Jody Pennock was born in Pittsfield, IL on March 5, 1970, and grew up on the family farm. As a young girl, Jody enjoyed doing the same jobs as the boys. She has fond memories of taking trips with her father to check livestock. Jody's parents strongly imbedded in their children the idea that they must spend some time experiencing the world before deciding if farming was for them. Jody attended college at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she studied animal science for both her B.S. and M.S. degrees. Eventually Jody and her husband, Dan Heavner, who hails from the Pittsfield area, decided to move back to the farm. When she returned the family farm was a different place. No longer was it a crop and livestock operation but it was now a testing ground for her father's exotic animal handling equipment. Jody put her skills to work and helped create Pea Ridge Elk ranch where over 200 head of elk and cattle are kept. The ranch raises both the cattle and elk for meat that is sold throughout Illinois and the country.
From the description of An interview with Jody Pennock Heavner / Jody Pennock Heavner ; Michael Maniscalco, interviewer. 2008. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library). WorldCat record id: 429527900
