This past week we hosted our first trip to the Warrens Cranberry Festival during my time as Farm Bureau Manager. What a great trip it was. We had a full bus of members from both Carroll, Stephenson and surrounding Farm Bureaus as well as community members. We were lucky to have a beautiful day for the festival. I’ve never been to this event and it was impressively run by volunteers and there were vendors for everyone. I particularly enjoyed the educational opportunities revolving around cranberries including a walking tour and cranberry product tasting. We want to thank everyone who joined us for this trip. Our final trip of 2025 is to the Christkindlmarket on Friday, December 12th. Our drop-off and pickup location will be Christkindlmarket. Attendees will have all day to explore Chicago as they see fit. This trip will depart from the Freeport Walmart at 8:00a.m. and arrive at the Christkindlmarket between 10:30a.m. and 11:00a.m. We will then depart from the Christkindlmarket at 7:00p.m. arriving back at the Freeport Walmart roughly at 9:30p.m. The cost of this trip is $45 for Illinois Farm Bureau members in good standing through December, 2025 and $65 for non-Farm Bureau members. This cost includes transportation, parking and driver’s gratuities. Attendees will be responsible for any food and activity costs throughout the day. The Christkindlmarket is outside and will include as much or as little walking as participants would like. To register please call your county Farm Bureau: Carroll County Farm Bureau 815-244-3001 and Stephenson County Farm Bureau 815-232-3186.
Halloween Themed Charcuterie Class: Join the Stephenson County Farm Bureau on October 29th at 6:00p.m. tomake a chilling good treat for about 6 people just in time for Halloween festivities. Farm Bureau Members $60 Non-Members $80. Price includes all materials needed. Register by calling 815-232-3186 with payment due at the time of registration. Limited space available. Final day to register and/or cancel with refund is 10/10/2025.
Local Vendors needed: Stephenson County Farm Bureau is excited to announce our fall open house November 7 from 9:00a.m.-5:00p.m. and November 8 from 9:00a.m.-Noon. Not only will this open house feature a truck sale of McNess products, Farm Bureau updates and trip highlights, new this year we are adding a local vendor fair. If you are a Farm Bureau Member and would like to be a vendor, please contact our office or visit our website to fill out the vendor application. We will accept vendors until Friday, October 31 or until we run out of space. Please call 815-232-3186 with questions.
Membership Value Program Business Spotlight: Bocker Automotive Group offers Farm Bureau Members in good standing a $2.00 discount off any oil change (not applicable with other discounts) For more information visit www.bockerautogroup.com or call 815-235-2121.
Farm Bureau to host Crop marketing outlook meeting: The Lee, Carroll, Ogle and Whiteside County Farm Bureaus along with COUNTRY Financial will host a crop marketing outlook on the evening of November 19 at the Rock River Senior Center, in Oregon, IL.. “Controlling the Crop Controllables: Changes to the Farm Safety Net & Crop Insurance” is a two-hour seminar designed specifically for producers to help them manage risk associated with the current commodity markets and identify market conditions to capture profit margins through this year into next. Dr. Steve Johnson, Iowa State University Extension Farm Management Specialist, will facilitate the program. Steve has served as the Farm & Ag Business Management Specialist in Central Iowa for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach since 1999. He specializes in topics related to government farm programs, crop insurance, crop marketing, grain contracts, farmland leasing and other crop risk management strategies. In the past year, he has conducted more than 120 meetings, workshops, seminars and conferences across the Corn Belt with nearly 15,000 in attendance. Steve uses web sites such as ISU Ag Decision Maker and Polk County Extension Farm Management along with various print and electronic media. Annually he reaches more than 200,000 producers, landowners and other agribusiness professionals.
During the two-hour program producers will examine the following topics:
Global Supply/Demand & Crop Price Outlook
Changes to 2026 Crop Insurance Products, Coverages & Subsidies
Emphasize the Importance of Seasonal Futures Trends
Highlight ARC/PLC Changes
Developing a Marketing Plan and Estimating 2026 Crop Costs
Post-Harvest Marketing Strategies & Tools Review
This presentation will assist producers in designing and implementing a marketing plan that is specific to their own operation. It will present producers with various options they can effectively utilize to capture market profits, manage market risks in this volatile market, minimize cost increases and make informed decisions on input pricing, storage options and position their marketing plan for profit protection. Market, global and recent economic factors will be examined, and producers will learn to identify where profit opportunities and pitfalls lie for their farm operations. Pre-registration is required. To register for the program, call 815-732-2231 or email [email protected] Program begins at 7:00 p.m. on November 19th at the Rock River Senior Center, in Oregon, IL.