As the weather is warming up and people are spending more time outside it is important to follow sun safety practices. May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Agricultural workers are at the top of the list of candidates for the most at-risk groups for skin cancer due to their daily exposure to the sun while working outdoors. It's crucial for farmers and agricultural community members to prioritize sun safety. Use the social media graphics provided below to spread awareness and remind everyone to take necessary precautions under the sun!
Fair Books Available: Stephenson County Farm Bureau has Fair Books for the 2025 fair at our office. Books are available for pickup Monday through Friday, 8:00a.m.-4:30p.m. Save the Date for this year’s fair July 22-26, 2025. New this year, daily admission now includes grandstand access! To learn more visit www.stephensoncountyfair.org.
Roots and Shoots Grants: The Stephenson County Farm Bureau Foundation is now accepting applications for our “Roots and Shoots Apprentice/Internship Grants”. While Bruce Johnson was the Manager of the Stephenson County Farm Bureau, he established the Roots and Shoots Program. The goal of Roots and Shoots is to encourage Stephenson County youth to explore job opportunities within our community and the agriculture industry. As part of this we are offering a matching grant for Agriculture-related businesses who employ high school students or college students. More information along with an application is available at www.stephensoncfb.org under “news” tab or by emailing [email protected]. Funding can be used for intern/apprentice salaries, mileage, employee materials, etc. Applications are due on or before the end of day on June 13, 2025.
Trip Feature Fair Oaks Farm: The Stephenson and Carroll County Farm Bureaus are excited to announce we will be traveling to Fair Oaks, Indiana to explore their Dairy, Pig and Crop Adventure. We will enjoy a guided tour then have time for you to explore on your own. This trip will take place on Friday, June 20th.
Days agenda:
6:30a.m.: Depart Carroll County Farm Bureau
7:00a.m.: Depart Freeport Walmart
10:30a.m.: Arrive at Fair Oaks Dairy Farm
4:00p.m.: Depart for Home
6:00p.m. Dinner on the way home
8:00p.m.: Tentatively arrive at Freeport Walmart
8:30p.m.: Tentatively arrive at Carroll County Farm Bureau
Trip cost includes tour admissions, transportation, all tips and gratuities, water on the bus. Dinner and lunch are at your own expense. Farm Bureau member price is $85 and non-member price $105. To register please call the Farm Bureau where you’d like to be picked up at: Carroll 815-244-3001 and Stephenson 815-232-3186. A little more about fair oaks from their website: The founders of Fair Oaks Farms, Mike and Sue McCloskey, opened their doors in 2004 with the purpose to showcase the practices and innovation of their original dairy farms. The practices at these farms are what we, at Fair Oaks Farms, communicate to our guests. The McCloskey farms have given us the ability to share with our guests displays of modern farming practices. All dairy practices referred to at Fair Oaks Farms are the practices performed at the McCloskey-owned dairy farms we partner with. Since then, we’ve seen a vibrant dairy and agricultural community grow around our area with other farm families supporting the mission of Fair Oaks Farms. As we’ve grown, we have added several other businesses to our existing Dairy Adventure and farm tour such as the Pig Adventure, Crop Adventure, Mooville (an outdoor play area), the Orchard, a hotel, a cafe and restaurant, a gas/convenience store and the production of our own farm fresh products. We continue to develop other projects such as pollinators, the farmer’s garden, flower field, pumpkin patch, vegetable garden, vertical farming, aquaculture and the role that science, technology, engineering and math play in the story of modern agriculture.