Peasley: Teachers view farm life
With a first-hand look at agriculture through a diverse program extending from July 8 through July 14, 24 McHenry County teachers will observe many facets of agriculture in McHenry County.
Sponsored by the McHenry County Farm Bureau and McHenry County College, the Summer Agriculture Institute provides teachers with an opportunity to gain college credit with their participation.
The program schedules visits to a number of farms but also includes a visit to the Chicago Wholesale Produce Market and the Chicago Board of Trade. The July 10 trip to Chicago includes a stop at O’Hare Field to see how incoming food products are screened.
Dan Volkers, Farm Bureau manager, said the farm stops would include activities such as the Kooistra dairy farm north of Woodstock, Von Bergen vegetable and produce farm near Hebron, Richardson tree farm and corn maze near Spring Grove, Fritz cattle farm near Harvard, Harry Alten’s corn and soybean farm near Harvard, Twin Gardens sweet corn and vegetable operation west of Harvard and Al Weidner’s hog farm near Marengo.
Teachers will have an unusual opportunity to see harvesting in action, watching Joe Henning combine wheat on his farm near Marengo
Volkers said the Agriculture Institute provided teachers with a significant opportunity to become more familiar with agricultural production and the uncertainties that go with typical farming operations. Students benefit because classroom discussion expands as teachers become more familiar with farming in McHenry County.
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Woodstock will be featured on Channel 7’s 190 North at 10:30 p.m. July 5.
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It’s time to warm up those antique tractors. The seventh annual Tractor Trek sponsored by Farm Bureau and the McHenry County Antique Farm Equipment Association will be July 18. The trek is limited to 100 tractors.
This year’s tour will start at Harvard’s Milky Way Park and proceed into northwest McHenry County and a portion of Boone County. The registration fee is $85 with proceeds supporting the Agriculture in the Classroom program promoting agriculture awareness in McHenry County.
Many activities are conducted throughout the school year in classrooms with farmers participating in the presentations.
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A scrapbook filled with information and photos about Todd School for Boys has been donated by Richard Ellogen. Jane Dahm, who received the book as part of a collection about the long-established private school, said Ellegen donated it in memory of his uncle, Ted Marrow, a 1937 Todd graduate.
Todd School was as an outstanding private school from 1848 until 1954. Many Todd School artifacts are on display at the Woodstock Public Library in an exhibit of photos, publications and memorabilia compiled by Caryl Lemanski and Dahm.
• Don Peasley has been editor, columnist and historian in McHenry County since October 1947. He began his association with Shaw Publications in 1950. He is a frequent contributor of articles and photographs. He can be reached at 815-338-1533.