Linden Hill Farms - June 5, 2014

OLLI visited Linden Hill Farms, a fourth generation working farm in Peoria County. Our personal tour guide was Miriam Rosenbohm, owner of Linden Hill Farms. Rosenbohm started our tour with a history of the farm, which goes back almost 100 years.

From a small herd of dairy cows they have grown to a 180-cow registered Brown Swiss and Holstein dairy farm. They also raise purebred Corriedale Sheep, Hackney ponies and chickens. Along with the dairy business the family runs a self-sufficient farm, producing all their own corn, soybeans, alfalfa, oats and wheat.

OLLI members toured the farm where they were up close with a baby calf, learned about the weaning process, and then headed to the loafing barn for feeding time. Rosenbohm also demonstrated the milking process, noting the cows were milked each day at 5:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. She discussed the difficulties facing dairy farmers today, animal welfare, and the genetically modified corn that is fed to the cows. Before we departed, Rosenbohm introduced the newest members of the family farm, two day old baby lambs, which we had the opportunity to pet and hold!

OLLI thanks Miriam and the entire family for their gracious hospitality and the opportunity to visit their family farm.

For more information about Linden Hill Farms, visit lindenhillfarms.com

Peoria County Jail - June 4, 2014

OLLI visited the Peoria County Jail. Corrections Superintendent, Brian Asbell, led our behind-the-scenes tour of the jail.

After giving us an overview of the facility, members had a chance to see first hand how the officers hone their marksmenship skills. The interactive indoor shooting range at the facility shows very realistic scenarios and the officer in training must react appropriately and fire when needed.

Asbell led the members through the facility, showing how inmates first arrive, how they get processed, and where they are housed.

OLLI thanks Superintendent Asbell and the entire staff at the Peoria County Jail for such an informative tour. For more information about the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department, visit www.peoriacounty.org

Jeremie Draper Glass Studio - June 3, 2014

OLLI visited Jeremie Draper's Glass Studio at the Studios on Sheridan. OLLI members experienced a private viewing of two hot glass demonstrations by owner Jeremie Draper.

It was truly fascinating to watch as she sculpted the hot glass into something exciting and beautiful. Draper explained each step of the process as she went along, with the help of her assistant Rick. Throughout the demonstration Draper would stop and answer our questions about the art or how she was making it happen.

After the demonstrations, OLLI members were given a tour of the rest of the old Sunbeam building, which houses 21 different artist studios and/or stores.

OLLI would like to thank Jeremie for the educational and amazing glass blowing demonstration. For more information visit, jdraperglass.com

Archeological Adventure with Dr. Michael Wiant - May 30, 2014

OLLI members boared a charter coach with one of OLLI’s favorite instructors, Michael D. Wiant, on an archeological adventure to two historic sites in Illinois: Starved Rock and Sinnissippi Park. During our drive Dr. Wiant discussed the far-reaching story of Starved Rock and the late Ice Age landscape between Peoria and Utica, which was once an equatorial beach shaped by a colossal flood, a home to numerous Native American encampments, and a perch for a French Fort.

Ater arriving at Starved Rock State park, OLLI members stopped at the Visitor's Center to view a film on the history of Starved Rock. The group made their way up the trail to Starved Rock and were rewarded with sweeping views of the Illinois river and the dam at Starved Rock. OLLI members learned about the archeology, geology and history of the site. After exploring Starved Rock, the group headed to Duffy's Tavern for lunch.

After lunch OLLI boarded the bus for a visit to Sinnissippi Park, home to some of the few remaining Native American cemetery mounds in Illinois. They learned how the mounds are a product of the Hopewell tradition which flourished in the Sterling area around 2,000 years ago, when it was the center of a vast trade network that stretched up and down the Mississippi River.

On the ride home, Dr. Wiant made sure OLLI members had been learning all they could during the field trip, as he pitted one side of the bus against the other for an oral examination. The fun "quiz" ended in a tie, of course! OLLI would like to sincerely thank Dr. Michael Wiant for his time and expertise on this wonderful, educational trip.