Birkey’s Farm Store marks 60 years with tractor task
The 60-year-old Farmall Super MTA looked out of place at the WIU Ag Mech Club Farm Expo. The cabless, bright-red piece of farm machinery that was the latest technology of 1954 sat among its bigger, newer red relatives.
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Sublette farmer says yes to solar energy
A Sublette farmer is using the sun for more than growing his crops. He’s also using it to power his home and farm. “We’ll get electricity all year,” said Louis Vaessen, who farms with wife Carol on their Centennial Farm in rural Lee County.
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Their mission: Eat healthy
Checking the credentials of the source providing facts on an Internet site is important for evaluating the validity of the statements. “There is no governing body for what you read online,” said Jodie Shield, a registered dietitian.
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Initiative shows ag can make difference
Indian Creek Watershed Project partners reviewed last year’s successes and plans for the upcoming growing season at a recent meeting. The collaborative effort led by farmers within the watershed demonstrates and tests conservation practices to reduce nutrient losses.
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Latest News

Mitas tires now rolling in fields across the U.S.

Saturday, March 15, 2014 9:00 AM

Boasting a successful farm tire business in Europe, Mitas is growing its brand in the U.S. Mitas tires can be found on machinery by John Deere, Case, Unverferth and, in a new partnership, McCormick, as well as others.

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Bill funds Mississippi levee repairs

Friday, March 14, 2014 9:00 AM

An Illinois legislative measure in support of a southern Illinois county’s efforts to fix a worrisome Mississippi River levee is advancing. The Springfield bureau of Lee Enterprises newspapers reported that the Illinois Senate unanimously signed off on a plan.

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Technology allows seed companies to move faster

Thursday, March 13, 2014 5:00 PM

In the subzero temperatures of northern Illinois in late winter, it was tough to imagine a farmer in the early and middle 1900s, carefully walking his fields and selecting out the plumpest, healthiest ears of corn to save for seed for the next crop.

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Next-generation RNAi technology targets corn rootworm

Thursday, March 13, 2014 3:00 PM

John Fietsam drove from sunny southern Illinois to the snow-mounded cornfields of northern Illinois to talk about corn, corn diseases and corn pests. So his audience at the Channel Achievement Series winter meeting may have puzzled over the question he asked after showing a photo of two corn rootworms.

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Breeding leads to increased control of crop diseases

Thursday, March 13, 2014 1:00 PM

The description of the activity sounds like a project from a doctorate-level biotechnology course — and it could be and probably was for some of the researchers at Monsanto studying not just plants, but seeds and their genes and chromosomes.

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Rural Voices

Ag world shift requires change in mindset

Have you ever been stuck in a routine? Maybe it’s the routine you go through each morning at the start of your workday. Or maybe you eat the same thing for lunch every day. If there isn’t any pressing reason to change, you might keep that routine.
Farmland assessments for Indiana property taxes rise

At the end of December, Indiana’s Department of Local Government Finance calculated the base rate assessment for farmland to be used for taxes in 2015. Predictably, the base rate increased to $2,050 per acre. That’s a 16 percent increase over the pay-2014 value.
Build financial 'dashboard' of working capital for farm

If margins tighten as ag economists are warning, it’s going to be important to consider the potential impacts on your operation. Making sure that your farm is going to be financially healthy in what could be tougher times may set you up in a good position.
Indiana agriculture needs a farm bill as fast as possible

This fall, Congress has an important opportunity to create jobs and grow the economy by passing a long-term, comprehensive Food, Farm and Jobs Bill. The farm bill impacts every American every day by providing a wide range of programs that strengthen our nation.
Thanks given to heroes that serve in military and farming

I would like to take a moment and say thank you to all of the heroes that have served and are currently serving this country. I know there are some common threads in farmers and soldiers, and oftentimes young farmers become soldiers.

Field Editor Blogs

Agriculture's message must engage, not confuse people

There, their, they’re. Why did the actual Olympic events start before the opening ceremonies? If you laughed at the first one, scratched your head at the second one, don’t feel like the Lone Ranger.
State lawmakers casting doubts on food labeling

Legislation requiring labeling of certain genetically engineered foods still is percolating in the Illinois General Assembly and under consideration in other states. Over the past year, voters in California and Washington defeated the labeling bills.
Street crews work hard to keep us safe on roadways

I’ve never seen a winter like this before. Piles of snow, ice everywhere and temperature highs that are below zero degrees — it is one bitter, cold winter! When a big snowstorm hit recently, hundreds of drivers were left stranded, in ditches and on roadsides, due to hazardous conditions.
Cultivate the connections between public, producer

As consumers’ interest grows about where their food comes from, who is growing their food and assurances that their food is safe, it becomes more and more important for farmers to take steps to address these issues.
Beekeeper works to help hives survive the winter

Some Indiana beekeepers work year-round to produce honey as a source of income. Many others consider beekeeping a hobby. No matter how many hives a beekeeper has, it’s important to prepare hives for the harsh winter months.