Born on Sept. 10, 1940 in Lexington, IL and grew up on the family farm. His great grandparents came to the United States in the mid 1800s to escape the potato famine in Ireland, and eventually bought land near Lexington. Jim's uncles all farmed in the same area on or near the original homestead, with the next generation continuing in farming. Kinsella attended Southern Illinois University, majoring in Soil Science, then went to work for a corporation in Chicago. After some time he moved back home and purchased land within sight of the old family homestead. He soon began putting his knowledge of soils to work testing out no-till farming practices. Kinsella's no-till ventures grew over time and he gained an international reputation for his innovative farm practices. He also worked with BASF, a German chemical company, where he could exhibit the company's chemicals on his field. BASF assisted by building a large office on Kinsella's land where he could give presentations on no-till farming. He estimates that since the beginning of his career in no-till farming, some 91,000 people have passed through the office to learn about no-till farming.
From the description of An interview with Jim Kinsella / Jim Kinsella ; Michael Maniscalco, interviewer. 2008. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library). WorldCat record id: 429529080
