Summer 2010, ILFB Partners

Illinois

Farm Bureau

Summer 2010

ÂŽ

A quarterly magazine for members

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Home Field Advantage Groundskeeper plays key position maintaining Wrigley’s lush, green grass Trail Mix More tips for recreational biking online

Perfect For a Picnic

Container Gardening: Easy as 1, 2, 3

letters

Our Featured Reader

Q

Joel Sommer Longtime Farm Bureau member Joel Sommer of St. Libory found his passion for home winemaking by accident. Sommer, an IT professional, gave his clients homemade deer sausage each year but wanted to add wine to the mix. He planted his first grapevines in 2001 and has become quite the vino expert. His site, www.winepress.us, is now the largest winemaking and grapegrowing discussion forum on the web.

St. Libory

What prompted you to start your website?

Answer I had spent about two weeks online trying to learn how to make wine, but couldn’t find a site I could learn from.

Most sites just wanted to sell you this and that, but didn’t tell you what to do when you got the items home. I started building a site to document my experiences and added a discussion forum to get answers to my questions and other people’s questions.

Q

Is Illinois well-suited to grow grapes?

Answer Parts of the state with lessrich soils do well, since grapevines are believed to produce higher quality grapes when they are stressed or made to work for their nutrients. Grapevines must be able to withstand the high heat and humidity of Midwest summers, as well as the many days below freezing during the winters. Therefore, specific varieties of grapes tend to do better here than others.

Q

What is a common misconception people have about winemaking?

Answer People often think it’s expensive to start making wine, but it’s an affordable hobby that you and your spouse can enjoy together. The cost to get started is very minimal, since most of the equipment is reusable, such as fermenters, airlocks and bottle fillers. Many of the larger items can be rented from local homebrew shops.

“Winemaking at home is a great, affordable hobby that you and your spouse can enjoy together.”

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Seminary Surprise Imagine my surprise when my husband shoved the open Partners my way the other morning and I saw such a familiar scene inside its pages [“Days Gone By,” Spring 2010, page 12]! I have worked in the Seminary Street office since 1992, but have been a Farm Bureau member longer. Thank you for such a wonderful article, and then to follow it up with “Trash or Treasure” [Spring 2010, page 16] and Laura Gibbs-Kirven. She just called last week, as she had noticed a vendor at the antique mall had brought in the perfect brooch for my Carhartt coat (accessorized right, my husband never mistakes it for his).

Mary Bennison Galesburg, Ill.

Butter, Clarified In the Spring 2010 issue of Illinois Farm Bureau Partners magazine, I was reading your response to the reader’s problem with soggy popcorn.

I believe a simpler process would be to use “clarified butter,” which has the water removed from the butter.

The process for clarified butter is quite simple, and instructions are easy to find on the Internet. You will also discover that using clarified butter in cooking will provide a very rich and enjoyable taste. You can cook with the clarified butter at a higher temperature.

Alan via e-mail

Editor’s note: Thanks, Alan! The popcorn suggestions just keep rolling in! Visit ilfbpartners.com and search “clarified butter” for our recipe on creating this popcorn necessity.

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 When the Levees Break Mighty Mississippi, Illinois Rivers go from helpful to harmful during a flood

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12 Home Field Advantage Groundskeeper plays key position maintaining Wrigley’s lush, green grass

18 Trail Mix Recreational bikers cruise dozens of options

26 Travel Illinois: Bloomington

Every Issue

Good times are always blooming in this fun-filled city

5 prairie state perspective Appreciating the rural sunset

6 Almanac Tour the barns of Macomb

17 country wisdom Before retiring, get your finances in order

20 recipes Perfect dishes for a picnic

24 Gardening Make a big impact with small containers

30 Summer Events 2,000 homemade pies in one place

26 more online Watch videos, read stories and browse photos at ilfbpartners.com.

Summer 2010

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Volume 3, No. 2

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 To Market We Go: Popular Illinois farmers’ markets

Managing Editor Jessy Yancey Copy Editors Lisa Battles, Joyce Caruthers, Jill Wyatt Proofreading Manager Raven Petty Content Coordinators Jennifer Graves, Erica Hines Contributing Writers Charlyn Fargo, Kathleen Furore, Jessica Mozo, Jan Phipps, Martin Ross, Joanie Stiers, Lorraine Zenge

| farm |

| food |

| finds |

Need a refresher in how to pick out the best summer produce at your farmers’ market? Our onlineexclusive article, “To Market We Go,” features insider tips from Illinois fruit and vegetable growers.

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 what dishes you’d like to see in future Partners issues.

It’s county fair time!

Visit ilfbpartners.com and search “fairs” for a list of Illinois fairs happening across the state this summer and early fall.

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 Peaches:

V.P./Custom Publishing Kim Newsom

Web-exclusive recipes to try with ripe, juicy Illinois peaches.

V.P./Content Operations Natasha Lorens

V.P./Visual Content Mark Forester V.P./Content Development Teree Caruthers Controller Chris Dudley Marketing Creative Director Keith Harris

1. Iced Summer Peaches

Distribution Director Gary Smith Advertising Sales Manager, Custom Division Tori Hughes

2. Peach Melba

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.

3. Fresh Peach Ice Cream

watch a Video Learn the family history behind Eckert’s Country Store and Farms in Belleville.

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

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Illinois Farm Bureau

prairie state perspective about the author Joanie Stiers writes from the Williamsfield countryside, where images of the rural sunset earn similar treatment as those of her wedding day.

Where Sun Touches Earth Urban friends find peace in the rural sunset The sunset silenced my visiting big-city friends, who stepped away from the on-farm wedding reception, seemingly drawn in a trance. We country folk remained seated and exchanged glances of puzzlement.

The city friends stood like silhouettes against the setting sun. They broke the stillness only to extend their arms and take a few snaps with their digital cameras. They stared until the last drop of sun disappeared, then turned away, prepared to party until the starry sky marveled them.

I witnessed the same behavior from visiting Chicagoarea friends on three different occasions, so I asked why they looked at the rural sunset as though it were Niagara Falls. The answer: Out here, the sun touches the earth. No masses of buildings, houses or other man-made structures block the view. The sun sets clean and crisp on an open horizon with a vibrant color palette and accompanying cloud formations – unlike any city sunset.

Wow, I should be silenced nightly.

We country folk can see the sun set every cloudless evening. I thought anyone with a window experienced the same unless they watched the sun dip into the Pacific Ocean. So, I gave the setting sun more thought.

I determined that I always have appreciated the sunset

Summer 2010

subconsciously. I rarely stare at the sun’s departure, but I love to be near family in the two hours leading to the grand moment. The sun’s warm glow beautifies the fresh-cut lawn, waving corn tassels and grazing cattle.

Everything seems picturesque, similar to how my makeup looks in a low-lit restaurant.

As important, the setting sun signifies the time to unwind and welcome the cooling summer air with a glass of iced tea on the front porch. The kids blow bubbles. The dog chases them. My husband and I sip tea and ask them to hold the bubble bottle upright. Without the glowing sunset, we sit indoors.

Even there, I have reminders of the sunset’s majestic qualities. In fact, my choices in framed, wall-mounted portraits signify that the rural Illinois sunset ranks with my kids and wedding day.

The photo in the upstairs hall silhouettes corn tassels and the front porch pillars against a swirl of reddishorange sky that resembles the color of fire. My brother-in-law snapped the sunset photo one summer during his visit from England. The picture remains among his favorites even after all the foreign countries and American venues that he has photographed. ilfbpartners.com

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almanac

Summer’s Endless Bounty One of summer’s tastiest gifts is a basket of juicy ripe tomatoes fresh from the vine. With a little knowhow, you can enjoy your summer bounty year-round.

Not only do home-grown tomatoes taste delicious (BLT, anyone?), they’re packed with vitamin C, vitamin A and powerful antioxidants.

Preserve tomatoes in a number of ways: • Peel and freeze them (whole or chopped) for use in salads and other recipes.

• Can them using a boiling water canner or pressure canner.

• Dry them in a dehydrator or oven and store in the freezer in an airtight container.

Barns Aplenty Nothing says Americana like a worn and weathered barn, and nearly 30 historic barns stand as living testimonies to McDonough County’s rich agricultural history.

Most dating from the early 20th Century, the historic barns represent various styles, including gambrels, half pitch, stick, cross-gable and even a rare true-round barn built in 1914.

The citizens of Macomb and McDonough County are so proud of the barns, they offer four self-guided Historic Barn Tours that send visitors into the scenic countryside to explore the barns for themselves.

For information, visit www.makeitmacomb.com.

Bushels of Fun Want to teach your children where their food really comes from?

Check out the nationally acclaimed children’s book, Our Generous Garden, which follows elementary children as they plant and harvest a school vegetable garden and simultaneously change their community.

The beautifully illustrated, easy-to-read book also is available in Spanish (Nuestra Huerta Generosa) and can be ordered through www.amazon.com and www.dancingrhinocerospress.com.

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Illinois Farm Bureau

Farm Focus: Wheat Wheat has long been one of the most important crops in the world, with millions of acres devoted to wheat production. Kansas produces the most wheat of any state, making up 18 percent of the total U.S. wheat production. Illinois ranks third in the nation, with about 83 percent of wheat production taking place in the southern half of the state.

Consider the following wheat facts: • More foods are made with wheat than with any other cereal grain.

• One bushel of wheat yields 60 pounds of whole-wheat flour.

Fit on the Fly

• A bushel of wheat makes about 90 one-pound loaves of whole-wheat bread.

• Wheat is grown in 42 states.

• A family of four can live 10 years off the bread produced from one acre of wheat.

Summer vacations mean great food and plenty of R&R. But you don’t have to sacrifice your fitness routine in the process.

Source: The Wheat Foods Council, www.wheatfoods.org

Try these tips to stay in shape on the road:

Ken Kashian

photo courtesy of sarah b. gilliam

• Take the stairs rather than the elevator.

photo courtesy of sarah b. gilliam

Calling All Green Thumbs

Summer 2010

Ever wanted to grow a garden but faced obstacles such as lack of space or poor soil? Try building a raised-bed garden, which is simply a garden built on top of your native soil.

Raised-bed gardens have become popular nationwide and offer many benefits: they’re pretty to look at, offer improved drainage, reduce the pain of bending down, and make it easier to tailor the soil for the plants you want to grow.

• Book a hotel with a fitness center or see if your gym has a location in your destination city.

• Swimming is a great calorie burner, so take the plunge.

• Watch what you drink – make water your main beverage.

• Pack healthy, filling snacks such as almonds, which are hard to find at airports and convenience stores.

For tips on building one, visit www.raisedbedgardeningtips.com.

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Mighty Mississippi, Illinois Rivers go from helpful to harmful

When the

Levees storY BY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY J.

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Martin Ross Kyle Keener

Break

Illinois Farm Bureau

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t’s a system that sustains fish and wildlife, communities and commerce. It’s an integrated system where navigation, environmental stewardship, recreation and flood control all play a crucial role in its continued health and welfare.

But the river system, if not broken, is at least leaking. Just ask Sam Zumwalt, a Western Illinois farmer and drainage/levee commissioner and a veteran of major Mississippi River “flood fights” in 1993 and 2008.

It was the 1993 flood that destroyed the Village of Valmeyer when the levee protecting the town was overtopped. After the flood, and to avoid a similar fate, the original town was moved about 400 feet higher in the bluffs above the old Valmeyer.

In June 2008, more than 75,000 acres of Illinois farmland were flooded, and more than 30,000 acres remained underwater from June to October.

Over the past two decades, Zumwalt and others have encountered numerous obstacles that have blocked effective flood prevention and control.

He is among those pushing Congress to approve a proposed comprehensive plan for the Upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers.

Under current policies, the Adams County The Illinois River flows under the Murray Baker Bridge in Peoria. Above: Sam Zumwalt advocates flood prevention efforts for the Upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers.

Summer 2010

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farmer notes, “I could get a bike path down the top of my levee, but I can’t raise that levee six inches to protect ourselves.”

He suggests a comprehensive plan could help achieve both goals while protecting communities and promoting new jobs within the floodplain.

“It’s an overall plan for an entire river,” Zumwalt explains. “It takes into consideration the navigation, the recreation, the environment and flood control, and how it all fits together. The comprehensive plan allows for consistency and allows progress on the river.”

Illinois Farm Bureau leaders have spearheaded efforts aimed at obtaining more uniform, streamlined interstate flood prevention/flood-fighting capabilities, and they want the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to have the lead role in future flood-fighting efforts.

Currently, individual states dictate how much levee repairs and improvements can increase area river levels, and those river levels determine the amount of flood fighting allowed within a region. The disparity between the different state standards can result in increased damage on one side of a swollen river. The river-level rate for Illinois is the most restrictive of the states bordering the Mississippi, making it as well as the Illinois River more susceptible to flooding.

Repairs are still needed in some

areas after flooding in 2008, in part due to questions about who among participating state and federal agencies “has the dollars, who does the work and how the work gets done,” explains Rich Guebert Jr., Illinois Farm Bureau vice president and chair of the organization’s Floodplain Task Force.

Farmers and Illinois policymakers also continue to lobby Congress for funding necessary to build new stateof-the-art navigational locks on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers – initiatives approved in 2007, but since provided only meager budget support.

New locks, twice the size of existing structures, not only would reduce Mississippi/Illinois shipping delays that can raise grain and food prices, consumer energy and construction costs, the new construction also would open existing 600-foot locks to recreational traffic “without having to tie up the big locks,” Zumwalt says.

Zumwalt, who enjoys fishing with his son, Joe, also sees the need to revise federal regulations that have slowed dredging of silt from “backwaters” outside major commercial river channels. Today, dredged materials must be shipped downstream; he believes allowing local agencies to use that silt to beef up levees would encourage recreational/tourism activity while bolstering flood protections.

“We’ve been advocating this type of thing for 30 years,” Zumwalt says.

Riveted

by Rivers fun facts and history about local Waterways

T

he Mississippi is the largest river system in the United States and, indeed, North America.

Roughly 2,320 miles long, the river originates at Lake Itasca, Minn., and terminates 95 river miles below New Orleans. The Ojibwa Indian word misi-ziibi, meaning “big river,” gave the Mighty Miss its name.

The Illinois River, approximately 273 miles long, is a principal tributary of the Mississippi. The river drains a large section of Central Illinois, with a drainage basin of more than 28,000 square miles. From 1905 to 1915, more freshwater fish were harvested from the Illinois than from any other river in the United States except for the Western Columbia River. It also is essential to commerce, with barges bringing road salt, coal for electricity, and fuel for refineries into the state.

More online View floodplain maps and much more from the Illinois State Water Survey at www.isws.illinois.edu.

The National Great Rivers Museum at Melvin Price Locks and Dam, located in Alton, tells the story of the Mississippi River through historical displays such as a vintage steamship and ecological exhibits like the Longnose Gar. But it’s flood prevention planning that concerns Zumwalt, whose property near Warsaw was damaged in 2008 when the river covered about 30,000 acres of fertile lowlands.

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Illinois Farm Bureau

Antony Boshier

Photo Courtesy of the Zumwalt Family

Summer 2010

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Groundskeeper maintains lush,

green grass, giving his Chicago Cubs a

Home Field

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Illinois Farm Bureau

R

storY BY

Charlyn Fargo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY J. Kyle Keener

oger Baird takes his lawn care seriously. He knows he has a team depending on lush, green grass not to trip them up on the way to making a tough catch.

“This is my dream job,” says Baird, head groundskeeper for the Chicago Cubs.

“There are maybe 31 or 32 of us in baseball who have this kind of job. I love it.”

Baird started working part time in 1979 – just out of high school – to take care of the 2 ½ acres of grass in Wrigley Field. He continued while he went to college, and in 1995, he was promoted to head groundskeeper.

“Yes, I’m a Cubs fan,” he says. “I was born and raised in Chicago. I’ve always been a Cubs fan. My father was a die-hard Cubs fan.”

Now a seasoned veteran in his line of work, Baird says that of all his experiences, hosting the 1990 All-Star Game is the most memorable for him.

“Any time you host a playoff game, it’s really exciting,” he explains.

Baird’s job, simply speaking, is to make sure the sports blend of Kentucky bluegrass and rye is in perfect condition, which can include a variety of factors – from disease control to proper fertilization. And he relies on Don Michaels, certified turf specialist with Conserv FS Inc., to help him make these vital decisions. Michaels, whose clients include the Cubs, as well as the Chicago Bears, along with various schools, businesses, park districts and landscaping companies in Northeastern Illinois, has become a bit of a specialist when it comes to sports turf.

Meet the Sodfather Chicago White Sox head groundskeeper Roger Bossard is so influential on professional sports turf that he’s known as “the Sodfather.” The third generation of Bossards in the business, he inherited his career from his father at the old Comiskey Park.

His grandfather groomed fields for the Cleveland Indians from 1936 to 1961.

In addition to his duties at U.S. Cellular Field, Roger Bossard is world-renowned for his work on athletic fields of all sorts and has even developed a patented drainage system. He’s been involved in many Major League field constructions and renovations, including both the White Sox and the Cubs.

Source: Smithsonian magazine, April 2008

The well-manicured grounds of Wrigley Field rely on a meticulous process of careful maintenance.

Summer 2010

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Diamond Design Learn how baseball fields earn their stripes (and crisscrosses)

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ou’ve probably long admired the decorative stripes or crisscross patterns seen in the outfield grass at baseball stadiums. But do you know how these fancy designs are made?

The mowers used for baseball stadiums often have a heavy roller attached to the back, which bends the blades of grass immediately after they’ve been mowed. The angle of the grass blades causes light to reflect in a certain way.

So for one row (usually the lighter colored stripe), the crew mows away from the infield, and then back toward the infield for the next row (a darker stripe). The crisscross pattern is created by mowing the rows at right angles to each other.

If you visit a certain stadium (or watch games on TV) regularly, you may notice different patterns from game to game. The grounds crew avoids mowing the field the exact same way from day to day, which is an important tip for your home lawn as well.

More online View a step-by-step tutorial on how to make your yard look like Wrigley Field at www.bit.ly/wrigleylawn.

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Illinois Farm Bureau

Wrigley Field had to be resodded after spending more than two weeks as an ice rink for the 2009 NHL Winter Classic.

“Sports turf, from the little leagues to the big leagues, is very important,” Michaels says. “Safety (for the players) is our main concern.”

Baird agrees, adding that maintaining a major league baseball field is more than just mowing grass. It’s a process.

“As quick as I can in the spring, we start fertilizing,” Baird says. “As soon as Chicago starts getting temperatures in the upper 30s and 40s and nighttime temps no lower than 32 degrees, we jump out there.”

He’s virtually “waking up” the turf, from having “put it to sleep” just before winter. Between winter and spring, no one is allowed on the turf. Once the grass starts growing, he mows it daily, currently with a Toro lawn mower. A riding mower is used on the outfield, but only a hand mower is acceptable in the infield.

His secret to a great-looking lawn – whether at Wrigley or his own yard in the city – is quite simple.

“Change the blades on the lawn mower,” he says. “I put on a new blade every year. A sharp blade cuts the grass; a dull one rips it, causing stress and yellowing at the tips.”

He also waters weekly – a good soaking of an inch – rather than smaller daily watering.

In the spring, he and his team cut the grass short, but as the temperatures rise in June and July, he raises the mower height, choosing to mow more often.

“Players want the grass to be the same height every

Summer 2010

time they play, so sometimes we’re taking off an eighth of an inch; other times a quarter of an inch,” he explains, adding that at least an hour and a half each day is spent just grooming the field for play.

Baird is quick to add, though, that being head groundskeeper is more than just preparing the field for Cubs home games.

“When I first started, we had 81 home games,” Baird says. “That’s all changed. Now we have a lot more activities.

When a team is on the road, activities are scheduled.”

One of his biggest challenges came last season, prior to opening day, when he had to prepare for a National Hockey League game. The game required an ice rink to cover the field for 2 ½ weeks.

“We ended up having to resod the field,” Baird recalls.

The weather can play a factor in the field quality, too, especially when the City of Chicago experiences significant rain during the ball season.

“Depending on the temperature and humidity, having the tarp out for an extended period of time can open the door for disease,” Baird says. “But not covering the field can lead to more problems.”

Even so, the weather – along with the other factors Baird manages on a daily basis – is just part of the game.

“It’s still fun, even with the pressure to have it perfect,” he says. “But I admit, the weather can add a few gray hairs.” ilfbpartners.com

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Growing Great Grass This summer, manage your lawn like a pro did you know In 2010, Scotts MiracleGro launched a new product line in partnership with Major League Baseball. Fans can now buy the grass-seed blends and lawn fertilizer used at some of their favorite ballparks, including Wrigley Field.

Learn more by visiting www.scotts.com.

The perfect lawn can be as elusive as the Chicago Cubs’ dream of winning the World Series. There’s the weather to contend with, hungry insects to battle and uncertainty as to just how much fertilizer to apply.

Don Michaels, certified turf specialist with Conserv FS Inc. in Northeastern Illinois, has devoted his 33-year career to learning how to grow great grass and to sharing his expertise with clients, including Roger Baird, head groundskeeper for the Chicago Cubs.

“It’s so awesome to walk on to Wrigley Field when it’s in perfect condition,” Michaels says.

Here are his tips for having a baseball field-quality lawn: 1. Mow timely Rather than mowing once a week and taking 3-4 inches off, he recommends mowing twice a week.

“You don’t want to cut more than a third of the leaf blade at one time,” Michaels says.

“If you mow more often, it causes a Kentucky bluegrass lawn to become more dense, so it naturally crowds out weeds.”

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2. Water early in the morning Michaels says the best time to water is from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., so that less water is lost to evaporation.

“The worst time to water is in the evening,” he says. “Those wet and damp, hot, humid nights are a good growing ground for disease. I’d rather see a good, deep watering one time a week.”

During a dry period, he says to let the grass go dormant, even if it loses its green color.

“If it stays hot and dry for 30 days, then give one deep soaking of water to keep the roots alive,” Michaels explains. “The worst thing to do is a light, frequent watering because it keeps the roots near the surface.”

3. Fertilize on a holiday schedule Michaels recommends fertilizing grass that grows in sunny areas around these four holidays – Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. It’s nitrogen that gives grass the best green color. Fertilize grass in shady areas only one time – in the late fall.

“If you over-fertilize shaded grass, it won’t hold up,” says Michaels.

– Charlyn Fargo Illinois Farm Bureau

country® wisdom about the author Lorraine Zenge, ChFC, is a senior advanced planner for COUNTRY Financial. Visit COUNTRY on the web at www.countryfinancial.com.

Roadmap to Retirement Before retiring, get your finances in order Imagine you are retiring next week. You’re excited to travel, volunteer, or simply kick back and read a good book.

But you likely also have questions. What pension option should you select? How will you start taking money from your Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA)? When will you start taking your Social Security benefits? These are common and important questions to answer, and anyone close to retirement needs to do some distribution planning.

Quite simply, you need a roadmap to retirement.

Gathering information is your first step. If you are lucky enough to have a pension plan with your current or former employer(s), you need to find out your payment options.

They may include a lump sum – an option that pays you income only for your life and does not continue if you die before your spouse – or one or more joint and survivor options that pay you income during your life and continue to pay your spouse if you die first. You should contact a reputable financial planning professional if you are unsure about which option you should take after considering your retirement income needs and other financial resources.

Regardless of how far from retirement you are, you should also review your most recent Social Security statement to ensure that your earnings record is correct. If you are close to retiring and nearing age 62, you need to learn about the

Summer 2010

impact of taking Social Security at age 62, generally the earliest age to do so, or waiting to take your benefit.

Your Social Security benefit will increase by a certain percentage for each month you delay taking it. If you are going to work part-time in retirement, your benefit may be decreased if you earn over a certain amount and have not yet reached your Social Security full retirement age.

Finally, you will need to plan how you will take distributions from your other resources, such as your 401(k) account, traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs and nonretirement accounts, such as bank accounts and mutual funds. You may want to consider doing a direct rollover of your 401(k) or other employer-sponsored plan to an IRA to make distribution planning easier. You may even want to establish more than one IRA and allow one to continue growing while taking distributions from another to meet your retirement spending needs. You will need to start taking distributions from your traditional IRAs when you become 70 ½ years old.

The prospect of retiring soon is exciting, but you will need a distribution plan to ensure that you stay financially secure. Be sure to contact a financial planning professional if you need assistance with making important retirement distribution planning choices. ilfbpartners.com

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With dozens of options winding throughout the state, recreational bikers enjoy Illinois’

Trail Mix storY BY

Kathleen Furore Kyle Keener

PHOTOGRAPHY BY J.

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Illinois Farm Bureau

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iking. It’s good for you, good for the environment and fun, too. And in Illinois, bikers can cruise dozens of options.

“Several parts of Illinois offer bike trails as a great way to explore the area at an enjoyable pace,” says Ed Barsotti, executive director of the League of Illinois Bicyclists.

So how do you decide the trails you can safely navigate? And which Illinois paths are best for recreational bikers? Barsotti and other Illinois experts share tips on making the most of the state’s cycling opportunities.

Gear Up As with many sports, having the right gear is essential to a good experience. Avid cyclists emphasize choosing the right frame size on which you can comfortably reach the handlebars. There should be a slight bend in your knee when seated on your bike as well.

Also, before you buy, know what kind of trails you’ll be riding. For unpaved trails, you’ll want a mountain bike with wider tires or a “hybrid” bicycle with skinnier tires and more speed. Thin-tired road bikes work well on paved trails. And don’t forget the helmet!

Capability Check How long can you and everyone in your party safely ride? That is the first question to consider before choosing a path. Barsotti recommends paths totaling up to five miles for young children and 10- to 20-mile trails for older kids and adults “with an average level of fitness.”

Because hills can be challenging, David Johnsen, author of Biking Illinois: 60 Great Road Trips and Trail Rides, suggests finding “rail trails” on former railroad rights of way.

“They have gentle grades and slight curves,” Johnsen explains. He also advises taking short rides before embarking on a 20-mile trip – something the multiple access points on most Illinois trails allows.

“Start in the middle, ride to one end and back. If you feel up to it, ride to the other

Summer 2010

end and back. That way you can stop if you aren’t ready for the full distance,” he says.

Also consider how crowded a trail will be.

“Chicago’s Lakefront Trail is usually very crowded on the weekends, so families with young kids who ride unpredictably may want to look elsewhere,” Barsotti says.

Great Illinois Options Picking a path from Illinois’ many options can seem overwhelming. To get you started, Johnsen shares a few of his favorites. All have multiple access points, are fairly easy (except for a short, hilly section on the Vadalabene), and are appropriate for reasonably fit kids with basic bike-handling skills, he notes.

Mississippi River Trail: Winding its way over 50 miles in Northwestern Illinois from Savanna to the Quad Cities, this trail gives riders a view of rivers, historic towns and a working Dutch windmill in Fulton.

Rock Island State Trail: Running 26 miles northwest from the outskirts of Peoria, this trail is on an old railroad grade.

The Illinois & Michigan Canal State Trail: More than 50 miles long, this trail follows the canal through Chicago’s southwestern suburbs to its end in LaSalle.

This is a great route for history buffs – each mile marker includes a fact about the canal, and old locks and buildings along the trail have been preserved or restored.

Tunnel Hill State Trail: Highlights of this 45-mile trail in Southeastern Illinois include the 543-foot tunnel and 23 trestles.

Vadalabene River Road Bikeway (Alton): This 20-mile trail passes beneath Mississippi River bluffs and through Grafton and Elsah on the way to Pere Marquette State Park.

Safety First Barsotti and other members of the League of Illinois Bicyclists offer some safety tips: • Remember that bicyclists have all the rights and responsibilities of motorists – riding with traffic (not against it), observing traffic laws and signaling turns.

• Use the ABCs to do a safety check. A = air (test the recommended tire pressure), B = brakes, (check your stopping power) and C = cranks, cassette and chain (make sure the cranks are tight, the cassette is clean and the chain is oiled).

• Double-check quick release levers on all wheels to make sure they’re tight enough to keep the wheels in place.

Read more about bike trails, gear and safety in an expanded version of this story at ilfbpartners.com.

More online During the Illinois Ag in the Classroom bicycle ride fundraiser, cyclists stop at schools on the route to teach students about both ag and bike safety.

The 15th annual ride, slated for Sept. 7-9, 2010, will explore the Kankakee County countryside.

Learn more at www.iaafoundation.org. ilfbpartners.com

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Illinois Farm Bureau

Perfect For a

Picnic Fresh ingredients, simple preparation and portability combine for a delicious and easy outdoor meal Food styling BY PHOTOGRAPHY BY

W

Kristen Winston Catering Jeff Adkins

hen the temperature warms and the flowers are in full bloom, there’s no better way to enjoy the summer than by dining al fresco. Add a colorful picnic blanket and a good book, and you’ve found all the right ingredients for a perfect summer picnic.

Sure, ham sandwiches and chips work just fine for a picnic meal, but why not take your picnic menu to the next level – by combining flavorful ingredients with local produce?

For our Salmon Caesar Wraps, we take advantage of warm-season lettuces like Little Gem romaine, combined with grilled salmon, Caesar dressing and Parmesan cheese for a portable, less-messy version of a Caesar salad. A picnic favorite, salmon can be served hot or cold, so you can either grill

Summer 2010

it at home and pack assembled wraps, or wait and grill it during your picnic. Not a fan of fish? You can use chicken instead.

Pasta salads pack great for picnics, too, and the longer the salad marinates, the more f lavorful the pasta. Our Mediterranean Pasta Salad is especially flavorful, with a mixture of fresh red or yellow bell pepper, cucumber, olives, artichoke hearts and feta cheese, covered in a red wine and shallot vinaigrette.

No picnic is complete without farm-fresh tomatoes, and our meal plan is no exception. Gather some juicy heirloom tomatoes (any variety works fine) and a cucumber for a delicious side dish of Marinated Tomato Slices, drizzled with an oil and vinegar dressing.

tip Remember these safety tips when eating outside: • Bring moist towelettes or soap and water to clean your hands often.

• Pack food in an insulated cooler with plenty of ice or ice packs to keep it below 40 degrees F. • Transport the cooler in the back seat of your airconditioned car instead of in your hot trunk.

• Don’t leave food outside in hot weather (90 degrees F or above) for more than one hour.

Source: American Dietetic Association ilfbpartners.com

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Salmon Caesar Wraps 1 pound salmon fillet, cut into 1¼-inch strips

2 tablespoons grated

Olive oil

4 cups summer romaine

Salt and pepper

lettuce torn into

¾ cup croutons

bite-sized pieces

¼ cup Caesar dressing

4 whole-grain wraps

Parmesan cheese

1. Brush salmon strips with olive oil and sprinkle lightly

with salt and pepper.

2. Grill salmon pieces on well-oiled medium hot grill just until done, approximately 5 minutes.

3. Toss lettuce with dressing, cheese and croutons.

4. Place 1 cup of salad mixture in the center of 1 wrap. Top with 3 to 4 salmon strips. Fold in sides, then roll up like a burrito. Cut in half to serve. Repeat to make 4 wraps.

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Illinois Farm Bureau

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Marinated Tomato Slices

1 pound fusilli or farfalle pasta

¼ cup olive oil

2 cups sliced red or yellow bell pepper

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained

¼ cup white wine vinegar

¼ cup Kalamata olives, roughly chopped

4 teaspoons yellow mustard

½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

2 teaspoons sugar

¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

1½ teaspoons kosher salt

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

½ teaspoon black pepper

For vinaigrette: ½ cup red wine vinegar

1 pound farm-fresh tomatoes

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

1

1 English cucumber red onion

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground pepper 1 cup olive oil 1. Cook pasta to al dente, drain and place in large serving bowl.

2. Mix vinegar, shallots, mustard, mayonnaise, sugar,

salt and pepper and whisk until blended. Add olive oil in slow stream, whisking until incorporated.

3. Toss vinaigrette with pasta. Add remaining salad

ingredients, and toss once more.

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1. Mix oils, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper

together.

2. Slice tomatoes into quarters. Halve cucumber and slice into half moons. Thinly slice red onion.

3. Pour dressing over tomatoes, cucumber and onion slices. Marinate in the refrigerator or cooler for 1 to 2 hours.

4. Let stand at room temperature about 20 minutes

before serving.

Buy local Visit your local farmers’ market to find vine-ripened tomatoes and other fresh produce.

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Gardening

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Illinois Farm Bureau

Container gardening is as easy as 1, 2, 3

D

o you suffer from garden-space envy? Is there a gardener trapped inside just waiting to burst out if only you had some real estate in which to grow things? Take heart!

There is an easy answer. When your only space is a deck or patio, container gardening is for you.

The first step is choosing what kind of pot to use. Unless you have indoor storage available in the winter, pick a winter-proof container such as resin, plastic, metal or glazed and sealed clay.

Fill it with a soil-less mix. Do not use dirt from your yard. It dries out too fast, shrinks away from the sides of the pot and then is really hard to re-wet because the water flows around the soil ball and out the bottom. Did I mention you need a drainage hole in the bottom of your container?

Now that you have a pot filled with a potting medium, the fun begins. Several years ago I read about “thrillers, fillers and spillers” in an article by Steven Silk in Fine Gardening magazine, and it’s a great model for creating an eye-catching container.

The thriller is one tall, usually central, plant that demands to be noticed. It is the main attraction. Try purple millet, canna, spike, tall annual red salvia, or purple fountain grass. Whatever you choose, make it an attention grabber.

The filler is just that. It fills in the space from medium height down, covering the base of the thriller and the soil. It can be three or four plants of a single species or a

Summer 2010

variety of plants that grow to a similar height. There are a lot of filler choices.

I’ve used coleus, petunias, annual vinca, verbena, the smaller ornamental grasses, marigolds, snapdragons, lantana, calibrachoa, licorice plant, dusty miller, nicotiana, geraniums and gerbera daisies.

The spiller cascades down the outside of the pot. Try sweet potato vine, sweet alyssum, lysimachia, ivy geranium, vining vinca or nasturtiums.

The color combos are up to you.

Blue and yellow work well together as do burgundy and yellow or burgundy and pink. Mixing leaf shapes and textures adds a lot of visual interest, so don’t be afraid to experiment.

Also remember that plants grown in pots need significantly more water and fertilizer than those grown in the ground since they aren’t getting nutrients from the soil. I usually water every other day if there is no rain and fertilize once a week with a watersoluble fertilizer. Many potting mediums come with fertilizer as part of the mix, but it won’t last the entire growing season.

Ask an expert

Q

My mums always split and fall over.

How do I keep them in a mound?

Answer At the end of May, prune them back by half. Do it one more time around the end of June. By cutting off the growing points, the plant will be forced to stay compact while at the same time producing more blooms.

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

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. ilfbpartners.com

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{Travel Illinois}

Blooming

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Illinois Farm Bureau

ton

N

estled in the heart of Illinois, the Bloomington area, which includes its twin city of Normal, is known for wide open spaces and beautiful prairies. But don’t let its peaceful, seemingly subdued nature fool you – there’s more here than meets the eye.

Celebrated for its excellent golf courses, awe-inspiring architecture, rich history and expansive educational activities, Bloomington is the county seat of McLean County. It is home to the prestigious Illinois Wesleyan University, and the massive Illinois State University resides in neighboring Normal.

Easily accessible at the crossroads of Interstates 39, 55 and 74, the area attracts a host of visitors each year for cultural fun, sporting events, museums and more.

Good times are always blooming in this fun-filled area Jessica Mozo

Antony Boshier

storY BY

Summer 2010

Only in Bloomington Pack a picnic and marvel at the talent of the actors in the nationally renowned Illinois Shakespeare Festival, held on the grounds of Ewing Manor in July and August. Produced by the College of Fine Arts at Illinois State University, the highly anticipated festival began in 1978 and draws crowds of spectators for Shakespeare under the stars. The 2010 festival will feature The Tempest, Merry Wives of Windsor and The Three Musketeers.

Who doesn’t love Steak ’n Shake’s juicy steakburgers and hand-dipped milkshakes?

McLean County was home to the very first Steak ’n Shake restaurant, built along the historic Route 66 in 1934 by Gus and Edith Belt. Though the original restaurant was sold to Monical’s Pizza in the 1990s, the chain has

Must-Sees in BloomingtonNormal Pepsi Ice Center skating rink (Bloomington) Upper Limits Climbing Gym (Bloomington) U.S. Cellular Coliseum (Bloomington) Illinois State University (Normal) Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington) Garlic Press Market & Cafe (Normal) Boo Boo’s Dawghouse (famous for Chicago-style hot dogs, Bloomington) Ropp Jersey Cheese Farm (Normal) ISU Planetarium (Normal) Community Players Theatre (Bloomington)

Step back in time at the 1872 David Davis Mansion. ilfbpartners.com

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Staff Photo

Downtown Bloomington

Children’s Discovery Museum in Normal

Top 10 Free Attractions Green Shows at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival Genevieve Green Gardens at Ewing Cultural Center Constitution Trail Splash pads at local parks Miller Park Bandstand’s weekly summer concerts Connie J. Link Amphitheater’s free movie nights Historic Route 66 Evelyn Chapel at Illinois Wesleyan University Mackinaw Valley Vineyard Beer Nuts Company Store’s plant video tour

Ken Kashian for the Children’s Discovery Museum

Watch online Discover the Children’s Discovery Museum in the video gallery at ilfbpartners.com.

grown to include more than 475 locations.

Speaking of the “Mother Road,” Route 66 runs right through Bloomington and was established in 1926 as one of the original U.S. highways. Take a leisurely drive down the so-called Main Street of America (a portion of which is known locally as Veterans Parkway) and catch a glimpse of historic sites.

Admire the stunning architecture of the David Davis Mansion, an 1872 Victorian-style mansion that was the home of David Davis, a friend and campaign manager of Abraham Lincoln.

Davis served as a U.S. Supreme Court justice from 1862 to 1877 and as a U.S. senator. Also known as Clover Lawn, the three-story, yellow brick home has 36 rooms and an outdoor garden that was the pride and joy of Davis’ wife, Sarah.

Experience the history of Central Illinois and its people at the McLean County Museum of History, located in the Old McLean County Courthouse building, an American Renaissance style structure completed in 1903. View kitchens of Native Americans, Irish and Germans who settled in McLean County, and take home authentic recipes to try yourself.

Out and About Grab a bite to eat or sip a steaming cappuccino in Downtown Bloomington, where you’ll find a tasteful mix of art galleries, restaurants, boutiques and locally owned shops. Downtown is also the spot to take in Bloomington’s historic architecture, as many turn-of-the-century buildings sit proudly on the courthouse square. Night owls will appreciate the downtown nightlife, and the Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market is an ideal spot to pick up fresh produce and homemade baked goods.

Laugh until your sides ache at one of the many productions presented by the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts each season. Considered the centerpiece of the city’s cultural district, the historic theater was formerly a Scottish Rite Temple. Following a $15 million renovation, it’s now a 1,200-seat auditorium and ballroom that features more than 400 performances every year, including nationally acclaimed touring artists.

Put on your walking shoes and head for the 24-mile Constitution Trail. Popular with the locals for walking, jogging, biking and in-line skating, the linear park is a former abandoned railroad bed that has been transformed into an outdoor-lover’s paradise.

Feeling Crafty?

Head to the McLean County Arts Center for a little artistic inspiration.

Located in a historic 1909 downtown Bloomington building, the center features galleries with rotating exhibitions, a gallery store with handmade crafts and 60 different art classes for both children and adults. Popular classes include ceramics, watercolor, sculpture and photography, and there are art camps for kids during the summer months. The center also sponsors the Sugar Creek Arts Festival in Normal in July.

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Illinois Farm Bureau

Staff Photo

local flavor

Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts

It was named in celebration of the 200th birthday of the United States Constitution in 1987 and opened in 1989. Trail users also enjoy watching wildlife along the path.

Barrels of Fun Watch the playful sea lions eat during one of their daily feedings at Miller Park Zoo, a Bloomington landmark since 1891.

Open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas, Miller Park Zoo is home to hundreds of animals, from wallabies to Sumatran tigers. The Tropical America Rainforest is one of the zoo’s newest exhibits and is filled with animals and plants native to Central and South America.

Nearby Normal is home to the Children’s Discovery Museum. Pack up the kids and let them paint a masterpiece on the Paint Wall, explore the Toddler Backyard and climb the two-story Luckey Climber.

Munch on caramel corn while watching an antique tractor pull at the McLean County Fair, which takes place Aug. 4-8 at Interstate Center. The classic county fair also includes carnival rides, animal barns, 4-H exhibits and bushels of other fun attractions.

It is believed to be the oldest running and largest 4-H fair in the country, with more than 13,000 entries from 1,200 4-H members.

Icing on the Cake Kelly’s Bakery and Café known for decadent desserts, farm-fresh soups and deli delights

W

hen fourth-grade teacher Kelly Mathy started baking and selling decorated sugar cookies out of her home, she had no idea it would evolve into one of Bloomington’s favorite lunch spots.

“Before my husband, Jamie, and I were married, I made cookies from my home,” Mathy says. “By the time we were married, I made 250 dozen cookies between November and January. That was an insane time.”

When a downtown restaurant went up for sale, they toyed with the idea of starting their own café and bakery. “Jamie, my mom and I tooled around Italy talking about it,” Mathy says. “When we got back, we collected the financials, did the homework and took the plunge.”

Kelly’s Bakery and Café opened in November 2005. The menu includes made-from-scratch soups, tasty quiches and unusual sandwiches, the most popular being the Turkey with Caramelized Onions and the Black Russian, both featuring a homemade pesto dressing.

A favorite summer dish is Kelly’s farm-fresh tomato stuffed with chicken salad. In the fall, Kelly’s is known for applesauce made from local apples and honey, as well as melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin bars.

“My personal favorite is the toffee squares,” Mathy says. “It’s a recipe my mom made when I was a kid.”

Kelly’s also has free WiFi and local art on the walls. “We’re an eclectic place,” she says. “Jamie and I are foodies. Getting to try out new things, create recipes and bring good food to the community makes it all fun.”

Kelly’s Bakery and Café is located at 113 N. Center St. in Bloomington.

The restaurant is closed on Sundays. Hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, call (309) 820-1200 or visit www.kellysbakeryandcafe.com.

See More Photos Check out what’s cooking at Kelly’s Bakery at ilfbpartners.com.

Tourists aren’t the only ones attracted to McLean County. Several companies have their headquarters here, including Beer Nuts, State Farm Insurance, Mitsubishi Motors North America and COUNTRY Financial. The area has even drawn national attention for its businessfriendly environment – Forbes magazine rates Bloomington-Normal No. 20 out of 200 best small places for business and No. 20 on its list of the Smartest Cities in America.

Summer 2010

antony boshier

antony boshier

Headquarters Hot spot

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summer Events

A Fair To Remember June, July, August Statewide This summer, load up the family and head for a county fair, where thrilling carnival games and rides, livestock shows, and food galore await you. With more than 100 fairs held each year in Illinois, there are plenty to choose from. But maybe you’d like to venture outside your own county and sample one of your neighbor’s fairs.

Though we expect nearly every one of our readers has a favorite fair – and we hate to play favorites – there are a few that just might deserve some special consideration.

How about the Perry County Fair, considered the oldest continuously running fair in Illinois? Or the Macon County Fair, where you can see a portrait of Abraham Lincoln made entirely out of individually painted soybeans? And don’t forget to visit the Illinois State Fair, which attracts more than 600,000 people each year.

get More online Visit ilfbpartners.com for a full listing of Illinois fair dates.

And while you’re there, visit our Food section for some delicious fair food recipes that you can try at home.

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Illinois Farm Bureau

This listing includes a few events to add to your calendar in June, July, and August 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.

Milk Matters June 4-6 Harvard Started in 1942 as a salute to area dairy farmers, Harvard Milk Days is now considered to be the longest-running festival in Illinois. The first events featured small hay wagon stages with street dancing, but today’s festival includes more than 30 events. Line up along Milky Way, a street painted white for the parade, then enjoy livestock shows, tractor pulls, farm tours, a carnival, the annual crowning of the Harvard Milk Queen and more. On your drive into town, look for the town’s most recognized resident – Hamilda, a fiberglass cow that sits at the intersection of Highway 14 and 173.

Learn more at www.milkdays.com.

2,000 Homemade Rhubarb Pies June 4-5 Aledo Ever tasted a rhubarb pie? The annual Rhubarb Festival in Aledo may be your best opportunity. During this two-day festival, more than 2,000 homemade rhubarb pies are sold, and visitors sample this locally grown vegetable. Other activities include crafts, music and entertainment, and some 12,000 rhubarb seeds are given away free. Quite fitting for a town that was officially named the rhubarb capital of Illinois. Learn more at www.aledomainstreet.com.

Summer 2010

market for antiques and crafts, and children can participate in kiddie tractor pulls and ride the barrel train. Cruz Night features street rods, street machines and restored and original automobiles for their own competition.

For more information on this event, visit www.oldetimefarmshow.com.

Tow, Tow, Tow Your Boat

Good Music and Tall Tales

June 19-20 Grafton

July 18 Woodstock

This festival is all about boats. Take a tour of a towboat or admire model boat exhibits during the annual Great Rivers Towboat Festival in Grafton. The U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Corps of Engineers set up historical and educational displays, and visitors can also enjoy barbecue served off a towboat-shaped cooker. You can even test your deckhand skills in the tow-rope-throwing contest. At the Historic Boat Works on Front Street, more than 70 antique dealers will have items for sale. Get more details at www.greatriverroad.com.

Fun Times at the Olde Time July 2-4 Bourbonnais Connect with agriculture’s past at Thee Olde Time Farm Show this July.

Visitors to the three-day event can stroll down rows of antique tractors, learn how old gas engines operated, watch a 1911 Port Huron steam engine power the saw mill and wheat thresher. The collectors answer questions and put on demonstrations throughout the show, as well as drive their equipment in the parade each day at 12:30 p.m. But this show is more than just farm equipment.

Attendees also enjoy browsing the flea

Each year, gifted storytellers and talented folk musicians join forces for the Woodstock Folk Festival, marking its 25th anniversary in 2010. Founded by folk musician and Woodstock resident Amy Beth, the festival features a main stage, open-mike stage including a featured performer, workshop, children’s area and presentation of the Woodstock Folk Festival Lifetime Achievement Award. For more details, visit www. woodstockfolkmusic.com/folkfestival.

History in Action August 20-22 Galesburg Travel back in time this summer at Heritage Days in Galesburg. Held at Lake Storey Park, the event features both a Civil War re-enactment and an 1840s rendezvous. The idea behind this event is to allow visitors to experience two distinct time periods in one day. More than 1,200 re-enactors help tell the stories of Civil War battles and show what camp life was like. The event has activities for children, too, including cake walks, candy cannons, the Faire Wynds circus and a fishing contest. There’s also a military ball, where some dancers dress in period clothing, but anyone (in any attire) is welcome to attend. Learn more at www.heritagedays.com. ilfbpartners.com

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illinois in focus

The Kankakee River is aglow during Kankakee Community College’s annual Independence Day celebration, which features a performance by the Kankakee River Valley Sympohony Orchestra and draws 8,000-10,000 spectators.

see more photos View more dazzling images of Kankakee and other communities throughout Illinois at ilfbpartners.com.

Summer 2010

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