March Field Notes
3/1/21
Kendall-Grundy Farm Bureau Updates
Upcoming Events
March
2nd & 4th: On the Road Seminar
10th: Consumer & Ag Education Meeting
12th: Virtual Silent Auction Opens
24th: Market Outlook Meeting
27th: Draw Down
Farming for the Community
Since 2016 our Young Leaders have partnered with the Plano School District to support our community. Each year the Young Leaders maintain a plot near the school. Proceeds from the harvest are then used to support Ag in the Classroom, the Community Food Pantry, and many other causes.

The Young Leaders are proud to announce that in 2021 they are able to award $2000 to Kendall County Ag in the Classroom and $2000 to the Kendall County Community Food Pantry. An additional $2000 was also donated to the school to be used for a future project to support students in need within the district.

We would like to thank the Plano School District, Thorson Farms, GRAINCO FS, S&H Seed, and Ag Tech Services for their donations and support of the program.
Spring Meetings
To register for the the Rules for the Road virtual Trucking Seminar contact Victoria
by calling 815-942-6400 or emailing manager@kendallgrundyfb.com.

A recording of each session will also be available. Contact our office to be sent the link.
Join us March 10th at the Kendall-Grundy Farm Bureau office or online to discuss our consumer and Ag in the Classroom Efforts. Do you have some great ideas on how we can better promote our local growers or educate our consumers? Are you interested in learning more about how we have met the challenges of hybrid learning? Join us March 9th! Meeting link: https://bit.ly/3r5X9H3
Join us for a Spring Market Outlook, March 24th at 6:30 pm online and in person at the Kendall-Grundy Farm Bureau Office. We will allow limited in person attendance but an RSVP will be required. COVID guidelines will be in place.

Contact our office or reply to this email to RSVP
2021 Draw Down
We are less than a 2 weeks away from the kick off of the 2021 Draw Down. This year the event will start on March 12th when we open our Virtual Silent Auction and will end on March 27th with the virtual drawing of our Draw Down tickets. There are so many ways to join in the fun and support some great programs! 

Draw Down 
Draw Down tickets are currently available for purchase at the Kendall-Grundy Farm Bureau office. Tickets are $35 and enter you for the chance to win up to $1500. Tickets are drawn in a reverse raffle format with cash prizes being awarded throughout the drawing. Join us at 5pm on March 27th via Zoom or Facebook Live as we draw our winners. Links will be made available at kendallgrundyfb.com/drawdown. 

Safe Raffle 
This year we are also raffling off a 23 Gun Safe. Tickets are $10 each. The winner will be drawn during the livestream. 

Virtual Silent Auction 
Our silent auction will take place virtually this year. With the help of Richard Olson and Associates, our auction website will go live on March 12th and close at 3pm on March 27th. Bidders will create an account on the website and then place their bid. Winning items can be picked up at the Farm Bureau office starting on March 29th. 

Tractor Auction 
On the silent auction there will be 10 toy tractors up for bid. The names of the winners of these 10 tractors will then be drawn to win a larger price. This year the winner of our tractor auction will take home a Gas Fire Pit, a $700 value. The winner will be drawn during the livestream. 

Schedule
March 5th -last day to drop off items for the auction 
March 12th- Silent Auction Opens (12:01 am) 
March 27th- Silent Auction Closes (3:00 pm) 
March 27th- Draw Down Livestream (5:00 pm) 

I speak both for Farm Bureau and Friends of Extension when I say Thank You for all of your generosity and support throughout the years, but especially in 2020 and 2021 as our plans have had to change. Please help us spread the word and make this year a true success! Visit the Farm Bureau Facebook Page or our Website for information to share. 
2021 Scholarship Applications Due March 31st!


The Foundation Scholarship Applications are now available for both the Kendall Foundation and Grundy Foundation. High School Seniors and those perusing higher education are encouraged to apply.

Applications are due
March 31st 2021.
Other Area News
SWCD Spring Pond Workshop
The Kendall, Kankakee, Will/South Cook, & Grundy County Soil & Water Conservation Districts will host a Spring Pond Workshop virtually on Thursday, March 11th. The Zoom meeting will begin at 6:00pm.

The evening will feature Seth Love, Illinois Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Biologist, who will provide information on pond maintenance/care, fish stocking rates, pond shocking, chemicals, feed, and related questions. The workshop is free, but we kindly request you RSVP by emailing jbrown.kkswcd@gmail.com to receive an invitation link. Any questions you may have regarding your pond management may also be emailed and Seth will do his best to answer all of them. We hope you can join us!
Pollinator Habitat Webinar
The Kendall, Grundy, and McHenry-Lake County Soil & Water Conservation Districts will host a free Pollinator Habitat Webinar on Friday, March 19th from 1-2:45pm. Those interested in attending can RSVP by emailing Alyse.Olson@il.nacdnet.net by March 15th to reserve their spot!

Kendall County Agriculture in the Classroom is holding a county-wide food drive contest among participating schools the week of March 15th-19th. The food drive will benefit three food pantries located within the county, and prizes will be awarded to schools that collect the most food! Volunteers to help collect the food from schools on the 19th are welcome! Email kendallaitc@gmail.com for more information.
2021 PRIVATE APPLICATOR TESTING DAY
Are you an agricultural producer and in need of renewing your restricted use pesticide license?
Will County Extension is partnering with the Illinois Department of Agriculture and Will County Farm Bureau to sponsor a TESTING ONLY day on Friday March 26, 2021 from 8:30 a.m.-Noon and 12:30-3:30 p.m. at the University of Illinois Extension Will County Office located at 100 Manhattan Road Joliet 60433.
 
This is a TESTING ONLY and it is for the PRIVATE APPLICATOR ONLY. 
Due to limitations of Covid 19 restrictions you MUST PRE-REGISTER.
There is NO cost to attend this testing but there is a cost to the licensure.
If you have any questions, contact Nancy Kuhajda, Extension Program Coordinator at kuhajda@illinois.edu or call Nancy at 217 300 9270

If you need reasonable accommodations to attend this testing, please contact Nancy Kuhajda at the email or phone above by March 20, 2021. 
Registration is now open for the 2021 FUSION Reimagined Conference! This collaboration of AFBF's YF&R, Women's Leadership, and Promotion and Education committees creates an opportunity to connect, learn, and grow with other members of the Farm Bureau family. Join us to experience great workshops, interesting farm tours, and fun entertainment - at no cost to you!
 
Visit the conference website to register, view the tentative agenda, and more!
Something to Share
How are farmers embracing innovation on the farm?
Find out in the latest video from Illinois Farm Families.
For farmers, growing and raising our food means continuous improvement. It means discovering ways to do things better and finding solutions to complex problems. And we’re making decisions every day that advance our methods for raising animals and growing crops. That’s why innovation grows here.

Learn More Here
Staff contacts:
Victoria- manager@kendallgrundyfb.com
Chris (for all membership related questions)- membership@kendallgrundyfb.com
Kathy- assistant@kendallgrundyfb.com
Ann (Ag in the Classroom)- aitc@grundycfb.com
Kendall-Grundy Farm Bureau | kendallgrundyfb.com