Meet John Klemm: An IL Corn TV Host

If you've caught an episode of IL Corn TV (like this one or this one) you've already met John Klemm. But there's a lot more to this guy than a camera and a comfortable interview style.

John is a fifth-generation farmer from Waynesville, Illinois (DeWitt County), and farming really is the family business — corn, soybeans, an Angus cow/calf operation, and a freezer beef business. He's also spent 18 years as a crop insurance agent, which basically means he's the person farmers call when things get really stressful. Before all that, he was a product marketing coordinator for Rhino and M&W agricultural equipment. The man has worn a lot of boots.

He's married to his wife Megan, and together they have three kids: Blaine, Calla, and Quentin. Family isn't just a footnote for John - it's kind of the whole point. Ask him who he'd most want to have dinner with, and he'll skip the celebrities entirely. "A grandparent I haven't been able to see in 20 years," he says. No hesitation.

Faith runs right alongside family. John serves on the church council at Zion Lutheran, chairs the school board at Zion Lutheran School, and has been active in his parochial community for years. It's not something he broadcasts but it's something he lives.

On the IL Corn TV front, John admits the biggest surprise about hosting has been how much fun it is. "Just being casual and loose with the people I interview," he says. But more than that, he's learning something new every time and that energizes him.

A few other things you should know about John Klemm: He's an Eagle Scout. He retains commercial jingles at an alarming rate (his family is fully aware and only mildly amused). His go-to? "Save big money at Menard's." He drinks way too much coffee. And if you want to connect with him over music, throw on some Garth Brooks Unanswered Prayers, which he keeps coming back to. "Things happen in life that you don't think about," he says, "and when you look back, you realize somebody else was looking out for you."

Tune into more episodes to watch him and other hosts on IL Corn TV with a new episode every Monday.