Tractors are more than Machinery at the Toppen Farm
Every tractor has a story! That is why Todd Toppen collects model toy tractors that tell the story of his family’s farm over the years.
Todd enjoys restoring model toy tractors. His goal was to find all the tractors he had when he was growing up and he is close to achieving this goal. He has the first tractor that he ever drove, the first tractor his dad purchased, and many more to represent monumental moments on their farm. It was great to hear the stories behind each one and how he customized them to tell a story about their family history.
The Toppen family has been farming for more than 100 years in Horace, North Dakota. Todd and his family farm the same ground that his parents purchased in 1958. They raise wheat and soybeans on their farm.
“There was never any question I wanted to farm when I got older,” said Todd.
Todd farms with his wife, LeAnn, and their son, Kyle. LeAnn and Todd met in high school. They went to their high school homecoming dance and have been together ever since. LeAnn also grew up in North Dakota in a family involved in agriculture. Her grandparents and her dad was Case tractor dealer and diesel mechanic. In addition to working on the farm, Leanne works at a local church.
Kyle, who graduated from the University of North Dakota with a degree in accounting, is active in the day-to-day farming operation. Once the crop is harvested, Kyle spends the winter months working as a farm tax accountant. Kyle says he has three busy seasons throughout the year planting, harvest, and tax season!
While Todd, LeAnn, and Kyle are the primary operators on the farm, their two daughters, husbands and children live in the area and often visit the farm to pitch in. “Farming is what brings our family together,” says LeAnn.
By talking with the family, you can hear the passion in their voices they have for farming but it hasn’t always been easy.
“Not everyone can be a farmer, it takes a very special person.” says LeAnn.
In North Dakota a wide variety of crops including wheat, barley, corn, soybeans, sugar beets, and sunflowers are grown. The Toppens have raised all of these crops over the years which makes seed sales a challenging part of their operation.
When they aren’t working on the farm, the Toppens enjoy spending time at the lake with their children and their five grandchildren. The entire family goes to Pelican Lake almost every weekend during the summer.
Todd and LeAnn really enjoy having their family close to spend time with their grandkids.
Todd stated, “There isn’t much you don’t like about being a grandparent!”
They also enjoy attending their grandkids’ school and sporting activities.
Todd became a Latham® dealer three years ago and grows soybeans for our company. He became familiar with Latham through a local seed company and then decided to become a dealer. Todd says he chose Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds because the company is known for producing quality products, respects their employees, and provides valuable customer service. He also really enjoys how accessible the staff and owners are too!
Family is very important to the Toppens and keeps them moving forward on their operation. We are lucky to have them as a part of our Latham family!
It’s amazing what comes to mind when you find yourself traveling mile after mile – for hours on end over the course of two days – through lush green hills in the southeastern Iowa countryside. The scenery is so picturesque that it’s a wonder I didn’t get off the bus and break into song. “The hills are alive with the sound of music…”
Instead my mind raced with lyrics to Frank Sinatra’s Love and Marriage… “Love and marriage. Go together like a horse and carriage… Dad was told by mother that you can’t have one without the other.”
While it may seem a bit corny, these lyrics reminded of the connection between food and farming. “Try, try, try to separate them, it’s an illusion. Try, try, try and you only come to this conclusion: You can’t have one without the other.”
The participants of the two-day tour pose in a soybean field at the farm of Mark Jackson. Photo by: Joe Murphy
Even more frightening is this statistic from an article published June 15, 2017, by The Washington Post: 7% of all American adults believe that chocolate milk comes from brown cows. If you do the math, there are 16.4 million misinformed people who drink milk but don’t know that chocolate milk is made from milk, cocoa and sugar. (Side bar: Chocolate milk is such a powerhouse of nutrition that many athletes drink a cold glass to provide the fluids, carbohydrates, proteins and electrolytes their bodies need to recover.)
One Department of Agriculture study, commissioned in the early 1990s, found that nearly 1 in 5 adults did not know that hamburgers are made from beef. And an increasing number of Americans who know where their food comes from wants to dictate how it’s produced.
Many of the environmental and stewardship practices being advocated for are already in place on farms across the country. Consumers participating last Friday and Saturday in Expedition Farm Country, a two-day bus tour hosted by the Iowa Food & Family Project and sponsored in part by Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, got to see first-hand what conservation and environmental practices in place, including bioreactors that help prevent nitrogen from entering streams and waterways.
Michael (left) and Mark (right) Jackson hosted the first stop on the tour! Photo by: Iowa Food & Family Project
Conservation of the land and environmental stewardship is true passion for Mark and Michael Jackson. Michael, who raises crops and livestock as well as sells Latham® seed, is a sixth generation Iowa farmer. He’s the fifth generation to live in his family’s farmhouse. He farms with his father, Mark, who authors the monthly Farm Life Journal for the Iowa Food & Family Project.
In 2014, Mark Jackson was a featured speaker at a TED event in New York City. He says he’s motivated to leave the land better than he found it, so his grandchildren and future generations will have the opportunity to continue farming. Mark’s TED talk highlighted the technology used on his farm to aid in conservation, as well as to decrease pesticides while saving fuel costs.
Sustainability and responsibility were key messages shared by the farmers who hosted our tour. One Iowa dairy farmer explained that when he started farming regulations mandated many of his practices, while today consumers are making demands on how he treats cows and how his dairy processes milk. Unlike some of the other sectors of production agriculture, Dane Lang of Yarrabee Farms in Brooklyn, Iowa, says the practices he was asked to follow are best management practices that his family’s dairy already had in place.
Yarrabee Farms was founded in 1860, and the original farmhouse still stands and remains in use. This farming operation also is unique in that it still is managed by three generations: Maynard; Maynard’s son Craig and Craig’s wife, Mary; as well as two of Craig and Mary’s four children, Dane and Cade.
Another unique aspect of Yarrabee Farms it involves both beef and dairy herds. To stay in compliance with livestock regulations, cattle are kept on different farms. The milk cows are housed on the farm where Dane lives. Calves are taken to a nearby farm where someone else specializes in their care. Dairy heifers, as well as the beef cattle, are housed on the farm where Dane’s brother, Cade, lives. Cade’s wife, veterinarian Dr. Katie Lang, helps ensure all livestock stays healthy.
Consumers on the trip were reassured by the Langs, as well as by every livestock producer along the way including turkey producers, that they use antibiotics sparingly and responsibly. Withdrawal periods are required for antibiotics before any milk or meat animals leave the farm. In addition, all dairy and meat products are inspected to ensure the withdrawal periods are followed.
Tim Graber, a fourth generation turkey farmer from Wayland, says he employs antibiotics when needed. He also raises antibiotic-free turkeys, using natural remedies to nurse his birds back to health.
Let’s talk turkey for a minute… Iowa’s turkey growers are the number one supplier of turkey to Subway and Jimmy Johns. West Liberty Foods, a farmer-owned processing plant, also sources deli meats for Costco. The Graber’s turkeys are processed by West Liberty Foods. Tim also is a member of the local farmer-owned cooperative that focuses on producing high-quality feed for turkey growers.
New hatchlings arrive on the Graber farm weighing just one ounce. Expedition participants had the chance to hold 6-day poults, which weighed about 10 ounces. It takes about 18 weeks to get these toms to a market weight of 42 to 45 pounds.
The final farm visit of the Expedition was to Brenneman Pork in Washington County where animal care and research are top priority so “no pig ever has a bad day.”
Rob Brenneman’s pork operation began with nine pigs when he was just 9 years old. He and his wife, Char, started their operation in 1980. Today their fully-integrated operation, family-run operation includes a 29,000-sow farrow-to-finish operation. Their daughter-in-law Erin is one of the farrowing specialists. She actively shares “the beautiful world of farming” through SnapChat and Twitter as @sowmama.
In addition to meeting some of the world’s best farmers who also were the most gracious hosts, I’m confident that participants in Expedition Farm Country will feel more confident in the safety and quality of America’s food supply after meeting such caring farmers. I’m confident these participants now have a better understanding of how food products get from the farm gate to the dinner plate as each farm stop featured some of the area’s best foods: Subway sandwiches; Stone Wall Brick Oven Pizza and Wooden Wheel Winery; as well as koalches and ice cream sandwiches from Kalona, which is the largest Amish settlement west of the Mississippi River.
You can get a taste of farm-raised goodness with Quick & Easy Apple, Cheddar and Turkey Bacon Omelets. The recipe was printed in the “Cooking with Turkey” cookbook that participants on the 2017 Expedition Farm Country tour received, compliments of the Iowa Turkey Federation.
Also check out the Federation’s website for tailgating ideas, such as Breakfast Deviled Eggs, to main dishes like Crock Pot Cordon Bleu Turkey. (Crock Pot cooking makes it easier to eat well during the busy harvest season IMO. Did you know we have a whole section of Slow Cooker recipes on TheFieldPosition.com)
International Fare Flavors the Minnesota State Fair
Fairchild is the original MN State Fair mascot.
I grew up believing “nothing else compares to the Iowa State Fair,” which is our great state fair’s marketing slogan. I also know that our State Fair is a great state fair because there’s a Broadway musical that tells us, “It’s dollars to donuts that our state fair is the best state fair…”
Or is it? Recently I read a special to The Des Moines Register about how the Iowa State Fair Compares to the Minnesota State Fair. Quite honestly, that article prompted me to visit the 2017 Minnesota State Fair on its opening day on August 24 to find out for myself.
One of my best friends, Kristina, who has lived in the Minneapolis area for more than 10 years with her family, agreed to join me for this adventure. Both former Iowa 4-H members, we visited the 4-H exhibits building. The displays were so visually appealing!
The Iowa State Fair has an amazing 4-H exhibits building, too. It’s always an honor for 4-H’ers to have their projects selected for state. This is one of the many similarities I noticed between the two fairs. Each of these state fairs has “agriculture interaction” for children: Iowa State Fair is home to Little Hands on the Farm; Minnesota is home to Little Farm Hands. You’ll also find a corn dog stand practically on every street corner. Both fairs also have a giant slide, a sky glider, and a predominant grand stand plus several small stages throughout the grounds.
Both fairs reflect the identify of their respective states, and I really enjoy attending both fairs for different reasons. The Iowa State Fair is known for its Butter Cow, while the Minnesota State Fair known for Crop Art. The Iowa State Fair fare is what I’d call “authentically Iowan” and Midwest home cooking at its best.
Iowa’s commodity groups showcase the best products and introduce new menu items each year, like last year’s winning Nacho Mama’s Tacos and this year’s Thanksgiving Balls. The Minnesota State Fair fare had more of an international flair, at least from what I saw and experienced yesterday.
Kris and I literally ate our way around the fairgrounds, starting with Walleye on a Stick and Walleye Balls, which were a new fair food in 2016. (I’d give 5 stars to the Walleye on a Stick, which is lightly seasoned with lemon pepper. Everyone should try this IMO. Seriously, what could be a more authentic food in the Land of 10,000 Lakes than Fish on a Stick? After all, Baudette in the Lake of the Woods is the Walleye Capital of the World.)
Next, we had by Key Lime Pie on a Stick made by Kermit’s Key Lime Shoppe in Key West, Florida. I honestly don’t know how Key Lime relates to Minnesota, but that pie on a stick was delish! I’ve visited Kermit’s in Key West, and one bite into that refreshing dessert took me on a walk down memory lane.
I also had fun reminiscing about past vacations while walking around the International Bazaar, which showcases merchandise and foods from around the world. There were so many options, but I decided to stick with the “food on a stick” theme and ordered a Gyro on a Stick.
MN State Fair is known for lefse. We sampled the Lingonberry Lefse. YUM!
“Gyro on a stick” was a little misleading. I envisioned it be more like a kabob or the Iowa State Fair’s “salad on a stick” where there would be an alternating pattern of Greek-seasoned meat, grape tomatoes and a few lettuce leaves. Instead the Gyro on a Stick is more akin to Iowa’s Famous Pork Chop on a Stick because it’s a solid chunk of meat. (Side note: Pork Chop on a Stick is so famous that presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were both photographed eating one at the 2015 Iowa State Fair.)
Pork Chop on a Stick is one of my all-time favorite Iowa State Fair Foods. It ranks at the top of my “must eat list” along with the Hot Beef Sundae from the Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters and lamb gyros outside the sheep building.
In my opinion, just because you can put food on a stick, doesn’t mean you should! My trip to the Minnesota State Fair confirmed (for me) that gyros belong in a pita topped with Tzatziki sauce. (That sauce is magical!)
If you’re an Iowan, you might prefer Pork Gyros. (Did you know there are more pigs than people in Iowa? There are six times more pigs than people in the Hawkeye state!) If you’re a native Minnesotan like food blogger Jeni Eats, you’ll consider Demtri’s Gyros a classic fair food. If you grew up raising and showing sheep like I did, you know the best gyros are made with American lamb. Taste for yourself! Enjoy fair fare all year long with this recipe for Lamb Gyros.
Sixth Generation Proudly Joins the Longest Family-Operating Dairy in Dunkirk Township Wisconsin
As a young child growing up in rural Wisconsin and later as a hockey player for the Stoughton Vikings, James Amera learned one of life’s most important lessons: Once you get knocked down, pick yourself up and move on.
Tenacity is certainly a characteristic that’s been handed down through the generations. James’ grandfather, Merle Skjolaas, grew up on a dairy farm and then started his own operation. His wife of 54 years, Ginny, worked fulltime at the Dane County FSA office. Now that Ginny has retired from her off-farm job, she is known for serving hearty homecooked meals for everyone helping on the farm.
Chidester-Skjolaas Farm, which has been operating for more than 150 years, is the longest family-operating dairy in Dunkirk Township. Diversification and hard work allowed the Skjolaas to survive the 1980s Farm Crisis and provide an opportunity for the sixth generation to join the business.
“I’ve always looked up to my grandpa, so I feel fortunate to have a chance to farm with him and to learn from him,” says James, who bought his own herd in 2015 and now milks 120 cows. The barn is built to accommodate 200 cows, and James plans to expand at some point.
About 75 percent of James’ cows are registered. He focuses on genetics to increase the quality of his herd, which are primarily Holsteins with a few Jerseys and Brown Swiss.
“I like choosing dams and sires,” says James. “I like big cows with square udders. I look for the taller, bigger framed cows. I like putting up the feed and seeing how that translates into milk production.”
James and his grandfather also raise crops together. Although they both have their own land, they share some equipment like the combine. James grows alfalfa, wheat, corn and soybeans. Sometimes he grows peas and oats. Whatever crop is grown must either provide high quality feedstuffs for the dairy cows or add value to the farm operations.
“Milk is what pays the bills, so we focus on feed quality and cow comfort,” says James. “It’s important to get the feed put up right. I’ve stopped planting corn just to cut the best quality hay possible. Last year I started chopping silage early, so it had good moisture.
Whether it was achieving Best of Show for corn and tobacco when he was a 4-H and FFA member or helping his younger brother prepare for National Junior Swine Association shows, James is competitive. He’s committed to doing whatever it takes to raise the best crops and livestock.
Livestock is definitely James’ passion. He grew up showing pigs. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin short course, he moved to Illinois where he worked on a show pig farm for a year.
“I really enjoyed that job,” says James. “As herdsman, I cleaned pens and moved sows. I also bred sows and delivered show pigs around the country. It was so much fun meeting people from all over the U.S.”
The opportunity to farm with his grandpa is what brought James home. He recently moved into the home where his grandfather, mother and her siblings where raised, which is just across the road from where his grandparents built a house and now live.
Success is Sweet for 4-H Members Whose Projects Were Selected for State Fair
Success is sweet for Hope Hartman of the West Fork Winners 4-H Club in Sheffield, Iowa. Last year she entered a bar challenge at the Franklin County Fair and was named Best of Class. This year marks the second time in four years that her Food & Nutrition project has been selected to advance to the Iowa State Fair.
“My favorite things to make are cupcakes and cakes, so I wanted to try something new this year,” says Hope, whose Orange Muffins advanced to the state competition two years ago. Her grandma Cathy Carlson, of Cathy’s Country Cook’n and Carlson’s Tree Farm, is known for growing her own wheat and baking wonderful bread. Cathy is also known for making the most delicious 60-Minute Rolls, so Hope decided to try her hand with dough.
“My grandma found a Caramel Pecan Cinnamon Roll recipe she liked and has made it her own over years by adjusting ingredients,” says Hope. “The judge said the rolls smelled delicious and had good texture.”
Although Hope’s mom grew up in the kitchen and operated a bakery with Cathy, Hope says she didn’t “catch the baking bug” until she joined 4-H.
“I needed a project my first year of 4-H, so I decided to try baking,” says Hope. “I stuck with it after I realized I was good enough to get selected for state.”
Having a 4-H project get considered for the state fair is a huge honor and having a project get selected to actually advance to the Iowa State Fair can be highly motivational for youth.
“It’s really cool to see something you worked hard on get selected for the state fair,” says Emma Bartling. She’s participated in the Food & Nutrition 4-H Project for four years. This year her Buckeye Brownies earned a purple ribbon and were selected to advance to competition at the Iowa State Fair next month.
Like every good 4-H’er, this soon-to-be eighth grader started with a goal in mind. “I wanted to try a new dessert recipe that wasn’t like a traditional brownie. I also wanted to see if a box brownie mix and a homemade brownie mix would work the same in this recipe. She learned that a good homemade brownie recipe works just fine to replace a box mix brownie in this recipe.”
The combination of the layers and beautiful food photography made a Buckeye Brownies recipe stand out, says Emma. She recommends using a 9×13 cake pan instead of the 8×8 pan called for in the original recipe. The larger pan made it easier to cook the brownie base all the way through. She also prefers the larger pan because it makes thinner layers. Since this recipe is so rich, Emma says a thick piece would be too much at one sitting.
In addition to earning top honors with her Food & Nutrition project, Emma also earned purple ribbons for her bedroom redecoration and for a softball sign. One of her photography entries also was considered for state. She also earned blue and red ribbons with her photography project. She said she really didn’t care what the judge thought of her red ribbon photo entry because the memory of being in the field with her dad (when that photo was taken) is more important than any ribbon. Her real passion is working cattle with her dad.
It’s life lessons like these that help 4-H youth develop into confident, independent adults. Some of the best lessons are learned when the purple ribbon isn’t earned. Sometimes it’s just enough to discover where our interests lie. If you enjoy rich desserts, try your hand at baking Emma’s Buckeye Brownies!
Get a Taste of Southern Hospitality with Pineapple
As a family-owned and independent seed company, we say we want Latham® Dealers and our farmer-customers to feel welcome from the first “hello.”
Treating friends, neighbors and business partners like family is part of the Latham legacy. John and Chris’ grandma, Evelyn Latham, was one secret to the early success of Latham Seeds. While her husband, Willard, conducted business at the kitchen table, Evelyn was known for serving up homemade treats and bottomless cups of coffee.
If you’ve ever visited the South – whether Colonial Williamsburg or Silver Dollar City – you’ll see pineapples symbolize southern hospitality. Several spouses of Latham dealers and employees found themselves treated to southern hospitality yesterday by Debbie Dance Uhrig, the Master Craftsman who teaches at Silver Dollar City’s Midwest Living® Culinary & Craft School.
The symbol of hospitality during Colonial times was pineapple, or the crowned fruit. As the tradition grew, innkeepers added the pineapple to their signs and advertisements. Pineapples were carved into bedposts across the colonies. Even today the pineapple motif remains a favorite of architects, artisans and craftsmen.
Isn’t it interesting how some traditions withstand the test of time? In the tradition of southern hospitality, Debbie demonstrated how to make Pineapple Upside Down Cake in a skillet. Her presentation was certainly entertaining and delightful, but the best part was sampling the finished product! We’re sharing the recipe with you today, so you can enjoy it at home.
While I enjoy spending “me time” in the kitchen, I also enjoy learning tips and sampling regional fare during my travels. I highly recommend treating yourself to a class at Silver Dollar City if you have the opportunity. And if you’re ever in New Orleans, check out the New Orleans School of Cooking. Click here to read about my experience there.
Quarry Hill Dairy is on a Mission to Promote Health
When Connie Meyer was growing up on a grain farm near Oelwein in Northeast Iowa, she dreamed of marrying a farmer and raising her family on a farm. There was one caveat, however. She didn’t want to marry a dairy farmer because of the amount of time and work that is involved.
“I made a farm call to Quarry Hill Dairy when I was working in sales for Monsanto. I met a third-generation dairy farmer named John, and the rest is history!” says Connie, who is responsible for human resources, employee management and accounting for the family’s dairy. “Yes, dairy farming is a lot of work, but I’ve also learned that it is very rewarding. There are so many great people in our industry, and this is an awesome place to raise our girls!”
Connie’s husband, John, is the Quarry Hill Dairy’s overall business manager. Their daughters, 15-year-old Kate and 14-year-old Megan, are both active on the FFA dairy judging team. They also show meat goats and dairy cows for 4-H. The girls enjoy helping at the dairy when they’re available. Kate plays softball and volleyball. Megan is a member of the track and basketball teams.
With 800 cows to milk and two active teenagers in the house, the Meyers rely on non-family members to keep operations running smoothly. Three, 8-hour shifts daily are split among 20 full-time employees at two locations. There are 10 full-time milkers, two part-time milkers, one full-time calf manager, one herdsman and two assistant herdsmen, a feeder and three people work in agronomy.
“Our employees are extremely important to us. We couldn’t do what we do without them! We’re fortunate to have a team of passionate people.” says Connie.
Milk is shipped daily to Land O’Lakes, and Connie has become very involved in consumer outreach. Land O’Lakes’ member/owners recently started working with 10 national food bloggers, only 1 of whom had previously visited a working dairy. Earlier this month, these bloggers met the farmers who produce the products that will be featuring. Connie and one other individual represented Minnesota, and other dairy farmers represented California and Pennsylvania. The three farmers represented a variety of dairy sizes and styles.
“I emphasized our focus on cow health in order to produce a high quality product to drink for milk, cheese, ice cream, and other dairy products,” says Connie. “I wanted the bloggers to understand that cows are our livelihood, so everything we do in our dairy is focused on keeping our cows healthy and happy. Decisions are made based on what’s best for the cows.”
“I hope consumers understand that we really care about our cows and our land,” Connie adds. “Every decision we make on our farm centers around the question, ‘Is this what’s best for the cows?’ Consumers can be confident the dairy products they purchase are high quality and nutritious!”
Because most consumers are more than three generations removed from agriculture and food production, Connie believes it’s important for all farmers to share their stories and “put faces” on the products we produce.
Today Connie is sharing with us one of her family’s favorite recipes for Parmesan Ranch Chicken. It’s fancy enough for #SundaySupper and easy enough to make for #WeekNightSupper. I’m looking forward to making this recipe myself. No matter when we sit down to this meal, you can bet we’ll be giving thanks for America’s dairy producers!
Feeder Cattle Connect Generations on This Iowa Farm
3 Generations of Cattle Producers at the Hawthorne Family Farm
The first Friday of June was the kind of day many of us take for granted. I watched as four generations of the Hawthorne family spent time on their family farm near Lohrville, Iowa, and thought “days like this get etched in our hearts and on our minds.”
Beautiful flowers were in bloom around a tidy vegetable garden, and cattle were grazing on pasture with a meandering creek. Skies were blue, and clouds were fluffy and white. Although the sun was shining brightly and the forecast was calling for a high near 90 degrees Fahrenheit, a cool breeze was blowing.
Latham® dealer, Mark Hawthorne, walked with me into a picturesque field of LH 9700 alfalfa that was seeded in mid-March 2016.
“Latham’s 9700 lives up to the description in your advertising,” said Mark with a smile. “It has a great disease package. It also has fine stems and is very leafy. It offers fast regrowth, too. We like that it’s tall because that makes more feedstuffs. We tub grind our alfalfa and mix with grass hay, grain and supplements. We find there’s a lot less waste when we tub grind rather than let the cattle have free choice from a round bale feeder.”
Mark’s father, Merrill, was busy cutting hay while the sun shined. Mark’s wife, Susan, and their 14-month-old granddaughter enjoyed watching the farming activity under a shade tree with Mark’s mom, Rita. Mark and Susan’s 12-year-old son, Max, was busy watering his pen of feeder cattle that he will exhibit in about 30 days at the Calhoun County Fair.
While he didn’t exactly tell me so, I gathered that what Max enjoys most about his 4-H beef project is the chance to spend time with his dad and grandpa. It makes him feel connected to carry on the tradition of raising cattle like those before him. He’s also learning lessons about business and life.
Here’s what I learned: These cattle will be placed in a pen on the fairgrounds. Max will make a poster that includes vital information like beginning weight in January and weight at the fair. A team of three judges will ask 4-H members questions like “What ration did you feed?” I learned that Max is feeding his cattle 40 percent protein with cracked corn. It takes approximately 30 pounds of feed per day per animal, and cattle will gain about four pounds per day.
The cattle business has been good to this third-year member of The Union 4-H Club. Last year Max sold his feeder cattle and cleared enough to buy this year’s pen plus put some money in the bank. He’s saving up for breeding heifers. And like many pre-teens, he has his sights set on owning his own pickup.
Big dreams often start as 4-H and FFA projects.
“I had always planned to farm if there was an opportunity to do so,” says Mark. “I worked for a farmer by Story City the four years that I attended Iowa State and for eight years after graduation. Then an opportunity came open for me in corn breeding at the Syngenta plant in Glidden. This was a good move because I was closer to home, so I could help my dad on the farm.”
Mark says he’d probably still be working in Glidden today if Syngenta hadn’t closed the plant. He didn’t want to uproot his family to Seward, Nebraska, so he put his Ag Business major and Agronomy minor to work for himself by taking on a Latham® dealership and taking over more of the day-to-day responsibilities on the farm.
The Hawthorne family backgrounds cattle. They buy 400-pound steers in January and sell them around 800 to 900 pounds sometime between Labor Day and Thanksgiving.
“Our farm has changed as times have changed,” explains Mark. “We used to finish cattle, but it got to the point where packers wanted to buy large numbers of cattle. Since we aren’t loading out semi-trailers at a time, we started selling them sooner. We used to raise hogs in open-front building but got out of the business instead of reinvesting in new facilities. It works out well because we get to take a break from doing chores for a few months each year.”
Late fall and early winter months provide time for the family to get enjoy a ski vacation or to visit family members and friends. Mark and Susan’s 25-year old daughter, Jessi, lives nearby. Their 22-year-old son, Kodi, lives in Barret, Minnesota.
“Our goal is to leave our farm in a position that allows our kids to come home if they so desire,” says Mark. “We’re getting the next generation ready now, so they can take over some day.”
One sure fire way to get all the kids to gather is to put brisket on the smoker, adds Susan. “They come running home when they hear Mark’s Midnight Brisket is in the smoker.” Today Mark is sharing his family’s favorite beef recipe with us. Beef. It’s what’s for dinner.
It’s show season and that means this Northwest Iowa farm girl has places to go and people to see. Josie Wickman of Wicky’s Rockin’ Boer Goats in Curlew hits the road most weekends from March to October, traveling to American Boer Goat Association (ABGA) events in Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota.
Josie discovered her passion for livestock production as 4-H member. She showed sheep from fourth through eighth grades. Her mom, Lori, was serving as the sheep superintendent at the Palo Alto County Fair and decided to start a goat show because meat goats were the fastest growing 4-H project at the time.
“That year we borrowed a doe from our neighbor, and I fell in love with showing goats,” says Josie. “Boer goats have so much personality. They act like dogs, and they’re so smart. I also enjoy kidding season. It’s so much fun to see all the babies run around.”
Josie started a goat herd during her freshman year of high school with two commercial does named Sweetie and Dot. One year later, her grandma bought her an ABGA registered doe. Her mom helped her name Wicky’s Rockin’ Boer Goats, which combines Josie’s love for both music and Boer goats. Josie names her registered goats after song titles.
Since 2011, Josie’s goat herd has expanded to 75 head and she’s gotten involved with embryo transfers. Thirty does are recipients and several others are donor does.
“Trans-Ova has recently started offering reproductive technologies for goats, so I think you’ll see a lot more of it around here,” says Josie. “It’s a great way to improve your herd genetics without having to buy and house a buck. When it comes to selecting my donor does for flushes, I choose the ones that have the most desirable traits according to the breed standards.”
Raising animals that portray the best breed standards is important when your goal is to raise show-quality meat goats that can be sold to 4-H and FFA members. Josie’s efforts have been rewarded with numerous trophies from top shows across the Midwest, plus in high school she earned her FFA chapter’s Star Placement award.
Josie’s goals for her goat herd remain raising competitive show animals. Her long-term goal is to pursue a career that will allow her to continue raising Boer goats. She’s heading down the path for success by enrolling at Iowa State University. This spring she earned her associate’s degree from Iowa Lakes Community College, and this fall she’ll move to Ames where she’ll major in English.
Before she hits the books again, this girl has places to go.
“My favorite show to attend has always been the Iowa State Fair,” says Josie. “I love all the questions I get from people walking by asking about my goats and what we do with them. It reminds me that not everyone is lucky enough to grow up around animals.”
As a tribute to the Iowa State Fair, today Josie is sharing with us a recipe for Choco Moco cupcakes. She made these cupcakes as a 14-year-old 4-H member, and they were selected for the Iowa State Fair.
“When I was practicing baking these cupcakes for the fair, my dad kept coming in the kitchen and sneaking the rejects,” says Josie. “I always took a bunch of projects to the fair, but I always made sure that every year I took cupcakes of some kind.”
As a former 4-H member who enjoyed exhibiting baking projects, I know that “consistent and uniform” gets engrained in your brain. To this day, I look for consistency when plating baked goods. Here’s to all those 4-H and FFA members who are honing their baking skills for the summer fair season!
Faidley Family Caters to Consumers with Beef Business
One sure sign of spring across the Midwest is seeing cow-calf pairs on pasture. Daniel Faidley of Bear Grove Beef says seeing a healthy calf’s head peeking out of the grass sparks feelings of relief, pride and hope.
The characteristics that Daniel Faidley of Colfax, Iowa, looks for when he selects seedstock today is almost completely opposite of what he and his siblings selected when they were showing tall, large-framed Limousin cattle as 4-H and FFA members in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In fact, his herd is more reminiscent of the cattle his dad raised and showed in the 1950s and 60s.
“I go to a lot of business dinners and see a lot of steaks that don’t get finished because they’re just too big. That’s just wasteful, so I decided to raise smaller cattle that would produce beef that created an amazing eating experience for people,” explains Daniel, who works full-time as sales directorfor WinField United. “I researched several options and discussed them with my brother, Dwayne. His advice was, ‘If you want to look at your cows in the pasture and really like what you see, go with Mini Herefords. They’re quality cattle that produce incredible beef’.”
That decision started Bear Grove Beef and Bear Grove Family Farms, which were named after the one-room schoolhouse near the farm where Dwayne and Daniel grew up. These two core businesses complement one another: Bear Grove Beef focuses on producing better seedstock every year with the ultimate goal of raising cattle that can win in the show ring but also are productive in the pasture. Bear Grove Family Farms focuses on delighting consumers with extremely high quality beef for their dining pleasure.
Mary and Ryan Faidley showing some love to their heifers at the tie-outs at the Iowa State Fair
“I wish more consumers understood just how safe and nutritious beef is in this country. I wish they didn’t get bombarded with misinformation that creates fear and doubt,” says Daniel. “Our approach to marketing Bear Grove Family Farms beef is to never say anything negative about other beef or the way it was produced, with the important exception of not condoning anything that’s egregious abuse of animals or the law. We’d rather tell our story and give people the choice of how they’re going to feed their families. We’ve had people call and ask for free range, grass fed, organic… whatever. We explain what we do and how we do it. Sometimes, they say, ‘Okay, that makes sense. I’d like to buy some.’ Sometimes, they say, ‘Sorry, but it has to meet XYZ criteria and your beef doesn’t do that.’ That’s fine with us. We are going to be 100 percent truthful about what we do.”
The Faidleys feel so strongly about honesty that it’s is a written policy. A pamphlet given to Bear Grove Family Farms’ customers states:
We will answer any question you have, honestly.
Less than 3% of the U.S. population has any direct connection to a farm. That leads to questions about what happens on the farm and creates confusion about what farming practices are good and what are bad. We have nothing to hide about where the food we produce comes from and how it was raised. You may have some strong preferences about food and need to know specifics about the food we produce to decide if you want to buy food from us. Just ask. If our answers mean you choose to go elsewhere for your food, we are ok with that. We hope knowing the facts about our food helps people make confident choices about the food they put on their own dinner tables.
Mary showing at the Iowa State Fair
When cows are grazing the lush pastures of a new spring, no one is more grateful for their health and gets more joy from watching them with their calves than the farmer. And, when that first-time mama cow needs help to have her first calf, it is the farmer who rushes to the scene to do everything possible to save mama and baby. Farming isn’t easy. But, farmers are people with hearts that love the farm, the livestock, the land. And, they are people with minds to make decisions that protect their hearts by doing what’s best for the livestock and the land.
Farms and farmers aren’t perfect. Like great parents with their kids, farmers must make decisions based on what they believe is best. Sometimes they learn they could have done it differently or better and work to apply those learnings in the future – just like parents. Farmers pursue better ways to care for the livestock and the land and produce food for people to enjoy.
Bear Grove Beef’s Cannonball was the 2016 Iowa State Fair Reserve Champion Bull
Bear Grove Family Farms is truly a family operation. Daniel handles the logistics of scheduling beef to be ready for customers and shares marketing it with his wife, Robin. Their kids get involved, too. In fact, Mary, qualified for the regional technology fair by creating a website and YouTube videos focused on educating people about farms by debunking common misconceptions about farms and cattle.
For the Bear Grove Beef business, Dwayne manages the cattle production. Their father, Don, is involved with helping make good production decisions. The kids work with the cattle, too.
“The only surefire way to get all the Faidleys together is to meet at a cattle show,” says Daniel. “Getting together with family is one of the main reasons I choose to show cattle now. Our sister, Diana, and our mother, Dorothy, often help make sure Bear Grove Beef is represented professionally. I enjoy the competition, but I remind myself and our kids that it’s a very subjective situation. One person decides 100 percent of the outcome of the show. Getting too wound up about winning is a recipe for disappointment.”
Whether they’re prepping cattle to make a great impression in the show ring or preparing to deliver beef to customers, the Faidleys understand the importance of presentation.
Bear Grove Beef’s Ben Dover was named 2017 National Western Stock Show Reserve Champion Bull
“Robin is amazing at thinking about beef products from a mother’s perspective. She bridges the understanding of how the animals are raised for the typical consumer, who hears a lot of noise about food production but who doesn’t know what’s real and what’s rhetoric,” says Daniel. “Robin also makes things look pretty. When we sell beef, we like to present it in a way a consumer would find appealing. Robin has a green thumb, which allows us to deliver beef with some extras in the presentation like some flowers or herbs she grew. We’re a small farming operation and we put our hearts into every steak we sell. Robin’s touch really demonstrates that.”
To help promote the delicious beef they produce, today Daniel is sharing one of his family’s favorite recipes for marinated flank steak. Flank steak is a quick-cooking, flavorful cut of meat. When sliced correctly on the diagonal, the pieces of steak are tender and attractive.
COOK’S TIP: Like many great farm cooks, Daniel and Robin Faidley cook from scratch. Daniel’s philosophy on cooking beef is “don’t use a recipe and don’t overcook the meat.” He shared with me the steps he takes to prepare grilled steak. I find Daniel’s “honesty” refreshingly funny. I’ve been known to thaw meat in the microwave because I didn’t plan far enough ahead. I have no doubt that you could sit down at his table and be treated to the most delicious steak dinner, and I’m just as confident that I couldn’t pull it off without being given exact measurements. 🙂 I’m analytical enough that one of my favorite gifts is a set measuring spoons I received that are labeled “dash, smidgen and pinch.”
Click here for more tips on how to score and grill flank steak.
Also be sure to check out the many delicious recipes available online from the Iowa Beef Council, including:
Todd enjoys restoring model toy tractors. His goal was to find all the tractors he had when he was growing up and he is close to achieving this goal. He has the first tractor that he ever drove, the first tractor his dad purchased, and many more to represent monumental moments on their farm. It was great to hear the stories behind each one and how he customized them to tell a story about their family history.
Kyle, who graduated from the University of North Dakota with a degree in accounting, is active in the day-to-day farming operation. Once the crop is harvested, Kyle spends the winter months working as a farm tax accountant. Kyle says he has three busy seasons throughout the year planting, harvest, and tax season!
In North Dakota a wide variety of crops including wheat, barley, corn, soybeans, sugar beets, and sunflowers are grown. The Toppens have raised all of these crops over the years which makes seed sales a challenging part of their operation.
Todd became a Latham® dealer three years ago and grows soybeans for our company. He became familiar with Latham through a local seed company and then decided to become a dealer. Todd says he chose Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds because the company is known for producing quality products, respects their employees, and provides valuable customer service. He also really enjoys how accessible the staff and owners are too!
dairy in Dunkirk Township. Diversification and hard work allowed the Skjolaas to survive the 1980s Farm Crisis and provide an opportunity for the sixth generation to join the business.
livestock.
