Central Illinois Green Club

Summer finally arrived in a big way. I don’t know when I have seen so much corn planted in such a little time. Hopefully everyone will finish planting by the next meeting so we can have some Tractor fun. There will be shows, rides and parades all summer long. Come join the fun. On April 25th the CIGC Directors met at my home. We discussed the Greensheet newsletter after
Kathy’s passing. I spoke to Mr. Weber directly who assures me that Weber Printing will continue to be our printer and that other employees will be stepping up to make it happen. At the Directors meeting we also talked about the slow sales on the pedal tractor and hay wagon and that we need to step that up at the Shows in order to meet our goals. That topic brought out a discussion on the locations that the trailer will be for the summer. We are sure that the trailer will be at OTFS, WCTA, the Veteran’s home and Pontiac. We encourage anyone who would like to bring it to any of the other shows to let Craig know. Speaking of OTFS, we have agreed to provide the Tractor Games on Saturday, June 30th around 2 pm after the pedal tractor pull. We will need a few helpers to set up and run the games. We will again leave from John Evan’s Home for the Vet’s Ride, more will be said at our meeting on times. I also need someone to take the trailer. The remainder of the evening was spent identifying tasks and assigning duties for Ride the River. Many of the Directors will have several duties that Club Members can help with. We will talk more about that as we get closer to the Ride. Lastly, we talked about possibly having another swap meet at the Evans farm in the Spring of ‘19.  –– Craig

This is our last meeting of the winter months. I have a guest speaker scheduled who has spoken in front of CIGC before. His name is Alan Baker and he is the owner of Kankakee Starter and Alternator Service, 1035 S. Schulyer Ave., Kankakee, IL 60901 815-939-3590. Alan and I discussed that he spoke to our Club more than 10 years ago! Alan will be bringing some new information about modern batteries, conversions to from 6 volts to 12 and the availability of parts for our tractors. He spoke recently and the Slow Boys and I heard it was a very informative evening.

Moving on to Kids Day at the Farm, the program will be Wednesday, March 21 and Thursday, March 22 at the Kankakee County Fairgrounds. Setup on Wednesday, March 21 will begin at 8 am. The students are at the program from 10 am to 2 pm. The cleanup begins around 2 pm on Thursday, March 22 and help is appreciated. Contact Chad at ankfb@sbcglobal.com or 815-932-7471. If you are interested in volunteering, please let me know ahead of time. I will have a signup sheet at the meeting. Your time is valuable to the project and what better way to support
our mission. I will see you there.

I have begun the process to convert our Club to a 501C3. I have received the paperwork and have decided to pair up with Anthony Settle who will be performing the same service for Olde Time Farm Show.

Brad Eike and I will be at the Seneca FFA High School toy show with our pedal tractor on March 24 from 9am till end if anyone cares to join with us. It’s a nice show with some tractors on display just in case you have a little Spring Fever. We have a new member, Calvin Bisping from the New Lenox area. Please welcome him aboard.

–– Craig

Most of the members know that I have been aligning some of our positions with Chad Miller and the Kankakee County Farm Bureau. The reason is very simple. Chad and the Farm Bureau have been looking out for our interest in this very troubling time on the farm. Topics such as land acquisitions by the government and or utilities, water shed, chemical retention and relations with our government officials are very important. But the other side of the Bureau is that they support great ideas that we have in common with our Club. Part of our mission statement states that we will educate people to preserve our way of life. Since 2002 we have been working toward those mission goals with scholarships though KCC, donations to local FFA’s and donations to other Clubs who we have common goals with. I want to remind everyone that scholarship applications being taken currently to the Kankakee County Farm Bureau Foundation offering financial support to those furthering their education in an agriculturally related field of study. Last year, nine $1000 scholarships were awarded to Kankakee County students . If you have a son, daughter, grand child or just know a senior who has needs, you can contact Chad at kankfb@sbcglobal.com or 815-932-7471.

All that being said, The Club has supported Kids Day at the Farm since Eldon Chapman brought the idea to the Club. We have contributed $250 again this year to help promote the event. This year Chad has asked the Club if there are some volunteers at the Club who could help them manage some 1500 students that will pass through on the two-day event. Here are his needs.

The program will be Wednesday, March 21 and Thursday, March 22 at the Kankakee County fairgrounds. Setup on Wednesday, March 21 will begin at 8 am and we will need help with that. The students are at the program from 10 am to 2 pm and we will need assistance with a variety of things during that time frame as well. The cleanup begins around 2 pm on Thursday, March 22 and help is appreciated with that too.

Here is a breakdown of the volunteer roles we need to fill:

1. Setup tables and chairs, and other materials on Weds, March 21 at 8 am to 10 am. Also, ssistance with putting together animal pens for the animal building. There are five animal exhibits.

2. Assist with getting students off the school buses as they arrive. Both Weds, March 21 and Thurs, March 22 at around 9 am to 10 am. Each classroom will have a large box filled with their
lunches. That large box will have to be taken from the bus and brought into the main building.

3. Keeping time in the animal building. An instruction sheet will be provided. This would be from 10 am to 2 pm on both Weds and Thurs.

4. Tearing down the tables, chairs, sweeping, and general cleaning up after the program is done at 2 pm on Thursday. Depending on how many FFA students we have helping, it may be that we need a few additional volunteers to guide the classrooms around from presentation to presentation. That would be both days (Weds and Thurs). If you are interested in volunteering, please let me know ahead of time. I will have a signup sheet at the February meeting. Your time is valuable to the project and what better way to support our mission.   –– Craig

It is hard to believe that another year has gone by. By my estimation, 2017 was a blur. There are now more tractor related activities than ever and Green Club members are participating in almost every one locally and then some. Green Club started our year with selling raffles at the Peotone Toy Show, went on the include several guest speakers at our meetings and then came the “Tractor Season.” On nearly any given weekend there was a tractor show, a tractor pull, a tractor ride, somewhere within the reach of Green Club members. Members attended the Morris Tractor Ride, the Herscher Historical Ride, OTFS, Will County Thresherman’s, Penfield I&I Show, our own mini-show at the Kankakee County Fair and more in between. Then came the Half Century Show which by all estimations was the Greatest Tractor Show on Earth! Ok, so one of the greatest shows. Then came the Fall. There were more Antique Tractor Pulls and more participants that ever! This seems to be quite a trend and a direction that is enjoyed not only by us more mature folks, but did you see all those younger folks out there pulling. I hope we continue to support this. It seems likely that we like them tractors in motion, makin’ smoke and getting ‘er done.

2018 will be another busy year. There will be many rides and shows for CIGC members to attend. OTFS is featuring Charter Members and John Deere, Will County Thresherman’s have a new venue in Wilton Center and the National Oliver Show is in Penfield. Oh, did I mention the Central Illinois Green Club is having a tractor ride called “Ride the River.” Everyone, remember those Club members who have passed and have a “Safe and Joyous Holiday.” See everyone in the New Year and please, have a really good one.

This month’s feature is in remembrance of Leo Dumas who left us 1 year ago December 4th, 2016. Leo grew up in the Goodrich area the son of Paul Dumas who was also a farmer. Leo graduated from Herscher High School and began working for Legris Manufacturing located on Old Lehigh road right away. He met Dorothy “Dotty” Kamp from Chebanse, married and had 6 children. Sandy, Becky, Nancy, Judy, Karen and Suzie. They lived in Aroma Park, Manteno and finally settling in Goodrich. Leo grain farmed but also had cattle, hogs, chickens and rabbits. Becky tells Nancy, Judy, Karen and Suzie. They lived in Aroma Park, Manteno and finally settling in Goodrich. Leo grain farmed but also had cattle, hogs, chickens and rabbits. Becky tells us that they (the daughters) were his ranch hands, having to care for the animals and help run the farm. Becky tells us that Leo enjoyed his place in Sebring Florida very much and in later years couldn’t wait to get the crops out so he could go there. Leo enjoyed antiquing, helping his neighbors with projects and traveling to Hawaii. Leo also enjoyed his tractors in later years. He collected and restored several John Deeres including a 4020 that was left to him by the owner of Legris  Manufacturing. He rode it in the 2016 Herscher Parade and was very proud of it. Leo also owned and restored his dad’s International MTA. Mark Chapman a friend and Club member said that Leo kept good care of his equipment while farming and that Mark and his father Eldon purchased a 4450 at Leo’s farm sale. Mark says that Leo was pleased to see that something he had stayed where he could see it used. Mark also bought a John Deere 630 from Leo when he decided to downsize. Mark had a special connection with the tractor prior to Leo’s ownership. He is very happy to have made the purchase for 2 reasons.

John and Nancy Evans shared a memory which I had forgotten. Leo was a Charter member of CIGC. He was also a director in the beginning. At the beginning it became obvious that the Club needed a place to store all of its things and a way to bring them to the Shows. It was decided that a pull type trailer would be perfect for the job and one was selected. The problem was that being a young new Club, we did not have the cash to make the purchase. Leo stepped up and loaned the Club the money, interest free! Over time, the Club paid Leo and Dotty back. It has been a good purchase for the Club and still serves us well. Thanks Leo and & Dotty!

Summer has really hung on a long time. As I write this I am wondering when will Fall arrive. Many of you are probably busy farming or helping farm. I just want to remind everyone that the combines and other equipment are out. If you are operating on the roadway with farm machinery you must have an SMV sign on all the equipment and if you are operating on the roads after dark you need emergency lighting. And of course, shut the machine off while you are working on it. Think of how much fuel you are going to save by shutting off the engine. Let’s be safe out there boys and girls.

On a different note, the Club ride was very good. I believe 16 tractors and 21 riders. The weather was perfect, the scenery was interesting and the company we had was great. Lunch in Herscher was very good as were Pearson’s Pastries. The trek took us 68 miles I am told through Kankakee, Will, Grundy and Livingston Counties. We may have even got to Ford, I’m not sure. We moved right along all day. Thanks to Jerry Snedecore and Jim Moody for planning a special day. Good job guys!

This month’s feature are long time members of CIGC Jack and Sharla Grosso. Jack grew up in Limestone Twp. Across the street from the new Limestone
Fire building. He attended Hawkins Grade School and later graduated from Herscher High School. He and his brother Joe own their father John’s business, Grosso Construction
located on Rt. 17. Jack says that his father John worked for Triangle Construction building roads, some as far away as Carbondale. He later opened his own business working such notable
projects such as Rt. 113, Rt. 17 and the excavation for Meadowview Shopping Center. John also ran a small repair shop, working on tractors, welding and general repair. John’s dad interestingly took 2 row planters and made them into 4 row planters. Needless to say, John learned to drive a truck at a young age and how to repair equipment. Jack adds that both his
Grandpa Grosso and his grandpa Ohrt farmed with mules here in Limestone Township. Jack says their business today consists of road maintenance, ditching for farmers and maintaining waterways. Jack and Sharla’s son Bob (John III) is part of the Grosso business. Bob also runs a trucking business of his own.

Sharla is also a home town person. Sharla grew up in West Kankakee (yes there really was a West Kankakee) and graduated from Kankakee High School. She worked for such notable companies as Dairy Queen, LeBeau GMC and Commonwealth Edison. Jack and Sharla have 2 sons, Bob and Bill who lives in Indianapolis and pilots for the United Postal Service (UPS). All
told, Grosso have 4 grandchildren. Sharla also told me of and interesting job she had working for the State of Illinois Survey Team. She and her companions would search areas for American Indian relics before any construction was allowed. Sharla work before the bike paths were added to the Kankakee River State Park digging and seining along the River. Along the way they found beads, stones such as ax heads and metal used by the Indians. She says it was quite easy to find. Sharla is also a quilter and a Genealogists.

I asked what was the couple’s most interesting thing to do. Sharla says they like to travel. They have been to Italy which was very interesting, France and Alaska. They have also been to Ireland as Sharla has some Irish heritage. She thought it was beautiful. But, their best trip was to Australia and New Zealand. She said it was interesting driving on the wrong side of the road from Sidney to Melbourne. Both were beaming so I am sure there is a lot more to the story.

Jack collects Allis Chalmers, Ford, Oliver and belongs to the Ford Ferguson Association. He likes to go to the Conventions. Jack says he has enjoyed CIGC, the tractor rides, the plow days and all of the places we have gone. Thanks Jack and Sharla for being members of CIGC. We enjoy your company. — Craig