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AGMagMagSEPTEMBER 30, 2015

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: • GUS C. UNVERFEHRT FARM SUPPLY, INC. PAGE 4

• SCHWARTZ FARMS PAGE 8

• SCHWARTZ ORCHARDS PAGE 12

• LUEKING DAIRY FARM PAGE 20

AND MUCH MORE!

2 AgMag • The Shoppers Weekly Papers September 30, 2015

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September 30, 2015 AgMag • The Shoppers Weekly Papers 3

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When you think of a family business in rural Illinois, the family farm comes to mind,

with mothers and fathers hoping their sons and daughters will run the farm for generations to come.

When Gus Unverfehrt and his wife Irene started farming their own land in 1954, the thought of owning a farm was not on their minds. The couple raised hogs and cattle on several acres near Centralia, Illinois. They were just trying to get by raising livestock, and during those early years, the National stockyard was in East St. Louis, so he would take livestock there once a week or every couple of weeks. While there he would pick up supplies at the big farm stores located near the stockyards. The lengthy trip was made over the highways of that time, long before the interstate highway system allowed farmers to make three to four trips per day. Neighbors started asking him to pick up items for them too, and that is really how he got into the farm supply business. It just contin-ued to grow from there, and eventually it was named Gus C. Unverfehrt Farm Supply, in 1961.

Today Gus C. Unverfehrt Farm Supply is a third generation family busi-ness where Gus' sons, Larry and Kevin

now take care of the day to day opera-tions. Larry's wife, Kathy works for the company, as do their sons, Matthew and Tyler who work in sales, and their daughter, Jennifer works in the offi ce along with her husband, Nathan who works in service. Matthew's wife, Katie works in the offi ce. Kevin's sons also work for the business; Adam oversees electrical work and runs service calls and Eric is in sales. It has grown to 50 plus employees and around 20 part time

employees in the summer. Customers of Unverfehrt Farm Supply (UFS) are accustomed to meeting employees with the Unverfehrt name on projects of all types. To be a successful service pro-vider, one needs to thoroughly under-stand and have experience with the in-dustry they are serving.

In the 60s, most of the items were supplied to livestock farmers such as livestock feed, feeding equipment, silo unloaders, and dairy equipment. As livestock markets changed shape and moved to other regions, UFS changed also. Gus and his family members wit-nessed the advances in farm equipment, herbicides and seeds that allowed

A Commitment To Service

one man's JourneY From servinG tHe neiGHbors to servinG tHe communitY

bY rHonda HatcHer


farmers to increase the size of their grain operations. With bigger grain operations, the need for on farm grain storage came about. So in the late 70s, UFS started branching out with equipment and ser-vices geared toward grain, and the busi-ness really took off.

The first step in that direction was selling grain bins. In the early years, the farmers would erect the bin themselves. As the farms got bigger, the farmer needed bigger bins and found that they could not afford or safely operate the specialized equipment needed to erect them. Under the leadership of Larry Unverfehrt and with the help of other family members and skilled employees, the grain system business has grown to meet the expanding yields, changing

marketing tactics and advances in tech-nology. In the early days, UFS sold 20 to 30,000 bushel grain bins to farmers. As the farmers' yields increased, the size of the bins increased, and UFS began supplying and erecting entire grain systems comprised of unloading pits, high capacity elevators, drying equip-ment, grain quality monitoring equip-ment and loading equipment for trucks moving the grain to market. Their markets also expanded to large com-mercial grain companies.

A similar story of meeting changing needs exists in UFS's livestock service business which has thrived under Kevin Unverfehrt. The dairies are larger and stronger and require more advanced technology. Adam Unverfehrt builds and

installs PLCs which is another way of meeting the needs of the more advanced dairy farms. PLCs connect by web, smartphone or remote computer to better communicate with dairies. The key to Gus' early success was the recognition of changes in the industry and filling the need that arose. He passed that same gene along to his family members who have combined hard work with a com-mitment to fulfilling customer needs. It will be interesting to see how future generations of the Unverfehrt family satisfy the needs that arise during the next 60 years. Gus C. Unverfehrt Farm Supply, Inc. is celebrating 55 years in business. Don't forget to come see them during their open house, the first Thursday in March, 2016. n


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Dave and Anne Schwartz are all about the love of family and farming. Just by speaking with them for a short time at our

interview, it was clear that family far outweighs anything else in their lives.

Dave's farm roots go way back to when he was a very young boy on his grandparents' farm. His maternal grandparents, Paul and Mabel Larsh, farmed. His paternal grandparents, Blaise and Helena Schwartz, also farmed, and they had a farm just up the road from Dave and Anne's current farm in Centralia, Illinois.

Matthew and Pauline Schwartz, Dave's parents, also farmed. They ran The Home Place, the same land in Centralia where Dave's brother, Tom today has Schwartz Orchards. There they farmed 300 to 400 acres of grain and fruit, and raised live-stock. Dave recalls helping out on his parents' farm when he was a small boy, feeding the hogs and

chickens, and milking the cows. Dave helped his dad on the grain farm until 1978, when his dad passed away. Following in his fathers footsteps, Dave took over the grain farming for his mom and his family and other farms. "I didn't know enough to leave," he laughed.

In 1967, Dave and Anne bought 40 acres just south of The Home Place where they began their own life of farming. "He had a dream and I followed his dream," Anne said with a smile.

While Anne took care of their home and their three boys, Greg, Jeff and John, Dave was not only busy tending to all the farming needs, but he was very active in other areas. Dave served on the Centralia Township board, the Marion County board, he was one of the earliest directors of South Central Transit, the Personnel Chairman of South Central Transit and Vice Chairman of the Marion County Housing Authority. He pres-

ently serves on the South Central Transit board, is the president of the Marion County Affordable Housing and the Farm Land Board.

Dave graduated from SIU where he studied agriculture. Then he began working as the Marketing Reporter for all the livestock termi-nals in the state of Illinois including Chicago, Springfield, Peoria, Joliet, National City and Greenville. "I did that for 40 wonderful years."

Anne had her own business called U-PICK Strawberries that she ran between raising her boys, volunteer-ing and keeping her home. They both agreed early on that Dave would make the living and she would stay home. "We have not re-gretted that for even a day,"Dave said. "Without Grandma, nothing happens." And he smiled with ap-preciation of her.

"What would you say to a young man wanting to begin his life in farming?" I asked. Anne said that "small specialty farming may be the way to go." Dave commented, "Too many make the mistake of thinking 'if they can do it then I can do it,' but just because grandpa and dad did it doesn't mean you have to do

FamiLY is wHat it comes down to at scHwartZ Farms

bY PeGGY JoHnson

THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART THE HEART AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL AND SOUL

ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN ARE IN SMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMSSMALL FARMS


it. It's not an occupation, it's a busi-ness. A hard one."

I asked Dave what the hardest part of farming was and he replied, "Realizing the days of the small farmer are numbered. We lived through the farm depression in 1980. A lot of farmers went broke and we haven't forgotten that. The cost is astronomical now, plus all the gov-ernment regulations. But the hardest part is just realizing that one day the small farms will be gone and the large corporate farms will be all there is." I could hear the sincere sadness in his voice. I moved on to my next question.

What's the most satisfying part of

farming?" I asked. A smile broke out on both of their faces at the same time, like they both knew each other's thoughts and answers. They looked at each other and Anne got up from the table. She brought back a picture of the whole family gath-ered around his tractor.

"His tractor is his first love." she teased and Dave laughed. "That may be true but family is the most satis-fying part."

"We always wanted our children and grandchildren to be able to do what we did. We dug a pond, and I taught them all to hunt, but more importantly we taught them a work ethic. I always told my boys, 'I don't

care what time you come in, but I KNOW what time you're getting up!' They both laughed. "That worked out well with our sons and they have raised their kids the same way. We're very proud of our boys. It's family that's the most satisfying."

Dave and Anne have nine grand-children and two great-granchildren. They plan to retire in a couple years and since their sons went off to college and chose different paths in their lives, their land will be farmed by outside people.

It makes me smile to see the love and the pride a farmer has for his farm life and for his family. Dave and Anne were very nice and pleas-ant to talk to, making me feel very comfortable and welcomed in their home.

After all the hard work, day in and day out, week after week, month after month and year after year, for Dave and Anne Schwartz, family is what it all comes down to.

"Nothing else really counts." Dave said, "We've been mighty lucky. It's a wonderful way of life. There's none better." J

Dave's brother, Tom, who runs Schwartz Fruit Farms

is featured on page 12.THE SCHWARTZ FARM


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Have you ever heard the old expression, "You learn some-thing new every day"?

I definitely did during my interview with Tom Schwartz and Nancy James who own Schwartz Fruit Farms in Centralia and Dix, Illinois. The biggest thing I learned was that growing fruit is not as easy as one may think. Operating a fruit farm business like theirs takes a lot of time, hard work and dedication. When the work day is over and it's time to settle in for the night, your mind is still going a hundred miles a minute planning strat-egies and goals for the future.

When it comes to his fruit farm, Tom is definitely all business. Not only did he grow up helping his parents, he also studied agriculture in college.

In 1971 he got his bachelor's degree and in 2006 he went to SIU and re-ceived his master's degree in Plant Soil Science. Tom says he is always plan-

ning — sometimes for three to five years down the road — making short term and long term goals, building relationships, preparing, marketing, and doing hands-on production of his crops and business. He couldn't seem to express enough how important

relationships are. Relationships with the customer, knowing what they need, what they want, what they're looking at, and relationships with others in the business, learning new things and getting new ideas. "It's all about marketing, about being local and being fresh. You've got to get what the customer wants with good quality and being reasonable."

As I talked with Tom and Nancy, hurriedly scratching my notes on my paper while trying to keep up with them, my head was swimming as it struggled to absorb all this information that was new to me. From the farm history to "Fruit Farm 101," I found my ears glued to their words as I wrote.

In the early 1950s, Tom's parents, Matt and Pauline Schwartz, grew straw-berries on the very land that Tom does today. Back then in the height of the

1950s, his parents had up to about 35 acres. They'd sell large amounts to families who would freeze the produce, but the Schwartz's were also like wholesalers, picking the strawberries in May, then putting them in refrigerated trucks and hauling them off to Michigan and Chicago.

Later, Matt and Pauline got into the U-Pick business. Before

women started working outside the home, they'd bring the kids to the strawberry patches and they would pick for 10 cents a quart. That fizzled out in the 1980s when the women started going to work outside of their homes.

Tom's father bought his first apple and pear orchard in the 1960s from a guy named Ray Root in Walnut

it's aLL about reLationsHiPs at scHwartZ Fruit Farms

bY PeGGY JoHnson

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SCHWARTZ ORCHARDS, CENTRALIA LOCATION


Hill. "Matt really didn't know anything about it." Tom said, "If he would've had a Caterpillar we wouldn't be in the apple business today because he was going to take them all down."

But the story goes that once Matt walked through the beauty of the or-chards' blossoms and bees, smelling the sweet aroma, he changed his mind. "A taste of Heaven" were his life-changing words. "And that's where it all got started," Tom said.

Matt and Pauline worked the orchard for many years until in 1978, Matt passed away. Pauline continued the farm and in 1 9 8 0 To m moved closer and began to run the fruit farm with his mother. In 1981 he began to financially farm on his own.

The Hawkins-Schwartz location in Dix on Route 37 came into play when Tom leased it in 1997. He had a cider press in the back and it was the first time he was able to make his own apple juice. Since then, because of that, his sales have in-creased quite a lot. He now sells the hard cider and the apple cider not only to the wineries, but also to whole foods and grocery chains such as Straubs and Hyvee. He commented that his deci-sion to do the hard cider and apple juice was probably the best decision he had made.

In 2009, Tom's mother passed away. After Tom and his siblings got all the affairs in order, Tom was the owner of the 100 acres and the home they were raised in. Once that happened and he knew where his future was heading, he considered some changes, and in 2012 he decided to build a new facil-ity on the property.

Now, I know a lot of you reading this have tasted Nancy's goodies. And for those of you that haven't, Well what are you waiting for? You don't know what you're missing!

N a n c y has always loved to cook and b a k e .

She began cooking at a

very young age under the

w i n g o f h e r mother, Mary Louise

Elliston and her grand-mother, Evalyn Garnier. She won

her first cooking contest at the age of 11. Nancy loves running her bakery at the fruit farm. "Tom spoiled me and put in a kitchen in Dix in 2001," she said. "I started out with my Mom's recipe for strawberry shortcake. I made apple crisp, blackberry cobbler and peach cobbler. In 2002 I incorporated apple cider and donuts, jams and jellies. Her bakery is now about 20% of the Schwartz Fruit Farm business at both locations.

I asked Tom and Nancy what the most satisfying part of running the farm was.

"Having the product that somebody wants." Tom said. " And seeing our game plan come together." Nancy said for her it was talking with the custom-ers, teaching about different ways to cook. Then she looked at Tom with what I saw as admiration and said, "And learning from Tom. We talk so much and we're always marketing. He's so interesting. Even though I hate to admit it." We all laughed.

Nancy was right, Tom and his fruit

farm were very interesting. They invited me to tour their farm with them so we walked outside. I couldn't have chosen a more beautiful day to do this interview with them. The sun, the blue skies, and the fall breeze in the air that had their American flag proudly waving from its pole made the day just perfect.

Tom showed me his strawberry plants growing in the plastic beds with a special irrigation system. "A little more expensive this way, but it gives us a head start and a lot better turn out." He pointed out the dark green leaves on the peach trees which he said was a good sign.

As he passed by one of the apple trees, I saw him pick an apple off and eat it. I giggled to myself thinking, "Gee, I would think he'd get tired of eating apples." A bit later, I saw Nancy do the same thing. She picked an apple off a different tree and took a big bite. "Mmmm....these are good apples," she told Tom. "Yes, they really are good," Tom answered back to her. Even from a stranger's point of view, I un-derstood the significance in those words that passed between the two of them. What I heard was the feeling of accomplishment, the taste of success. What I heard was "Life is Good."

Yep, the old saying is true, "You learn something new every day." J

Tom's brother, Dave,

who runs Schwartz Farms is featured on page 8.

"And that's where it all got started," Tom said.

Matt and Pauline worked the orchard for many years until in 1978,

farm with his mother. In 1981 he began to financially farm on his own.

The Hawkins-Schwartz location in Dix on Route 37 came

has always loved to cook and b a k e .

She began cooking at a

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aGricuLture FactsHow aGricuLture aFFects

tHe environment• 2.2 million farms dot America’s rural landscape. About 97 percent of U.S. farms are operated by families – individuals, family partnerships or family corporations.

• Farm and ranch families comprise just 2 percent of the U.S. population.

• More than 21 million American workers (15 percent of the total U.S. workforce) produce, process and sell the nation’s food and fi ber.

• Today’s farmers produce 262 percent more food with 2 percent fewer inputs (labor, seeds, feed, fertil-izer, etc.), compared with 1950.

• In 2010, $115 billion worth of American agricul-tural products were exported around the world. The United States sells more food and fi ber to world markets than we import, creating a positive agricultural trade balance.

• One in three U.S. farm acres is planted for export.

• 31 percent of U.S. gross farm income comes di-rectly from exports.

• About 23 percent of raw U.S. farm products are exported each year.

• Farmers and ranchers receive only 16 cents out of every dollar spent on food at home and away from home. The rest goes for costs beyond the farm gate: wages and materials for production, processing, marketing, transportation and distribution. In 1980, farmers and ranchers received 31 cents.

• U.S. farm programs typically cost each American just pennies per meal and account for less than one-half of 1 percent of the total U.S. budget.

• Americans enjoy a food supply that is abundant, affordable overall and among the world’s safest, thanks in large part to the effi ciency and productivity of America’s farm and ranch families.

• Careful stewardship by farmers has spurred a nearly 50 percent decline in erosion of cropland by wind and water since 1982.

• Conservation tillage, a way of farming that reduces erosion (soil loss) on cropland while using less energy, has grown from 17 percent of acreage in 1982 to 63 percent today. At the same time, total land used for crops declined by 15 percent (70 million acres).

• Farmers have enrolled a total of 31 million acres in the Conservation Reserve Program to protect the environ-ment and provide habitat for wildlife. Since its inception in 1985, the program has helped reduce soil erosion by 622 million tons and restored more than 2 million acres of wetlands.

• Farmers, ranchers and other landowners have installed more than 2 million miles of conservation buffers under farm bill initiatives. Buffers improve soil, air and water quality; enhance wildlife habitat; and create scenic land-scapes.

• Each year, hundreds of thousands of trees are planted on farmland.

• More than half of America’s farmers intentionally provide habitat for wildlife. Deer, moose, fowl and other species have shown signifi cant population increases for decades.

• Through the farm bill, funding is provided to farmers and ranchers for conservation, for programs that prevent soil erosion, preserve and restore wetlands, clean the air and water, and enhance wildlife.

• Crop rotation, the practice of growing different crops in succession on the same land, is another way farmers take care of the land.

• For contour farming, farmers plant crops across the slope of the land to conserve water and protect soil.

• Alternative energy sources, including wind power and renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel (made from corn, soybeans and other crops) are benefi cial to the envi-ronment and promote energy security. n


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ilking and taking care of cows has always been a way of life for the Lueking family. From 5

a.m. to 11 p.m. milking and feeding, it has been a daily routine for Don and Doug Lueking ever since they were growing up.

It all started when Don's grandfa-ther, and later his father, began milking cows. In 1954, Don's father bought the Lueking Dairy Farm and lived about one mile north on a dif-ferent one, while he took care of both farms. Around 1957, Don's father decided to move into the house on the dairy farm where Don spent most of his life growing up. As years passed and Don got older, his father moved off to another farm, and in 1972, Don got married to his wife Marcella. They began to raise their own family in the house he's known all his life, and they continue to watch it grow to this day.

Today, Don is trying to retire from the farm but is still very much in-volved, considering it is his home. He enjoys managing it but can't do the day to day work like he used to. His son, Doug Lueking has been milking and taking care of the cows ever since he was a little boy. Doug used to live in town, but about three years ago, he

built a house on the farm where he lives with his wife and two children and has taken over the majority of the farm responsibilities since he graduated from the University of Illinois.

Milking has always been one of Doug's main responsibilities since he was young. Back when Don was a young boy, there were no milking machines, so everything was done by hand. However, they have milked with a machine for the last 52 years. The farm is run by Doug and his brother-in-law, Jon Beal with the help of three part time milkers. Doug mainly deals with the cow operation while Jon does the majority of the grain farming. They milk the cows three times a day starting at 5 a.m, again at 1 p.m, and at 9 p.m while feeding them in between. The farm consists of 60 milking cows, 8 dry cows and 60 heifers on about 12 acres. They also grow corn, beans and wheat. Altogether, the Luekings own and rent about 400 acres total.

Along with Doug, Jon, and the three part time milkers, all of Don and Marcella's grandchildren play a major role on the farm. Although they may not have specific chores or duties, they sure do love to help out with

anything they can. As part of being involved with 4-H, each summer the kids take care of their cows and get to show them in the county fair.

Both Don and Doug agree that farming is more of a lifestyle choice than anything. The business aspect helps with bills and things of that nature, but ultimately it really is a satisfying way of life. Technology and equipment have made a huge differ-ence and impact since the time they started. "There are definitely a lot more conveniences — tractors, skid loaders, digger combines. They know a lot more now than they did 25 years ago," Doug stated.

On top of managing the dairy farm, Doug works as a part-time high school Ag teacher in the morning at Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School and absolutely loves it. He and his wife Sheila are also very active members of the Trinity Hoffman Church and local 4-H club. "The outside activities are what make it crazy and harder to maintain the livelihood with the kids in sports and all the other things I do," said Doug. Even though being involved with the community makes it more challeng-ing to be on the farm, Doug is still able to do it all and make it work. "He

A Way Of Life...

bY racHeL PaHnKe

a LinK to tHe Past &a bridGe to tHe Future

witH tHe

Lueking Familyilking and taking care of cows has always been a way of life for the Lueking family. From 5

a.m. to 11 p.m. milking and feeding,


has a hard time giving up the cows," Don said.

Doug has never considered getting out of the farming business and plans to manage the farm for as long as he can. I asked him if he planned on making it a 5th generation farm by passing it down to his children and he said that it was completely up to them on whether or not they want to take over when he's done. "I want them to do it because they love it, not because they think they have to. If not, then I hope they enjoy whatever careers they choose."

When asked what the most satisfy-ing part of farming was, Don and Doug both acknowledged that it was family. "When the boys are running around playing out here and the sun goes down behind the house, it's like heaven on earth," Don stated. "They don't really understand what I'm

doing around the farm but when a new calf is born, to see the excitement in their eyes, that's a lot of why they do it. They get to drive the tractors, show cows at the fair and they enjoy that," added Doug. Family is what makes it all worth it and what it comes down to.

The Luekings are a small opera-tion, but have a lot to be proud of. They are ranked in the top ten in the state for milk production per cow. They might be one of the smaller farms, but they sure are mighty. It was very rewarding to witness such a devoted and loving family in their typical environment and also to have learned about their story.

Thank you for being so welcoming and open to this experience with me. It sure did feel good to be back on the dairy farm since my own days at U of I. nthe dairy farm since my own days at

Pictured (L to R) back row: Jon Beal, Kerri Beal, Marcy Lueking, Don Lueking, Shannon Lueking and Doug Lueking; front row: Garret Beal, Evan Beal

and Drew Lueking. Not pictured: Sheila Lueking and Jenny Seaton.


For quite a number of years, the Roundup Ready Weed Control System

had been employed on greater than 90% of the soybean acres in the U.S. The program was sim-ple and effective. Weed control was so good, no one noticed an occasion-al weed escape, but the escapes produced seed. When these seeds grew in subsequent years and were treated with Roundup (or any other glyphosate prod-uct) again, some of them escaped (were tolerant to the glyphosate). After just a few seasons, the majority of weeds produc-ing seed in soybean fields were those that were toler-ant. Weeds like marestail, waterhemp, and palmer amaranth in Illinois, along with common and giant ragweed in Indiana and Missouri are examples.

But glyphosate is not the only product which has experienced weed escapes becoming toler-ant. In Illinois, examples of 25 different combina-tions of tolerant weeds to various products exist. Lambsquarters tolerant to atrazine, common rag-weed tolerant to First-Rate

and Pursuit, and cockle-burs tolerant to Classic and Pursuit are among the examples. The common denominator is not a spe-cific weed or product, but rather the exclusive and intensive use of a single product on a particular weed. The lesson to be learned for weed control with minimal opportuni-ty for weed tolerance to develop is to use different and multiple products with different modes of action and sites of action.

A mode of action is the plant process a product interferes with to disrupt the growth of the weed plant. A site of action is where in the weed plant this disruption occurs. Using a product with a single mode of action and site of action appears to provide a weed plant with an easier opportunity to recover from the product's effects. Multiple modes of action/ sites of action "gangs up" on the weed plant, greatly reducing the weed's potential to over-come the effects of the product. To best control weeds and avoid the devel-opment of tolerant weeds, a weed control program is best to employ prod-

ucts which have multiple modes and sites of action. This, in most instances, will call for multiple treat-ments with different prod-ucts or combination prod-ucts.

A new weed control system that has caught our attention at Clin/Wash Ag Service is the Enlist Weed Control System from Dow. The system includes a new line of corn and soybean seeds toler-ant to the components of the Enlist herbicide prod-uct. Those components include glyphosate and 2, 4-d. The breeding method used in developing those herbicide tolerances also introduces tolerance to gluphosinate— a new pro-gram that by itself incor-porates 3 different modes of action and sites of action. By itself, this pro-gram appears to offer the possibility of two modes / sites of action on glypho-sate tolerant weeds. The program is a post-emer-gence program, allowing the flexibility to partner a pre-emergence program strong on target, tolerant weeds like waterhemp and marestail, thus adding still more mode / site of action possibilities.

Something else I con-sider an advantage about this program is that we have experience with the components of the Enlist Herbicide. We know that with the exception of the above mentioned tolerant weeds, glyphosate controls a broad spectrum of other weeds. We also know from many years of expe-rience that 2,4-d controls most broadleaf weeds. And in recent years, we have been gaining expe-rience with gluphosinate (Liberty herbicide) and its control of a fairly broad spectrum of weeds.

Another advantage I see with the Enlist her-bicide is that in addition to the three components having different modes of action, they also have dif-ferent sites of action.

Glyphosate tends to move down through the plant to the lower grow-ing points (the roots). 2,4-d is actually a growth hormone, causing above ground plant parts to grow too fast. Gluphosinate is more of a contact killer, shutting down the plant's ability to metabolize nitrates, thus causing the plant to "burn up" from nitrate poisoning.

(continued on the next page)

On Weed Control:Sometimes Change Is GoodGerald Forbeck, President and Manager, Clinton / Washington Ag Service, Inc.


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Anytime a weed escapes the activity of a product, I like to look at how the weed recovers. For instance, with glyphosate, when a weed recovers, many times it will start to grow out from the base of the plant, indicat-ing the product did not make it all the way to the roots, and is utilizing food reserves left in the plant to regen-erate. With gluphosinate, when a weed recovers, grow-ing points rejuvenate. With 2,4-d, it appears to me the plant simply didn't grow fast enough to "finish off." So as I look at the combination of the components, glyphosate should take out the growing points, gluphosinate should take out the leaf tissue (food source), and 2,4-d should

make it happen fast before the weed can adjust.

Past experience might cause some to question off target movement of 2,4-d. Ester formulations of 2,4-d did sometimes move away from their target in the past. Dow claims the Enlist herbi-cide product contains a dif-ferent formulation of 2,4-d known as Choline. Dow demonstrations I have seen show no concern is necessary about off target movement. I also recently spoke with an agronomist from Stine Seed company who indicat-ed Stine's testing of Enlist beans with Enlist herbicide, under suggested conditions, surrounded on all 4 sides by susceptible soybeans showed no movement of Enlist her-

bicide away from the treated area. He also commented this was different than other new programs under testing.

Dow has also informed me that sprayer clean out should be similar to most other products we use. The Choline formulation is water based and should triple rinse clean just like most other products.

Just as important, Enlist herbicide and traited seed has full EPA, and FDA approv-als. The only potential hur-dle to use is Chinese import approval of the soybeans and corn. Some Enlist corn was planted in the U.S. in 2015 that went directly to livestock feed. This allowed me to see Dow's price posi-tion on Enlist Duo Herbicide (glyphosate + 2,4-d Choline). Grower cost for Enlist Duo in the areas used was in the $13.xx per acre neighborhood.

I am excited about the

possibilities for easing the headache soybean weed control has become. Enlist appears to me to provide the possibility of consistent weed control from a multiple mode of action/site of action product with the flexibility to add additional products to a program to further enhance weed control, apparently without 'breaking the bank.' All without having to worry about off target movement and sprayer contamination. Once approval from China occurs, I understand soy-bean seed that is adapted for our area will be available from suppliers I know and trust, like Dow subsidiaries Mycogen Seed, Dairyland Seed, and Pfister Seed, along with industry partners like Stine Seed and Hoffman Seed

Sometimes change is good. n

On Weed Control:Sometimes Change Is Good(Continued from previous page)


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It’s dusk in the countryside, and in the fading golden light a small, winged shape takes to the air over a local corn� eld. Darting this way

and that, the creature executes maneu-vers far beyond what any modern � ghter jet could manage.

� e bat is on the hunt for insects, and according to new research, farmers have a billion reasons to be grateful for it.

Research recently written by former graduate student Josiah Maine and his adviser at Southern Illinois University Carbondale shows that bats play a significant role in combating crop pests, saving up to $1 billion a year in crop damages. � e research article, titled “Bats initiate vital interactions in corn,” is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Maine set out to further research the findings of his master’s thesis adviser, SIU Assistant Professor of zoology Justin Boyles, who in 2011 published work suggesting bats might save famers billions of dollars in crop

losses each year “Bats are voracious predators of

insects, including many crop pest species,” said Maine, who recently graduated from SIU with a Master of Science degree in zoology. “My hope was that it would give us a much better idea of the ecological and economic impact of bats in agriculture.”

Using funding from the ecology group Bat Conservation International, Maine designed an experiment in corn � elds near Horseshoe Lake in Southern Illinois over the 2013 and 2014 growing seasons that would test how corn fared with and without bats picking off various pests.

To test the theories Maine built “ex-closures” – netted structures aimed at keeping bats outside of them and away from the corn. � e exclosures were large, each enclosing more than 4,200 square feet and measuring 23 feet high. Maine constructed the exclosures using steel poles, cables and netting.

Keeping the bats out meant pests, such as the corn earworm, were largely

free to wreak havoc on the corn crops. But simply keeping bats out would not tell the whole story, as other creatures, such as birds, also were kept out by the structures and away from the pests.

“� is meant that the exclosures had to be removed daily so birds could forage normally,” Maine said. “I ar-ranged the netting so it could be slid on the cables to one end like a shower curtain. � is way I could open the exclosures each day and close them each night,” before the bats took to the air.

In all, Maine built six exclosures, each of which was paired with a control plot where bats could forage as they normally would. � is arrangement allowed him to directly compare pest abundance and crop damage between the exclosure and control plots.

“� e main pest in my system was the corn earworm, a moth whose larvae cause billions of dollars’ worth of damage to corn, cotton, tomatoes, and many other crops,” Maine said. “� e larvae feed on corn ears, causing

corn survey — Josiah maine, a former graduate student at southern illinois university carbondale, examines a young corn plant in preparation for an experiment. maine set out to further research the findings of his master’s thesis adviser, siu assistant Professor of zoology Justin boyles, who in 2011 published work suggesting bats might prevent significant crop losses each year. their research, published in the Proceedings of the national academy of sciences, found that bats play a significant role in combating crop pests, saving up to $1 billion a year in crop damages. (Photo by russell bailey)

STUDYCONFIRMS

BATS’ VALUEIN COMBATING CROP PESTS


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direct damage to yield, but they also can introduce an avenue for infection of the corn ear by fungi, which produce compounds that are toxic to humans and livestock.

“Bats are known to feed on this moth, but it has been unclear whether they consume enough of the moths to sup-press larval populations and damage to crops,” Maine said.

A� er analyzing the results, Maine said he found nearly 60 percent more earworm larvae inside the exclosures — protected from the hungry bats than in the unprotected control areas. He also found more than 50 percent more corn kernel damage per ear in the corn inside the exclosures. Further, he found the damaging fungal growth associated with pests was signi� cantly higher on the corn inside the exclosures, and that the toxins produced by the fungus were much more concentrated in the corn inside the exclosures.

Bats also provide a natural solution to pests, which in turn provide addi-tional value to agriculture by suppress-

ing toxic fungi and reducing necessity for costly insecticides, Maine said.

Working under Boyles’ guidance, Maine said the results of his experi-ments supported his adviser’s earlier research and further quanti� ed it.

“My study provides strong support for the idea that bats provide valuable services to society,” he said. “By con-suming crop pests, bats have tremen-dous ecological impacts in crop � elds. Based on the di� erence in crop damage I observed, I estimated that bats provide a service to corn farmers worth about $1 billion globally. Bats likely provide additional value to agriculture by sup-pressing toxic fungi and reducing necessity for costly insec-ticides.”

B o y l e s , who is ex-t e ns ive ly involved in bat research al l over t he country, also hailed the study and its

implications. “It highlights the importance of

maintaining a healthy and high-func-tioning ecosystem,” Boyles said. “Bats are much maligned, but deserve protec-tion if for no other reason than the ecosystem services they provide to humans.”

Boyles credited Maine with working hard to � nd answers.

“He is an outstanding student and would have been a superstar at any university,” Boyles said. “Josiah’s pro-ductivity far and away exceeds his peers.” n

research al l over country, also hailed the study and its

$1 billion globally. Bats likely provide additional value to agriculture by sup-pressing toxic fungi and

peers.” nductivity far and away exceeds his

pressing toxic fungi and reducing necessity for costly insec-

B o y l e s , who is ex-

involved in bat research al l over

additional value to agriculture by sup-pressing toxic fungi and reducing necessity for costly insec-

involved in bat research al l over t he country, also hailed the study and its

(BY TIM CROSBY)


National 4-H Week isOctober 4 - 10!

Call 618-548-1446For More Info!

Other Upcoming Events: - Twilight Tour Series 2015 - Back to Basics - Skills for Sustainable Living - Soil Testing Workshop - Good Agriculture Practices Webinar Series - Sustainable Living Expo

Our U of I Extension unit serves Bond, Clinton, Jefferson,Marion & Washington Counties.

www.extension.il l inois.edu/bcjmw/

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A utumn is tailor-made for getting out of the house to enjoy the great outdoors. With crisp temperatures perfect for strolls or sightseeing and breathtaking scenery awash in bright autumnal hues, autumn

landscapes make for the ideal backdrop for weekend plans, including shopping excursions.

Fall is a great season to enjoy festivals, farmers' markets and craft fairs, as merchants look to liquidate inventory before they prepare for the rush of the upcoming holiday season. Cities, towns, hamlets, and everything in between will host their share of open markets and more with great deals to be had, and fall is an ideal time to visit local shops and stands.

Fresh ProduceFarms big and small are bursting with produce come the

fall. You can find the last vestiges of summer crops mingling with the first fruits of autumn. Grab the last of the tomatoes and start thinking ahead to apples, squashes, lettuces, and grapes. You can even get an early start on pumpkin season — both for cooking and carving.

Stock the car with reusable tote bags and scour the farmers' markets for seasonal finds. Chances are you also might pick up some extra treats, such as fresh honey or canned jams.

Food FindsAs plants are harvested, many items are turned into delicious

treats. No autumn shopping excursion is complete until you smell a fresh-baked apple pie or some apple cider doughnuts. Corn breads and fritters, cranberry snacks and wines from nearby wineries also are easy to find in autumn. These items make welcome additions to your own pantry, or bring a freshly made treat to a friend or family member’s home when paying a visit.

Also, don’t miss the food-related festivals that pop up on community calendars in the fall. From garlic to potatoes to pumpkins to cheeses, many seasonal items are on display. You also can sample these foods in interesting applications and make a day of gathering recipes and supplies to enjoy later.

Crafts, Jewelry & DecorInclude a trip to a craft fair — where local vendors come

together to display and sell their wares — on your weekend schedule. Handcrafted items make thoughtful and unique gifts, which can be tucked away for giving later in the year.

Booths at these types of events tend to be diverse. Spend the day strolling town squares or closed-off city centers, and you may find some hand-fashioned jewelry or home-crafted artisanal soaps. Those eager to enhance their homes’ décor may find unique items like painted signs, knit afghans and much more.

Shopping local shops, farms and fairs is a great way to enjoy the fresh autumn air while supporting local businesses. n

Visit a local market this fall and you will likely go home with plenty

of fresh foods and unique items.

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The Illinois 4-H Foundation annually recognizes one 4-H volunteer per county for ex-emplary service to the Illinois

4-H program as a Hall of Fame winner. � is year, more than 800 supporters watched the induction of 70 new members into the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame, the largest inductee class to date.

� is year celebrated the 11-year anniversary of the award, said Angie Barnard, director of the Illinois 4-H Foundation. � e ceremony was held Saturday, August 15 on the Director of Agriculture’s lawn on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Ag Director Phil Nelson is a 4-H supporter and was last year’s Illinois 4-H Foundation Alumni Award winner.

“� ese long-time volunteers fully embody what 4-H strives to instill in youth,” Barnard said. “� ey are caring, dedicated, generous leaders, and the Illinois 4-H Foundation is extremely proud to be able to provide this honor to each and every one of them to thank them for their service to this wonder-ful organization.”

� e Illinois 4-H Foundation estab-lished the statewide Hall of Fame in 2004 to honor and celebrate extraor-dinary 4-H alumni, volunteers, and former 4-H sta� . Nominations for the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame are made by University of Illinois Extension sta� . Each inductee received a commemo-rative Hall of Fame medallion.

“As a result of these volunteers’

years of service and leadership to Illinois 4-H,” Barnard said, “the program they love will continue to create brilliant futures for the young people whose lives it touches.”

Winners in Illinois counties include: Linda Kill, Adams; Carol Lingley, Bond; Dan Tuttle, Boone; Jeanna Ohda, Bureau; Richard Davidson, Carroll; Penny Gioja, Champaign; Shane and Shelly Butcher, Christian; Angie Vanatta, Clark; Earlene Henry, Clay; Barbara Lammers, Clinton; Tom and Diane Sherman, Coles; Zel and Jeannie Adams, Crawford; Don Frederick, Cumberland; Jeff Spencer, Dewitt; Coleen Walter, Du Page; Chris Milam, Edgar; Debbie Fearn, Edwards; Lori Camp, Effi ngham; Joan Schaal, Fayette; Rita Glazik, Ford; Linda Porter, Fulton; Lee Miller, Grundy; Glen Kinder IV, Hamilton; Larry Fox, Henderson; Joy Dwyer, Henry; Sharon Perzee, Iroquois; Joe Zerrusen, Jasper; Kenneth Hayse, Jefferson; Donna

Phillips, Jersey; Bill Collins, Kane; Francis Cordes, Kankakee; Michael Drendel, Kendall; Christinel Cain, Knox; Carol Ramer, La Salle; Jodie Ells, Lake; Amanda Gray, Logan; Mark Sturgell, Macon; Eleanor Gregory, Macoupin; Everett Rogier, Madison; Todd and Vicki Moody, Marion; Deborah Leigh, Marshall; Louise Schafer, Mason; Gerald Heaton, McDonough; Kelly Sadowski, McHenry; Steve and Laurie Peterson, McLean; James Oller, Menard; Karen Dellitt, Mercer; Joann Hartman, Monroe; Paul and Lana Pershing, Montgomery; Cli� Craven, Ogle; Jan Wenke, Piatt; Ron Steber, Richland; Lois Mitchell, Rock Island; Angie Kinzinger, Saint Clair; Gene Gill, Stark; Pennie Miller, Stephenson; Curt Zehr, Tazewell; Donna Light, Vermilion; Kay Robb, Warren; Donna Hesker, Washington; Casey Stichter, Whiteside; Debra Benedict, Will; Mary Ann Arenson, Winnebago; Paul Burton, Woodford.

ceLebratinG 2015 4-H HaLL oF Fame inducteesILLINOIS 4-H FOUNDATION INDUCTS 70 HONOREES

4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership

with caring adults.


� e Illinois 4-H Foundation raises private funds that are invested in Illinois 4-H programs that provide meaningful, positive development experiences for Illinois youth to develop leadership, citizenship, and life skills. To learn more, visit: www.4hfoundation.illinois.edu.

Illinois 4-H helps youth learn skills for living. University of Illinois

Extension provides 4-H programs in every county in Illinois. Illinois 4-H aims to impact the lives of 200,000 youth each year through sustained learning clubs and groups and short-term programming. � e Illinois 4-H Foundation’s mission is to build relationships to generate � nancial resources for Illinois 4-H.

Funding from individual donors, Illinois 4-H Project Partners, com-panies, and friends of Illinois 4-H help the Foundation support state-wide programming initiatives along with scholarships, assistance to na-tional events, grant opportunities, Teens as Teachers and assistance in � lling funding gaps. n

BARBARA LAMMERSCLINTON COUNTY

As a retired Extension educator, Barbara has been an asset to many programs in Clinton County. She has been a judge for numerous 4-H projects, led many workshops, has been a 4-H leader of the Sugarcreek 4-H Country Kids, and has created many programs including the Federation Egg Hunt and Cooking Schools throughout the summer.

************

TODD AND VICKI MOODYMARION COUNTY

Todd and Vicki are both 4-H volunteers that have been heavily involved in 4-H Shooting Sports as Todd is the certi� ed shotgun instructor for the Marion County Clay Busters Shooting Sports SPIN Club and Vicki is the coordinator for Marion County Shooting Sports. � ey have also served as the 4-H leaders for the Hoo� eats 4-H Club and have also formed a 4-H Horse Judging Team and a 4-H Horse Bowl Team.

2015 4-H HaLL oF Fame LocaL inductees

KENNETH HAYSEJEFFERSON COUNTY

As a third generation 4-H member, Ken continues to be heavily involved with 4-H in Je� erson County including serving as the Woodland Sparks 4-H club for 2 years. He also serves on the Je� erson County 4-H Foundation, as president of the Extension Advisory Council, and served on the ACES Alumni Board for the College of ACES.

************

DONNA HESKERWASHINGTON COUNTY

Donna is a true example of “bleeding green." She has been the leader of one of the largest clubs in Washington County, the Okawville Busy Bees, for 22 years. She truly focuses on leadership, communication, respect and participation through her members and also serves as a team mentor with other club leaders. Washington County is lucky to have such an incredible role model and passionate leader.


Are you looking to diversify your farming opera-

tion? Do you have ideas on what you want to do but are unsure how to start? Maybe you are interested in buying your fruits and vegetables or dairy products locally, and want to meet the farmer and tour the farm. University of Illinois Extension is teaming up with area farmers to provide farm tours to high-light and demonstrate diverse farming enterprises throughout the area.

An upcoming tour will visit Country Kids Pumpkin Patch, a local agritourism farm in Hoyleton, Illinois. � e tour will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. on October 5, 2015 at the Country Kids Pumpkin Patch, located at 278 North Front Street in Hoyleton. Country Kids Pumpkin Patch is family owned and operated. Over the course of the a� ernoon, the Herrmann

family will welcome you onto their farm, discuss their progression from a small enter-prise to one that grows and locally markets over 6,000 mums a year, runs a u-pick pumpkin patch which produces many common and unusual varieties, and incorporates a petting zoo, a corn maze, and various games and ac-tivities for the kids. � ey will also discuss the importance of social media and how it has

made a di� erence in their agritourism business.

� is program is provided at no cost, but pre-registra-tion is required. Please reg-ister online at http://web.extension.i l linois.edu/bcjmw/index.html or by calling 618-242-0780 no later than October 2, 2015. For more information about the Twilight meeting contact Laurie George at [email protected] or 618-242-0780. n

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Monday mornings are my least fa-vorite time of the w e e k . A )

Because it is Monday morning and by Murphy’s Law those just don’t go well in general. B) Because I grocery shop on Monday mornings and those trips

can be painful. Like many mothers, I am

the household’s food deci-sion maker and grocery shopper. I’ve found that because farmer is also on my resume, some folks assume I’ve got the inside scoop on food and are always asking about what goes in my shopping cart.

To some extent I may understand a bit more than the average Joan about the hows, whys, wheres, and whens of food and its travel from farm to store. But I, too, am a consumer with my own questions about food, health and safety.

I visit the corner mom and pop groceries for the basics but hit Wal-Mart for my big overfl owing cart, multi-page list trips.

My kids have inadvertently struc-tured my shopping trips. I now park as close to a cart corral as possible

after having lugged a baby in a car seat across a parking lot in a sudden down pour.

I use reusable bags, not so much for the environmental benefi ts (although that is a good reason) but because they reduce my trips carrying groceries from garage to house.

I start with non-grocery items before circling through the housewares section to the grocery department in order to avoid the toy aisles.

First up the dairy department for milk, yogurts and cheeses. Then to poultry. I’ve never purchased pork or beef (aside from deli meats) from a grocery store because my parents raise both and fi ll our freezer often. That’s

the farmer thing coming into play.

Then into the aisles for cereals, breads, pastas and some snack foods. Finally to frozen foods for veggies and juice concentrate. My last stop is the produce section. When my garden is not in season I load up on carrots, celery, peppers, lettuce, potatoes, onions, apples, grapes, cutie pies for my daughter, pineapple for my son, and bananas.

Do I read labels? Rarely. I stick to the basic health

mantra of eat fruits and veggies, some protein and grains, drink a glass of milk or two, and enjoy a treat once in a while.

These days I spend more time think-ing about the farm families behind the ingredients and whole foods found on the shelves. I think about what their day to day activities are, the chal-lenges and successes they share and if they, too, are asking questions about their food. I’m certain they are. After all farmers are consumers (and grocery shoppers) too. n

(Photos by Illinois Farm Bureau. For more info visit Illinois Farm

Families at www.watchusgrow.org)

Farmer, Mother, Grocery Shopper — by Katie Pratt, farmer ∞ Dixon, Illinois

The Pratt Family


Every Sunday after Church, I head to our local grocery store with my weekly shop-

ping list. Some weeks I’m more prepared than others but one thing that is always on my list is milk. Grocery shopping should not be stressful; however, with all the food labels out there, how can it not be? Choices are great and signs of a healthy market, but I don’t believe that being over-whelmed should be one of the side e� ects. You might have noticed that on milk labeling certain containers of cows’ milk have a longer shelf life. How does this milk not spoil?

� e quick answer has to do with two di� erent pas-teurization techniques. � e milk either undergoes high-temperature, short-time, (HTST) pasteuriza-tion or ultra-high tem-perature pasteurization (UHT) for a longer term shelf life. Before I describe the two most common pasteurization methods, let me brie� y explain the pasteurization process.

Pasteurization is an important process that ensures that milk and dairy products are safe for everyone to consume. According to the Grade “A” Pasteurized Milk

Ordinance, pasteurization is the process used to kill bacteria without a� ecting the taste or nutritional value of milk. � e ordi-nance de� nes pasteuriza-tion as heating every par-ticle of raw milk or milk product, in properly de-signed and operated equipment, to a certain temperature for a speci� c period of time. � e dairy industry, the Center for Disease Control and the F o o d a n d D r u g Administration (FDA) along with many other health and scienti� c orga-nizations strongly support the pasteurization of milk. What are the di� erences between HTST and UHT then?

High temperature, short time (HTST) pasteuriza-tion – or traditional pas-teurization:

• Heats the milk to a required minimum tem-perature of 72ºC (161ºF) for at least 15 seconds.

• Removes 99.9% of the bacteria in the milk.

• On average, dairy pro-cessors recommend HTST milk be consumed 18 days from the date it is bottled.

Ultra high temperature pasteurization (UHT) or ultra-pasteurization (UP):

• The milk has to be thermally processed at or above 138ºC (280ºF) for at least two seconds.

• Th e process eliminates a larger percentage of bac-teria than HTST pasteuri-zation.

• On average, dairy pro-cessors recommend UHT milk be consumed sixty (60) days from the date it is bottled.

How does organic milk stay fresh for so long? � e

shelf life for organic milk actually has nothing to do with the milk being organic. The extended shelf life (seen in both organic and conventional milk) is because of the pas-teurizat ion process . Organic products are not as commonly produced and so they o� en have to travel further to reach store shelves. All milk and dairy products (regardless if it is conventional or organic) are antibiotic free and I have posts dedicated to just this topic, click here to read more or here.

At our house, we don’t have any problem going through 2 gallons of 2% milk weekly but if you are looking for milk with a longer shelf life, I would highly recommend you buy UHT milk.

We are proud to be in the dairy industry for many reasons. It not only takes food safety very seriously but it also supports con-sumer choice. � e bottom line though is that carton to carton, bottle to bottle, all milk is wholesome, safe and nutritious. n

(Photos by Illinois Farm Bureau.

For more info visit Illinois Farm Families at

www.watchusgrow.org)

Milk that undergoes UHI pasteurization clearly identifies this on the product's package.

A few of the products that undergo high temperature, short time or HTST pasteurization.

WHY DO CERTAIN CONTAINERS OF COW’S MILK HAVE LONGER EXPIRATION DATES? By

Mary Mackinson-Faber, farmer, Pontiac, Illinois


One out of every seven adults in the U.S. is a former 4-H member. Clubs are ac-cepting new members this month to grow that number even higher. 4-H members in the county will join the 6 million youth across the country in celebrating National 4-H Week Oct. 4-10.

4-H youth development programs provide hands-on learning activities for youth in Illinois and throughout the

country. 4-H youth programs focus on leadership, citizen-ship and life skills.

Every county in Illinois has a 4-H program which is oper-ated through University of Illinois Extension. 4-H club membership is open to youth aged 8 to 18. Youth 5 to 7 years of age may join the 4-H Cloverbud program.

There are several ways to participate in 4-H. Youth may join 4-H community clubs,

coordinated by local certified adult volunteers. Each club decides how often it meets, the location of its meetings and the activities held during the meeting. Members may select from over 100 different project areas to study while they build leadership, team-work, cooperation, decision-making and communication skills.

Youth may also choose to focus on a very specific project area and join a club specifically related to that one project, said Carla Chesnek, University of Il l inois E x t e n s i o n P r o g r a m Coordinator. Robotics, trac-tors, gardening, shooting sports, and taxidermy, are just a few of the popular topics for special interest clubs.

One may also participate in 4-H through short term projects held during school or

at after school youth organiza-tions. Some of these popular groups teach youth about caring for the environment, preparing for a career, making healthy choices or other prior-ity issues which build a per-son’s life skills.

During National 4-H Week, Chesnek suggests keeping an eye out for 4-H activities in your local communities and schools. Tractor Supply Co. in Mt. Vernon will be having their fall Paper Clover sales during that time to support 4-H and on Oct.12 the Jefferson County 4-H Youth Reps will be there to promote 4-H.

To learn more about 4-H and enroll your child in a local club, one may contact: Carla Chesnek at the Jefferson County Extension Office at 618-242-0780. n

LocaL 4-H cLubs invite cHiLdren to be new members

Understanding today’s food label beyond the nutri-tional panel can be daunting. University of Il l inois Extension will present a program on ‘Understanding Organics’ on October 6, 2015 at the Centralia Regional Library, Harold Monken Activity Room from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Current food labels are becoming increasingly diffi-cult to understand. It was once enough to understand the nutrition label but we now see many additional statements such as 100% organic, locally grown, hormone free, Certified, GMO free and many more. This workshop will cover all the “green”

definitions and help you make informed decisions when shopping for your family’s food and health products.

At the completion of this class you will have a full un-derstanding of the nutritional label and all the added terms that go beyond nutrition to describe the product. You will also have the skills to deter-

mine which products are best to purchase organic when you have the choice and much more.

There is no fee to attend this informative program. Register on line at: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/bcjmw/ or by calling 618-526-4551 seven days prior to the work-shop. n

Back to Basics:Understanding organics


Children often dream of waking up one morning and fi nding their own horse or pony in their yards. Some people are able to make this dream a reality and own these beautiful animals.

Whether raising a horse for pleasure or profes-sion, it is important to know that caring for horses can be labor-intensive. The reward for properly taking care of a horse is a healthy and well-trained animal. But horse ownership is a signifi cant and expensive responsibility, so it is important that prospective owners understand what they are getting into before they make any fi nal decisions.

BreedThe fi rst thing to consider when mulling horse

ownership is the breed. If you are unfamiliar with horses, it is best to research different breeds online and visit horse breeders and owners. Perhaps workers at a stable or farm nearby can guide your choice. There also are forums devoted to horses and care. Some recommended breeds for fi rst-time owners include quarter horses, paints, and morgans. However, all horses are individuals and may have their own unique personality traits.

Acreage & HousingHorses are large animals and will need room to

exercise and roam. They require a corral or pasture to stretch their legs, so a potential horse owner will need a relatively large property to give a horse the space it needs. In addition to the corral, the horse will require a shelter from the elements. A shed or stable should be at least 10 to 12 feet in

both width and length. The height of the stable should be a minimum of 8 feet. This stable will provide shelter in both the cold and heat.

When establishing a pasture, be sure it is fenced in with a highly visible fence that is tall enough so that the horse cannot easily jump it. The fence should be clearly visible so the horse does not mistakenly try to go through it, risking entangle-ment or injury.

FeedingThe average saddle horse weighs roughly

1,000 pounds if not more. The animal can eat anywhere from 17 to 26 pounds of feed per day. Feed is a combination of grain, hay and pasture, but salt also should be made available to the horse. If the weather prevents grazing, supple-mental hay will be needed.

Keep in mind hay bails can weigh up to 85 pounds. They also will take up considerable space. This is something that needs to be factored into the space requirement for a horse.

Feed and water troughs can be purchased at livestock supply stores or be made from repur-posed buckets and barrels. Horses need plenty of fresh water to drink and the water trough should be checked and cleaned regularly to maintain a sanitary environment.

Tack & SaddlesDepending on how you use the horse, you will

need saddles, reins, bits, stirrups, cinches, spurs, ropes, and collars. Saddle bags and cushions may be needed if you will be on the horse for long

periods of time. If a horse tack retailer is not nearby, many items can be ordered online and shipped to your home.

In addition, pitchforks, shovels, brushes and grooming supplies will be needed to keep the stable and horse clean and comfortable.

ManureA large animal who eats several pounds of food

per day will produce a lot of waste. It’s key to have a plan in place to manage manure. You may want to convert manure into organic fertilizer. Check to see if there is a way to dispose of manure in your area or donate it to be used for gardening or vegetable cooperatives. Some people will purchase manure to use in their private landscapes. Establish a strategy for manure usage or disposal before buying a horse, as manure can accumulate rapidly and attract fl ies and other insects.

Veterinary CareResearch and develop a relationship with a

veterinarian prior to purchasing a horse. Horses require routine vaccinations and examinations, and deworming is necessary to control internal parasites. Hooves will need to be trimmed regu-larly, so it behooves owners to establish a relation-ship with a qualifi ed farrier. The vet may recom-mend farriers in your area.

Horses are magnifi cent animals that can bring joy and companionship. But those interested in owning a horse must recognize that such owner-ship is a signifi cant responsibility unlike more traditional pet ownership. n

TIPS FOR PROSPECTIVEHORSE OWNERS


WWW.THESHOPPERSWEEKLY.COM

With faith, dear Lord, I turn the sodWarmed by the breath of springAnd in the freshly furrowed rows,I plant my seed and sing,The same old song my father sang,When he too tilled the soil,

And found happiness and joyThat come through honest toil.Bound to the earth through ties of blood,Somehow I seem to knowIn the seeds as well as kindly deedsI'll reap the things I sow.

—Anonymous

A Farmer's Prayer


Unverfehrt Farm Supply: A Commitment To Service ............................4Schwartz Farms: � e Heart And Soul Are In Small Farms ....................8Schwartz Orchards: A Taste Of Heaven .................................................12Agriculture Facts .......................................................................................16Lueking Dairy Farm: A Way Of Life .......................................................20On Weed Control: Sometimes Change Is Good ....................................22Study Con� rms Bats’ Value In Combating Crop Pests .........................32

Plan A Day To Shop Local Fairs, Shops And Stands .............................36Celebrating 2015 4-H Hall Of Fame Inductees .....................................382015 4-H Hall Of Fame Local Inductees ................................................39Twilight Tour 2015 ...................................................................................40Farmer, Mother, Grocery Shopper ..........................................................42Why Do Certain Containers Of Cow’s Milk Have Longer Expiration Dates? .........................................................................................................43Local 4-H Clubs Invite Children To Be New Members ........................44Back To basics: Understanding Organics ...............................................44Tips For Prospective Horse Owners .......................................................45

American Family Insurance — Darrel Mays Mt. Vernon ........618-244-7606 ............35Blu� Equipment, Inc. Vandalia .............618-283-3277 ..............3Bob’s Auto & Truck Repair LLC Salem ..................618-548-1762 ............26Buchheit Centralia ............618-533-3850 ..............6Burkdell Mulch Lawn & Garden Center Mt. Vernon ........618-242-0900 ..... 24–25Byron Seeds LLC 618-755-4767 ............37 618-246-3424 ............37Coach House Garages Mt. Vernon ........618-244-1061 ............26Collision Specialists Salem ..................618-548-1314 888-TOWMEOUT ...31Community Trust Bank Centralia ............618-533-0527 ............17 Irvington ............618-249-6218 ............17 Nashville ............618-327-4400 ............17Corner Pharmacy Centralia ............618-533-3300 ............18Crescent Bearing & Supply, Inc. Salem ..................618-548-0282 ............31Derksen & Sons ............................618-599-7565 ............11Derksenterprise Portable Buildings ............................618-472-2251 ............11Duis Sales Center Salem ..................618-548-2922 800-995-2922 ............27Farmers State Bank of Ho� man Ho� man .............618-495-2225 ..............2 Ho� man .............618-533-4196 ..............2 Central City .......618-532-2265 ..............2 Hoyleton ............618-493-6510 ..............2First National Bank Carlyle Carlyle ...............618-594-2491 ............34 Carlyle ...............618-594-3741 ............34 Aviston ...............618-228-9100 ............34

Business Name Phone Page Ford Square of Mt. Vernon LTD Mt. Vernon ........618-242-8600 ............19Furniture Mattress Outlet Mt. Vernon ........618-204-5515 ............29 618-316-4978 ............29Gordon’s Gunsmoke Odin ...................618-367-5262 ............30 618-775-5002 ............30Green� eld Country Store Wayne City ........618-895-2025 ............18

Gus C. Unverfehrt Farm Supply, Inc. Centralia ............618-493-7357 ............48

Ho� man Seed House Ho� man .............618-495-2617 ............18Holz Tool Supply Mt. Vernon ........618-242-4676 ............30Hunter Law Firm Salem ..................618-548-9949 ............31 866-548-9949 ............31Interstate Batteries Mt. Vernon ........618-244-3745 ............34Kapp Trailer Beckemeyer .......618-227-8814 ............30King City Chrysler Mt. Vernon ........618-242-6600 ........7, 19Koch Insurance Agency, Inc. Nashville ............618-327-4311 ............23Lusch Excavating & Sanitation, Inc. Salem ..................618-548-2637 ..............6M&K Insurance Salem ..................618-548-6161 ..............6Marten Portable Buildings Centralia ............618-532-2697 ............26Monsanto Centralia ...........618-249-8921 ............14 888-487-9622 ............14Mt. Vernon Elevator Co. Mt. Vernon ........618-244-11146 ............6Mt. Vernon TV & Appliance Center, Inc. Mt. Vernon ........618-242-1579 ............10Prairie Farms Centralia ............618-526-7579 ............33Sloan Implement, Inc. Vandalia .............866-972-9420 ............15

Southern Illinois Ag Solutions, Inc. Centralia ............618-533-0758 ............41

University of Illinois Extension ............................618-548-1446 ............34Wuebbels Repair LLC McLeansboro ....618-648-2227 ............28

Business Name Phone Page

AGMagSEPTEMBER 30, 2015


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BROCK GRAIN SYSTEMSA Division of CTB, Inc.A Berkshire Hathaway Company

Grain Management Systems

Storage | Handling | Conditioning | Structures

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19071 Meridian Rd. • Centralia, IL 62801(618) 493-7357 unverfehrtinc.com

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