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Story Subject Category: Agriculture/Agribusiness
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Before the industrial revolution, the blacksmith was a vital part of most successful towns in America. Modern machines and mass production may have made the village smithy a thing of the past. But the blacksmithing tradition lives on. Jared Collins visited a gathering of blacksmiths and woodwrights at the John Deere Historic Site in Grand Detour, IL and saw how the trades of shaping metal and wood using hand tools is still very much alive.
Segment duration: 5:35
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Producer: Jared Collins and Steve Drake
Editor: Jared Collins and Steve Drake
This segment is filed in these categories: Agriculture/Agribusiness • Ethnicity/Culture • Historical Landmarks • Grand Detour
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To conserve our planet’s limited natural resources, we need to develop alternative energy sources for the future. One of the cleanest alternative energy sources is wind power. Twin Groves Wind Farm is located on the wind-swept Bloomington Moraine in eastern McLean County. Host Alison Davis Wood visited the wind farm, which sprawls across more than 22,000 acres of farmland, and generates enough energy to power over 100,000 homes. She saw one of the wind turbines erected and found out what the locals thought of this new kind of farm going up in their backyards.
Segment duration: 8:12
Story links:
Producer: Steve Drake and Alison Davis Wood
Editor: Steve Drake and Tristan Riddell
This segment is filed in these categories: Agriculture/Agribusiness • Environment • Science/Nature • Bloomington
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By host and producer Alison Davis Wood
Since I didn’t grow up on farm, I could never quite understand why so many people are interested in antique tractors. But then I married a farmer and it started to make sense. When I asked my husband Rob why farmers spent so much time and money restoring old tractors, he said, “You remember all the memories of working with that tractor. It got you through some tough days and some hard times. You look back and realize how many hours you spent riding that tractor.” When I went to Historic Farm Days, I heard these sentiments echoed by everyone. For some, that old John Deere, Case or International was a part of the family.
The I and I Tractor Club puts on an incredible event every year in Penfield. The highlight each day is the Big Parade where many of the tractors take a lap around the grounds. It gives you a chance to see exactly how these old machines operate and how much work went into making them run like new again. But one of the best parts of Historic Farm Days is the field demonstrations, where you get to actually smell the freshly cut hay and hear the engines chug. It also allows you to truly appreciate how today’s tractors are much safer and easier to operate.
When I heard Don Walser’s “John Deere Tractor Song,” I knew it was a perfect fit for this story. I have always been a fan of Don Walser and there is something special to hear him sing “I love the smell of fresh plowed ground.” My husband put it on his i-pod and plans to sing along from his own green tractor.
Segment duration: 06:25
Story links:
Producer: Alison Davis Wood
Chief Camera - Segment: Tim Hartin and Virginia Steffen
This segment is filed in these categories: Agriculture/Agribusiness • Antiques/Collectibles • Penfield
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By host and producer Alison Davis Wood
I first heard about Prairieland Community Supported Agriculture from my co-worker Kimberlie Kranich. She was in the WILL lunchroom talking about how she had signed up for a share and was now enjoying amazing, locally grown produce. I was convinced to sign up. Now four years later I’m still enjoying the quality and the variety of the food grown on the Moore farm. I’ve gotten to know them a bit over the years by talking to them at the Urbana Farmer’s Market and buying their eggs and meat, so it was an easy decision to feature them on Prairie Fire.
The Moores welcomed us to their farm on a warm summer day. Wes started up the tractor and we all piled on a flatbed trailer and toured the farm. Jim and Diann talked to me about how and why they made the switch from conventional farming. They remembered how hard it was during the early years when their sons were young. And they remember the people who laughed and said they would never make it. We got to meet all the animals including chickens, turkeys, sheep and pigs. Their system of crop rotation and incorporating the animals made complete sense. It left me pondering over how much the agriculture industry has changed. It also left me with a great appreciation for the Moores business and how they’ve made it work despite current trends in agribusiness.
I really hope this story encourages folks to eat locally or at least to think about where their food comes from. If you are ever at the Urbana Farmer’s Market be sure to stop and say hello to Jim and Diann. You’ll probably hear the news about how the turkeys are shaping up for Thanksgiving or when they are expecting the first tomatoes. If you purchase something, take a minute to thank them for their work. Then as you enjoy that delectable melon or farm fresh egg, you’ll definitely be glad you did.
Segment duration: 10:51
Story links:
Producer: Alison Davis Wood
Chief Camera - Segment: Julius Bolton and Tim Hartin
This segment is filed in these categories: Agriculture/Agribusiness • Watseka
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By producer Virginia Steffen
My crew and I arrived at the Market 6 a.m. on a June morning, armed with camera, tripod and sound equipment. The day was still not too warm, and the sun had barely risen. We started by interviewing Mary Finch about her crafts. Then, we relocated to shoot another interview, and another, and another, until people started filing into the rows of venders, ready for another week of shopping for local food and goods. As the crowd hit full-force, the heat did, too. It was a bright, hot day, but we barely had time to notice because we were so quickly moving around to get patron interviews, and shoot footage of people shopping and musicians performing.
I love Market on the Square, because of all the local excitement going on. There is such a genuine feeling of community here on Saturday mornings in the summer. We saw friends hugging, venders and patrons chatting up like good friends, and lots of community people out enjoying this homegrown taste of summer.
For me, highlights were: getting up on the roof of the city building to interview Kathy Larson with the market behind her, and shooting footage of local performer Michael Powers. Michael is such a great local character, and he is a lot of fun to videotape because he enjoys interacting with his audience members and the camera.
Segment duration: 05:39
Story links:
Producer: Virginia Steffen
Chief Camera - Segment: Virginia Steffen
This segment is filed in these categories: Agriculture/Agribusiness • Business • Food/Restaurants • Urbana
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The Great Pumpkin Patch by Shane Pangburn
When I was in third grade, I sprained my ankle at the Great Pumpkin Patch. Though the ankle has actually never completely healed, I have nothing but fond memories of the place. The displays are so beautiful, the gourds so varied, it’s overwhelming. It’s better than just a “great” pumpkin patch.
The day was split between rural theme parks. Rockome is only a few miles away and went there in the afternoon. The morning is the best time at the patch anyway. “When the the frost is on the punkin…” as the James Whitcomb Riley poem goes. It wasn’t a terribly cold day, it was windy though, you might notice that it you look closely at anything not tied down.
Overall it was a beautiful day at the patch and the Condill family was fantastic. They helped every step of the way.
Segment duration: 05:10
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Producer: Shane Pangburn
This segment is filed in these categories: Agriculture/Agribusiness • Family history • Horticulture
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Ray Walsh by Alison Davis Wood
Ray Walsh was a man who really loved tractors almost as much as his wife and 10 Children. It was a pleasure to meet Ray and hear him talk about the pieces of farming history that he was preserving. He had every right to be proud of his handiwork.
After a Prairie Fire story airs you rarely hear back from the subject and sometimes you never know what they thought of the final product. So it was truly touching to hear the response from Ray’s family that this story had meant so much to them. They told me that it was a great tribute to their father and to their brother Mike. Sadly both have passed away since this story originally aired. The Walsh family says they still watch this tape at family gatherings. And I couldn’t be more honored.
Segment duration: 07:04
Producer: Alison Davis Wood
This segment is filed in these categories: Agriculture/Agribusiness • Hobbies
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The Hartley Selections Garden at the University of Illinois is a testing ground and display garden for new flowering plants. The living laboratory, dedicated in the fall 1994, displays hundreds of different flowering plants. New varieties are compared to commercial varieties to see if they’re an improvement.
(Photo by ACES-ITCS: David Riecks)
Location: Lincoln Avenue south of Florida Avenue in Urbana
Admission: Free
Segment duration: 06:21
Story links:
Producer: Maeve Reilly
Chief Camera - Segment: Julius Bolton, Tim Hartin
This segment is filed in these categories: Agriculture/Agribusiness • Horticulture • University of Illinois
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Jim Evans and his family use an old-fashioned one-row corn picker to harvest 2 tons of popcorn from the acre-and-a-half they use in their family popcorn business. The money family members earn goes to an education fund for the younger generation.
Segment duration: 05:14
Producer: Alison Davis Wood
Editor: Julius Bolton
This segment is filed in these categories: Agriculture/Agribusiness • Food/Restaurants
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Eric and Maria Rund have lived and farmed in rural Pesotum for 27 years. Eric met his wife in Ecuador, where he spent five years with the Peace Corps from 1969 to 1974. When he’s not growing corn and beans, or raising hogs, Eric is building bridges of understanding between farmers in North and South America. His farm is often a stop on tours of farmers from South America, who leave with a better impression of American farmers. He and Maria also organize tours of American farmers to South America.
Segment duration: 05:38
Story links:
Producer: Alison Davis Wood
Chief Camera - Segment: Julius Bolton, Mark Williams
This segment is filed in these categories: Agriculture/Agribusiness • Travel
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