Staff
Gail Wirtz Costello
Director of Operations
Gail Wirtz Costello represents the fifth generation of a family-owned, 400 acre farm in Mundelein, IL. Gail's early years spent on the farm quickly inspired a lifelong commitment to the farm. Gail and her family have remained dedicated to keeping the land a working farm, continuing to grow corn, soy beans, alfalfa and wheat. The Wirtz's love for horses continues to this day. Horses are boarded in barns, some of the barns are over 125 years old. Riding on horseback through the forested areas of the farm, you will find century old oak and hickory trees growing. You also may encounter deer, rabbits, sand hill cranes and other animals. Ivanhoe Farm is a mixture of the past, present and future.
Along with caring for the farm and nursery, Gail has served for more than 30 years as an art therapist and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor.
Russ Stokes
Nursery Manager
Russ has spent most of his life and career in the “Green Industry”. Having grown up on a farm in Riverton, Utah, Russ learned the wonder of growing plants and the hard work and dedication needed to be successful at it.
He got his start at a large nursery in Centerville, Utah. He received his Nurseryman Certification from Utah State University and received a Business Management degree from Utah Community College.
Russ took a sojourn from the nursery business in the 1990’s to the venture of growing hydroponic vegetables in modern state-of-the art glass greenhouses located in Colorado and New Mexico. At one time, this operation was the largest of its kind in the U.S. with over 120 acres under cover. It was here that Russ held various titles including VP of Operations.
In 2001, Russ moved to Wisconsin with his family to manage a large wholesale and retail nursery.
In his spare time, Russ grows a wide variety of plants, including fruits and vegetables in his yard. He says, “He likes the challenge of being able to grow uncommon plants and especially enjoys growing giant pumpkins". When not in the yard, Russ is watching his son play sports, reading a good book and being a political junkie.