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List of Interviewees

Age sort icon Interview 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
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
Lloyd Johnson 60s Male 2000s Madison Retired African-American farmer and gospel singer
Cavan Sullivan 20s Male 2000s Menard Raises pheasant, quail, deer, and bison on small farm
Ellis Vanderpool 70s Male 2000s Cass Beekeeper who sells honey at Springfield farmer's market
Edward Van Drunen 70s Male 2000s Kankakee President of Van Drunen Farms (herbs, food processing)
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
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
Timothy Reed 30s Male 2000s Jersey Agriculture teacher at Southwestern High School
Charles Ross 60s Male 2000s Morgan Farmer who raises and shows Montadale sheep
Mark Johnson 40s Male 2000s DuPage Agricultural Specialist for Kline Creek 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
Ewell Brauer 60s Male 1970s Cass Farmer recalls changes in farming methods in the 1900s
Evans Cantrall 80s Male 1970s Sangamon Farmer recalls rural life in the late 1800s and early 1900s
Michael Johnson 50s Male 2000s Carroll Tree farmer and professional landscape photographer
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.
Bert Aikman 90s Male 1970s Montgomery Farmer and railroad man recalls childhood in late 1800s
Walter Culver 80s Male 1970s Menard Farmer discusses mechanization and other changes in the 1900s
Gray Herndon 80s Male 1970s Sangamon Springfield lawyer recalls childhood on the farm
James N. Price 60s Male 1970s Lawrence Farmer and oilfield worker recalls family dairy farm
Karl Boekenhauer 70s Male 1980s DeKalb Farmed until the 1950s, then became a feed salesman
Jack Kuhn 40s Male 1980s DuPage Born on a dairy farm, farms with wife, sons, and brother
Bill Gommel 70s Male 1980s DeKalb Farmer discusses changes in farming since World War II
Howard Lanan 70s Male 1980s DeKalb Operates farm established by his grandfather
Orrin Pauling 70s Male 1980s DeKalb Farmer discusses impacts of Great Depression and World War II
Luke Bridger 70s Male 1980s DeKalb Began farming in 1931, built large operation (>1000 acres)
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
Michael Scully 80s Male 2000s Sangamon Applied principles of biodynamics and organic farming
Dr. LeRoy Biehl 90s Male 2000s Champaign Emeritus Professor; Swine Extension veterinarian
Russ Jeckel 80s Male 2000s Tazewell Pork producer who pioneered hog confinement
Jay Johnson 40s Male 2000s Morgan Organized large-scale train shipments of corn to Texas
Jose Martinez 40s Male 2000s St. Clair Mexican migrant worker at Eckert's Orchards
Martin Mauricio 30s Male 2000s St. Clair Manager of migrant workers at Eckert's Orchards