Cream of the Crop in Agriculture Education

Busy, busy, busy; describes the life of Grant Grebner, a farmer and assistant professor at Illinois Central College. Grant has many sleepless nights as he juggles his time on the farm, at Illinois Central College, and most importantly, with his family. He has a strong passion for the agricultural industry and makes that apparent throughout his everyday life!

Kelsey: Can you please tell me a little bit about your farm.

Grant: My family farm is a diversified livestock and grains farm operated by myself and my two brothers Gary and Stanley. The grains portion of our farm includes approximately 800 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa, and oats. On the livestock side we currently have 60 head of commercial cows and a 30 sow farrow-to-finish commercial swine operation. (A sow is a female hog that has had piglets; farrow-to-finish means that we raise the piglets from when they are born until they are ready for market or to be a showpig.) The cattle offspring are fed out in our feedlot and marketed through private sales for freezer beef or through a value-based marketing system with Tyson Foods in Joslin, Illinois. The swine are marketed through a grade and yield basis with Farmland Foods in Monmouth, Illinois. A portion of our sowherd focuses on showpig production with sales to 4-H and FFA youth across the Midwest.

Kelsey: Can you please tell me a little bit about your role at Illinois Central College?

Grant:  I began teaching agriculture at Illinois Central College in August of 2007. At that time, we reduced our swine operation at the farm from 100 sows to 30 sows. I am currently an Assistant Professor of Agriculture. I am also Teaching Chair within the ICC agricultural division, advisor to the Agri-Business Club, and the Livestock Judging Coach. I teach primarily animal science and agricultural economics to the agricultural transfer students and agricultural sales, pork production, and ruminant animal production to the agricultural business management students. The students in our two-year program are also required to participate in two separate eight week internships during their sophomore year and I am in charge of this program.

Kelsey: What do you feel is the biggest issue facing the agricultural industry today?

Grant: Without question, I feel the biggest challenge that we face in agriculture is the “disassociation” that mainstream society has with agriculture. The gap between our producers and consumers continues to grow as our consumers are consistently bombarded with outside information that is not always accurate. As production agriculturalists we must take an active role in TELLING our story and not let it be TOLD for us. A safe food source, fresh ground water, and well cared for animals are common objectives for both producers and consumers. We must make connections; our future depends on it.

Kelsey: What is the most rewarding part of being an agriculture teacher?

Grant: There are several things that I find rewarding about being an ag teacher! However I would have to say helping students discover the broad scope of agriculture in the educational and employment views is number one. It isn’t just cows, sows, and plows anymore! The career opportunities my students will have are endless and there are not many teachers who can say that in today’s economy. Today’s American farmer can feed an average of one hundred and fifty-six people. Therefore, not everyone in agriculture can farm; we don’t have enough land and we would have an over abundance of food! However, agriculture encompasses so many careers and I applaud my students for choosing the career path of agriculture. I also love to see the “light go on in my students eyes”. It is one thing for me to see my students’ tests results and know that they comprehend my lectures. Although it is something completely different when we are in a lab or they are on their own and something I taught them comes into play. From a teacher’s standpoint in general I enjoy seeing my students grow and mature intellectually and emotionally. While I hope all of my students gain agricultural knowledge I also hope they leave ICC as respectful and caring members of society. As a community college assistant professor I see my job as “laying a foundation”. My kids have a long journey ahead of them and anything I can do to assist them in being successful makes my job rewarding each and every day.

The Jack of all Trades

Doug is a 4^th generation farmer from Mason County in Illinois. Ever since he was little Doug knew that he someday wanted to farm with his Dad. Their family farm consists of a wide variety of crops keeping them extremely busy throughout the year. According to Doug, he is the “jack of all trades” on the farm. He does a little of everything from servicing the equipment, plowing, driving the auger wagon, combining, hauling grain into the elevator, and whatever else needs to be done on the farm. Doug is currently a sophomore at Illinois Central College where he is majoring in Agribusiness.

Kelsey: Can you tell me a little bit about your farm?

Doug: My dad, uncle, and I are the operators of my family’s farm. We take a great deal of pride in our farm as it has been a part of our family for a long time. We farm corn, soybeans, green beans, popcorn, and pumpkins. Our corn and soybeans are typically taken to a local grain co-op. Our green beans, popcorn, and pumpkins are all specialty crops that we raise in our sandy soil. They require irrigation due to the way the sand dries up so quickly and the extreme heat we have in Central Illinois throughout the summer. Our green beans are raised for Del Monte, popcorn for Pop Weaver, and our pumpkins are for Libby’s, a division of Nestle.

Kelsey: What is your favorite time of the year on the farm?

Doug: Harvest is definitely my favorite time of the year! There is an indescribable type of satisfaction attained as the crops are brought in from the field. Unlike most occupations farmers take a gamble with their family’s income. Every year we put everything into the ground and pray we have high yields, some years we pray for yields of any type. We have no control over the rain, hail, and temperatures that can destroy our crops within seconds.

Kelsey: What is your favorite memory of growing up on the farm?

Doug: My favorite memory of growing up on the farm would have to be working my dad. He has taught me everything I know about agriculture. My dad absolutely loves what he does and there is no one else I would have rather learned the ropes from. I hope someday I can have the same impact on children of my own.

Kelsey: How did you decide you wanted to pursue a career in agriculture?

Doug: Agriculture is the only way of life I have ever known and I can’t imagine doing anything else. I love waking up every morning and knowing that I’m going to be doing something different than the day before. Being outdoors, the daily challenges we face, and feeding families around the world all assure me that the farm is where I belong.

Kelsey: What do you do when you’re not working on the farm?

Doug: I like spending time with my family, girlfriend, and friends. During the Summer I compete in horse shows almost every weekend. Team pinning is my favorite event at the horse shows but I also participate in ranch sorting. This past year I was nationally ranked and placed in the top ten in team pinning and in ranch sorting. My sister and I compete together so it really is a family event and we always have a lot of fun. I have a strong passion for horses and I am typically riding or working with them whenever I get a chance. During the summer I also enjoy pulling my in antique tractor pulls.

The Great Pumpkin and the Greater Pumpkin Farmer





Pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin bars; just the thought of these fall deserts makes my mouth water! Have you ever thought about where the pumpkin comes from that is used to make your favorite pumpkin treats? The answer is not the pumpkin “farms” where you find the perfect jack-o-lantern pumpkin or walk through the corn maze. Pumpkins are actually raised by the same farmers that raise soybeans, corn, and other specialty products such as green beans, peas, and popcorn.

In order to raise pumpkins a farmer must gain approval from the pumpkin processing plant. The most common pumpkin processing plant is Libby’s, which is owned by Nestle. The pumpkin seed is furnished by the processing plant and planted by the farmer in May. A pumpkin farmer typically applies nitrogen, insecticide, potash, and fungicide to their fields throughout the year. Everything the farmer uses is closely regulated by the processing plant which is regulated by the FDA. Farmers always keep their consumer’s safety number one and would not provide food to the world that they would not feed their own families.

As it comes time to pick the pumpkins anytime between August and October the processing plant takes over! The first step of the picking process is called windrowing. This is when a tractor with a large slide removes all of the pumpkins from their vines and shuffles them into rows. This makes it easier for the next step which is when a tractor with a conveyor picks up the pumpkins and loads them on to the semi. The semi runs along the side of the tractor which is called sidewinding. In most cases there will be at least two of these operations going on at a time in the field making pumpkin harvesting a relatively quick operation. After the pumpkins are loaded onto the truck they are taken to the plant where they are processed into the canned pumpkin we use to make our pumpkin pies, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin bars! As you enjoy these tasty deserts this fall make sure you think of the pumpkin farmer and his efforts to provide you with a tasty treat!





One of a Kind

September was Grandparent’s Month. Even though I am a little late I cannot resist blogging about my Grandpa Don. Born and raised a Central Illinois farm boy he has seen many highs and lows of the agricultural industry. Grandpa has raised nearly every animal possible along with corn, soybeans, and wheat. He is one of the most hardworking men I know and along with my dad, greatly influenced my decision to study agriculture. My Grandpa married my Grandma and they have lived on the family farm ever since. My dad always says that the farmers and the coaches are the fathers with daughters and Grandpa was no exception; my mom is the oldest of three daughters. Family has always been Grandpa’s number one priority and I strongly believe it is the farming lifestyle that keeps our family of fifteen so close.



My sister, Jessi, with Grandpa and Grandma
on our annual family vacation to Arkansas!



In order to be a livestock farmer you must have a strong passion for what you do and Grandpa is a perfect example! He does everything to the best of his knowledge to produce the best meat products! After all, the meat he is producing feeds not only families all over the world, but also his own family! Due to the amount of time Grandpa spends with his animals in the barn, pasture, or stalls it would be extremely difficult for him to not care about the best well being of his animals. Throughout his time on the farm he has raised cattle, hogs, sheep, ducks, horses, and chickens. However, his strongest love has always been for the cattle. Grandpa typically raises Charlois, Herefords, and Angus cattle. He has bruised and broken numerous ribs, received a couple of black eyes, and even broke his hip ensuring his animals receive the best care possible. However, he is tougher than anyone I know, and even the broken hip did not keep seventy-five year old Gramps down for more than a couple weeks. In fact, three months after he broke his hip he was behind the boat on his water skis! Grandma water skis too, she claims she can’t let old Grandpa out do her!

My Grandpa also bales a lot of straw and hay. Similar to raising livestock baling is something that you can’t do unless you really like it. Grandpa spends endless hours in the sun on hot summer days out in the alfalfa and wheat fields. While my cousin and a couple of his friends help Grandpa he is not typically on the tractor. Grandpa loves throwing the bales and can almost always outdo the young guns!

I feel very lucky to have such a special Grandpa! It is the farmers like him that continue to pass their love for agriculture down to the next generations and make our industry the largest in the nation.