The first stop was a visit to the Erikson family-owned farm. OLLI members had an up close look at the large machinery, as the family talked about how the expensive equipment has made the farm more efficient. The discussed several ways family farmers maintain their business from owning and farming their own lands to sharing land and crops with other farmers.
We stopped for a delicious lunch at the Packinghouse Dining Company, which of course included their famous cinnamon rolls.
After lunch, we visited the Monsanto Learning Center, a 480-acre research farm in Monmouth, Illinois. At this facility they work towards advanced research in corn and soybean production to better meet the needs of the farmer and consumer. OLLI members were able to view the newest Monsanto technologies which allows a look at the advanced agronomic tools scheduled to be available in the future. They also took a shuttle out to the fields for an up close look at the planting process.
Our final stop was a local grocery store to learn how food is distributed from those farms to area stores.
OLLI thanks the Erikson family, Monsanto, Hy-Vee and the Galesburg Visitor’s Center for arranging such an educational and enjoyable day for us.
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