The Kane County FarmBureau will celebrate 95 years of agricultural advocacy and promotion with a banquet andannual meeting set for Monday,September 29, atEagle BrookCountry Club, 2288Fargo Boulevard in Geneva. Theevening will includerecognition of localpublic officials,reports of the organ-ization’s accom-plishments and akeynote address byAmerica’s best known FarmBroadcaster, Orion Samuelson.

Samuelson’s address willround out the agenda of activi-ties that includes a social hour,a Silent Auction benefitting the Bureau’s not-for-profitFoundation’s scholarship pro-grams, a banquet and brief business meeting.

Samuelson is heard on WGNRadio, where he has served asAgricultural Services Directorsince 1960. He is also hearddaily on about 240 radio stationswith his syndicated NationalFarm Report and weekly onabout 160 stations with his syn-dicated Samuelson Sez.

His life-long commitment toagriculture has been recognizedby organizations in all segmentsof agri-business. He hasreceived the Lincoln Medal –

the highest awardbestowed by thestate of Illinois. TheAmerican FarmBureau Federationhonored Samuelsonwith the AFBFD i s t i n g u i s h e dService Award andhe has been named“Man of the Year”by Heifer Project

International on its 50thanniversary. He has received theNational 4-H Alumni Award andthe Honorary FFA AmericanFarmer Degree.

Samuelson has been inductedinto the National 4-H Hall ofFame, the NAFB Hall of Fameand the National Radio Hall ofFame in Chicago. He has trav-eled internationally to 43 coun-tries to cover agricultural produc-tion and trade for his radio andtelevision shows and receivedthe International Communicatorof the Year Award from thePresident of the Republic ofChina.

Samuelson is also active inareas outside broadcasting. He is Vice Chairman of theBoard of Directors of the IllinoisAgricultural LeadershipFoundation, a former Trustee ofthe Farm Foundation and a

Trustee of the CornerstoneFoundation of Lutheran SocialServices of Illinois (LSSI). Hecurrently serves as HonoraryChairman of Illinois Citizens forExtension, seeking to increasefinancial support for theCooperative Extension Service.

All members are encouragedto attend the Kane County FarmBureau annual meeting and ban-quet. Tickets are limited for theevent, and must be purchased nolater than September 15 from thecounty Farm Bureau office in St.Charles. Cost of a ticket is $20.

Participants will partake of abanquet-style meal of searedpork loin, wild rice pilaf, sea-sonal vegetables, salad, rolls,coffee, iced tea, and dessert.The evening begins at 5:30 p.m.with a Silent Auction hosted bythe Kane County Farm BureauFoundation. Proceeds of theauction will be directed to indi-viduals pursuing a career inagriculture. Any individual orbusiness interested in donatingan auction item should do so bySeptember 15.

An 8:00 p.m. business meet-ing will precede Samuelson’sremarks. Eight newly electeddirectors to the Kane CountyFarm Bureau will beannounced. More informationabout the Kane County FarmBureau’s 95th AnniversaryAnnual Meeting & Banquet canbe obtained by calling the FarmBureau office at 630-584-8660.

VOL. 73 NO. 8 AUGUST 2008

Kane County FarmerKane County Farmer

CALENDAROF EVENTS

August 5District Discussion Meet

August 6Board of Directors, 7:30 pm

August 7IAITC Golf Outing, Pontiac

August 12Young Farmer Agri-QuizBowl, State Fairgrounds

August 13Women’s Committee,9:15 am

August 19District Discussion Meet,6 pm

August 23Used Oil Collection atCounty Highway Garage,8 am-noon

September 6Heritage Fest, CamptonHills Community Center8 am-8 pm

All meetings are at the Farm Bureau, 2N710Randall Rd., St. Charles, unless otherwise noted.

SouthwestChicken Breasts

The special for August is Southwest Boneless Chicken Breasts.This special features ten 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts marinated in a tangy southwest style marinade.They are individually vacuum-packedto seal in the flavor. These would begreat on their own, on a bun as a sand-wich, or fantastic grilled and cut up forfajitas. They have a little peppery zingto them, but are not too spicy.

Each box is selling for $20.00 to Mor A+ members and $21.00 for A mem-bers, available only during the month ofAugust or while supply lasts.

Augustspecial!

Harvest for all

Susan Erickson, Resource Development Director for the St. Charlesbased Northern Illinois Food Bank accepts an $825.00 check for theagency’s hunger relief efforts from Young Farmer Committee ChairDale Pitstick on July 9 as other committee members look on. Thecheck was provided by the Illinois Farm Bureau in recognition of theYoung Farmers’ contributions to hunger relief efforts in 2007 through“Harvest for All”, a campaign of the American Farm Bureau Federationin cooperation with America’s Second Harvest.

Kane County Farm Bureau Announces95th Anniversary Annual Meeting and Banquet

Monday, September 29, 2008Eagle Brook Country Club

2288 Fargo Boulevard, Geneva5:30 pm Reception & Silent Auction7:00 pm Welcome, Invocation &

Banquet8:00 pm Business Meeting &

Keynote Speaker – Orion Samuelson, WGN Radio

Tickets $20.00 Per Person – Limited Number Available

To Reserve Tickets, Please Call 630-584-8660 by September 20

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING

Notice is hereby given that the 95th Annual Meeting of theKane County Farm Bureau will be held at Eagle Brook

Country Club, 2288 Fargo Boulevard, Geneva, Illinois onMonday, September 29, 2008 at 5:30 p.m. for the purpose ofreceiving and acting upon reports of officers, board of direc-tors and management for the year ending July 31, 2008 toannounce the eight directors elected to serve two-year terms,one each to represent Districts 1 & 2 and two each to represent Districts 3, 4 & 5 and for transaction of any otherbusiness that may properly come before the meeting.

Joseph M. White, Secretary

Orion Samuelson to addressmembers at Farm Bureau’s

95th anniversary celebration

Family PhotosOnce again, Kane County Farm Bureau is offering

its members an outstanding opportunity to bringtogether the whole family for a photo shoot.

See page 3 for details.

Orion Samuelson

Six Flags Great America hasa new attraction in 2008: “TheDark Knight Coaster.” You willspeed through six 180-degreehairpin turns, climb unseenhills, plunge into pitch darknessand dip into unforeseen danger.

Thrill seeking Farm Bureau

members and their families canonce again get their kicks thissummer by purchasing dis-counted tickets at the KaneCounty Farm Bureau office.

Prices are as follows:• 1-day General ticket over 48”

– $35.00 each (save $21.64per ticket)

• 1-day Child ticket age 3 to48” – $30.00 each (save $.89per ticket)

• 2-day General ticket – $53.00each (save $13.94 per ticket)**

• 2 years and under are freeTickets include Hurricane

Harbor. **(2-day tickets do not have

to be consecutive days)Tickets are good any day

park is open; however, they arenot valid for Fright Fest.

To purchase tickets, come tothe Kane County Farm Bureauoffice on Randall Road in St.Charles. For your convenience,we now accept Visa and Master-Card on all purchases at theFarm Bureau. For more infor-mation, call our office at (630)584-8660. Tickets can be pur-chased until August 31, 2008.

When you invest in FarmBureau through a membership:• You’re making an investment

in an organization that repre-sents the best interests ofagriculture and local farmers.

• You’re taking advantage of themany programs and servicesFarm Bureau has to offer(we’re adding more all thetime).

• You’re joining an organiza-tion which serves farm, fami-ly and community.

Over 18,000 membersbelong to Kane County FarmBureau and we appreciate theirinvestment in the organization.

Your yearly membershipdues statement should be arriv-ing in mid-August; please act assoon as possible to avoid anylate fees or reinstatement fees.Membership dues deadline isOctober 1.

We thank you in advance foryour support and look forwardto serving you for another year.

You receive the KaneCounty Farmer because youare a Farm Bureau member. Ifyou are a farm operator orowner, you benefit from alocal, state and national organ-ization committed to agricul-ture and your way of life.

If you do not have directties to farming, your member-ship helps promote local farmsand farming, encourage wiseuse of our limited naturalresources and preserve farm-land and our agricultural her-itage while allowing you toenjoy COUNTRY insuranceand the many other benefits ofone of Illinois’ premier mem-bership organizations.

We appreciate your mem-bership and continued supportand we welcome your com-ments on the content of theFarmer. We encourage you tomake recommendations aboutfarm, home, food, naturalresource, renewable energy oragricultural heritage and histo-ry related topics for inclusionin future issues of the Farmer.

PAGE 2 KANE COUNTY FARMER AUGUST 2008

Kane County FarmerKANE COUNTY FARM BUREAU

PUBLISHED MONTHLY

Steven J. Arnold, Editor

Merry Pitstick, Executive AssistantSuzi Myers, Ag Literacy Coordinator

Elizabeth Dawson, Membership SecretaryAudre Pack, Training Specialist

Ryan Klassy, Information Director

OFFICE: Randall Rd. between Routes 64 & 38Address: 2N710 Randall Rd., St. Charles • PHONE: 630-584-8660

info@kanecfb.com www.kanecfb.com

OFFICE HOURS: 8:30-5:00 Monday though Friday

(USPS No. 289700)POSTMASTER: Mail form 3579 to

2N710 Randall Rd., St. Charles, IL 60174

Second Class Postage • Paid to St. Charles, IL 60174Year Subscription: $2.00

n DISTRICT 1Aurora, Sugar Grove,Big Rock Twnshp.Gene FeldottRt. 3, Box 425Aurora, IL 60506630-892-2197Mike Pitstick1708 Hannaford Dr.Sugar Grove, IL 60554630-878-3975Donna Lehrer7S027 Jericho RoadBig Rock, IL 60511630-556-3476n DISTRICT 2Kaneville, Blackberry,Gen./Bat. Twnshp.Bill Collins1125 Lewis RoadGeneva, IL 60134630-232-2043Wade Kuipers1N318 Watson RoadMaple Park, IL 60151815-827-5200

Joe WhiteSecretary-Treasurer47W727 Main St. Rd.Elburn, IL 60119630-557-2517n DISTRICT 3Virgil, Campton,St. Charles Twnshp.Robert Biddle4N566 Whirlaway Dr.Elburn, IL 60119630-365-9374Chris CollinsP.O. Box 62Wasco, IL 60183630-513-5833Al Lenkaitis, Jr.6N352 Fair Oaks Dr.St. Charles, IL 60174630-561-9514n DISTRICT 4Burlington, PlatoElgin Twnshp.Alan Volpp9N728 Peplow Rd.Hampshire, IL 60140847-683-3681

Mike KenyonVice President1250 E. Main St.South Elgin, IL 60177847-741-1818Robert GehrkePresident12N860 Route 20Elgin, IL 60123847-697-2538n DISTRICT 5Hampshire, Rutland,Dundee Twnshp.Beth Engel15N638 Walker RoadHampshire, IL 60140847-683-3482Gerald Gaitsch10613 Brittany Ave.Huntley, IL 60142847-669-2003Wayne Schneider402 S. 5th StreetWest Dundee, IL 60118847-428-3350

KANE COUNTY FARM BUREAU BOARD ATTENDANCESEPTEMBER 2007 THRU AUGUST 2008

SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JLY AUGR. BIDDLE X X X X X X X X XB. COLLINS X X X X X X X X X XC. COLLINS X X X X X X X XG. FELDOTT X X X X X X X X XB. ENGEL X X X X X X X X XG. GAITSCH X X X X X X X XR. GEHRKE X X X X X X X X X X XM. KENYON X X X X X X X X X X XW. KUIPERS X X X X X X X X XD. LEHRER X X X X X X X X XA. LENKAITIS JR. X X X X XM. PITSTICK X X X X X XW. SCHNEIDER X X X X X X X X X XA. VOLPP X X X X X X X X XJ. WHITE X X X X X X X X X X

Old aerial photos of farms and businesses.Photos date from 1964 to 1983. Kane,Dupage, Kendall. More counties available.

Interested parties may contactTom @ 888-237-5784

or email pictureman1@live.comor visit vintageaerial.com.

Beef store is now open! Sat. 9-4 or by appointment

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

Mark & Linda Schramer, Owners8N840 Lakin Road, Maple Park

815.895.4691 • 1-877-FOR-FDBASample Packs make great gifts!

HEA NewsThe Kane County Association

for Home and CommunityEducation will be meeting onWednesday, August 20, 2008from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at theExtension Office at 535 S.Randall Road, St. Charles.

The guest speaker will beDiane Ahrens of Piece-A-CakeBakery presenting a lesson on“Special Diet Needs.” Guestsare welcome. Invite a friend tocome with you.

Units will be picking up the2008-09 Yearbooks and informa-tion on upcoming HCE events.The units will also pick-up theTerri Lynn fundraiser forms.

KCFB welcomes new Information Director

Renew your investment –please pay membership dues

The Kane County FarmBureau is happy to welcome RyanKlassy as our InformationDirector. Ryan earned his under-graduate degree from theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madisonand his M.B.A. from LynnUniversity in Boca Raton, FL andbrings experience in marketing,public relations, and internal com-munications. His responsibilitieswill include writing for KCFBpublications, managing events and

media inquiries, and working withmember groups including theYoung Farmers Committee.

Ryan grew up in a smallfarming community in southernWisconsin, spending summersand weekends working on hisuncle’s dairy farm. It’s therethat he developed a love foragricultural life and the values itpromotes. Klassy adds, “Someof my best memories are thoseof bailing hay and milking cows

alongside my brother andcousins on the farm. I’m glad tohave the chance to use the skillsI’ve gained in my education andprofessional career to help builda stronger awareness of agricul-ture in the community.”

Ryan and his wife Juanita liveon the west side of Elgin. Heenjoys hunting, fishing, gardeningand spending time with his fami-ly. He’s looking forward to meet-ing many of you at local events,

or the next time you’re in theFarm Bureau’s St. Charles office.

Ryan Klassy

AFBF Farmer Exchange ideas soughtInnovative farmers across

Illinois who have that specialidea that can save other produc-ers money, time, or even improvethe environment are encouragedto enter the American FarmBureau Federation’s 2009Farmer Idea Exchange.

The Farmer Idea Exchange isgeared to surface inventions,equipment modifications, inno-vative crops, marketing tech-niques, management systemsand farming practices devel-oped by farmers and ranchers.

All entries will be classifiedamong eight general categories:• Ag Equipment• Safety, Health, and

Accessibility• Workshop• Livestock/Equine (Animal

Agriculture)• Cropping Systems• Marketing/Management• Conse rva t ion / Improved

Efficiencies• Buildings

Up to 15 farmer ideas may beselected for a poster display at

the AFBF annual convention,January 11-14, 2009, in SanAntonio, Texas. Winners willreceive $1500 from AFBF forexpenses to attend the nationalmeeting. For the entrant whoseidea is judged to be Best ofShow, New Holland will provideone year’s free use of a NewHolland Bidirectional tractor.

If selected as a national win-ner, Illinois farmers will beawarded an additional $500 toassist with preparation of a dis-play if they attend and display

their idea at the Illinois FarmBureau Annual Meeting held inDecember in Chicago.

Entry forms may be down-loaded from the AFBF websiteat http://www.fb.org/programs/farmerx/ or obtained from coun-ty Farm Bureau offices. Com-pleted entry forms must bereceived by September 5, 2008.Mail entries to Jim Schmidt,Special Services Director,Illinois Farm Bureau, P.O. Box2901, Bloomington, IL, 61702-2901.

For more information, callJim Schmidt at (309) 557-2538,or contact your county FarmBureau office.

6 Flags Great America tickets at FB office

FB traveldiscounts

You’ll save up to 20% at morethan 3000 Choice hotels, includ-ing Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites,Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, Clarion,and more. Call 1-800-258-2847.Your Farm Bureau rate code is T-000800614.

There’s also 10% savings at LaQuinta Inns & Suites nation-wide. For reservations, call 1-800-531-5900. Your code isILFB.

Save 10% off the “BestAvailable Rate” at more than4000 Cendant hotels. Call 1-800-670-7088. Your FarmBureau ID# is 60841. For Super8 Motel, call 1-800-889-9706.Your ID# is 60841.

Save up to 20% on carrentals. For Enterprise, call 1-800 RENT-A-Car, IFB#NA62011. For Alamo, call 1-800-354-2322, IFB #421770.For Hertz, call 1-800-542-2210,CDP #27628. For National CarRental, call 1-800-CAR-RENT,IFB#5706352.

The Kane County FarmBureau has enhanced the lookand feel of the Bounty ofKane, a directory of over30 local farms that givesconsumers a way to findquality products in theircommunities.

Consumers can visitbountyofkane.org to viewa map of local farms andfarmers markets, as well asdetailed information foreach location. The directo-ry includes area farms andfarmstands that sell productsincluding fruits, vegetables,

fiber, flowers, sod, honey andmuch more.

“We developed this directoryto allow consumers to more eas-

ily access and purchase locallygrown products directly from

the growers or at area farm-ers markets,” says KaneCounty Farm BureauManager, Steve Arnold.“Our hope is that it fostersincreased interest in KaneCounty agriculture and adesire to shop locally.”

Thanks to a grant fromthe Illinois Department ofAgriculture, the FarmBureau’s Direct Market-ers/Specialty Growers

Committee also developed aconvenient 5x7 postcard with alisting of 13 farmers markets,their locations and phone num-bers. You’ll find a postcard inthis issue of the Kane CountyFarmer, and can pick one up atthe KCFB office in St. Charles,as well as local village halls,coffee shops and select mer-chants throughout the Fox RiverValley who wish to show theirsupport of agriculture and localfarmers.

To obtain Bounty of Kanedirectories or Farmers Marketpostcards along with a countertop display for distribution ofthese promotional items, mer-chants are encouraged to callthe Kane County Farm Bureauat (630) 584-8660. Memberscan view the local farm listingsand Farmer’s Market dates and locations by visiting www.bountyofkane.org.

AUGUST 2008 KANE COUNTY FARMER PAGE 3

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Remember the Picnic?Interestingly, the word

Picnic comes from the Frenchpique-nique, meaning “a fash-ionable social entertainment” inwhich each guest brings a con-tribution to the feast. In otherwords, pique-nique was a fancyway of saying “potluck.” Thepicnic didn’t necessarily have tobe held outdoors either; thatconcept probably evolved intotoday’s idea of being an outdoorevent because of the usuallylarge number of attendees.

Back in the ’70’s & ’80’s(even before my involvementwith the organization), the KaneCounty Farm Bureau’s traditionwas to have an August picnicinviting office staff, COUNTRYAgents, Northern FS personnel,Board of Directors, Women’sCommittee members, andYoung Farmers, and of coursetheir spouses and children. Thisannual “Picnic” certainly fit theabove meaning with fun games,great food, and fashionablesocial entertainment.

Beautiful Potawatomie Parkon the Fox River in St. Charleswas the location of this annualevent. In its beginning, I wastold, agents and volunteerswould gather in the afternoon toplay softball and others enjoyedswimming in the parks great(for its time) swimming pools or

just relaxed on a park bench andenjoy the moment.

Following the afternoonactivities, all were invited tocruise up the Fox River on theSt. Charles Belle. The scenicride on the two-story paddlewheel boat was enjoyed bymany.

After working up an appetitewith all that activity, it was timeto eat. And eat we did! TheFarm Bureau provided seasonedpork chops which were so kind-ly grilled to perfection by JimO’Connell and Eldon Gould ontheir “portable grills” broughtfrom the farm. Each family wasasked to bring a dish to pass andwhat a spread there was. It tookabout eight or more picnictables to present all the food.There were many yummy dish-es to choose from with the avail-ability of fresh produce liketomatoes and cucumbers etc. –appetizers, casseroles, salads,and desserts. I especiallyremember Women’s Committeemembers Clarice Nepermann’shomemade Chocolate éclairs orcream puffs and JeanetteWesemann’s homemade cherryslices. I just remember it was afeast of scrumptious food. Ofcourse there was lots of soda,coffee, and not to be left out,chocolate and white milk andice cream cups.

After much good food andsocialization, tables werecleared and – what would a pic-nic be without BINGO – (westill have the big box of cardsand 3-pound coffee can of chipswhich Mary Diehl borrows fortheir annual Diehl familyreunion). A drawing was heldfor the smaller children to winprizes, but the older kids andadults had to work for theirprizes by playing BINGO. Royand Pat Pedi called numbers andchecked winning cards, theywere naturals keeping thingsgoing with the BINGO game.And there were some goodprizes too which were pur-chased at the NFS store locatedin Elburn at that time. Alongwith the purchased prizes therewere bags of popcorn, cheeses,canned peanuts, and baggedpecans to win with a BINGO. Itwas a fight to the finish.

By the time BINGO finished,the sun had set, the mosquitoeshad arrived and it was now timefor all good things to come to anend. After some cleanup, we allpacked our dishes and prizes (ifwe were lucky) and left withone more good time at the“Picnic”.

P.S. – Those picnics were inthe day when I smoked ciga-rettes and contributed to thepiles of cigarette butts tossedaround the landscapes. I’m real-ly sorry I did that – yuk! I get tosee my two oncologists tomor-row for my six month checkupfor lung cancer. I’m sorry I eversmoked. I’m even more sorryfor the young people I seesmoking. I hope they never haveto be sorry.

Looking BackBy Audre Pack

Bounty of Kane directory gets new look

Your Farm Bureaumembership

means

Value

Once again, Kane CountyFarm Bureau is offering itsmembers an outstanding oppor-tunity to bring together thewhole family for a photo shoot.Each Farm Bureau member fam-ily will receive a FREE 10x13”full color portrait of your family.Individual poses are available,however this program is limitedto one (1) FREE portrait perfamily or household. Children

under 18 must be accompaniedby an adult in the free portrait.You will view portraits at thetime of photography on an elec-tronic instant viewing system.

Appointments are availablefrom 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. onboth Saturday, September 13,and Sunday, September 14.More information to come innext month’s Kane CountyFarmer.

Family photos

In our continuing effort tobetter serve our members, duesnotices for the 2009 member-ship year will be mailed tomembers the week of August 4this year.

Like last year, renewalnotices will be on a combinationform. This form will have therenewal notice at the top, whichyou will detach and return withyour payment. At the bottom ofthe form, you will find your2008-2009 membership cards.These membership cards will beACTIVATED when your mem-bership dues are received andprocessed. Your payment will bemailed to Bloomington insteadof our office in St. Charles. Ifyou wish to pay in person, wewill still accept payment at ouroffice at 2N710 Randall Road,St.Charles.

The Bail Bond Request Formwill be on the center back sideof the form, which you willcomplete, detach and mail withyour renewal payment. There isno need to send a separate pay-ment for the bail bonds request-ed. The fee of $5.00 per card forassociate members and votingmembers can be included withyour membership renewal pay-ment. Members who purchasebail bond cards annually are

encouraged to send in theirmembership renewal early. Thiswill give our membership staffthe opportunity to process yourbail bond card request beforeyour current bail bond cardsexpire on October 1. You willreceive your bail bond cards in aseparate mailing from ouroffice.

As always, membership duesare due and payable on or beforeOctober 1 each year. Dues paidafter October 31 must includean additional $5.00 late pay-ment fee. Memberships that arenot renewed by December 1 willbe canceled. A reinstatement feeof $10 is required, in addition tothe annual dues amount, to rein-state a canceled membership.

It is always in the member’sbest interest to renew yourmembership on time to avoidpossible interruption of themany member benefits that youenjoy. Examples of benefitsinclude GM Private OfferProgram, Case-IH Discount,savings on prescriptions and eyecare, food sales and many more.

If you have any questionsregarding this year’s member-ship renewal, please feel free tocall our office at (630) 584-8660. We will be happy toanswer your questions.

’09 membership renewalnotices coming soon

Congratulations,Kathy Chwee of Elgin. Kathy’s name was chosen from the entriesreceived for correctly completing last months Farm Jargon Jumble.For Kathy’s participation, she will receive a $20 KCFB product giftcertificate. Thank you, Kathy, for reading the Kane County Farmer,and continue to watch each month for more great opportunitiesfrom the Kane County Farm Bureau!

“Whereas the EmperorAugustus Caesar, in

the month of Sextillis ... thriceentered the city in triumph ...and in the same month Egyptwas brought under the authorityof the Roman people, and in thesame month an end was put tothe civil wars; and whereas forthese reasons the said month is,and has been, most fortunate tothis empire, it is hereby decreedby the senate that the said monthshall be called Augustus.”

August is the month that ourchildren go back to school. It iswhat most people consider to bethe last month of summer, whenfamilies go on vacation before itis back to reality for the schoolyear. Farmers are finishing theirwheat harvest, and it is also themonth when our farmers startgetting machinery ready so theyare prepared to go into the fieldsand start their corn and soybeanharvest in late September.

I know I’ve said it before, but

I think it bears repeating. Whenyou see a slow moving vehicle(SMV) on the road, please bekind and stay behind. Peopleunderestimate how dangerous itis to pass a slow moving vehi-cle. It can be deadly for both thefarmer and the driver of theother vehicle. According to theNational Safety Council,approximately 15,000 farmvehicles are involved in high-way crashes annually. Studiesshow that nearly 90 percentoccur on dry roads during day-light hours and two thirds arerear end collisions. When afatality occurs, the victim isusually the tractor operator. Foreveryone’s safety, please useextreme caution when passingfarm machinery on the road.

Barbara who? You might beasking? Yes, I am the new

chairperson for Women’sCommittee. I have been volun-teering for several years on thecommittee. No, I do not have afarm nor have I ever had a farm.My love of the farm came as ayoungster growing up in OakLawn, a suburb of Chicago. Myfather has a Navy buddy fromWWII who had a dairy farm inNorth Dakota, with his fivekids. My parents and all sevenof us kids would travel to seethem every summer.

I invite anyone who isreceiving this publication to joinand come to the monthlyWomen’s Committee meetingsat the Kane County Farm

Bureau. No farm experienceneeded, we learn as we go. Wehave fun and it is educational.

* * * * *To store vegetables and herbs

in the fridge, rinse and placedamp paper towels in a Ziploc®

bag with the vegetables and/orherbs. This method will extendthe freshness.

Did you know that August 3is National Watermelon Day?Summer is always a great timeto enjoy this vegetable. Yes, hor-ticulturalists, it is considered avegetable. It is low calorie sinceit is more than 90 percent water.We know that fact due toancient times when watermel-ons were good means to trans-port water. In 1996, Guinness

World Records reported a 262-pound watermelon. The seedsof watermelons can be roastedand eaten just like pumpkinseeds.

Enjoy that watermelon!Watermelon Cake

Cook Time: 35 minutesIngredients:1 (2-layer package) white cake

mix 1 small package mixed fruit gel-

atin powder 1-1/3 cups seedless watermelon

cut from the center and cubedinto 1-inch blocks

3 egg whites 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 cup miniature chocolate chips,

optional Frosting:1/4 cup watermelon juice 1/2 cup butter, at room tempera-

ture 2 cups powdered sugar 2 (3-ounce) packages cream

cheese, at room temperature 2 to 3 drops red food coloring,

optional 1/8 cup miniature chocolate

chips, optionalPreparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F.Grease and flour a bundt cakepan (or 9x13-inch cake pan).

In a medium bowl, whisktogether cake mix and gelatinpowder until combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat water-melon, egg whites, and veg-etable oil until smooth. Add dryingredients, half at a time, andmix until well blended. Fold inchocolate chips, if using.

Pour into prepared pan andbake about 35 minutes until

toothpick inserted into the centercomes out clean. Cool to roomtemperature before frosting.

For the frosting, blend water-melon juice, butter, powderedsugar, and cream cheese untilcombined and fluffy. Add foodcoloring to achieve a rosywatermelon color. Frost cooledcake. Place chocolate chips spo-radically around the cake tosimulate seeds. Refrigerate toset frosting. Remove fromrefrigerator at least 30 minutesbefore serving.

Yield: about 12 servings

PAGE 4 KANE COUNTY FARMER AUGUST 2008

Women’s CornerBy Barbara Pachla

Women’s Committee Chair

KANE COUNTY FARM BUREAUProduct List

Prices subject to change without notice

PRODUCT “MM” or “A+” “A”NUTSSKINLESS PEANUTS, 20 OZ. CAN $4.00 $4.50HONEY KRUNCH PEANUTS, 11 OZ. CAN $3.75 $4.25PEANUT BRITTLE BITES, 12 OZ. CAN $3.75 $4.25POPCORNYELLOW, 2 LB BAG $2.50 $2.75PORK SPICE 12 OZ $4.75 $5.00MEATSOUTHWEST CHICKEN BREASTS Special $20.00 $21.00BRAT/HOT DOG COMBO $22.00 $23.00CARNE ASADA $30.00 $31.00STUFFED PORK TENDERLOINS, 3-1/2 LBS. $16.50 $17.50BOURBON STEAKS, 5 LBS. $30.00 $31.00PORK CHOPS BONELESS, 5 LBS. $22.00 $23.00PORK CHOPS BONE-IN, 5 LBS. $22.00 $23.00CHICKEN BREASTS, 5 LBS. $18.50 $19.50HAMBURGERS $16.50 $17.50SOIL TESTSOIL TEST 1 $12.00 $20.00 nonSOIL TEST 4 $20.00 $30.00 nonSOIL TEST 3 $30.00 $40.00 nonCANDLESSmall $4.50 $5.00Large 16 oz. $10.00 $10.50X-Large 21 oz. $11.00 $11.50PLAT BOOKS – KANE COUNTY $50.00 $50.00THEATER TICKETS – Charlestowne 18 $6.00 $6.00SMV SIGNS

Individual sign – $5.50 Kit – $12.50SIX FLAGS GREAT AMERICA Tickets

One-Day Adult $35.00 $35.00One-Day Child $30.00 $30.00Two-Day $53.00 $53.00

What’s Happening?By Merry Pitstick

(Please note: The dates forboth of these tours has changedas the original tour dates filledvery quickly.)

New England Rails & Sails!Travel by historic rails and

scenic sails as we explore thesights and sounds of five NewEngland states. Highlights ofthis tour include the windingstreets of 17th-century Boston,a Casco Bay Cruise, WhiteMountains of New Hampshire,Conway Scenic Railroad, thescenic Kancamagus Highway,Vermont’s Green MountainFlyer, Essex Steam Train,Riverboat Becky Thatcher,Hyannis Harbor Cruise, andCape Cod Central Railroad!

You will have the services ofa professional Tour Manager, 9meals (4 dinners and 5 break-fasts), round trip airport trans-fers, and $45 in MayflowerMoney. Your dining finale is atraditional Cape Cod lobsterfeast with optional bibs and thetraditional exchanging ofaddresses.

The deposit for this trip is$200 per person without theTravel Protection Plan, or $290per person with Travel ProtectionPlan and is due at the time ofreservation. Final Payment is due45 days prior to departure.

The new departure date forthis 10-day, 9-night tour isSeptember 16 with home pickupservice included. Space isextremely limited, so if you areinterested, please let us knowASAP. Pricing is $2,164 perperson for double occupancy.

To request a brochure on theNew England Rails & Sails tour,please return this form to KaneCounty Farm Bureau, 2N710Randall Road, St. Charles, IL60174.

Christmas in Branson!!There is no better time to visit

Branson, Missouri than duringthe magical season of Christmas.Everyone in “The Music Capitalof the World” puts their best footforward – and has decorated theirtown and their buildings in trueholiday fashion. Join us as we

experience Branson at its best.You’ll find the entertainers

have gone out of their way tomake the holiday season extraspecial. The sets are lavish andthe production numbers festiveenough to awaken the spirit ofthe season in each of us. DanielO’Donnell will be performingand he is one of the most popularentertainers in Branson. You’ll bedelighted with the shows – andglad you took this time to be withlong-time and new-found friendsalike. Your magic carpet to funand frivolity during theChristmas season awaits you.

The Deluxe, air-conditionedmotor coach will depart andreturn from your home. The priceper person is $829 for doubleoccupancy. The new departuredate for this four day three nighttour is November 20, 2008.

The deposit for the Bransontrip is $150 per person withoutthe Cancellation Fee Waiver, or$200 per person withCancellation Fee Waiver and isdue at the time of reservation.

KCFB announces 2 tours for Fall ’08

nn Check here for: New England Rails & SailsName: ____________________________________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip:_____________________________________ Telephone:(_____) ________________

nn Check here for: Christmas in Branson!Name: ____________________________________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip:_____________________________________ Telephone:(_____) ________________

Two sisters from Virginiafound an Illinois shaped cornflake in a box of Kellogg’s FrostedFlakes. The girls put thecorn flake on eBay in hopesof having someone pur-chase it. They soon learnedthey would have to changetheir strategy, since eBay pro-hibits the sale of food.

The girls decide to pull thecorn flake and in its place offer acoupon to be redeemed for the

corn flake. On March 22,2008, the Illinois shapedcorn flake was purchased for$1,350. Keep checkingthose corn flakes ... who

knows, you too might find some-thing valuable!

The Civil War song,Jimmy Cracked Corn, was

one of Abe Lincoln’s favoritesongs! However, in the song,

Jimmy was not really cracking

corn. He was sleeping, and“cracking corn” was anotherterm for snoring.

Popcorn, sweet corn, andfeed corn all grow from different

seeds and need different condi-tions to grow properly.

An acre (about the size of afootball field) is the most com-mon unit of measure used byfarmers who grow crops likecorn. If you were to use 12”x12”tiles (like the kind used in manyschool hallways) to fill an areathe size of an acre, you wouldused 43,560 titles!

There are approximately72,800 kernels of corn in abushel

75% of all grocery itemscontain corn in some processedform. Even when you buy meat,

do not forget the animal themeat came from probably atecorn.

Corn is grown on everycontinent except Antarctica.

Some corn can grow over20 feet high!

An ear of corn averages 800kernels in 16 rows.

Sixty-nine six packs of sodapop are produced by one bushelof corn.

Corn is used 276 ways justto make cookies.

Each ton of paper used 28pounds of cornstarch!

Dent Corn – named forthe dent in each of its ker-

nel. Dent corn is used as live-stock feed, in industrial prod-

ucts, or to make processedfoods. Dent corn is commonlyreferred to as “field corn.” It isalso used to make a fuelcalled gasohol, as well ascorn syrup an ingredient inmany candies.

Flint Corn – very hard cornand used to make animal feed.Most of us know this corn asIndian corn. A hard outer shelland kernels with a range of col-ors from white to red distinguishflint corn from the other types ofcorn.

Sweet corn – Native Amer-icans once thought this corn wastoo sweet, but today people allover the world eat this corn rightoff the cob. Sweet corn is seldom

used for feed or flour. The reasonwhy it is sweet corn is becausethe natural sugars.

Flour Corn – is used in bakedgoods because it has a soft,starch-filled, kernel that is easyto grind. Flour corn is primarilywhite, although it can be grownin other colors, for example bluecorn. This is soft and starchycorn is a staple in many parts ofthe world. It is easily ground andused to make foods, including

cakes, breads, and tortillas.Popcorn – this “pop”-ular

type of flint corn has small, hardkernels that puff up whenexposed to heat.

Pod Corn – imagine the workshucking an ear of this corn-every kernel is wrapped in itsown husk! Thought to be thefirst type of corn grown, it is nowused primarily by scientists forresearch. Source: Creative Classroom magazine

AUGUST 2008 KANE COUNTY FARMER PAGE 5

Name ______________________________________________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip _____________________________________ Telephone (_____) ___________________

Please complete and return to Kane County Farm Bureau, 2N710 Randall Road, St. Charles, IL 60174 by August 15, 2008 for your chance to win a Hot Dog and Brat Combo Box!

Compiled by Beth Dawson and Suzi Myers

August is ...National Catfish MonthNational Peach Month

Family Meal MonthNational Watermelon Day ........ 3National Mustard Day ............... 5National Trail Mix Day............. 19More Herbs Less Salt Day ...... 29

CCororn!n!Corn! Types of corn grown in Illinois

Shucks, I did not know that!

E N L T M K C C C M B C E K C

S R L M A O C O O U T G S O B

O O A J R S M O S B A U R H X

T C F N Z B S H T L H N A Y T

C P Z H I T E E I S S U R B V

U O J N E L S S L T E B O R H

R P E E E L P L A P R V A I G

F G W A E R F R O K G G I D M

A S U N X F C A R N H J O L H

X P R B P H L A R N A I D N I

L E F L O U R I K M R H U F R

K D L G R I T B N L E B T I E

D O O F T D E N T T A R L E T

H D E S S E C O R P E T S L A

C E R E A L H U S K E R S D W

ACREBUSHELCEREALCOBCOMBINECORNCORNSTARCHDENTETHANOLEXPORTSFALLFARMERSFIELDFLINTFLOURFOODFRUCTOSEHUSKHUSKERSHYBRIDINDIANKERNELSLIVESTOCKPOPCORNPROCESSEDSILAGESTALKSWEETTASSELWATER

Corn word search

DeKalb Corn Festwill be held this year onAugust 22-24. While you arethere you can eat sweet cornat the corn boil, visit the autofest, watch and/or partake inthe bike rally, or take a bustour. Kids can watch the streetcarnival while parents canbrowse the craft festival. Thefamily can partake in the 3kwalk or 10k run or even thegolf outing. Admission andparking is free. On SundayAugust 24, from 11-2 you canenjoy free sweet corn.

Corn - a golden treasureA bushel of corn weighs 56 pounds and contains about 72,800 ker-nels. These kernels can be broken down into starch, soluble, gluten,hulls, and germs (heart of kernel). A bushel of corn can be used in thefollowing ways:

33 pounds of sweetener (Corn Syrup)Examples: Chemicals, dyes, chewing gum, fruity drinks, vinegar1.5 pounds of Corn OilExamples: Cooking oil, soups, potato chips, salad dressing2.8 gallons of EthanolExamples: Alcoholic beverages, motor fuel extender13.5 pounds of 21% Protein FeedExamples: Corn oil byproducts, corn germ meal31.5 pounds of Starch (Corn Starch)Examples: Bakery products, cosmetics, meat products, pie filling2.6 pounds of 60% Gluten MealExamples: Amino acids, fur cleaner

Source: Indiana Farm Bureau

Illinois shaped corn flake

Materials:Natural or craft

material corn husksScissors

StringGlueWatercolor paintDecorative materials (beads, glitter, sequins, etc.)Directions:1. Smooth out a 10” piece ofcornhusk and fold in half acrossthe middle. Using scissors,round off free ends and open flatagain.2. Twist and tie tightly at thefold, using an 8” piece of string.Leave ends of sting untrimmed.Set aside. 3. Roll an approximately 6”

square of corn husk into a cylin-der. Glue along edge to keepfrom unrolling.4. Tightly tie a piece of stringapproximately a 1/2” from oneend and another near the centerof the cylinder.5. Tie wings to body at center,using existing wing string. Usesmall spots of glue to help holdwings in place.6. Use diluted water paint tostreak wings with color. Addbeads or straight pins with headsfor eyes.

Embellish your dragonfly withsequins, glitter or whatever youlike to make your creations asbeautiful as nature’s dragonfly.

Source: Kentucky Corn Growers

Corn husk dragonflies

The 2008 National AITCConference was held in

Costa Mesa, California at theend of June. It was a whirlwindof learning about agriculture ingeneral, as well as specific toCalifornia. Even though OrangeCounty has a population densityof 3,882 people per square mile,agriculture was still obvious.Did you know that Californiahas more than 350 commodi-ties? They are the leaders indairy cows, almonds, and many

more. We ate fresh fruits andveggies all day long – yum.

To start the week off, wewent to Disney Y.E.S. (YouthEducation Series) where wetook a field trip, just as studentswould, through the DisneyCalifornia Adventure Park. Thepark is divided into four mainareas, each highlighting a sec-tion in California. The learningexperience was fun and full ofadventure, so we learned a lot.One thing I thought was interest-

ing was that the vineyards have arose bush at the end of each row.It is put there because the rosewill show signs of dying beforethe grapes would, so the farmercan rectify the situation beforethe vines are damaged. I thoughtof it as the vineyard’s “canary inthe mineshaft”.

Chuck Leavell, author ofAmerican Farm Bureau’s bookof the year was the entertain-ment/speaker for the openingnight dinner. He was kindenough to give us all an auto-graphed copy of his book, TheTree Farmer. He spoke of theimportance of trees and thenentertained us by playing thepiano as only a Rolling Stoneskeyboard player can.

Next day I was up early toattend workshops and then on the

Kane County Young Farmers gatheredat the home of Mike and Helen Biddle inrural Elburn on July 9 to make plans forthe Kane County Fair, repair gates fortheir Farm Animal Zoo and enjoy a BBQ.

Left – Dale Pitstick and Lauren Heuberserve up steak and corn-on-the-cob tocommittee members Andy Lenkaitis andSteve Schramm.

Below – Mary Mackinson and DalePitstick apply a fresh coat of paintto the new gates.

Young Farmers activities areopen to Farm Bureau aged 18-36and include educational, leadershipdevelopment, community serviceand social events. For more infor-mation about the group, contactSteve Arnold or Ryan Klassy at(630) 584-8660.

As the newest member of thestaff here at the Kane

County Farm Bureau, I’ve hadthe pleasure of meeting manynew faces in my first few weekson the job. That group includesFarm Bureau members like you,members of the Board ofDirectors, area farmers and producers, and of course thestaff of the Farm Bureau andCOUNTRY agents that make upthe office here in St. Charles.I’m enjoying getting to knoweveryone and have been able tosee already the teamwork thatgoes into all of the Farm Bureauactivities and functions.

On Tuesday, July 9, I had thepleasure of attending the District1 annual meeting at Donley’sOld West Steakhouse in Union.Farm Bureau staff, board mem-bers, and guests from Kane,Boone, DeKalb, Lake andMcHenry counties gatheredalong with several guest speak-ers to visit and learn more abouta few issues that are at the fore-front in Illinois agriculture.

It was nice to greet folks asthey came in the door and get toput some faces with the names Ihad been reading and hearingabout. No doubt, I’ll need somereminders in the future – youknow how it is when you meetthat many people in one day.Scott Halpin, District 5 Directorshared his slideshow from the2008 IFB Market Study Tour toVietnam along with many sto-ries and good insights the grouppicked up during their travels.

His talk gave us an interestingperspective on the markets inVietnam and the outlook foragriculture there. As part of theirtour, they even went into the tun-nel system used by the NorthVietnamese during the war. Itmade some of us feel claustro-phobic just seeing the photos.

Adam Nielsen, the Director ofIssue Management at the IllinoisFarm Bureau gave a great talkabout the ethanol debate. Adamgave a recap of how ethanol hasevolved into a scapegoat foreverything from food shortages totoe fungus (tongue-in-cheek ofcourse) and provided some excel-lent statistics that can be used tocounter the attacks being madeby the Grocery MarketingAssociation and some membersof the media who don’t seem tohave all the facts about ethanol.Adam thanked those in atten-dance, and the many people help-ing to get the word out about thebenefits of ethanol, for making adifference in the Chicago area toeducate the public about the ben-efits of biofuels, and challengedeveryone to continue their goodefforts. If you’d like informationor literature about ethanol to usein talks with friends and neigh-bors, please feel free to contact usat the Kane County Farm Bureau.

The following week I joinedthe members of the YoungFarmer’s Committee as they gottogether at the Mike and HelenBiddle farm in Elburn for amonthly meeting and to repairgates used for the animal dis-

plays at the Kane County Fair. Iwas welcomed with warmsmiles, handshakes, and maybebest of all, a warm plate of Mrs.Biddle’s homemade brownies –delicious to say the least. Oncethe gates were repaired andpainted, everyone took a breakto meet and visit with SusanErickson, the ResourceDevelopment Director of theNorthern Illinois Food Bank.Susan told us about the increas-ing number of families herorganization is working to feed,how the current economicchanges are affecting thosenumbers, and that they need ourhelp and donations more thanever. At the conclusion ofSusan’s talk, Dale Pitstick,President of the Young FarmersCommittee, presented Susanwith a check for $825 on behalfof the American Farm BureauFederation in recognition of theKCFB Young Farmers’ contri-butions toward hunger relief in2007. I’m looking forward tomore events like these and tosee what impact this next gener-ation of farmers can have in thecommunity and in carrying onthe traditions their parents andgrandparents have left them.

The common theme in all ofmy experiences here at the FarmBureau thus far has been team-work. Whether it’s working tomeet the needs of people inother countries or the not-so-fortunate in our own back yard,educating one another aboutmarkets and cultures in distantlands, initiating good publicpolicy in agriculture, or prepar-ing displays for the county fair,it takes many hands workingtogether. Especially at such anexciting time in agriculture – weshould all be glad to be a part ofthe team.

Grandpa’s Treasure byRhonda Telfer “was written toremind all of us, young and old,that our farmland and rural history are treasures worth preserving.”

The story tells of two cityboys, Will and Aaron, that govisit grandpa’s farm. They playin the barn, thinking of it as acastle, the combine harvestingthe corn is the dragon, cornstalks are swords, and the gold-en corn kernels are the bounty.

The boys’ imagination makesthe story different from the rest.

Grandpa tells them some ofthe history of the farm and howit had changed over the years.He understands their referenceto the barn being his castle andthe farm his kingdom.

The book is full of vivid pho-tographs and the story line isone that both young and old canrelate to. A great book to read toa child and discuss the imagerytogether.

road to visit ag related areas. Mytour was to Los CerritosElementary Urban Farmyard,which was a school garden.Some of the students were thereto show us around the garden,give us seeds they’d packaged,talk about their solar poweredfountain, and many other facetsof the garden. It was trulyimpressive. Much can be donewhen the sun never stops shiningand the weather remains con-stant. Such a garden is only adream of Illinois school teachers.

Next we went to the SanAntonio Winery, where welearned about making the wine.They had about 10 huge vatsthat were about 200 years old,still being used, made out ofredwood – amazing.

Our last stop was toMelissa’s World VarietyProducts, Inc. This was a familyowned business that bought andsold produce from around theworld. We were able to tastemany different types of fruit,discuss them, and then learnabout the company.

The day ended with a dinnerat the fair grounds. Again, there

was a huge garden, which isopen to students and teachersyear around, complete with theeducational Millennium Barn.The California Secretary ofFood and Ag, A.G. Kwamura,spoke to us about the impor-tance of agriculture.

The next day was full oflearning, as I went from oneworkshop to another. So manyideas, my mind was full. Lastly,we went to visit HuntingtonBotanical Gardens, which wasamazing in the scope of onceprivately owned gardens.

I also was able to experiencethe beach; dined at the local “IN-N-OUT Burger”, which was thebest hamburger I’d eaten in ages;and learned that to a Californian,“a few blocks down the road”meant at least two miles;California traffic rivalsChicago’s and that the bus cantake you just about anywhere,complete with great peoplewatching on board.

Even though Californiaoffered much, I was still glad toget back to Illinois and see thefamiliar corn and soybeansgrowing taller in the fields.

PAGE 6 KANE COUNTY FARMER AUGUST 2008

AG LITERACY CORNERBy Suzi Myers

GETTING TO KNOWTHE LAY OF THE LANDBy Ryan Klassy, Information Director

Book of the Month

Call Doug Deininger:815-439-9245

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Call Doug Lakamp:217-359-3318

411+ ac. Ogle Co., IL236± Greene Co., IA

Call Scott Johnson:217-359-3336

73+ ac. Coles Co., IL

4” x 3”Kane County Farmer

visit our website at www.capitalag.com

Call Chip Johnston:815-875-2950

580± ac. Dekalb Co., IL30± ac. Bureau Co., IL43± ac. Bureau Co., IL199± ac. Henry Co., IL12± ac. Bureau Co., IL74± ac. Bureau Co., IL

Call Bill Green:630-761-8143

10+ ac. Kendall Co., IL239± ac. Grundy Co., IL

630-434-1838

CapitalAgriculturalPropertyServices, Inc.

New Price!

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Sale Pending

New Listing!

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Sisters Isabella, Rebecca and StellaFeldhaus read Grandpa’s Treasure whileat the Geneva Green Market on July 10.The book is one of hundreds of booksabout agriculture for all ages availablefor free loan from the Kane CountyFarm Bureau Ag Literacy Library. Formore information call (630) 584-8660or stop by the Farm Bureau office onRandall Road in St Charles.

Each month, the Kane CountyFarm Bureau honors the personor persons who sign the mostmembers into our organization.We would like to congratulateTed Schuster, who signed 15 newmembers to be named toprecruiter for June 2008.

Ted Schuster has been anagent with COUNTRY’s St.Charles Agency since March2005. He services clients out ofthe Sugar Grove office at 32Cross St. He may be reached at(630) 466-9600.

As a token of our apprecia-tion, Ted will receive a box ofpork chops from Inboden’s

Meats in DeKalb, supplier ofour monthly specials for FarmBureau members. Thank you,Ted for your continued supportof Kane County Farm Bureauand congratulations on yoursuccess.

Recruiter of the Month

Ted Schuster

Universally, people holdgrudges against the IRS,

corrupt cops, and solicitors. Fora week, I assumed this role as“The Bad Guy” and wentaround bothering local busi-nesses for donations. Formally,

I was as skeptical as the nextguy when anyone who couldn’tpronounce my last name came aknockin’. Although my solicit-ing was done entirely for a goodcause, it felt as though my dayswere spent in the “enemy’s”

shoes – and they weren’t alwayscomfortable.

2007-2008 Chapter VicePresident of the FFA, OliviaBye, was my partner on a jour-ney across Kane County toretrieve products to raffle off atthe Fair. The binder Olivia car-ried acted as the red flag to everyoperation, signifying our needfor something other than a pur-chase. We were received in avariety of ways – from openarms, to apathy, to disgruntledskeptics. However, few wereoutwardly rude and I am forevergrateful for that. As someonewho is easily intimidated andhardly pushy, asking for dona-tions was a bit outside my com-fort zone. Thus, the notableamount of warmth and under-

standing from several local busi-nesses was truly encouraging.

The end result was impres-sive. After four days of collect-ing, the conference room of theFarm Bureau was infused withtools, toys, and gift cardsgalore. The generous portion ofgift cards we gathered allowedus to create some inventivehybrid prizes. From the“Double Date Package” (4 piz-zas at Nick’s Pizza & Pub and 4Concessions at Randall 15IMAX) to “Shop, Snack, &Schmooze” (Gift Cards fromCocoon, Graham’s Chocolate,and Town House Café), Oliviaand I got to have some fun withour findings.

Despite my initial anxietiesover “soliciting” (for a good

cause), the experience was nec-essary, successful, sometimesfun, and essentially rewarding.We got time outside the office,“donation collecting” is anotheringredient that will fatten up myresume, and, we now have theprizes that will hopefully gener-ate enough dough to help sendplenty of deserving students offto school.

So, thank you, thank you,thank you, to the businesses thathad patience through our spieland the many who contributedto our enticing array of prizes.And for everyone who’s beenenraged by “sales people” in thepast, I request just an ounce ofpatience and a degree of under-standing before you write off allof those awkward sales kids.

AUGUST 2008 KANE COUNTY FARMER PAGE 7

CLASSIFIED ADSKANE COUNTY FARM BUREAU MEMBERS

Classified advertising rates: 20 cents per word/$10 minimum. DISCOUNTS for members: Associate members, 20%; Voting mem-bers, 30%; PLUS members, 40%. Payment in advance is request-ed. Voting members receive limited free classified advertising offarm commodities and farm equipment. Ads are due by the 15th ofevery month for the next issue. No advertising (classified or display) for financial or insurance services will be accepted.

Name ________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________

City__________________________ State_____ Zip ___________

Category: Circle One: For Sale, Wanted, For Rent, Services,

Other:________________________________________________

Ad copy: _____________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Member No. _________________ Phone No. ________________Complete the above form and mail to: Kane County Farm Bureau, 2N710Randall Road, St. Charles, IL 60174 or fax to (630) 584-0023. Non-member ad rate: payable with ad, $10.00 – 20 word maximum per ad.

––--–– CCLLAASSSSIIFFIIEEDD AADDSS ––--––

What’s new at theCOUNTRY agencies?St. Charles Agency, RichardBristow, Agency Manager

Donna Tonovitz has beennamed Agent of the Month forJune 2008 in the St. CharlesAgency, as announced byAgency Manager, RichardBristow. Donna has been anagent with COUNTRY Insurance& Financial Services since July2004. She serves her clients fromher office at 201 Houston Street,Suite 120 in Batavia. You mayreach Donna at (630) 761-6978.Aurora Agency, Jackie Meier,Agency Manager

Zach Fox has been namedAgent of the Month for June2008 in the Aurora Agency.Zach began his career withCOUNTRY Insurance &Financial Services in May 2007.He serves his clients from hisoffice at 2430 West Indian Trail,

Suite 202, Aurora, 60506. You may reach Zach at (630)907-8888.Elgin/Schaumburg Agency,Jack Smith, Agency Manager

Bernie Gaston has beennamed “Career Agent of theMonth” for June 2008. Berniehas been an agent with COUN-TRY Insurance & FinancialServices since February 2000.His office is temporarily locatedat 2435 W. Schaumburg Road,Schaumburg. His phone numberis (847) 428-7147.

Luke Fawkes has beennamed “Employee Agent of theMonth” for June 2008. Luke hasbeen an agent with COUNTRYInsurance & Financial Servicessince July 2006. His office islocated at 1030 Summit, Elgin,60120. His phone number is(847) 591-6118.

SOLICITINGAS A SKEPTICBy Kristin McMahon

Olivia Bye (foreground) andKristin McMahon (background)put the finishing touches on theKCFB Foundation “BucketRaffle” at the Kane County Fair.The Raffles have become anannual event and have helpedraise thousands of dollars for the Foundation’s CollegeScholarship programs.

Hinckley-Big Rock FFA member Olivia Bye affixes recog-nition plaques to a display thanking donors for theircontributions to the Kane County Farm BureauFoundation.

The Kane County Farm Bureau Foundation Bucket Raffle at the Kane County Fair helps raise fundsfor scholarships for students who wish to pursue a career in an agricultural field. The Foundation

would like to thank the following businesses for their generous donations.

BUCKET RAFFLE DONORSAce HardwareArcada Theatre Bears Gone WildBlue GooseBordersBuck Brothers Inc. CocoonColonial CaféDeKane EquipmentDelnor Fitness CenterEgg HarborEliza Jane

Esther’s PlaceFrancesca’s by the RiverFast FrameGander MountainGeneva CommonsGraham’s ChocolateHeinz Brothers Greenhouse Hughes Creek Golf Club JewelJohnny’s Charhouse Johnsen’s Feed StoreKane County Cougars

Klein’s Quality ProduceLowe’sMcNally’s Irish PubNick’s Pizza & PubPapa G’sRandall 15 IMaxRF HoutzSt. Charles BowlSt.Charles Park DistrictTown House Café Trader Joe’sTranquility Spa

By Kristin McMahonWith my recent participation

in and around the Farm Bureau,and a natural responsibility to myextended farming family, I foundit my duty to attend our localFarmer’s Market (4th Ave & Rt.64 in St. Charles). As I expected,the medley of fresh produce, orig-inal art, jewelry, plants etc. stirredthe five senses and stimulated themind. Obviously, the marketscontain some of the tastiestdelights available to humankind.What’s more – the venue aboundswith free samples! Personally, asa free samples junkie, I was over-joyed with my Dixie cup of peachtea and morsel of fine cheese.Aesthetically, the operation ispleasant and peaceful with thecheerful disposition of all the ven-dors, vivid produce and art. Thewhole-experience is hands-on (ifyou’d like it to be) and whatsmells better than homemadescented candles and bloomingperennials? Finally, there’s a har-mony of happy voices that satis-fies the ears.

Beyond the romanticizedpersonal experience, the trans-action with these local farmersis a service to your health, the

economy, and the land. “BuyLocal” easily rolls off thetongue, but just as anyslogan/catch phrase, the wordsare worthless until supported byaction. Fortunately, the abun-dance of local farmers marketsmakes the act as easy as spout-ing the phrase. The generalobjection to such markets is aslightly higher bill. However,your entire grocery list doesn’tnecessarily need to be fulfilledat the Farmer’s Market. Buy acouple of tomatoes, a drink mix,or whatever may suit yourfancy. Whether you’re lookingfor great products, a change ofpace, means to support oureconomy, or just something todo ... your local farmer’s mar-kets cater to these demands.

Because buying local hasbecome such a valuable endeav-or, the Illinois Department ofAgriculture granted the KCFB$2,500 to promote local Farmer’sMarkets. The result of the grantis a vibrant gem of a postcardlisting the location, phone num-ber, hours of operation, and thedates of each respective Farmer’sMarket in Kane County. Soon thepostcards will be widely circulat-

ed so everyone will have a handyguide to refer to (and a lovelypiece of graphic ingenuity todress up your fridge). Cards willbe available at City Halls, VillageOffices, coffee shops and selectmerchants across Kane County.

Once the postcards are inhand, internet savvy folks willnotice the Bounty of Kane URL,www.bountyofkane.org, conve-niently located on the front. Thewebsite contains the completelist of (32) farms in Kane Countythat offer farm fresh products.From veggie specialists to woolgurus; from pumpkin farms toapple orchards, the website neat-ly lists every spot that containssomething useful for local con-sumers. Also found on the site: adetailed map designating eachfarm with a yellow square. Besure to visit the site when youhave a moment to spare.

Take advantage of your localFarms and Farmer’s Marketsbecause, ’tis the season for landreared goods. And, if you’re onthe market for a new hobby – ourown Beth Dawson encourageseveryone to become a “Bounty(of Kane) Hunter” this season.

A fresh idea – the Bounty the Kane

FOR SALEGlass table & 4 chairs $550; 2glass end tables & coffee table$150; roll-top desk $325; table forbehind sofa $60; curio cabinet $50.Make offer. Call: 630-675-8306

Straw; oats; hay; ear corn; barleystraw, good for natural control ofpond scum. Kenyon Bros. ask forMike – Call: 847-741-1818.

1950 Farmall ”M”. Restored tooriginal. Converted to 12 volt bat-tery “new battery”, fresh paint,stickers, new tires in the rear.Ready for parade day! $4,500OBO. Call Carl at 630-814-9000.

FOR RENTDisney World is even better whenyou stay at our spacious condojust minutes away from AnimalKingdom for only $650/week. Callfor our color brochure. Call: 708-704-6239

Hilton Head, SC – Oceanfrontcondo, 2BR, 2BA, completely fur-nished. Atlantic Ocean at yourdoorstep plus private swimmingpool. Wonderful dining, tennis,golf discounts and great shop-ping. Rents Saturday-Saturday.Owner discount. Call: 630-896-5148

DeKalb hot one! 3 bdrms., 2.5baths,1/2 fnshd. bsmt., big yardopens into Little John ElementarySchool. 1,500/mo. w/1 month sec.deposit & credit check – no pets &no Section 8. Call Dollee any day9-5 pm, 815-508-3768

DeKalb – Rooms for rent! Terrificlocation! 7 blks. from NIU! G,W&Epaid for! Shared bath w/1 otherperson. $400-$440/month. CallDollee any day, 9-5 PM, 815-508-3765.

PAGE 8 KANE COUNTY FARMER AUGUST 2008

Test your spelling smarts & knowledge with the Farm Jargon Jumble! The clues below will provide 6 of the 12 letters needed to form the winning farm word.

Visit www.kanecfb.com to answer the 6 remaining trivia questions by August 15. You can also visit your local library for internet access. Letters from these additional answers will help spell out the magic word. Winner will receive a $75 gas card and be drawn from responses received by August 15.

Last month’s winner was Kathy Chwee of Elgin. The winning word was W-H-E-A-T. Clues provided were:

ESTGather grain. HARVEST Consume food. EATWhere food grows. FARMTo cultivate. TILL

For Hay & Livestock __ __ __

Pearl or Vidalia __ __ __ __

City of Lights (local) __ __ __ __ __

Herb __ __ __ __ __

Turn over soil __ __ __

Nature’s __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __

__ __ __

WINNING WORD:

Send responses to info@kanecfb.com or clip and return to KCFB, 2N710 Randall Rd., St. Charles, IL 60174

Jumb el

Clues for these6 words

can only be foundonline at

www.kanecfb.com

College grads credit KCFB Foundationscholarships with broadening horizons

Each year the Kane CountyFarm Bureau Foundation offersseveral scholarships to area stu-dents wishing to pursue collegedegrees. Last year they awardedover $25,000 in scholarships andinternships. Allyson Chwee andTyler Strom are two studentswho have put the funds theyreceived from the Foundation togood use. Both recently graduat-ed from Iowa State Universitywith triple majors in AgriculturalBusiness, Economics andInternational Agriculture.

Allyson, who grew up in Elgin,received the Outstanding SeniorAward and delivered an address atthe commencement ceremony inMay. She credits the $4500 inscholarships she received from theFoundation with making possiblestudy abroad trips to France,Belgium, the Netherlands andGermany. “Much of the costswere not covered by tuition, so it

would have been hard to attendthose trips without the scholar-ships I received,” said Allyson.

Tyler, who grew up on thefamily farm west of St. Charles,agrees that while the scholarshipsalso helped cover general costsof attending school, the moneywas key in funding a studyabroad trip to China. “The triphelped me gain a great perspec-tive on economic developmentand sustainability in other areas

of the world.” Tyler received theLeadership Excellence awardupon graduation.

Allyson will be going on toearn a law degree at CreightonUniversity in Omaha starting inAugust. Tyler has received ascholarship from RotaryInternational and will be pursu-ing a degree in EnvironmentalSustainability at LundUniversity in Sweden this fall asan Ambassador of Good Will.

Allyson Chwee Tyler Strom

When you invest in FarmBureau through a mem-

bership:• You’re making an investment

in an organization which rep-resents the best interests ofagriculture and local farmers.

• You’re taking advantage ofthe many programs, servicesand member discounts FarmBureau has to offer (we’readding more all the time).

• You’re joining an organiza-tion which serves farm, fami-ly and community. It is time for Kane County

Farm Bureau members to renewtheir membership. Annual duesnotices should arrive in your mailshortly. If you have not receivedyours by September 1, please callme at (630) 584-8660. Paymentmay be made by check, moneyorder, cash or credit card (Visa orMasterCard only).

We thank you in advance foryour support of Farm Bureauand agriculture and look forwardto serving you for another year.

*****The discounts offered by

many of our benefit providerswill pay your dues many timesover. These are just a few of theproducts and services your FarmBureau membership makes youeligible for: COUNTRYInsurance & Financial Services,Vision benefits, PharmaCareprescription services, Beltonehearing aids, Farm BureauConnection long distance phoneservices, agricultural products,movie and amusement tickets,Grainger Industrial products,Sherwin-Williams products,over 14 nationwide hotel chainsand four car rental agencies. Amore complete list will be pro-vided with your membership

renewal statement.Kane County Farm Bureau

members are also now eligible fora Private Offer of $500 on mostmodels of new General Motorsvehicles. To be eligible for thisoffer, members need to have been“members in good standing” forsix months prior to the purchaseof their vehicle. This Private Offeron the GM vehicles covers mostmakes and models of cars, trucksand SUV’s made by GeneralMotors including Buick, Cadillac,Chevrolet, Hummer, Pontiac,GMC, Saab and Saturn. EligibleE-85 models qualify for a $750Private Offer. A valid KaneCounty Farm Bureau membershipcard must be presented to the GMdealer at time of purchase. Formore information on eligibilityrequirements and applicable mod-els, contact the Kane CountyFarm Bureau at (630) 584-8660or your local GM dealer.

Other benefits include access tothe IAA Credit Union, recyclingprograms, soil testing, internships,defensive driving courses and mar-ket outlook seminars.

To find out how to add valueto your membership, give me acall at (630) 584-8660.

MEMBERSHIPMATTERS

By Beth Dawson

Discounts on Dell for FB membersNow Farm Bureau members

can expand and customize theirbusiness needs – and savemoney at the same time! IllinoisFarm Bureau has teamed upwith Dell to offer exclusive dis-counts of up to 12% ... appliedon top of regularly advertisedDell Home Office promotions.

“We are pleased to add Dellto the list of great benefitsalready available to our mem-bers,” said Melissa Rhode,membership director. “Many of

the discounts are exclusive,which makes it even more valu-able. We continue to look forways to save our membersmoney and help them improvetheir businesses.”

With this new member dis-count, you have access to:• Up to 12% off in addition to

regularly advertised DellHome Office promotions

• Dedicated sales representa-tives available to assist withyour purchase

• Discounts and offers notavailable to the public

• Easy financing options• Discounted shipping

You can access great deals online at www.dell.com/ilfb/mem-bers or at 1-800-695-8133. UseMember ID PS65777730. Ifyou’d like more information onthis or any other member dis-count, contact the Kane CountyFarm Bureau at (630) 584-8660or visit www.ilfb.org.

Better your sight ... vision discountsMore than 80 percent of

learning is done visually, makinggood vision not just necessary,but critical. Now Farm Bureaumembers can not only better theirsight, they can better their sav-ings! New member-only visionbenefits offer discounts on eye-wear, including glasses and con-tacts, as well as LASIK surgery.

With EyeBenefits. you andyour family can purchase eye-wear for up to 30% off regular

retail prices from Sears, JCPenney, Pearle Vision, TargetOptical, and more. Online con-tact lenses are at close to whole-sale prices. All it takes is yourFarm Bureau membership card.To find a location near you, goto www.eyebenefits.info. Yourgroup name is CBDFB.

With QualSight, you andyour family are eligible for lasereye surgery at a savings of morethan 40-50% off the national

average cost. The surgery is per-formed by Board CertifiedOphthalmologists and includesa pre-operative appointment,surgery and follow up care. CallQualSight toll free at 1-877-507-4448 for more information.

To find out about more mem-ber-only benefits, visit www.ilfb.org or call Kane CountyFarm Bureau at (630) 584-8660.And just wait till you see thesavings!

When fourth generationKaneville area farmer and propri-etor of Kaneville Seed RussellFlanders passed away on March17, 2008, family and friendsestablished a scholarship in hisname. Administered by the KaneCounty Farm Bureau Foundation,the scholarship will benefitKaneland students. Flanders wasa 1938 graduate of KanevilleHigh School and served on theBoards of Education for theKaneville and Kaneland SchoolDistricts, as well as serving on theKane County Regional Board ofSchool Trustees.

In his memory, the firstRussell Flanders MemorialScholarship is being awarded forthe 2008-09 school year to TraciPitstick. Traci is a 2007 graduateof Kaneland High School andwill be a sophomore at IllinoisState University in the fall, pursu-ing her goal of becoming anAgriculture Instructor. Traci has a

passion for sharing her agricul-ture knowledge with inner-cityschool students and answeringtheir questions. She has been amember of the FFA, 4-H, FashionBoard and has played varioussports. Traci grew up in MaplePark on a diversified livestockfarm with pigs, sheep and cattle.She is the daughter of StevePitstick and Mona Carlson, bothof Maple Park. Traci will receivea $750 award to defray tuition atIllinois State for the fall semester.

Russell Flanders MemorialScholarship awarded

Traci Pitstick