Forage Harvesting

In my book, I talk about the origin of the tower silo, how the word originated, and trench silos, which both predated and outlived tower silos. Just to give you a visual of what the creation of silage is like, as well as what is meant by a trench silo, here are the Peterson Farm Brothers handling forage harvesting (the creation of silage) on their Kansas farm.

Carterville

My speaking engagements often take me far afield, sometimes to big cities on the East Coast, but mostly around the Midwest. I have discovered that there is almost nowhere I can go that doesn’t have something to offer that is of interest.

Last year, I was invited down to Carterville, in southern Illinois, to do two of my programs. Carterville is a small town, but big enough to have a college. And like all places, it has things worth seeing. Granted, when I go somewhere to speak, I don’t always have a lot of free time, but I can usually fit in a little something.

On this trip, there were two memorable “somethings” that got fit in. The town was officially established in 1871, but settlement dates back as far as 1818. Carterville has a number of museums and historic sites, but the “history fix” I managed to fit in was a tour of the Harrison/Bruce Historical Village, a five-acre “village” with a museum and a number of historic buildings moved to the site, including the Purdy School (1860), Hunter cabin (1818), and a log cabin-general store and post office. Always wonderful to see how things were once done. While methods have changed, goals rarely have: have enough to eat, be as comfortable as possible under the circumstances, and get done what needs to be done.

Log cabin and old plow, Harrison/Bruce Historical Village in Carterville

The other “something” was a barbecue joint that I’d been told about even before leaving Chicago: “You’ve got to get to 17th Street Grill.” It’s actually not in Carterville, but in the next town over, Marion, but they’re so close, most of the folks in the restaurant were from Carterville. With an owner who regularly brings home trophies from barbecue competitions and a wall full of impressive reviews (including “best ribs in the U.S.” from Bon Appétit and “best wings” by Food & Wine), it felt like a good place to be. In fact, it was good enough that I got there twice in the two nights I was in town. That gave me a chance to try both their brisket, and their ribs. Both were outstanding—good smoke rings, great sauces, perfectly cooked. Appetizers were wonderful, too, particularly the highly regarded chicken wings, as well as the Southern fried pickles.

17th Street Grill, Marion, IL

I was amused to note that the benches outside were sleeping pigs. Definitely a place where pork is taken seriously—and whimsically.

Anyway, keep an open mind as you travel, because there are remarkable things everywhere, from archaeological digs to state forests, museums to old mansions, and even a few really top notch places to eat—even in places smaller than Carterville.