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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Quick Steps to Slow Spread of Soybean Aphid Resistance
The number one soybean insect pest is growing across the Upper Midwest. Recent reports indicate some aphid populations are developing resistance to insecticides, especially pyrethroid products.
While we may not be able to stop the spread of this resistance, we can certainly slow it down by using these best management practices:
» Avoid spraying any insecticide if the economic threshold has not been reached. The accepted economic threshold is 250 aphids per plant in 80% of the field as long as the aphid population is increasing. This should not be confused with the injury threshold, which ranges from 600 to 700 aphids per plant. The economic threshold is designed to give farmers time to apply insecticide before the field reaches the injury threshold.
» Use insecticides with different modes of action just like we use herbicides with different modes of action to help control resistant weeds. Some common examples of pyrethroid products include Warrior®, Mustang®, Asana®, Baythroid® and Pounce®, as well as a host of generic products. Lorsban® is an example of an organophosphate insecticide that may be used for aphid control.
» Avoid adding insecticide to herbicide application just as “insurance” or to save a trip across the field, as this can easily lead to resistance problems.
» When applying insecticides, good coverage is essential. Higher spray volumes and pressure help to move the product down into the soybean canopy.
» As with many potential threats, scouting early and often is crucial to overall success! Soybean aphids can greatly increase in numbers if the weather is cooler than normal and if natural predators are not present.
First identified in Wisconsin during the summer of 2000, soybean aphids are found in 21 states and three Canadian provinces. Besides the damage they do by sucking sap from plants, aphids also are vectors of several viruses that attack soybeans.
Scouting for aphids is key for maintaining the health of your soybean crop now… and in the future. Do what you can now to keep numbers down and to avoid insecticide resistance from building.
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Delaney Howell Makes News on “Market to Market”
Just three years ago Delaney Howell of Columbus Junction, Iowa, was attending Northwest Missouri State University and working as a summer intern on the Market to Market program at Iowa Public Television. On Feb. 16, 2018, she became the fourth host – and the first female host – in the 40-year history of this popular television program that airs weekly nationwide.
“I grew up watching Market to Market,” says Delaney in an Iowa Public Television interview posted on YouTube. Her parents raised their three kids on a diversified row crop and livestock farm where they raised everything from corn and soybeans to cattle, pigs, goats and chickens. “My dad would turn on [Market to Market] every Friday night. It was like church—you didn’t miss it. And if you wanted to watch, you could watch, otherwise leave the room or be quiet.”
It’s such an honor to report the news that affects people’s livelihoods, adds Howell. “I’m the first female host, and the youngest by far, but I’m so excited to embrace the role and connect the older generations and younger generations to come. We are at a pivotal point in agriculture, and I’m excited to be at the forefront of it all!”
She’s not just on the forefront of television news. Delaney is taking agricultural communications into unchartered territory. Her business, AgCulture Media LLC, specializes in video production for technologically savvy agricultural companies. She freelances for This Week in Agribusiness and Agri-Pulse. She also hosts a radio program on Your Ag Network. In addition, she and Mike Pearson recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of their Ag News Daily (AND) podcast of which Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is a proud sponsor. You can follow @agnewsdaily on social media.
“Mike and I started kicking around the idea of starting a business in October of 2016, but it wasn’t until I attended Commodity Classic in March of 2017 that we really had a concrete idea of what we wanted to do. It was there that Rob Sharkey from the Shark Farmer podcast said, “Hey, why don’t you guys start a podcast?” It was like a lightbulb went on and like a week later, we launched our daily podcast. We have styled it to be a supplement to the news or markets that you hear on the radio.”
“Mike and I like to make news about agriculture fun!” adds Delaney. “We try to mix up each day’s interviews to give all people involved in the industry something interesting, relevant, and timely to listen to. But we aren’t experts in everything, so we appreciate people’s ideas, comments, and suggestions!”
Involvement in the FFA fueled Delaney’s passions for agriculture, communications and international travel. She joined the FFA in middle school and says her advisor, Katie McWhirter (who was Ms. Lewis at the time), was an inspiration to all her students.
“She challenged us which is why I think I fell in love with agriculture all over again. I loved her so much as a teacher that I thought I wanted to be the next Katie McWhirter, but after I attended college for a few years and studied abroad, I realized teaching wasn’t my true passion,” explains Delaney, who took a 10-day tour of Japan through the FFA’s 2014 International Collegiate Agricultural Leadership program. “I ‘checked off’ 16 countries on my world map and realized how important agriculture is across the globe. I decided to switch my major to agricultural sciences with minors in broadcasting and international studies.”
Both of Delaney’s parents have college degrees. Her mom also has her MBA, so Delaney grew up with a desire to continually learn and grow. In addition to working full time, Delaney is working on a master’s degree in agricultural communications from Texas Tech. She is a student member of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) organization. She also is a member of the Iowa Cattleman’s Association and was one of just 28 members selected as part of the 2017 Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program (YCLP).
“I have so much love and adoration for the people who grow and raise our food,” says Delaney. “Growing up on a farm taught me so much about hard work, dedication to the land, and ultimately through the eyes of my dad, I was able to see why so many people choose to live the rural lifestyle. During the summers, I spent SO much time with my dad. I loved just being outside with him. I have many memories of being right by his side, holding his hand while we were checking cattle. He was always the first to comfort me and to also give me tough love.
Delaney’s mom instilled within her a love of delicious foods by teaching her how to bake and cook at a young age. That’s why today Delaney is sharing her pumpkin bread recipe, which was selected to advance from the county level to the Iowa State Fair where she earned a blue ribbon.
“I LOVE pumpkin bread! The smell of this bread baking reminds me of football and the fall season, which is my favorite time of year. I’m also that girl who loves everything pumpkin spice.”
Like Delaney, fall is my favorite time of year. I also adore pumpkin spice. Why not bake homemade pumpkin bread this weekend? There’s no rule that says something like delicious shouldn’t be enjoyed in the spring!
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Latham Plans EPA-Stewarded Soybean Research Trials
During the past several years, Latham’s Research Team has conducted EPA-regulated and EPA-stewarded trials in Alexander.
A regulated trial includes that contain traits that have not been fully approved in the United States. In stewarded trials, all traits have U.S. approval but may not have full global approval. In both cases, great care is taken to ensure the harvested soybeans do not enter the grain channel.
This year we’re planning to conduct a stewarded trial with Liberty® GT 27 soybeans. Formerly called “Balance GTLL,” this technology provides soybeans tolerant to three herbicide classes: (1) glyphosate (e.g. Roundup®); (2) gluphosinate (e.g. Liberty®); and (3) isoxaflutole.
No herbicides containing isoxaflutole have been approved by the EPA for use in soybeans during the 2018 growing season. However, the ability to spray both glyphosate and gluphosinate post-emergence has some farmers very excited.
I’m especially looking forward to testing our current Liberty lineup against these new cultivars. Liberty GT 27 soybeans looked excellent in the 2017 breeder trials we observed. At press time, the Philippines is the only country that has not yet approved this technology.
Enlist E3™ soybeans also have tolerance tothree herbicides: glyphosate, gluphosinate and the new 2,4-D choline. The European Union (E.U.) approved this technology last December but we’re still waiting approval from China and the Philippines. Depending on available space and restrictions, we may also have a stewarded E3 plot this year. We’re eager to see how it performs, as farmers in the South have been planting Enlist cotton since 2016 and are reporting tremendous success with both the herbicide and the yields.
These EPA-regulated or EPA stewarded plots are only planned for Latham headquarters. Other corn, cover crops and alfalfa plots that are unique to Alexander are also planned for 2018, and you’re welcome to stop by any time during the growing season. Make “visit Alexander in North Central Iowa” part of your 2018 Summer Bucket List! If need be, we can give you ideas to see a few sights along the way.
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
New Teacher and Old Barn Breathe New Life into Local Ag Program
Like many rural communities across North Iowa and the Midwest, Sheffield has a population of approximately 1,200. The community is bordered by productive farmland. The north side of town also is home to Sukup Manufacturing.
You’d expected this rural community to have a strong and growing agricultural education program, but membership in the West Fork FFA Chapter might surprise you. Half of the chapter’s 37 members live in town, and many of them are interested in raising livestock.
Fortunately for these students, they have the opportunity to learn from a passionate agricultural education instructor both inside the classroom and outside in their Animal Learning Facility. This late 1800s barn has been renovated thanks to the generosity of the Sukup family and with help from their employees.
“During the 2017-18 school year, we had two gilts farrow their first litters in the Animal Learning Facility. They were both a student’s gilts from last year, and he chose to breed and farrow them. It was an excellent opportunity for him to learn a little bit about genetics, how to artificially inseminate, and how the farrowing process works,” says West Fork FFA Advisor Kaitlyn Bonzer. “Livestock births don’t always go according to plan, but we’ve had great support from our community members. Local livestock producers have been a Godsend when some of these gilts have had trouble farrowing. It’s great to have interaction between community members and students because that provides more learning opportunities.”
In addition to farrowing sows, the Animal Learning Facility provides real-world supervised agricultural experiences (SAE) for other students interested in raising laying hens and bees. Students who house their SAE projects inside the Animal al Learning Facility are asked to sign a contract to ensure they take responsibility in their learning. When school isn’t in session, a student is chosen to take care of the barn and earns hours towards his/her Iowa Degree.
West Fork FFA members have been involved in a variety of contests and learning experiences since Ms. Bonzer joined the faculty. Most recently, four teams competed in the North Central District Soils contest and one team advanced to the state competition.
“This is the first year I’ve had a team advance to state, so it was pretty exciting,” said Ms. Bonzer. “The kids were very excited, and I’m proud of their work.”
In May, the West Fork FFA will hold its annual sale of vegetable garden starter plants, hanging baskets, and flower bed plants.
Plans also are underway for the third annual West Fork Summer Classic the first weekend in June at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Hampton. The show began as a way to get students more involved in the swine industry, as well as to raise funds for the chapter. The show is an Iowa Swine Jackpot Series (ISJS) sanctioned show, so for those circuit showers, registration will open online for the show. All youth are eligible for this show, however. Registration will take place the day of the show for those who are not an ISJS member.
“I enjoy watching students experience agriculture in so many facets,” says Ms. Bonzer. “Some kids have little farm experience prior to taking class with me, so they get really excited about experiencing things that many typical ‘farm kids’ have been doing their entire lives like watching livestock give birth. Other kids that have been involved with agriculture for longer periods of time, and I really enjoy the challenge of teaching them new things. Seeing kids enjoy learning makes my job so rewarding!”
Ms. Bonzer grew up on a small stock farm outside of Nashua, which is about 40 miles from Sheffield, and both schools are part of the Top of Iowa Conference. She gained 4-H experience with cattle, hogs, sheep, and chickens on her family’s farm. She joined FFA in middle school and learned about crop production through her SAE.
“My Supervised Agricultural Experience was originally in Diversified Livestock Production. Then it expanded into Diversified Crop Production Placement where I worked for a local organic vegetable producer. I’d always gardened with my grandmothers, but going large scale really opened my eyes and taught me a lot more about technique. That SAE experience really grew my love of gardening and food production.”
Her positive FFA experience prompted Ms. Bonzer to enroll at Iowa State University and major in agricultural education.
“I had an excellent role model and FFA Advisor, Mr. Ronald Zelle. I knew I wanted to teach from an early age. As I got older, my passion grew for agriculture. What better way than to combine teaching with agriculture? I get to pump up kids about agriculture and watch them become passionate about the same things I am!” says Ms. Bonzer, who was awarded the North Central District Young Teacher of the Year in 2016 at the Iowa Association of Ag Educators (IAAE) Conference.
“This was such an honor to me because it recognizes the up and coming teachers around the state for their work throughout the year,” says Ms. Bonzer, who began teaching in 2014 at North Union Community School District and came to West Fork in 2016. “I owe it to the kids, however. They’re the ones who go along with some of my crazy ideas, and they really put in the man hours to do much of what happens within the chapter.”
While I appreciate Ms. Bonzer’s humble acceptance of her Young Teacher of the Year award, I also know outstanding teachers put in extra hours and work extra hard to develop notable FFA Chapters and to inspire their students. The best teachers and FFA advisors motivate students to reach for their dreams, no matter where their career path leads. (Like Ms. Bonzer, my FFA advisor inspired me to pursue an ag career. Attending FFA career fairs and then a tour of Iowa State University with Mr. Jorgenson greatly influenced my career path. FFA speaking contests also helped prepare me for a career in communications.)
Certain school districts earn a reputation for developing leaders into district, state and national FFA officers. Certain schools earn a reputation for being formidable opponents in Career Development Events (CDEs) that help students hone critical thinking and communication skills. As a member of the West Fork FFA Advisory Committee, I’m encouraged by the plans Ms. Bonzer has for our chapter.
“The potential sitting in this community and with these students is outstanding! While some of my short-term goals include increasing the size of the chapter and the involvement of its membership in our community, I hope someday to establish a West Fork Alumni Chapter for the supporters of our FFA chapter,” says Ms. Bonzer. “I also see potential in some of our current members to someday become district and state officer candidates, American Degree recipients, and possibly National Proficiency Award winners, which is something that hasn’t been accomplished for this chapter in years. There are big things in store for the near future!”
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Rural communities are the backbone of our country. Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds recognizes and appreciates the many boots our employees, dealers and customers wear to keep rural America healthy. Help us serve those who serve us by nominating someone in your life to feature on https://www.lathamseeds.com and social media channels.
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Recipe for a Healthy 2018: Eat Well. Move Well. Think Well.
Most New Year’s Resolutions focus on improving health and happiness but “get healthy” is ambiguous. Depending on which articles you read or the reports you listen to, eating healthier can be downright confusing or overwhelming.
“What I tell people is: Eat well. Move well. Think well. Set small achievable goals for short periods of time,” encourages Dr. Amy Michelle Willcockson, director of Live Healthy Iowa, which was created to strategically address Iowa’s growing obesity problem. Live Healthy Iowa brings together friends, families, businesses and communities in team-based wellness challenges designed to promote positive lifestyle change.
Dr. Willcockson says it’s best to create a baseline by getting a physical. Find out if all your numbers are in order: cholesterol, sugars and body fat percentage / body mass index (BMI). Keep track of where you are and strive for better balance. Work at getting just 10 percent better in any one area.
“Focus on just one 10 percent increment at a time,” she says. “Don’t look at the insurmountable. Literally just take a step in the right direction. Then take the next step.”
To get 10 percent better in any one area, Dr. Willcockson offers this practical advice:
- Eat Well. Try to have one different colored fruit and vegetable on your plate at each meal. Pack snacks to enjoy as mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks in the office or on the road. Be sure to include a healthy fat with fruits and veggies. “Grab and go” foods might include: 1/3 cup hummus with 12 baby carrots; ¼ cup almonds or walnuts with 8 large strawberries; or 1 cup cherry tomatoes with 1 ounce of plain cheese curds.
- Move Well. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. Park further away from the building you’re going to enter. As a society, we need to change the way we think about how we workout. Google “interval training” or “burst training,” and get ideas for workouts that are from 5 to 15 minutes long.
- Think Well. Does your self-talk need to be more positive? Maybe you struggle with depression or have an unresolved issue with a family member or friend. Get a stack of positive affirmation cards and begin the day by reading one or watch a motivational YouTube video every morning.
“Find solutions,” says Dr. Willcockson. “It’s so classic to think, ‘I just cheated on my diet, so I may as well have another cookie.’ Or, ‘I can’t make it to the gym, so what’s the point in exercising?’ Be stronger than your excuses! What can you do to incorporate more movement into your daily routine? Eat a healthy breakfast and then get your metabolism going for 5 or 10 minutes. Do squats while brushing your teeth, 30 seconds at a time. Do jumping jacks while waiting for your coffee. Do some lounges while you’re blow drying your hair.”
The benefits of regular exercise are innumerable, adds Dr. Willcockson. To encourage people to get moving, Live Healthy Iowa offers quarterly challenges. In 2017 alone, 14,899 people participated in the 10-Week Wellness Challenge and logged 32,287,019 minutes of physical activity and lost a total of 36,654 pounds. Results of the 10-Week Challenge since 2002 are:
- 339,605 participants
- 1,222,406 pounds lost
- 660,184,13 minutes logged
Step Up to the Challenge!
Become part of the network of support and education through the 2018 10-Week Challenge. Family members, friends, neighbors, church groups, or companies and businesses can sign up teams. Because activity is recorded online, teams can include members from different towns, states and countries.The 16th annual 10-week challenge begins Jan. 22, so click here to learn more or to sign up now! All you need to do is get online and get moving.
“The programs that Live Healthy Iowa hosts are designed to help people engage in a team environment that helps hold them accountable with camaraderie,” says Dr. Willcockson. “Our programs are flexible and affordable. Programs like the 10-Week Challenge provide a catalyst for lifestyle changes.”
“We do what we do because we want you to be there for the important moments in your life and for the important people in your life,” adds Dr. Willcockson. “You can’t be there – in so many ways – if you’re not healthy. Set goals to bike with young kids, get down on the floor and play or take the trips you want. Be there by eating well, moving well and thinking well.”
To help us eat well, Dr. Willcockson is sharing with us one of her favorite ways to incorporate more vegetables into her diet. I have to admit, I’m looking forward to trying fried cauliflower in place of fried rice in a stir fry recipe this weekend.
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
“Learning by Doing” Translates into Teens Managing Their Own Acres
Some parents supervise their children as they do homework. Others even help their teenagers work through Math story problems. When your parents are lifelong farmers and your mother also is a school teacher, chances are you’ll learn how the classroom applies to agriculture.
Meet the Bell family of Washington, Iowa. Kerri moved to Washington County nearly 30 years ago and shortly thereafter she accepted a teaching job nearby. She and her husband, Lance, are raising their twin teenage daughters on the farm.
“I teach. Lance farms. We each have our passions, but our operation is a family effort where we enjoy making memories together,” says Kerri, who grew up raising and showing Suffolk sheep on the Krafka family farm near Dysart, Iowa. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. If you love what you do, it doesn’t seem like work but instead it’s a way of life.”
And what a full life it is! A former 4-H member, Kerri became an active volunteer in Washington County 4-H after she and Lance were married. She served on the Washington County Fair Sheep Department Committee for more than a decade. She was elected to the Washington County Extension Council and served on that council until their twin girls were born. Then Kerri stepped back from volunteering until her girls were in kindergarten and joined Clover Kids. Kerri once again became active in Washington County 4-H and Washington County Extension Service where she eventually was elected to the Washington County 4-H Youth Committee.
The 4-H slogan is “learning by doing,” and that’s also Kerri’s mantra. She and Lance put that slogan into practice by providing every day, real-life experiences for their daughters. Ellie and Sophie have raised and shown Polish and Champagne D’Argent rabbits through Bell Sisters Rabbitry since 2011.
In fact, rabbits were the girls’ first livestock project. Ellie and Sophie wanted to learn and grow independently of what their parents had done when they were in 4-H. The girls researched breeds and met with other rabbit breeders across the state to get started. They like these two breed because Polish show in four class divisions and Champagne D’Argents show in six divisions. Now the girls are researching cattle breeds to further diversify their farming operation and to make use of pasture the family has available.
Transitioning from breeding show rabbits to producing beef cattle is one example of how Ellie and Sophie have accepted more responsibility with age.
“From the time our twin daughters were born, they were riding on a tractor or in the combine,” says Kerri. “They’ve helped as much as they could at the age and stage they were.”
Earning their Way
To compensate them for their work, Lance and Kerri started giving an acre of corn and soybeans to each of their daughters when they were in third grade. Ellie and Sophie have had to market their grain in at least a half-acre increment and then deposit that amount into their savings accounts each crop season.“The girls each got a smartphone in third grade. Their first app was Kat’s Grain, so they could watch the markets daily. Lance receives text messages to ‘sell now’ as the girls watch closely to get the best market price. Giving them these real-life experiences helps them for the next steps.”
You name it, and Kerri says her daughters have probably experienced it on the farm. Ellie and Sophie have learned to do field work ahead of the planter, run tillage equipment after planting, fill the planter, run water tanks here and there, fill fertilizer tanks, gather seed, repair equipment, trouble shoot, mow, help burn CRP, clean bins, haul and unload grain, and more.
These farming experiences are shared by three generations of family. Lance began farming full time with his parents, Pete and Carol Bell, after he completed the Iowa State University Farm Operations Program. Their roles have changed with time. Today Lance manages the farming operation and Pete assists where needed.
Pete and Carol also are providing farming and learning experiences for their granddaughters by them the opportunity to crop share. (Click here to watch a video of the Bell twins harvesting their first crop share.) Ellie and Sophie have met with their family’s crop insurance agent to complete their crop insurance for their crops. They talk with seed dealers and order their own seed. They choose their own fertilizer, chemicals and insecticides. They already had a working relationship with our grain marketing firm, so they can call and make decisions based on their prior knowledge and gain expert advice as needed.
The Bell sisters’ on-farm experience is enhanced by their FFA experiences. Or should we say their FFA experiences are enhanced by their on-farm experiences?
“Competing in statewide competitions, completing programs, filling out applications and attending functions across the state gave me many opportunities that I wouldn’t have experienced otherwise,” says Kerri. “My twin daughters have stepped into this same role and are loving it, too. Their FFA Advisor, Mr. Trent Steinhart, sees their passion for FFA and agriculture. His wisdom and inspiration has allowed them to expand their vision of where they hope to be after high school and college.”
Ellie and Sophie were the first girls to take an interest in the FFA Land Lab where they each had to invest $1,000 along with eight fellow FFA members. They do exactly what they do in their crop share experience with their grandparents to better understand the process of farming.
Last spring Ellie and Sophie received greenhand awards. Together they were their chapter’s top fruit saleswomen as freshmen. Sophie was elected Washington FFA reporter and Ellie was elected FFA historian. Both teens are serving as South East District FFA Ambassadors. They manage the Washington FFA Twitter(@washffa) page and write articles for area media promoting their chapter. They have numerous SAE projects including their rabbitry and crop share.
They also remain active members of the Green Acres 4-H Club. Ellie is serving as 4-H club president and Sophie is treasurer. They graduated from the Washington County 4-H Leadership Development Team and were recently inducted into the Washington County 4-H County Council, working closely with Washington County 4-H youth coordinator, Amy Green, who is another mentor to them.
They Bells also plant a large garden and exhibit their produce at the Washington County Fair. Ellie and Sophie each enter an abundance of 4-H projects at the county fair, and many of these projects have been selected for the Iowa State Fair 4-H Exhibits Building. The Bell sisters’ project areas include: Home Improvement, Food and Nutrition, Crop Production, Sewing, Communications, Personal Development, Woodworking, Photography, Health, Consumer Management, Citizenship, Leadership, Gardening, Horticulture, Child Development, Mechanics, Pride of Iowa, as well as educational presentations and working exhibits. They also serve as Clover Kids mentors. In addition, both Ellie and Sophie have earned variety of county project awards, including outstanding record book, outstanding junior and intermediate awards, and intermediate citizenship awards.
Apples Don’t Fall Far from the Trees
While the iGeneration often make headlines for using “individualized technology,” the Bell family uses technology to make decisions together on their family farm. Ellie and Sophie are proof positive that the “texting and multi-tasking generation” still engages with others and remains involved with the community. They’re following their parents’ examples.As lifelong farmers, Lance and Kerri became active in the Washington County Corn Growers Association when they were first married. They put a lot of effort into promoting this organization and have served in every capacity in the county organization. Lance is president of the Washington County Corn Growers and serves as president of the District 9 Iowa Corn Growers Association. He serves on a state committee, as well.
“Our family is passionate about sharing our farm story,” says Kerri. On November 29, 2017, they created a booth and helped host the BioFuels Educational Trailer at Kirkwood Community College for Washington Center Family STEM Night. Last spring they participated in an ICGA video and produced a flyer/video for the Washington County Corn Growers banquet. They also have represented their county, district and state at the Commodity Classic in once Nashville, twice in San Antonio and are making arrangements for a trip next spring to Anaheim.
“Through these experiences we’ve all grown. Making connections with fellow corn farmers across the county, district, state and nation to make us stronger in our own family operation,” adds Kerri. “These opportunities have given Ellie and Sophie a stronger base of communication skills, knowledge to grow and learn to make your operation better, a better work ethic and pride in sharing your story with those who share the same passions as you.”
“We are optimistic of what our future in farming holds as both daughters intend to major in agriculture and return home to carry on our farming operation,” adds Kerri. “No matter where they end up, as long as they take pride in their work and enjoy it, we’ll be proud of them.”
The Bell family works hard but also finds time to relax on their farm. Fishing, canoeing and stand up paddle boarding on their farm pond are a few of their favorite pastimes. They also enjoy cheering on the Iowa State Cyclones, DIY projects, gardening and cooking or baking together.
At the 2017 Washington County Fair, Ellie and Sophie were selected as the Grand Champion Team for the Pride of Iowa cooking contest with their Gluten Free Fruit Pizza entry. Their father, Lance, was diagnosed with Celiac Disease nearly 14 years ago. Their family has learned a lot about gluten-free cooking, so it’s only natural these outstanding 4-H’ers would share what they learned with others.
The Pride of Iowa competition is a favorite of Ellie and Sophie’s because they prepare recipes, featuring Iowa foods, in front of an audience. Participating 4-H members then serve their food and share the recipe with audience members. Today their sharing their award-winning recipe with us on The Field Position!
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Give a Recipe, Get a Gift: Share How You Define “Turkey with all the Trimmings
Writing blogs for The Field Position allows me to meet the most hospitable farm families and to also learn about popular regional fare like runza in Nebraska and Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup.
Yesterday one of my blogger friends, who’s a native Minnesotan, posted a picture on Twitter with this copy: “It’s always cheesy potato hot dish time.” As a native Iowan, her tweet brought a smile to my face as I thought about how a North Central Iowa potluck or family holiday wouldn’t be complete without “cheesy potato casserole.”
Thoughts of cheesy potato casserole quickly shifted to traditional Thanksgiving holiday recipes. Quite honestly, I assumed every American family must feast on turkey, potatoes, corn, cranberries and pumpkin pie like the Pilgrims and Indians. Then my inquiring mind started to wonder what the pilgrims even ate at the first Thanksgiving…
Wildfowl venison, as well as grain in the form of bread or porridge absolutely were part of the harvest celebration shared by the Pilgrims and Wampanoag at Plymouth Colony in 1621, according to the Smithsonian. Governor William Bradford described the autumn of 1621 as follows: “And besides waterfowl there was great store of wild turkeys.” He also mentions that they’d begun eating Indian corn after the harvest.
Correspondence written by the colonists prove they planted gardens in the spring of 1621. In later documents, the colonists mention growing turnips, carrots, onions, garlic and pumpkins. Historians interested in researching the first Thanksgiving meal also studied foods served at traditional English celebrations during this same period.
“You see lots of pies in the first course and in the second course, meat and fish pies. To cook a turkey in a pie was not terribly uncommon. But it is like, no, the pastry isn’t there.” The colonists did not have butter and wheat flour to make crusts for pies and tarts, according to the Smithsonian. (While the Pilgrims didn’t have pumpkin pie, there’s a chance they enjoyed pumpkin pudding.)
Knowing that people tend to make the most of what they have available – like Lobster Mac & Cheese in Maine and Clam Dressing in Massachusetts – I’m curious about what recipes your family enjoys for Thanksgiving. It will be fun to hear about “iconic Thanksgiving recipes” by region.
The team at Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds will send a complimentary wooden spoon, spatula, cutting board or hand towel to anyone who shares his/her favorite Thanksgiving recipe by Nov. 22! Simply e-mail us your hometown, state and recipe to Marketing@LathamSeeds.com.
Today I’m sharing a few of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes. Because I enjoy meal planning so much, I’ve linked to enough recipes to make a complete meal:
- Herbed Slow Cooker Turkey Breast (This recipe is simple and delicious, which frees me up to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or thumb through Black Friday ads!)
- The best dang mashed potatoes (Trust me, we don’t save this recipe just for holidays! It’s one of our family’s favorite side dishes.)
- German green beans or green bean casserole
- Traditional Dressing or Scalloped Oysters
- 60-Minute Rolls or homemade beer bread topped with herb butter or Cajun butter
- Cran-Apple Jell-O mold
- Butternut Squash Casserole (see recipe below)
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Try Pork Like Never Before with Recipes from Picnic Life Foodie
Food connects people, so it’s probably only natural that Iowans would connect around pork. There are six pigs for every person living in our state, and Iowa is the top pork producing state.
One of my Bucket List items is attending the Taste of Elegance. When I heard Anita McVey won tickets to the 2017 tasting event, I had to learn more! So I went up and introduced myself to her at the start of a bus tour to Southeast Iowa farms sponsored by the Iowa Food & Family Project.
There’s nothing I enjoy more than touring farms and meeting farmers, but I quickly learned this road trip was going to become infinitely more enjoyable from the company I was in. (Click here for Anita’s wonderful recap of that two-day event.)
Anita is warm and welcoming, and when you read her blog, it’s like she invites you right into her kitchen. In the intro to her blog, Anita writes:
“My mom was one of those power-house-wives who cooked three complete meals a day, plus snacks, fed whomever pulled on the yard, had a massive garden, and did whatever was needed whenever she was asked. She never complained. EVER. The lady makes THE best apple fritters, but that was a treat saved for hay-baling day!”
It seems Anita’s family had a way of turning ordinary, every day experiences into wonderful memories.
She writes, “Picnics were special times but they were not glamorous. My dad’s idea of the perfect picnic was to have sandwiches, fruit and a cold drink on the tailgate of his truck out in the field during or after a long day of planting or harvesting. What made it perfect was the fact that my mom made it, delivered it and ate with him, often watching the sun set.”
Anita is not alone in her appreciation of wide open spaces, as well as spectacular sunsets and sun rises. Just follow farmers on social media and your news feed will be filled with posts like, “My reward for harvesting tonight was this sunset.” You’re also bound to see a few moon rises, as well as sun rises, too.
Like many farm kids, Anita says she had to leave home to realize how “spoiled” she was. She went away to college. She graduated from Iowa State University with B.S. degree in Statistics and a Math minor. She also earned a master’s degree in Statistics, and her thesis involved heritability errors in corn research. She met her husband, Marty, in Stat class. He holds a Ph.D. from ISU in Economics with an Ag emphasis.
While Marty completed his degree, Anita worked in the Survey Section of the Statistics department as a Research Analyst where she says she helped with many amazing survey projects. When the couple moved to the Des Moines area, Anita found a part time job at Pioneer Hi-Bred International. After a few years, Anita and Marty saw the value of her being home with their boys full-time.
Anita says her priorities shifted quickly. “Within a few years, I found myself at home full-time with my kids and back in the kitchen … and the garden … and addicted to ‘Food Network’.”
Staying home with her boys allowed Anita to return to her roots.
“I was raised on a steady diet of faith, family and farming. We had pork and chicken directly from the farm, to the butcher, back to the farm and into the oven. We ate eggs from the hens in the coop and drank milk from my uncle’s dairy cows. The garden we planted and harvested was enormous and we didn’t waste a thing. Canning and freezing were core classes.”
To preserve these family memories, Anita says she wanted to put together a cookbook.
“When I would make a recipe, it seemed there was almost always a memory or story behind it. I knew I wanted to combine the recipe with the story for my boys, and a blog seemed to be the platform. But I knew NOTHING about starting a blog. Our oldest son was home from his internship and interviewing for jobs, so he sat down with his laptop one day and dug in. (Isn’t that the greatest part about that generation? They just watch videos, read articles, try this, try that, and figure it out.) It has been a massive learning experience ever since. I have discovered that I enjoy the writing process much more than I expected and have found a creative outlet that just keeps expanding.”
One of the things I enjoy most about Anita’s blog is the beautiful food photography. (Getting food to look beautiful in a photo is art!) I was looking for some tips, and Anita responded with this, “I upgraded my cell phone to an iPhone 7+ and have had lots of lessons, instruction and advice from my boys. The oldest works for a Social Media/PR firm in Minneapolis and the youngest is finishing his degree in graphic design at ISU. How lucky am I?!”
Yes, she is lucky! And her readers are lucky she shares tips, tricks and stories with them. In honor of October Pork Month, today we’re featuring a few of Anita’s pork recipes with you. Click on the blog posts below:
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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds
Podcast: Corn Rootworm
Welcome back to our Ask the Agronomist podcast! This week, Phil and Kilah discuss corn rootworm and how scouting now can help you plan for #crop18. Tune in for a 10-minute from the field agronomy update!
Do you have #crop17 growing questions? Submit them to us on either Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat. Thanks for tuning in!