'Field Moms' to tour Hampshire dairy farm
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Chicago-area moms who have questions about food, farmers and farming will have their questions answered during a tour of a dairy farm and milk processing plant Sept. 13.
During the tour, more than 20 Illinois Farm Families "Field Moms" will have a chance to tour Dean's processing plant to see what happens to milk supplied by Illinois dairy farmers. The Field Moms, urban and suburban moms interested in learning more about food and farming, will then travel to the farm of Dale and Linda Drendel in Hampshire to see cows being milked, talk about animal care with veterinarian Zach Janssen, and learn about the benefits of dairy products with dietitian Robin Brown.
This is the fourth tour of the year for the 2014 Illinois Farm Families Field Moms. Previously, the Field Moms visited an Ultra Foods grocery store in Wheaton, toured the Gould Family's hog farm in Maple Park, and participated in a planting tour on Paul and Donna Jeschke's farm in Mazon. The last tour of the year will be in October when the moms visit Mike and Lynn Martz's farm in Maple Park. There, they will see harvest in progress and see what it takes to raise beef cattle.
The Field Moms will record their day on the farms by taking photos, videos and journaling their observations.
After they return to the city, the Field Moms will share what they learned with other moms and consumers through video clips, photo albums, blog posts and other media on www.watchusgrow.org, www.facebook.com/illinoisfarmfamilies and twitter.com/ilfarmfamilies.
Illinois Farm Families are Illinois farmers who support the Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Pork Producers Association, Illinois Corn Marketing Board, Illinois Soybean Association and Illinois Beef Association and are committed to having conversations with consumers, answering their questions about food, farmers, and farming, and sharing what really happens on today's Illinois family farms. More than 94 percent of Illinois farms are family owned and operated. Today's farmers are passionate about showing consumers how they continue to grow safe, healthy food for their families, and yours.