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Philip Nelson is the 14th president of the Illinois Farm Bureau and serves as full-time executive officer.

Philip and his wife, Carmen, operate a fourth-generation grain and livestock farm near Seneca with their son, Kendall, and daughter, Rachel.

For many, the Farm Bureau name is deeply rooted within our state’s agricultural industry.

My roots on the farm go back four generations, and as you might imagine, much has changed in those years. It used to be that one out of every three persons in our state was tied directly to agriculture. Now, for each farmer in Illinois, there are more than 170 nonfarm residents.

As a result, this organization today is united with not only farmers, but with Illinois non-farm residents – parents, families, retirees and professionals who enjoy our association’s benefits and opportunities. It creates a partnership between the two audiences we serve.

From the farming perspective, I understand the idea of partnership. Illinois farmers often partner with family members or other local producers to share resources, knowledge and expertise. We, as farmers, also partner with agricultural companies or universities to test research, conduct field trials and create new technologies.

But to the farmer, there’s an even more important partnership – the one that connects the Illinois farming community with those who are not directly involved in farming but share a stake in our nation’s food and energy supplies. This is the strong partnership we hope this new publication will encourage.

I live in rural Seneca, close enough to Chicago to have been a lifelong reader of the city’s newspapers, a viewer of its television stations and a listener to Chicago radio. What I see and hear about food and farming sometimes concerns me, as it likely does many of you. Reports of food safety issues, our nation’s bioenergy demands and food prices affect all of us – both the farmers and the consumers.

We know how important it is to you to share an understanding of our nation’s food and energy supplies. We hope our new Partners magazine will, in part, help all of us learn more about agricultural issues that face us as consumers and understand more about our state’s food and fiber industries.

In addition, our new publication celebrates what’s great about Illinois life. Inside each issue, you’ll find original recipes, commentary from your neighbors, in-state travel tips, and expert advice on finance and gardening.

I hope you enjoy the read.

A Strong Partnership

Write to us at ilfbpartners@jnlcom.com. We welcome any feedback, ideas or requests to become our featured reader.

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Watch videos, read stories and browse photos at ilfbpartners.com.

Every Issue

Memories trim the tree

Visit the village of Bishop Hill

Learning the fundamentals of saving

Enjoy roasted chicken thighs and other cold- weather comfort foods

Use what you have to create your own compost this winter

Things to do, places to see

Features

McLean County’s Ropp family finds a niche with its unique cheese business

From windmills to biofuels, Illinois has power to spare

When the weather turns frigid, warm up with an Illinois title

Celebrate President Lincoln’s 200th birthday in this All-American city

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C U S TO M M A G A Z I N E M E D I A

More RecipesVisit our Food section for additional winter recipes, divided into three categories – Starters, Main Course and Desserts.

All recipes can be printed or e-mailed.

Farm Facts Did you know that 88 percent of Illinois farms are owned by individuals or families?

Learn more interesting facts about Illinois agriculture in our Farm section of the website.

Top TensWe’ve compiled a list of our top ten attractions in each region of the state.

See our lists, then add your own favorite Illinois attractions in the Finds section.

Watch the model trains run at the Kankakee Train Depot and Museum. See this and more Illinois videos at ilfbpartners.com.

“Believe it or not, one of the most famous superheroes in American pop culture calls the Prairie State home.” READ MORE IN OUR EDITOR’S BLOG ONLINE

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gift table. Two types of people surface during the Christmas season: those who love real trees and those who prefer one that sits in the attic year-round. My groom, an artificial tree keeper by upbringing, knew compromise was ahead.

I love to hunt through the rows of trees and find a real evergreen to add cheer and natural fragrance to my living room. He wants to search no farther than the Rubbermaid tote in the walk-in closet and have more time to watch holiday movies. We have owned a real tree every Christmas of our marriage. In return, I allow his preference for colored lights.

The first test of our marriage traditions came with our first Christmas together. My husband reminds everyone of the time he had to cut a board from the garage wall to solidify the “cheap tree stand” he claims I purchased. We used the same stand in my childhood, but telling your new husband how his father-in-law does the job only

intensifies a stressful situation. I bought an extra heavy-duty stand on clearance at the next post-holiday sale.

The tree experiences from my marriage and childhood could rival the incidents in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. We once cut an evergreen from our yard to thin the windbreak. Another time, Dad climbed a tree in the neighboring woods to “top it out.”

I was in junior high when we cut a blue spruce for our family Christmas. However, we didn’t know it was a blue spruce, an expensive tree typically not used for Christmas, until the tree farm owner informed us the tree was supposed to be permanent. We have stuck with pine ever since.

My husband and I, yet to celebrate a decade of marriage, already have stories about when the tree fell, when the stand ran out of water and when the needles caused a $60 repair to my vacuum cleaner.

Even with all the mishaps, creating memories for our kids still remains the motivation for me to move the car seats to the pickup truck and venture to a local tree farm.

Guests placed gifts under a Christmas tree at our

summertime wedding. We called it the wedding tree,

a 14-foot Scotch pine with silver ribbon, heart orna-

ments and glass balls containing childhood photos.

Mom deserves credit for the idea, which married my

enjoyment of Christmas trees with the traditional

Memories Trim the Tree

Joanie Stiers is a Williamsfield-based freelance writer and real Christmas tree enthusiast who convinced her husband to abandon his artificial upbringing.

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With more than 100 years of candy-making experience, the folks at Pease’s Fine Candies & Salted Nuts in Springfield know how to satisfy even the most refined sweet tooth. Customers can choose from a wide assortment of chocolates, candies, fudge, caramels and roasted nuts, as well as sugar-free treats. Pease’s Fine Candies has five locations in Springfield. For locations and ordering information, visit www.peasescandy.com.

When the weather gets cold and the traditional fruits of summer are out of season, winter squash can be a delicious and healthy option. Learn more:

Winter squash has a long shelf life.

It can be prepared as a flavorful side dish or cooked into casseroles, muffins, soups, stews and desserts.

Popular varieties include acorn, spaghetti and butternut.

Winter squash is harvested in September or October, before a heavy frost.

William Munyon of Momence collects tractors. To date, he has more than 100 of them with models dating back to 1919. His favorite, though, is the John Deere two-cylinder G model, of which he has six.

“That model was the finest tractor I ever ran,” says the retired grain and beef cattle farmer.

In 1994, he found yet another of his beloved G-John Deeres, but it needed major engine work. He instead decided to give the tractor a fresh coat of paint and, with the help of a crane, placed it atop his silo, where it’s stood since.

“I just thought the silo seemed a good place to store the tractor,” Munyon says. “It’s a good conversation piece.”

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Bird-watching enthusiasts can witness a magnificent sight during the Illinois Bald Eagle season. From December to March, Illinois welcomes more than 3,000 American Bald Eagles to its reservoirs, rivers and waterfowl refuges.

Visit www.baldeagleinfo.com for the best viewing times and places.

For a quick warm-up, stop in and sip a Hibiscus Steamer or Green Tea Ginger Twist at Argo Tea.

The Chicago-based company, which boasts more than 40 varieties of tea, is “a lot more about the experience and interaction” than similar establishments, says Argo Tea’s Director of Marketing Kari Ginel.

And Argo Tea is a company that customers can feel good about supporting. Ten percent of the proceeds from their drink Charitea are donated to charity. For locations and a complete menu of teas, visit www.argotea.com.

For a holiday treat, visit the Village of Bishop Hill in Northwestern Illinois. Founded by Erik Jansson and his followers after leaving their native Sweden in 1846 in search of religious freedom, Bishop Hill was once the location of Jansson’s communal, utopian society. Jansson’s colony disbanded after 15 years, but Bishop Hill remains a historical landmark that attracts scores of visitors every year.

There you can browse the site’s 21 shops and four museums, which hold furniture and clothing that belonged to the original settlers.

“It’s just a wonderful place to bring the family,” says Mike Wendell, administrator of the Bishop Hill Heritage Association.

Bishop Hill hosts numerous seasonal festivals and events, including the Julmarknad Christmas Market on Nov. 28-30 and Dec. 6-7, 2008. The Lucia Nights events will be held Dec. 12-13. For more information, contact the Bishop Hill State Historic Site at (309) 927-3345 or visit www.bishophillartscouncil.com.

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To many, dairying is thought of as a traditional type of agriculture. But with their unique cheese business, the Ropp family of McLean County is

STORY BY Rebecca Denton

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ike many small dairy farms, Ropp Farms in Normal faced the ever-tightening squeeze of an uncertain economy and competition in the wholesale milk market. Selling out wasn’t an option for this fifth-generation farming family, though. The Ropps were looking for a new way to stay in the dairying business.

It came in the form of cheese.Ken Ropp saw an on-farm dairy

processing plant at the World Dairy Expo five years ago. Called Cheese on Wheels, the production facility – housed in a 53-foot semi trailer – allows the Ropps to produce all-natural cheese on-site, using milk from their registered Jersey cows.

“I started putting pencil to paper and talking to Mom and Dad,” says Ken Ropp. “We decided, why not try it?”

The family started making cheese on its 450-acre farm in October 2006, and the Ropp

What was Miss Muffet eating, exactly?

Curds and whey are created during the process of making cheese. Milk is acidified to a point where the casein (protein) separates.

This process, called coagulation, produces curds, which eventually become cheese, and whey (the liquid portion that contains water, lactose and serum proteins), which basically becomes cottage cheese.

A silo is a familiar farm image, which visitors will see at the Ropp Farms facility. Above: Carol Ropp packages cheese for the family’s retail store.

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Jersey Cheese retail store opened a month later. By May 2007, the Ropps were using 100 percent of their own milk for cheese – the first in the state to do so on-site.

“Now, we’re making about 300 pounds of cheese a day,” Ropp says, “and we’re in 75 locations outside our own store, including seven wineries and seven natural-food stores. It’s grown faster than I thought. The nice part is, we’ve got stores calling us now. We’re not beating on doors.”

The Ropps make more than 70 types of cheese in their self-contained cheese-processing facility, which is USDA- and state-certified and approved.

Fresh milk is pumped from the milking parlor directly into the pasteurizer in the processing plant. The side of the facility has a wall of windows, where visitors can watch each step of the process – from adding cultures to separating the curds and whey.

Some best sellers include the Ropps’ green onion cheddar; tomato, basil and garlic cheddar; and bacon garlic horseradish cheddar – or BGH as it’s affectionately called. And the fresh cheese curds always sell out.

Carol Ropp, Ken’s mother, runs the retail store and serves as education director for the farm.

That’s no small feat, considering more than 4,000 children from the Bloomington and Normal school systems have toured the farm since April 2007.

The tours teach kids about farm life and where cheese comes from, but they’re also great marketing tools, says Carol Ropp, a retired schoolteacher.

For $3, kids get the chance to milk a cow, watch cheese being made, take a hayride, bottle-feed and play with a calf. They also get to sample fresh cheese, and the Illinois Farm Bureau

provides coloring books for each child to take home.

Ropp Jersey Cheese is sold along with ice cream at the homey 600-square-foot retail store, which is decorated with Jersey cow art and lots of drawings and pictures of kids on the farm.

“It’s very exciting, and it’s gotten big pretty fast,” Carol Ropp says of the business. “There’s never a boring day, believe me.”

Ken Ropp believes the market has come full-circle.

“Every small town used to have a

butcher, their own place to buy milk from,” he says. “We’ve seen the Wal-Marts. Now, people want to know where their food is coming from.”

The herd eats corn, soybeans and alfalfa grown on the Ropp farm, and the cows are free 22 hours a day to roam the pastures and free-stall barn. These barns allow the animals to roam freely with access to food and water.

The whole family pitches in to keep the business running smoothly. Ken Ropp serves as manager, making the sales calls and running booths at

farmers’ markets. Ken’s father, Ray Ropp, feeds and milks the cows, plants and harvests the crops, and generally handles the farm and dairy part of the operation. Ken’s wife, Becky, helps with marketing, plans advertising and works in the store on weekends. Carol Ropp runs the store and organizes the tours.

“Value-added has been a buzzword in agriculture for several years, and I think we caught it at the right time,” Ken Ropp says. “We’re a family farm and we’re local. I think those are big selling points.”

“It’s very exciting, and it’s gotten big pretty fast. There’s never a boring day, believe me.”

In addition to its cheese business, Ropp Jersey Cheese also offers tours for schoolchildren. Visitors learn how to milk a cow and bottle-feed a calf. Above Right: The Ropp family relies on registered Jersey cows to produce milk for its artisan cheese. Right: Ken Ropp says the Jersey breed produces a richer, creamier milk loaded with more butterfat and protein than other breeds.

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Ropp Family RecipesAPPETIZERS FEATURING SPECIALTY CHEESES

Ropp Jersey Cheese makes a tasty addition to salads, pastas and many other dishes – and it’s great on its own. Here are

a couple of quick and easy recipes that Carol Ropp recommends.

Tomato Basil Garlic CucumbersIngredients: Ropps’ Tomato Basil Garlic Cheddar, Fresh cucumbers

Directions: Slice cheese, then peel and slice cucumbers into rounds. Preheat broiler. Place a cheese slice on top of each cucumber round and cook under broiler until cheese is bubbly. Serve immediately.

Summer Sausage Cheddar AppetizersIngredients: Ropps’ Summer Sausage Cheddar, Triscuit crackers

Directions: Preheat broiler. Place a cheese slice on top of each Triscuit cracker. Cook under broiler until cheese is bubbly. Serve immediately.

Shop Ropp Jersey Cheese online at www.roppcheese.com.

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From cornfields to oil and even windmills, Illinois has

STORY BY Martin Ross

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n farm fields, along rural interstates and deep beneath the earth, it is plain to see: Illinois has energy to burn.

For many, thoughts immediately turn to the 13 million acres of corn raised by Illinois farmers, much of which is turned into ethanol used to fuel our vehicles on a daily basis. And it’s true; the biofuels industry is alive and well in Illinois.

Neal Steffey can testify to it. He makes ethanol, along with the more than 30 employees of Lincolnland Agri-Energy in the Southern Illinois community of Palestine.

“The ethanol plant has brought good jobs to the community,” he says. “It also brings a better market for local corn farmers. Lincolnland is a clean, efficient operating facility producing a product that provides cleaner air for the environment.”

Lincolnland, which sprouted on the Crawford County landscape in 2004, produces 49 million gallons of corn-based ethanol annually. Its contributions to the

6.5 billion gallons of ethanol produced last year in the United States help decrease the nation’s dependence on foreign oil and increase the support of American farmers.

But to Steffey, the small-town ethanol plant represents many things just as vital – community, survival of the farm lifestyle that shaped his upbringing and independence for an energy-hungry nation.

Like most Americans, Steffey has felt the strain of high oil and gas prices. His family and friends stayed close to home in 2008, many purchased smaller cars or motorcycles to save on gas, and he is spending less money in restaurants.

“I feel a lot of people think we swallow up all that corn and turn it into fuel, but that’s not the case,” he says. “I don’t think they realize how much higher gasoline would be without ethanol. If ethanol were taken out of the fuel supply, food prices would be just as high or higher, because transportation of food is the big driver of price increases.”

The familiar landscape in Illinois is changing to a landscape dotted with wind turbines and pumpjacks among the thousands of acres of row crops. The fusion of technology and agriculture benefits consumers who are continually looking for alternative energy options.

For more information about Illinois’ contributions to the nation’s energy needs, visit ilfbpartners.com.

There, you’ll find links to E85 pump locations in Illinois, more efficient driving tips and a platform for discussing this important topic.

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Among the many acres of corn,

wind turbines are quickly becoming

part of the Illinois landscape.

Consider the Twin Groves Wind

Farm in McLean County. On the

windy Bloomington moraine in the

eastern part of the county, passersby

will now see a landscape of tall, gently

rotating turbines. Standing in a

collection on private farm properties,

these 240-foot-tall, windmill-like

turbines offer 396 megawatts of wind

energy – enough to power 118,000

homes for a year.

Yet Illinois contributes to energy

demands in even more ways.

Travel through Southern Illinois,

As energy costs increase, Illinoisians can turn to other sources – oil that’s produced in Southern Illinois, corn-based ethanol across the state and wind energy in Central Illinois.

and you’ll likely see oil pumpjacks in use, tapping into the state’s some 650 oil fields. According to the Illinois State Geological Survey, Illinois is home to more than 30,000 active wells.

Additionally, biodiesel plants are targeting truck and bus companies making the switch to fueling their diesel f leets on soybeans, recycled grease and even waste fats from livestock and meat operations.

A source of energy that’s long been an Illinois mainstay, the state’s coal reserves contain more BTUs (energy units) than Saudi Arabian and Kuwaiti oil reserves. According to the Illinois

Coal Association, more than 32 million

tons of coal were produced by the 17

coal mines across the state in 2007.

All in all, coal generation accounts

for nearly half the electricity used

in Illinois.

In addition to environmental

contributions, the rise of numerous

Illinois power options has contributed

to local and state economies.

The Twin Groves Wind Farm in

Bloomington contributes royalties

to more than 140 landowners and

has created more than 35 full-time

jobs, with some 350 more during

construction.

The ethanol industry alone has

contributed more than $1 billion to

Illinois’ economy. As U.S. Department of Agriculture’s

Rural Development (RD) state director, Doug Wilson has helped foster energy enterprises in a number of communities. He cites estimated returns of at least $4-$5 for every dollar RD invests in a new ethanol plant.

Beyond local construction and plant jobs, ethanol production benefits “supporting businesses,” Wilson adds. “Supporting businesses include the local Dairy Queen or the QuikStop – all the businesses where people coming to and from the ethanol plant may stop.”

“The ethanol plant has brought good jobs to the community. It also brings a better market for local corn farmers.”

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For information on fuel economy and comparison of individual vehicle mileage, visit the U.S. Energy Department’s website at www.fueleconomy.gov.

Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent in town.

Gas mileage usually drops sharply at speeds above 60 mph. Every five mph over 60 is like paying an added 30 cents per gallon.

Consolidate chores, shopping, commutes and pick-up, and try alternative routes or less-congested travel times.

Avoid keeping unnecessary items in the vehicle. An extra 100 pounds can reduce miles per gallon by the equivalent of two passengers.

Make sure your vehicle is running at peak performance. Incorrect fuel ratio, bad spark plugs and incorrect spark timing make a difference. Replacing a dirty air filter alone can improve mileage by as much as 10 to 20 percent.

Keep car windows closed when possible. Open windows actually reduce mileage.

Don’t top off the tank. Instead, rely on the gas pump’s automatic shutoff. Overfilling wastes gas.

Consider the switch to a more fuel-efficient model or a f lex-fuel vehicle that can run on 85 percent ethanol.

– Martin Ross

Rising gas prices have caused a public spike in blood pressure and bank accounts. Here are a few tips designed to get more miles out of your day, commute and vehicle.

Stretching a Gallon

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The traditional IRA is still attractive to many people because contributions may be tax-deductible. If you are covered by a retirement plan, the deductibility of your contribution will depend on your modified adjusted gross income for the year. If you are single, your contribution is fully deductible if you earned less than $50,000 for the tax year. If you are married and filing a joint tax return, your contribution is fully deductible if your modified adjusted gross income was less than $70,000.

Earnings in your traditional IRA will accumulate tax-deferred, but both the earnings and the contribution are taxable when withdrawn. Withdrawals are subject to ordinary income tax, but may also be subject to a 10 percent penalty if withdrawn before age 59 1/2, unless the distribution is to purchase a first home, or for certain higher-education expenses. You must start taking minimum distributions from a traditional IRA at age 70.

The main advantage of the Roth IRA is that “qualified distributions” or certain nonqualified distributions are not included in income. Single taxpayers whose modified adjusted gross income is less than $95,000 may make a full

Roth IRA contribution, and the contribution amount phases out between $95,000 and $110,000. Joint filers whose modified adjusted gross income is less than $150,000 may make a full Roth IRA contribution.

Many people choose the Roth IRA because they do not have to take required distributions starting at age 70. Moreover, if you die, a qualified distribution made to your Roth IRA beneficiary will not be taxed. Taxpayers who do not need the tax deduction of the traditional IRA also choose the Roth because it allows you to withdraw your contributions at any time, penalty and tax-free.

Many taxpayers who are covered by a retirement plan and exceed the income limitations for making a deductible traditional IRA contribution opt to contribute to a Roth IRA, figuring that if they cannot get a tax deduction for the contribution, they’ll at least get the significant benefit of tax-free distributions at retirement.

With both income tax return filing and Individual Retirement Account (IRA) funding deadlines just around the corner, it is a good time to be reminded of the necessity of saving for retirement. Learn the difference between traditional and Roth IRAs.

Saving Made Simple

Lorraine Zenge is a financial planning analyst for Country Financial and COUNTRY Capital Management Co. For more financial advice, visit www.countryfinancial.com.

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When the weather outside is frightful, grab a blanket and

Cozy Up to Illinois Books

STORY BY Sarah B. GilliamPHOTOGRAPHY BY Jeffrey S. Otto

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Looking for a good book to cozy up with this winter? You don’t have to look far. Illinois has enough authors to keep you reading all season long.

In fact, many of the best-known and most beloved authors in American literature call the Prairie State home, and a good number of those have even penned books dedicated to their home state. The list is too long to include all the books, but here are a few you might enjoy reading.

Born in Peoria, Dan Simmons is most well-known for his science-fiction novels, several of which have been based in fictional Illinois towns. Perfect for this season is his A Winter Haunting, which blends familiar Illinois sights of cornfields and combines them into a suspenseful novel. For a more soothing read, consider Dave Etter’s poetry collection, Alliance, Illinois. Each of the 222 poems in this collection is told by a different Alliance resident.

There are plenty of books about the Prairie State, too. Tales & Trails of Illinois is a collection of 52 little-known historic events taken from newspaper columns, written by retired Springfield teacher Stu Fliege.

If you still have a little winter chill, take the edge off with a cup of something warm. Strawberry Fields in Urbana, Java Barn Café in Carmel or JavaMania Coffee Roastery in Chicago may provide just the remedy.

Shoeless Joe & Me is a book by Dan Gutman, which takes a 13-year-old on a trip back in time to the 1919 World Series and face-to-face with Chicago White Sox legend Shoeless Joe Jackson on the eve of the famous scandal.

More of a Cubs fan? Lew Freedman’s Game of my Life may be more your speed. The 2007 book quotes Ernie Banks, Ken Holtzman and Billy Williams on games from the 1950s to present day.

In addition to stories and books about Illinois, consider paying homage to some of the world’s most famous penmen, who once called Illinois home.

Did you know that Ernest Hemingway hailed from Oak Park, Shel Silverstein was a Chicagoan, and Carl Sandburg was born in Galesburg?

This winter, as you reach for a book, consider one by an Illinois author. What better way to support local arts than to promote those who also call it home.

For links to local libraries and more lists of books about Illinois and by local authors, visit ilfbpartners.com.

Whether the setting or author hails from Illinois, the Prairie State proves to be a good read.

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When it starts to get blustery outside, nothing quite says warmth and comfort like some of your favorite foods. Couple that with the rich tastes of the season, and you’ll have a meal that’s fit for any cold weather event.

Our comfort-rich meal starts with a colorful butternut squash and black bean soup, garnished with a drizzle of sour cream and scallions. Then for an entrée that’s sure to impress your guests, serve up a platter of roasted chicken thighs, flavored with lemon and sage, and a side of corn muffins.

And, what’s a winter meal without a warm-your-soul dessert? Rely on tart, Illinois-grown apples to make our fresh apple cake. Serve it with a scoop of Prairie Farms vanilla ice cream and a steaming cup of coffee, then settle in for a long winter’s nap.

Enjoy.

Hearty

Illinois farmers grow 3,926 acres of apples and 383 acres of squash. That seems like a lot until you consider farmers planted 12.3 million acres of corn in 2008. For more agriculture facts, visit ilfbpartners.com.

Winter-weather recipes to warm your soul and stomach

Helpings

STORY BY Kim NewsomPHOTOGRAPHY BY J. Kyle Keener

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Roasted Chicken Thighs

6 bone-in chicken thighs with skin

3 Tablespoons butter

1 lemon, thinly sliced

2 sprigs fresh sage

Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Loosen the skin from the chicken. Gently rub butter under the skin, then place slices of lemon and two sage leaves under the skin. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Place the chicken thighs on a roasting rack and roast until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

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For more winter-worthy recipes, including a delicious pork chop and glazed apples dish, visit ilfbpartners.com.

Fresh Apple Cake

Cake:

1 cup canola oil

2 cups sugar

3 eggs, well beaten

1 teaspoon salt

2½ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups chopped, peeled Red Delicious apples

1. For the topping, cut the flour, spices and sugar into the room-temperature butter. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine oil and sugar. Beat in the eggs. Sift together dry ingredients and add to egg mixture. Gently fold in vanilla and apples.

3. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch pan, then pour mixture into the pan. Sprinkle with the topping. Bake in a 325-degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 medium fresh butternut squash

1 Tablespoon canola oil

1 small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup sherry

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 can black beans, well rinsed and drained

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped

2 scallions, chopped

1. Peel the squash and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Place the oil in a stockpot over medium heat; add the onion and squash and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for one additional minute. Add the sherry and then the stock. Simmer until the squash is soft.

2. Purée the soup until smooth. Or for a slightly chunky soup, retain some of the squash and add back to the puréed soup.

3. Add the beans, cumin and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the fresh cilantro and scallions. Top with sour cream, if desired.

Topping:

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ cup sugar

½ stick butter

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Use what’s in your yard to create your own compost

ach year, thousands of Illinois gardeners pay to have their yard waste hauled to a landfill, and then, in spring, they buy a fresh supply of compost. Why? We just spent the summer growing our own ingredients to make one of the best free soil amendments possible.

Composting is the process of turning organic matter into humus. Compost helps improve the soil structure by providing good aeration, moisture-holding capacity and better tilth. In fact, the recommendation to improve any soil, whether clay (which won’t drain) or sand (which drains too fast), is to add organic matter.

It takes four elements to produce compost: nitrogen (greens), carbon (browns), water

and oxygen. When you combine these in the right proportions, you get heat and voilà! Compost happens.

Keep in mind that the word “greens” does not refer to color, but instead to something that is high in protein and therefore a good source of nitrogen. Grass clippings, coffee grounds, vegetative kitchen scraps, weeds (without seed heads) and manure from grass-eating animals are all great greens.

“Browns” are high in carbohydrates, thus an organic source of carbon. Carbon has the added benefit of absorbing offensive odors and preventing the organic nitrogen from escaping through evaporation. Leaves, straw, shredded paper and sawdust make good browns.

Rain and supplemental watering during

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Q I’m new to perennial

gardening this year. Do I apply winter mulch before frost?

No, wait until the ground is frozen. The purpose of mulch is to protect the plants from frost heave, which is a consequence of multiple freeze/thaw cycles, not necessarily to protect the roots.

Q What is the best time to cut my

ornamental grasses?

Wait until late March. They add a lot of winter interest with their windblown rustling.

E-mail your gardening questions to Jan at ilfbpartners@jnlcom.com.

dry times add the compost’s water requirement. Oxygen, of course, comes from the air. As the pile starts decomposing and settling, you can speed up the process by turning it occasionally to get oxygen back into the middle.

The smaller the pieces going into a pile, the faster it will turn into compost. Few people have room to store a chipper/shredder, but most of us have lawn mowers. Mowing your leaves in the fall before collecting them works fine.

Once you start composting, you will soon discover that greens are abundant in spring and summer, but browns are scarcer until autumn when the trees shed their leaves.

No problem. Collect the leaves in the fall and store them until spring. Storing greens

doesn’t work because they start to stink, and lose their beneficial moisture and some of their nitrogen punch very fast.

As far as location, don’t overdo it. Your compost can be as simple as a pile of ingredients on the ground. If you live in a windy area, you can contain it with a wire enclosure or bins made from old wooden pallets. Either way, it’s an easy way to create your own compost – with the items you already have.

Jan Phipps farms, gardens, writes and produces a radio podcast near Chrisman. She’s been a University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener for 10 years.

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Celebrate President Lincoln’s 200th birthday in this All-American city

f Springfield isn’t already on your list of American cities to visit in your lifetime, it should be. Not only does the city play a significant role in U.S. history as the political hometown of Abraham Lincoln, it’s also jam-packed with attractions that run the gamut from fairs and theater productions to historic sites, world-class museums and family entertainment.

As if it wasn’t already, Springfield will be overflowing with all things Lincoln in 2009 as the city celebrates The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial in honor of our 16th president’s 200th birthday. What better time to visit?

Marvel at the evening gloves that were in President Lincoln’s pocket the night he was assassinated, view an original handwritten copy of the Gettysburg Address and try on dress-up clothes from Lincoln’s era at the

. Dedicated to Lincoln’s life and legacy, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum is educational entertainment at its best, with enchanting holographic and special effects in the Union Theatre, interactive displays and high-tech exhibits.

See where Lincoln lived during the 17 years

STORY BY Jessica Mozo

The first legislative session in the Springfield Capitol Building was held in 1877.

Maldaner’s Restaurant

Trout Lily Cafe

Augie’s Front Burner

Boyd’s New Generation

Xochimilco Authentic Mexican

D&J Cafe

Saputo’s Italian Restaurant

Gabatoni’s Restaurant

Hickory River Smokehouse

Charlie Parker’s

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If you’re planning a trip to Springfield later in the year, be sure to visit the Illinois State Fair in August. A state tradition since 1853, the Illinois State Fair is one of Springfield’s most entertaining family events, with livestock competitions, talent contests, thrilling rides and historical buildings.

he called Springfield home by visiting the ,

which has been restored to its 1860 appearance and is open for free, guided tours. While there, watch a film about Lincoln’s life and browse the Museum Shop in the Visitor Center. Then, take a leisurely stroll through the surrounding four-block historic neighborhood to catch a glimpse of the homes of Lincoln’s former neighbors.

Stop in the in downtown Springfield to get an inside peek at where Lincoln practiced law from 1843 to 1852. The brick Greek revival building on the south side of the square is the only building still standing in which Lincoln had a law office.

Take the family to a dance, theater or musical performance at the

, a jewel in Springfield’s thriving arts scene. Located in a historic 1909 building originally built as a Scottish Rite Masonic Cathedral, the Hoogland Center for the Arts serves as the cultural hub for the city and is home to 14 local organizations, including the Springfield Ballet Company, the Springfield

Theatre Centre and the Springfield Muni Opera. A former wheat field, the Muni was converted into an outdoor amphitheater in 1950. The winter season is slated to feature A Tuna Christmas and Willy Wonka Junior in December 2008, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in January 2009 and Our American Cousin in February 2009.

Meander through the streets of and you’ll find roughly

80 one-of-a-kind art galleries and specialty shops just beckoning you to step inside.

Plan your visit around New Year’s Eve, and you’ll get to ring in the New Year at the city’s annual celebration. The family-oriented arts event presents music, theater, comedy and dance productions at 20 different downtown locations.

There’s no better time than the holiday season to tour Springfield’s

, a 12,000-square-foot home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1902. In December, the gorgeous, 35-room home becomes even more spectacular as the entire house is decked out for the holidays

Lincoln Tomb

Old State Capitol

Executive Mansion

Union Station

Lincoln Depot

Lincoln’s New Salem Village

Bill Shea’s Route 66 Gas Station

Museum of Funeral Customs

Springfield Children’s Museum

Henson Robinson Zoo

Shea’s Gas Station South Town Theater

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Share your favorite Springfield restaurants at ilfbpartners.com.

THIS EATERY THRIVES ON SERVING UP SPRINGFIELD’S CULINARY CLAIM TO FAME – THE HORSESHOE

Ever eaten a horseshoe? It may sound crazy, but horseshoes grace the menus of restaurants all over Springfield. And arguably the

tastiest one can be found at D’Arcy’s Pint on West Stanford Avenue.We’re not talking about what goes on a horse’s hoof, of course.

In Springfield, everybody knows a horseshoe is a mouthwatering dish that consists of thick Texas toast layered with meat or veggies, loaded with French fries, and smothered in cheese sauce.

“It’s an open-faced, knife and fork sandwich,” says Hallie Pierceall, co-owner of D’Arcy’s Pint. “Horseshoes originated in Springfield in 1928 at Leland Hotel, and restaurants throughout the city have been serving them ever since. We put our own spin on it, and we use our own homemade cheese sauce.”

Pierceall opened D’Arcy’s Pint in 1998 with business partner Glenn Merriman after taking a trip to Ireland. The restaurant radiates the warmth of an old Irish tavern.

“I loved the coziness of Irish pubs, and there weren’t a lot of authentic Irish pubs in Springfield,” Pierceall says. “We also wanted to offer a unique menu with things you can’t get just anywhere.”

While horseshoes are by far D’Arcy’s best-selling dish, other popular items on the menu include corned beef and cabbage served with parsley buttered Irish potatoes, shepherd’s pie, fish and chips, Reuben sandwiches, and breaded tenderloins.

“We’re a very casual, comfortable place, and we cater to all age groups, from college students and kids to older adults,” Pierceall says. “There’s so much variety on the menu that everyone can find something they like.”

Ever heard the sweet music of a carillon?Springfield’s Washington Park is home to the Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon, an open tower with 67 cast bronze bells. It is the centerpiece of the annual International Carillon Festival in June, which draws more than 15,000 spectators and features carillonneurs from Australia, Poland, and elsewhere around the globe. For more information, visit www.carillon-rees.org.

with Victorian decorations, including 15 beautifully decorated Christmas trees.

The Dana-Thomas House is named for former owners Susan Lawrence Dana, a forward-thinking socialite, and Charles C. Thomas, who owned a publishing company. The home is the 72nd building designed by Wright and contains the largest collection of his site-specific, original art glass and furniture.

Brush elbows with state senators and representatives and watch Illinois politics in action at the , which was built over 20 years beginning in 1869 in the architectural style of the French Renaissance. With its 361-foot-tall dome, the Illinois State Capitol is the tallest non-skyscraper capitol in the nation.

Abraham Lincoln Depot

LOCAL FLAVOR

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For more information about winter activities in Illinois, visit www.enjoyillinois.com.

Snow Doubt About ItIllinois has plenty of winter activities for skiers and snowboarders alike.Chestnut Mountain in Galena offers 19 runs and boasts the largest Midwest terrain park. Skiers can

browse the 20,000-square-foot ski center, and snowboarders can check out the seven acres of quarter pipes, half pipes and 20 types of rails. Visit www.chestnutmtn.com for more information.

The Raging Buffalo Snowboard Ski Park in Algonquin offers visitors the world’s first exclusive snowboarding area with terrain including rope tows, kickers and magic carpet. For more information, visit www.ragingbuffalo.com.

Andalusia’s Ski Snowstar is a family-oriented facility, which offers its visitors 28 acres of terrain with plenty of beginner through advanced slopes. Visit www.skisnowstar.com for more information.

Unsure of what a half pipe or box jump is? Learn about it at Villa Olivia Country Club in Bartlett. The facility offers a ski school for all ages and skill levels. Visit www.villaolivia.com for more information.

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Got Chocolate?Treat yourself to a chocolate weekend

getaway in Sycamore in December 2008.The annual celebration kicks off on

Friday, Dec. 5, with a showing of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer at the Sycamore State Theatre, followed by a Walk With Santa parade, tree-lighting ceremony, and the opening of Santa’s House, which stays open throughout the weekend for those who want to meet and chat with Santa.

On Saturday, the true celebration of chocolate begins. Chocolate greeters dressed as elves stroll through downtown and give out chocolates shaped like Sycamore leaves, while local businesses provide everything from chocolate martinis to chocolate manicures.

“Indulge, you deserve it,” says Jamie Sands, director of Discover Sycamore.

Other highlights of the celebration include a massive treasure hunt and a chocolate party complete with chocolate pretzel decorating, charades and music to finish out the weekend.

“Sycamore has a great atmosphere,” Sands says.

Visit www.sycamorechamber.com for more information.

Re-enacting DuBois No one will ever know exactly what

explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark experienced on their famous expedition, but on Dec. 13 and 14, 2008, visitors to the Lewis & Clark State Historic Site in Hartford will get the chance to see a re-enactment of one of the historic pair’s most important moments.

This annual special event commemorates Dec. 12, 1803 – the day

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING

Illinois Agricultural Association

Notice is hereby given that the annual meeting of the members of the Illinois Agricultural Association will be held in the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 151 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601, on Saturday, Dec. 6, Sunday, Dec. 7, Monday, Dec. 8, and Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008 with the official meeting of voting delegates convening at 8 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 8, for the following purposes:

approved, ratify and confirm the reports of the officers and the acts and proceedings of the Board of Directors and officers in furtherance of the matters therein set forth since the last annual meeting of the Association.

Board of Directors to serve for a term of two years.

proposed amendments to the Articles of Incorporation or to the Bylaws of the Illinois Agricultural Association and upon such policy resolutions as may be properly submitted.

For the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting.

James M. Jacobs Secretary

Lewis and Clark arrived at Camp River DuBois where they stayed for five months.

During the free event, some 15 actors portray the establishment of Lewis and Clark’s first winter camp, as well as shooting matches with local citizens, drilling and inspection of arms.

“It’s an opportunity for folks to see one of the three camps that Lewis and Clark built,” Lewis & Clark Historic Site Manager Brad Winn says. He says the re-enactment is a unique learning opportunity because it provides an “experience for people on a firsthand level.”

For more information, visit www.campdubois.com.

Christmas the Wright Way

Organic architecture meets Victorian design during Christmas tours of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Oak Park home.

“It’s an opportunity to see the interior of the Frank Lloyd Wright home in a way that you don’t normally see it in the rest of the year,” says Jan Kieckhefer, director of education for the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust.

Fifth and 10th grade junior interpreters are stationed in rooms throughout the home to teach visitors about the Wright family’s Christmas traditions and décor.

The tours are from 9 to 11 a.m., Dec. 13 and 20, 2008, and offer the only opportunity during the year for visitors to view the interior of the Wright home for free.

“It really is just a very pleasant, old-fashioned holiday tradition,” she says.

For more information, visit www.gowright.org.

This listing includes a few events to add to your calendar in December, January and February from around the state.

Dates were accurate at press time but are subject to change. Please check with the contact listed before traveling long distances to attend. Additional information on Illinois events also is available online through Illinois Bureau of Tourism’s website, www.enjoyillinois.com.

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the Paramount Theatre in Aurora was the first air-conditioned building outside of Chicago. Paramount Pictures used the Art Deco structure as a prototype for theaters built all over the country, and even today, roughly 150,000 patrons frequent the theater’s silver screens and attend events there each year.

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belongs to Norman Young of Fairbury. Today, most farmers use metal grain bins to store their harvested crops, while still-standing corncribs are mostly used to house farm equipment.

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