At the Latham Premier Agronomy Center, we have many demonstrations including different corn planting dates and planting depths to show how these two important factors influence yield year after year. Research shows that 50 to 75% of corn yield increases during the past 70 years came from genetic advancements, which leaves 25 to 50% of that yield increase to changes we’ve made to our farming practices.
Planting date and planting depth are cultural practices that have led to increased corn yield. Fifty years ago, farmers were talking about planting earlier than mid-May. Today we talk about planting earlier than April 15!
Our adapted hybrids produce the best yields when planted in the first week to 10 days of May. This is usually due to disease, stand loss or slow growth early in the corn life cycle. This is something we know well, and it’s why Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds includes emergence and early vigor scores in our product guide.
Matching the right hybrid to the right field and planting it at the right time can lead to outstanding yields – but only if you also plant at the proper depth. Planting corn at the proper depth allows the crown to establish approximately three-fourths of an inch below the soil surface.
Why is crown development so crucial? If the crown is pushed to the soil surface due to shallow planting, at least one set of nodal roots typically establishes above ground. We want nodal roots to develop below ground to anchor the plant and to also increase the corn plant’s drought tolerance. Corn should be planted about 2.5 inches deep, which allows it to establish the crown just below the soil surface. Shallow planting depth causes issues with germination due to dry soils.
We look forward to harvesting our demo plots at Latham’s Premier Agronomy Center and sharing results with you throughout the summer. Have a safe spring season!
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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.
“Price is what you pay, but value is what you get.”
This adage holds true for corn silage research, too. That’s why Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds builds knowledge from previous years of corn silage research.
Latham Seeds has several locations across the Midwest where we evaluate corn silage grain yield plus these three important factors:
1. Economic impact to the livestock producers. Corn silage and alfalfa are more complex than cash grain crops as we look for high value in the fields and at the feed bunk. Research continually refines the impacts on beef and dairy on tonnage, fiber digestibility and starch digestibility.
Tonnage. Corn silage dry matter is comprised of about 50% grain
and 50% stover. Modern dual-purpose hybrid genetics tend to have a lot of grain yield capacity, which contributes favorably to overall yield. Additionally, we look for hybrids that are robust in plant structure to provide additional tonnage benefits.
Economic Benefit to yield. Corn silage price per ton at 65% whole-plant moisture (WPM) is about 10 times the market price of corn. At $6 per bushel for corn, that’s $60 per ton for corn silage. There are many pricing variations. Depending on the growing season and location, tonnage can range from 20 to more than 30 tons per acre. A typical acre will gross $1,200 to $1,800 per
acre. Truly, every ton counts.
Starch digestibility. This can be a bit complex, which is why most seed companies don’t consider this factor. This is a high priority at Latham Seeds as starch is 50% of the plant’s dry matter. Indeed, it’s complex. When the plant stores starch in the kernel, there is a relationship between genetics, growing season and fertility. Drought, years with low heat units and soils with low fertility can contribute to lighter test weights, but starch tends to be more digestible vs. heavy test weights. Our goal is to index our hybrids over multiple years and multiple environments to help maximize the energy from every molecule of starch, so it doesn’t pass unused through the animal in manure.
Economic Benefit to Starch Digestibility. There is a lot of research about starch digestibility in beef and dairy. Less than 3% fecal starch is optimum. A study at University of Pennsylvania revealed a 0.72 pounds of milk/day decrease for every 1% increase of fecal starch. This equate to about $65,000 annually for a 1,000-cow dairy.
Fiber Digestibility. Imagine the structure a corn plant must have to keep the plant upright and stand through high winds. The base of the corn plant contains a high amount of lignin, a structural component that keeps the plant upright. We can measure how much is in the corn silage, as well how much is digestible. The goal is to have as much as the fiber digestible as possible. Generally, a cow that consumes more and uses more of what is consumed is more productive. Some studies show that cows that use more of what is consumed also produce less manure.
Economic Benefit to Fiber Digestibility. Generally, every point increase in fiber digestibility on a feed report is neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD). A dairy cow can produce up to one-half pound more milk per day. When you factor that across 1,000 cows in a dairy for 365 days, having 1 point better digestion can have an economic impact of approximately $45,000 per year!
In review, consider factors beyond raw grain yield when evaluating corn silage hybrids. Selecting hybrids that have demonstrated better digestibility can be helpful to a livestock producer’s bottom line. Feel free to contact me if I can be of assistance as you’re writing early orders.
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.
Harvest Corn Silage at Optimal Milkline to Add to Your Bottom Line
Corn silage season is approaching quickly, so it’s a good time to review basics like how to determine when to harvest.
As the kernel matures from the dented cap, the milkline moves toward the kernel tip where it attaches to the cob. Harvesting at 50% milkline generally achieves approximately 65% whole-plant moisture. Optimal harvest for bunks/bags is 65 to 70% whole-plant moisture, or one-half to one-fourth milkline. Optimal harvest for stave upright silos is 63 to 65% whole-plant moisture, or three-fourths to one-half milkline.
Think of the kernel as a sponge. As the milkline develops, the kernel absorbs more moisture from the chopped residue. If you harvest silage corn that is too wet, juicing can occur. Inadequate fermentation and mold development also may result. It is advantageous to do a formal moisture check using a koster crop tester, for example.
One of the biggest drivers for milkline development is weather. Moisture, fertility, heat and plant health are four big drivers affecting milk line movement. When the plant is at full photosynthetic capacity, the corn silage whole-plant moisture can decline daily from 0.5 to one percent. Photosynthetic activity slows when the weather is cold, wet or cloudy, causing the corn plant to mature slower. Look at the forecast as harvest approaches because many changes can occur in five days.
Another way to improve the quality of corn silage is by raising the chopping height as most lignin accumulates in the lower portion of the stalk. Lignin is the structural component that helps plants stand. It’s a tradeoff to find the correct cutting height to maximize forage quality and to capture the most tonnage.
Some forage producers increase cutting height to help reduce moisture, so they can get started earlier. Raising the chop height 12 inches in a Penn State study left about 0.6 ton in the field but forage quality improved. Improved quality produces more milk for dairy farmers!
Phil Long, precision agronomy advisor, is scouting in the corn field. He highlights unique characteristics you could see with corn rootworm damage. You may be looking for the wrong thing!
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