Slagel Family Farm

The Slagel family has been raising livestock in central Illinois for generations, with the current farmstead operated by LouisJohn Slagel and his family just a mile from where their great-great grandfather settled in 1888. Over the years, the family has focused on maintaining a smaller scale farm that prioritizes quality over mass production. In 2007, they expanded their operation by opening Slagel Family Meats Inc., a retail butcher shop and processing facility, allowing them to bring their products directly from the farm to the consumer.

The farm employs traditional livestock raising methods, avoiding confinement buildings in favor of open lots and pastures. They use natural breeding instead of artificial insemination and steer clear of steroids and hormone implants. The crops grown on the farm, including corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, hay, and pumpkins, are used to feed the livestock, and the manure from the animals is composted and used as fertilizer for the fields. The farm also processes used cooking oil into biodiesel for their delivery trucks and farm equipment, and their processing facility includes an EPA licensed composting facility for waste products.

The farm offers tours and farm dinners, where guests can see the livestock and learn about the traditional farming practices. Chefs from restaurants supplied by the farm take turns cooking dinners for guests. Slagel Family Meats, located five miles from the farm, processes and sells the farm's meat products, which are delivered fresh or fresh frozen to ensure quality without artificial additives or preservatives. The butcher shop is open six days a week and also offers custom processing for other local farmers.