Illinois
Fall 2010
Farm Bureau
速
A quarterly magazine for members
ilfbpartners.com
Women of the
Ag World
From field to classroom, office to museum, these women embody modern farming
Where the buffalo roam
This Place Rocks: A visit to the Funk Gem & Mineral Museum
Dinner in a flash
letters
It’s Never Been More Important This issue of Partners finds summer winding down. Labor Day is just around the corner. Over the holiday weekend, communities throughout the state will host annual parades that feature, among other things, candidates for elected office and lots of red, white and blue. The November election will be here before you know it. Exercising one’s right to vote has always been important. We would argue that this year it’s more important than ever. You likely are aware of Illinois’ financial situation. The state government is broke. State funding for K-12 education in Illinois has been cut drastically. Arts and foreign language, agriculture education, advanced placement classes, food and agriculture research, alternatives for at-risk students and school breakfast programs are all victims. The state continues to borrow just to pay its bills. Pension funds are a mess. Every aspect of our quality of life – education, safety, economic development – is affected by these cuts. There also are national issues that continue to loom large and that require good decision making and strong leadership. Issues such as the lingering recession, climate change, and the need to develop a comprehensive energy plan. The Nov. 2 election presents an opportunity to impact how decisions are made about finances, education, public safety, energy, the environment and more. There’s something at stake for every one of us; it’s your money, your children’s education, your job, your health care, your highways and your neighborhood that are affected by the decisions of our elected officials. Illinois Farm Bureau strongly urges you to register to vote, if you haven’t already. I urge you to think about the quality of life issues that are important to you and to learn the candidates’ positions on those issues. Then, go to the polls in November and make an informed decision. It’s your democracy. Please do your part to make it work. Philip Nelson is president of Illinois Farm Bureau and COUNTRY Financial.
“Exercising one’s right to vote has always been important. We would argue that this year it’s more important than ever.” 2
Missing Museum How excited I was as I opened Partners this morning to see an article called “Travel Illinois: Bloomington.” Flipping through the four pages seeing many familiar places, I was just as quickly disappointed to see several sites in Bloomington missing. I was surprised not to see the Central Illinois Regional Airport, one of the major downstate airports that is always an exciting place to watch the planes coming and going close up. I also feel you should have included the Prairie Aviation Musuem, one of the few aviation museums in Illinois. We are the only air museum that houses a 1941 Link trainer, used by pre-flight pilots in WWII. We also house the Illinois Astronaut’s Gallery that highlights 21 Illinois astronauts. We are the only Illinois aviation museum to have on site an F-14 “Top Gun” jet fighter, along with a UH-1H Huey helicopter that served in Vietnam. Plus, we have a T-33A jet trainer of the type that trained early-1950s pilots how to fly the P-80 “Shooting Star” jet fighter, the first operational jet fighter in the U.S. Air Force arsenal. I was just a bit taken back that the aviation museum and other sites went without a blurb, when I feel these are among the most important tourist sites in both BloomingtonNormal. I will admit that you had a very nice article but really feel that the places I indicated deserved a mention somehow. Frank Thompson, curator, Prairie Aviation Museum, Bloomington, Ill.
Editor’s note: The Prairie Aviation Museum sounds like an unfortunate omission on our part, so we appreciate the feedback. To learn more, visit www.prairieaviationmuseum.org or call (309) 663-7632.
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 Women of the Ag World From field to classroom, office to museum, these women embody modern farming
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14 Where the Buffalo Roam Bison business evokes connection to the past
18 Rock Your World Funk Gem & Mineral Museum displays one man’s 30-year passion for rock collecting
26 Travel Illinois: Rockford
Every Issue
It may be small, but this city knows how to have a rockin’ good time
5 prairie state perspective Country Halloween yields bountiful goodies, relationships
6 Almanac Find out where your Thanksgiving dinner comes from
17 country wisdom Make paying for your child’s education as painless as possible
20 recipes Prepare this dinner in a flash for a speedy weeknight meal
24 Gardening Discover the science behind leaf transformation
30 fall Events Things to do, places to see On the cover Staff Photo Lisa Buzzard, a farmer in Beecher City, Ill.
18 more online Watch videos, read stories and browse photos at ilfbpartners.com.
Fall 2010
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Volume 3, No. 3
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
Managing Editor Jessy Yancey Copy Editors Lisa Battles, Joyce Caruthers, Jill Wyatt
Learn about farmers’ fall harvests
Proofreading Manager Raven Petty Content Coordinators Jennifer Graves, Erica Hines Contributing Writers Joe Buhrmann, Charlyn Fargo, Celeste Huttes, Jessica Mozo, Jan Phipps, Joanie Stiers, Jessica Walker
| farm |
| food |
Ever wondered what a farmer’s fall schedule is like? Visit ilfbpartners.com for our web-exclusive article on a typical autumn day for an Illinois grain farmer.
We want your input. Help us plan new recipes. Look through our online recipes and comment on the ones you like most. Also, let us know which dishes you’d like to see in future Partners issues.
| finds | Read our travel feature on Rockford (page 26), then go online for more places to visit in Winnebago County.
Media Technology Director Christina Carden Senior Graphic Designer Laura Gallagher Media Technology Analysts Chandra Bradshaw, Yamel Hall, Alison Hunter, Marcus Snyder Photography Director Jeffrey S. Otto Senior Photographers Jeff Adkins, Brian McCord Staff Photographers Todd Bennett, Antony Boshier Web Designer Leigh Guarin Ad Production Manager Katie Middendorf Ad Traffic Assistants Marcia Millar, Patricia Moisan Information Technology Director Yancey Bond I.T. Service Technician Ryan Sweeney Accounting Diana Guzman, Maria McFarland, Lisa Owens Sales Support Manager Cindy Hall Sales Support, Custom Division Rachael Goldsberry County Program Coordinator Kristy Duncan Office Manager Shelly Miller Receptionist Linda Bishop Chairman Greg Thurman President/Publisher Bob Schwartzman Executive Vice President Ray Langen Sr. V.P./Operations Casey Hester Sr. V.P./Sales Todd Potter, Carla Thurman
Three Ways With Pumpkin
V.P./Custom Publishing Kim Newsom V.P./Visual Content Mark Forester V.P./Content Development Teree Caruthers V.P./Content Operations Natasha Lorens
1. The Best Pumpkin Pie
Controller Chris Dudley
2. Pumpkin Ginger Soup
Advertising Sales Manager, Custom Division Tori Hughes
3. Autumn Pumpkin Tureen
watch a Video Take a stroll down the longest Main Street in America, found in Belleville. See this and more Illinois videos at ilfbpartners.com.
Marketing Creative Director Keith Harris Distribution Director Gary Smith
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. 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
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Illinois Farm Bureau
prairie state perspective about the author Joanie Stiers writes from rural Williamsfield, where her kids gather four grocery bags of Halloween treats from just a dozen country homes.
Visit For a Treat Country Halloween yields bountiful goodies, relationships The rural woman gave our 3-year-old “Tinker Bell” a 10-ounce box of graham snacks, a bottle of chocolate milk and jars of baby food for her infant brother, who was dressed as a bat. “I only get five trick-or-treaters,” said the woman, who lives 22 miles from the nearest town with a stoplight. Within my view, I could see resealable bags filled with treats set in a basket, prepared for the three kids yet to visit. That Halloween evening yielded three grocery bags of snacks and loose candy and another bag filled with boxes of fruit snacks and an eight-pack of juice beverages for two children, one restricted to pureed foods. In fact, one neighbor emptied 80 percent of a miniature candy bar dish into our daughter’s bag. Months later, our daughter – then dressed as a normal toddler civilian – still asked to trick-or-treat when we pulled into their driveway. Country-style trick-or-treating focuses on friendships, few stops and candy by the bagfuls. The country way was all I knew until adulthood, when my husband and I lived three years in town. There, we counted nearly 300 treat seekers, which persuaded us to give one miniature candy bar per kid. I shopped economically, studying the nutrition label’s serving size to determine which candy
Fall 2010
bags contained the most bars for my money. And we never spoke with the goblins more than to compliment their costumes at the door. It was a stark contrast to my childhood, when the candy contributions were larger and the visits at least 15 minutes apiece. Country dwellers with well-lit front porches expect only a half-dozen visitors. They have no hesitation in preparing hefty treat bags and initiating conversation with Ninja Turtles and wicked witches. One lady always distributed the quarter-pound chocolate blocks with almonds. Another would make ghosts with lollipops to top off a treat bag. Still others were prepared with quart bags of treats labeled with our names. I recall the one elderly woman who insisted we chat over coffee cake. By junior high, my brother and I outgrew the Halloween tradition. Then, we took plates of homemade cookies to our gracious country neighbors. More than 10 years later, many of those same country neighbors attended my wedding. As my husband and I greeted our guests, one of them recalled the Halloween that I dressed as a bride. At that point I knew our childhood visits meant as much to them as the candy did to us. ilfbpartners.com
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almanac
Color Your Autumn Watching brightly colored leaves fall is one of the best parts of autumn; it’s relaxing, beautiful and a treat only available a few weeks each year. To make the most of the season, check out a few spots around the state for prime foliage-spotting. ●
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Matthiessen State Park: Offering canyons, streams, prairie and forest, this state park has five miles of trails perfect for a hike or stroll. Tunnel Hill State Trail: Visitors can bike or hike through farmland, hills and bottomland areas, as well as through the Cache River State Natural Area and Shawnee National Forest. Pere Marquette State Park: The largest state park in Illinois, this area includes 8,000 acres of forested bluffs.
Farm Focus: Pork As the world’s most widely eaten meat, pork is something to celebrate – which may be why October is designated National Pork Month. Consider the following pork facts: ●
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Pork is most commonly consumed as ham – either as an entrée or lunchmeat – in the United States. The majority of pork is eaten processed; just 21 percent of the meat is enjoyed in a fresh form, such as ribs, chops or roasts. Bacon is the most popular pork item found on restaurant menus, with ham and breakfast sausage coming in second and third, respectively. A source of many B-vitamins, as well as phosphorus, zinc and potassium, pork can be part of a healthy diet. Source: National Pork Board, www.pork.org
Growing Herbs…Indoors To enjoy fresh herbs year-round, consider indoor herb gardening. Many herb plants grow well in containers, especially when placed near a sunny windowsill. More tips for growing herbs indoors: ●
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Indoor plants have the same basic requirements – sunlight and a well-drained soil mix – as those grown outdoors.
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Choose a south or west window. Avoid overwatering. Herbs don’t like soggy soil. Once summer comes back around, take them outdoors for the season.
Find more herb-gardening tips at www.ilfbpartners.com.
Illinois Farm Bureau
Where Does Your Thanksgiving Grow? In celebration of Geography Awareness Week, Nov. 16-20, Linda Zellmer has created a way to connect consumers to the origins of their Thanksgiving dinners. Zellmer, government information and data services librarian at Western Illinois University Libraries, has used GIS (geographic information systems) technology to develop a website that links to maps showing where typical Thanksgiving food, such as turkey, cranberries and squash, comes from. Viewed as PDFs, the maps are colorcoded and include an easy-to-read key, making them ideal for educational use. Visit www.ilfbpartners.com to download a copy of the posters.
Apples of Their Eyes WineCrisp, a newly developed dessert apple variety, has been in the making for more than 20 years by breeders from three universities, Purdue, Rutgers and the University of Illinois. WineCrisp apples – named for their deep red color and crunch – ripen late in the season, in mid-October, and offer a unique flavor. In addition, these fruits are resistant to apple scab, which is the No. 1 disease that growers use chemical fungicide sprays to kill.
Pedal Power Pedaling through the Kankakee County area during Sept. 7-9, cyclists participating in the Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom Bike Ride stop at local schools to teach students about agriculture and its importance, as well as bicycle safety. Entertainment each evening highlights unique activities in the area. All proceeds from the ride benefit Illinois Ag in the Classroom. Learn more at www.iaafoundation.org.
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These apples aren’t available everywhere just yet, but nurseries are beginning to apply for licenses to grow WineCrisp-bearing trees. It takes several years for orchards to grow new varieties, but once trees are established, apples could be grown in as little as three years. ilfbpartners.com
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Illinois Farm Bureau
staff photo
Ken Kashian staff photo
From the field to the classroom, the office to the museum, meet the
Women Ag World
of the
P
rior to the 1970s, when Helen Reddy had her hit, “I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar,” farm women were apt to be canning green beans, running into town to get parts for a broken-down tractor and taking care of kids. Their role on the farm was to bring meals to the fields during planting and harvesting and help with the farm books. About the time cake mixes became more popular than made-from-scratch cakes, farm women began to find jobs off the farm. In the ’70s, about a third of farm
women in the nation had off-farm jobs. By the end of the decade, at a time when farm income was plummeting, two-thirds of farm women had off-the-farm employment, providing much needed living expenses and health insurance. That trend has continued. Farm women are among the busiest – on and off the farm – as they have found niches that tie in with agriculture. If the four we’ve profiled are any indication, farm women do what they do because they have a passion for agriculture.
about the author Charlyn Fargo grew up on a farm in Central Illinois showing Shorthorn cattle and baking yeast breads in 4-H. She has bachelor’s degrees in agricultural communications and food from the University of Illinois and a master’s degree in nutrition from Eastern Illinois University. She also is a registered dietitian. She and her husband, Brad Ware, live in Jacksonville.
Clockwise from top left: Sharon Covert, Lisa Buzzard, Beth Gehrke
Fall 2010
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Sharon Covert S
Soybean Board, an appointment made by the U.S. secretary of agriculture. “I’m still on that,” she says. “I’ve worked on international marketing the whole time. This year, I’m chairing the value-enhanced committee.” Like the soybeans her husband raises, Covert blooms where she’s planted. Some 14 years ago, when she was visiting her daughter in Chicago, she wanted to take her grandson to the Museum of Science and Industry.
Ken Kashian
haron Covert of tiny Tiskilwa, just south of Princeton, travels the world looking for places to sell U.S. soybeans. Grandmother to 10, farm wife and nurse by trade, she also helped make the agricultural exhibit at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry a reality. Covert, a longtime agriculture leader, has served on her county’s Farm Bureau board, the Illinois Soybean Board and the United
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She recalled her own experience there as a child, enjoying an agriculture exhibit funded by the McCormicks, pioneers in farm mechanization. “It was gone,” says Covert. “Here we were in the Midwest, and there wasn’t a thing about agriculture.” Motivated by what she didn’t find at the museum, she pitched the idea of funding an agriculture exhibit to the Illinois Farm Bureau State Women’s Committee, and Farm Bureau leadership decided to pursue the idea. “It took years,” Covert remembers. “We’d make a little progress, but changes in museum staff pushed us back to the beginning.” Eventually, the head of the museum brought his family to visit the Coverts’ farm and ride the combine. “Finally, how it really came about in the end came with the head of the museum,” she says. “For his birthday, he wanted to visit a farm at harvest. He brought his wife and children – all of them rode the combine – and after he was here, he decided we needed a combine in the exhibit. From that moment on, we moved forward.” With a plan in place, Covert and the IFB began raising funds in earnest. Major donors included Decatur corn and soybean processor Archer Daniels Midland and Deere & Co. “The whole point of the exhibit is to educate,” Covert says. “People go to the grocery store and food is always there. They don’t think about where that food comes from or the farmer who grew it. We want people to realize someone had to grow that food.” She’s already working on her next project – the Smithsonian Institution. “They have nothing,” she says. “How can you tell the history of America without the history of agriculture?” If Covert has any say, it won’t be that way for long. Illinois Farm Bureau
Staff Photo
Nancy Erickson
N
ancy Erickson of Oneida, just outside of Galesburg in Northwestern Illinois, has a way of making numbers make sense to farmers and non-farmers alike – a skill set she learned from her grandfather, Tom McHatton, who managed land for Peabody Coal Co., and from her mother, who took over the family business. Her father farmed in Southern Illinois, then traded land and moved the family to the Oneida area. “I didn’t even live in the country until I was 13,” Erickson says. “And then it was a grain farm. I knew from the time I was in high school that I wanted to go into the business end of farming. I loved math, and I like things in order.” She approaches life in that same matter-of-fact way: Erickson has
Fall 2010
short black hair, is trim from her discipline of exercise and has a perfectly organized office with everything in its place. Her first parttime job was working for a farm business management service. “I loved it,” she says. “I saw that agriculture could use some help.” She ended up with a degree from the University of Illinois in agricultural science, specializing in ag economics. Out of college, she landed in the real estate division of Aetna in Hartford, Conn. But she didn’t stay on the East Coast for long. Three years later, she returned home to marry Dave Erickson, a high school agriculture teacher. He later started farming, and together the two now run their own farm management service, named after her grandfather.
“He was my inspiration,” she says. “He gave me the ability to see that part of the business. We don’t work with Peabody Coal anymore, but we keep people connected to the land. It’s been a nice complement to our farming.” The couple specializes in giving full-service help to clients, from choosing a tenant farmer to leasing property, and selling grain to simply answering questions and soothing fears. They start with a plan for the soil as well as the finished product. “Dave does a lot of the agronomics; I sell most of the grain,” Erickson says. “Some years I look brilliant; some I don’t. I like selling because I’m more emotionally detached than the farmer, since I’m not physically connected to it. We look at grain differently than the farmer does.” ilfbpartners.com
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Lisa Buzzard S
“My sister, Deb, was always in the house with Grandma. I was always outside with Grandpa.” Buzzard has a passion for the 120 “mama” cows she helps give birth to their babies each spring. Mama cows ready to calve are moved inside a big barn with individual stalls. Once a calf is born, the mom and baby are given time to bond and eat, and in some cases, Buzzard helps the process along by bottle-feeding the calves.
Staff Photo
even days a week, you will find Lisa Buzzard in a pair of Carhartt coveralls, taking care of the 120 head of cattle that fill the barns and pastures on her farm outside Beecher City in Central Illinois. When she and her husband, Stan, married, she offered to help with farm chores. But before long, it became a full-time job that she loves. “I grew up on a farm, but we didn’t have livestock,” Buzzard says.
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“During calving season, we often have pens everywhere,” she says. Buzzard’s work includes setting up those pens, opening gates while her husband drives a small tractor with an end-loader to dump feed into troughs, and carrying buckets of water and feed. Despite the hard work, heavy lifting and manual labor, the job is one that she loves. “Sometimes, when it’s really cold and we’re still out here at 9:30 at night, I think about a desk job,” Buzzard says. “I started working in a nursing home in high school, then took an accounting job. I still keep the books, but I love working outside with the cattle.” A farmer through and through, Buzzard says her best Christmas present ever was a pair of foot warmers. “Your feet do get cold; the warmers are wonderful,” she laughs. Those foot warmers come in handy in February and March, when calving season is in full swing. If a mama cow is having trouble calving, the Buzzards will get up at 2 a.m. to check on her. “That’s why this time of year is the busiest – and we’re the most tired,” Buzzard says. “This is also the most physically challenging time for me, because we have so many cows penned up that have to be fed by hand.” The couple also raises corn, soybeans and hay, but for Buzzard, the cattle are her calling. She’s even completed cattle breeding school so she can help artificially inseminate the cows. According to Buzzard, the best part of farming is that no day is the same. “My life is the cows and the farm,” she says. Illinois Farm Bureau
Staff Photo
Beth Gehrke
K
ane County farmer Beth Gehrke says her passion is teaching kids about agriculture. “It’s fun to have them guess my job – most have never met a farmer before,” she laughs. Gehrke, who raises corn, soybeans, wheat, hay and straw with her husband, Bob, says her goal is to put a “face with a farmer.” To do so, she uses a reading program called SPROUT to teach area third graders about agriculture and also brings families to the farm for tours. “For generations, everyone had someone close to a farm,” says Gehrke. “Not anymore. Now when you say you’re a farmer, people are genuinely interested because they haven’t met a real, live farmer before. “We have a sign that says we sell
Fall 2010
straw. People drive in and, in October, ask if we have strawberries – they saw the sign. They’re used to buying fresh produce anytime of the year in the stores, so they don’t know that strawberries are grown in May.” Beyond the row crops she raises with her husband, Gehrke has a huge garden and orchard, which she uses to teach canning and preserving, and she has a waiting list for the poultry she raises and butchers. She also works through the Kane County Farm Bureau to bring legislators to the farm and, if they want to, ride a combine at harvest. “For someone who has never ridden in a combine, it’s quite an experience,” she laughs. “I love agriculture, and I love sharing it with others. Everyone eats, and everyone cares about their food, but not many
are fortunate to have the background or knowledge about it. That’s where we come in.” She is constantly thinking of new opportunities to share that knowledge. “When I go to the Kane County Fair, I will take one of the chickens or geese or rabbits and sit in the barn with it,” she says. “Kids will come by and I’ll ask if they want to pet it. At the same time, I’m talking to the parents about agriculture. I feel all those little opportunities make a difference.” She and her husband also help with a three-day Ag Day on the farm, inviting ag organizations to put up displays and give 3- to 5-minute talks for the more than 2,000 fourth graders who visit. “That’s the primary thing – telling others about agriculture any way we can.” ilfbpartners.com
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Bison business evokes connection to the past
Where the
Buffa Roam
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Illinois Farm Bureau
lo storY BY
Rebecca Denton Bennett
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Todd
Fall 2010
T
erry Lieb’s 3,400-acre corn and soybean farm in Piatt County is as modern as any in the state, with genetically modified crops, GPS mapping and other high-tech innovations. But in the midst of row-crop country, on 70 acres of prime pastureland near Monticello in Central Illinois, visitors can catch an unexpected glimpse of 18th century history. A small herd of bison roams the open green space – a throwback to a simpler time when as many as 60 million bison roamed the continent from Mexico to Canada. Lieb bought his first bison in honor of that noble heritage, but he soon realized the animals could help support his family farm. He now sells the grass-fed bison meat from his home in 1- to 2-pound packages, and the hobby-turned-side-business is booming. “Consumers want to buy direct from the farmer these days,” says Lieb, who processes six or seven bison each year. “They want to know where their food comes from, what it ate, how it was raised. I can provide all that for them.” Craig Wynne of Decatur has been buying bison meat from Lieb Farms regularly for the past four years. “You never know what is being put in the food that you purchase,” Wynne says. “Lieb’s bison is 100 percent natural, and it’s a healthy alternative to beef, pork and chicken.” Bison meat is high in protein and nutrients and low in calories and fat, with a slightly sweeter and richer taste than beef, according to the National Bison Association. The meat’s health benefits draw many of his customers, Lieb says, and the taste
did you know • Bison can gallop at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour and are good swimmers. • The largest populations of wild, free-ranging bison in the United States are found in Yellowstone National Park. • By the end of the 19th century, only about 1,000 bison remained in North America. • Thanks to conservation efforts, about 450,000 bison live in North America today. • Bison producers can be found in all 50 states.
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Terry Lieb, center, and his sons, Josh, left, and Jake, right, raise bison on their family farm in Monticello.
keeps them coming back. A fourth-generation corn and soybean farmer, Lieb – who runs the farm with his sons, Josh and Jake – bought his first bison eight years ago on a whim at a farm sale. “I had always thought about buying one or two and having them as a curiosity,” he says. But it went a little deeper than that. Since he was a child, Lieb has been fascinated by the Old West, and he views bison as a symbol of those freespirited times. “I feel I’m doing my part to help preserve our nation’s history,” he says. “American Indians and the early settlers lived off bison at one time. This was the original beef. It’s a connection with our past.” Lieb bought a bison cow first. Through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, he took 50 acres of highly erodible land out of crop production and returned it to pasture. He re-fenced the farm, bought a bull and started raising them from there. Before long, cars started stopping along the road by the farm, and visitors crowded by the fence to take photos and video of the grazing bison. Requests for meat soon followed. Doug Gucker, an academic professional in agriculture and natural resources for the University of Illinois Extension office in Piatt County, says the bison have 16
become something of a tourist attraction. “On a nice weekend afternoon in the spring, summer or fall, it is amazing the number of people who stop and take pictures of the buffalo,” Gucker says. “They’re impressive animals, and they really are beautiful to see out there.” Lieb now has 24 head of bison. He can see them from his dining room window and hear their grunts when they wander near the house. “They don’t moo – they grunt,” he says. “That’s how cows talk to their calves. They sound more like pigs.” Bison bulls weigh between 2,000 and 2,500 pounds full-grown, he says, and they can run up to 35 miles an hour and turn on a dime. “When they’re in pasture, they’re pretty docile, but they’re wild animals, and you have to respect them,” Lieb says. “They’ll let you know when you’re getting too close. If one sticks his tail straight up in the air, you’d best be moving away real fast.” He plans to expand the bison business and add a tourism component someday – maybe in 10 years or so when he turns the farm over to his sons. But for now, he’s happy with the way things are going. “I wasn’t looking to get rich off the bison or anything,” he says. “I just like them. If I didn’t sell any meat, I’d probably still have them.” 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.
A Vehicle to Pay for College Make funding your child’s college education as painless as possible Have you ever taken a trip and found yourself in the wrong vehicle for the job? The wrong car can leave you cramped, uncomfortable and unable to hold all your gear. The right car can make the trip a lot more enjoyable. At our house, we’ve been on a 17-year journey. My oldest daughter will be off to college in another year, and her younger sister is just two years behind her. It’s been a long trip, but I know when the bills start coming, we’ll have the right vehicle to help us fund their dreams. Check Your Shock Absorbers Be prepared for sticker shock, as college costs have continued to soar. According to the 2009 Trends in Higher Education report, published by The College Board, the average annual cost for tuition, fees, and room and board is more than $15,000 a year for those attending a four-year, in-state public university and more than $36,000 a year for those attending a private college. Add that up and you’re approaching $100,000 or even $200,000 for a college education. Now, you might be wondering, what’s the best solution to help navigate this obstacle? Possible Vehicles There are several ways to accumulate funds for those looming college bills. Here are a few to test drive:
Fall 2010
• 529 Savings Plans. This savings vehicle is a statesponsored plan that can be opened for children or adults. Almost anyone can make contributions. • Coverdell Education Savings Account. These accounts are funded with after-tax contributions for a child. A maximum of $2,000 can be contributed annually to each child. • Roth IRA. You or your child can open a Roth IRA and withdraw contributions for education purposes. Earnings used for education expenses will be taxed if withdrawn before age 59 1/2. • UGMA/UTMA. Under the Uniform Gifts/Transfers to Minor Act, cash, real estate, mutual funds, stocks, bonds and precious metals can be used to fund the education of a minor. Did Anyone Get Directions? While it’s certainly important to have the right vehicle for the job, it’s equally important that you have a road map for getting safely to your destination. Set specific goals, begin saving to meet those goals and check in periodically to ensure you’re making the desired progress. GPS units have become indispensable. People who reach their goals rarely go it alone. A trusted adviser can help provide you with turn-by-turn navigation and a tangible plan to help make sure you arrive at your college destination. ilfbpartners.com
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A testament to one man’s 30-year passion for collecting artifacts, Funk Gem & Mineral Museum will
Rock Your World 18
Illinois Farm Bureau
storY BY
Celeste Huttes Todd Bennett
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
I
f you’re not a bona fide rock hound when you arrive at the Funk Gem & Mineral Museum, you may be by the time you leave. Located near Shirley in McLean County, the museum stands as a testament to one man’s 30-year passion for rock collecting. “Lafayette Funk II fell in love with rocks and minerals at the age of 53 while on a field trip with his son,” says Bill Case, museum guide and historian. It was fortuitous, then, that Funk’s job as a construction engineer for Funk Seed took him around the globe, allowing him to collect some of the planet’s most exotic specimens. Entering the rock-covered building, visitors are greeted by a striking display of colorful sliced minerals mounted on glass and backlit by light bulbs. And thus begins a journey through a seemingly endless array of rocks, fossils, gems and minerals. Some of the museum’s more rare specimens include the skull of a saber-toothed tiger from the La Brea Tar Pits, Tektite from the moon and a delicate petrified dragonfly that has mystified even the experts. “We have things that even the Smithsonian Museum doesn’t have,” says Case – and that includes a refreshing “hands-on” policy. From the petrified flesh of a fish to the tooth of a baby woolly mammoth, many items in this museum are tantalizingly touchable. “We’re very hands-on,” says Case. “Kids learn better that way.” Kids will also enjoy the surreal world that awaits in the museum’s dark room. There, ultraviolet light makes ordinarily drablooking rocks glow in a rainbow of fluorescent colors. Another room invites guests to step back into Illinois’ history with a fascinating collection of American Indian
Fall 2010
artifacts, ranging from arrowheads to fish hooks and ear ornaments. As your guide through this maze of minerals, Case is an engaging encyclopedia of a man, eager to educate visitors. “I try to help people see the impact of minerals on our lives,” he says. He does so by peppering his tour with fun facts about minerals. For example, did you know that rubies are used in lasers, and copper gives redheads their distinctly colored hair? You might also be surprised to learn that petrification is a relatively quick process – taking years rather than millennia – and that minerals help slow the body’s aging process. “Minerals are the building blocks of life,” says Case. “Pretty much everything in the universe is about minerals.”
Much More than Minerals More than a dazzling array of minerals, the Funk Gem & Mineral Museum provides a glimpse into one family’s life on the prairie. The museum showcases beautifully preserved antique buggies, sleighs and farm equipment from the Funk family homestead. And just next door is the Funk Prairie Home, the restored 1864 residence of Lafayette Funk, Illinois state senator and “Cattle King” of Illinois. The home, pictured above, is open for tours by appointment.
Planning a Visit? Billed as the largest one-man mineral collection in the world, the Funk Gem & Mineral Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., March through December. Admission is free, but reservations are required. Call (309) 827-6792 for directions and to schedule a tour of the museum or the Funk Prairie Home. ilfbpartners.com
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& Satisfyi Simple storY BY
Jessica Mozo
Recipes and food styling by
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Kristen Winston Catering
Illinois Farm Bureau
&ng
Pull out this clip-and-cook meal for a speedy weeknight dinner
A
s autumn days get shorter and back-to-school activities fill the evening hours, having dinner on the table in a flash becomes more important – and more challenging – than ever. Simple, no-fuss recipes are a great solution to calm weeknight madness, ideally using few ingredients that don’t fail to measure up nutritionally. Our quick-fix meal of Parmesan-crusted chicken, green bean bundles and classic rice pilaf is as wholesome as it is delicious. And with just a few ingredients for each dish, it takes minimal time and effort to prepare, giving you one more trick in your bag. So gather the family around the table and dig in. Who says made-from-scratch has to be complicated?
Fall 2010
Buy local Why do your shopping at a grocery store when you can buy directly from a farmer? Most Illinois farmers’ markets are open through mid-October. Convenient for picking up local meats and veggies on your way home from work, Springfield’s Night Market at the fairgrounds is open Thursdays from 4-7 p.m. until Oct. 21, except during the state fair in August. Learn more at www.agr. state.il.us/nightmarket.
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Parmesan Chicken 1½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 eggs 1 cup panko breadcrumbs ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Unsalted butter
Olive oil 1. Lay chicken breasts on a cutting board and slice each
diagonally into four or five large strips. 2. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. Beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon water on a second plate (or shallow bowl). Combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese on a third plate. 3. Dredge the chicken breasts on both sides in the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and roll in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly to coat. 4. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a
large sauté pan and cook half of the chicken strips on medium-low for about 3 minutes on each side, until just cooked through. Be careful to avoid crowding the pan. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts. 22
Illinois Farm Bureau
Bacon-Wrapped Green Bean Bundles
Classic Rice Pilaf
1 pound fresh green beans
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8 bacon strips, partially cooked
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
½ teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup white rice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 sprig thyme, optional
1 tablespoon sugar
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups chicken broth
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
/ cup chopped onion
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2. Blanch green beans in salted boiling water, until tender yet still crisp. Cool beans under running water. Wrap about 15 beans in each strip of bacon and secure with a wooden toothpick.
1. Sauté onion in butter until soft. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add rice and sauté an additional minute.
3. Place on a foil-covered baking sheet. Bake for
3. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 20 minutes. Cool immediately on sheet pans.
10-15 minutes, or until bacon is done.
2. Add broth, thyme, bay leaf and salt, then bring
to a boil.
4. In a skillet, sauté shallot in butter until tender. Add vinegar, sugar, and salt; heat through. 5. Remove bundles to a serving bowl or platter; pour sauce over and serve immediately.
tip Add a zesty flavor to this side dish with a squeeze of lemon, a pinch of Parmesan cheese and a garnish of fresh parsley.
Fall 2010
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Gardening
Leaf
Transforma v
Mystery, Magic or Mother Nature?
H
ow do they do that? How do leaves that have been deep green all summer transform to red, yellow, gold or orange in the autumn? For that matter, why do some trees take weeks to shed their leaves while others defoliate overnight? Actually, the answers lie both in a plant’s genetics and its environment. Living in the north has its advantages this time of year when the trees and shrubs conclude their growing season with delightfully colorful displays. Fall color starts in September with poison ivy, ashes and walnuts and doesn’t end until
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November with larches and willows. The yellow pigments, carotene and xanthophyll, are present all summer along with green chlorophyll. Autumn’s short days and cooler temperatures inhibit the production of new chlorophyll. What is already there starts to break down and disappear, thus allowing the yellow to shine through. Ginkgo, redbud, larch, hickory, birch and witch hazel are trees that turn yellow and gold. Other trees produce the red or purple pigment, anthocyanin. It too can mask the yellow. The sunny days and cool nights of October cause the
production of sugars, which then cause the production of anthocyanin. This explains the two-tone effect when interior leaves turn yellow while the outer leaves, exposed to more sun, turn purple. Dogwood, black tupelo, oaks, winged euonymus and some maples have anthocyanin and turn a fiery red or purple. The third pigment, tan or brown, is caused by tannins, the culprit responsible for temporarily staining your sidewalk and patio. Finally, it all comes to a stop as freezing temperatures in late fall stop the coloration process and turn any Illinois Farm Bureau
tion Ask an expert
Q
Can I stop weeding since frost will soon kill them? Answer No! Plants, weeds and ornamentals are in overdrive right now producing seeds for next year.
remaining leaves black. You may have noticed that some trees, like maples, shed their leaves over a severalweek period while the leaves of other trees, like gingkoes, seemingly jump off in one day. Why? When a maple gets ready to shed its canopy, a scar forms under the petiole (leaf stem) where it attaches to the branch. The scar protects the branch during the harsh winter months. The scars start forming first on branches at the top of the tree and the ends of outer branches, because they have been exposed to the coldest air. As those leaves fall, the interior leaves become the exterior leaves thus causing more scar
Fall 2010
formation and more leaf drop. On ginkgo trees, all the protective scars form at the same time, consequently all the petioles are severed from the branches simultaneously. Along comes a windy night, and in the morning you discover a bare tree.
about the author
Q
When should I plant Dutch bulbs?
Answer In Illinois, October and November. Hint: the bigger the bulb size, the bigger the flower will be. E-mail your gardening questions to Jan at ilfbpartners@jnlcom.com.
Jan Phipps farms, gardens, writes and podcasts near Chrisman. She’s been a University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener for 10 years. ilfbpartners.com
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{Travel Illinois}
Rockfo
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Illinois Farm Bureau
It may be small, but this city knows how to have a rockin’ good time storY BY
Jessica Mozo
ken kashian
rd
Staff Photos
R
Fall 2010
ockford residents like to describe their hometown as a little city with big life, and it’s not hard to see why. Located on both banks of the Rock River, Rockford is just 90 miles from Chicago, but a world away from its traffic and congestion. Nicknamed “The Forest City” for its innumerable elm trees, Rockford is a community of roughly 150,000 people that’s brimming with outstanding museums, gorgeous parks, rich cultural attractions and strong Midwestern values.
Rockford Must-Sees
Fall for the Outdoors Savor the splendor of autumn leaves and cooler temperatures by meandering the vast trails and waterways of Rock Cut State Park, an outdoor sanctuary with two lakes on more than 3,000 acres. Pitch a tent within Rock Cut’s extensive campgrounds and enjoy campfires under the stars, fishing, swimming, boating, hiking, biking and bird watching. Take a carriage ride, munch on festival food and participate in the Scarecrow Contest at Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden’s annual Autumn @ the Arboretum, a family festival slated for Oct. 3. Botany experts say there’s only one other site in the world that compares to Klehm – and it’s in France! The
CoCo Key Water Resort
Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden Rockford MetroCentre Coronado Performing Arts Center Riverfront Museum Park Burpee Museum of Natural History Rock Cut State Park Midway Village Museum Carlson Ice Arena & Sapora Playworld Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum
Clockwise from top: The Coronado Performing Arts Center; the Ag-Zibit at the Discovery Center Museum; downtown Rockford overlooking the Rock River; Anderson Japanese Gardens. ilfbpartners.com
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Top 10 Restaurants Recommended by the Locals Kuma’s Asian Bistro Stockholm Inn Carlyle Brewing Company Kegel’s Harley Diner Chocolat by Daniel Der Rathskeller German Restaurant & Bar Beef-A-Roo Josef of Barbados Restaurant & Oyster Bar Lino’s Brio Restaurant & Wine Bar
Staff Photo
Sinnissippi Gardens
arboretum and botanic garden is a year-round living museum with 150 acres of rare and unusual trees and shrubs, paved walkways and wood-chip trails, an art gallery, fountain, children’s garden, and education center. Marvel at the beauty of Anderson Japanese Gardens’ 12 awe-inspiring acres of colorful flowers, pools and streams, lanterns, pagodas, waterfalls and Sukiyastyle buildings. Consistently ranked the top Japanese garden in North America, Anderson Japanese Gardens is the perfect place to indulge in the peacefulness of nature. Then grab some tasty Asian cuisine at the gardens’ new restaurant and browse Asian-inspired imports in the gift shop. A Real Show-Stopper You’ll think you’re in Chicago or New York when you attend a show at the stunning Coronado Performing Arts Center in downtown Rockford. Built in 1927 and renovated in 2000, the Coronado is worth seeing just for its grand interior, flanked with gilded Spanish castles, Italian villas and Chinese dragons beneath a starry false sky. The former movie palace and
vaudeville hall hosts high-quality shows yearround, ranging from the Rockford Dance Company to comedian Jerry Seinfeld. It has been named one of Illinois’ 150 Great Places by the American Institute of Architects. Catch a performance of the Rockford Symphony Orchestra (RSO) at the Coronado Performing Arts Center and experience the magic only a live orchestra can create. RSO is one of the leading cultural institutions in Northern Illinois and performs more than 20 concerts annually, including a Classics, Pops and Summer series as well as special performances such as “The Nutcracker” at Christmas. Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center
is another venue that will take your breath away. It has been hosting quality performances by local and world-renowned artists for 125 years, including the Vienna Boys Choir and 22-year-old Chinese pianist Yuja Wang. If visual arts are more to your liking, spend a day at the Rockford Art Museum, where you’ll find more than 1,200 captivating works of art. It is Illinois’ largest art museum outside Chicago and is celebrated for its permanent collection of 19th- and 20th-century American art. Be sure to stop in the museum store, which sells everything from children’s art books to sparkling jewelry. Educational Entertainment Design your own robot, manipulate a grain elevator or ride on a virtual snowboard at the Discovery Center Museum, ranked one of the top 10 children’s museums in the
Rockford’s Oldest Resident Have you ever come face-to-face with a real Tyrannosaurus rex? You will at the Burpee Museum of Natural History, the home of Jane, the world’s most complete juvenile T-rex. The 21-foot-long dinosaur skeleton was discovered in Montana in 2001 by staff members from the Burpee Museum, and they estimate her age to be about 66 million years. The museum also features exhibits on Native Americans, geoscience and wildlife, as well as a children’s gallery.
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Illinois Farm Bureau
local flavor nation. The museum has more than 250 hands-on exhibits, including the new Ag-Zibit, a permanent display that opened in June 2010. The 2,500-square-foot exhibition features 17 interactive areas to teach children ages 3-13 how agriculture impacts their daily lives. Discover what life was like a century ago by touring the Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum, a rare example of Victorian exotic architecture. Built in 1865 by Rockford businessman Robert Hall Tinker, the charming cottage is one of only a few Swissstyle homes from the 1800s remaining in the United States. Tinker was inspired following an 1862 tour of Europe, where he became fascinated with Swiss architecture. Check out the cottage’s ornate woodwork, spiral staircase and the Tinker family’s original furnishings, and walk across a restored suspension bridge Tinker built in 1870. You can also browse exhibits in the Visitors’ Center and shop for unique gifts. Learn to square dance, take a horse-drawn wagon ride and create your own scarecrow at the Midway Village Museum’s annual Scarecrow Harvest Festival, slated for Oct. 9 and 10. Midway Village Museum is a quaint Victorian-era village with 26 buildings set on 137 acres. While open year-round, fall is perhaps the best time to visit, when the leaves are colorful and harvest activities are in full swing. World War II Days is another exciting event, with more than 800 war re-enactors and realistic battles complete with tanks, artillery, armored vehicles and pyrotechnic displays. It takes place Sept. 25 and 26.
Guten Appetit! Y
ou might say Rockford’s oldest restaurant, Der Rathskeller, started with a great-tasting sausage. “Founder Fred Goetz sold sausages door-to-door in Rockford,” says Mike DuPre, manager of the German restaurant and bar. “His client list grew so large he decided to open a sausage shop so he could sell from a retail storefront. Der Rathskeller – a restaurant in the cellar – was added several months later in 1931.” Rathskeller is a German word that literally means “the cellar of a city hall used as a restaurant and bar.” Rathskellers are common in Germany, and Rockford’s Der Rathskeller has been hailed as one of a few such restaurants in America identical to true German Rathskellers. Like the founder, the current owners of Der Rathskeller are of German descent and continue to serve sausages from Old World recipes handmade with the freshest spices and choicest cuts of pork. Other dishes that keep customers coming back are butterfly ribs and deep-fried cod. “The butterfly ribs are tender, meaty and lean – our own cut of pork butterfly rib boiled with our special seasonings until the meat falls from the bone,” DuPre says. “The deep-fried cod has a special price on Fridays and has a thin and flaky crust.” Half of Der Rathskeller’s recipes came from the original owner, while others DuPre has gathered from chefs abroad. For a sweet ending to your meal, try the rich, homemade cheesecake. “It was the only recipe not included in the sale of the business when my family bought Der Rathskeller,” DuPre says. “The cheesecake recipe required a separate contract to purchase.” The building itself holds many stories from the past, including a false wall where liquor and beer were hidden and stored when Der Rathskeller operated as a speakeasy during Prohibition.
More online For more on Der Rathskeller’s unusual history and hours of operation, visit www.derrathskeller.net.
The Olympic sport of rowing is the star at Rockford’s annual Baird Head of the Rock Regatta. The sanctioned U.S. rowing event draws nearly 2,000 rowers from all over the country each October. They come from more than 60 rowing clubs, high schools and universities to compete on the Rock River. Admission is free for spectators, who can also enjoy food, vendors and alumni gatherings.
Fall 2010
Staff Photo
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
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fall Events
Pumpkin Here, Pumpkin There Sept. 15-18 Morton With Morton being the world’s pumpkin capital, it makes sense that the area offers the Morton Pumpkin Festival each year. In addition, the area is also home to the Nestlé/Libby’s pumpkin packing plant, with more than 80 percent of the world’s canned pumpkin processed in the area. Celebrating Morton’s pumpkin heritage, the festival includes a variety of events and activities, including live entertainment, carnival rides, pageants, parades and more. Attendees can also enjoy homemade food, some of which is pumpkin-inspired – such as pumpkin fudge, pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin ice cream.
get More online Get more details at www.pumpkincapital.com.
This listing includes a few events to add to your calendar in September and October from around the state. Dates were accurate at press time but are subject to change. Please check with the contact listed before traveling long distances to attend. Additional information on Illinois events also is available online through the Illinois Bureau of Tourism’s website, www.enjoyillinois.com.
A Corny Festival Sept. 2-5 Hoopeston Serving up about 50 tons of free sweet corn, the Sweet Corn Festival has been a Hoopeston tradition for nearly 70 years. The annual celebration for Hoopeston, the self-proclaimed Sweet Corn Capital of the World, features a national level pageant, parade, truck and tractor pull,
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teen dance, and other activities. The trademark of this annual event is free buttered and salted corn. But this isn’t your ordinary sweet corn – it’s placed on a conveyer, husked and then steamed, all tanks to an antique John Deere engine. Attendees can also enjoy a flea market, petting zoo, custom car show and a fishing derby, as well as several more events. Find more about the Sweet Corn Festival at www.hoopeston-il.gov.
Plow On Sept. 17-19 Big Rock Started in 1895, the Big Rock Plowing Match served as a competition for farmers, allowing them to plow against one another to see who could create the straightest and cleanest furrow. While the rules established in the beginning still must be followed today, several additions have been made to the event. The match became a two-day event in 1950, featuring activities that spectators still may enjoy today, such as a ladies’ fair, junior fair, horse show, cattle show, carnival, pedal tractor pull and horseshoe tournament. Admission and parking are free, with concession food and crafts available for purchase. To learn more, visit www.bigrockplowingmatch.com. Illinois Farm Bureau
Fine Wine, Cool Culture Sept. 26-27 Rend Lake For a weekend of wining and dining, complete with art, music and theater, head to the Illinois Wine and Art Festival. Guests can enjoy hourly presentations featuring wines from more than a dozen Illinois wineries, as well as glass blowing, ceramics and blacksmithing. Local bands will also perform, including Four on the Floor, Creole Stomp and PHINS BAND. In addition, more than 50 of the state’s bestknown artists will present their work, which will be available for purchase. A $2 donation is requested for admission, with wine tastings costing $10. For more information, visit www.wineandartfestival.com.
Fall 2010
Take the Scenic Route Halloween Filled Oct. 2-3, 9-10 With Hot Air Fulton County
Visitors are encouraged to take in the Spoon River Scenic Drive by driving through a variety of towns and villages in and around Fulton County, such as London Mills, Farmington, Lewistown and Astoria. The drive is nearly 100 miles long and features historic sites, as well as arts and crafts vendors set up along the way. Guests may participate in a photography contest, while vendors can wear the most impressive turn-of-thecentury costume for a chance to win a prize. A walk-through zoo can also be enjoyed, in addition to an art gallery, museums and special exhibits. For more information, visit www.spoonriverdrive.org.
OCt. 29 Galena Each year on Halloween weekend, Galena lights up the spooky night with a Balloon Glow. Weather permitting, hot-air balloons lighted from within will line up at dusk along the Galena River. Admission to the illuminated display is free, and costumeclad kids can also go trick-or-treating at the lighted balloon stands. Stick around for the city’s annual Halloween parade, which takes place the following night and features activities, treats and prizes for the best costumes. Learn more about the Balloon Glow and Galena’s other Halloween events at www.visitgalena.org. ilfbpartners.com
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illinois in focus
The Skydeck at Willis Tower, formerly known as Sears Tower, offers a bird’seye view of Chicago and Lake Michigan. On a clear day, visitors can see 40-50 miles from the 1,353-foot-high skydeck at the tallest building in the Western hemisphere. Staff Photo
Fall 2010
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