Rush Creek Farms In the News
News Gazette of Champaign-Urbana (2005) Soon after we registered our business name, we were contacted by the local newspaper for an article on new farmers. Download a PDF of our article.
Agro-Ecology Newsletter of the University of Illinois College of ACES (2006)
We were among the graduates of the first Central Illinois Farm Beginnings class. Download a PDF of our article.
Agri-News (2006)
Agri-News later picked up the story about Farm Beginnings by the U of I. Download a PDF of our article.
 
News Gazette of Champaign-Urbana (2007) The News Gazette did a follow-up story from our 2005 article. Download a PDF of our article.
RFD Radio interview (2007) We conducted an interview on meat goats while at the Farm Progress Show. Listen to the show here:
FAMACHA© Training
Andrew and Jennifer are certified FAMACHA© trainers. If you or your organization is interested in holding a FAMACHA© training class, please contact us.
Spring Meat Goat Seminar
Black Hawk College, Kewanee, IL
March 10, 2007
 Midwest Goat Producers
Dix Community Center, Dix, IL
June 23, 2007
 Northeast IL Meat Goat Seminar
Kankakee County Community College
November 10, 2007
 89th Annual Fall Conference for Veterinarians
University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine
September 11, 2008
 Black Hawk College
Kewanee, IL
February 28, 2009
 National Goat Expo
Bloomington, IL
September 2014
 Taylorville Extension Office
Taylorville, IL
April 26, 2007
 4th Annual IKGA KikoFest
Appalachian Fairgrounds, Gray, TN
September 13, 2007
 WIU Buck Test Field Day
Macomb, IL
August 30, 2008 Sadler Feed Mill
Ogden, IL
December 11, 2008 AKGA National Convention
Cape Gireadeau, MO
June 1&2, 2012 Mid-America Homesteading Conference
Joliet, IL
September 1, 2012

Pasture Walks


Rush Creek Farms has hosted several pasture walks in 2007 and 2008 in conjunction with the Univeristy of Illinois Extension Specialists Dick Cobb (Sheep/Goat) and Dean Oswald (Grazing). We have also hosted the Illinois Grazinglands Conservation Initiative and EQIP training program for pasture walks and EQIP practice implementation. More recently in June 2012, we co-hosted a pasture walk with Bane Family Meats, also of Sidney, IL. Between the two farms, we covered beef cattle, meat hens and turkeys, hogs, laying hens and goats - as well as the expected topic of grass.

Speaking Engagements


IMGP Spring Fling Goat Show and Auction
"Parasite Problems in Meat Goats"
Clinton, IL
April 23, 2005

Farm Beginnings Workshop
Building Your Business Plan
"The Evolution of Rush Creek Farms"
Illinois State University Farm, Lexington, IL
November 18, 2006

Speaker at IMGP Annual Meeting
"Drug Residues in Meat Goats"
Springfield, IL
January 20, 2007
Multi-Species Grazing Conference
"Health Concerns when Species Commingle"
Logan County Extension Office, Lincoln, IL
September 13, 2008
Lambing & Kidding School
U of I Extension, Kankakee County, IL
January 24, 2009 Profitable Goat Production Mini-Seminar
U of I Extension, Henry-Stark Counties, IL
March 13, 2010
Sheep and Goat Seminar
U of I Extension, Kankakee County, IL
January 2011
IKGA National Convention
Metropolis, IL
Fall 2012 Sheep and Goat Seminar
U of I Extension, Kankakee County, IL
March 1, 2014

Panelist


"Alternative Ways to Profit from Your Acreage"
DeKalb County Extension Office, Sycamore, IL
November 11, 2006

Panelist for focus group
"Marketing Opportunities for Meat Goat Producers"
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
December 11, 2006 Farm Beginnings Workshop
Building Your Business Plan
"The Evolution of Rush Creek Farms"
McLean County Extension Office, Decatur, IL 2007

Farm Beginnings Workshop
Building Your Business Plan "The Evolution of Rush Creek Farms"
McLean County Extension Office, Decatur, IL October 25, 2008 Sheep and Goat Seminar
U of I Extension, Kankakee County, IL January 30, 2010
Sheep and Goat Seminar U of I Extension, Kankakee County, IL
January 2012
AKGA National Convention
Cape Gireadeau, MO
June 1&2, 2012 Mid-America Homesteading Conference
Joliet, IL
September 1, 2012 National Goat Expo
Bloomington, IL September 2014