Jim Altenhein has a new mission: to carry on his father’s legacy and return to his farming roots to produce food and niche crops on his family’s farm. 

Products produced on his family’s farm will proudly carry the “Homegrown By Heroes” logo.

“Homegrown By Heroes” is a state branding program established to denote farm products grown and raised by military veterans or active duty service members via a specialized logo, explains Cynthia Haskins, manager of business development and compliance for Illinois Farm Bureau.

“I love the logo,” Altenhein says. “It speaks to the dual role many farmers play: serving the people of the United States and feeding America.”

BACK TO THE FARM: Jim Altenhein was born and raised on his family’s farm near Quincy, Ill. He returned to the farm after serving in the Army National Guard for 22 years. Altenhein applied for the Homegrown By Heroes logo to use on products raised on their family’s 7th generation farm. “I did this for myself and as a tribute to my father,” Altenhein says.

Like Altenhein, many farmers go into the military, then return home to farm.

He served in the Army National Guard for 22 years. During Operation Enduring Freedom, his company prepared the Fort Bragg 18th Airborne Division for deployment. Altenhein retired from the Illinois Army National Guard in Springfield and returned to the family farm after his father passed away in 2014.

He received approval to use the Homegrown By Heroes logo during a ceremony at the 2015 Illinois State Fair.

“I did this for myself and as a tribute to my father,” Altenhein says.

His father did his part to serve our country, too. He was deferred and remained on the family farm to produce food for the expanding military during WW II.

Homegrown By Heroes in Illinois

HOPS IN ILLINOIS? Jim Altenhein is one of very few farmers in Illinois, and the first in Adams County, raising hops. The perennial hop plant produces vines and cones annually. It takes at least three years for hop plants to produce harvestable cones; but plants can live 15-20 years. Breweries look for certain alpha acid and beta acid levels in hops, which impact the brew’s bitterness and aroma. Altenhein planted three varieties to achieve different hop characteristics and to see which variety handles central Illinois growing conditions best.

“Homegrown By Heroes represents the labors of hardworking veterans and service members that have now chosen to become farmers to feed the nation,” Haskins adds. “Moreover, Homegrown By Heroes affords consumers a direct, immediate, and measurable way to thank a veteran or current soldier for their service by purchasing their products.”

The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) and Illinois Farm Bureau administer the new program. “We’re focused on getting the word out there,” Haskins says.

Five Illinois farmer veterans currently participate in the Homegrown By Heroes- Illinois Products initiative, says Karen Fraase, IDOA bureau of marketing, promotions and grants. Several more farmer veterans are working their way through the approval process.

“I’m excited about the dual role this logo serves,” Haskins says. “It showcases Illinois-grown products and farmer veterans.”

Fraase notes Homegrown By Heroes dovetails perfectly with the surge in farmers’ markets and demand for locally sourced products, such as produce, honey, dairy and meat.

New adventures in Quincy

The Altenheins manage a seventh- generation family farm near Quincy, Ill. They raise traditional Illinois crops: corn, soybeans and wheat.

Last year, they diversified their traditional lineup – with hops.

Altenhein says growing hops, a perennial crop, is quite a challenge. He’s testing three varieties to see which one performs best in Midwest growing conditions. If Mother Nature cooperates, he’ll harvest his first crop next year.

Altenhein plans to use the Homegrown by Heroes logo when he markets to microbreweries and home brewers in the Quincy area. The demand for brewing ingredients is growing; Fraase points out two microbreweries participate in the Illinois Products Farmers’ Market each week.

Altenhein says growing hops is not for the weak at heart; it’s labor intensive and expensive. From placing irrigation at just the right spot to hand harvesting, “It’s not like anything we’ve grown before,” he says.

But that won’t stop him.

Altenhein’s military training taught him attention to detail and how to adapt to any situation. Today, his vision is to adapt and establish Mississippi River Hops. In addition to marketing his product to local breweries, Altenhein hopes the family’s picturesque white barn, complete with the Homegrown By Heroes logo, will be known as the hop barn “Hopfenscheune”, where hops are dried and sampled.

And, he says that’s just the beginning. Altenhein’s daughter, a recent college graduate, put together a business plan for a pumpkin patch. “Any product we produce on this farm will carry that Homegrown By Heroes logo,” Altenhein says. He hopes the logo will help open doors for his new business ventures.

The Altenhein family farm is rooted in both patriotism and service, and Jim’s plan to diversify and expand marks a new chapter for their farm. When he talks about his return to the family farm, his future plans and the Homegrown By Heroes logo, you can hear the pride in his voice and feel the passion in his heart.

“I just love the whole idea of the logo,” he says. “It means so much.”

For more on the Farmer Veteran Coalition and Homegrown By Heroes – Illinois Products, check out Farmer veteran initiatives in Illinois