The Power of Corn

Corn is used in many different ways in today's world, not only for eating. This video is from a popular television show on the Discovery Channel entitled: How Stuff Works.

This clip from the HowStuffWorks show on the Discovery Channel discusses the use of corn to make plastic. Plastic made from corn is biodegradable, carbon-neutral and edible. Could corn plastic revolutionize the plastics industry? Watch to learn more.

http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/31279-corn-corn-plastic-video.htm

Seeing the uses of corn expand into other industries brings about more questions. What else is corn used for? What other ways can corn and farm products be incorporated to help our earth?
The options are endless and it's farmers and other men and women in the agriculture related fields that help us find out what these uses are. These individuals not only expand our knowledge base, but also teach us more about the numerous ways agriculture can affect our daily lives.

The Farmer's Daughter

Mandy is an outstanding student, friend, and farmer’s daughter. She is either at school, helping on the family farm, or volunteering at her church. Five foot, four inch Mandy drives a lifted one ton truck and is one hundred percent farm girl tackling anything that comes her way. I have been very blessed to have Mandy as a friend throughout junior high, high school, and college and I have no idea what I would do without her!

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

Mandy: My family farm consists of corn, soybeans, and beef cattle. The main part of our farm is located outside of Tremont, Illinois, my hometown. We farm 4,000 acres in two states. Our farm areas are located around Tremont, Illinois, Centralia, Missouri, and Taylor, Missouri. My dad is the man in charge on our family farm. Along with the help of my uncle, my dad is a part of every activity that happens on the farm. The two of them plant, harvest, and haul grain, care for the cattle, apply their own fertilizers and herbicides, and are the mechanics behind all of the equipment. Our family farm, stays in the family, with the exception of the very occasionally employed truck driver or auger wagon operator, when I am at school or working. 

Kelsey: Why did you decide to study agriculture?

Mandy: Agriculture has always been a passion of mine since I was a little girl. I can remember telling people even in kindergarten, that I wanted to be a farmer, but being nervous because farming is traditionally a man's job. As I have grown up and worked on the farm all my life, I have become my dad's shadow. I always followed him around out in the field, handed him tools in the shed, or sat beside him in the tractor. Since I have been old enough to drive on my own, my dad can't convince me to stay home. I enjoy driving the auger wagon and operating tillage equipment. I enjoy being able to pull the bull dozer out when it gets stuck cleaning out ditches, or driving the trailer of seed from field to field. I have felt so strongly that I have a place in agriculture, so I decided to attend to college to study agribusiness and agronomy management. Agriculture has always been a large part of me and will always continue to be. 

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

Mandy: I think that “women in agriculture” is a big issue in the current industry. As I mentioned before, I was always a bit nervous about entering what predominantly was a man's job. More and more women are entering the field of agriculture each year, but I believe there are still people who are cautious about allowing a woman to take on various roles in agriculture. In my agriculture classes the males greatly outweigh the females. This seems to be a common trend in the industry. I think that women have taken great steps in the agricultural industry, but there is a long way to go to receive equal opportunity. 

Kelsey: What life lessons/values do you feel you learned growing up on the farm?

Mandy: Growing up on my family farm where my dad assumed every role, I feel that I have learned many values. My dad taught me how to be successful enough in decision making to provide for a family. He showed me how to be task oriented and manage time. He taught me how to work hard and take things into my own hands. My dad is a very hard working man, but he is also there to spend time with his family. My mom does the bookkeeping for the farm, and all of the bills and taxes. She has taught me to be patient (because my dad isn't the most organized person when it comes to paperwork!) and how to help run a farm from behind the scenes. My parents have taught me a lot of great life lessons right on our farm, and I am thankful that I was raised on a family farm. 

Friend a Farmer Friday

As social media continues to prevail throughout our everyday lives more and more farmers are taking advantage of an excellent opportunity to promote the industry they have grown to know and love!

Check out Wentworth Family Farms on YouTube!
http://www.youtube.com/user/torywentworth

Friend A Farmer Friday

Today's Friend A Farmer is a very special farm wife and mother of three, almost four! As she juggles the kids, her husband, and the farm she shares her everyday life! Please check out this extraordinary blog!

http://webelfamilyfarm.blogspot.com/

The Story Behind The Turkey

I very vividly remember my grade school field trip to the Sinn Turkey Farm. I had been to quite a few different types of livestock farms but I had never seen turkeys! As a Tremont Turk myself this was important; yes, you heard me correctly. My hometown of twenty-one hundred people has a “turkey” as our school mascot. We refer to him as a Turk and he is extremely tough I might add! Greg Sinn is a great farmer, father, and an amazing asset to his community.

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

Greg: My brother Steve and I operate our farm, Sinn Brothers Turkey Farm. Over seventy years ago my father started the farm and it has evolved as well as the turkey itself. In the beginning years of the Sinn Turkey Farm our market was a whole bird market catering to the Holiday season. We raised the birds in outdoor lots and even ran a processing plant. In order to address a health conscious consumer’s diet the turkey market changed to a year round market. At this point in time we began raising large turkey toms for Sara Lee. The turkey toms are marketed in deli or other quickly prepared products to be eaten at any time rather than simply cooking a large turkey and wondering how to eat the entire thing. We moved our turkeys from the outdoor lots to environmentally controlled buildings. The advancements throughout turkey farming are unbelievable and I cannot imagine what they will come out with next!

Kelsey: Is there a connection between your farm and the Tremont Turk mascot?

Greg: This is quite a reoccurring question on the Sinn Turkey Farm since we are one of the last turkey growing farms in the Tremont area. However, we are not the reason for the well established mascot. There was a turkey farmer a while back that donated money to Tremont High School in order for the school to purchase their first uniforms and it is often believed that is how the “Turk” mascot evolved.

Kelsey: Why do you have a passion for agriculture?

Greg: My passion for agriculture has to be tied to working as a family. There is an inherit responsibility to keep up the farm my previous generations worked so hard to develop. Everyone was expected to do their part as I grew up and that is no different today! It is so special to see family pitch in to help unload the baby turkeys when they arrive at our farm and then help again as we load them at market time. Agriculture is a cycle just like our everyday lives and it is extremely important that we keep family in the center of everything we do!

Kelsey: As a turkey farmer how do you celebrate Thanksgiving?

Greg: We celebrate Thanksgiving by being thankful for our friends, neighbors, and family. We hand dress some of our turkeys and give them to friends and neighbors as tokens of our thanks. At our family Thanksgiving we celebrate being together and appreciate everything God has given us. We of course have turkey! In fact, I am the proclaimed turkey cook with a secret recipe that I change a little every year as I see fit!

I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving! This year please take a few minutes before eating your Thanksgiving dinner and remember the farmers who raised the potatoes, cranberries, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, milk, wheat, and of course turkey for the special meal that allows your family to gather and celebrate in Thanksgiving.  

Friend a Farmer Friday

Illinois Corn Farmers do an amazing job at promoting not only corn but the entire the agricultural industry. Check out the Corn Corps blog!

http://corncorps.blogspot.com/

Queen of the Farm

Angie is currently an agricultural education major at the University of Illinois. Growing up on the farm Angie has always known that agriculture would play a large role in her future. She is extremely involved throughout her school and community and demonstrates her love for the farm in everything she does. As a previous county fair queen Angie was a tremendous role model for Tazewell County 4-Her’s. I’m positive she will be a tremendous asset to an Illinois high school agriculture department upon her graduation.

 

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

Angie: My father and brother farm in Tazewell County.  We grow corn, soybeans, pumpkins, wheat, and we also have some hay.  Until last year, we also raised Polled Hereford cattle that my brother and I used to show. 

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

Angie: My favorite memory growing up on the farm would most likely be taking supper out to the field for my dad and grandpas during harvest.  This was the best time because my brother and I took turns riding with my dad in the combine for a few rounds, and while we were waiting, we would get to ride to the elevator with my grandpas in the grain trucks.  I loved getting to spend time out in the field and being a part of our farming operation even though I was only a little girl.

Kelsey: How are you involved within your community and school?

Angie: At the University of Illinois, I am currently the Membership Chair in Sigma Alpha which is a professional agricultural sorority.  We differ from other sororities on campus because we do professional development events, speakers, and trips to learn about the agricultural industry.  Our national philanthropy is Ag In the Classroom, so within the Champaign-Urbana area, we do numerous AITC presentations each semester to promote agricultural literacy.

I am also currently the Vice President of Programs for the Student Advancement Group for Education here on campus.  This group works alongside the Office of Advancement in the College of Education to promote communication among the college and alumni, as well as holding library book drives and read-a-thons in the area. 

Alpha Tau Alpha/Ag Ed Club at the U of I is a group of mostly agricultural education students, and I am the current ACES Council Representative.  This means that I attend the ACES Council (which is like a student council for the College of ACES) meetings each month as a liaison between the ATA/Ag Ed Club and the ACES Council.

I also am an office intern and a teaching assistant.

During the summer my family is extremely involved in the antique tractor pulls in our area. My brother and I both pull our tractors. My dad and brother are in charge of a couple pulls and help at them all. I help register all of the pullers and assist with recording the distances. My mom videotapes all of my brother and my pulls. The pulls are a great time for my family to spend time together!

Kelsey: Can you please describe your role as Miss Tazewell County?

Angie: I represented Tazewell County 4-H as Miss Tazewell County 2008.  Throughout my reign I attended events representing 4-H and agriculture throughout Tazewell County.  I also competed at the Illinois County Fair Queen Pageant in Springfield.  As queen, it was my job to spread awareness of 4-H and agriculture, and be a role model to 4-Her’s within Tazewell County. I am still extremely involved with the pageant and feel it is a great opportunity for young women.

Kelsey: What are your plans for the future?

Angie: I am currently an agricultural education major at the University of Illinois where I am completing a science endorsement and minoring in crop and soil management.  Upon graduation and certification, I will be teaching agriculture at the secondary level.  I hope to start an agricultural program at a school that does not currently have a program in order to increase agricultural literacy and provide leadership opportunities through the National FFA Organization.