Two weeks ago, I wrote about how a farmland preservation program would work and why farmers/landowners would participate in such a program. It was my intention that I would write this week about why the non-farm community would support such a program. After much deliberation and a fair amount of Read more…
I recently participated in a discussion about the possibility of a farmland preservation program for Will County. You may ask, how would a program like that work and why would anyone participate? Let me try to explain. Assume a farmer would like to retire from a career of farming. They Read more…
Solar panels that make electricity are nothing new. Ever since I was old enough to think in an adult way, I have wanted a solar array of my own to harness the sun to make electricity. I have looked at the estimated costs to install them on a residential roof. Read more…
It is 8:30 at night and once again I have delayed writing my article. Not only have I procrastinated, but I am also stumped as to what would be a relevant and educational topic about agriculture that I could inject with some humor. However, there is a topic that occurs Read more…
Each year before Christmas, Kevin Daugherty, a former educator who works for the Illinois Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program gives out recommendations for books on agricultural topics. Since my daughter, Danielle, is a teacher, I forwarded her the list for her review. I would rather buy books to Read more…
The past spell of above average weather to start the New Year was a blessing allowing me to tackle some of those odd jobs on the farm that were relegated to the “do later” pile. In 1971 my father built a 45’x90’ Morton pole building on our farm in Manhattan. Read more…
It is time to do an end of the year wrap-up. What have I omitted throughout the year that you might have found interesting, funny, or pertinent? Also, have you heard the quote, “You don’t know what you don’t know?” A farmer from Greenville, Wisconsin recently traveled to Manhattan to Read more…
Would you consider a temperature of 68 degrees to be a cold wave? Did you know that meteorologists do not calculate a wind chill for temperatures above 50 degrees. Well, I guess they have never ridden a motorcycle on a cool summer night or visited the Florida Keys in December. Read more…
I read an article several years back that now haunts me. It gives me pause whenever I perform the most simple and basic tasks on my farm. Also, have you ever washed your clothes and forgot about them for days laying wet in the washing machine. Now, you must read Read more…
If you were to get a tattoo, what would it be? When I was very young, I thought tattoos were a sign of being rebellious or purposely being different than societal norms. Now it seems if you do not have a tattoo, you are being different. How do tattoos fit Read more…