CCFB News» October 2019

Great grassroots organizations have great involved volunteer leaders. The Cook County Farm Bureau it seeks members who love farming and agriculture to give a few hours each month through involvement with one of our leadership Teams… Ag Literacy, Commodities/ Marketing, Governmental Affair, Member Relations and Public Relations.

The Latest edition of “Motor Vehicle Rules for Illinois Farmers” is available online.

The Young Leaders Group will be collecting new and gently used winter coats for those in need this winter. All sizes accepted (newborn - 5x). Call the Farm Bureau for drop off locations 708-354-3276.

Details on a new CCFB Foundation program is coming next month!
Intoducing FARM SHADOWS®... A job shadow program to provide links between high school/ college students in Cook County with area farming operations and agribusinesses.

Webinar for Farmers & Agricultural Businesses, presented by ComEd Agriculture Energy

Efficiency Program on Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at 8 AM.
Participants will be able to participate from their farm, home, tractor, combine…anywhere, using their phone or pc! Details & Registration at the Member Center or by calling 708-354-3276 or email membershipdebbie@cookcfb.org

Visit Cook County Farm Bureau® member Farms, Greenhouse & Garden Centers for all your planting needs this Fall! 

This summer, Farm Bureau launched the “Food Pantry Challenge” to engage consumers and provide financial donations to local food pantries.

Cook County Farm Bureau® continues its efforts to assist farmers and non-farmer members.

Sponsored by the Cook County Farm Bureau - Call the office to register at 708-354-3276. No charge for CCFB members, $10 for non-members. At the Country Financial Building in Orland Park.

All Voting members (M and PM) recently were sent membership dues renewal notices.  We encourage your prompt membership payment. Our renewal date for farmer members is November 1, 2019.  Please also consider supporting the CCFB Foundation as well.

Join us as we kick off the Cook County Farm Bureau® Photo Contest! We are holding this contest to obtain usable and appropriate photos that accurately portray today's agriculture in Cook County.

For many children, Halloween is a time to dress up in a favorite costume, go to classroom parties and trick-or-treat at neighbors’ houses. These happy thoughts of jack-o-lanterns, costumes and candy may cause parents and kids alike to forget the potential dangers of Halloween. I have assembled the following Halloween safety topics for adults in order to keep this autumn holiday safe and fun.

The Food Science Grant was developed by the Cook County Farm Bureau Foundation® to promote the usage of high-quality agricultural products that are locally produced. The purpose of this program is to offer $300 grants for teachers to purchase dairy, meat and vegetable products for use in their classroom curriculum.

Kids’ Pumpkin Painting, Corn Roast, Goat Yoga, Archery, Guided Tours, Planter Workshops, Farm Specials, Fresh Honey, Fall Plant & Décor, Freebies, Treats, Discounts & more awaited crawlers during the 2019 Farm Crawl on a beautiful Saturday in September!

OCTOBER AREA CROP UPDATE It was a difficult growing season for most farmers this year. It is going to be a late harvest season for Cook area farmers (and most farmers in general, for that matter).  The “summer” weather that was present for most of September may have been helpful for corn and soybeans to gain greater maturity and potential yields.

Some facts on Sheep, From the Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom Calendar for Teachers.

During a blisteringly hot summer night in the middle of evening milking, a spark from an old electrical box jumped from the electrical box to the stanchion barn. Before you could say “Holstein”, our milking barn was in flames. Fortunately, the individuals working recognized the magnitude of the hazard and evacuated the cattle and themselves before anyone was injured.

Saturday, October 5, 2019 from 10 am to 12-noon at the
Oak Forest Country Financial Building located at 4845 W. 167th St. in Oak Forest.

Bring any old documents (up to 3 bankers boxes) that you would like to be shredded FREE OF CHARGE! Please call the CCFB at 708.354.3276 to make a reservation.

Recipe reprinted with permission from member Kopping Farms in Lemont, from our 2019 Cookfresh Recipe Collection Brochure, available online at www.cookcfb.org/discover-local/recipes.

It’s hard to keep up with the changing landscape of food choices and make the right decision on what is best for our bodies. Back in the 80s and 90s, the media and marketers gave us many recommendations on just what to eat to stay healthy.

Like farming in general this year, our kids’ plan to grow pumpkins worked better in previous years than this one. From spring’s relentless rains to the summer’s hot and droughty spell, our home-grown pumpkin luck ran out by August like the creek water in the cattle pasture.

Join us at the 19th Giant Pumpkin Contest Dessert, local Honey, Carving & Youth Pumpkin Contests!

Please join us and help celebrate this Cook County Farm Bureau® fall tradition in its 19th year! Fun for all ages!

A few weeks ago, I joined a small group of local farmers from the Commodities/Marketing Team as we stopped into some urban farms scattered through Chicago to say “hi” and to provide organizational assistance. We frequently hear about the differences between urban farms and rural farms, but I find the similarities between these types of farms and farmers to be striking.