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February 03, 2010

Nehring Gallery features DeKalb Ag memories

DeKalb, Ill. — “DEKALB Ag Memories” is on exhibit through April 21 at the Nehring Gallery in downtown DeKalb.

Collaborating on the project with the DeKalb Ag Alumni Association Board of Directors, Nehring Gallery director Anna Marie Coveny says the exhibit underscores the history and legacy of the Ag. “There is a story here of hard work, innovation, risk-taking, farmers relying on farmers, the value of cooperation, community pride and, of course, the winged-ear logo known around the world,” she says. Under the leadership of President Emerson Wells, board members donated their time as well as their personal artifacts and recollections to organize and install the exhibit.

A raffle will be held to benefit the gallery and features two prizes – “The Story of the DeKalb Ag” by Thomas H. Roberts Jr., and a masonite sign of the winged-ear logo.

A reception will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7. Gallery hours are from 2 to 4 p.m. Sundays (except April 4), 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays and by appointment; contact (815) 758-6363 or director@nehringgallery.org. Group tours are encouraged. 

A series of free Wednesday noon gallery talks are scheduled. Topics focus on the many contributions of DeKalb Ag to worldwide agriculture.

  • Feb. 10, “The Seeds Are Sown: The Gunn Legacy” presented by Dave Smith – How the decisions were made to start Charlie Gunn’s hybrid research program and why it was so secretive. 
  • Feb. 24, “Early Production Plant Expansion: The Roberts Touch,” presented by Al Golden – Tom Roberts’ decision – where to build new production plants and how they were financed. Al Golden.
  • March 10, “Sales and Marketing Innovation: Always on the Cutting Edge of the Strategies and Tools to Maximize Sales” presented by Greg Olson – industry-leading new ideas on how to market a new product. 
  • March 24, “The XL Explosion: Research Pays Big Dividends” presented by Bill Crum and Emerson Wells – a whole new line-up of XL hybrids results in record sales numbers. 
  • April 7, “DeKalb Ag: More Than Corn” presented by Rich Ryan and Jack Nelson – a look at all the various products and businesses in which the Ag was involved. 
  • April 21, “The Winged Ear: Its flight Around the World and Into the Future” presented by Ed Eggers and Charlie Krull – the foreign fields where the winged ear has flown and where it is headed in the future.

Board members will be present on these Wednesdays to give tours and answer questions. More information about the DeKalb Ag Alumni Association can be found at http://www.dekalbalumni.org.

The Nehring Gallery is located at 111 South Second St. in the Nehring Center for Culture and Tourism. The gallery is free and open to the public. The accessible entrance is located under the Nehring Gallery awning.

Nehring Gallery is operated cooperatively by the DeKalb Park District, the NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts and the NIU Division of University Outreach. The operation of the gallery is partially funded by the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. For further information, visit http://www.nehringgallery.org/.

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Media Contact: Anna Marie Coveny, Director, Nehring Gallery
Phone: (815) 758-6363
Email: dawc@niu.edu