6 Unique Father’s Day Gifts with a Farming Twist

June 12, 2024

Dad, Grandad, Papa, Pop—whatever you call your father on the farm, they deserve a day of appreciation. Farm fathers embody the hard work, resilience, and traditions that are the backbone of Illinois' farming communities. We’ve put together a short list of gifts that show appreciation to your dad while also supporting farming and corn!

 

1.Corn Tennis shoes

  • Whether it’s a family hike, working out, walking around the farm, or even just for a casual outfit, everyone needs a nice pair of tennis shoes. Saucony produces an innovated and improved type of running shoe where the cushion is made from 55% corn to prevent plastic dependency. Comfortable, casual, stylish, and sustainable. 


2. Family movie marathon, with homemade popcorn

  • Does your dad love to binge watch movies? Let him pick his favorite movie series and have a family movie night. No movie night is complete without popcorn. Make a few different bowls of popcorn and add a variety of toppings such as cheese, salt, chocolate, or even caramel. The options are endless.


3. Corn Based Whiskey Brand

  • How about a nice glass of whiskey on the rocks for Father’s Day? Take a tour of a local distillery to learn all about the process of producing whiskey, and also enjoy some of the product as well.


4. Locally raised pork

  • What better way to celebrate everyone’s favorite guy than with a BBQ cookout? There’s nothing that says “I love you, Dad” like some BBQ ribs or pulled pork. Shop locally raised pork to find the perfect piece.


5. Locally raised beef

  • Maybe instead of a BBQ your dad would prefer a perfectly grilled ribeye steak. Shop some locally raised beef to get your dad the best cut for this father’s day.


6. Ingeo(corn based fibers) fabric bedding

  • Ingeo is a corn-based fabric. Focused on sustainability, it’s being used in the production of bedding, sheets, clothes, etc. This fabric provides a new sustainable way to produce everyday materials, and it’s extremely soft!
thumbnail of aul
By Tara Desmond December 30, 2025
Illinois waterways move over 70M tons of goods each year — including corn. 🚢🌽 Learn why aging locks & dams need urgent modernization.
video icons
By Tara Desmond December 30, 2025
Watch the top 10 most-viewed videos of 2025, featuring farmer stories, trade insights, and the moments shaping Illinois agriculture.
icons floating above cornfield
By Tara Desmond December 30, 2025
Explore the most-read Illinois corn stories of 2025, from policy and markets to innovation and farmer impact, plus weekly updates and member stories.
Mark Bunselmeyer
By Lyndi Allen December 30, 2025
Meet IL Corn Growers Association President, Mark Bunselmeyer of Decatur, IL. Mark farms in Macon County, where he grows corn and soybeans.
captain next to a tree
By Tara Desmond December 23, 2025
This season, we pulled together a few fun reminders of how corn connects farm life to Christmas traditions — both on and off the farm.
harvest
By Tara Desmond December 23, 2025
Illinois farmers and farm families were well represented in the 2025 Fields of Corn Photo Contest, hosted by the National Corn Growers Association.
Show More