Spring 2011

Illinois Farm Bureau

®

A quarterly magazine for members ilfbpartners.com

Going With the

Flow Funk family tradition brings
‘sirup’ from tree to tabletop

Glazed pork Paint the Town The Life Cycle

medallions Murals add character of a Corn Plant
to cities across Illinois
 letters
write to us Ready to Bake
E-mail us at ilfbpartners@
jnlcom.com. We welcome
I enjoyed Charlyn Fargo’s article in
Illinois Farm Bureau Partners [“Kneads &
any feedback, ideas,
gardening questions or Wants,” Winter 2010-11]. My wife and I
requests to become our enjoy holiday baking when we can find the
featured reader.
time and found her recipes interesting and
very tempting to try. I enjoy making bread
and rolls, and find it a great stress reliever.
Bill Million
Champaign, Ill.
I made Mary’s Dark Bread tonight. It has
a wonderful flavor. It’s too sweet to be used
as sandwich bread (in my humble opinion),
but it is wonderful with butter on it.
Julie Burt
via ilfbpartners.com
I let Mary’s Dark Bread rise (proof) after
shaping and before baking. It turned out
really well with this addition.
Linda
via ilfbpartners.com
I love this recipe for Cinnamon-
Cranberry Granola! I do sometimes leave
out the pecans and add sliced almonds.
Sylvia Crouch
via ilfbpartners.com
Editor’s note: Thanks for all the great
comments and suggestions on our recipes. Keep
them coming! Your notes and substitutions
could help out another home cook.
Sew Much Fun
I just had to say how much I enjoyed
reading this article [“The Fabric of Her Life,”
Winter 2010-11]. I have been a fiber artist since
the age of three, when my grandmother placed
a needle in my hand and taught me to sew on
buttons. I have 58 years of learning and
pleasure behind me now, and I would not
trade it for all the money in the world. It is so
good to see a young woman joining our ranks.
Keep on spinning,
Laura
via ilfbpartners.com
2 
I met Natasha and [her mother] Donna
at their shop about two years ago when I was
really getting into knitting. I applaud their
efforts and all of their support to the fiber
and local communities. Natasha was the
person who inspired me to learn to weave!
Thank you for a great article about a
young person who is really working for
an idea she believes in. As a fellow
20-something in the nonprofit arena,
it serves as an inspiration!
Lauren J.
via ilfbpartners.com
In a world that has been turned upside-
down with so many people out of work,
Esther’s Place is a dose of a real world made
real simple. It is the opportunity to connect
with some basic skills and workmanship
that were created years ago. Bless your
efforts to show people what “real” really is!
Gail Mikyska
via ilfbpartners.com
Flower Fads
Great article [“Houseplant History,” Winter
2010-11]. From the ’50s onward, I remember
the cyclic arrivings and goodbyes to plant
trends. Never could get African violets to
grow, and I have not had success with
succulents like hens and chicks or burro’s tail.
What’s the secret to these succulent plants?
Maybe I overly tend to ’em, ya think?
Joanne Clayton
via ilfbpartners.com
Response from Master Gardener Jan
Phipps: My guess is you are overwatering
your succulents. Those thick, juicy leaves are
water storage systems so they need very little
supplemental water from us.
First, use a potting mix that is designed for
cacti and succulents. It is a little chunkier and
drains faster. Next use a porous container like
clay instead of plastic. Finally, water only
every two weeks or even less. I have one
succulent growing with three kinds of cactus in
a “breathable” hypertufa container, and it
only gets water once a month. Good luck!
Illinois Farm Bureau
 Contents

Features
8 Going With the Flow
Funk family tradition brings ‘sirup’
from tree to tabletop
20
12 Top Crop
Learn about all aspects of Illinois corn

18 Painting the Town

Murals add color and character
to cities across Illinois

26 Travel Illinois: Moline Every Issue

Moline boasts a flourishing downtown,
energetic riverfront and rich farming history 5 prairie state
perspective
Dinner’s definition reflects
personal lifestyle

6 Almanac
When to plant spring veggies,
soybeans fun facts and more

17 country wisdom
Teaching children
financial literacy

20 recipes
Glazed Pork Medallions recipe
fits new dietary guidelines

24 Gardening
Follow these steps to avoid
making gardening gaffes

On the cover
Funks Grove Pure Maple Sirup
Photo by Antony Boshier

12
more online
Watch videos, read stories and
browse photos at ilfbpartners.com.

Spring 2011 ilfbpartners.com 3

 Volume 4, No. 1

Illinois Farm Bureau

®

ilfbpartners.com An official member publication of the Illinois Farm Bureau

Visit our website for videos, stories, recipes and much more

Farm Food Finds Resources ®

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

Managing Editor Jessy Yancey

Copy Editors Lisa Battles, Joyce Caruthers, Jill Wyatt
Proofreading Manager Raven Petty
Content Coordinator Blair Thomas
Contributing Writers Joe Buhrmann, Charlyn Fargo,
Celeste Huttes, Jessica Mozo, Jan Phipps,
Karen Schwartzman, Joanie Stiers
Media Technology Director Christina Carden
Senior Graphic Designer Laura Gallagher
Media Technology Analysts Chandra Bradshaw,
Yamel Hall, Alison Hunter, Marcus Snyder

Food Photography Director Jeffrey S. Otto

Senior Photographers Jeff Adkins, Brian McCord
Staff Photographers Todd Bennett, Antony Boshier
Fruit Tarts Web Designer Richard Stevens
Dress up your dessert with these fancy, yet easy-to-prepare, berry- Ad Production Manager Katie Middendorf

filled fruit tarts. Find this recipe and other dessert ideas in our online
collection. Get the recipe at ilfbpartners.com/fruit-tarts.
Ad Traffic Assistants Krystin Lemmon, Patricia Moisan
Information Technology Director Yancey Bond
I.T. Service Technician Bryan Foriest
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

Farm Receptionist Linda Bishop

Chairman Greg Thurman

Rural Vets President/Publisher Bob Schwartzman
What does a national shortage of rural Executive Vice President Ray Langen
Sr. V.P./Operations Casey Hester
veterinarians mean for Illinois farms? Sr. V.P./Sales Todd Potter, Carla Thurman
V.P./Custom Publishing Kim Newsom
V.P./Visual Content Mark Forester
V.P./Content Development Teree Caruthers
V.P./Content Operations Natasha Lorens

Finds
Controller Chris Dudley
Marketing Creative Director Keith Harris
Distribution Director Gary Smith
llinois Wine Trails Advertising Sales Manager, Custom Division Tori Hughes

Southern Illinois’ Shawnee Hills region is ripe Illinois Farm Bureau Partners is produced for the Illinois Farm
Bureau by Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs
for a wine-lover’s weekend. Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (800) 333-8842.
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4  Illinois Farm Bureau

 prairie state perspective

about the author

Joanie Stiers of Williamsfield writes from her
kitchen table, where dinner never is served.
Rather, lunch and supper supersede.

Dinner-Speak
Dinner’s definition reflects personal lifestyle

Only a sudden oven breakdown could be more
haunting for a hostess than an inaccurate perception of
dinnertime. Friends arrive six hours late to eat overbaked
lasagna, or six hours early to greet the cook scrubbing the
toilet. Is dinner served at noon or night? I say “not at all”
at our house, where lunch and supper supersede to avoid
the confusion of when dinner shall be served.
Some Internet bloggers call dinner’s conflicting time a
lingering issue between Yankees and Southerners. My
experience finds the divide rather lighthearted and a
simple example how Illinoisans from north to south and
across the middle can speak different dinner languages.
Dinner seems largely a difference for rural and urban
dwellers and what time of day you tend to eat a hearty
meal of roast beef with mashed potatoes.
Fewer yet say dinner requires Grandma’s fine china
and a candle. Losing clout in their argument are those
evening dinner-eaters who flip-flop to eat dinner at noon
on Sundays.
By the end of the day, dinner’s definition reflects
personal lifestyle.
As is the case with most farm families, I grew up eating
dinner at noon. Before retirement, Granny rang the
dinner bell only at noon to summon the men from their
farm chores for meatloaf. My other grandma leaned out
Spring 2011 ilfbpartners.com 5
the back door before 1 p.m. and hollered “Dinner’s
ready!” toward the barnyard and hoped the neighbors
didn’t show up for ham and potatoes. These days, my dad,
brother and the farm employee know to head houseward
for pork chops when my brother receives a text-message
jingle for the midday market report.
For my husband, heavier meals had always been in the
evening throughout his life. So my then-fiancé later
confessed his astonishment when my mom placed a baked,
turkey-sized chicken on the farmhouse table at a noon
meal. I explained how the leftover chicken makes a
delicious second meal in soups and casseroles. He
remained bewildered and repeated “whole” with wide
eyes and a head nod, as if she had placed a whole pig there.
It is dinner, after all. Expect a tossed salad for supper.
Our church follows my guidelines to avoid dinner-
speak altogether as they serve their annual Steak Supper
and Turkey Supper, and renamed the Come-As-You-Are
Dinner to Luncheon. No one seems to debate the general
timing of lunch and supper.
Meanwhile, my life has adjusted to a light lunch and
larger supper, as our primary income is off the farm and
our meal together as a family is served around 6 p.m. But
on hungry middays, I crave Grandma’s meatloaf, home-
canned green beans and apple crisp with ice cream.
 almanac

Flower Power
Get a glimpse of what Galena’s all about at the annual
Galena Daffodil Festival, which takes place April 30-May 1.
The weekend-long event features full days of recreation
and relaxation, with events such as the Galena Garden
Walk and historic walking tours.
Also on the agenda is the Home Garden Expo, which
features 75 exhibitors that include outdoor cooking
demonstrations and Master Gardeners.
The festival is held on the Eastside Riverfront, where
visitors can fully take advantage of the city's rich culture,
both past and present. Farm Focus:
Visit www.galenadaffodilfestival.com to learn more.
Soybeans
Did you know that Illinois ranks second in the
nation for soybean production? Here's the skinny
on soybean stats:
• One acre of soybeans can produce 82,368 crayons.
• During the Civil War, soybeans were used in place
of coffee because real coffee was scarce.
• 98 percent of the soybean and livestock farms
in the country are still family farms.
• U.S. farmers first grew soybeans as cattle feed.
• 45 percent of the world's soybean acreage and
55 percent of production is in the United States.
• Soy ink is used to print newspapers and textbooks.
• The soybean is the highest natural source of
dietary fiber.

When to Plant?
The temptation to get your garden growing may come on strong in early spring, but
home gardeners should know that the hardier the vegetable, the more likely it is to
survive the cold weather.
Potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, as well as spinach, lettuce and turnips are all
considered hardy enough to withstand the wintry weather, and can be planted four to
six weeks before the frost-free date in the spring. On the other hand, crops such as
watermelon, cucumbers, pumpkins and cantaloupe love the warmth, and should be
planted one to two weeks after the frost-free date.

6  Illinois Farm Bureau

 Notice of
The Fungus Among Us Annual Meeting
COUNTRY Mutual
Make the most of your mushrooms at the annual Mushroom Festival at Piasa Insurance Company
Winery in Grafton on May 1. The day-long event is dedicated to celebrating the
versatility of the mushroom and features all kinds of earthy creations. To All Policyholders
and Members:
Guests can sample mushroom-themed dishes from local chefs as they compete in
a mushroom cook-off, and admission buys them all the samples they can handle as Notice is hereby given
well as a glass of wine. Afterward, they can vote on their favorite dish to determine that the annual meeting of
which chef takes home top honors. Attendees can also bring in mushrooms of their the members of Country
Mutual Insurance Company
own to compete in the biggest and smallest mushroom contest, with the winner
will be held in the Illinois
taking home the mushroom trophy, and, of course, bragging rights for the next year.
Agricultural Association
Visit www.piasawinery.com or call (618) 786-WINE (9463) for more details. Building, 1701 Towanda
Avenue, Bloomington,
Illinois on Wednesday,
April 20, 2011 at 1:00 p.m.,
to receive, consider, and if
approved, confirm and
ratify the reports of the
officers and of the Board of
Directors of the Company
for the year ended
December 31, 2010 to elect
20 members of the Board
of Directors to serve for a
term of one year, and for
the transaction of such
other business as may

Partners on the Web properly come before

the meeting.

Illinois Partners has a new look online! Explore Elaine Thacker

the redesigned ilfbpartners.com to find food and Kathy Smith Whitman
Assistant Secretaries
recipes, fun farm facts, Illinois finds and much
more. Share feedback on Facebook (facebook.com/
illinoispartners), Twitter (twitter.com/ILpartners)
or by e-mail at ilfbpartners@jnlcom.com.

Ag Department Goes Green

The Illinois Department of Agriculture put a new
spin on Springfield’s green scene. In 2010, the
department added Illinois' first “green” roof to its
building by planting than 22,000 square feet of sedum,
a small ornamental plant, in 2-by-2-foot trays.
Thanks to the sedum, the eco-friendly roof can retain
as much as 75 percent of stormwater runoff.
Ken Kashian

Spring 2011 ilfbpartners.com 7

 Todd Bennett
Antony Boshier Todd Bennett

8  Illinois Farm Bureau

 Going
with the
Flow
Funk family tradition brings ‘sirup’ from tree to tabletop
storY BY Celeste Huttes

I n the very earliest breath of spring, a

hidden journey begins in the woods. As
temperatures warm during the day, sap stored
in the roots of the trees begins to flow,
nourishing the buds that will soon announce
themselves in the welcome green of spring.
As operators of Funks Grove Pure Maple
Sirup Farm in Shirley, Mike and Debby
Funk, along with nephew Sean Funk, are
part of a family tradition that brings that
sweetness from the tree to your table.
“Sirup” is the family’s preferred spelling
for the farm (see sidebar on page 10).
Syrup season in Central Illinois depends
on the whims of Mother Nature but
typically begins in mid-February or March,
lasting from four to six weeks.
“You have to have freezing and thawing
temperatures for the sap to run,” says Mike
Funk, who began helping with the harvest as
a boy when his parents, Stephen and Glaida
More online
For more information,
go to www.funksmaple
sirup.com or call
Funk, operated the business. “When the
snow begins melting, that’s when we start (309) 874-3360. Syrup
is usually available at
drilling holes in the trees, driving in the Funks Grove between
spouts, hanging the buckets and catching March and August.
the sap.”
Using about 7,000 spouts, or “taps,” the
Funks draw sap from 3,000 sugar maple
trees. Tapping does not hurt the trees – in
fact, the same stand of sugar maple trees at
Funk’s Grove has generously shared its sap
with the family for generations.
The sap is collected in buckets hanging
from the spouts or, increasingly, with plastic
tubing and vacuum pumps.
Sap consists primarily of water and is

A worker collects sap from sugar maple trees at Funks Grove Pure Maple Sirup Farm. Each tree produces
about half a gallon of syrup, and the Funks are able to harvest about 1,800 gallons of syrup each year.

Spring 2011 ilfbpartners.com 9

 photos by Antony Boshier
Mike and Debby Funk carry on the Funk family tradition of maple syrup production, which dates back to the 1820s. Syrup made in Funks
Grove, located on Route 66 southwest of Bloomington, has been shipped to every state and as far away as Japan and Sweden.
did you know
No need to get your
dictionary out – the Funk
family spells “sirup” that
way on purpose. This less
conventional spelling is a
tribute to Hazel Funk
Holmes, who operated the
syrup farm in the 1920s
and ’30s. Holmes placed
Funk family timber and
farmland in a trust to
ensure that future
generations could continue
to enjoy syrup made in
Funks Grove. In that trust,
she expressed her wish
that “sirup” be spelled
with an “i.” At the time,
this was Webster’s
preferred spelling to refer
to pure syrup, made with
no added sugar. In any
case, the Funks know that
“sirup” by any spelling
tastes as sweet.
10 
only slightly sweet when it’s first harvested
from the tree. In fact, it takes up to 50
gallons of sap to make just one gallon of
syrup. The sap is boiled to remove the water
– a process that gives the colorless liquid the
familiar amber color we love to pour over
pancakes and waffles.
“Heat caramelizes the sugar in the sap
and turns it darker,” Debby explains.
While it is hot, the syrup is filtered and
bottled – up to 1,800 gallons of savory
maple syrup each season.
It’s a routine the Funk family has
embraced season after season. When Isaac
Funk first settled in the area in 1824, he made
maple syrup primarily for his own use. But in
1891, his grandson, Arthur Funk, branched
out and began selling syrup for $1 a gallon.
This family tradition is also a true
American tradition – one that has changed
little over hundreds of years.
“Native Americans used basically the
same process we do, though advances in
technology have made it a little easier and
faster,” Mike says.
Even with the benefit of modern
technology, this is one family tradition that
will test your mettle. Harsh weather
conditions and time pressure make for a
demanding season, which inevitably
includes a few all-night boiling sessions.
“Because the sap is perishable, the
quicker you process it, the better syrup
you’ll make,” Mike says.
That means these syrup-makers must
go with the flow, on good days and bad.
“The weather conditions can be pretty
miserable,” says Glaida, now retired.
“It really is hard work.”
Her body may have tired of the work,
but her taste buds have not tired of the end
result. Glaida fondly recalls memories of
dipping biscuits in homemade maple syrup
around the family dinner table. “We’re
pretty spoiled,” she says.
Debby, who uses the syrup to sweeten
her morning oatmeal, agrees: “I never get
tired of it.”
And neither do their customers. Syrup
made in Funks Grove has been shipped to
every state, and as far away as Japan and
Sweden. This local product has found fans
far and wide, thanks to the farm’s prime
location along that classic American
roadway: Route 66. Along with their pure
maple syrup, the Funks sell tempting treats
such as truffles and maple cream candies.
Though too modest to make the claim
themselves, more than a few customers have
paid the Funks the ultimate compliment
among syrup makers: “It’s better than
Vermont’s!”
Illinois Farm Bureau
 Maple Syrup
by the Numbers
.5
gallons of syrup produced each season
from the sap of a single tree

40
age at which maple trees are ready to be tapped
(or when they grow to 14 inches in diameter)

50
gallons of sap required to produce
one gallon of syrup

219
degrees (Fahrenheit) needed
to turn sap into syrup

1,800
average number of gallons of syrup
produced each season

3,000
number of sugar maple trees
tapped each season

7,000
number of taps drilled
each season

More online
To learn even more about
Illinois maple syrup, visit
www.illinoismaplesyrup
festival.com.

Spring 2011 ilfbpartners.com 11

 12  Illinois Farm Bureau
 Top
Crop
Learn about the life of Illinois corn, from the soil that
makes it grow to its end uses – and everything in between
storY BY Joanie Stiers

Spring 2011 ilfbpartners.com 13

 From left: Corn sprouts emerge in May, a few weeks after planting; the corn flourishes in June and grows steadily all summer; by
October, the stalks are mature and the dry kernels are ready to be harvested. photos by Ken Kashian
did you know
“Why do you let the corn
plant die?”
The Illinois Corn Growers
Association commonly
fields that question from
consumers. Farmers prefer
to call it “mature.” Corn
is an annual crop. It
germinates, grows,
flowers, pollinates and
produces grain. Then it
matures and dries, and
farmers harvest the corn
kernels while the
remaining plant residue
increases organic matter
in the soil and shows
potential for use in
developing biomass fuels.
A single bushel of corn makes multiple products:
2.8
gallons of ethanol fuel
14 
Corn's Life Cycle
The first spikes of corn to emerge in the
spring settle a farmer’s initial apprehension.
Farmers plant corn with a lot of optimism
and faith, says Leon “Len” Corzine, a corn
farmer from Assumption. After all, they sow
around 35,000 seeds per acre and in five
months hope for a return of 14.5 million
kernels, about 200 bushels per acre.
Field corn, Illinois’ top crop, covers about
12 million acres across the state. And while
a corn farmer’s greatest visibility arrives
with spring planting and fall harvest, the
business of growing corn fills the calendar,
with tasks ranging from seed selection and
soil preparation to marketing, technology
updates and a constant awareness of the
weather forecast.
Spring carries the highest anxiety for
farmers eager to plant another crop after a
winter of repairing machinery and handling
bookwork, bills and supply orders. Soil
11.4
pounds of gluten feed
3
pounds of gluten meal
preparation resumes in this season, and
corn planting begins in April.
Farmers spend summers scouting field
conditions and protecting the health of the
crop with carefully timed and researched
fertilizer applications to protect the plants
from insect, weed and disease infestations.
In July, farmers prefer mild temperatures
and adequate rainfall to reduce stress as the
corn plant pollinates and creates kernels.
“Watching that grain develop is
fascinating to me because of all the things
we are able to do with that corn plant,”
Corzine says, noting corn’s extensive use
in farm animal feed, other food products
and ethanol.
By fall, the plant matures, kernels dry and
harvest equipment gathers the crop. Soil
sampling and tillage decisions follow the
large harvesting machine known as a
combine, as does another round of bookwork
to close the year and begin another.
1.6
pounds of corn oil
Illinois Farm Bureau
 Q&A With a
Corn Farmer
Corn is the constant for
the Corzine family

S ix generations have grown field corn

on the Corzine family farm, and Len
Corzine makes farm decisions and
serves in leadership roles to make sure
future generations can grow it, too.
“One of our mantras is to leave the
farm in a better way than we found it,”
Corzine says. “At the same time, we
would like to increase productivity and
become more efficient at what we do
and look at new technologies to do that.”
The Corzines grow corn and
soybeans and care for a few Angus
cows in the Assumption area. The farm
owners include Len and wife, Susie,
representing the fifth generation, and
their son, Craig, the sixth generation,
who is married with two children.
Since Len Corzine began farming in
1974, the farm has reduced soil erosion,
cut fertilizer use per bushel by half, and
adopted satellite-guidance technology
in its tractors to reduce fuel and
chemical use. During his career, the
family has increased yield productivity
by 80 percent and can harvest five
times more corn bushels per day.
Meanwhile, Corzine’s leadership roles,
including former presidencies with the
Illinois and National Corn Growers
associations, placed him at the forefront
of infrastructure issues, biotechnology
discussions, trade agreements and the
energy bill that launched ethanol’s
expansion. He now serves as an
ambassador for an international
program to help ensure corn’s future
in helping to feed the world.

More online
Discover even more about Illinois corn
Antony Boshier

at www.ilcorn.org.

Spring 2011 ilfbpartners.com 15

 # corn by
the numbers “I have been most places in the world,
12.6 and there is nowhere that can grow
million acres of corn
planted in Illinois last year corn like we can in the Corn Belt.”
(each acre is about the size
of a football field) – Leon “Len” Corzine, fifth-generation corn farmer
38,260
corn farms in Illinois

95
percent of corn farms in
America are family-owned

4,200
uses for corn, ranging
from farm animal feed
and ethanol, to cornbread
and soda, to latex paint
and diapers

43
percent of the crop was
consumed by farm animals
in 2009, primarily beef
cattle, chickens and hogs

800
kernels on an ear of corn,
on average

72,800
kernels in a bushel of corn,
approximately

56
Ken Kashian

pounds in a bushel of corn,

about the weight of a
large bag of dog food

162 Gas Stations Fuel Field Corn vs. Sweet Corn

average bushels per acre
grown and harvested from Up With Ethanol Corn covers more of Illinois’ farmland
2000 to 2009 in Illinois Ethanol, a renewable fuel, is a grain than any other crop, yet you’ll need to find a
(farmers produced an
average 22 percent more
alcohol that can be produced from crops, backyard garden for some corn on the cob.
bushels per acre over such as corn. For every bushel of corn Sweet corn is consumed as a vegetable and is
the past decade than entering an ethanol plant, two-thirds of it not to be confused with field corn grown on
in the 1990s) exits as fuel while one-third becomes a 99 percent of all corn acres in the United
Sources: National livestock feed called distillers dried grains. States. Field corn is used for livestock feed,
Agricultural Statistics Many gas stations provide a blend of 10
Service, National Corn ethanol production, manufactured goods
Growers Association percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline for and a food ingredient in the form of corn
use in all vehicles. Flex-fuel vehicles have been cereal, corn starch, corn oil and corn syrup.
modified to accept higher ethanol blends.
Most ethanol in the United States is made Sources: National & Illinois Corn Growers
from corn, because of farmers’ productivity. Associations, University of Illinois Extension
16  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.

Dollars and Sense

How to teach children financial literacy

As my daughters are nearing the end of high school,
I’m remembering moments in which we had a chance to
influence lives forever. I thought I’d share some of those
invaluable lessons.
It’s Never Too Early to Start
When our children were young, we provided allowances
along with envelopes labeled Spend, Short Term and Long
Term. Their coins, and later on dollars, were divided equally
among the envelopes. Our kids were able to have money in
their pockets and learn how to save for a rainy day.
Teach Spending as Well as Saving
We all know it’s important to teach kids to save, but it’s
equally important to learn how to spend. Teach your children
to recognize a true bargain from one that is not, how to
compare brands and make sound purchasing decisions.
There may not always be money to invest, but good shopping
skills will always help stretch a dollar a little farther.
Skin in the Game
I’m a big believer that you’re generally more engaged in
something where you have some “skin in the game.” For my
youngest, it means baby-sitting and pet-sitting to earn money
for the usual teen necessities – clothes and music downloads –
as well longer-term goals such as a car and college.
As an equestrian, our oldest took to heart my motto:
“It’s not called the sport of kings for nothing.” With two
competition horses and plenty of bills, she cleans stalls
Spring 2011 ilfbpartners.com 17
and feeds horses to pay the monthly board.
We have always instilled a love of learning and the value
of a quality education. When it came time to visit college
campuses, my oldest discovered scholarships might be
within her grasp and schools might actually pay her to
attend. She said, “Dad, could this be my skin in the game
with good grades and scholarships?” Mission accomplished.
Reward Behavior You Want to Encourage
Last spring, my youngest was learning all about different
kinds of investments, including Certificates of Deposit. We
told her that if she saved half the money for the CD, we’d
match it. In short order, she proudly watched her funds grow.
If It’s Going to Be, It’s Up to Me
Take personal and parental responsibility. Many
schools have excellent programs available, so be sure to
take advantage of them. My daughters have each taken a
personal finance class. They learned the difference
between a stock and a bond, what a mutual fund is, and
how a 401(k) and Roth IRA work. None of these falls
under “Reading, Writing or ’Rithmatic” as a mandated
requirement, but all are required for graduation from the
Buhrmann School of Family Management.
Take advantage of those “teachable moments” with
your families. There’s no better education than one that
pays you back tenfold. A few minutes spent in the chaos of
today can help create a financially secure tomorrow.
 Painting
the Town
storY BY Jessica Mozo
Murals add color and character to cities across Illinois
I f a picture is worth a thousand
words, then Illinois is like an open
book just waiting to be read. Larger-
than-life murals enhance cities across
the state, telling the unique stories of
each community’s people and heritage.
“The murals and statuary in towns
and cities are an integral part of their
history – past and present – and what
these places represent,” says Dianna
Mueller, a mural artist in Chester.
“They demonstrate a town’s pride and
ambience and afford so many
opportunities for photographs.”
Chester (population 7,800) is
among scores of Illinois towns whose
history is literally painted all over it.
18 
More than a dozen murals liven up the
town’s businesses, schools, residences
and churches, many incorporating
characters from the well-loved comic
and cartoon star Popeye the Sailor.
Popeye’s creator, Elzie Crisler Segar,
was born in Chester in 1894.
Mueller and her husband, Ted,
painted or worked on many of Chester’s
murals, including ones at Gazebo Park,
the Chester Opera House, the Spinach
Can Collectibles Museum, Rough
House Pizza, Chester City Hall and
the Chester Welcome Center.
“City Hall boasts the Popeye
characters representing various city
employees – Popeye is a fireman, Olive
Oyl is a city clerk, Wimpy is the town
mayor and Brutus is a policeman,”
Mueller says. “Those murals were
created on canvas and attached to the
walls with wallpaper paste so they can
be moved and repositioned when the
walls need repainting.”
In Peoria, murals depict the Mardi
Gras history and the Illinois Traction
Railway, among others. Much of
Peoria’s public art is along downtown’s
riverfront, although there also are
indoor murals in Peoria’s City Hall, the
luxurious Hotel Père Marquette and
the library at Bradley University.
“Each mural has its own character
and theme,” says Jonathan Wright,
Illinois Farm Bureau

managing editor of Central Illinois
Business Publishers Inc. “Most of the
murals have themes pertaining to the
business inside – jazz musicians at
the Madison Theatre, runners at the
Running Central shoe store, and fair
trade and international cooperation
at Global Village, a fair trade shop.
The indoor murals at City Hall and
the Père are quite old and represent
Peoria’s rich history.”
Another mural on the outside of
Water Street Wines, Café & Coffees
features several prominent Peorians
hidden in the collage – an inside joke
that invokes a chuckle with the locals.
“It’s difficult to put a dollar amount
on the value of art, but it is undeniable
that public art enhances the quality of
life in the area and shows a connection
to culture that is attractive to young
professionals, tourists and other
visitors,” Wright says.
Spring 2011 ilfbpartners.com 19
Todd Bennett
staff photo
Clockwise from left: Murals in Ottawa, Naperville and
Chester commemorate politics, history and famous residents.
Ottawa, a city of about 19,000,
started a mural project in 2002 to
beautify downtown and create an
attraction for tourists and residents.
The project, called “A Brush With
History,” has overseen the paintings
of murals focusing on local industry,
prominent citizens and major internal
improvements such the construction
of the Illinois and Michigan Canal.
Murals also are part of Naperville’s
Century Walk, a collection of 35
pieces of public art that also includes
mosaics and sculptures. The murals
and other art reflect more than 100
years of Naperville’s history. An alley
off Washington Street, for example,
brings back memories for long-time
Naperville residents of dime stores
and transistor radios in the mural
called “The Way We Were.”
Murals add zest to more than a
dozen other Illinois cities, including
Joliet, Lincoln, Sterling, Charleston,
Metropolis, Atlanta, Sullivan and
Rockford. The Illinois Lincoln
Highway, a National Scenic Byway, is
also producing a series of interpretive
murals in Northern Illinois.
Back in Chester, Mueller says she
loves being a mural artist for the
satisfaction it brings when others
enjoy her color-splashed walls.
“I love large canvasses – or walls –
and get so excited to see all that
blank space I get to paint,” she says.
“I guess painting murals also means I
become a part of the town history,
which is pretty special. I am leaving
something behind.”
More online
Want to know more about Illinois’ murals?
Visit www.drivelincolnhighway.com/
murals.html or www.enjoyillinois.com
and search “murals.”
 You Are
what You Eat
Put the new dietary guidelines into practice

20  Illinois Farm Bureau

 I t’s big news for nutrition.
We have new advice for eating healthy.
Once every five years, the U.S. government
prepares new guidelines for a healthy
lifestyle. The newly released 2010 Dietary
Guidelines, like those in the past, stress both
a balanced diet and plenty of physical
activity. But this time, they ask Americans
to slash their salt intake, eat a more plant-
based diet and increase physical activity.
So Mom was right – load up on your
fruits and vegetables. That change alone will
help put the guidelines in place in your diet.
Women need at least seven servings of fruits
and vegetables each day, while men need at
least nine.
When the first guidelines appeared in
1980, they were much shorter and sweeter.
Here are the recommendations of the 2010
Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee,
issued by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services:
1. Reduce the incidence and prevalence of
the U.S. population’s excess weight and
obesity by reducing overall calorie intake
and increasing physical activity. We as a
nation have expanded our waistlines over
the past 30 years, and collectively two-thirds
of us are overweight or obese.
2. Shift food intake patterns to a more
plant-based diet that emphasizes vegetables,
cooked dry beans and peas, fruits, whole
grains, and nuts and seeds, and consume
only moderate amounts of lean meats,
poultry and eggs. The guidelines suggest
consuming more seafood and low-fat dairy
products, as well.
3. Reduce intake of foods containing added
sugars and solid fats because these dietary about
components contribute excess calories and the author
few, if any, nutrients. In addition, reduce Charlyn Fargo got her
sodium intake and lower intake of refined start in food in 4-H. Her
love for the culinary arts
grains, especially refined grains that are
helped her land a job as
coupled with added sugar, solid fat and food editor of the State
sodium. Sodium intake is to be reduced Journal-Register, a daily
from 2,300 milligrams to 1,500 milligrams paper in Springfield and
eventually a master’s
per day. The guidelines also recommend degree in nutrition and
cutting back on sugary sodas and beverages, registered dietitian from
and eating less saturated fat. Eastern Illinois University.
She is passionate about
4. Meet the 2008 Physical Activity for healthy eating, teaches
Americans, which recommend at least 2 ½ nutrition and baking at
Lincoln Land Community
hours of moderate-intensity physical activity or College and consults as
1 ¼ hours of a vigorous-intensity activity each a dietitian.
week for adults. An hour or more of moderate-
intensity to vigorous physical activity each
day is optimal for children and teens.
Knowing the new dietary guidelines is
one thing, but putting them into your daily
diet is another. We have compiled a few
recipes to help you increase your fruits and
veggies, lower your sodium intake and
choose lean meats.

Today’s pork fits into the “leaner meat” of the dietary guidelines. It is 31 percent lower in fat, 29
percent lower in saturated fat and 14 percent lower in calories than pork produced 15 years ago,
according to the National Pork Board. The reason is because pork farmers have listened to consumers’
wishes for leaner cuts. Six pork cuts contain less saturated fat than a skinless chicken thigh. On
average, the leaner pork has 173 calories per 3-ounce serving. And there’s plenty of it – Illinois pork
farmers rank fourth in the U.S. in pork production, with 2,900 swine farms in the state. In 2009, those
Illinois farms produced 1.84 billion pounds of pork.
Pork tenderloin is my favorite cut – it’s lean, full of iron, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B-6,
phosphorus and protein – and there’s no waste. I’ve served glazed pork medallions with asparagus for
company many times and always get rave reviews. Turn the page for the recipe.

Spring 2011 ilfbpartners.com 21

 Glazed Pork
Medallions
With Asparagus
6 (3-ounce) pork tenderloin
pieces (trimmed and lightly
pounded to ¼-inch thickness)
Seasoned flour for dredging
1½ ounce canola oil
½ cup red currant jelly
¼ cup Chardonnay
(or other white wine)
24 asparagus tips, blanched
22 
1. Cut pork tenderloin into 3-ounce
portions, trim any visceral fat and
3. Meanwhile, blanch asparagus tips
in boiling water just until crisp-
lightly pound to flatten. Season flour tender.
by adding freshly ground pepper and
salt to taste. Lightly coat tenderloin
4. Pour glaze onto plates (enough to
cover the entire center of the plates).
portions with flour. Heat skillet and
Place pork medallions in the center of
add the canola oil. Sauté medallions
the glaze and arrange four asparagus
until golden brown on each side.
tips around the perimeter of each
Remove from skillet and set aside.
plate for garnish.
2. In a separate skillet, mix red
Serves 6.
currant jelly and white wine. Heat
Per serving: 217 calories, 24.5 g
and reduce the mixture until it
reaches a glaze consistency, about 10 protein, 5.4 g carbohydrate, 10.2 g fat,
minutes. Add sautéed medallions and 62 mg cholesterol, 2.5 g fiber,
coat them with the glaze. 439 mg sodium.
Illinois Farm Bureau
 One of the first things
you can do to welcome
spring is take the cover
off the grill. This time, fire
it up for veggies. This
recipe is so versatile you
can use any combination
of veggies you find
available. Try this version
first, then improvise all
summer long.

tip
Can’t find red currant
jelly? There are several
substitution possibilties, Fire-Grilled Vegetables
though they will alter the
flavor a bit. Using grape or
raspberry jelly will result 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
in a sweeter glaze. To get 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
a tart flavor similar to
that of red currants, mix 1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced
3 parts apple jelly with
1 medium yellow squash, cut into ¼-inch slices
1 part lemon juice.
1 medium zucchini, cut in to ¼-inch slices
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup low-fat Italian dressing
More online
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Another great way to get
your recommended daily 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil,
nutrients is by drinking a or 1 teaspoon dried basil
fruit smoothie. Visit
ilfbpartners.com for a
simple, flavorful smoothie 1. Combine the peppers, yellow squash and zucchini
recipe that can be served in a bowl. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and
as a quick breakfast, an
after-school snack or a
mix gently. Whisk the Italian dressing, balsamic
healthy dessert. vinegar and basil in a bowl. Pour over the vegetables,
You can also go online tossing to coat.
to learn more about the
2010 Dietary Guidelines. 2. In a grill-safe vegetable pan, grill the vegetables
We have a link to the over medium-hot coals for 10 to 12 minutes or until
full report on our newly the desired degree of crispness.
redesigned website, where
you can also browse our Serves 6 to 8, serving size ½ cup.
recipe collection for other
healthy dinner ideas, Per serving: 31 calories, 1 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate,
such as Cedar Plank 1 g fat, 2 g fiber, 169 mg sodium.
Roasted Salmon.

Spring 2011 ilfbpartners.com 23

 Gardening

Ask an expert

Q When can I remove

winter mulch?

Answer When
perennials start pushing
up new growth.

Q Will planting my
tomatoes in early
spring result in speedy
production?

Answer No,
tomatoes are a warm-
weather crop and
shouldn’t be planted
until both air and soil
temperatures are
consistently warm –
late April in Southern
Illinois and May in
Northern Illinois.

E-mail your gardening

questions to Jan at
ilfbpartners@jnlcom.com.
Don’t put morning glory vines in compost,
even after a killing freeze. The vines are
filled with seeds that will be distributed to
your garden, hidden in the compost.

24  Illinois Farm Bureau

 Horticulture
Horrors Follow these steps to avoid making gardening gaffes
T here are some common mistakes we
gardeners make that result in a lot of extra
work. Perhaps “horticulture horrors” is overly
dramatic, so let’s call them gardening gaffes –
the been-there-done-that learning experiences
we all have. The following are some things not
to do.
A trio of aggressive troublemakers to
avoid are planting mint in the vegetable
garden, allowing dill to go to seed and
throwing spent morning glories in the
compost. Mint spreads by both seeds and
underground roots that are fast-growing
and tenacious. To keep it in check, plant
mint where physical barriers will control the
root growth, such as in a pot or in a narrow
strip between the house foundation and a
concrete sidewalk.
Dill produces many seeds that blow
around and germinate where they fall.
Fortunately, they are easy to pull when small
and add a delightful scent to the job of
weeding. Besides dill seeds, do not put
morning glory vines in the compost after a
killing freeze in fall. The vines are chock-a-
block with viable seeds that even hot
composting will not completely eliminate.
Next spring those seeds will be distributed
to your gardens, hidden in the compost.
Another mistake is treating the soil in
Spring 2011 ilfbpartners.com 25
which weeds grow instead of treating
the weed directly. An old method of
controlling weeds in asparagus was salting
the ground. The asparagus is salt tolerant,
but the weeds aren’t. Gardeners have also
been known to mix herbicides containing
borax laundry soap to douse creeping
Charlie and the soil around it. Fortunately,
we now know better than to poison the about
earth for future generations. the author
Improper watering is a common Jan Phipps farms, gardens,
writes and podcasts near
gardening gaffe, especially for people with
Chrisman. She’s been a
automatic sprinkler systems. Daily watering University of Illinois
results in surface roots at the expense of Extension Master
deep anchoring roots. To foster good root Gardener for 10 years.
development, water deeply once a week
instead a superficially seven times. Avoid
watering right before sundown. Your plants
need time to completely dry before night to
prevent fungal diseases.
Finally, do not walk on or work the soil
when it is wet. Treading on wet ground
squeezes out air pockets, thus compacting
the soil. Trying to till wet dirt will result in
clods that quickly dry out and remain clods
for the rest of the summer.
The Illinois growing season is starting.
Avoiding these mistakes will guarantee you
have more time for the fun stuff instead of
recovering from gardening gaffes.
 {Travel Illinois}
Moline

26  Illinois Farm Bureau

ne
Moline boasts a flourishing
downtown, energetic riverfront
and rich agricultural history
storY BY Jessica Mozo

H ome to 43,000 people, Moline is

known worldwide for its strong ties to John
Deere and Deere & Co., which has corporate
Moline Area
Must-Sees
Deere & Co. World
headquarters in the city. Legendary Headquarters
agricultural inventor John Deere moved his Great River Trail
steel plow company to Moline in 1848 to take Moline Centre (downtown)
advantage of the city’s river access and dam
Moline City of Mills Mural
and coal deposits, which provided a good
i wireless Center
source of power.
Moline has grown by leaps and bounds Putnam Museum and
IMAX Theatre
since then, and today it is part of the Quad
Cities metropolitan area, which also Celebration Belle

includes Rock Island and the cities of River Music Experience

Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa. Moline has Bettendorf Family
become a model city for progressive urban Museum of Arts & Science

planning, thanks in part to its revitalized John Deere Commons

downtown, a hotspot for recreation,
business and tourism.
Moline is situated between the banks of
the Mississippi River and Rock River in
Rock Island County and is accessed by
Interstates 74, 280, 80 and 88, as well as the
Quad City International Airport.

John Deere Green

John Deere was perhaps Moline’s most
famous businessman, and though he died in
1886, his legacy lives on at John Deere
Commons. Located near the site of the first
John Deere Factory, the commons are home
to the John Deere Pavilion, one of the
largest agricultural exhibits in the world. The
Spring 2011 ilfbpartners.com 27
 Todd Bennett

10 Places pavilion is one of Illinois’ top five tourist
to Grab a Bite attractions and captivates visitors of all ages.
Belgian Village Inn Kids can check out the seed table, watch
Johnny’s Italian videos in a machine shed and take pictures
Steakhouse with a tractor and a 6-foot row of corn.
Montana Jack’s Agriculture enthusiasts can see farm
implements past and present and engage
Lagomarcino’s
in interactive exhibits.
Café Fresh
The John Deere Store next door is a
River House Bar & Grill
great place to pick up a souvenir – it carries
Little Rangoon
clothing, toys and gifts with the famous
Bent River Brewery leaping deer logo.
The Great Indian A half-mile from John Deere Commons,
Restaurant
take a journey into the past by touring the
Bass Street Chop House Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman
House. Both are beautiful mansions built in
the late 1800s by Charles Deere, son of John
Deere. They are maintained by the William
Butterworth Memorial Trust and feature
elaborate gardens, which are open year
round. Tours are available by appointment.
Across from the Deere family homes,
immerse yourself in local history at the
Rock Island County Historical Society,
which includes a house museum, exhibits,
research library and patio garden. The
museum is open for tours during spring and
fall open houses and by appointment. It is
housed in an 1870s Italianate home that
boasts original woodwork and tile and
century-old furniture.
Rollin’ on the River
One of the best ways to see Moline is by
water, so climb aboard the Celebration
Belle riverboat and let it carry you down the
mighty Mississippi River. The non-gaming
Celebration Belle docks along Ben
Butterworth Parkway and River Drive on the
Moline riverfront and offers lunch and dinner
cruises, sightseeing cruises and themed
cruises. Choose from Big Band, Classic
Oldies, Broadway Show Tunes, Fall Foliage,
Country Classics, Dixieland and Oktoberfest.
Can’t get enough of the water? You can
also board the Channel Cat Water Taxi,
a pontoon-style boat that provides daily
service across the river to five different
ports. The Channel Cat operates from
Memorial Day through Labor Day, and for
just $6 ($3 for children), you can ride the
boat all day. Bikes are welcome on the

Live Onstage
Love theater? See a musical or play performed by local actors at
Moline’s Quad-City Music Guild or Playcrafters Barn Theatre,
housed in a 100-year-old dairy barn. Playcrafters has been
producing live community theater in the Quad Cities since
1929. The 2011 season is slated to include “Visiting Mr.
Green,” “Rehearsal for Murder,” “A Lesson Before Dying,”
“Make Me a Cowboy” and “Leaving Iowa.”
If instrumental music is more to your liking, catch a
performance of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra in nearby
Davenport, Iowa.

28  Illinois Farm Bureau

 From left: Visitors can explore tractors and other
farm exhibits at John Deere Pavilion; the riverboat
Celebration Belle offers rides on the Mississippi.
Channel Cat, and cycling enthusiasts can
explore bike trails on both sides of the river.
The nearby Plaza at Bass Street
Landing is the perfect place to relax and
people-watch. Located along Moline’s
revitalized riverfront, the plaza is a gathering
place for outdoor events, festivals and live
entertainment. It features sculptures of children
fishing in the Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn era and
a fountain children can’t resist splashing in.
Historic Downtown Moline
Moline’s downtown core has experienced
a renaissance in recent years, with more than
$250 million invested in bringing it to life.
Now known as Moline Centre, downtown
overflows with shops, restaurants, nightspots
and entertainment venues, all within
walking distance of one another.
Pick up a brochure from the Quad Cities
Convention and Visitors Bureau on River
Drive, and take a historic walking tour of
downtown. The brochure provides a glimpse
of what Moline was like in its early years
and architecture styles that were popular
a century ago.
While downtown, stop in the i wireless
Center, a 12,000-seat arena and conference
center that showcases national acts such as
Elton John, Tim McGraw, Janet Jackson,
Disney on Ice, and Ringling Bros. and
Barnum & Bailey Circus. You can also
watch exciting athletic events at the arena,
which is the home of the Quad City
Steamwheelers (arena football) and the
Quad City Mallards (minor league hockey).
Park it Here
Moline maintains more than 20 parks and
recreational facilities, including Stephens
Square Park, which hosts a free summer
concert series. Riverside Park is home to the
Riverside Family Aquatics Center (left).
Ben Butterworth Parkway is intersected by
two major bike trails – the Great River Trail,
winding along the river for 62 miles, and the
American Discovery Trail, a coast-to-coast
trail crossing Government Bridge.
Spring 2011 ilfbpartners.com 29
local flavor
Now That’s a Sandwich
Sink your teeth into an oversized reuben
at the Belgian Village Inn
M
oline’s Belgian Village Inn serves quite possibly the biggest
reuben sandwich you’ve ever seen.
“It’s 10 or 12 inches long and about six inches wide – it fills a
whole plate,” says Shawn Manning, who owns the Belgian Village Inn
with his wife, Karen. “The reuben is by far our best seller and our
biggest sandwich.”
So distinct is the restaurant’s trademark sandwich, its name is a
registered trademark: the VandeRueben∏. It’s one of the Belgian
Village Inn’s many homemade sandwiches served on bread baked
fresh on the premises.
“We bake between 70 and 200 loaves of bread every day in three
varieties – mild rye, raisin and wheat – and we sell them by the loaf
and slice them for our sandwiches,” Manning says. “Everything we
serve is made from scratch, including our soups, coleslaw, potato
salad, salad dressings and desserts.”
Opened in 1977 by Karen’s Belgian parents, Loretta and Denis
Ceurvorst, the Belgian Village Inn has become a landmark dining
destination on 17th Avenue. The Mannings bought it from the
Ceurvorsts in 1997, though the original owners continue to work
there part-time.
“They followed their American dream to open a restaurant
and tavern,” Manning says of his in-laws. “This area had a large
population of Belgian immigrants at one time. The first restaurant
took off so quickly, we had to open a second location three
blocks away.”
Customers love the Belgian Village Inn for its oversized portions
and Old World charm. Then there’s the coconut cream pie, topped
with real meringue, though Manning admits few customers order
dessert because they are so full from eating such a big entrée.
In addition to the VandeRueben∏, popular sandwiches include the
Belgian club, a turkey and bacon club with Swiss cheese, and the
VandeRaisin, a ham and swiss sandwich served on fresh raisin bread.
Soups include clam chowder (a staple on Fridays and Saturdays), ham
and beans, cream of spinach, chicken noodle, broccoli potato and
vegetable beef.
“We love what we do because we’re carrying on a family tradition,”
Manning says. “So many restaurants don’t do well with second-
generation owners. But we love our customers, and we’re keeping
it rolling.”
If You Go ...
Belgian Village Inn at 560 17th Ave. is open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
and Fridays and Saturdays until 10 p.m. Contact them at (309) 764-9222.
 illinois in focus

Horses enjoy a spring day

in a field located off of Illinois Route
145 between Oak and Eddyville.
Photo by antony boshier

Spring 2011 ilfbpartners.com 33