A Road Scholar Program by Richard Morthland

John Deere’s agricultural innovations, especially the self-scouring steel plow, monumentally impacted farming methods during the formative years of the United States, making expansion into the vast prairies and plains of middle-America possible. The magnitude of Deere’s contributions to technology and history is matched only by that of his personal character, which encompassed remarkable talents and virtues, profound flaws, and many internal contradictions. Richard Morthland — farmer, teacher, and seasoned public speaker — portrays Deere, inviting audiences to ponder not only the history lessons to be learned from his career but also the human lessons to be learned from his life.

This event is Free and Open to the public. For more information, please contact Todd DeDecker, 309-927-3899.