Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds continues its tradition of supporting Iowa State University (ISU) Cyclones football by hosting our annual tailgate and sponsoring the Latham Locker Room Report on Cyclone Radio Network. Be sure to tune into the Latham Locker Room Report after each game – whether it’s home or away – for exclusive interviews with ISU coaches and players!
Tomorrow the Cyclones play at home, and we will host our annual tailgate for Latham® dealers and customers. We’re looking forward to gathering with Team Latham members and fellow Cyclone fans! You can bet we will serve our signature cocktails, including CyRitas and Hail Mary’s with beef sticks in place of stir sticks.
Although we always “Tailgate Victoriously,” we have especially high hopes for winning tomorrow’s game. Iowa State (2-0, 0-0 Big 12) comes into this game on a high after claiming the Cy-Hawk Trophy over in-state rivals the Iowa Hawkeyes for the first time since September 2014.
Coach Matt Campbell’s winning percentage is the best of any Iowa State head coach since Charles Mayser won .647 percent of his games from 1915-19. In addition, Campbell was named Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year Award in 2017, 2018 and 2020.
The Cyclones are breaking in a new quarterback this year, but redshirt freshman Hunter Dekkers is one to watch. The Cyclones also lost their main running back after the 2021 season to the NFL draft, but Jirehl Brock returns to the starting lineup. His performance has been solid in the first two weeks.
Another fun fact is a new playing surface was installed in Jack Trice Stadium on May 3, 2022. The sod was grown at the ISU Horticulture Research Station.
If you haven’t driven past the stadium recently, you’re in for a treat. Football fans no longer have to dodge traffic and drivers should have less stress avoiding pedestrians thanks to the completion of the $10 million East Gateway Bridge. This bridge connects the Jack Trice Stadium area to expanded parking east of the stadium, including a new donor RV parking/tailgating area.
College Game Day tailgates feature everything from trail mix and Buffalo Chicken Dip to chili and ribeye sandwiches. Click here for a link to some of our favorite tailgating fare. We’re also featuring a recipe for crowd-pleasing Fall Snack Mix. It also makes for a great snack during fall harvest. Enjoy!
Latham Seeds Celebrates 75th Anniversary on Family’s Iowa Century Farm
From a build-your-own bouquet bar to bouncy houses and in-field demonstrations, the 75th anniversary party for Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds was packed with education and entertainment for the entire family.
“We feel blessed to be the third generation of Lathams to own and manage our family-owned seed company with headquarters on our Century Farm in North Central Iowa,” says John Latham, president, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds. “We know that keeping a farm in the family for generations is challenging. That’s one reason we’re proud to sell through a farmer-dealer network. We appreciate working with multi-generational farmers, who plant our seed across the Upper Midwest.”
Last night’s celebration allowed Latham Seeds to showcase the latest seed traits and technologies during the grand opening of the Latham Premier Agronomy Center. There are more than 20 demo plots located within the Premier Agronomy Center, and guests got to choose which four they wanted to attend.
One of the more popular presentations featured two new trait platforms that protect against corn rootworm (CRW) that many farms are experiencing this season. The first corn hybrid trait platform is SmartStax® PRO, which combines “BT” traits with RNA structure. When eaten by the pest, this package interferes with an “essential-to-life protein” in the insects RNA (thus RNAi) and leads to insect control. This non-BT-based development will help control CRW in a new way plus extend the usefulness of BT-based controls. You will see the SmartStax PRO Trait package in LH 5008 SS PRO and LH 5668 SS PRO hybrids.
The second trait platform to control CRW is Duracade Viptera™. This package combines BT traits with another BT rootworm trait that attaches uniquely to the insect’s gut when it’s eaten. It also provides above-ground protection from the Viptera trait. You will see the Agrisure Duracade Viptera trait package in LH 5209 DV hybrid. Latham® hybrids with Duracade Viptera and SmartStax PRO traits provide multiple modes of insect control for both above and below ground.
Another popular tour stop at the Premier Agronomy Center Grand Opening was the root and soil pit. While you can learn a lot from a root dig, you can learn even more when you dig deeper! Corn roots, night crawlers, compaction layers, earthworm channels and even water during a drought can be seen at the three to five-foot depth. Soil that is healthy deep down holds more water, has less run-off and supports plants during challenging weather. Healthy soil is also filled with microbes and worms.
Latham’s Agronomy Center field day went from 4 to 8 p.m. Following the field presentations, guests enjoyed Wholly Smoke BBQ, birthday cake and soft serve ice cream cones plus a live performance by Neil Hewitt.
Wholly Smoke BBQ from Dow, Iowa, had delicious smoked meats along with mac ‘n cheese. Such divine food reminded me of my favorite mac ‘n cheese recipe. Check it out below (courtesy of Cristen Clark, Food & Swine and Iowa Food and Family Project.)
If you’d like to schedule your own tour of the Premier Agronomy Center, contact your local Latham Seeds rep or call our office at 877-GO-LATHAM (877-465-2842). All growing season long, Latham Seeds provides opportunities to learn from demonstrations in the Premier Agronomy Center. Follow @LathamSeeds on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube – and watch Latham’s weekly “Ask the Agronomist” videos.
Labor Day is an annual celebration of American laborers – the people who truly keep our country moving. At Latham Seeds, we know farmers are the stewards of agriculture. Yes, they help feed the world. But they also help clothe us. They strengthen our global economy. They partner with Mother Nature in a way that’s not for the faint of heart.
We understand the work that goes in to everything they do. Every. Single. Day.
Saluting farmers is something family-owned Latham Seeds has done ever since Willard Latham started the company back in 1947. And as we celebrate our 75th anniversary this year, we’re especially proud to tip our hat to the laborers of agriculture. The stewards of our world.
Looking ahead to the future of farming – and a side of potato salad
Successful businesses rely on people who focus their unique talents toward a common goal. Steve and Lori Johnson have proven that axiom holds for a family farm and seed business.
Steve and Lori both grew up in Page, North Dakota. Steve grew up on his family’s farm, and Lori worked for Steve’s mom throughout high school. Steve and Lori didn’t start dating, however, until they were both at Concordia College in Moorehead, Minnesota. Steve graduated with a double major in Political Science and History with minor in Business. After attending Concordia for two years, Lori transferred to Moorehead State and graduated as a legal assistant.
Today Steve and Lori, and their son, Phillip, run a Latham® Seed dealership and a TALC seed treatment operation. Steve puts his people and business relationship skills to work managing and marketing the business. Lori’s attention to detail and organizational skills are invaluable as she runs the office and keeps the books.
Phillip puts talents honed studying agriculture finance at North Dakota State University (NDSU) to use doing financial projections, cost analysis, product research and purchasing. Phillip is married to Frannie, who teaches high school math. They welcomed their son, Colter, in January 2022.
The Johnsons have three other children, who are also putting their talents to use in the business world:
Alexis graduated from University of North Dakota (UND) medical school and is a resident in pediatrics in Omaha. She and her husband, John, a civil engineer, have a one-year-old son named Sutton.
Vanessa graduated from UND with a master’s degree in occupational therapy. She works in Surprise, Arizona. Her husband, Zach, works in hospital finance.
Payton graduated in May 2022 with a marketing and design degree from the University of Minnesota Duluth. She works as a marketing director for Inflight Pilot Training in Minneapolis, and her job comes with free flying lessons.
The Johnsons became Latham dealers in 2013. They had worked with other smaller seed companies but were attracted to Latham Seeds’ focus on the future.
“Steve is always very forward looking and interested in what’s new, what’s coming up and how it will change agriculture,” said Lori. “He wanted access to new technology and better pricing.”
Their forward-looking approach also caused Steve and Lori to invest in Abbiamo Pasta Company in Casselton, ND.
The Johnsons like to take time off for biking, boating and visiting Florida. They enjoy travel adventures. They also enjoy celebrating family milestones. When the family gathers, her kids request that Lori makes potato salad. Today she is sharing her family’s favorite recipe with us.
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 family milestones on their farm – all of them with a personal story that Todd shares with pride.
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, raising wheat and soybeans.
“There was never any question I wanted to farm when I got older,” said Todd.
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 were farmers and her dad was a Case tractor dealer and a diesel mechanic. In addition to working on the farm, Leanne works at a local church.
Todd and LeAnn have three children— Kyle, Erin and Leslie. Kyle, who graduated from the University of North Dakota with a degree in accounting, is active in the Toppen 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! Kyle, his wife, Mary, and their son, Oliver live in a second house on the Toppen farm.
The Toppens’ daughters, Erin and Leslie, live in the area and often visit the farm to pitch in. “Farming is what brings our family together,” says LeAnn. Erin and her husband, Brandon, have three children — Jackson, Madelyn and Peyton — and farm near Kindred, N.D. Leslie and her husband, Chad, live in West Fargo N.D., have 3 children Lennon, Decker and Cooper.
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.
When they aren’t working on the farm, the Toppens enjoy spending time at the lake with their children and their seven 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.
In North Dakota a wide variety of crops including wheat, barley, corn, soybeans, sugar beets and sunflowers are grown. The Toppens have raised all these crops over the years which makes seed sales a challenging part of their operation.
Todd became a Latham® dealer in 2014. He also 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! Check out Todd’s Lasagna that he shares with us today! It’s a family favorite.
Hallmark and Hollywood often use creative license when filming, but the Midwesterners who recently traveled around Ireland as guests of Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds will tell you none is needed. For us, the Emerald Isle lived up to its billing – in beauty, hospitality and intriguing local lore. Each day was like a scene from a movie, made only better because we were experiencing it right on set!
Our eight-day adventure began with a visit to the Cliffs of Moher, the “eighth wonder of the world.” We were blessed with beautiful clear weather. Not only were the cliffs in full view, but we also saw the Aran Islands in the distance. After admiring the view, we traveled by motorcoach through the countryside to County Kerry where we enjoyed a delicious white tablecloth meal complete with traditional Irish music.
The next day we fueled up with a Full Irish Breakfast before heading to the Muckross House. Nestled in the heart of Killarney National Park, Muckross House is Kerry’s premier visitor attraction. However, “house” is an understatement for this majestic 19th century Victorian mansion that overlooks Muckross Lake. Its rooms are elegantly furnished in period style. Extensive improvements – including adding the Sunken, Rock and Stream Gardens – were made during the 1850s in preparation of Queen Victoria’s visit.
Today’s visitors to Muckross can step back in time on a 1930 to 1940s-era working farm. Electricity had yet to be introduced to the countryside, and horses reigned supreme. There are three separate working farm sites that are furnished in traditional style right down to the livestock raised. The black Kerry dairy cow is one of the oldest breeds in Europe, descending from the 4,000-year-old Celtic shorthorn. In fact, this breed has been kept from extinction thanks in part to Muckross Farm.
From Muckross, our band of roving Midwesterners traveled to Blarney where many climbed the winding stairs of the castle to kiss the lucky Blarney Stone. We also enjoyed walking through the beautiful gardens and visiting Blarney Woolen Mills.
Another highlight of our Irish adventure was a tour of Ballymaloe House. What’s not to enjoy about being encouraged to taste the sun-ripened strawberries and vine-ripened tomatoes? This family-run hotel, restaurant and cooking school is situated on 300 acres of rolling green hills in southern Ireland’s beautiful County Cork.
Focus on Quality Ingredients Transforms Irish Cuisine
With its emphasis on high-quality, fresh ingredients, Ballymaloe is internationally recognized as the birthplace of modern Irish cuisine. This organic farm includes gardens, glasshouses and a micro dairy. The glasshouses were developed with grant aid money in the 1940s, making Ivan and Myrtle Allen among the first tomato producers in Ireland. Myrtle started a restaurant in her dining room in 1964, and she created a recipe for tomato relish to preserve the tomatoes Ivan grew. Ballymaloe Relish was a break-out product and remains the flagship product of Ballymaloe Food Co.
Myrtle’s daughter-in-law Darina Allen started Ireland’s first farmers market and helped develop it into a national industry. Darina’s daughter-in-law Rachel Allen is a graduate of the world-famous Ballymaloe Cookery School, so she has taken on many of the duties she learned from Darina.
Local ingredients, including water, also are key to the success of Jameson Whiskey. The word whiskey is derived from the Irish “uisce beatha,” meaning water for life. That’s fitting because the barley used to make Jameson comes “from up the road and [its] water comes from outside the window.”
During our tour of Jameson Distillery in Midleton, we learned that in 1780 John Jameson established the signature triple distillation process that it still used today. Our tour concluded with a whiskey tasting of Jameson, Scotch and an American whiskey. Afterward, we could choose to enjoy Jameson with Ginger Ale and a squeeze of lime.
Our “agricultural tour” continued in Dublin where many of us took a self-guided tour of the Guinness brewery. The tour ended on the seventh floor at the rooftop Gravity Bar, which offers one of the best views in the city. Visitors can admire the Wicklow Mountains where Guinness sources its fresh Irish water as they enjoy a complimentary pint of Guinness.
Sláinte! (Prounced slawn-che, this is the Gaelic toast to good health.)
By Lydia Zerby, consumer insights & engagement manager, Iowa Food & Family Project
The iconic Iowa State Fair is the perfect way to celebrate food, family and farming! Whether it’s meeting baby calves, catching a food demonstration in The Kitchen or enjoying a new fair food, fairgoers from both rural and urban communities can make lifelong memories during the incredible 11-day event.
This year at the Iowa State Fair, immerse your family in the art of agriculture with the Iowa Food & Family Project (Iowa FFP)! From Aug. 11-21, visitors can engage with Iowa FFP in the southeast atrium of the Varied Industries Building.
It’s a chance to “Find your Fun” by engaging with area artists who will be creating colorful and larger-than-life murals. Visitors to the display can double their fun by hunting for hidden objects in each design. Kids of all ages (adults, too!) can spin the wheel for fantastic prizes, play ag trivia, step inside an “ag-citing” photo booth or pick up an exclusive coloring sheet. Plus, there will be a special art contest for kids to enter!
Once again, Iowa FFP will be handing out its wildly popular reusable tote bags and visitors can enter to win some blue ribbon-worthy prizes. This year’s “Grand Champion” prizes include:
Iowa Pork gift basket courtesy of the Iowa Pork Producers Association
Iowa Corn gift basket courtesy of the Iowa Corn Growers Association
Earl May Nursery & Garden Center gift card
Hy-Vee grocery store gift card
The Machine Shed restaurant gift card
Framed photo of Iowa agriculture courtesy of Joseph L. Murphy
The Iowa Food & Family Project is all about celebrating families, uniting rural and urban communities and providing the information and experiences consumers need to make informed food choices. The initiative involves a collaborative network of nearly 35 food, farming and healthy living organizations who are proud of Iowa’s homegrown foods and hometown values. Iowa FFP is funded by the soybean, pork, beef, egg, corn, turkey and dairy checkoffs, as well as non-checkoff resources.
Approximately 135,000 food-minded Iowans engage with Iowa Food & Family Project monthly through social media, eNewsletter and magazine channels.
We invite you to join more than 75,000 fellow subscribers who receive our monthly Fresh Pickings eNewsletter. It’s chock-full of delicious recipes, farm stories, giveaways and ways to get involved with the Iowa Food & Family Project. Sign up here for your free subscription: www.iowafoodandfamily.com/sign-up
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is a great partner of the Iowa Food & Family Project, helping the initiative maintain consumer-focused engagement as we celebrate the continuous improvement of Iowa’s farm families and their dedication to providing wholesome food for everyone. Working together, we’re building a greater understanding and confidence among food-minded Iowans.
See you at the 2022 Iowa State Fair, where visitors will “Find Your Fun!” #ISFFindYourFun
Team members of Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds welcomed Latham dealers from six Upper Midwest states to Iowa’s Capital City, July 14-15, to kick off our 2022-2023 seed sales year. This year’s event was particularly meaningful as our family-owned and managed company celebrated its 75th “birthday” in grand fashion – from balloon creations and face painting for the kids to horse-drawn wagon rides and a delicious meal catered by the Iowa Machine Shed at Living History Farms.
We chose Living History Farms for this celebratory event because of its iconic nod to Iowa agriculture and its beautiful surroundings, including native Iowa prairie. We enjoyed going back to a simpler time of life when community members gathered for lawn games and ice cream.
What began in 1947 with an innovative farmer’s vision and his wife’s office management skills has since grown into a seed company with one of the industry’s deepest portfolios. Willard and Evelyn Latham worked hard to help fellow farmers be more profitable through forward-thinking solutions, all while raising five sons who have carried forth the company’s mission. And that mission – to be a trusted partner for farmers by providing personalized solutions today so they can grow even stronger legacies tomorrow – hasn’t changed.
Whether we’re hosting a Latham event on our family’s Iowa Century Farm or in a farm field somewhere in the middle of Latham Country, we honor Evelyn Latham by continuing her tradition of hospitality. Evelyn was named Wallaces Farmer Homemaker of the Year in 1962. She developed a reputation for always having a fresh pot of coffee on the burner and homemade cookies on the table when customers came calling. Scotcharoos were often on Evelyn’s cookie plate, but that goes to reason since Rice Krispies® were invented by an Iowa State University graduate.
Scotcharoos are often served with Maid-Rites (not to be confused with Sloppy Joe’s). Who knew Iowa is home of the Maid-Rite® sandwich, too? Fred Angell served the first loose-meat sandwich in 1926 and franchised his idea in 1927. At Taylor’s Maid-Rite in Marshalltown, they still grind 100% choice beef daily to ensure its quality and freshness. We’re sharing a recipe for this Iowa classic, so you can enjoy loose-meat sandwiches at home.
We enjoy learning about regional fare as we travel across the Upper Midwest, visiting Latham dealers and customers. We’re linking to our past Kickoff blogs to give you a taste, too!
Latham Seeds Salutes Farmers at Hy-Vee’s INDYCAR Race Weekend
From the first lap in fields every spring to the final lap at harvest, Latham Seeds has always been committed to helping farmers grow. And this past weekend we were at the Iowa Speedway in Newton for a special Salute to Farmers at the Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend.
As part of our own 75th milestone as a family-owned, farm-proven company, Latham Seeds sponsored the 75th lap of the race on Sunday. Check out our commercial below!
“Honoring farmers is something we have done ever since our grandfather established Latham Seeds back in 1947 right here in Iowa,” says John Latham, company president. “But it’s something we are especially proud to celebrate this year during our 75th anniversary.”
Celebrate Summer by Cow Gazing and Enjoying Ice Cream
The stars at night are big and bright in farming country. While those who live in urban areas often comment on how great the star gazing is in rural areas, they now have the opportunity to cow gaze thanks to a unique experience available from New Day Dairy GuestBarn in Clarksville, Iowa.
“Because I didn’t grow up on the farm, I knew visiting a farm is intriguing and exciting for people,” says Lynn Bolin, who grew up in a Minneapolis suburb and met her husband, Dan, while they were both students at Iowa State University. “Dan and I traveled a lot in our younger years, so we value travel for the experiences you can bring home. Travel is about enriching life, not just escaping life, for us. Part of traveling is also experiencing foods unique to that area. I truly believe that food is the tapestry that weaves us all together. The way and what we eat looks different from person to person but I’ve yet to meet someone who didn’t eat!”
Lynn and Dan, a fifth-generation dairy farmer, started their own dairy operation on December 9, 2015, with 110 cows. Not only do the Bolins open their gates to farm tours, but they have taken the “farm experience” one step farther by opening a European-inspired guesthouse attached to their barn.
“All guests get access to 24/7 cow gazing from the GuestBarn loft. If a calf is born while guests are staying, they get to help name the calf. We also give every guest an introductory farm tour, so they can meet our cows up close and watch Rita the Robot at work as she milks cows.”
Rita the Robot milks cows 24/7 at New Day Dairy. The cows choose when to get milked, which is on average, three times a day.
“The cows love the consistency of Rita because they know exactly what she going to do every time, and she never has a bad day!” explains Lynn. “Dan enjoys the robot because it gives him flexibility in his day, which makes his job more interesting. Because he doesn’t have to put milking cups on the cows all day, he has more time to care for the cows and provide more technical maintenance.”
Some guests add “Be a Dairy Farmer Challenge” to their stay. This tour is given exclusively from #DairymanDan. He takes them on a tractor ride and learn to hand milk a cow. They also walk with the cows and peek inside Rita the Robot and bottle-feed a calf. Another highlight of this tour package is helping feed the calves.
Another popular add-on is “Make-Your-Own Ice Cream” package, which includes an ice cream maker and all the supplies to make vanilla ice cream plus toppings. What better place than a dairy farm to experience how ice cream is made? While guests wait for the ice cream to be made, they can work on cow-themed puzzles and look through a picture window in the loft of the GuestBarn to watch cows either lounging or getting milked by Rita the Robot.
“Families play farm-themed board games, put together puzzles or play with farm toys. They also can enjoy stargazing in the garden or walking down our private lane. Many guests enjoy playing with our two porch cats,” says Lynn. “While there are many activities to enjoy nearby in Cedar Valley, most of our guests choose to spend their entire stay at the GuestBarn. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy time together as a family, as well as opportunities for relaxation.”
Since the New Day Dairy GuestBarn opened in January 2020, they have hosted many Midwest visitors. They’ve also become a place for families to meet as the farm is located in the middle from Minneapolis to Des Moines or Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City and Omaha. They also have hosted guests from as far away as Germany and from New York, Washington, Florida and Texas.
Enjoy these photos from a day at the farm.
Questions frequently asked during all farm tours include:
Do the cows stay inside all year long? (yep, in the summer they have a shaded “picnic pavilion” barn with big fans. In the winter they’re protected from the winter)
How old is your oldest cow? (a cow typically lives on the farm until they’re 6-10 years old)
What are all those big long white bags? (the cows’ pantry – we store their corn silage & haylage fermented, like canning from a garden, so they can eat it all year long)
What are they laying on? (sand – it’s comfy and it’s clean)
How much do cows’ sleep? (they take “cow naps” but they don’t all sleep all night long – that’s why Rita the Robot can milk them all night long)
How long a cow is pregnant? (approximately 9 months)
How many calves does a cow have on average in her lifetime? (two to four)
Do you have a bull on the farm? (no, that wouldn’t be safe for us or our guests. Dan uses a process called assisted inseminated to help each cow get pregnant when she’s ready)
What is a female cow called? (technically only a female that has had a calf is a cow)
What is male cow called? (bull or steer, depending on whether he is intact)
What is a baby cow called? (calf)
What is a heifer? (a female bovine that hasn’t had her first calf)
“One thing I stress is that there really is no dumb or off-limit question,” says Lynn. “Folks ask about how much things cost, our family’s lifestyle, and more!”
Lynn makes it easy to ask questions as guests are encouraged to text her questions throughout the day. If you’re interested in learning more about life on an Iowa Dairy Farm, follow @NewDayDairy on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Celebrate National Ice Cream Month in July with one of the Bolin family’s favorite recipes for Oatmeal a la Mode. Ice cream for breakfast? Yes, please!