Have you “tweeted” “Facebooked” or “blogged” lately? This lingo that at one time might have seemed like a foreign language to you is now making its way into the everyday vocabulary of your average Joe. In fact, at Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, we “tweet” “Facebook” and “blog” every week day.
Seed World magazine recently featured Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds in their story about how social media tactics are helping seed companies reach growers to provide instant, relevant information. We use our blog, Facebook page, YouTube Channel and Twitter account to communicate pertinent information and industry news with our growers (and of course, a few recipes here and there).
However, we don’t see the traditional methods of communication disappearing anytime soon as others predict. We believe combining social media with traditional media has been a great way to reach a larger audience.
A special thank you to Teresa Falk at Seed World for including us in her story. To view the entire story, visit our website, and go to “News & Events.” Check out the “In the News” section to see this story, as well as other recent Latham news.
I can still remember sitting in 7th grade Biology class, learning about dominant and recessive genes. Honestly, I was fascinated by Punnett squares. I thought it was fun to predict the outcome of a particular cross or breeding experiment.
A recent Dairy Herd Management Forage Resource Center article took me back to my school days, but I promise it won’t end with a test for you! The research being highlighted in this article holds some incredibly exciting possibilities for our industry.
Researchers from Iowa State University, China Agricultural University and the Beijing Genomics Institute in China have re-sequenced and compared six elite inbred corn lines, including the parents of the most productive commercial hybrids in China. One goal of the research is to identify how heterosis, or hybrid vigor, works. Heterosis is the phenomenon in which the offspring of two different lines of corn grow better than either of the two parents.
Knowing just which genes are important would provide a shortcut for breeders to produce hybrids with specific traits. For example, crossing an inbred line that is drought susceptible with a line that includes the gene for drought tolerance could lead to a better hybrid. Patrick Schnable, director of the Center for Plant Genomics and professor of Agronomy at ISU, cautions there is much work left to do, but the potential for improvement in corn hybrid performance is incredible.
Ag Processing Inc. (AGP) has announced it will partner with soybean growers who are interested in producing Vistive® soybeans and delivering them to one of four participating AGP processing facilities.
AGP plans to process Vistive beans at plant locations in Eagle Grove, Iowa; Manning, Iowa; Sergeant Bluff, Iowa; and Hastings, Neb. Growers can earn a premium of between 50 and 60 cents a bushel, depending on the delivery option they choose.
Growers interested in Vistive contracts should consider these Latham® soybean brands with the Vistive trait:
L2735R2V – This 2.7 soybean contains the Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield® technology with the Vistive low-linolenic trait. It’s a fairy tall, tough line that performs well in lighter soils but also responds to higher fertility situations. Its defensive package includes the C-gene for Phytophthora, good tolerance to Iron Chlorosis and very good tolerance to Sudden Death Syndrome.
L3153R2V – This is a second generation Roundup Ready 2 & soybean line that combines that new high-yielding technology with the Vistive trait for low-linolenic oil production. It carries the Rps1-c gene for Phytophthora and has very good tolerance to Iron Chlorosis. Its excellent stress tolerance makes it ideally suited for tougher soils.
For the complete story on AGP’s announcement about Vistive contracts for 2011, click here.
You know what they say in show business, “The show must go on!” And that was certainly the case yesterday afternoon when the 30-member cast took the stage at the Windsor Theatre in Hampton, Iowa, for the second and final performance of It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.
It’s a Wonderful Life is a classic tale about a Christmas miracle in which the whole town unites to save George Bailey from personal and financial ruin. Interestingly enough, the town of Hampton performed somewhat of a miracle yesterday when community members united to ensure the production would happen.
Behind the scenes, people turned out in their Carhartts® and facemasks to blow snow. Between 5 and 9 inches of snow fell across North Iowa on Saturday with wind gusts reported as high as 60 mph with sustained winds near 40 mph. Overnight, wind chills dropped to 25 below zero. Most businesses were closed on Sunday, and the majority of churches cancelled their morning services.
What a difference a few hours makes! The snowplow cleared our road around noon, and I drove 35 miles per hour (mph) on my 12-mile trip to Hampton. (I have a hard time keeping this speed even when I’m in a 30-mph zone, so the fact I drove this slowly is a true testament to the road conditions.) Road conditions were extremely icy as it rained for hours on Saturday morning before it turned to snow. Nonetheless, people made it to the theatre. Tickets had sold out in advance for the Dec. 12th performance, and all but a few seats were filled when the curtain went up that afternoon.
The play ends as George Bailey, with his friends and family, all remember that life is really a gift to be cherished. As the group sings “Auld Lang Syne” George finds a note from his guardian angel that reads, “Dear George, remember no man is a failure who has friends.”
Thanks, friends, for allowing me to play a small role in this production. Hats off to Leon Kuehner, who did an amazing job of directing and arranging music. And I’d like to give a shout-out to the entire cast and crew, too. It is a wonderful life, right here in Franklin County, Iowa!
Click here to listen to the Latham Seeds radio commercial.
Singing the Latham jingle, from left to right: Deb Lukensmeyer, who also played Violet; Donna Dorsey, a Rosie the Riveter; Shannon Latham; Sharon Parks, a Rosie the Riveter and Grace Barter, who also did sound effects.
As the mother of an active toddler and the wife of a Latham regional sales manager, Rebecca Bailie enjoys making home-cooked meals that only taste like she spent all day in the kitchen. Easy-to-make, wholesome meals that make feeding large groups easy are standards for her.
That’s why she fixed this recipe for Beef Tips and Noodles when the couple celebrated their son’s first birthday last month. Rebecca was able to easily feed about 15 extended family members with plenty of time left to make the most important part of the meal – the birthday cake!
Rebecca says this recipe has become one of her family’s favorites. It’s perfect for entertaining large groups or for a small family dinner at home. She also likes the flexibility it offers because it can be made on the stove if you decide to make it last minute, or it can be placed in a crock pot in the morning and be ready for supper that night.
The original recipe Beef Tips and Noodles was found on cooks.com, but Rebecca made some changes to fit her family’s tastes. Rebecca’s version is listed below, click here for the original recipe.
With so many great products in the Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids 2011 lineup, it’s easy to overlook some numbers that weren’t showcased in our 2010 SuperStrip plots. That’s why I’d like to take this opportunity to explain why my favorite hybrid is LH 5494 3000GT. Latham 5494 3000GT is a great hybrid north of Highway 30 in Iowa, as well as for farmers in Wisconsin.
Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids LH 5494 3000GT dominated the 2009 Latham Group B SuperStrips, but it’s best known for producing well in real field conditions. It’s a taller hybrid with great standability and very good late-season intactness. It has excellent vigor for tough field conditions with high drought tolerance. It produces excellent tonnage for dairymen with good digestibility to boot.
This hybrid yields consistently up and down the hills. It does a great job of bringing up the low ends of fields. This will translate to whole-farm yields that are above average due to the ability of Latham 5494 3000GT to handle tough portions of fields, while producing top-end yields. Plant some in 2011 and see what it can do for you!
Due to the widespread outbreak of Sudden Death Syndrome in 2010, many soybean growers are taking an even closer look to disease rating scores as they select seed for the 2011 growing season. The effects of last season’s disease is fresh on our minds, but industry experts remind growers to recall what happened in their fields two seasons ago if they use a corn-soybean rotation.
“… The risk of white mold should be considered as well, particularly in northern Iowa where white mold was wide spread in 2009,” says X.B. Yang, an Iowa State University Extension plant pathologist and soybean disease expert.
Both SDS and white mold have built a sufficiently high amount of inoculum in soybean fields in Iowa, according to a December 4 article in Wallaces Farmer. Next summer’s weather conditions will help determine which of these diseases has the greater risk of outbreak.
To read more about the risk of SDS and white mold in 2011, click here to read the article in its entirety.
Art Imitates Life In Franklin County: It’s A Wonderful Life!
Oscar Wilde is often quoted for saying, “Life imitates art,” but I beg to differ. At least in this one instance, “art imitates life.”
A big, shout out to Karen Ferris for assembling my wonderfully festive costume complete with screw-back earrings and a vintage brooch. I’ve always wanted a “feather in my cap”!
Yesterday I had the pleasure of playing “Mrs. Latham” in the Franklin County Players’ and the Franklin County Art Councils’ production of It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. Based on Frank Capra’s classic movie, this radio play takes place on Christmas Eve in the 1940s as the idealistic George Bailey considers ending his life. Thanks to divine intervention – including an earthly visit from an angel named Clarence – Mr. Bailey comes to see how the world is a better place because he was born.
The action takes place in one act with four commercial interludes. And, yes, one of the commercials promotes Latham Seeds. I had the pleasure of serving as “the voice” of Latham Seeds, which really took me back in time.
It all started in 1947 when Willard Latham, my husband’s grandfather, founded Latham Seed Company and began producing seed oats for retail. As business grew and the times changed, oats gave way to soybeans and the company evolved from a retail business to a dealer organization.
Willard Latham, studying his soybean crop
The same values and principles on which Willard Latham founded the business more than six decades ago remain our guiding principles yet today: honesty, integrity and unsurpassed customer service. As I say in our 1940-esque radio commercial, “Latham believes in the power of rural America and the independent spirit of the American farmer… We sell only the highest quality corn, soybeans and alfalfa seed. Our seed experts will help you select just the right seed to fit your needs. Latham Seeds is located right here in Franklin County. We’re family owned and operated, so we understand what you need to be successful. Let the folks at Latham Seeds help you today!”
My motto in the kitchen is “Simple. Delicious.” If you keep this in mind, you’ll have a better understanding as to why I’m posting a photo of butter rather than the beautiful entrée that was served yesterday at the luxurious Chateau on the Lake in Branson, Missouri.
Butter Stars
Latham customers and I had the privilege of watching a cooking demonstration by Chef Doug Knopp. To say that it was “Food Network brought to life” would be a huge understatement! I learned more in 90 minutes from Executive Chef Knopp than I’ve learned after years of watching cooking shows on TV! Chef began by telling us that no question was a dumb question, so I felt like I was given carte blanche! (As a former journalism major, I’m never short of questions.)
“Cooking is an art,” says Chef Knopp. “You don’t have to follow the recipe exactly; make a few changes to better suit your tastes.” For example, Chef says to cook with any wine that you would drink.
If you like Chardonnay, try it. If you like Riesling, use it. Experiment with different wine when making the Mushroomed Stuffed Chicken Breast (recipe follows) to discover what wine gives you the flavor you most enjoy.
The Canadian-born chef also shared many tips as to how he and his team of culinary professionals are able to serve 150 covers (industry jargon for “different plates of food”) a la minute (made to order) nightly and with ease. The key, he says, is mis en plus (pronounced meez-on-plooss), or the advanced preparation of ingredients. Here are a few of his tips I’ll be trying at home:
Placing washed lettuce and other foods (even soup) in Ziploc® bags and then stacking them in my Crisper drawer;
Tossing out my cooking wine (which tastes like vinegar any way) and replacing it with whatever I feel like enjoying by the glassful that night at dinner;
Assembling olive oil (in a plastic squirt bottle), pats of butter, kosher salt, and other seasonings in a 9×13 pan, so it’s convenient when I need it;
Blowing on the liquid to prevent it from boiling over on the stove;
Using a star tip to make pretty pats of butter.
Honestly, I think food tastes better when it’s pretty. Move over small, yellow, plastic tub of margarine… this Christmas I’m replacing you with pretty stars of Real® butter!
What are some time-saving tips that make holiday entertaining easier for you?
Cajun Butter
Ingredients:
1 pound unsalted butter, softened
2 T. orange marmalade
1 tsp. chili powder
Method:
Blend all of the ingredients together and place in piping sleeve with star tip. (I’m so excited to have another use for The Pampered Chef® decorator kit since I use it more to make Deviled Eggs than I do for cakes or cookies. Oh, I feel a New Year’s Resolution coming on!)
Roasted Red Pepper Bisque with Sambuca Cream
Ingredients:
4 large, roasted red peppers, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
½ head celery, chopped
1 T chopped garlic
½ cup tomato paste
quart chicken stock
½ quart heavy whipping cream
½ cup Sambuca
One of our customers and Chef Knopp whisk up Sambuca Cream to top our Roasted Red Pepper Bisque.
Method:
Sauté the roasted red peppers with onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Deglaze with white wine, add chicken stock and half of the cream, bring to simmer. Whisk in tomato paste. Simmer 15 min. Puree with hand blender and strain. Season with salt and white pepper if needed. Whip the rest of the heavy cream and add Sambuca. Pour into bowls and garnish with Sambuca cream. (Yield 6)
White Chocolate Banana Spring Roll with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Ingredients:
6 large spring roll wrappers
3 bananas
3 oz white chocolate chips
3 oz chopped pecans
3 oz caramel sauce
3 oz chocolate sauce
2 pints vanilla bean ice cream
6 mint sprigs
Method:
Slice bananas into 4” sections and then slice them in half the long way. Place banana, flat side down, in a spring roll wrapper; sprinkle with white chocolate chips and chopped pecans. Fold in the ends and wrap up banana in wrapper, sealing the end with egg wash. Deep fry or place in shallow pan fry until golden, approximately 2 minutes. Place ice cream in center of plate and spring roll next to it; drizzle with caramel and chocolate sauce. Top with chopped pecans and garnish with mint sprig.
New Insect Resistance Management Refuge Calculator
The introduction of new refuge systems in recent years has given growers more options in setting up their refuge. So, to assist farmers in developing the right plan for refuge compliance, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) has developed a calculator to help farmers clarify the options and show them how to execute the requirements properly.
Chad Blindauer, Chair of NCGA’s Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team said, “Biotechnology is an important part of modern agriculture’s ability to sustainably meet the world’s increasing demands for food, feed and fuel, and its proper stewardship is essential. Given the benefits of Bt products, farmers and trait providers have a duty to keep this technology viable and on the market.”
The calculator includes all commercial Bt products on the market and a trait selection process where farmers can run different planting scenarios on a field-by-field basis. To download the NCGA calculator, click here.
Seed World magazine recently featured Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds in their story about how social media tactics are helping seed companies reach growers to provide instant, relevant information. We use our blog, Facebook page, YouTube Channel and Twitter account to communicate pertinent information and industry news with our growers (and of course, a few recipes here and there).
