Q&A with Dollinger Family Farm Where Visitors Can Experience a Taste of Farm Life

For Heather Dollinger, “coming home to the farm” has several meanings. Not only is it what she did a few years after college to make farming her livelihood, but it is also the invitation she uses to encourage the public to visit and experience her family’s farm.

Heather and her husband, Tyson, grew up on family farms in northeastern Illinois. Today they belong to a multigenerational family farm in Grundy County that includes Tyson’s parents, John and Noreen Dollinger, and his aunt and uncle, Paul and Donna Jeschke. Partners chatted with Heather about their farm family tradition.

What is the history of the Dollinger Family Farm?

Dollinger Family Farm has been in the family since 1852, and at least five generations on both sides of the family have been part of a traditional corn and soybean operation. Each generation helped build the farm to get us where we are today. For example, in 1989, when Tyson was 4 years old, his mom diversified and expanded the farm’s income stream by growing pumpkins to sell during the fall.

See more: Q&A with Tenderloin Farms Sister-Owners Discuss Their Seeds of Success

How did you establish your family farm as a business?

Farming is a business with profits and losses. Two to three generations work together to plant, protect and harvest crops and share the results. We work through ups and downs with the goals of growing the business and caring for the land. There are always tasks to complete but also returns for a job well done. It takes hard work and persistence while raising the next generation who can continue the tradition if they so desire.

What does it mean to be an Illinois farm family?

Farming allows us to merge two things we value: agriculture and family. Family farming is something I hold close to my heart. It was my childhood and is my passion. I get to raise my children in the same environment. Our three young daughters love tractor and combine rides. Like any mom, I hope to give them all the best memories.

What are ways you engage with the community?

I am on our local Farm Bureau Consumer Engagement Committee, where we connect local agriculture with local communities. We host tours on our grain farm for local people, Chicago moms and even international visitors.

We open our farm to the public in the fall for pumpkin season. When you visit our website, the first thing you see is “Come Home to the Farm.” That is what we want consumers to feel when they visit. We are fortunate to host urban and rural school field trips to educate children on what agriculture offers.

We are part of Illinois Farm Families (IFF) We Are the 96% effort, which promotes that Illinois farms are 96% family owned. You can see us featured on the IFF website, watchusgrow.org, to learn more about our family and others.

See more: Family Farms Still Prominent Throughout Illinois

What do you want Partners readers to understand about family farming?

We, too, are a family with small children who care about the land and our food’s nutrition. We are small business owners trying to succeed in a sometimes difficult environment. Please know if you don’t understand something, we are here to answer your questions.