Out in the Field - Harvesting Up Close
Kane County Board Chairman Joins Pitstick Family for a Day of Corn Harvesting
Kane County Board Chairman Corinne Pierog recently joined father-and-son farming team Steve and Dale Pitstick in Hampshire for a firsthand look at one of Kane County’s most vital industries—harvesting corn.
Riding along in the combine as the Pitsticks worked the field, Chairman Pierog witnessed how modern technology and generations of farming expertise come together to feed both the community and the economy. The combine’s corn head cuts and snaps the ears from the stalks before feeding them into the machine, where kernels are separated from the cobs, cleaned, and stored in a grain tank. The leftover residue is spread back onto the field to enrich the soil. In one day, the Pitsticks can harvest up to 150 acres.
Steve Pitstick, who began his full-time farming career in the mid-1970s, has built a legacy of innovation and resilience. After weathering the farm crisis of the 1980s, he adapted by embracing technology and new practices. Today, he and his son farm nearly 6,000 acres just west of the Chicago suburbs—proof that agriculture remains a cornerstone of Kane County’s landscape and economy. 
Dale Pitstick, who also serves as President of the Kane County Farm Bureau, farms corn and soybeans alongside his father while running his own equipment business. Since joining the Farm Bureau in 2004, he has worked to strengthen the connection between local farmers and elected officials.
Chairman Pierog said the experience offered valuable insight into the hard work, precision, and dedication that define Kane County’s agricultural community. “Seeing the process up close reminds us that farming is both a business and a way of life,” she said. “The Pitstick family embodies the spirit of Kane County—rooted in tradition with a true love of the land.”
