Jenks Family Farms Jenks Family Farms is a 6th generation grain farm based in Monmouth, IL.
Owned by brothers Andy and Tom Jenks, we are a progressive operation that is built on trust and relationships with landowners. With honesty and integrity as central values, our goal is to create a well-respected legacy for future generations.
That sky tonight. 🥰. The homestretch of harvest is here. The finish line is in sight. Just a handful more of good days will get it done, but rain is in the forecast for tomorrow. Thankful for the beautiful weather we’ve had so far to get to this point. 🌽
Photos from United FFA's post
Beans are inching so close to being done and corn is well over the halfway point. Pictures like these make me love harvest even more! The reality is this is the time of year when the exhaustion can set in, so we’re keeping up on our prayers that they can finish well and finish safe!
📸 pictures by our grain handling extraordinaire’s (Jake S) son and daughter-in-law Brayton and Sarah.
🌽 The team is ready to roll! 🌽
Started off last week with our pre-harvest operator training and safety meeting. Some of the absolute BEST farmers in the land, right here. We are so lucky to have them on our team!
Now we wait for the corn to dry down so we can get harvest fully underway! Be safe, farm friends!
Congrats to Paul and Sara on their beautiful wedding! We had so much fun celebrating you last night. Turns out Paul, our most long term key operator, can also dance and give one heck of a speech! 🙌🏼 So impressed!
Best wishes for a beautiful life together Mr. and Mrs. McVey!
We are preparing for harvest season and beyond! Looking for truck drivers and grain handling specialists. Come join our team! Message us for more details! See post comments for more details.
We always love drone footage! A couple more cold days in the forcast for west central Illinois, and then hopefully it’s all systems go. Until then it’s tillage, tiling work, soybean planting, pre emergence spraying and hauling to keep us busy.
Happy Spring planting!
The future of agriculture is bright with kids like these ready to tackle the world. Congrats to this year’s scholarship winner. Elaina is headed off to Iowa State to study Ag Business. We were so grateful to present her with the award in honor of our Grandpa and Grandma Robinson and Grandpa and Grandma Jenks. May their legacy of faith, family and farming live on in kids like these for decades to come.
Heads up to all our local West Central and MerCo seniors: be on the lookout for the Dale Garner Memorial scholarship applications. We’d love to hear from any of you interested in a career in ag or the trades.
Had a great morning sharing with a group from the Boy Scouts working on their Farm Mechanics merit badge. Monmouth College was hosting over 300 scouts from around the area and these young men chose to join us for this morning’s session. Tracey, Doug, Quinn, Lance and Tom did a great job sharing about everything from shop safety, engine dynamics, maintenance and repair. It was fun to remember that the every day things we do here on the farm are something some young people dream about.
Fun moment of the day: 😳 the young men’s faces finding the refrigerator find in the 8R tractor. 🔧 🚜 🔩🧰
Harvest ‘21. Let’s go! Here’s to a safe season for all our farming friends!
Fun day with the crew at FPS! Didn’t take many pictures, but it sure was fun to get out and spend some time together before harvest. What a honor to be chosen to represent Brock’s American Farmer campaign. Proud to be an American farmer. 🇺🇸 🌽 🇺🇸🌽
Anyone headed to the Farm Progress Show in Decatur tomorrow? You might spy a few familiar Jenks Family Farms team faces there--both on this bin and walking around the show. We are excited to head there with our team and to catch up on all the latest farm innovations!
Are you looking for a great local truck driving job? One with competitive pay and a great benefit package? Also would you like to work for a true family oriented company? We're hiring full time truck drivers with year around work! At Jenks Family Farms we offer that opportunity as well as late model equipment and a variety of work available for the right candidate. Come and join our team today and become part of the Family!
We are also looking for seasonal grain handling specialists. Full and part time positions available!
Help Wanted:
Jenks Family farm is in search of a dependable, honest, and self-motivated farm equipment operator for grain farm near New Boston, Illinois.
Qualifications:
Knowledge & willingness to work with all aspects of a modern grain farm. This full-time position involves operating tractors, combines, sprayers, moving grain in & out of storage & driving trucks. Must be able to follow directions accurately while learning & applying knowledge using best safety practices. A Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Class A preferred, but willing to train. Perform equipment maintenance & repairs. Welding, fabricating, & mechanical knowledge appreciated. Ability to operate tractors & farm equipment required. Wage depends on experience.
Benefits:
Dependent on each applicant.
Also, looking for a full time truck driver.
Please call Bobby Smith @
563-260-5076
No texts please!
Farming is NEVER predictable, and this week’s activities were proof of that. We had hoped to start harvest last week, but it was the rainiest week since spring so it was delayed. But the biggest change for the week was this happy surprise! Ben, who works on our grain handling and tiling side of the farm, was supposed to have a beautiful outdoor wedding but the weather changed all that. So we had the privilege of hosting a wedding and reception instead, and we LOVED it. It was a great night to celebrate the extended family this farm brings to us all. Congrats to Ben and Victoria from all the crew!
Harvest is quickly approaching! Have a current CDL? Know someone who does? Need a part-time job? Harvest season job? Full time job with benefits? If you are a reliable, hardworking individual who can pass all DOT regulations, who enjoys working in a fast-paced team environment, we’d love to talk to you! Send us a private message or go to the website to print out an app.
No matter how things turn out today, we couldn't be any more proud of Owen. Wish Andy and Jackie's oldest boy Owen, lots of luck as he tackles the Star Farmer interview today.
Although we’re all experiencing an upheaval of our normal with the covid-19 shelter in place orders, these farm kids have been deemed essential labor (along with any of our other awesome staff who is healthy and comfortable working through the crisis). No X-box and and Netflix for these kids today. They got the fun job of pulling out an old fence row today. I’m guessing they’d rather be playing ball or prepping for their state FFA degree, but a good days work is also rewarding. On these crazy days when we can’t be with our friends at school, it’s a blessing to have co-worker cousins. Hope you all are staying healthy!
Now Hiring:
Keithsburg/New Boston area. CDL driver(s) and farm equipment operator needed. Full-time or part-time positions available. Previous farm experience preferred.
Come join our team. Benefits available for full time employees. Send us a private message for more details. Applications are available on our website or email us a resume to [email protected].
Congrats to the first Dale Garner Memorial Scholarship recipient, Rebecka Larson a Mercer County High School graduating senior. Rebecka plans to attend Iowa State University to continue her path in the agriculture world. We know Dale would have appreciated your love for agriculture, your desire to educate and inspire others regarding rural life and policy, and your entrepreneurial spirit. Congrats and best wishes!
Keep the applications coming West Central and United students. One more Garner scholarship to give away this year as well as the JFF/Robinson/Jenks scholarship at United High School. The quality of candidates says a lot about the future of Ag in our communities!
We are humbled to be able to offer the first ever $500 scholarship in honor of our friend and co-worker Dale Garner. Dale loved his craft and was a fantastic teacher and mentor to many throughout his years on the Keithsburg farm. Please feel free to share this scholarship opportunity with local West Central and Mercer County High school graduating seniors. The above mentioned schools Ag instructors also have hard copies of the scholarship information and the application form if you would prefer not use the link below to submit digitally. See comments below for further information or feel free to send us a private message with further questions.
United Students, stay tuned for your school's scholarship opportunity.
Please click the link to complete this form.
Did you happen to catch this commercial last night during the Super Bowl? It only aired in certain markets, so if you didn’t catch it, take a look.
And how cute is that farm family!?! This farm family is from neighboring Knox County. Thanks for representing Illinois Corn!
It’s a sign that it was a good party when I don’t pause to take many pictures, right? Tonight we celebrated our post-Christmas party with the JFF team. Lots of fun, a few tears as we reminisced our friend Dale and a great time spent with friends. We couldn’t do this farming gig without our amazing team of people. We are so thankful for them and their families! Thanks to all who came out on this cold and icy night to celebrate with us! And a special thanks to Mama’s Place for the great food and service!
It's been one month...
31 days...
And too many attempts at making this post to count, but on the one month anniversary of his passing it's time...
Dale came to work with us in 2009. We were absolutely privileged to be in the presence of his farming greatness for almost 11 years. Back in 2009 we had no idea what type of impact the Garner family would have on our lives, but we are certain we were all made better people and much better farmers because of Dale.
Dale began his farming career on the unforgiving, irrigated sandy soil of the Mississippi river bed at the young age of 19. He was a master farmer, knowledgeable about the special attention and care needed growing a crop under the irrigators (i.e. "irritators" as one of his grandchildren affectionately named them--anyone who works irrigation would probably agree this is an accurate term 😉 ). Technicalities aside, Dale never worked "for" us. He mentored us. He was our peer and advisor. He taught us how to grow a crop in a way we had no previous experience with. Along the way he mentored many other co-workers, and he was always quick to teach the new guy the knowledge he had gleaned over the years. He was patient. He was devoted to his craft. Farming was in his blood, and this was his home for 47 years. Even more evidence to his love of the land, is the fact that his three sons also became darn good farmers themselves. I predict he will have grandchildren who also will continue his farming legacy for many years to come.
On October 3rd, Dale was busy doing what he had done for 47 harvests before. Combines had just started picking and we were ready to get the 2019 season in full swing. But God had other plans for this farmer. In a terrible grain bin accident, Dale's life was cut seemingly short. He went out with his boots on. There is some sort of odd farmer pride that comes with that. Maybe because he was in his element, at his home farm? Dale really was the personification of that place. We are devastated as a farm team. Hearts are broken at the loss of our friend and mentor and co-worker. We are continuing to pray fervently for the entire Garner family as we know our loss as a farm team pales in comparison to what they are feeling at the loss of their dad, companion and grandfather.
Farmers everywhere; every year we always wish you a safe harvest season. This year we say these words with a new found sense of urgency. Be safe out there. Take the extra time and take the extra step to be careful. And please, please, please love and tell the people who pour so much into your lives, how much you appreciate them.
We wish we could tell Dale ALL the things we love about him. We know he would humbly shake off the compliments as no big deal with his signature laugh. If you have a story about Dale and would care to share here in the comments, I know the family would love to hear from you! And if words are as hard for you as they are for us during this difficult time, a simple ❤️ will be just perfect. We sure love you Garner Family!
Thank you Dale. For everything. You will be missed always.
Please be safe out there!
It’s harvest go time.
The corn definitely isn’t as dry as we’d like but it’s September 18th so we are rolling.
What a challenging season 19 has been so far; praying for a safe and efficient harvest season for farmers everywhere!
“If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.”
-Sandy Dahl, wife of pilot Jason Dahl of Flight 93
🙏🏼
❤️
🇺🇸
Harvest season is quickly approaching and we are looking for new team members! Currently we have openings for...
-Class A CDL drivers: must have proper license and pass all DOT requirements. Multiple positions available and can vary between seasonal, full time or part time.
-Grain handling: assist at one of our local elevators with dumping trucks and various harvest tasks. Full time, part time or seasonal positions. Specifically looking to fill positions in the Keithsburg and New Boston areas.
-Shop foreman and mechanic: This position would assist in maintaining our fleet of trucks, trailers, mowers and atv's. Work in a nice, clean shop and potentially have the ability to mix it up with some other farm tasks as seasonally needed.
All full time positions include health insurance, technology stipend, 401k, life insurance and overtime. Print out an application from our website or email [email protected] for more information. We are eager to hear from you!
After spring had us sitting idle for a record breaking amount of rainfall, we’re thankful to have a good week of catch up. Because of the late planting dates, we’ve had to switch some corn varieties to shorter maturity dates, switch some fields to beans, plant around several wet spots and unfortunately will have some fields go to preventative plant. But all in all we’re thankful to be where we are after one of the most trying springs in our farming history.
Help Wanted: Looking for a full time grain handling specialist. Ideal candidate must have some prior knowledge of grain handling systems, mechanical knowledge and willingness to work in a sometimes dusty environment, loading trucks and doing routine maintenance at our bin sites and dryers. Would be involved in other general farm work.
Competitive pay, 401k, health insurance, life insurance and technology reimbursement for eligible employees.
Owen, the oldest Jenks boy, went to FAA drone school last year. This weekend he used those skills to chase around his Dad in the planter and make us this video. During the growing season, Owen and our other crop scout interns use our drones to scout for crop health. But it sure is fun to use them during planting and harvest for some neat aerial footage too. Enjoy watching some dust fly; we may not see that for a while with the rains this week!
Just out here strippin’...
Strip-tilling that is.
::Insert corny joke here::
For any of our non-farmer friends, we use this type of minimally invasive tillage to prep just 8” strips for the seed bed. The crop residue from the previous year helps slow erosion and provide ground cover between the new crop rows. Proper seed bed conditions are so important!
We’ve been a little MIA on Facebook lately, but only because we’ve been prepping for this day—it’s go time! Let’s hope the weatherman is wrong about those flurries in the forecast! It’s sunny and 70 so may as well
This week we’ve been back at pattern tiling ground. Did you know we can do this ourselves thanks to some awesome operators? Just one way we try to improve the land we are caretakers of. =grain
Wrapped up our work week with our farm Christmas party. From our farm families to yours, Merry Christmas! 🎄
Brrrr ❄️ Took advantage of some early morning frost and freeze to get some fertilizer spread yesterday. It’s been a fall peppered with all sorts of weather challenges. Some days are too slick and muddy and some days are too frozen for tillage, but we’re glad to have a team that’s willing to make adjustments on the fly to do what we can!
Happy Thanksgiving from our farm family to yours!
Today was a GOOD day! Harvest ‘18 wrapped up for our Dad, David, and marked the end of a 48 year successful farming career. So of course we had to live it up and celebrate the man who has taught us so much. You can bet his retirement won’t mean he is completely backing away from his farming days, but here’s to wishing him all the best as he and Mom begin this new stage of life. We are blessed to be a part of your farming heritage. Congrats on your retirement, Dave and Alyce! We love you!
Always a fun day when we get to help out our home FFA chapter! JFF operators and brother/sister combo Paul and Victoria, Yorkwood and United graduates, were the harvesting crew. It’s the first year for this FFA plot and we are excited to see the enthusiasm and learning going on! Victoria Lovdahl Paul McVey
Everybody loves to take pictures and sit in the combine seat during harvest, but this right here is what keeps harvest moving along. You can’t harvest a field if you can’t move the grain away. We have been keeping our trucks hoppin’ and our grain facilities grinding since the week long rains, and most of our operators are all taking turns behind the wheel so we can be running full speed. Thankful for all of our truck drivers; both the staffers and the outside hired guys! 75% done with corn! 🌽
1325 100th Street
Monmouth, IL
61462
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