Local Ag News

Mercer County always well represented at the Illinois State Fair and 2022 is no different. Mercer County High School grad and former FFA chapter president Sheridan Hank has had success in the show ring, participating [FULL STORY]

The Throwdown A Western Illinois Showdown is Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Knox County Fairgrounds in Knoxville. Twelve Western Illinois county 4H grand champions (including from Mercer County) in both market and breeding stock [FULL STORY]

Still plenty of time to support the weekly Aledo Main Street Farmers Market at Central Park. Aledo Main Street manager Lindsey Dunn says information on being a weekly vendor is also available at aledomainstreet.com. She [FULL STORY]

Another successful Mercer County Youth Livestock Auction. Friday night’s event grossed $43,500, which breaks down to $890 per exhibitor. Macy DeBlock showed the grand champion market lamb at last week’s Mercer County Fair. This marked [FULL STORY]

Year 29 for the Mercer County Youth Livestock Auction. It’s been a good run says organizer Mike Peterson. The youth livestock auction is Friday at 6 p.m. at the swine barn.

The West Central FFA Alumni Chapter hosting a tractor pull in Oquawka this weekend. The event is Saturday at 5 p.m. says alumni chapter president and 2013 West Central grad Zane Torrance. Proceeds benefit scholarships [FULL STORY]

Mercer County consumers now have access to an online farmers market. Mike Barnhouse with Broken Shovel Farms is involved with the effort. More information is available at mcfarmersmarket.com.

A top state FFA honor for a recent Mercer County High School grad. Katie Wagner won the Illinois FFA Star in Agribusiness Award this week at the Illinois FFA Convention in Springfield. She spoke with [FULL STORY]

ACE Camp is back on in 2022. The event is for Apollo, New Boston, and Winola 2nd graders. Students learn about agriculture, conservation, and environment. Local ag in the classroom volunteer Linda Whitney helped organize [FULL STORY]