The world wants to know: What makes a good cup of Mad Goat Coffee? Rob finds out when he has a discussion with Sam George, owner of Mad Goat Coffee, about small town beginnings, the inspiration behind starting a coffee shop and the finer points of creating a good brew.

What does it mean to be a soil scientist and how does soil science affect agriculture? Rob talks with Bob McLeese about the land beneath our feet.

Krista Hulsey shares what it means to work as a vet tech at Wyoming Vet Clinic, Wyoming IL. She is also an equine rehabilitator. Krista talks to Sharkey about the health benefits of massage therapies for horses and dogs and the science behind using MagnaWave to increase blood flow to an injured a...

Krista Swanson and her husband, Brett, are 5th generation farmers from Oneida, Ill., who have managed their farm since 2012. As the lead economist for the National Corn Growers Association, Krista writes articles and has recently started the Maize Market Minute on the association's website. Havin...

Active in 4-H for ten years, this Iowa Farm girl has moved to central Illinois and found her place as a Seed Recruiter. Nichole is passionate about helping students find their career path in Ag and is active in the Cass-Morgan Farm Bureau Young Leaders.

Philip Chamberlain grew up in Bloomington with grandparents who were beef and dairy farmers in Sublette and Dixon. At a young age, he glimpsed the cockpit while boarding a plane, and knew he wanted to be a pilot. He attended SIUC, earned flight hours and eventually becoming a commercial pilot. Tw...

Alicia Piper from Pecatonica, IL, loves her job as a market strategy manager at FS Grain. After attending ISU and working at a local grain elevator, Alicia realized the grain business speaks to her love of math and never meeting a stranger. There are so many opportunities for young people in ag t...

Curtis Geier of New Windsor, IL, was a pioneer in hunting podcasts. His love for talking about the outdoors has led to a full-time job with the Working Class Bowhunter.

Josie Rudolphi, an assistant professor at the U of I in Agricultural and Biological Engineering, focuses on agricultural safety and mental health. The USDA has funded four regional resource centers in Illinois for farmers who have anxiety, depression and other issues due to the high stress that g...

At a young age, Nicholas Burke took a blacksmithing class with his dad that sparked an interest in welding and manipulating metal. He now designs and fabricates signs, firepits, charcuterie boards and amazing works of art. Nicholas has found that you can live in a small town in Illinois and ship ...

Sixth generation farmer Chris Hartford has a deep legacy in farming. When his dad retired, he stepped in to manage the farm and wife Marlee who didn’t grow up on a farm says living and working on the farm has been life changing. Sharing his entrepreneurial spirit, she now runs their second busine...

Rodney Connor’s roots lay in a family farm in Blackstone, Illinois, where he still helps out when the family needs extra hands during planting and harvest. Rodney went to school to learn how to make video games and ended up with a career in agriculture. Starting out as a grain originator he has m...

Ashley Wurzer grew up in Hannah City and couldn’t wait to spread her wings. After finishing grad school at Rush Medical Center in Chicago she worked as a nurse anesthetist for 17 years before heading back to Peoria to “buy a little piece of the pie.” Her new venture includes central Illinois’ new...

Andy and Sarah Lenkaitis own and manage a dairy farm, one of only three in Kane County, Illinois. They use technology such as robotic milkers, an automated manure system and an automated feed pusher to care for their cows more efficiently. Their cows wear collars that monitor their health and act...

Many farms struggle to bring the next generation back to the farm. Kaylee Heap works full time off the farm in ag tech as an integrations engineer, and she owns and operates an agritourism business, Heap’s Giant Pumpkin Farm with her husband. They welcome guests out to the farm annually between A...

Brad Majors grew up running around his great grandparents’ International Harvester dealership. Meeting his wife was a turning point in his life and he learned the importance of faith. As an owner and sales manager at Record Harvest he strives to make precision ag simple, practical and profitable ...

Keith Konradi learned to diagnose and troubleshoot problems as a college kid working on used appliances to help pay the bills. After earning an agricultural education degree from Purdue University, Keith saw a gap between what was actually happening on the farm and what was being taught. He is no...

The Wineinger family of Princeville, Illinois, farm together, but they are also driven by fulfilling the needs of their community and advocating for small business. They own and run several businesses including a restaurant called The Feed Store which serves delicious food and creates local jobs,...

Nathan Zimmerman grew up on a central Illinois farm and is now working with AgLeader to help bring high tech agriculture to area farmers.

Andy McGava grew up hunting, fishing and trapping around Princeville. After serving his country he moved back to Wyoming, Ill. He and Michelle Cozzi bought some strip mine ground and have created a place where kids can go to fish, hunt and enjoy the outdoors. Michelle wants to have a place where ...

Kasey Neely loves bringing healthy farm products like pasture-raised chicken, grass-fed beef and eggs to her rural community in Huttsonville, Ill., where they have few choices when it comes to shopping for healthy food. Kasey also puts on a Farm-to-Table event each year to connect people to where...

The Christian Center offers youth the chance to learn the fundamentals of sports and values that can change lives. Chad Bailey, managing director, devotes his time to making The Christian Center a place where kids can be competitive but lift each other up. Joe Monahan, the head of coaching, also ...

Matt Kellogg farms in Yorkville, IL and he is fighting to preserve his family farm and heritage against the ever encroaching border of Chicago. He is blessed with good friends and has had many travel opportunities to see different agricultural practices in countries like Japan and Panama.