ILFB Partners Spring 2010

SPRING 2010

ILLINOIS

FARM BUREAU

®

A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE FOR MEMBERS

ILFBPARTNERS.COM

HONEY,

What’s Going On? Here’s the buzz on beekeeping

AHEAD OF THE CURVE Illinois farmers lead the nation in no-till farming

TRUE BLUE FLOWERS

A BRUNCH AMONG FRIENDS More springtime recipes online

LETTERS

Our Featured Reader

Q

What do you enjoy most about living in Illinois?

ANSWER I enjoy the friendly, down-toearth people who live in Illinois and a pace that feels a little less hectic than it might elsewhere.

Q

CELESTE HUTTES As a freelance writer, Celeste Huttes learns about people and places all over the country, but she says she enjoys writing about Illinois because it’s home.

A native of Pana, Huttes now lives in Forsyth and is a graduate of Millikin University in Decatur.

One of our stories in this issue focuses on a historic shopping district in Galesburg. What are some of your favorite one-of-a-kind places to shop in Illinois?

ANSWER Merchant Street in Decatur has a special kind of charm and unique finds. I also have a few favorite shops in Shelbyville – Late Bloomer on Main and Neistradt’s Garden Shop.

Q

What is your favorite Illinois attraction to visit in the springtime?

ANSWER I love Allerton Park in Monticello – it’s like a hidden treasure.

I also enjoy charming little river towns such as Grafton.

Q

As the weather warms, what is one of your favorite spring dishes to make for family and friends?

Forsyth

ANSWER Truth be told, my family and friends know better than to seek creative cuisine in my kitchen. But I can bake a mean chocolate chip cookie, and I enjoy experimenting with recipes where chocolate is the main ingredient!

“I enjoy the friendly, down-to-earth people in Illinois, and a pace that feels a little less hectic than it might elsewhere.”

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USEFUL KNOWLEDGE I enjoy reading your magazine because it has a variety of topics, and it covers some little known areas of Illinois. Our family traveled to Jackson Hole last year, where we were thrilled to see an eagle on a river trip, but I thought it was one of the few places where eagles could be found. Thanks to your Winter [2009-2010] issue, I now know we can see them in Illinois, too.

We also look forward to making the specialty popcorn as gifts for our children’s teachers.

Suzanne Reade Chicago

A POPCORN PROBLEM I was reading your recipes for popcorn in your quarterly magazine [Winter 2009-2010].

I was wondering if you could answer a question for me? After I pop popcorn on the stove and I then put hot butter on it, the popcorn becomes soggy. Is there a way to have buttered popcorn without making it soggy? Any help would be appreciated.

Bobbi via e-mail

Editors Note: Thanks for your note, Bobbi.

After some popcorn-buttering research, we learned that the high water content in butter is what can contribute to the sogginess. Some online resources suggest to spread your popcorn out on wax paper after buttering or roast in the oven for 15 minutes at 250 degrees to help dry it out but maintain the butter flavor. We’re hoping other readers may have suggestions, too. To give your own popcorn tips, visit ilfbpartners.com and click on the Popcorn Made Pretty article.

WRITE TO US E-mail us at ilfbpartners@jnlcom.com. We welcome any feedback, ideas, gardening questions or requests to become our featured reader.

Illinois Farm Bureau

CONTENTS

Features 8 Honey, What’s Going On? Here’s the buzz on beekeeping in Illinois

12 Days Gone By

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Ingenuity, local ownership thrive in Galesburg’s Seminary Street District

18 Ahead of the Curve Illinois farmers lead the nation in no-till farming

26 Travel Illinois: Arcola and Arthur Savor life at a slower pace in Illinois Amish Country

Every Issue 5 PRAIRIE STATE PERSPECTIVE Jump in a puddle this spring

6 ALMANAC Tune in to America’s Heartland

17 COUNTRY WISDOM Importance of establishing an investment plan

20 RECIPES Enjoy a colorful spring brunch

24 GARDENING Flowers that are truly blue

30 PHOTO CONTEST Results from the 2009 Illinois Farm Bureau Photo Contest ON THE COVER Photo by Antony Boshier Dan and Janet Hart, beekeepers from Brimfield

26 MORE ONLINE Watch videos, read stories and browse photos at ilfbpartners.com.

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VOLUME 3, NO. 1

ILLINOIS

FARM BUREAU

®

AN OFFICIAL MEMBER PUBLICATION OF THE ILLINOIS FARM BUREAU

ILLINOIS PHOTOS, VIDEOS, ARTICLES, BLOGS AND MORE

®

Publisher Dennis Vercler Editor Dave McClelland Associate Editor Martin Ross Production Manager Bob Standard Photographic Services Director Ken Kashian President Philip Nelson Vice President Rich Guebert Jr. Executive Director of Operations, News & Communications Chris Magnuson

Web Exclusive

Tips for unique vegetable gardening

CU S TO M M AG A Z INE M ED I A

Managing Editor Kim Newsom Associate Editor Jessy Yancey Copy Editor Joyce Caruthers Contributing Writers Joe Buhrmann, Kevin Litwin, Jessica Mozo, Jan Phipps, Joanie Stiers, Jessica Walker Senior Photographer Brian McCord

| FARM |

| FOOD |

| FINDS |

Staff Photographers Jeff Adkins, Todd Bennett, Antony Boshier, J. Kyle Keener Creative Director Keith Harris Senior Graphic Designer Laura Gallagher Associate Production Director Christina Carden

The Birth of Spring Springtime on many Illinois farms means baby animals and planting season. Our lists of Illinois farms with spring-focused activities can help you plan a weekend excursion or a school field trip.

Treats to Try We’ve added more than 25 new dishes to our recipe section.

Each recipe can be printed, e-mailed or shared via social media sites.

Wishful Planning It’s still cold out, but it’s never too early to plan for summer.

Consider an Illinois “staycation” this year; we have travel profiles on Springfield, Chicago, Kankakee and Champaign.

Ad Traffic Marcia Millar, Patricia Moisan, Raven Petty Web Implementation Director Andy Hartley Web Design Lead Franco Scaramuzza Web Content Manager John Hood Web Project Manager Yamel Ruiz Web Design Lead Leigh Guarin Web Production Jennifer Graves Color Imaging Technician Alison Hunter Integrated Media Manager Robin Robertson Chairman Greg Thurman President/Publisher Bob Schwartzman Executive Vice President Ray Langen Sr. V.P./Operations Casey Hester Sr. V.P./Sales Carla Thurman V.P./Visual Content Mark Forester V.P./Editorial Director Teree Caruthers Production Director Natasha Lorens Photography Director Jeff Otto

THREE WAYS WITH CARROTS Web-exclusive recipes to try with spring-harvested carrots. ots.

Controller Chris Dudley Accounting Moriah Domby, Diana Guzman, Maria McFarland, Lisa Owens Advertising Sales Manager, Custom Division Beth Murphy Distribution Director Gary Smith Sales/Marketing Coordinator Rachel Matheis

1. Carrot and Ginger Soup

Office Manager Shelly Grissom

2. Marsala Carrots

Illinois Farm Bureau Partners is produced for the Illinois Farm Bureau by Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (800) 333-8842.

All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

Receptionist Linda Bishop

3. Carrot Cake Cupcakes

WATCH A VIDEO EO O Satisfy your sweet tooth with a look at Decadence Bakery in Normal. See this and more Illinois videos at ilfbpartners.com.

Illinois Farm Bureau Partners (USPS No. 255-380) is issued quarterly by the Illinois Agricultural Association, 1701 Towanda Ave., P.O. Box 2901, Bloomington, IL 61702.

Periodicals postage paid at Bloomington, IL 61702 and additional mailing offices.

The individual membership fee of the Illinois Agricultural Association includes payment of $3 for a subscription to Illinois Farm Bureau Partners.

POSTMASTER: Send change of address notices on Form 3579 to Illinois Farm Bureau Partners, P.O. Box 2901, Bloomington, IL, 61702-2901.

Member Member

Magazine Publishers of America Custom Publishing Council

Please recycle this magazine

4

Illinois Farm Bureau

PRAIRIE STATE PERSPECTIVE ABOUT THE AUTHOR Joanie Stiers writes from rural Williamsfield, where her kids play in spring’s recurring car-sized barnyard puddle, which they have nicknamed “Lake Michigan.”

When Spring Has Sprung It’s 12 degrees warmer than the refrigerator; let’s get some ice cream Ahh, how we enjoy the arrival of spring, the most anticipated season of the year for those of us now bored with hot cocoa and board games.

Spring is most commonly defined as the first stretch of warm temperatures in late winter. This season of rising temperatures sparks an unofficial celebration that marries a mix of traditions associated with other holidays. We buy brats and burgers for the grill, wear “costumes” of rubber boots and sweatpants, and find a new motivation to exercise and meet that weight-loss resolution set more than two months ago.

It’s sunny and 50 degrees, but based on our reactions, you’d think it’s 70. Here are 10 activities you may catch us Midwesterners attempting when the temperature reaches 12 degrees warmer than the refrigerator.

1. Act like it’s summer. Some of us seem willing to go coatless (or even risk muddy toes in sandals) in this weather, which would have Arizonians grabbing stocking caps from the back of the closet. Then we blame our final winter sniffles on the changing weather.

2. Take a walk or ride a bike. Then we feel better about eating ice cream at the local year-round parlor with indoor seating.

3. Create outdoor honey-do lists. Like Christmas, rising temperatures prompt us to write down what we want: Spring 2010

A clutter-free garage, spotless windows, tuned lawnmower and clean gutters.

4. Drive through puddles and saturate our shoes in ones we didn’t see. Then we grumble and set our children loose with rubber boots so that we can give the garage some undivided attention.

5. Go to the carwash, drive past and hope the lines shorten later.

6. Visit the home improvement store. We browse the growing seasonal display of flowerpots and yard tools, and then take home a full grill tank and plenty of good intentions.

7. Surrender to the filth and wait in line at the carwash.

We become satisfied to realize we are positioned behind the least dirty of vehicles. Then we learn the driver paid for liquid wax and a blow dry.

8. Drive a motorcycle, if we have one.

9. The rest of us put our hands out the window in the wind. The relaxing nature of coasting a limp hand into forced air brings back stress-free childhood memories.

10. Take a final deep breath before sunset. We slowly inhale the fresh air through our noses as if our grandmother were roasting a Thanksgiving turkey.

Ahh, how we enjoy the arrival of spring in our own interesting ways. ilfbpartners.com

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ALMANAC

Spring Chicken Nothing says spring better than bright yellow baby chicks and tie-dyed eggs. But do you know the reason behind their connection to the spring season? Egg-laying productivity is directly related to the hours of daylight.

Traditionally, the longer days of spring encourage more eggs laid and more new chicks hatched.

Consider these other facts about chickens and eggs: ●

A female chicken raised for eggs is called a laying hen.

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Only fertilized eggs will hatch.

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About 6.1 billion dozen eggs are produced each year in the United States.

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Illinois is ranked 25th in the nation for egg production.

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Most eggs produced today will be at the grocery store within 72 hours.

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Each year, a person will eat approximately 250 eggs.

●

Eggs contain one of the highest quality food proteins known.

This Family Business is Smokin’ Hicks Bar-B-Que in Belleville has all the right ingredients for a successful business – high-quality Illinois pork, a special sauce recipe, and a family-focused attitude.

Longtime competitors on the competition barbecue circuit, the Hicks family wanted to open a restaurant that focused first and foremost on local product. Their claimto-fame smoked pork ribs all come from Illinois farms, and they smoke their brisket and pork butts over Southern Illinois applewood. And with the family’s special sauce, it’s a meal to remember.

Learn more at www.hicksbbq.com.

For more facts about chickens and other farm animals, visit www.aginthe classroom.org.

PICTURE-PERFECT AZALEAS Azaleas add spectacular color to your outdoor landscape. A main causee of death for azaleas is improper planting, so follow these tips for better results. ults. ●

Locate plants on a shaded location in the north, east or northwest sidee of a building – and a location sheltered from winter sun and winds.

●

Thoroughly work the soil bed, and add peat moss and compost.

●

Set the plant slightly higher than ground level, keeping 1/3 of the plantt above ground. This prevents it from sitting in too much water.

Source: University of Illinois Extension 6

Illinois Farm Bureau

Agriculture in Action Sometimes the best way to learn about agriculture is to see it in action. Now, you might not be able to travel to Maine and see cranberry bogs firsthand, but the television program America’s Heartland can give you the inside look you crave.

In its fifth season, the show has covered more than 300 agriculture-related stories from all over the country, including Illinois. America’s Heartland airs on PBS and RFD-TV. You can also view episodes at www.americasheartland.org.

Back to Nature Enjoy the simpler things in life this spring – the sounds of birds chirping, peaceful trail walks in search of new plant life and even glimpses of newborn fawns – at the Douglas Hart Nature Center in Mattoon.

Spring is a wonderful time to visit, according to the center’s staff, although educational programs and special events run year-round.

The center, funded through grants and private support, was established in the late 1960s. Over the years, more than 65 acres of land have been transformed into prairie, forest and wetlands habitats.

Find out about upcoming events at www.dhnature.org.

WATCH ONLINE

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING Country Mutual Insurance Company To All Policyholders and Members: Notice is hereby given that the annual meeting of the members of Country Mutual Insurance Company will be held in the Illinois Agricultural Association Building, 1701 Towanda Avenue, Bloomington, Illinois on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 1:00 p.m., to receive, consider, and if approved, confirm and ratify the reports of the officers and of the Board of Directors of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2009 to elect 20 members of the Board of Directors to serve for a term of one year, and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting.

Elaine Thacker Kathy Smith Whitman Assistant Secretaries

Take a tour of the Douglas Hart Nature Center at ilfbpartners.com.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, EARTH DAY! Earth Day, a global celebration of the environment, commemorates its 40th year on April 22. Learn some ways you can go green this year. ●

Get your family involved in a recycling program.

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Walk, ride a bike or take the bus instead of traveling by car.

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Donate old towels and blankets to local animal shelters for bedding.

Find more ideas at www.earthday.net.

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With the right tools and knowledge, raising bees and producing your own honey can be a

Sweet Life STORY BY

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Joanie Stiers

Illinois Farm Bureau

PHOTOS BY ANTONY BOSHIER

D

Spring 2010

anny Hart’s day begins with a teaspoon of pollen and ends with a spoonful of homegrown honey.

The sweet rewards of beekeeping began nearly 15 years ago for Danny and wife Janet of Brimfield, who now manage between 21 and 26 hives. The couple, named the 2005 Illinois Beekeepers of the Year by the Illinois State Beekeepers Association, started with no experience. Class time, beekeeper mentors and plenty of reading set their foundation for success.

“If you start reading about bees, it draws you in,” Janet says. “The more you read about them, the more you want to try your hand at beekeeping.”

Both urban and rural residents with about $250 and some hobby hours to spare can become beekeepers. The sale of honey and products, such as beeswax candles, pollen and body butter, can make the hobby self-sustaining or even slightly profitable.

As a bonus, beekeepers enjoy honey’s natural vitamins and minerals, as well as its stamina-boosting benefits. They experience the honeybee’s fascinating social structure.

And they support mankind’s existence, as

MORE ONLINE Visit ilfbpartners.com for additional links to Illinois beekeeping groups and websites for beginning beekeepers.

Dan and Janet Hart of Brimfield taught themselves how to become beekeepers. Now they teach others about this affordable hobby. ilfbpartners.com

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Source: www.betterbee.com

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bees pollinate nearly one-third of the food supply.

The Harts and other Illinois beekeepers advise beginners to read a how-to book, talk to experienced beekeepers and take a class.

Many classes or programs are offered throughout the state, says Bill Buckley, president of the Illinois State Beekeepers Association. Visit the association’s website at www.isba.us to learn more or to find a local association that may sponsor a class.

The popularity of beginner beekeeping classes throughout the state indicates managed hives are again on the rise, says Steve Chard, apiary inspection supervisor for the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

About 1,350 beekeepers managed 20,000 hives in Illinois in 2009.

Do keep in mind that there’s more to it than just buying some bees. Wannabe beekeepers within city limits should first check regulations in their communities.

Most cities allow beekeeping, so begin to educate your neighbors about the benefits of beekeeping and the docile nature of honeybees, says Buckley, a 38-year beekeeper who lives in the Chicago suburb of Willowbrook.

Sharing honey helps, too, he adds.

After some education, start with two hives, the Harts say. Each hive will hold one

colony of bees. Beekeeping suppliers, such as Illinois-based Dadant, offer kits for beginners that include everything from the hive to the head veil. Then, plan to order a package of bees for spring delivery.

Another option is to buy a nuc. A nuc includes several frames from a working hive; thus, it contains bees, a queen, honey, pollen, eggs and larva. Once your colony is established, register it with the Illinois Department of Agriculture, as required by law.

Various year-round hive management activities will include monitoring brood chambers, bee behavior, food supply, diseases and pests. Honey harvest can begin as early as summer. The Harts collect honey several times from June to September. Some beekeepers harvest once in the fall.

Extracting honey from the honeycomb can be as basic as a hand-crank extractor in a newspaper-lined kitchen. The Harts have graduated to a state-inspected extracting room and now share their original extractor with local beginners.

Honeybees in Illinois produce an average of 82 pounds of honey per hive, says Danny, whose goal is 100 pounds. The bees will need 50 to 60 pounds of that to last through the winter. The rest is the beekeeper’s reward, which provides plenty for a nightly spoonful.

Illinois Farm Bureau

TODD BENNETT

STAFF PHOTO

DID YOU KNOW The queen is a female bee with a fully developed reproductive system, and she is larger and longer than a worker bee. She is solely responsible for all the egg laying of a colony.

Workers are female bees whose reproductive organs are undeveloped.

The majority of the honeybees are worker bees and they do all the work in the colony except for laying fertile eggs.

The drone is the male honeybee, whose purpose is to fertilize the eggs.

A Natural Attraction THREE WAYS TO INVITE BEES INTO YOUR GARDEN

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honeybee worker visits more than 2,000 flowers on a good day.

To make your flowers among them, follow these tips from Gene E. Robinson, director of the University of Illinois Bee Research Facility.

• Yellow and blue flowers generally are most attractive to bees.

Flowers that are red are least attractive to bees. The University of Illinois lists these yellow and blue flowers among bees’ favorites: - Great Blue Lobelia - Wild Lupine - Partridge Pea - Hardy Ageratum

- Stiff Goldenrod - Showy Goldenrod - Butterfly-weed - Yellow Giant Hyssop

• Plant a sequence of flowers to deliver season-long blooms for season-long bee visits.

• Limit or eliminate the use of insecticides that are toxic to bees, especially during times of bloom.

MORE ONLINE For more flower ideas or bee garden information, visit the University of Illinois Bee Spotter website, beespotter.mste.uiuc.edu. Click on Topics.

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Ingenuity, local ownership thrive in Galesburg’s Seminary Street District, reminiscent of

Days Gone By 12

Illinois Farm Bureau

Joanie Stiers PHOTOGRAPHY BY J. Kyle Keener STORY BY

I

f you’re looking for a local way to spend your Saturday, head to Galesburg. This small town, located in west-central Illinois, is home to a commercial district that encourages patrons to enjoy acclaimed dining and specialty shopping in the absence of franchises and chains.

The originality and entrepreneurial spirit in the Seminary Street Historic Commercial District remains its distinction today after more than 30 years in downtown Galesburg.

Nearly 30 local, independently owned shops, food venues and museums line the

three-block district. A partially brick-lined street and coordinated awnings and paint schemes highlight buildings that were constructed from the 1880s to 1910, setting a unique tone to a district focused on dining and shopping in a historic setting.

“You can pick any of these businesses, and you find a couple or a family behind it that’s the driving force,” says Jay Matson, who founded the district with his wife, Mary, in the 1970s. In fact, they own the Calico Cat, the district’s original store, and the Packinghouse Dining Co. Their daughter

MORE ONLINE See a listing of shops and restaurants at seminarystreet.com.

The success of Seminary Street, Galesburg’s historic commercial district, can be linked to its commitment to maintaining small-town charm and the high reputation of local businesses like Innkeeper’s Coffee.

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now operates these businesses.

Though specialty districts like Seminary Street are more common today, the concept was innovative – even risky – at its start in the 1970s.

In that decade, downtown Galesburg deteriorated because a regional mall opened across town and transformed shopping habits. The Matsons’ gift shop on Seminary Street either needed to move to the new mall or accept the downtown challenge.

“The challenge back then was that the street was deserted, and the buildings were in extreme disrepair,” Matson says, adding that a fire in one building left rubble even on the sidewalk. “The opportunity was that real estate values plummeted to the point where you could purchase.”

They stayed, found investors, bought old buildings, restored them and launched three restaurants as the district’s primary attraction. The Matsons’ strategy was food first, then shops, realizing that even they would be motivated to visit offbeat neighborhoods based on restaurant recommendations.

They warded off bankruptcy a few times, and Seminary Street soon became a model small district for downtown “main streets” throughout the United States. In the late 1970s, Galesburg was one of three communities chosen for the original National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Project.

Media attention followed, including press from the Wall Street Journal and Chicago Tribune.

Interest grew and entrepreneurs opened more restaurants, a bakery, coffee house and roastery, pub, historic antique mall, and more than 20 specialty shops that offer toys, salon services, gifts, artwork, floor covering, menswear, jewelry and more.

The district’s restaurants consistently are noted as favorites in local dining reviews. Innkeeper’s Coffee proves a standout at the district’s north end, and the health foods business is a successful niche at Uncle Billy’s Bakery and Cornucopia.

The area also includes the Galesburg Railroad Museum and Discovery Depot Children’s Museum, both within sight of the Amtrak depot. Loft apartments are available in the center of the district.

“We all work hard and work together, and I think that’s one thing that’s really important,” says Marj Edlen, owner and designer at From The Heart, a vendor shop featuring gifts and local artisans.

Edlen also designs heirloom teddy bears and Father Christmas figurines from vintage furs and clothing.

She has shipped more than 10,000 heirloom bears to all 50 states and nine foreign countries from her business home on Seminary Street.

Matson credits ingenuity like this, as well as the unity of the owners, for the success of the Seminary Street Historic Commercial District.

She explains, “The glue that holds it together is that we have a whole bunch of independent owneroperators working together.”

In one trip to Galesburg, visitors can purchase glass decorations at the Calico Cat gift store, enjoy a glass of wine at Chez Willy’s Restaurant & Wines or wind down with a steaming cup of joe and a pastry at Innkeeper’s Coffee.

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Illinois Farm Bureau

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Trash or Treasure Tips for a smart start to antique shopping MORE ONLINE Have other “antiquing” tips to share? Visit the online version of this story at ilfbpartners.com and add your tips to the comments section.

With antiquing, knowledge is power.

And Laura Gibbs-Kirven started her education early. She learned to bid at antique auctions when in the sixth grade.

She now is a certified personal property appraiser and president of the Galesburg Antiques Mall Co., which offers 30,000 square feet of antiques in the Seminary Street Historic Commercial District.

She offers these tips to beginning antique shoppers.

• Shop reputable places.

• Collect only what you like and only enough to display and enjoy.

• Examine condition. Feel for cracks and chips. Even chipped glass can deem something almost worthless.

• Ask staff to evaluate an antique.

• Take care of your purchases. For example,

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protect fine furniture in winter to prevent drying.

• Some good investments include fine furniture, Americana pieces, Roseville pottery, Indian artifacts and fine quilts.

• If you want value for your money, consider exquisite textiles or fine jewelry. Often a textile that took 100 hours to complete may cost only $30. Used gold and diamonds can cost much less than new at jewelry stores.

Still don’t know where to start?

An easy way to start your antiquing project is to complete your grandmother’s partial set of dishes or revisit your childhood and try to furnish that old dollhouse in mom’s basement. For many men, antique collections revolve around other interests. Duck decoys and old tools are some favorites among men.

– Joanie Stiers Illinois Farm Bureau

COUNTRY® WISDOM ABOUT THE AUTHOR Joe Buhrmann is a Certified Financial Planner™ certificant and the Manager of Financial Security Field Support for COUNTRY Financial. Visit COUNTRY on the web at www.countryfinancial.com.

The Power of a Plan To reach your investment goals, start with a road map TIME FLIES QUICKLY In a year and half, my oldest will be heading off to college. In the blink of an eye, we’ve gone from gumdrops to flip-flops to laptops. I have some of the same queasiness many other parents face as their children head to college.

Retirement? College? How are we going to pay for it all?

I know that we’re better off than most, though, because we have a plan.

The benefit of sitting down with a trusted adviser to plan out your future – whether it’s retirement, a college education or planning for that great lake house you’ve always wanted – has always been sound.

Studies continue to show that those who put together a plan are much more likely to attain their goals and end up more financially secure.

A recent study by the Financial Planning Association, The Value of Financial Planning, shows that 78 percent of those with a financial plan feel well prepared for retirement.

Put that in perspective with those without professional support, 46 percent of whom feel prepared for retirement.

MONEY CAN’T BUY EVERYTHING How many times have we heard the phrase “money can’t buy happiness?”

It is true that you accomplish many of your financial goals without an adviser and a plan. But how will the Spring 2010

journey be? The real power isn’t just in attaining goals and creating wealth. It’s about the quality of life you live during the journey.

How likely are you to be happy and content without a plan? How many nights will you lose sleep? What toll will it take on your health and your family? Will you miss opportunities because you failed to plan? Are you and your family vulnerable to catastrophic losses due to insurance gaps?

Nearly nine out of 10 study respondents who have a financial plan felt they have a clear financial direction compared to just 50 percent of respondents who are trying to go it alone.

THE BIGGEST STEP The benefits of putting together a financial plan with a trusted adviser are clear. The accomplishment and comfort it can bring, particularly in today’s troublesome times, is immeasurable.

If you’re like many and haven’t begun your journey to a more secure financial future, don’t worry. It’s never too late to start. The biggest – and most important step – is the first one. Sit down with a trusted adviser who listens to you and will help you develop and implement a plan to meet your goals and objectives.

After all, people who reach their goals rarely go it alone. ilfbpartners.com

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When it comes to creating a greener climate, Illinois farmers are

Ahead of STORY BY

Martin Ross Kashian

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Ken

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Illinois Farm Bureau

the Curve Y

ou may have noticed them last summer along an Illinois highway – contoured waves of emerald corn separated by broad, winding ribbons of grass.

Less breathtaking is the winter vista: crops reduced to brown stubble and shifting residues.

Both sights inspire Ted Gilles. This Peoria County farmer and his brother, Ron, see an unplowed, post-harvest field as a promise kept to nature, and a patch of prairie grass or a grassy waterway as an investment in the planet and agriculture’s future.

Nearly 320 of the Gilles brothers’ 700 acres are devoted to soil and water protection, animal habitat, and prairie preservation under the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the federal Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP).

Their farmstead is a showcase and a classroom; hundreds of visitors climb onto hayracks each summer and out of school buses each fall to view prairie grasses, wildflowers, woodlands, wetlands, and the occasional blue heron or sandhill crane.

CONSERVING SOIL AND WATER The farm itself features a system of dams, terraces, waterways and grass filter strips that capture potential pollutants from water before they reaches streams or rivers.

“No-till” – a farming method that leaves post-harvest residues on the ground over the winter instead of plowing them under with a moldboard plow – helps hold valuable soil in Spring 2010

place and further protects water quality.

Illinois leads the nation in no-till farming; in 2007, no-till acres exceeded the number of conventionally tilled acres statewide. That’s a lot of saved soil, but even greater benefits lie ahead.

Atmospheric accumulation of carbon dioxide has been linked to global climate change; long-term, continuous no-till farming traps carbon in the soil.

Further, no-till reduces farm fuel needs – a cost savings for producers that also improves agriculture’s carbon “footprint.”

ENCOURAGING WILDLIFE HABITAT In addition, the Gilles annually reserve nine to 10 grain plots to help ensure winter survival for a number of wildlife species.

The Gilles’ enthusiasm for hunting led to their foray into conservation roughly 18 years ago.

Ted had long been intrigued by the CRP, which reimburses farmers who remove environmentally sensitive cropland from production and foster wildlife habitat.

Inspired by what he learned, he took the plunge, initially around the edges of the family farm. Gradually, he and Ron moved more acres into the CRP, aided by incentives under the more recent CREP. “We just love the wildlife, and there’s a lot of wildlife out there,” Ted says. “We see a lot of deer, a lot of pheasants, a lot of quail and turkey.”

DID YOU KNOW In 2009, nearly half of Illinois cropland was farmed with conservation tillage practices.

Conservation tillage is defined as any production method that leaves at least 30 percent of the prior year’s crop residue on the ground after planting. No-till is the most popular in Illinois.

Source: Illinois Department of Agriculture soil erosion and crop tillage survey, 2009

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Meal Worth

Sharing Gather your friends for a colorful spring brunch STORY BY

BUY LOCAL Many classic brunch ingredients – eggs, bacon, sausage and even artisan breads – can be purchased from Illinois farms any time of year.

For links to farmers near you, visit the online version of this story at ilfbpartners.com.

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pring into the season with a simple yet delectable brunch. Our menu offers the perfect mix of sweet and savory, simple enough to prepare for Saturday morning get-togethers – but with a twist, just to keep things interesting.

Brunch is truly one of my favorite meals, a treat I typically enjoy on Sundays. It’s always good, regardless of the season, but something about spring just makes my cravings stronger.

Maybe it’s because I can finally dine outside – when those spring showers aren’t watering my May flowers, anyway – or maybe it’s because my favorite fruits are back in season.

Either way, I never pass up a good springtime brunch – especially when

Jessica Walker

the menu is this tempting.

This meal also is irresistible because it feels luxurious – a time to kick back, turn off the cell phone and neglect your watch.

Something about it makes me relax and unwind, allowing me to truly enjoy each bite. It’s just special. And the springtime weather makes it feel even more so.

So, eat, drink and be merry this season.

My guess is that you deserve it. Indulge in our tasty menu on your own – more for you, I always say – or host a spring celebration with friends and family. Take a moment to celebrate the season, enjoying the weather and your company – and, of course, the food.

Just be sure to do a not-so-pleasant spring activity before your guests arrive: spring cleaning.

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Pineapple Berry Boats 8

ounces cream cheese

13

/

cup raspberry preserves

2

tablespoons milk

½ teaspoon lemon zest 2

teaspoons lemon juice

½ cup cream 2

tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1

pineapple

1

pint strawberries

1

pint blackberries

1. Whip cream cheese until smooth, then blend in

preserves. Add milk, lemon zest and lemon juice, mixing well.

2. In a separate bowl, whip cream with sugar until

soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Chill.

3. Halve pineapple lengthwise, keeping the green

leaves intact. Scoop out the flesh and cut into bite-size pieces, discarding tough core.

4. Cut each strawberry in half. Fill pineapple “boats”

PHOTOS BY ANTONY BOSHIER

with pineapple, strawberries and blackberries.

Serve with cream cheese dipping sauce.

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Illinois Farm Bureau

Monkey Bread

Sausage and Red Pepper Breakfast Strata

1½ cups brown sugar

1

pound bulk breakfast sausage

2

teaspoons ground cinnamon

1

loaf French bread

3

10-ounce packages refrigerated biscuit dough

4

tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1½ sticks unsalted butter 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix together 3/4 cup brown sugar and cinnamon.

3. Cut biscuits into quarters, then dip each into the

sugar mixture and place in a greased fluted pan.

Do this until all biscuits are used and all sides of the pan are evenly filled with dough.

4. Melt butter, and mix with remainder of brown

12 eggs 3½ cups half and half 2

teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon pepper 1¼ cups chopped scallions 2

cups Monterey Jack cheese

½ cup diced red pepper 1. Put rack in middle of oven and preheat to 375 degrees.

sugar. Pour mixture over biscuits.

2. Brown sausage in a skillet. Drain fat and cool.

5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Flip pan over onto

3. Cut half of French bread loaf in one-inch-thick

a serving dish and serve.

slices, and spread each slice with softened butter.

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray, and arrange the bread slices in one tight layer in the dish.

Sprinkle with sausage.

4. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, salt and pepper until frothy. Then whisk in green onions and one cup of cheese. Pour egg mixture over sausage.

5. Sprinkle with red peppers and then remaining cheese.

6. Bake covered 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 20 more minutes or until puffed on the sides and the center is set.

TIP Chopped pecans can add a new dimension to this dish. Sprinkle the pecans throughout the layers of biscuit pieces before pouring the butter mixture.

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GARDENING

Feeling a Bit

BLUE True blue flowers can be tricky to find

S ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jan Phipps farms, gardens, writes and podcasts near Chrisman. She’s been a University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener for 10 years.

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imilar to the shortage of blue foods, there aren’t a lot of blue flowers out there.

No, not purple or lavender, even though these colors are often lumped under “blue” in horticulture publications. I mean a true blue.

I’ve been on a quest to add more blue blooms to my yard for the past few years. It started one evening while having dinner at a friend’s house. On the center of her dining table was a small arrangement of flowers cut from her garden, and there it was. The perfect blue! She didn’t know the name of it, but after my rhapsodizing over the gorgeous flower instead of the food, my friend gave me some volunteers from her garden.

After some research, I discovered it was a

perennial called Centaurea ‘Montana,’ common name Mountain Bluet. The bloom looks a lot like Bee Balm (Monarda), but blue instead of red. And so my passion for finding more true blue flowers began.

Through my research, I’ve found several other varieties to try in your garden.

Some blue perennials to consider are Hydrangea ‘Nikko Blue’ (if grown in slightly acidic soil), Veronica spp. ‘Crater Lake Blue’ (Speedwell), Mertensia pulmonariodes (Bluebells), Buddleia davidii ‘Ellen’s Blue’ (Butterfly Bush), Delphinium, and the bulb Muscari armeniacum (Grape Hyacinth).

There are also several varieties of iris, both Dutch and tall-bearded, that are blue. If you Illinois Farm Bureau

ASK AN EXPERT

Q

Last year I planted a pot with pansies, petunias and impatiens.

It looked good for about five weeks, but

by July all I had left were the petunias.

What happened?

are looking for a blue perennial ground cover for full sun, try Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (Plumbago).

If annuals are more your flower of choice, Heavenly Blue Morning Glories are an easy way to grow vine, and there are blue varieties of Pansies, Lobelia, Larkspur and Bachelor Buttons to try.

Besides blue flowers, there are some shade plants with blue foliage. Many hostas have blue in their botanical and common names, but the blue is really a dark blue green. Usually, the darker the leaf, the more shade it needs to maintain that dark bluish hue all summer.

Once you choose your true blues, how do Spring 2010

you use them in your landscape? There are several color combinations that work very well.

My favorite is blue and yellow. Although it is not used a lot here, it is very popular in France and probably Sweden, since they are the two colors in the Swedish flag.

Pink, blue and lavender go well together.

All three colors appear more vivid when reflecting off each other.

If you have a seating area in your garden where you like to relax, pair white flowers and plants with silver foliage with your blues. That combination has a calming effect. It works particularly well in formal or classic settings. Think of the blue and white of Delft or Chinese pottery.

ANSWER You chose plants with different growing requirements.

Pansies are a cool weather plant which can’t take heat and humidity. Petunias love full, hot sun, while impatiens need shade.

E-mail your gardening questions to Jan at ilfbpartners@jnlcom.com.

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{Travel Illinois}

Arthur & Arcola

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Illinois Farm Bureau

Savor life at a slower pace in Illinois Amish Country STORY BY

Jessica Mozo Antony Boshier

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

N

early everyone has wondered what it would have been like to live in the past. Visiting the towns of Arthur and Arcola is about as close as you can get. With a population of about 2,200, Arthur is at the heart of Central Illinois’ Amish country and is home to the largest and oldest Amish community in Illinois, which was founded in the 1860s.

Nearby Arcola is slightly larger than Arthur and features many tourist attractions, including the Illinois Amish Interpretive Center. The friendly atmosphere of both communities is perhaps best summed up with Arthur’s motto, “Where you’re a stranger only once.”

ALL ABOUT THE AMISH Immerse yourself in the quaintness of Amish culture with a visit to the Illinois Amish Interpretive Center in downtown Arcola. Explore Amish exhibits and watch a video about their faith and lifestyle. Then embark on the center’s Amish Culture Tour, which includes historic Amish wagon rides, Amish home tours, woodworking and farm tours, and a meal in an Amish home. It’s bound to be the best made-from-scratch fried chicken, mashed potatoes, noodles, homemade pies and breads you’ve ever tasted.

Shopping in downtown Arthur and Arcola will also give you a taste of Amish culture,

THE AREA’S MUST-SEES • Historic Illinois Central Train Depot, Arcola • World’s Only Hippie Memorial, Arcola • Illinois Amish Interpretive Center, Arcola • Rockome Gardens, Arcola • Andrew Carnegie Library, Arcola • Yoder’s Homestead Shop and Furniture, Arcola • Country Cheese and More, Arthur • Yoder’s Kitchen, Arthur • Amish countryside • Lake Shelbyville

Visitors to Rockome Gardens in Arcola can take buggy rides through the colorful complex.

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The Flower Patch Bed & Breakfast in Arcola

8 THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT THE AMISH • Handmade really means handmade • Homemade pies, jams and breads • Apple butter • Handcrafted oak furniture and cabinets • Horses and buggies • Hand-stitched quilts • Mouth-watering cheeses • There’s no such thing as fast food

Downtown Arcola shopping

but don’t expect to find any chain stores here.

What you will stumble upon are dozens of small shops selling everything from antiques and quilts to wood furniture, crafts, artwork and baked goods. While in downtown Arthur, don’t miss Dick’s Pharmacy, a traditional pharmacy with a soda fountain that still serves up old-fashioned sodas and hand-dipped malts and shakes.

STAY A SPELL Charmed yet? You will be when you book an overnight stay at the Arcola Flower Patch & Diamond House Bed & Breakfast.

Two historic homes make up the complex and are connected by picturesque floral landscaping. The Flower Patch house is an 1864 Vic Victorian-Italianate structure with five graceful guestrooms, antiques and art, and a well-sto well-stocked gift shop with tea, English teapots, candles, cards and more. Next door, the 1914 Diamond House was built in Frank Lloyd W Wright’s prairie house style and offers five gues guestrooms and three suites. Guests at both hom homes enjoy the bed-and-breakfast’s legendary seven-course breakfast that legendar usually incorporates i fresh produce and

herbs grown on the property.

You can also relax and unwind at Arthur’s Country Inn, located within walking distance of an Amish pastry and coffee shop, a cheese shop, a woodcraft store and Yoder’s Kitchen restaurant.

When the sun goes down on Amish country, you can still find quality entertainment at The Little Theatre On The Square in nearby Sullivan. The small-town theater has been bringing Broadway-style shows to Central Illinois since 1957 and was recognized by USA Today in 2005 as one of the top 10 places to see the lights way off Broadway.

Want to take a piece of Amish country home with you? Located in a vintage building, Arcola Emporium Antiques is a great place to pick up a souvenir, with an inventory that includes antiques, primitives, collectables, glassware, pottery, toys, jewelry and Raggedy Ann and Andy memorabilia.

MORE SITES TO SEE Stop and smell the roses at Arcola’s Rockome Gardens, a complex that draws hoards of visitors for its 15 acres of lush

LAWNMOWERS ON PARADE LAWNMOWE If you visit Arcola in September, don’t miss the Arcola Broom Corn Festival Parade, where you ccan catch the town’s world-famous Lawn Rangers.

Founded in 1980, the Lawn Rangers are a group of men who wanted to march in the parade but decided the only talent they shared was mowing their lawns. Since o one of the men was part owner in a broom company, they decided to pu push lawn mowers while tossing brooms in the air.

The group has sin since become famous for their lawnmower antics and has appeared in par parades across the nation, including the Presidential Inauguration p parade in 2009.

This year’s Bro Broom Corn Festival is scheduled for Sept. 10-12.

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Illinois Farm Bureau

LOCAL FLAVOR gardens, buggy rides, family-style dining, shops and nationally famous festivals. You can also witness demonstrations of centuryold traditions such as soap making, broom making, candy making and pottery, and take a peek in a blacksmith shop, one-room school house and haunted cave. Kids especially love Rockome Gardens for its train rides, petting zoo and tree house playground.

Springfield may be considered the “Land of Lincoln,” but the Arthur/Arcola area might as well be called the “Land of Lincoln’s Parents.”

The Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site in nearby Lerna preserves the 1840s farm of Thomas and Sarah Bush Lincoln, father and stepmother of the beloved president.

The 86-acre historic site is a working living history farm that includes a reproduction of the Lincolns’ two-room cabin constructed on the original cabin site.

Visitors can observe interpreters tending to 1840s chores such as butter making, rail splitting, mending and barn mucking.

Former hippies and hippie wannabes will fully appreciate the World’s Only Hippie Memorial, a work of art some 62 feet long in downtown Arcola.

The memorial’s creator, Bob Moomaw, was a colorful fellow who served as the town’s tax assessor and railroad clerk, but his favorite “job” was painting messages to the public on the side of a downtown building he owned. One such message read, “America, you’re turning into a nation of minimumwage hamburger flippers. Rebel. Think for yourself. It works!”

Fried Chicken and Shoofly Pie THE DUTCH KITCHEN IS THE PLACE TO FIND HOMEMADE COOKING AT ITS BEST

T

here’s a reason The Dutch Kitchen in Arcola has been thriving for nearly 40 years. Actually, there are several – starting with homemade bread topped with Amish apple butter, chicken and noodles, Italian beef sandwiches, country fried chicken, peanut butter pie … we could go on and on.

“We use a lot of recipes my Amish mother had, and I’ve got a lot of relatives who are Amish,” says Allen Yoder, who co-owns The Dutch Kitchen with his wife, Ruth Ann. “We sell a lot of plate lunches served with mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing, vegetables and homemade bread. Our salad bar is another option, and it’s not just lettuce. We make our own salads, like corn relish, pineapple salad and pea salad.”

Plate lunches might feature locally produced beef, pork, chicken, turkey, sausage or fish.

“Most everything is homemade,” Yoder says. “Our chicken and noodles is special, and so are our salmon patties. And we make our own pies – coconut, peanut butter cream, Dutch apple, cherry crumb and shoofly pie.”

Shoofly pie?

“It’s an old-fashioned pie that’s flavored with sorghum, which is kind of like maple syrup,” Yoder explains.

The atmosphere of the downtown Arcola restaurant is homey, with historic photos of Arcola’s broomcorn industry lining the walls alongside Raggedy Ann memorabilia.

The Dutch Kitchen is open Tuesday through Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.

MORE ONLINE Find links to more restaurants in Arcola and Arthur at ilfbpartners.com.

REMEMBER RAGGEDY ANN A famous Arcola native is Johnny Gruelle, creator of the American dolls Raggedy Ann and Andy.

Arcola hosts the annual Raggedy Ann & Andy Festival, usually held in May or June. The event features vendors, collectors, a tea party, kids’ activities, a talent show and the Raggedy Friendship Gathering.

For details, contact the Arcola Chamber of Commerce at (800) 336-5456.

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ILLINOIS IN FOCUS

THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF Our Lady of the Snows was founded in 1958 and is believed to be one of the largest outdoor shrines in the United States. Located in Belleville, the shrine hosts a variety of special events, including cultural celebrations, weddings and the popular Way of Lights exhibit each Christmas. PHOTO BY JEFF ADKINS

SEE MORE PHOTOS Take a photo tour through Belleville’s other attractions at ilfbpartners.com.

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