Contact

Farm Facts

Local Fall Farm Produce

You’ll find fresh, delicious apples, and all sizes and varieties of pumpkins, along with other produce and fall ornamentals at local farm stands and orchards this fall. Here’s a list of Farm Bureau members who are included in the DeKalb County Farm Bureau Farm Products Directory. The Enchanted Valley Farm Jason & ...read more

Corn Height Variable

Later-planted corn shorter than early-planted corn based on shortfall of precipitation The height of corn has been greatly limited in many areas of the state by the severe lack of moisture so far this season, including DeKalb County. The majority of the state (92.7%) was in drought, according to the latest U.S. ...read more

Ag by the Numbers – Corn Tassels

Soon you will see corn tasseling in fields throughout DeKalb County. The tassel is a critical part of the corn plant’s ability to produce grain, during the pollination period. Here are some interesting facts about corn tassels. The tassel represents the male flower on a corn plant (the ear shoot represents the ...read more

Ag by the Numbers – Holy Cow!

We count on dairy cows to give us important dairy foods as part of a healthy diet. All of those versatile dairy foods start with milk from cows, which is used to make cheese, butter, ice cream, yogurt, and so many other dairy products. Here are some fun facts about dairy ...read more

Green Machines

Farmers use a variety of modern farm machinery in their grain operations. Most of today’s John Deere machines provide farmers with technology and automation using precision ag tools to work more efficiently.

Record Year for DeKalb County Corn Crop

Last year’s corn crop broke all records with bin-busting yields from DeKalb County fields. The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistic Service (NASS) reported the county’s corn yield average was 224 bushels per acre in 2022. Last year’s corn surpassed the previous high for the county set in 2016 at 216 bushels per acre. Not ...read more

Ag by the Numbers – Plowing

John Deere’s development of the moldboard plow in 1837 changed the prairie landscape. Deere, a blacksmith from Grand Detour, Illinois designed a plow of cast steel with a moldboard that allowed it to cut through the heavy soil without the soil sticking to the plow. When moldboard plows were first invented ...read more

Ag by the Numbers – Chickens

Chicken Clucks Which came first the chicken or the egg? This old riddle has sparked discussions for years. It’s such a tricky question because you need a chicken to lay an egg, but chickens come from eggs. Regardless, chickens are farm animals which provide us with meat and eggs! Here’s some fun facts about chickens: • ...read more

The Year of the Farmer

We Are the 96% 96% of Illinois farms are run by families. That’s one of the distinct messages of a new Illinois Farm Families campaign being launched soon. Illinois agriculture groups have designated 2023 as the “Year of the Farmer” to promote this statistic. The campaign hopes to debunk a consumer survey indicating ...read more