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 Most often we relate
farming to food, from the flour on your fried chicken and the
chicken, to the milk on your cereal and the cereal too, and the
fruit that tops it, all these products come from the farm. The hot
dogs, hamburgers, fish, chicken bacon, lamb and steak that fill our
plates at meals, and even the side dishes and condiments are a
product of the American farmer.
Here in Logan County, our farmers are most visible when we see the
tractors with tillage tools and planters in the fields in the spring
or the combines and large trucks hauling grain to local elevators
come fall harvest.
Locally, most grain products go through a chain of selling and
buying events and end up as processed and blended as feedstuffs for
livestock. Logan County beef cattle, hogs, sheep and chicken
producers are the ones to thank for the meat on your dinner table.
We often look at the farmer as a businessman. But they are neighbors
we see in stores and restaurants, or with whom we might share a pew
in church. They are also significant to our local support system,
caring for the needs of others.
Each year a number of farm groups perform random acts of kindness
around the community. Many of these things go unnoticed even though
what they do for us is invaluable.
This year in particular local food pantries are grateful to farmers
for many donations.
When our world changed earlier this year, in many cases, it brought
out the best in people. We became much more concerned for the health
and wellbeing of our neighbors. The state-wide shut down left many
families with no, or at least reduced incomes, plus it brought
children back into the home during what would be the normal school
day. This placed a big stressor on family finances with the need for
more food in the house and less money to buy it.
Food pantries became the source for filling the gap for many
families, and a good number of those were people who had not in the
past had to rely on the help of others.
As food pantries were feeling the stress, some of our local farmers
and farm organizations were driven to do perhaps more than they have
done in the past.
A small group of area farmers who enjoy morning coffee at Krueger
elevator north of Lincoln made the first move. The men began talking
about the impact this would have on families and the need for food
and food pantries.
The group set to work on a small idea that would have a large
impact. They would hold their own little food drive.
The guys brought their donations into the elevator. As the
contributions were set out on the dock at the elevator, it became a
pretty impressive sized donation for just a one day drive at the
spur of the moment.
Those who pitched in with donations included Jim Brown, Todd
Stenberg, Rod Alberts, Jack Knollenberg, Steve Hasely, Kevin Smith,
Scott Noltensmeier, Jeff Elsas and Bill Sahs.
The farmers conducted that first successful food drive in March.
Then they did a second drive in May. Both times they donated their
collection to the Lincoln Logan County Food Pantry.
In June, the Heartland Beef
Alliance also made a significant donation to the Lincoln Logan
County Food Pantry.
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It was a conversation similar to the Krueger coffee drinkers that
took place among the members of the Alliance. According to Heartland
Beef member Betsy Pech it was a first time effort for the Alliance,
though she wishes that they had started doing it long before now.
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Pech explained that the
Alliance did two donations this year. With the organization
consisting of members from five counties, they spread the donations
out to assist as many pantries as possible.
The first donation made was paid for by the funds of the Heartland
Beef Alliance treasury. The second donation was paid for with funds
provided through a grant from the Illinois Beef Association. “It’s
my intention to try and continue donating to other food pantries,”
said Pech. “Heartland Beef is a five county affiliation, so I want
to donate to food pantries in those counties as well. Like other
non-profit organizations, our fund-raising has been cut-off this
year, so, not sure what will happen for future donations.”
As Heartland Beef Alliance strives to establish a meat donation
project for future years, they join another group of livestock
producers who have been doing similar donations of pork for the past
several years.
Phil Ruch is a retired Logan County farmer who is working closely
with a program called “The Pork Project.” The project unites three
area churches and three area pork producers in a partnership to
provide pork products to food pantries in the community.
Ruch noted that the Pork Project began in 2012. However, prior to
that there were donations being made locally through the efforts of
the Pork Place, Inc. and other area producers. At that earlier time
the producers donated and paid for the processing straight out of
their own pockets.
Ruch notes that the three farms: River View Farms, Paulus Farms, and
Tri-Pork became the primary providers donating between 25 and 35
hogs per year for processing. Ruch acts as a sort of middleman for
the project. “The farms or I will transport the hogs to Atlanta
Locker, then I shuttle the meat to the food pantries.
Immanuel Lutheran Church Lincoln, St. John United Church of Christ
Lincoln, and St John Lutheran Church Legacy Fund Hartsburg, and
other individuals support the project by paying the processing
costs.
Atlanta Locker generously gives a 10% discount for the project's
processing costs.
Lincoln Logan Food Pantry and Community Action then distribute the
one-pound packages of meat to those in need.”
Ruch shared his 2019 figures for the project saying 26 hogs were
donated, valued at $3,705. Monetary donations to the Pork Project
from the churches and others, paid the $5,466 processing costs, and
4,383 pounds of pork were distributed to the food pantries.
For Ruch the project has its own rewards, “As a retired pork
producer I am happy to still be involved in pigs and pork, and
helping others.”
Rick Releford at the Lincoln Logan County Food Pantry is
appreciative of the efforts that have been made this year and in
past years by our local farmers. He noted that in addition to groups
who donate there are a number of individuals from local farmers to
local gardeners who help support the pantry. Meat, and a nice supply
of fresh vegetables add to the quality of life for the customers at
the food pantry and it is all much appreciated.
So, when we see a combine in the field and we think about the grains
that are being harvested, it might be nice to send out an extra
little thank you to that farmer. The grains he is harvesting go not
only to food products for all of us, but also into food products for
animals that are then processed for the meat we eat.
The giving nature is part of the work ethic of the American farmer
and Logan County farmers are fine examples of this virtue, and
wonderful role models for the rest of us.
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