Our day began with a stop at Dickson Mounds Museum, one of the major on-site archaeological museums in the country. Next, we visited the Therkildsen Field Station and learned how the area is a nucleus of activity about floodplain ecology. After lunch, we visited the Jake Wolf Fish Hatchery, which annually produces millions of fish to stock Illinois’ waterways.
OLLI thanks Michael Wiant, Jason Beverlin, and the staff at the Jake Wolf Fish Hatchery for making our day a great one!
In late May, OLLI toured Menold Construction and Restoration in Morton.
On this trip, we saw Menold’s state-of-the-art restoration and construction facility and talked with the management team, saw in-house painting and staining, and viewed the restoration division, which includes a massive inventory of equipment used for water, fire, storm, and mold emergencies.
We also had an opportunity to walk through the Ozone Room, where content is cleaned and smoke residue is removed.
OLLI thanks Menold Construction and its staff for welcoming our lifelong learners!
For more information about the company, visit www.menoldinc.com
Our trip to Bloomington-Normal began with a tour of the Illinois State University Farm to see students from ISU’s Department of Agriculture at work.
Next, we toured Ropp Jersey cheese, a family-owned working farm, to watch the cheese-making process and get “hands-on” while feeding calves and milking cows. After lunch, we visited Funk’s Grove to see the area’s best kept secrets: the Funk Prairie Home and its adjoining Gem Museum.
OLLI thanks everyone at the ISU Farm, Ropp Jersey Cheese, and Funk Prairie Home for making our day in the Twin Cities such a success!
In late May, OLLI enjoyed a beautiful day at Kickapoo Creek Winery learning about the winemaking process with owner Dr. David Conner (who happens to be an OLLI member himself!).
Our trip began with a lunch in the pavilion, and was followed by a tasting of five different wines, a presentation on the winemaking and bottling process, and a “grape train” tour of the vineyards.
OLLI thanks Dr. Conner and the staff at Kickapoo Creek Winery for their hospitality.
For more information about the winery, visit www.kickapoocreekwinery.com.
