Farm Family Life

As I nurture my poinsettia and other green companions, I’m constantly reminded of the growth happening within our family.

Garrett Hawkins, a Waterloo farmer, was elected president of the Illinois Corn Growers Association for 2024-2025 at its recent reorganizational meeting.

Melatonin is safer and has fewer side effect, one of them being vivid dreams. However, 5 mg is a big dose.

The government has a comprehensive website full of information on how to prepare for emergencies, power outages, hurricanes, floods — nearly everything you can imagine.

Would you believe that one of the most prominent figures in American art pottery came from England?

Some of the facts are scary: As we age, we lose muscle mass. The more inactive we are, the more we lose.

As a medical student, I remember seeing what RA looked like before we had effective medications such as methotrexate and TNF inhibitors like Humira.

“Fantasy furniture” usually refers to postmodern pieces with whimsical shapes and unusual colors made from unexpected materials. Like many furniture styles, it’s older than you might expect.

The Illinois Corn Growers Association’s 2024 Excellence in Media Award was presented to Jim Taylor, a reporter on the RFD Radio Network, at the ICGA annual meeting.

Cade Bushnell received the Randy Stauffer Stewardship Award, recognizing his farm conservation work through the Precision Conservation Management program.

The general manager of locally-owned ethanol plant was the recipient of the Illinois Corn Growers Association’s Ethanol Award.

George Obernagel of Waterloo was the recipient of the Illinois Corn Growers Association’s top award, The World of Corn.

A public hearing for a proposed wheat checkoff was held at the Illinois Department of Agriculture. The proposal calls for a 1.5-cent checkoff per bushel of wheat sold in Illinois.

A warm, dry fall gave the Rahn family the opportunity to finish harvest early and rain showers over the past several weeks improved the conditions for fall work.

Registration is open for the 2025 Indiana Dairy Producers Forum, which will take place Jan 28-29 in French Lick.

I’ve spent a lot of time in the cabs of tractors recently as we continue our marathon of fall harvest.

In a few weeks, those of us on Social Security will be getting an extra approximately $50 in our monthly benefit.

What if I told you there’s a breakfast so versatile, so satisfying and so easy to make ahead that it can save your busiest weekday mornings, elevate your lazy weekends and even grace your holiday table?

As nights get longer and the days darker, it’s no wonder so many holiday traditions involve lights, from the Hanukkah menorah to strings of Christmas tree lights to Kwanzaa candles.

FRAX is a tool to evaluate fracture risk based on individual patient models, incorporating clinical risk factors and bone mineral density at the femoral neck.

Pheasants Forever provides a program that works hand-in-hand with farmers to combine wildlife habitat with farming profitability.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service unveiled a new easement option that offers long-term protection of the land and ensures timely transfer of ownership to qualified producers.

A new digital platform designed to assist farmers implement precision farming strategies was rolled out this year.

The U.S. agriculture sector is responsible for nearly 6% of the nation’s gross national product, yet it is operating on farm bill policy set six years ago.

The Indiana State Fairgrounds and Event Center announced a new naming rights partnership for its iconic coliseum — now called the Corteva Coliseum.

Harvest may be finished on Clay Geyer’s farm in northern Indiana, but his work is far from over.

Just west of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway you can find Freshly Dairy — a small, family-owned farm that prides itself in its mouthwatering milk and long product shelf life.

As Thanksgiving approaches, families across America are getting ready to gather with loved ones, share favorite dishes and reflect on the past year.

Forget everything you know about the classic green bean casserole — this year, we’re taking it up a notch!

With a colorful image of a majestic turkey, this platter is ready for Thanksgiving.

Have you considered what you’ll do with your spare time in the New Year? How about volunteering? There are so many ways we can step up.

As the holiday season approaches, finding time for homemade meals becomes more challenging. That’s why this Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast is not just a meal, it’s a gift to your future self.

It’s a new day. No more campaign text messages. No more political ads. We open a new chapter and prepare for a new dialogue with a new Congress and new president come January.

Social Security payments are going up 2.5% starting in January, which comes to an average $50 increase for the 72 million recipients. That’s less than the increase for 2024, and the previous year, and the previous year.

One of the most popular and often most expensive categories of collecting is known as design.

PCOS doesn’t go away after menopause, but it’s harder to diagnose. There aren’t good data to help guide treatment, so understanding what’s happening at a biochemical level is important.

Illinois FFA members received prestigious awards for the development of their outstanding projects during the 97th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis.

The goal of the Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition is to help support livestock producers in building profitable, sustainable grazing operations.

Fall is a great time to enjoy the fruits of our labor as farmers and to remind us of our many blessings as we approach Thanksgiving. Be sure to give proper thanks to the author of those blessings.

Have you started your holiday decorating? I did see some cute ornaments to make using scrap wool felt. I have a bunch of scraps from the felted coasters I made using my Scottish blackface wool.

Voters chose to send Donald Trump, who served his first term as U.S. president from 2016 to 2020, back to the White House in the Nov. 5 national election.

National Farmers Union has sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump urging focus on policy priorities essential to the health and vitality of rural America and the sustainability of the nation’s agricultural system.

Thaddeus Bergschneider is excited about connecting FFA members to opportunities through partners during his year as the National FFA president.

Chef Bryan Flower hurries toward one of the raised “free-to-pick” vegetable, flower and herb beds that flank Neptune North residence and dining hall on the Northern Illinois University campus in DeKalb.

All types of UV light exposure, whether they lead to a sunburn or suntan, cause damage to the skin and lead to an increased risk of skin cancer.

The saga of listeria in sliced deli lunch meat continues, month after month. The list of affected items gets longer and longer as there is now an additional company subject to recalls due to listeria.

Thanksgiving will be here soon, and while the best organizers among us may already have everything in place, most of us are probably still working through our shopping lists.

As a high school student, Richard Siedenburg did not plan to join his dad farming, but that changed after spending time in other countries in the U.S. Army and Army Reserves.

As a veteran, Jerry Costello II recognizes the trait in other veterans that prompted him to enlist in the U.S. Army.

Ron Dykstra knew from a very young age that he wanted to farm.