PEORIA MAGAZINE June 2023

A PUBLICATION OF WT VP

MAGAZ INE

JUNE 2023

FARM & GARDEN

What’s your why?

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WEALTH PLANNING | INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT | CREDIT AND CASH MANAGEMENT | TRUST AND ESTATE ADMINISTRATION

JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 1

Cover Stories 34 Dancing the Samba

SPOTLIGHTS 22 Underground Equilibrium By Mark Welp 26 Wines Fit to Swig By Lisa Coon 30 Ta-da! It’s TADA! By Mike Bailey 46 From Farm Boy to Famous Landscape Architect By Linda Smith Brown

50 ‘We Could Blanket Peoria in Mulch’ By Michael Miller 92 Banking on Progress By Phil Luciano 94 Galloping Through

On Central Illinois Soil By Lisa Coon

36 A Heaping Slice of

Hosta Heaven (and More) By Terry Bibo

38 Drip and Drizzl By Katie Faley

the Heart of Peoria By Sarah Rashid

COVER ILLUSTRATION : “Land of Plenty” by Missy Shepler

ABOVE PHOTO: B y Ron Johnson

2 JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

Features 8 Seed and Soil: Planting Roots By Steve Stein 10 Seed and Soil:

21 Dish and Drink: Cocktail Class - Passionate Cruise

70 Playing in Peoria:

The Block Party to Beat All Block Parties By Nick Vlahos

By Dustin Crawford

42 Peoria Retro

72 Playing in Peoria: It’s Summertime,

A Fondness for Farmalls By Linda Smith Brown

When Corn Conquered All in Peoria By Phil Luciano

Have Some Festival Fun By Steve Tarter

12

Seed and Soil: Mr. and Mrs. SharkFarmer Give Themselves A Grilling By Rob and Emily Sharkey

54 Hometown

78 EconCorner:

Making the Most of Things in Mackinaw By Scott Fishel

Don Fullerton, Ph.D., professor of finance, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign By Mike Bailey

16

Dish and Drink: At Gator’z, Customers Gobble Up the Fare By Phil Luciano Dish and Drink: What's Cookin' - Cast-Iron Roasted Caprese Sandwich By Mary DiSomma

58 Wordcount:

82 Twenty Something:

Central Places Are Familiar Places By Phil Luciano

As a New Homeowner, Reducing My Environmental Footprint By Katie Faley

18

62 Mom and Pop

From Bradford, Going Hollywood By Linda Smith Brown

102 Launching Pad:

Sterling Merit Awards

66 Playing in Peoria:

‘Outlaw Country’ Comes to River City By Kirk Wessler

JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 3

COMMENTARY 86 Regarding Our Food Choices, Let’s Really Go Fresh, Local By Dr. David Tennant 88 Whatever Happened To … Carver’s Council? By Phil Luciano 98 Beyond Traditional Bank Loans Dee Brown 114 One More Thing: Dust Off That Old Turntable By Phil Luciano and more

7 Letter from the Editor 74 ArtsPartners Calendar 108 Out & About 110 In Brief 116 Thank You, Advertisers

in this issue

June 2023 contributors: Terry Bibo, Dee Brown, Linda Smith Brown, Lisa Coon, Dustin Crawford, Mary DiSomma, Katie Faley, Scott Fishel, Don Fullerton, Phil Luciano, Michael Miller, Sarah Rashid, Emily Sharkey, Rob Sharkey, Missy Shepler, Scott Shepler, Steve Stein, Steve Tarter, Dr. David Tennant, Nick Vlahos, Mark Welp, Kirk Wessler

FOLLOW @PEORIAMAGAZINES: To subscribe or renew, visit peoriamagazines.com/ subscribe.

4 JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

MONTHLY ISSUE 062023 ISSN: 947

Offices in Princeton, Cambridge, Geneseo, Kewanee, and Lacon

JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 5

E D I T O R I A L EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mike Bailey mbailey@peoriamagazines.com PUBLISHER Lesley Matuszak lesley.matuszak@wtvp.org

C R E A T I V E SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVE Phil Luciano phil.luciano@wtvp.org EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CONTENT AND MARKETING Julie Sanders

julie.sanders@wtvp.org STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Ron Johnson GRAPHIC DESIGN Debbie Cody

ADVERTISING PRESIDENT AND CEO OF WTVP Lesley Matuszak lesley.matuszak@wtvp.org SENIOR CORPORATE SUPPORT MANAGER Angie Spears sales@peoriamagazines.com CORPORATE SUPPORT MANAGER Kristina Gamez sales@peoriamagazines.com DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY Tom Zimmerman sales@peoriamagazines.com

6 JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

RISE AND SHINE (IT’S FARM & GARDEN TIME!)

W elcome back to Peoria Magazine ’s Farm & Garden edition. This is one of my favorite issues, as I’m something of a frustrated farmer wannabe. My mom’s side of the family has roots in the fields of western Illinois, so it’s blended into my DNA. And, of course, my wife and I already have tomato, zucchini, cucumber, onions, herb and even a few pumpkin plants in the ground that will produce far more fruit than we can ever consume. Y’all are welcome to it, if the rabbits don’t get to the heavenly playground I’ve provided for them first. I do have another confession – this has become that kind of space – as I violated the sacred planting rule this year of “never before Mother’s Day.” Global warming is moving up the planting season, so I like to think of it as just being on top of things, staying ahead of the curve. Never mess with Mother Nature, but – fingers crossed, eyes closed – I’m confident we’ll be OK come harvest. Meanwhile, I also dabble in landscape architecture, for better or worse, forever changing this or that as I putter around the yard. Truth is, I just like to be outside, which is why I took a largely inside job as a career. In any case, it takes a lot of patience – which I don't have — to be a gardener, and a willingness to experiment, which I do own.

So yes, I’m just a bundle of contradic tions, doc. Can you prescribe something for that? There’s an idealized, even romantic notion of agriculture that seems stubbornly stuck in the public imagination – the Norman Rockwell/ Grant Wood version of farm life, if you will. We may no longer think of farmers in their overalls walking behind their horses and plows, milking their cows by hand and plucking their eggs from underneath squawking chickens every morning, but it seems that some still fancy living off the land as something of a low-tech, kickback lifestyle. Not the case. Oh, we do indulge in some nostalgia in this June issue, with stories on Eureka farmer Ron Underwood’s vintage collection of Farmall tractors and on the elaborate Corn Palace of early 20th century Peoria. But, in fact, farming today is a highly sophisticated operation, the place where science meets the soil between the use of drone and GPS technologies, precision agriculture practices, in-ground moisture, temperature and chemical sensors, and robotics. All of those advancements contribute to higher yields, less waste, greater food affordability and farmer profit, reduced environmental and ecological impact – less use of water, fertilizer, pesticides – and enhanced worker safety.

We explore all of that between stories about Brazilian entrepreneur Alexandre Chequim moving his DigiFarmz headquarters to Peoria, teen wunderkind Khushi Shah and her novel irrigation system, and Precision Planting’s meteoric growth and new facility in Morton. We take you on a tour of the Heart of Illinois Wine Trail. (Yes, you can grow grapes in the cold-winter Midwest and turn them into some fine-tasting vino. Take that, California!) We venture up to Princeton’s Hornbaker Gardens, one of my favorite places in all the world. Meanwhile, we introduce you to TADA and CEO Seshadri Guha’s work on getting the fat out of industrial supply chains, and – attention, farmers — how that might affect global climate change. We unveil a new section, Whatever Happened To …?, starting with the 1973 Peoria City Council. We bring a bit of Yellowstone to Peoria. So, read Peoria Magazine , then go out and get your hands dirty. Enjoy.

Mike Bailey

mbailey@peoriamagazines.com

JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 7

SEED AND SOIL

PLANTING ROOTS

Precision Planting’s new Morton operations center is a symbol of its exponential growth

BY STEVE STEIN

P recision Planting was founded in 1993 by Greg and Cindy Sauder with a single product. It was a meter tester for corn and soybean planters that verified that only one kernel or seed at a time went from the hopper into the ground. Thirty years later, the Tremont-based company has become a major manufac turer of high-tech agricultural products that farmers around the world install on their equipment. It has been owned since 2017 by Georgia-based agricul tural equipment giant AGCO. As a visible symbol of its growth, Pre cision Planting is building a mammoth operations center in Morton — 500,000 square feet in total size, 47 feet tall — that catches the attention of motorists on two of the area's busiest interstates. The facility should be fully up and running by late fall. Morton officials are thrilled about the project. “I can't wrap my head around the size of this building,” said Morton Public Works Director Craig Loudermilk. “It’s

five times the size of the new Amazon facility in North Pekin. It’s the size of nine football fields under one roof.” “When this building is done, Morton will become the agricultural hub of the Midwest,” said Mayor Jeff Kaufman. “And the property taxes and jobs the building will create will maintain and improve the quality of life in our community.” GROWING PAINS Precision Planting is making the investment because it quite simply needs the space. “As our business continued to add products and increase our global footprint, a new place to assemble, house and ship our products became imperative,” said Keith Crow, the company's director of finance. The Precision Planting operations now done in seven buildings — three in Morton, two in Peoria Heights, one in Pekin and one in Edelstein — will be consolidated in the new building, which will more than double the company’s current footprint.

Meanwhile, there are 85 acres of additional room on the site that can accommodate another 430,000 square feet of expansion. Precision Planting has about 750 employees, including 650 in central Illinois. The rest are based across the globe. Of the area employees, about 90% work out of the Tremont and Morton locations. In addition to the company's head quarters in Tremont, there's a software development facility in Bloomington, and the Precision Technology Institute, a 400-acre agronomic research site in Pontiac. PUTTING THE TECHNOLOGY INTO PRACTICE Besides the research done at PTI, farmers can try out Precision Planting products in a real-farm environment. Precision Planting develops smart products that improve planting, liquid application and harvest operations on farms. The products are available at more than 400 dealerships in the

8 JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

The new Precision Planting building under construction in Morton

Chuck Boyer, senior operations manager at Precision Planting

continental U.S. The company also works with agricultural equipment manufacturers around the globe. Farmers can use Precision Planting technologies to collect data on each field pass from planting to harvest, and then use that information to increase yield and profit potential. Mark Schleder of Green Valley counts 46 years working the fields, and he’s used Precision Planting products since the company was founded three decades ago. “When you're in the cab, Precision Planting's technology gives you confi dence that your machinery is respon sive and planting where it needs to be planting,” he said. “That's important because you only have a five- or six-day window to get your seeds in the ground. “The value Precision Planting pro vides for our farms is exceptional. And they stand behind their products and service them well,” added Schleder. “I'm so happy we've been close enough to watch the company grow.” Meanwhile, new products are con tinuously coming to market. At the company's winter conference this year, the Panorama app was in troduced. It is being tested this spring with plans to release it later this year. The app makes it easier for farmers to access data collected from Precision Planting's 20/20 monitor, which ob serves, controls and diagnoses field conditions and equipment performance in real time. WHY MORTON? Precision Planting's new Morton operations center is on 61.31 acres at

the north end of Erie Avenue, south of the exit ramp from Interstate 74 east to Interstate 155 south. It’s up the road from Precision Planting's 100,000-square-foot main operations building at the intersection of Erie and Birchwood streets. “Ironically, that building has always flown under the radar. We’ve been there for 10 years in November,” said Bryce Baker, Precision Planting marketing manager. That building already has been purchased, and a new, as-yet-unnamed tenant will move in after Precision Planting leaves. The new operations building will be used as a warehouse for inventory, assembly of products, kitting and packaging, and distribution of products worldwide. Kitting is a process where complementary items are packaged and shipped together. About 400 employees will work at the new facility, including about 25 new full time hires. There's room in the building for 600 employees. The building will be humming initially with three shifts, five days a week. Chuck Boyer, Precision Planting operations and building project manager, said the new building's site was chosen because of its proximity to I-74 and I-155, both for product transportation purposes and employee convenience. “While doing our due diligence in selecting a site, we learned we could lose two-thirds of our local employees had we located the building in the Bloomington-Normal area,” he said.

Precision Planting and the Village of Morton are improving the infrastructure in and around the construction site to pave the way for further development. Among the company’s projects are the construction of 1,300 feet of Agricultural Drive, a new east/west road that will con nect Erie to an extension of Flint Avenue. Among the village's initiatives are an extension of a water main under I-155 from Detroit Avenue to Erie and an improvement of the Birchwood and Erie intersection. “The infrastructure work and the size and quality of the Precision Planting building will put that area on the map. It will be magnet for other businesses,” Loudermilk said. “There will be more than a mile of new public roadway there when the new road and road extensions are completed. This is the first time since I was hired by the village in 2011 that we're building public roads.” Eight taxing bodies approved five years of property tax abatements for the Precision Planting project, beginning with a 90% abatement the first year the operations center is fully accessed. Meanwhile, Precision Planting must meet hiring requirements to keep the abatement in place. After the abatement ends, It’s estimated that the Morton School District will receive about $500,000 annually in property taxes from the operations center.

Steve Stein is a longtime Peoria area print journalist

JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 9

SEED AND SOIL

A FONDNESS FOR FARMALLS Eureka area farmer Ron Underwood may have taken his tractor collection a bit too far, but it’s a labor of love

BY LINDA SMITH BROWN PHOTO BY RON JOHNSON

O n the Fourth of July, while driving east on U.S. 24 toward Eureka, one might do a double-take upon seeing the line of beautiful, bright red tractors lined up along the roadside. They’re not just any ol’ tractors. They are all Farmall tractors from the 1940s and ‘50s, beautifully restored to their like-new appearance by Eureka area farmer Ron Underwood. Each Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day, weather permitting, Underwood lines up as many of his restored Farmalls as he can get started that day. “They all start a little bit different,” he said. “Sometimes I have to talk to ‘em a little bit to get them going.” A FONDNESS FOR FARMALLS Twenty years ago, Underwood started his tractor restoration hobby to keep from spending his golden years drinking coffee in local diners or vegging out in front of the TV. To date, he has restored 18 Farmall tractors, manufactured some 80 years ago by International Harvester. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Underwood started working in the fields at age 9, right about the time his father began

to medium-sized family farms. The machines enabled many farmers to reduce the number of farm hands and eliminate the need for working horses or mules. After restoring those first two Farmalls, Underwood went searching for more of them to fix up. He was having fun. ‘I’VE GOT ONE THAT’S THE SAME AGE AS I AM, A 1941’ — Ron Underwood He purchased some of the dilapidated, faded, dirty tractors from farm sales. Others in similar condition he has acquired by word-of-mouth. “Somebody will call up and ask if I want another one,” he said. He usually pays about $1,000 for the old Farmalls. “With paint and decals — I don’t count my labor — I’ve got probably another $400 to $500 in each one,” Underwood said. He does all the work himself. “I tear them apart and clean ‘em up,” said Underwood. “Carburetors are easy to work on. “And thank goodness I’ve got Interstate Battery down the road here. I wish I’d bought stock in that company. I’m always running to Interstate for batteries.”

renting a farm and farmhouse west of Eureka. He has lived elsewhere in the ensuing years, but a couple of decades ago Underwood purchased that boyhood home, where he now resides with his wife Lois. Now 81, Underwood is partial to the Farmall because that was his father’s tractor of choice. The Underwood family has remained loyal to the International Harvester brand, now known as Case IH, to this very day. Underwood continues to farm 1,300 acres with his son Curt and grandson Lane Fowler. Brother Gerry steps in to help during the busiest times. “My son and grandson do all the thinking and getting everything rolling,” said Underwood. “So much of it is computerized in the tractor. I couldn’t begin to get them ready to go. “We’ve got two big machine sheds where we keep our working planters and combines. That’s our priority for the good stuff,” he added. “This shed here, we had room for tractors and I filled it” with the Farmall collection. A LABOR OF LOVE Originally manufactured in 1920, Farmall was an all-purpose tractor, affordable for the owners of small

10 JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

Underwood applies four coats of the original Farmall red paint to each one of his restorations. He taught himself how to do the body work. “I make mistakes and then do it better the next time,” he said. Tires for one tractor can cost about $2,000. “As long as the tires stay up and are equal on each side, I don’t buy new ones,” he said. All of Underwood’s Farmalls are from the company’s “letter series” – models C, H, or M. “I’ve got one that’s the same age as I am, a 1941,” said Underwood. “There’s an old M sitting down there. It’s a 1940. All the rest of these are ’41 to ‘52. “I like to put ‘em back the way they came out of the factory,” said Underwood. Underwood’s restoration process begins in the winter, “just cleaning the grease, sanding.” By July, once all the crops are in the ground, “I start putting the restored Farmalls will be on display on U.S. 24, about a half-mile west of Braker’s Market From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Fourth of July and Labor Day,

Ron Underwood and his extensive collection of Farmall tractors outside Eureka

them back together, putting on the tires and the wheels, hood and radiator.” He tries to restore one tractor a year. “One year I did three of them. That’s too much.”

Underwood has not sold any of his restored tractors, “but I’ve got three or four 1948s I may pick out and sell … and ‘46s,” he said. “I’ve got too many. You’re always buying batteries and having trouble getting them started, unless you run them every day, which I don’t. “I’ve gotta back off sooner or later and turn around and buy another one.” Underwood figures he needs to acquire two more models to fill out his collection: a ’39 and a ’45. He winces when thinking about the one that got away. “I was bidding on a ’45 years ago and I quit too soon bidding, or I would have had it.” He admits he still kicks himself for not staying in the bidding, “but then sometimes I kick myself for buying one, too.”

THE ROMANCE OF YESTERYEAR HAS ITS LIMITS

Thinking back to his early days of farming, “I wouldn’t mind going back to those days sometimes, but just for a short time,” said Underwood. “Dirty, sitting down in that tractor. You’d get up early in the morning, a little damp, and by 10 in the morning, you had a mask of dust on your face. “Today, if the air conditioner quits, I quit,” he said. Displaying the restored Farmalls is a real kick for Underwood. “People will stop by. I don’t know who they are or where they came from, but they’ll say, ‘My grandpa had one of them.’ “Then you just talk. It’s something to do.”

Linda Smith Brown is a 37-year veteran of the newspaper industry, retiring as publisher of Times Newspapers in the Peoria area

JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 11

SEED AND SOIL

MR. AND MRS. SHARKFARMER GIVE THEMSELVES A GRILLING

BY ROB AND EMILY SHARKEY

F armers have had a busy spring. Farmers are front and center working the ground, planting, spraying and caring for their crops this time of year. With a flurry of activity always comes a flurry of questions from people outside of agriculture. Here are a few of the most commonly asked and our answers to them: Q: I just moved into a neighborhood surrounded by corn fields. Can I eat the corn that grows right behind my house? A: This is one of the most common questions we get. As people drive along the interstate and see the thousands of acres of corn, they assume it’s sweet corn meant for human consumption. While there are some fields of sweet corn — sweet corn is much shorter — most of what you see is corn being grown for feeding animals raised for meat, as well as corn used in making the ethanol used in fuel. Yes, it is safe to eat, but remember, it’s not yours. Just like you wouldn’t want that farmer to come into your yard

and take an apple off your tree and eat it, don’t go into a field you don’t own without permission. Q: I keep hearing about all the new technology farmers use on their farms. Is it true that tractors can drive themselves? A: It is true that the technology is here and that a tractor can drive itself, but we are a ways off in terms of affordability and practicality in making that a reality on every large farming operation. We do, however, use auto steer, which allows us to use satellite technology to perfectly line up our rows when planting and harvesting a crop. The tractor can steer itself through the field, but we usually turn the tractor manually at the end of the row. There also are dozens of problems that can occur when planting, harvesting or spraying and a real, human farmer needs to see and address these problems … for now! Q: I just learned about the Dust Bowl in school. What has changed since then

and could this happen again? A: Just like every industry, farming has been a learning process and we find better ways of doing things over time. Before the use of herbicides (spray that kills weeds), one of the best practices for weed control in tillage was plowing. This process would completely overturn the soil, but its overuse left the soil exposed to erosion. High winds often would carry away valuable topsoil because there was no organic matter keeping the soil in place. Heavy rains also washed topsoil right out of the field HERBICIDES, ONE OF THE BEST PRACTICES FOR WEED CONTROL WAS PLOWING Today farmers engage in limited tillage and sometimes none, planting right into last year’s corn or soybean stubble. This makes those old Dust Bowl days less likely. and down a creek or river. BEFORE THE USE OF

12 JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

Aerial application over corn field

Q: I used to be able to order parts and make repairs on my car myself but anymore I have to take it in to a dealership and plug it in to a computer to find out what’s wrong. I keep hearing about “the right to repair.” Can you fix your own tractors or is it too complicated? A: Similar to your car, farmers can repair most things on their tractors, but when it comes to the electronics, we often need to take it to a dealer to be diagnosed. Q: I keep hearing that farmers only make up 1% of the population. Are most farms owned by big corporations or families? A: We get this question a lot. Today, 97% of farms are owned by families. In fact, since the pandemic we are seeing a growing sector of the population becoming first-generation farmers. Many have taken an interest in the process of what it takes to grow food, what happens when there are breakdowns in the supply chain, and how to be more sustainable.

Sparking an interest in how we grow food is fantastic because it has really opened the eyes of the general public to how much work it takes to grow food and how blessed we are that our food is safe and incredibly affordable. Anyone who is trying to grow a garden this year for the first time or raise animals for food realizes the importance of controlling weeds, timely spraying, meeting the basic needs of their animals, keeping them healthy, and how much time goes into their care. We often interview first-generation farmers on our daily Sirius XM show “SharkFarmer” on Channel 147 at 3 p.m. CST. We find they have an unfiltered way of looking at their business. Q: I saw a yellow plane dive out of the sky and spray very low right over the top of a field of what looked like soybeans as I was driving on the interstate recently. What they’re spraying worries me. Is it safe? A: Yes, it is safe. What you saw was called aerial application. Back in the

day, it was called crop dusting. It is a useful way for farmers to spray crops in a timely manner. In central Illinois, most of the time the planes are spraying fungicide or insecticide, which is safer than using Desenex for foot fungus or Nix for headlice. (Please see Rob’s WTVP A Shot of Ag interview with Harley Curless, Season 2, Episode 26.)

Rob and Emily Sharkey , aka Mr. and Mrs. SharkFarmer, till the land at their fifth-generation farm in the Bradford area. They also host A Shot of Ag on WTVP PBS and a podcast heard by millions, among other media endeavors

JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 13

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Come check out the newest exhibit at the Caterpillar Visitors Center , honoring the role Caterpillar and thousands of employees played in supporting war efforts from right here at home. See artifacts, including a service flag, uniform, welder and much more. You will also learn about the 497th camp called “Little Peoria” and its ties to Caterpillar, and learn about the transformation of women in the workplace.

VisitCaterpillar.com for ticket pricing and hours of operation.

© 2023 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, LET’S DO THE WORK, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Corporate Yellow”, the “Power Edge” and Cat “Modern Hex” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 15

DISH AND DRINK

AT GATOR’Z, CUSTOMERS GOBBLE UP THE FARE The popular restaurant is the only business in tiny LaRose, but it’s a traffic generator

BY PHIL LUCIANO

I n opening Gator’z Pub & Grill, Deb and Curt Walin didn’t just start a business. They started a business district. Welcome to LaRose, population 98, and the one-stop commercial strip known as Gator’z. “There's nothing else,” said Mayor Jonathon Price, chuckling. “Well, the post office.” LaRose is a spot in the road – and not a very wide spot – along Illinois Route 89. It sits amid the crop fields of Marshall County, home to but 11,663 residents. The county seat is Lacon (population 1,878), while the big city is Henry with a whopping 2,320 residents. Which is to say that around these parts, there’s no such thing as a cus tomer base. Further, LaRose hasn’t had any commercial trade since the grain elevator shut down three years ago. “There’s not much here,” Deb Walin said. For the couple, it took a lot of con fidence to open a business, especially in the fickle restaurant trade, when

you’re the only game in town and thus have to become a destination spot. So far, the plan is working, much to the delight of LaRose. “It’s great for us,” the mayor said. “They’ve done a lot of work on the building.” And how. The Walins bought a dilapidated building – the first floor had fallen into the basement – and turned it into a slick, modern pub. As one new customer recently gushed, “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear I was in Peoria Heights or the Chicago suburbs!” COZY IN THE KITCHEN Deb, 63, and Curt, 64, have dabbled in the restaurant trade before. They wed in 1997, and 10 years later started their first Gator’z in her native Varna, four miles south of LaRose. Curt, a welder by trade, got the nickname “Gator” in his home state of Florida, though neither will say exactly why. “It was from driving crazy,” she said with a smile. Deb cooked up a menu by trial and

error, based on what they enjoy. “I like to eat,” she said with a grin. “We like food.” They ran the business until 2007, when they moved to Florida to take care of an ailing relative. Two years ago, they decided to move back to Varna, in part to look after another relative. The couple wondered if maybe they could give it another go with a bar and grill. From Florida, they spotted an online ad for a shuttered shop in LaRose, which at the time had no businesses. Years ago, Smiley’s had enjoyed a long run as a supper club, renowned for ribs and packing ‘em in from miles around. But by 2021, Smiley’s had become a distant memory, its former building boarded up and falling down. Across the street sat the place un der consideration by the Walins. Built in 1871 as a grocery, the structure last had functioned in 2011 as an office. A decade passed and the taxes became delinquent. Having seen only exteri or photos of the structure, the Walins wondered about the wisdom of launch ing the lone business in a small town.

16 JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

Then again, the tax-sale price was too low to resist: $642. And so they packed up their belongings and headed back to central Illinois. When they got to the new property, they soon found out the bargain price wasn’t totally a bargain. “You get what you pay for,” Deb said. “When we opened the door, there was no floor or anything. “We could’ve just walked away.” They almost did. But Curt, a handy fellow who still welds, saw the shambles as an opportunity. The building’s bones were solid, and the rest just needed a little – OK, a lot – of TLC. “We thought, ‘We can do this,’” Curt said. “I didn’t want somebody else’s problems if we took over another place.” He paused, then added with a smile, “Now if something goes wrong, you can blame only me.” WINNING FANS Among the newcomers, there’s no blaming, just raving. The pub pops with shiny wood and gleaming metal, boasting a look that curiously, in an old ag town, seems almost urban and industrial. Even more impressive, most of the fixtures came from auctions or salvage, such as four sharp light fixtures he somehow got for just a buck apiece. ‘IT’S LIKE A HIDDEN TREASURE ... PEOPLE AREN'T REALLY EXPECTING THIS’ — Barkeep Melissa Lane Meantime, LaRose residents have lent a hand. Some, including the may or, helped with various jobs, such as hauling dirt out of the basement to clear space. Others contributed vintage vil lage photos to honor the community’s history, a nice touch before the front door opened in May 2022. “We didn’t want to be like anyplace around,” Deb said. Mission accomplished, said barkeep Melissa Lane, 28, of Washburn. For one, the well-stocked bar includes 17 beers.

The mess just before renovations at Gator'z in 2021 (Photo courtesy of Deb Walin)

Gator’z Pub & Grill, as sleek as just about any trendy big-city bar (Photo courtesy of Deb Walin)

Deb and Curt Walin , owners of Gator’z Pub & Grill (Photo by Jeff Oesch)

“Most places around here, you see only Budweiser and Busch Light,” Lane said with a laugh. For another, the menu is extensive, including plenty of comfort food like meatloaf and pot pies. All pizzas are homemade and can involve non-tradi tional ingredients such as artichokes, ricotta cheese and alfredo sauce. Inno vation even invades the burger selection, such as the Bacon Me Crazy: a half-pound of beef accompanied by bacon jam, bacon mayo and six slices of bacon. Customers – many expecting to find a shot-and-a-beer joint — have been impressed. Jane and Russ Yount regularly drive 20 minutes from Benson to get to Gator’z. “They have some of the best pizzas,” he said.

Others drive in from Roanoke, Lake Wildwood, Wenona and beyond. “It’s like a hidden treasure,” said Lane, one of seven employees at Gator’z. “Peo ple aren’t really expecting this. There isn’t anything like this around here.” The Walins are heartened by the positive reaction, especially from local residents who’d been bypassed by business for so long. “They’re excited to have something happening in LaRose,” Deb said.

Phil Luciano is a senior writer/columnist for Peoria Magazine and content contributor to public television station WTVP. He can be reached at phil.luciano@wtvp.org

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DISH AND DRINK

WHAT’S Cookin’

T he French call them pomme d’amour, or “love apples.” In Italy, you’ll enjoy pomi d’oro. or “apples of gold.” But we can thank the Aztecs for the root of the name we associate with this garden favorite. Tomatoes, or tomatls as the Aztecs referred to them, are a favorite in gardens and farmers markets from now through early fall. A summer never goes by without tomatoes growing on the vine in our garden. Many make it into my homemade marinara sauce, but we are always looking for ways to enjoy them in other preparations. You probably have enjoyed a Caprese salad with the ripest tomatoes, slices of fresh mozzarella and just-picked basil topped off with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. But have you ever enjoyed it in a sandwich? When I’m looking for a hearty lunch, I pull out my cast-iron skillet and turn on the grill. My Caprese sandwiches are easy to pack for a picnic. It’s a pure taste of summer in every bite! CAST-IRON ROASTED CAPRESE SANDWICH

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 15 minutes Baking/Cook Time: 3-5 minutes Ingredients:

• One loaf italian ciabatta • 3 cups cherry tomatoes

• 6 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into ¼-inch rounds • 3 cups loosely packed arugula • ½ red onion, peeled and thinly sliced • ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar • 2/3 cup basil pesto

Instructions: 1. Split the bread in half lengthwise. Brush cut sides with 2 tablespoons olive oil. 2. Heat the outdoor grill. When hot, place the bread slices, cut side down, on the grill to slightly char the bread. 3. In a mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes with the remaining olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Transfer the mixture into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Place the pan in the center of the hot grill. Roast the tomatoes for 3 minutes, stirring lightly. The tomatoes should start to blister but not burst open. Use a hot pad to remove the pan from the grill. 4. Spread the pesto on the top piece of the toasted bread. Place the fresh mozzarella on the bottom piece of bread. Top with the tomatoes followed by the fresh arugula, basil leaves and red onion. Place the top piece of bread on the filling and press gently. The sandwich can be served immediately or wrapped in foil and placed back on the grill for 2 minutes if you would like all that mozzarella to slightly melt. Enjoy!

About our chef: Mary DiSomma lives in Oak Park and Cuba, Illinois. She is an author, publisher, philanthropist, podiatrist, entrepreneur, wife to Bill and mom to four adult children

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INVITE YOU TO OUR 21ST ANNUAL JULY 4TH FAMILY FEST Fun

On Tuesday, JULY 4TH 2023 , the parking lot across from Kelleher’s on Water Street becomes an intimate festival area for our guests. Gates open at 5:00 pm and the festivities roll on through the evening’s fireworks display provided by Carle Health Red White & Boom, brought home by Adam Merrick Real Estate. Pre purchased packets ($250) includes two parking passes for your cars at a nearby lot, eight admission tickets to a reserved spot for a family to enjoy not only the fireworks, but music,

children’s games and events plus an all-you can-eat food court, soft drinks and water. Beer and wine sales are also available. BRING BLANKETS AND C HAIRS AND WE PROVIDE THE REST !

TICKET PURCHASE

Space is very limited for this event! No ticket purchases made the day of the event. Contact LISA FISHER at the Boys & Girls Clubs for availability, 309.685.6007, ext. 112.

806 E Kansas Street Ph 309.685.6007 ext. 112 www.bgcpeoria.org

Boys & Girls Clubs is proud to be a United Way Agency

JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 19

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Provider photos taken by Heartland Health Services.

20 JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

DISH AND DRINK

COCKTAIL CLASS Welcome back to Mixology 101

PASSIONATE CRUISE

T he longest days of the year bring relaxing evenings outdoors, and the perfect way to enjoy the rays of sunshine is with a daiquiri. This drink introduces you to an indulgence from the Dominican Republic called Chinola, or passion fruit, in the form of a liqueur by the same name. The yellow flesh of the fruit reflects the sun with citrus and aromatic notes and a bit of tartness that goes well with daiquiris. Here we pair it with a white crème de menthe from Tempus Fugit, which retains the peppermint hallmark of crème de menthe with some light herbal notes to balance its intensity. For our base we borrow a mix of blended rums from Nicaragua that are aged for an average of four years in bourbon barrels. This aging helps the rum stand up to the complexity of flavors in the two liqueurs and gives body and strength to the cocktail.

Peychaud's bitters will add some spice of anise and nutmeg and enhance the mint flavor. Lime juice and a little simple syrup round out this drink. Shaken hard with ice to mix, chill, aerate and dilute this concoction, the fruits of this labor will elevate your summer evenings. First, the tools : For this cocktail you will need a measuring jigger, a cocktail shaker, a hawthorne strainer, and a champagne coupe or large martini glass. Next, the ingredients : To the cocktail shaker add: • 2 dashes Peychaud's bitters • .25 oz. simple syrup • .75 oz. lime juice • .25 oz. Tempus Fugit Crème de Menthe Glaciale • .75 oz. Chinola passion fruit liqueur • 1 oz. Flor de Caña 4 Añejo Oro We add the ingredients in the order above, first the non-alcoholic ingredients and then smallest volume

to greatest. By doing so, we minimize the potential cost in case we make a mistake along the way, keeping the costly components last. Finally, the process : Chill your champagne coupe or martini glass with ice water or by leaving it in the freezer. After adding your ingredients to the cocktail shaker, fill it with ice and shake hard for 10-15 seconds. Strain your cocktail into the prepared glass and garnish with a fresh sprig of mint. Enjoy!

About our mixologist: Dustin Crawford is co-owner – with

partner Kip Rodier – of the 33 Room in Peoria Heights. Prior to that, the U.S. Marine Corps veteran traveled the world before returning home to work his magic behind the bar at various central Illinois establishments

JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 21

S P O T L I G H T

UNDERGROUND EQUILIBRIUM Never too hot, never too cold, it’s always just about right – and that includes the utility bills – in a cave home

BY MARK WELP PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON

could build a house that uses the temperature of the earth and make it comfortable, it would save on heating and cooling,” said Davis Caves owner Marty Davis. “He was paying $400 a month, which would be $1,000 a month now to heat and cool this rental house.” ‘WE COULD LEAVE THIS HOUSE FOR A FULL WINTER, PROVIDE NO HEAT AND THE TEMPERATURE WOULDN’T DROP BELOW ABOUT 60 DEGREES’ — Roger Wehage So, Andy Davis — Marty’s father, by the way — built a new $15,000 home and covered it in soil. It went viral before viral was a thing. National magazines and television news crews descended on Tazewell County. After so much attention, eventually the family started building earth-sheltered homes, what others called “cave homes.” That first winter, “what the headline said was, ‘Illinois man heats home for $1.29’,” which was the price of “the gas and oil for Dad’s chainsaw to cut wood,” recalled Marty Davis. “He had a Ben

Marty Davis, of Atlanta, Illinois, builds underground and earth-sheltered homes

S ince prehistoric times, people and animals have lived in caves. The dark, damp and sometimes dangerous holes of varying sizes are hardly ideal but can protect you from the elements and predators. You really can’t be picky when carnivores want to make you their next meal! Now imagine purposely living in a cave in 2023. More people are doing it thanks to

a central Illinois family business that began as one man’s way to save on utility bills. The 1970s energy crisis saw gas and heating oil prices double and even triple in the U.S., if you could find those products at all. In 1976, a man named Andy Davis in tiny Armington, Illinois, came up with a solution to part of the problem. “He kind of got the idea that if he

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Roger and Pat Wehage’s earth home in Chillicothe

Franklin stove. Didn’t have air condi tioning, but it stayed cool in the summer.” Not only has Marty Davis built more than 300 cave homes around the country and as far away as Denmark, he also has raised his family in a 2,000-square-foot cave home. Over the years he has saved 50 percent on natural gas usage and drastically reduced his electricity consumption.

Inside, it’s hard to tell that only sunlight is illuminating the windowless back rooms. Like many cave homeowners, Davis doesn't need an air conditioner or a furnace; there’s a wood-burning stove if he needs more heat. In northern Peoria County, retirees Roger and Pat Wehage spent years researching cave homes and working with Davis Caves before finishing their custom house in 2011. They wanted an efficient home and took it to the next level with large windows, solar energy, wood heating and a heat pump. “We could leave this house for a full winter, provide no heat and the temperature wouldn’t drop below about 60 degrees all winter, even if it got down to below zero,” said Roger Wehage. Building a cave home will typically cost more up front because of all the concrete used, but the eventual financial savings are impressive. The Wehages' electric bill is normally about $10 a month, which pays for the meter. The propane for their kitchen stove and clothes dryer costs less than $100 a year. Solar energy provides more electricity than they need. Many cave owners are also concerned about the environment, ensuring that

greenspace isn’t lost and wildlife isn't disturbed. “We did have to make some changes for erosion control, but we tried to build the house so it fit into the environment,” said Pat Wehage. “We wanted to make it fit into the surroundings.” Cave home proponents say other benefits include: • Fire resistance, since the structure is mostly concrete and metal studs; • Protection from tornadoes, lightning, and hail; • Longevity, since a concrete structure can last hundreds of years; • Less maintenance, with no roofs or gutters to replace. Exterior and window upkeep is minimal. No home is maintenance free, of course. Cave owners still cut the grass in their yard … and on the roof!

The term “cave home” suggests a dark interior, but light isn't an issue if you have the right design. At Davis' house in Logan County, which doubles as a model home, plenty of sunlight comes in the south facing front windows. Walk up a hill to the grass-covered roof and the secret to naturally lighting the rest of the home becomes apparent: tubular skylights. The rooftop water heating element uses the power of the sun to generate heat at Roger Wehage’s earth home in Chillicothe

Mark Welp spent 17 years doing TV journalism in the Peoria market before coming on board at WTVP PBS as a senior content producer

JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 23

$300 DONATION TO WTVP PBS 2 TICKETS UNFORGETTABLE NIGHT OF MUSIC

FOREIGNER OFFER URGENT!

FOR MORE INFORMATION 309.495.0547 wtvp.tv/tickets

24 JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

BRING

HOPE

HOME

WORLD-CLASS CANCER RESEARCH AND TREATMENT CLOSE TO HOME OSF HealthCare collaborates with Origin to open the OSF Breakthrough Treatment Center OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute will be home to the OSF Breakthrough Treatment Center to provide individuals battling the most difficult-to-treat cancers access to the most promising medical break throughs, novel therapies and clinical trials from around the world. This collaboration will help OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute become a destination for world-class cancer care – one that provides a seamless cancer journey for patients and their families. Your gift can help make a tremendous difference in the lives of cancer patients now. Together, we can bring hope home. For more information, visit osfhealthcarefoundation.org or call the OSF HealthCare Foundation at (877) 574-5678.

JUNE 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 25

S P O T L I G H T

WINES FIT TO SWIG Grape vines have replaced corn and soybeans in parts of central Illinois, and wine drinkers are tipsy over the prospect

BY LISA COON PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON

Kurt and Donna Grohsmeyer, owners of Old Mill Vineyard and Winery outside Metamora

Lisa and Bob Barry, owners of Tres Rojas Winery

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Imagine spending a lazy weekend, traveling scenic central Illinois tasting wines made from grapes grown in the rich soil best known for giving life to corn and soybeans. Illinois actually has a rich winemaking history that dates back nearly 335 years. The state was one of the largest wine producers in the United States prior to Prohibition. In fact, the first record of winemaking in Illinois, according to the Illinois Grape Growers and Vinters Association (IGGVA), was in 1691 just north of what is now Downtown Peoria. Frenchmen Henry de Tonti and Francois Daupin de la Forest built Fort St. Louis du Pimiteoui in the area, and records show that the village surrounding the fort contained a winepress. Today, Illinois is home to about 165 wineries and tasting rooms, which are clustered along eight wine trails. TEAMING UP, ATTRACTING TOURISTS New in 2023 is the Heart of Illinois Wine Trail that includes nine wineries and tasting rooms in Washington, Metamora, Canton, Knoxville, two in Lewistown, Mackinaw, Oakford and Petersburg. Lisa Barry, who owns and operates Tres Rojas Winery in Washington with her husband, head vigneron and winemaker, Bob, said the Heart of Illinois Wine Trail sprung from an idea to collaborate on a marketing effort. “Several of us are pretty new, having opened in the last several years,” Lisa said. “We saw this as an opportunity to bring tourists to not just our vineyards but our communities. We focused on this heart-shaped-like circle area so that you could visit all the wineries over the course of a summer.” Donna Grohsmeyer, who owns and operates Old Mill Vineyard-Bent Tree Tasting Room in Metamora with her husband, Kurt, the vineyard master and winemaker, said IGGVA has done a lot for the wine business in Illinois. “People who are avid wine lovers know where to go to get great wine,” Donna

said. “What this collaboration on the Heart of Illinois Wine Trail does for people locally is to show the connectivity to all of us and give the wine industry more exposure.” The other vineyards include, Mackinaw Valley Vineyard & Winery in Mackinaw, Hidden Hills Winery & Vineyard in Knoxville, Spoon River Junction Winery in Canton, Native Trails Winery and Big Horse Vineyard in Lewistown, Hill Prairie Winery in Oakford and West of Wise Winery in Petersburg. TOO COLD FOR GRAPE COMFORT? Producing grapes in the Midwest begs the question: “Isn’t Illinois too cold to grow grapes for wine?” In fact, growers do face many challenges in maintaining quality and productivity such as early spring freezes, excessive spring rains, fungal disease and summer drought. Six grape varietals cover more than 75% of the state’s total grape acreage, according to IGGVA. Five of these grapes — Chambourcin, Seyval, Vignoles, Chardonel and Vidal Blanc — are hybrids created by crossing French grapes, such as the Chardonnay often grown in France and California, with native American vines. This cross-pollination results in grapes that produce excellent wine but are less susceptible to the effects of extreme cold. The sixth varietal is Norton, which originates from native American vines. EASY AS UNO, DOS, TRES The Barrys of Tres Rojas, like many, got into the wine business because they love wine. They spent vacations visiting wineries along the way. It was during a trip to Galena in February 2015 that they seriously discussed a second career as vineyard owners and winemakers. Bob, retired after a career as a wildlife biologist and federal land manager, picked up a couple of at-home winemaking kits and made the couple’s three original reds – Pinot Noir, Malbec and Sangiovese.

Bob Barry checks the clarity of a wine at Tres Rojas Winery

“And they were really good,” Lisa said. But Bob needed third-party validation, so he entered them into the state’s amateur competition in 2015 and received two gold and six silver medals. “That was pretty validating,” Bob said. The couple was buying fruit from Roth’s in Morton when they were given an opportunity to work a former Roth vineyard in Pekin. With the help of volunteers, the couple cleared the overgrown vineyard and by the fall of 2016, was re-grafting vines for the following season. Originally, they considered calling the winery “Three Reds” after Bob's first award-winning effort. They opted for the Spanish translation, “Tres Rojas,” as a nod to Bob’s career spent mostly near the southern U.S. border. Still relying on purchased juices and fruits, their winemaking continued in a small production facility in Morton. Soon, they had their first harvest and knew they were hooked. They began looking for larger acreage for a vineyard and tasting room. Those efforts in Peoria, East Peoria and Mackinaw were met with zoning hurdles, unrealistic infrastructure demands and protests from neighbors. In spring 2019, Bob received a call from Washington City Hall and learned that there were a couple of city-owned properties available. Frustrated from their earlier experiences, he almost didn’t return the call. Instead, he did his research, testing the soil at both

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