General | | Latham Hi-Tech Seeds

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Cooking Up Memories for Farm Boys and Girls

It’s not uncommon for kids to follow in their parents’ footsteps. After all, we literally look up to our parents from the moment we take our first steps. Dave Bergquist of Foxhome, Minnesota, was no different. He’s always wanted to be a farmer like his father.

The Bergquist Family

You might say opportunity knocked one day when a sales manager for Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds came to the Bergquist’s door. No one in their area had a Latham® dealership. Dave’s father, Mike, said that national companies already had several dealers in the area, so he really liked the idea of working with a family-owned company that shares similar values.

A Latham® dealership provided the Bergquists with an opportunity to plan for Dave to join the family’s farming operation. They worked to grow their Latham seed dealership. Meanwhile, Dave completed the John Deere program at North Dakota State College of Science. Then Dave worked full-time for five years as a technician at a John Deere dealership where he developed many skills that are much needed on the farm, as well as in their seed dealership.

“One of the reasons it was so easy for Mike and Dave to join Latham Seeds is because it’s a family-owned company,” says Dave’s wife, Chloe. “We appreciate that families are included in Latham dealer gatherings. The Bergquists are all about family, and our family gathers often at Mike and Patty’s. Our sons are blessed with 10 boy cousins and one girl cousin, who also have a love for being at the farm.”

Mike and Dave are point people for their operation, but it really is a family operation. Dave’s four sisters, his mom and his wife pitch in when needed. Chloe also helps keep books for their farming operation and works as a dental hygienist.

“Our sons love farming as much as their dad and Papa,” says Chloe. “There is nothing better than watching the boys check planting depths with Dad or Papa in the spring. When harvest time comes, they get so excited to ride in the combine, grain cart, beet lifter or truck.”

Although they work hard, they also look forward to spending time together at the lake. Dave also enjoys fishing and hunting and looks forward to the day when his sons can go with him.

“I grew up wanting to be like my dad,” says Dave. “As someone who you look up to your whole life, it only makes sense to do what you were taught. I really enjoy farming. It’s satisfying to plant seed, watch the plants grow and harvest the year-long accomplishments.”

Dave and Chloe look forward to continuing family traditions and creating memories with their children. They also enjoy family mealtime whether it’s around the supper table or a tailgate meal in the field. Today they’re sharing one of their favorite recipes with us.

shannonlatham

February 3, 2022

Beef, Food & Family, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Growing Seed Beans is a Family Tradition for the Bruns Family

The Bruns Family

Just as Latham Seeds is a multi-generational, family-owned business, growing our high-quality soybeans has become a legacy for many North Central Iowa farm families.

“I have enjoyed working with everyone at Latham Seeds,” says Steve Bruns. Steve has been a contract grower of Latham® seed beans since 1999, but he has many more years of experience. While he was in high school, Steve worked on weekends and during the summer for Latham grower Hugh Porterfield. Steve later custom farmed Hugh’s ground for 20 years.

“The people I work with at Latham are the ones I’ve known since grade school,” adds Steve, who grew up northeast of Alexander, Iowa, on a farm his grandfather purchased in 1949. He and his wife, Karen, raised their three children in the same house where Steve was raised. “We go to church together. We’ve sat on bleachers watching our kids play. We are all community!”

Like many young people, Steve left the area for a few years before he decided to choose farming as his livelihood.

“Farming is the last thing I wanted to do when I went off to college,” says Steve, who graduated in Commercial Arts. “I worked in advertising for a few years and decided it wasn’t for me, so in 1980 I moved back to the area and started farming.”

Sadly, Steve’s father developed cancer around that same time.

“I had to quickly take over the farm, right in the middle of the Farm Crisis,” says Steve, whose father, Dean, was just 44 years old when he passed. “Luckily, I didn’t have the chance to accumulate a lot of debt, which forced a lot of out farmers out of business during those turbulent years.”

During the 1980s and 1990s, the pork industry changed a lot.

“Contracts to hog producers allowed for a steady income and took away the market swings, so I got back into the pork industry in 2000,” says Steve, who operated a 4,000-head site for 20 years. Steve and his family were recognized in 2005 as one of Christensen Farm’s top producers, so their photo hung outside the Animal Learning Center at the Iowa State Fair. “The most enjoyable part of hog production was the people I worked with from service managers to load crews to truckers and repairmen. Everyone was working together to raise a quality product.”

Although he’s no longer producing pork, Steve uses hog manure for fertilizer on as many acres as he can.

“Hog manure gives an extra yield bump if conditions are right when it’s applied. We’ve seen a 10- to 20-bushel yield bump when manure has been applied under the right conditions,” says Steve.

Now that he has retired from pork production, Steve hopes to have more time for golfing, fishing and hunting. Karen worked 21 years for the postal service and retired in 2014 after serving the last eight years as postmaster. She enjoys spending time sewing, walking, gardening, traveling and spending time with family.

“Karen helps a lot on the farm. She keeps this place looking great. She also does most of the ripping in the fall and field cultivating in the spring, and she still finds the time to make sure we all have a full lunch cooler to take with us to the field every day,” says Steve. “A few years ago, we had some volunteer corn escapes in a field of seed beans. She cleaned up the entire 200-acre field by herself while we combined other fields. I’m sure they wouldn’t have made the grade if she hadn’t done such a great job.”

Taking pride in a job well done runs in the family. Eric is proud to be a sixth generation Iowa farmer. Eric and Steve farm some acres 50:50, and they also run some of their own acres. In addition, Eric has been a contract grower for Latham Seeds since 2010. A graduate of the University of Iowa, Eric also works as an insurance agent. His wife, Traci, earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. She also earned a master’s degree in Education and is an ESL teacher. They live in Latimer with their children, Haidyn and Hudson. The Bruns’ oldest daughter, Jami and her husband, Adam, both graduated from Iowa State University. Jami is an interior design strategist. Adam has an MBA and is a vice president of product for Denim Social. They live in Huxley with their three children, Anea, Cale and Drew. The Bruns’ youngest daughter, Lindsey, and her husband, Zeb, graduated from Coe College. They live in West Des Moines where Lindsey is a nurse anesthetist, and Zeb is a salesman.

The Bruns family enjoys gathering at the farm for great meals like pork casserole, a recipe passed down by Steve’s grandmother Elsie.

shannonlatham

January 27, 2022

Food & Family, General, Pork, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AsktheAgronomist – Potassium Levels

Phil Long, precision agronomy advisor, continues his soil fertility series with the topic of Potassium. He highlights different challenges that come along with building Potassium levels and what you can do to reach your goals.

Webspec Admin

January 25, 2022

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, General, Soil
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AsktheAgronomist – Too Much Nitrogen?

Phil Long, precision agronomy advisor, continues his soil fertility series with the topic of Nitrogen. Is it possible to have too much Nitrogen?

Webspec Admin

January 18, 2022

#AskTheAgronomist, Corn, Fertility, General, Soil
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Latham Seeds Hires Megan McDonald as Sales Project Manager

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds welcomes Megan McDonald to the team as Sales Project Manager. She will be instrumental in developing resources to help Latham dealers build relationships and capture new opportunities, plus planning internal, dealer and customer events.

“Latham Seeds has been a company that I have admired ever since I attended Ag Career Fair when I was an Iowa State student,” says Megan, who graduated in 2018 from Iowa State University (ISU) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business and Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing plus a minor in Agronomy.

After college, Megan planned events and developed marketing materials for a six-location John Deere Dealership in western Iowa. She then worked in a fast-paced startup environment. Most recently, she worked as a Digital Marketing Specialist for CornerPost Marketing in Fort Dodge. She was responsible for researching and implementing digital strategy for agricultural clients.

“I am so excited to have Megan’s communications talents on our team. She brings a can-do attitude and loves to work with people to make things happen! I look forward to the ways she will help bring our team together and connect our Regional Sales Managers and dealers to people and resources that will make them successful,” says Amy Rohe, sales manager for Latham Seeds.

Megan looks forward to working closely with Latham’s Sales Team to reach their goals and to help the team better understand how to use tools that will help bring increased awareness to the company.

“I appreciate the loyalty the Latham brand has, and I’m looking forward to helping promote the Latham brand even more,” says Megan. “I’ve heard that Latham Seeds has a wonderful family environment. As a working mom, this is important to me. This position sounds like a perfect fit for me, my family and my career.”

Chance and Megan McDonald with their children Cash (age 2) and Maesen (6 months)

Megan and her husband, Chance, live on an acreage near Roland in Central Iowa with their two-year-old son, Cash, and their six-month-old daughter, Maesen. The McDonalds enjoy being close to their alma mater, so they can attend Cyclone football and basketball games. They also enjoy being close to Chance’s sister and brother-in-law, who farm just outside of Roland.

“We hope to teach our kids about loving the land and how farming really is a family affair,” says Megan. “The generations before us have set us up for the success that we have today, we hope to pass this legacy on to future generations. Agriculture is more than a job. It is a way of life. It instills a work ethic and a pride of being part of something bigger than just yourself.”

Megan is proud to be a fourth generation Iowa farmer. She and Chance farm with her parents. Chance is a full-time precision agronomist, working with clients throughout the state of Iowa. Chance also serves as agronomist for her family and his brother-in-law.

“Growing up on a farm was the best way to be as a kid. Exploring the outdoors and having animals right outside the front door was so much fun. We had horses, pigs, sheep, cats and rabbits. My brother and I helped my dad and grandpa around the farm. I really enjoyed riding in the combine with Grandpa and with Dad when he drove the semi. In turn, they helped us with our various 4-H projects,” said Megan, who served on the Grundy County 4-H Council. She also was the 2014 Grundy County Fair Queen and named Runner Up Iowa State Fair Queen that same year.

In her free time, Megan enjoys quilting and sewing and making T-shirt and memory quilts. She enjoys cooking, baking and gardening. Chance and Megan preserve a variety of produce from their garden, as well as homemade salsa and spaghetti sauce.

Today Megan is sharing with us a family favorite recipe for alfredo. She really enjoys the versatility of this recipe as you can change it up by adding different vegetables like broccoli or substituting chicken for shrimp.

shannonlatham

January 13, 2022

Food & Family, General, Poultry, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

It’s More Cost-Effective to Plant Alfalfa in 2022
Latham’s Proprietary AlfaShield Seed Treatment accelerates emergence and protects against diseases.

The growth in the cover crop markets combined with production shortages have grass seed prices climbing significantly. As a result, it’s not as economical to plant a grass seed-alfalfa mix. If you’ve historically planted a grass seed-alfalfa mix, consider a solid-seeded alfalfa for spring 2022.

High fertilizer prices have many farmers looking at every nitrogen credit. Similar to soybeans, alfalfa fixes most of its own nitrogen. Latham Seeds’ signature seed treatment, AlfaShield^TM, contains key micronutrients like molybdenum and an LCO growth promoter called Optimize® Gold. Having these components readily available upon emergence increases the chance of early nodulation and nitrogen-fixing cycle.

The speed at which an alfalfa plant creates nutrients correlates to yield, as well a healthier long-term stand. Alfalfa can fix an average of 150 to 200 pounds of nitrogen per year and has a robust advantage in providing nitrogen credits years after the stand ends.

The chart above outlines potential credits. Traditionally, the subsequent crop planted on rotated alfalfa yields about 15 to 20% more! There is more good news, the value of alfalfa extends beyond the nitrogen credit. Alfalfa has many other assets to accompany your operation:
- Next years crop’s roots can grow deeper as alfalfa’s tap root extends beyond the soil hard pan.
- Alfalfa stands are three to four years old and can break down disease cycles.
- Alfalfa interrupts the insect cycles and reduces the use of common herbicide.
- Alfalfa is a great diversification tool and adds an additional avenue of revenue.
- Alfalfa seed can also be amortized over three to four years!
Making alfalfa part of a crop rotation has so many advantages. Talk with your Latham® rep today about making it part of your 2022 crop plan!
Webspec Admin

January 13, 2022

Agronomics, Alfalfa, Crop, General
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds Welcomes Kate Van Manen as Digital Marketing Strategist

Kate Van Manen, Digital Marketing Strategist

She was supposed to be on vacation that summer day instead of working. He had an internship he was supposed to be at, yet he happened to be at his parents’ farm helping give a tour to a group. Their meeting was serendipitous.

Today Kate and Jacob Van Manen are raising their children just a quarter mile away from where Jacob was raised – and where his parents still farm – near Kellogg in Central Iowa. They raise cattle, field corn, soybeans, sweet corn, tomatoes and pumpkins.

Tomato production was Kate’s Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) when she was in FFA, so she has renewed her interest in vegetable production. In 2020 they built a high tunnel, so she enjoys spending quiet time picking tomatoes after her children are asleep.

“As our kids get older, I’m excited to share with them lifelong lessons, as well as spiritual truths that closely align with many aspects of the farm,” says Kate, who grew up on a farm in Northwest Iowa near Storm Lake. Her family raised corn, soybeans, cattle and hogs. “Many tasks on the farm are done with family, which is something really special. Our daughter, Kennedy (age 4), gets excited about picking sweet corn at 5 a.m. with her great grandma. Kennedy also enthusiastically scoops cattle bunks in her Frozen® dress. It will be fun to see what farm tasks that Karter (age 1) enjoys.”

“There is something about letting your kids get their hands dirty and drink from a hose,” adds Kate. “One fun Dutch tradition that I married into is ‘coffee time.’ Great Grandma Trudy Van Manen lives across the road from us. She hosts a coffee time daily at 9 a.m., which brings everyone together for a break during which we enjoy the most delicious, homemade Dutch treats. Some mornings there are four generations present! It’s a simple thing but so special.”

Shared family values are one of the reasons Kate decided to join family-owned Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds.

“I am glad to be back in the ag industry professionally as I enjoy working with the most amazing, down-to-earth people,” says Kate, who had managed social media and assisted with marketing efforts for another regional seed business after she graduated in 2014 from Iowa State University with a major in Agriculture Communications and a minor in Entrepreneurial Studies. Most recently, she worked in marketing and communications at a regional hospital. “I really appreciate the level of flexibility and trust that Latham Seeds provides to its team members. I feel very empowered to manage my time and projects and grow in my career skills. I also appreciate their values and importance on family and the understanding of farming challenges.”

Kate says she is especially looking forward to attending Latham® Dealer Kickoff this summer. She says she looks forward to meeting Latham dealers in person and interacting with them and their spouses online in her new role as digital media strategist for Latham Seeds. Kate is responsible for developing strategy and implementing tactics for Latham’s social media channels.

Jacob, Kate, Kennedy and Karter Van Manen

In her free time, Kate enjoys traveling, gardening, fitness and going on gator rides with her family to check their crops. They often spend a few hours – after 5 p.m. during the summer months – pulling weeds from their pumpkin patch. Kate also enjoys cooking.

“I did not grow up baking Dutch treats, and I’ve learned that’s entirely something different!” says Kate. “I usually volunteer to bring vegetables to Van Manen family gatherings, but a friend shared with me a recipe for Dutch letter bars. This recipe is so easy to make, and it tastes exactly like Dutch letters without all of the work. I brought these bars to coffee time once, and everyone thought they were delicious! I make these when we need something sweet in a pinch.”

shannonlatham

January 7, 2022

Desserts, Food & Family, General
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Balanced Fertility to Optimize Yield

High yields from 2021 combined with increasingly high fertilizer for spring 2022 have caused many farmers to scale back their fertilizer applications. While they may save on short-term input costs, they could lose more in yield than they’re saving.

Spending lots of money on fertilizer doesn’t equal high yields, however, having a soil balance sustains a corn or soybean crop during a tough year. So how can you strike a balance? It’s important to start with pH, especially when growing legumes like soybeans, edible beans and alfalfa.

A soil pH around 6.5 is important because it determines if nutrients are in usable form for the crop. If you struggle with high pH, fertilizers like MAP and AMS that are more acidifying will help lower pH over time. The micronutrient part of your fertility is also very important. In most cases, you don’t need to add as many micronutrients to fix a low test; you just need to be aware of which nutrients may be too high and thus limit the availability of other nutrients.

Soil biology – fungi, bacteria, and other microbes – play a key role in cycling nutrients to available and unavailable forms. It’s more about having a balance and being in the right form than it is about applying lots of fertilizer. For example, Iron Deficiency Chlorosis (IDC) in soybeans results when iron is not in an available form for the plant to take it up; there is actually over 20,000lbs/acre of iron in the top 8 inches of our soils!

A 200-bushel corn crop removes approximately 150, 70, and 50 pounds of N, P, and K respectively per season. A 60 bushel per acre (bu/A) soybean crop removes approximately 240, 50, and 75 pounds of N, P, and K per season. Do we need to apply exactly those amounts? No, but we must understand what the soil can provide and how it maintains a balance that is available to our crops. Soil testing is so important for gaining this understanding. When problem spots arise, then we tissue test, take additional soil samples, and use other information to diagnose.

The key point is a lot more goes into maintaining a balance in your soils than just applying the same amount of fertilizer every year. The best place to start is with a soil test. Latham’s Data Forward^TMprogram helps takes some of the worry and complexity out of it while figuring out what your soils needs. Remember, your soils are not identical to your neighbors’. A soil test is key to finding the right balance for higher yields on your fields. I’d be happy to discuss with you any questions you have about your soil and how Latham’s Data Forward^TMcould help you iron out your fertilizer needs. Call 1.877.GO.LATHAM (1.877.465.2842).

Phil Long

January 4, 2022

#AskTheAgronomist, General, Soil, Tech Tuesday
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AsktheAgronomist – Corn Yield

Where did the corn yield come from in 2021? Our agronomist breaks it down.

Phil Long

January 4, 2022

#AskTheAgronomist, Corn, General
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AsktheAgronomist – Wildfire Smoke

Have you ever thought about wildfire smoke and how it may affect your crops? Precision Agronomy Advisor Phil Long unpacks how wildfire smoke can play a role in yield potential.

shannonlatham

December 22, 2021

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, General