.

After a first-year pilot program, the farm to food bank effort continues to expand. Farmers Michelle and Wayne Sirles of Rendleman Orchards share why and how they are participating.

Autumn's not only for harvesting but planting as well, in part to protect farmland and water quality, in some cases, from the sky. Hear from Illinois farmer Joe Curless, who also co-owns and operates a flying service, and Laura Christianson, Ph.D., an agricultural and biosystems engineer, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Creativity flourishes on some Illinois farms with multiple opportunities for fall fun, from live entertainment, to food trucks, to haunted corn mazes added to traditional things like apple and pumpkin picking. In Part II of our II-part series, Jenny & Scott Schroeder with The Peachbarn Winery & Cafe describe what they have to offer in Illinois' Shawnee National Forest, along with Jenna Spychal with Jonamac Orchard at the opposite end of our state.