One of my favorite things about late summer is the availability of delicious fresh sweet corn. Some of you may remember from past columns that corn is one of my favorite foods, and I especially love fresh sweet corn. With that in mind I wanted to share a few facts on corn. There are three primary kinds of corn.
- Sweet Corn: This is the kind we eat. You may even grow it in your own garden.
- Field Corn: Field corn is also known as dent or feed corn. It is hard on the outside and starchy in the inside. It is most commonly used for animal feed but can also be found in products we use every day.
- Popcorn: This type of corn retains water within the kernel. When the kernel is heated the water also heats and builds up pressure. This causes the kernel to turn inside out.
One bushel of field corn can produce one of the following:
- 31.5 pounds of starch
- 33 pounds of sweetener
- 2.8 gallons of ethanol fuel
- 17.5 pounds of distillers grain
To learn more about corn visit: www.agintheclassroom.org website and view the Corn AgMag
Farm Bureau member Exclusive Zoom Program: Join the Stephenson and Carroll County Farm Bureaus as we partner with Stephanie Rhodes of Bloomin’ Communications for “ The Farm Grant Blueprint” workshop. This 60-minute virtual Zoom based program is designed for established small-scale producers (CSA, value-added dairy, freezer beef, floral, and more) in Stephenson and Carroll counties. The session will move beyond "chasing money" to help members build a strategic 12-to 18-month roadmap for finding funding to help their business meet needs in agriculture. This program will take place on Monday, August 31st at 7:30p.m. To learn more or to register please reach out to Manager, Victoria Hansen Stephenson County Farm Bureau, [email protected]/ 815-232-3186 or Carroll County Farm Bureau [email protected]/ 815-244-3001. We hope you’ll join us for this beneficial program exclusive for members.
Stephenson County Freezer Meals Back by Popular Demand: Stephenson County Agriculture in the Classroom is hosting their fall freezer meal fundraiser. These meals will be delivered and ready for pickup on Wednesday, September 9 from 5:00p.m.-6:00p.m. at the Farm Bureau office at 210 W Spring Street, Freeport, IL 61032. Freezer meals will be offered in two serving sizes: 5-6 person meals and 2 person meals.
Each meal set will include the 5 menu items including chicken cordon bleu, bacon cheeseburger soup, Mississippi mud pork loin roast, chicken fajita casserole, Tuscan garlic chicken. The 5-6 person meal set will cost $125 and the 2 person meal set will cost $60. Orders will be due on or before August 21 at 4:30p.m. To order please call our office at 815-232-3186 or by visiting www.stephensoncfb.org to download an order form. Questions can be directed to our office at 815-232-3186 or by email at [email protected].
Membership Value Program: The Stephenson County Farm Bureau has recently received our 2026-2027 Membership Value Program brochures. These brochures include local Stephenson County Businesses that offer Stephenson County Farm Bureau members’ discounts. If you are unable to pick these up at the office, please reach out to 815-232-3186 or [email protected] and we will mail you a copy.
Seats are filling up for Warrens Cranberry Festival Bus Trip: Travel with the Stephenson and Carroll County Farm Bureaus to Warrens Wisconsin on Friday, September 25th for this annual three-day event recognized as the world’s largest cranberry festival. The festival features three miles of booth frontage with 800 plus arts and craft vendors, 350 plus flea market and antique dealers and 100 plus farm market booths. Our bus will leave Freeport Walmart at 7:00a.m. and arrive at the festival around 10:00a.m., leave the festival around 3:30p.m., dinner on the way home with the estimated arrive time home to be 8:00p.m. If you’d like to join us tickets for Farm Bureau members are $60 and non-members $85. To reserve your spot please call your county Farm Bureau: Carroll County 815-244-3001 and Stephenson 815-232-3186. Last year’s trip filled up, so don’t delay and sign up today.