I’m always fascinated by farmers who choose to pursue a passion and do things a little differently than their fathers or neighbors. That takes guts and hard work.

Blake Gerard stepped out of his comfort zone to raise high-protein rice in southern Illinois. Ropp Farms in Bloomington, Ill., capitalized on a market that wants to buy local, turning their milk into high-quality Illinois cheese. Bunn Farms is selling their top-quality beef at the Hy-Vee grocery store in Springfield, Ill. The list goes on and on.

Recently I attended a local dietitian meeting at Engrained Brewery and Restaurant in Springfield. It’s a locally owned microbrewery and farm-to-table restaurant. They brew artisanal beer on-site, and the menu features food from central Illinois family farms, including Ropp Farms cheese.

Owner Brent Schwoerer is a farm boy from McLean County and a mechanical engineering graduate from the University of Illinois. He previously worked for Caterpillar, living abroad for 10 years.

“Purpose is the secret ingredient to success,” Schwoerer says. When he’d lost that purpose in his first career, he decided to come back home and pursue his dream of making craft beers and offering food to customers fresh from surrounding farms.

His passion stems from using craft beers to create community — not unlike how Harley-Davidson uses destination rides to create a feeling of belonging. Schwoerer’s passion for buying local stems from a desire to keep dollars in the local community.

Building a niche
Schwoerer is also a fan of sustainable and regenerative agriculture. An Atlanta, Ill., farmer supplies meat and produce, all chemical-free. Ropp Farms supplies fresh cheese curds that are never more than a week old — and you can taste the difference. Schwoerer also gets hops and pasture-raised pork from Lewistown farmers, and breads from a bakery in St. Louis that doesn’t use preservatives.  

“Some 50% of my food purchases are sourced in less than 100 miles,” he says. “I’m continuing to work on local grain sourcing for the beer.”

Schwoerer hopes eventually to start a farm where he can grow his own produce. His employees would be required to work on the farm so they have firsthand knowledge of what it takes to raise food.

Maybe that’s the way to educate consumers about agriculture?

Many conventional Illinois farmers, including Brent’s farming father, might find his choices a little disturbing. He prefers non-GMO products and meat without hormones, antibiotics or steroids.

But rather than being offended, farmers may need to consider how they can think beyond the traditional corn-soybean rotation. A friend reminded me that the older we get, the more we have to reinvent ourselves. I’ve had to do that with several career changes that have led me from working as a full-time newspaper reporter to a dietitian, pursuing a couple of college degrees along the way.

Next time you’re in Springfield, stop by Engrained and discover a new path for agriculture. You might just find a niche yourself.

Below is a recipe for fried cheese curds.

FRIED: Illinois farm boy and restaurateur Brent Schwoerer serves up craft beer, fried cheese curds and more at his Springfield restaurant, Engrained. “Change agriculture one guest at a time,” he says.

Fried Cheese Curds
2 pounds cheese curds
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 egg
1 1/2 quarts vegetable, canola or peanut oil

Heat oil to 375 degrees F. (Use a thermometer and watch carefully). Meanwhile, whisk together buttermilk, flour, baking soda, garlic salt and egg until smooth. Coat several cheese curds with batter. Fry a few at a time, for several seconds, until golden brown. Drain well on paper towel.

Fargo is a dietitian for Hy-Vee in Springfield, Ill. Send recipe ideas to her at [email protected].