BELVIDERE, Ill. — In the early morning of September 12, 2025, a fire ravaged Die Hard Dairy, part of T-J’s Farm Market, owned by Heather and Daniel Travis. A passerby alerted the couple to the blaze, which destroyed their nearly 200-year-old barn despite efforts by Boone County firefighters. The fire resulted in the loss of some heifers and significant damage.

Heather Travis described the challenging situation, saying, "My husband and one of our daughters had went out to the pasture to keep them back, which originally they couldn't find anyone but then they surfaced out of the corners of the pasture."

The Travis family, who have temporarily relocated some of their surviving animals to a neighbor's building, now face ongoing challenges. "The vet said we could deal with this for the next s

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