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List of Interviewees

Age Interviewsort icon County
Ray Ackerman 80s Male 2000s Tazewell Memories of Ackerman Farms as a young man
John Ackerman 40s Male 2000s Tazewell Pumpkin farmer; diversified to preserve family farm
Yvette Ackerman 40s Female 2000s Tazewell Operates Ackerman Farms Store and a shop in town
Leland Sweatman 70s Male 2000s Cass Retired farmer and Allis Chalmers implement dealer
Oba Herschberger 50s Male 2000s Moultrie Amish farmer, Holstein dairy and Belgian horse breeding
Nate Janssen 30s Male 2000s Lake Manages large dairy operation at Golden Oaks Farm
Jim Burrus 50s Male 2000s Morgan Raises grass-fed beef and organic chickens
Jim Kinsella 60s Male 2000s McLean Farmer widely regarded as father of no-till farming
Stephen Scates 70s Male 2000s Gallatin Senior partner in large family farm near Ohio River
Lorene Herschberger 50s Female 2000s Moultrie Amish farm wife, Mother of 13 children
Jacqueline Jackson 70s Female 2000s Rock County, WI Author of Stories from the Round Barn (1977)
Eileen Cunningham 80s Female 2000s Greene Retired nurse and farm wife raised near the Illinois River
Geneva Sweet 90s Female 2000s Morgan Farm wife whose father-in-law photographed farm in 1890s
Lloyd Johnson 60s Male 2000s Madison Retired African-American farmer and gospel singer
Jody Heavner 30s Female 2000s Pike Manager of elk production at Pea Ridge Elk Ranch
Cavan Sullivan 20s Male 2000s Menard Raises pheasant, quail, deer, and bison on small farm
Ruth Hambleton 50s Female 2000s Jefferson U. of Illinois Extension educator; founded Annie's Project
Ellis Vanderpool 70s Male 2000s Cass Beekeeper who sells honey at Springfield farmer's market
Irene McGuire 70s Female 2000s Jackson Operated peach and apple orchard in family since 1820s
Edward Van Drunen 70s Male 2000s Kankakee President of Van Drunen Farms (herbs, food processing)
Dianna Hatfield < 20 Female 2000s Wayne Active 4-H and FFA member; seeks career in Ag marketing
Wayne "Ren" Sirles 60s Male 2000s Union Operates Rnedleman Orchards (peach, apple, nectarines)
Wayne D. Sirles 40s Male 2000s Union Manages packing shed at Rendleman Orchards
Betty Sirles 60s Female 2000s Union Manages fruit harvest crews at Rendlemans Orchards
Edward Russell 60s Male 2000s Johnson Operates new vineyard and winery: Bella Terra Winery
Dr. Debra Reid 40s Male 2000s Coles Associate Professor of History at Eastern Illinois University
Sam Meteer < 20 Male 2000s Menard State Vice President of FFA in Illinois, 2007-2008
Pam Gray 50s Female 2000s Sangamon Director of Illinois State Fair Museum
Kaitlin Weitekamp < 20 Female 2000s Montgomery State President of FFA in Illinois, 2007-2008
Timothy Reed 30s Male 2000s Jersey Agriculture teacher at Southwestern High School
FFA State Officers < 20 2000s
Charles Ross 60s Male 2000s Morgan Farmer who raises and shows Montadale sheep
Makenna Barker < 20 Female 2000s Fulton 4-H member who displayed vegetables at Illinois State Fair
Manda Geerts-Davis 20s Female 2000s Whiteside National Junior Advisor for Columbia Sheep Association
Dr. Deanna Glosser 50s Female 2000s Sangamon Director of Slow Food Springfield
Mark Johnson 40s Male 2000s DuPage Agricultural Specialist for Kline Creek Farm
Keith McClow 40s 2000s DuPage Director of Kline Creek Farm, an 1890s living-history farm
Harry Rhodes 40s Male 2000s Cook Executive Director of Growing Home, Chicago
Parris Brewer 40s Male 2000s Cook Marketing Coordinator for Growing Home, Chicago
Roy Harrington 80s Male 2000s Rock Island Retired mechanical engineer for John Deere & Company
Brian Holst 40s Male 2000s Rock Island Manager of the John Deere Collectors Center
Neil Dahlstrom 30s Male 2000s Rock Island Author of The John Deere Story (2005)
Dr. Peter Goldsmith 40s Male 2000s Champaign NSRC Soybean marketing
Michael Johnson 50s Male 2000s Carroll Tree farmer and professional landscape photographer
Patricia Johnson 60s Female 2000s Carroll Manages tree farm and high-grade lumber business
Stephen Black 60s Male 2000s Greene Operates a 5th-generation Sesquicentennial Farm
Chris Eckert 30s Male 2000s St. Clair President of Eckert's Orchards, Inc.
Paul Gebhart 50s Male 2000s Christian Organic chickens, turkeys, and cattle
Mike Latting 50s Male 2000s Kankakee African-American farmer and rodeo operator
John Thurman 40s Male 2000s Kankakee African-American farmer in economically challenged area