Some days may feel like fall and others may feel like mid-summer, but fall will be here before we know it.  Fall is my favorite season of all. I love the cooler temperatures and prioritize many visits to apple orchards. One of my favorite parts of visiting the apple orchard is strolling through the area with all the different apple varieties. There are nearly 100 varieties of apples grown in the United States, but only a handful of those make it to the top of the “apple charts” which then account for more than 90 percent of apple production. Americas top favorites include:

• Gala: crispy, juicy, and very sweet. Galas are ideal for snacking.
• Red Delicious: sweet-tasting and best eaten fresh or on salads.
• Fuji: sweet flavor and firm, perfect for eating fresh.
• Golden Delicious: a mild, buttery-honey taste that is perfect for pies and crips.
• Granny Smith: green-colored, crisp, and tart makes for a fun snack-try it with peanut butter.
• Honey Crisp: explosive crispiness and sweet like honey - these apples are great for snacking, putting in salads or making sauce.

My favorite apples include golden delicious and galas. I can’t wait to enjoy some caramel apples and a cup of hot apple cider. Be sure to get out and support our local apple orchards this fall.

Nuts and Candy orders are now open: The Stephenson and Carroll County Farm Bureaus are excited to announce that we are now accepting nut and candy orders; however, Terri Lynn, the nut and candy company we used in prior years, has closed. This year we will be using NutMan, a Milwaukee based company. Orders and payment are due on or before Thursday, October 9, 2025. Orders will be ready for pickup starting Friday, November 7 at 8:00am in Stephenson County and Monday, November 13 at 9:00a.m. in Carroll County. Pickup will be at whichever county you place your order at. All orders must be picked up by end of day Thursday, November 13 unless other arrangements have been made. Membership must be in good standing through November 30, 2025, for member rate. Order forms can be found on your County Farm Bureau website www.stephensoncfb.org or www.carrollcfb.org. You can also call your county Farm Bureau to place your order or to request an order form. For Stephenson County Farm Bureau call 815-232-3186 and Carroll County Farm Bureau call 815-244-3001. Please note we will be ordering a limited number of extras. Carroll County will not be having surplus nuts/candies throughout the year.

Membership Value Program Business Spotlight: Baumgartner Automotive located at 534 Lily Creek Road, Freeport, IL offers Farm Bureau Members in good standing a 10% discount off all services except oil changes and tires. To learn more visit www.baumgartnerautomotive.com or call 815-233-9000.

Illinois Harvest Permits

Harvest Permits once again will be available to our members starting September 1. These are a tremendous tool to haul commodities more efficiently on state highways.  We have resources on our Illinois Harvest Permit resource page.  We also have Q&A with Rodney K videos on https://www.myifb.org/.  I am more than happy to discuss these permits with any of our members; however, it would be very helpful if everyone sent them to the video resources first.  The short videos go through the process step by step and will be very beneficial.

Agriculture Marketing Summit: Illinois Farm Bureau is looking for members to attend the 2025 Agricultural Marketing Summit Nov. 12-14 in Indianapolis, IN. The summit, which IFB is a sponsor and partner, offers opportunities for networking and learning about new business strategies that can improve the performance of farms and businesses. Participants will find resources for direct marketing for farmers and food businesses, agribusinesses with value-added products and technical assistance providers. Farm Bureau members interested in attending this year should apply online before Oct. 14. All applications will be reviewed, and chosen participants will be contacted. IFB will pay for in-person conference registration, lodging and travel.  For more information, please reach out to Jolene Neuhauser at 309.557.3286 or [email protected].