We don't write papers, we build scrapbooks
We don't write papers, we build scrapbooks
Sorted by date Results 51 - 71 of 71
The first weekend in December always holds a special place in the Farm Bureau year. This is when members from the top of Illinois to the bottom and every county in between travel to Chicago for the Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting. This is by far one of my favorite weekends of the year. The weekend is jam packed with activities; I will highlight a few. Saturday included the State Young Leader Discussion meet. This event, this year was extra special as the winner of the contest is Ryan Reevert...
At our recent Stephenson County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, I talked to our members about helping us grow our Young Leader Program. This is a program for Farm Bureau members who are 18-35 years old. In our county this group hosts, plans and executes our Annual Bruce Johnson Memorial Farm To Farm 5K/10K Run. Additionally, they host Kiddie Tractor Pulls throughout the summer. When they aren’t busy planning the previous events, they enjoy social outings and agriculture tours. We hope to grow t...
Just in time for the holiday baking season, the Stephenson County Farm Bureau is excited to remind you we are an authorized McNess Home Products retailer. We currently have McNess pure ground cinnamon, 3.8 oz. for $4.50, McNess Champion Madagascar Vanilla Compound, 12 oz. for $15.00, Imitation Uncolored Vanilla Extract for $10, Wonder flavor and Peppermint extract for $10. These products can be purchased during regular business hours, which are 8:00a.m.-4:30p.m. Monday through Friday at 210 W....
Brrr… These last few days have certainly felt like late fall and early winter. It has made me immensely thankful for my warm jackets, gloves, and hats. With the temperatures trending downward as winter officially approaches, we will again this year be accepting socks, coats, gloves and hats for the Salvation Army. We ask that these items be new or gentle used. You can drop these off at the Stephenson County Farm Bureau Monday through Friday, 8:00a.m.-4:30p.m. Please help us help others stay warm...
It has been over 10 years since I served as the Summer Intern for the McHenry County Farm Bureau located in Woodstock, Illinois. I spent my summer interviewing farmers, helping with Agriculture In The Classroom, and much more. I look back on those memories fondly. During that summer I was asked if I would ever consider being a Farm Bureau Manager. At that time I said no, as I had planned to become an Agriculture Teacher. But little did I know where life would take me. After my internship I...
Last week I had the opportunity to travel with our members to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, as part of a day trip the Farm Bureau hosted. Our group enjoyed a tour of the Geneva Bay, which was narrated providing the history of many of the houses and businesses along the lakeshore. After the boat tour we returned to the Riviera dock and from there attendees departed for an afternoon of lunch and shopping in the downtown area. Our group was very fortunate with a beautiful fall day. Thank you to those...
I remember when I was in about seventh grade, American Eagle had come out with this shirt in preparation for that election season. The shirt simply read “VOTE”. Now obviously as a seventh grader I know I wasn’t able to vote and wouldn’t be able to vote for many years. But growing up my family put a great emphasis on voting. My sister and I would tag along with my mother as she voted before work each election and if we were lucky, we’d stop for breakfast at McDonalds and as a kid that was a big...
The Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC) program remains a trusted resource for Stephenson County children to learn about agriculture. This week the program received funding to continue classroom lessons thanks to IAA Foundation grants to local county coalitions. Eighty coalitions serving 89 Illinois counties were awarded $647,000 in grant dollars which can be used for materials, trainings, educational lessons and activities taking place during the 2022-2023 school year. “Providing t...
October is National Pork month or “Pork”tober if you will. The pork industry contributes $13.9 billion to the Illinois economy annually, and it is directly connected to over 57,165 Illinois jobs. Illinois pig farmers produce nearly 2.1 BILLION pounds of pork each year. Swine and pork production is important from everything to the food on our plates, to medical devices; there is no other animal that provides a wider range of products for us than pigs. Pigs not only provide us with safe, hig...
I am sure this is common with others as it is for me: as a kid, tween and teen I often became involved with things because someone in my family had done them previously. I joined 4-H because my mother had been a member and my grandma a local club leader. During my time in 4-H I showed dogs, rabbits, participated in childcare and development and did cooking projects. For those who are not familiar, “4-H is delivered by Cooperative Extension- a community of more than 100 public universities a...
The middle of September marks National Farm Safety and Health Week. The theme for the NFSHW 2022 is “Protecting Agriculture's Future”. This theme is one that reminds us of the issues that impact the health and safety of those working in agriculture. It is in everyone’s best interest to prioritize the health and safety of those who work to provide our abundant supply of food, fiber and fuel. Along with the theme for the week, the daily topics of focus are: Monday, September 19, 2022 - Tract...
A few months ago, I had mentioned that the Stephenson County Farm Bureau Foundation was soliciting applications for our “Roots and Shoots Grant”. I am excited to announce that the Foundation has awarded two worthy organizations the honor of being our 2022 “Roots and Shoots Grant” recipients. Those who were chosen applied requesting funds along with an explanation as to how their businesses/organizations provided employment and agriculture related opportunities to youth in our county. The bus...
At our house we keep a lot of important things on our refrigerator. If you were to look over all the pieces hanging up with magnets, you’d find; pictures of our nieces and nephews, photos drawn by the children of our friends, and a save the date or two for upcoming events. I love having “Save the dates” on the fridge because they help remind me of our upcoming commitments. Today I want to share some upcoming Farm Bureau events so you can, “Save the Date” for them. September 8 at 7:00a.m.:...
Illinois Farm Bureau is excited to announce an addition to our hotel discounts. Illinois Farm Bureau members now have access to a new benefit with Drury Hotels. Now members can save 15% on reservations. With 150 locations in 26 states, this will come in handy for any kinds of trip. Your stay includes free hot breakfast, free wi-fi, and use of their fitness centers and pools. From a quick road trip to a long vacation, you’ll travel happy with Drury. Contact our office for your discount code t...
One of my favorite things to do as a student was picking out school supplies. Even as an adult I enjoy going shopping for pens and sticky notes. One thing I think we forget and at times take for granted is the role farmers and agriculture has when it comes to a successful school year. Outside of farmers providing the nutritious food for lunches, farmers have a big role in the materials we use. I thought I’d share some fun facts about agriculture products that you would commonly find in a s...
With fall right around the corner it is hard to believe fall sports and harvest will be here shortly. The Stephenson County Farm Bureau Agriculture In The Classroom Program would like to help make your fall meals easier. We are excited to host another Prep, Freeze, Cook event again this year. This program provides you with 10 delicious main entrees that have already been prepared and frozen for your convenience. All you need to do is cook them! Option 1: Each entrée you will take home serves 5...
It is hard to believe August is already here. We have had such an enjoyable and busy summer. From fair week to our annual peach program where we sold over 445 boxes of peaches and 47 boxes of cobbler mix. We greatly appreciate those who supported this program. If you would like to be notified of our peach program next year please call our office at 815-232-3186 or email [email protected]. With the new school year just around the corner and many students headed back to school, we would...
What a week it has been! This week the Farm Bureau hosted our annual Farm Fun Zone at the Stephenson County Fair. The Farm Fun Zone included a petting zoo with pigs, goats, mini donkeys, and a calf. In addition to the petting zoo, we had educational activities for children and adults alike to learn about agriculture. We enjoyed seeing some familiar and new faces. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to see us. We want to thank our many volunteers who assisted in making our tent possible and a bi...
With the 2022 Stephenson County Fair under way, we hope you’ll stop by and see the Stephenson County Farm Bureau in our Farm Fun Zone across from the beef corral. We are excited to see many familiar faces and meet new people. Each day the Farm Fun Zone will be open from 11:00a.m.-9:00p.m. The fair runs from Tuesday, July 26 through Saturday, July 30th. We will have a different hands-on activity for the kids each day as well as the visitor favorite, the animals! Information about the S...
If you have ever visited me at my office at the Farm Bureau building, you may have noticed a few frames hanging on the wall. On the left is my degree from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and on the right, you find my American FFA degree. But in the middle, there is a poster with “72 and we’re still farming too.” This was the theme and poster of the 2018 Harvard Milk Days. The seven glass milk bottles in the poster pay homage to the seven dairies that were once found in my hometown of Ha...
Like clockwork as the weather begins to warm so does my desire to travel and experience new things. I love exploring new places whether it be a city, state park or even a new local business. I am fortunate that with my position with Stephenson County Farm Bureau I have the opportunity to host several bus trips throughout the year, three of which have upcoming registration deadlines and have several seats available. Our trips are a great way to explore somewhere new or old without the hassle of p...
