It’s that time of year again. As we remember the true meaning of Christmas, we also try to find that perfect present that tells our friends and family how much they mean to us. Yet you still struggle to find the perfect gift for your FarmHer. A FarmHer is a woman in agriculture that is passionate and loves what she does. She’s unique and classy, and deserves the best gift. The first tip to finding the perfect present is to make it personal. The funnier the better and anything that is an inside joke is sure to be a winner. If you still need ideas, check out the list below.

1) LOVE FarmHer Grainsack Long Sleeve Lightweight Hoodie (FarmHer) – $40

If she’s a true FarmHer, she’s going to want to rep the brand. The Grainsack Full Zip Hoodie is a versatile gift that can be used all year round and will remain soft and comfortable.

2) Dinner Time Classics Cookbook (The Pioneer Woman) – $18

Every FarmHer secretly wants to be the Pioneer Woman, so bring a part of the Pioneer Woman to her! She’s got a great new cookbook and perhaps you’ll get in on some of the results.

3) Cowboy Boot Charm Bangle (Alex and Ani) – $28

Some people may think your FarmHer has too many pairs of boots, but the truth is you can never have enough!

4) Knit Stocking Hat (FarmHer) – $20

Winters get cold, keep your FarmHer toasty warm with this thick, knit hat.

5) My Favorite Lip Balm (Bath and Body Works) – $7.50

The explanation is in the title; this lip-gloss will be your FarmHer’s favorite! The winter months can take a toll on your skin, so keep your smile shining with this moisturizing magic in a tube.

Written by Lexi Marek

Lexi Marek is a proud FarmHer that was raised on a farm in Southeast Iowa. She’s currently a student at Iowa State University majoring in Public Service and Administration in Agriculture and is the current FarmHer communication intern. Her favorite Christmas gift is the beautician’s chair that now sits in her apartment. It actually has had a few clients and is a big hit with all the visitors that comes with the life of a college student.

At the beginning of this holiday season, I’d like to focus on all the things for which I am thankful. It’s not that I have huge piles of money under my mattress or huge amounts of material things. But what I have is much more important!

Faith. Family. Farming. I’ve come to realize, these are truly the best “things” in life. I have my faith, which I’ll admit has not always been steady. I have a fantastic family, including a new granddaughter and a new great granddaughter. I’ve been blessed to live all my life on an Iowa farm. For an old farmer, I’m in pretty good health. I have experienced so much in life that I should have written a book. (Does a blog count?)

Life hasn’t always been fun nor easy, but I’m thankful that the good Lord has given me trials and tribulations to make me appreciate who I am and what I have! I’ve learned to be satisfied with what I have instead of always wanting more. Now that doesn’t mean I’m still not trying to make life more comfortable for Janice and myself, but we have everything that we truly need. Taking time to reflect upon my life makes me realize that I have life better than 99% of the people on earth!

Chances are, you do to. And this is why I’m sharing these thoughts with you today…

There seems to be so much unhappiness in the world today. People find fault with everything and anything. Food, of course, is comes to mind first and I suppose that’s because of the career I chose. This sentiment applies to so many other aspects of our lives, and it makes me ask why…

• Is it because life as we know it is too easy?
• Is it because of how we are raising our children?
• Is it our schooling?
• Are we being so controlled by our government that we are rebelling?
• Have we simply lost our faith?

People seem to be looking for a cause, any cause to make themselves feel good. It’s like they need to feel accomplished because they’re not finding fulfillment in their jobs. Did you know that one third of working-age people in our country do not work? Hard work can be satisfying. I’ve learned to find satisfaction in a job well done. Maybe I find too much enjoyment in work! Sometimes I let work consumer me, but “work ethic” seems to be lacking in so many people today. They do not learn the satisfaction of a job well done or even the job being done.

We need change in this world for the better. People need to feel good about themselves and their contributions. People need to take direction from their past experiences. While I don’t have the solution, I believe replacing our current attitude of “entitlement” with a good day’s work would be a good start!

Get involved, people! Take an interest. The world isn’t going to stop turning, so jump on and enjoy the ride.

It always amazes me how farmers can be so loved, yet farming so demonized!

“Bountiful harvests fail to reach Iowa’s poor,” reads the headline of an editorial by Timothy Trenkle that ran in the Sunday, November 21, edition of The Des Moines Register. Iowa is blessed with some of the world’s richest soils, yet 11.4 percent of Iowans were food insecure at some point in 2014.

Why? The author of this editorial complains how Iowa farmers fail to grow healthy food. He claims all we grow are monoculture crops, subsidized by the government. He writes that farmers only grow crops that go in to processed food, instead of growing food for the poor.

Now let’s contrast Trenkle’s claims with these facts: Food in the U.S. costs less than in any other country. Americans spent less than 10% of their average income on food! The majority of people worldwide spend more than half of their income just to eat. Poverty worldwide is determined to be people who earn less than $2 per day… Two dollars per day!

Meanwhile in the U.S., 46 million Americans are on food stamps. That means 46 million people are not earning what the government believes is needed to buy their own food. How is this the fault of an Iowa farmer?

The problem is how we as a nation, how we as a society, are evolving:

• What are Americans’ values?
• What is our family structure?
• What are our priorities?

I see a culture that has evolved into entitlement. “Give me what I think I am owed, not what I earn or what I am worth.” For example, there’s another push underway to increase minimum wage to $15. Is a particular employee – or a specific job – really worth that to a business? Does that person produce enough to justify being paid more? What is the job market for someone that doesn’t improve or even care about their output?

The problem is not the cost of food. The problem is not where food is. The problem is not unhealthy food. The problem is not how food is raised. The problem has nothing to do with how farmers farm! The problem is not the farmer.

That’s why it bothers me when non-farmers try to tell the rest of us how to do our job. The author of Sunday’s editorial is a teacher. While being a teacher is a noble profession, it does not make him an expert on farming!

My farm has improved under my care. My soil is much healthier than 50 years ago. I’ve planted filter strips and wind breaks. The creek that flows through my farm is so clean that it’s difficult to see the water because I only see the creek bottom. Much progress has been made.

Conservation practices have been voluntarily implemented, and farming practices continue to evolve. Farmers are always looking for ways to improve, but the entire ills of this country shouldn’t be placed on the backs of U.S. farmers.

Farmers are people, too. We have families. Our kids go to school. We have the same basic needs that all people have: food, water, shelter, as well as the need to love and be loved. “Esteem” and “self-actualization” are also basic human needs.

Taking care of yourself and your family helps people develop meet basic human needs. So why are we depriving Americans from this? Forty six million people should not be fed by someone else! Social equality reduces the will to work. We must work much harder to address this problem.

Last Friday Darcy Maulsby on How to Preserve Family History, 10 Minutes at a Time. In part II of this article, today Darcy gives examples of questions to ask family members to make it easier.

Sharing the stories that bind us

Need more inspiration to preserve your family history? Leaving a legacy offers surprising benefits for children.

This was proven by Dr. Marshall Duke, a psychologist at Emory University. In the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Dr. Duke’s studies with U.S. families confirmed that children who know more about their family narrative have higher self-esteem, a stronger sense of control over their lives, less anxiety and greater resilience, meaning they can moderate the effects of stress.

Sharing your family narrative can happen in as little as 10 minute at a time at holiday gatherings, dinnertime, family vacations and more. Here are some questions to start the conversation:

• Do you know where and how your parents met?
• Do you know some things that happened to your mom or dad when they were in school?
• Do you know some of the jobs your parents or grandparents had when they were young?
• Do you know some awards your parents received when they were young?
• Do you know the source of your name?
• Do you know some of the lessons your parents learned from good and bad experiences?

Remember, there’s no time like the present to capture the past and preserve it for future generations. All it takes it 10 minutes at a time!

By Darcy Dougherty Maulsby

With the holidays fast approaching, you have a prime opportunity to preserve your family history, 10 minutes at a time. Even better, did you know this history can help your children and grandchildren thrive?

Preserving history doesn’t happen by accident. This became clear as I researched and wrote my new book, Calhoun County, which showcases the stories of small-town and rural Iowa life through the eyes of those who lived it.

As I asked friends, neighbors and local museum volunteers to contribute vintage photos for my book, I heard, “I’d love to help, but we don’t have those pictures.” Some images succumbed to fires, while others were destroyed in flooded basements. Sometimes photos and documents were thrown out in a housecleaning frenzy years ago.

That’s why there’s something special about old photographs, letters and documents that survive. I’m grateful to the people who preserved stories of the February day in 1934 when the infamous gangsters Bonnie and Clyde robbed the Knierim bank. I’m also thankful to the anonymous photographers who took pictures of major events in Calhoun County, such as President Taft’s 1911 visit to Rockwell City, and the time when Babe Ruth played golf at Twin Lakes Golf Club following a batting exhibition in 1940.

Top five tips to keep history alive

I was able to include all this and more in Calhoun County. Along the way, I discovered five key things you can do to preserve your own family and local history in as little as 10 minutes at a time:

1. Exchange family photos and stories rather than gifts. During the holidays, have family members bring copies of family photos they think other relatives might not have. Then enjoy sharing the photos and the memories. Include the kids and young adults in these conversations, whenever possible.
2. Protect photos from the sun. Display copies rather than originals. Also, store photos in acid-free boxes and acid-free albums with non-PVC plastic pockets and no adhesives.
3. Print your photos. Schedule 10-minute work sessions to select digital photos you’d like to print. Then make time to print them using high-quality inks and photo papers, not just a desktop printer and typing paper. Also, schedule 10-minute work sessions to begin scanning old photos you want to preserve. Use an external hard drive or cloud system to back up your digital files.
4. Document the details. Whenever possible, note who is pictured in each photo. Use a soft lead pencil or photo-archiving pen to also list where the photo was taken, the date and a bit about the event depicted.
5. Go high-tech. Download apps like StoryCorps to help collect your family history via your smartphone. Also, use your phone’s voice recorder or video tool to record your family’s stories.

Today Darcy is sharing with us one of her favorite Calhoun County recipes. She won a blue ribbon with these Magnificent Molasses Cookies at the 2015 Clay County Fair. They are her dad’s favorite cookie, so she especially enjoys baking them and taking them to the field at harvest.

To be continued Monday …

by Kilah Hemesath, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds Marketing Intern

People in the Midwest are known as some of the most giving individuals. There were many situations during harvest 2015 when a farming community came together to help a neighbor in difficult times. Families and farmers in that situation understand the importance of getting the crops out of the field because that is their lifestyle, too. These same thoughts and actions can be carried out throughout the holiday season.

Here are some ways people in #NorthIowa are giving back this season:

• Toys for Tots
  
• Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive
• YMCA’s #GivingTuesday (day after Cyber Monday) with a #Send2Kids2Camp drive
• Conway Freight in Clear Lake is promoting #TPHawkeyeHarvestFoodBank with a goal of collecting 1,000 rolls of toilet paper to donate
• Outwear Donations and Coat Drives
• Northeast Iowa Community Action

My local church hosts a giving tree every holiday season for members to help fulfill. The tree is decorated with gifts tags, which are requests from families throughout Northeast Iowa. Members of my church will purchase the gift listed on the tag, return the gift and it is then delivered to Northeast Iowa Community Action for distribution.

Donating a gift to your local community center is a simple way of giving and can make a young girl’s or boy’s holiday. You never know how much your actions will impact an individual or family, especially during the holiday season when some need it the most. Whether you take part in the giving tree at a local church, donating toys to a shelter or help a relative prepare holiday food, you can make a difference!

“It’s better to give than receive” is a reoccurring phrase in our family. My mom has always served as a positive role model, lending a hand to those in need. She works a full time job and also covers the duties of a FarmHer. She always has a warm meal ready during the busiest time of the year for our family and never hesitates to donate to community organizations.

How you demonstrate giving and show caring can also make a difference in your children’s lives. Just as I looked up to my mom – and still do – your actions make an impression and create a legacy for your children. Even if you don’t have children, giving back can be a gift you gift yourself this season!

Last weekend a friend tagged me in a post, asking if I had heard about the group mentioned in this article. “SILT plants seeds for sustainable farms in area” is the headline of this article printed Nov. 13 by the The Daily Reporter.

Reporter Dana Larsen made many great points about how SILT can help veterans involved in farming transition back to stateside life. She also explains how the initiative for locally-raised food crops could help improve water quality and aid refugees. Many “hot buttons” were covered, including the lawsuit filed by the Des Moines Waterworks.

Many of the problems stated in this article are totally untrue! Honestly, many of the issues raised in this article and by the SILT organization have been created – and positioned – to make it look like there is a problem.

Because I’ve written before that we can’t take water issues at surface level, I followed my own advice and did a little more research on this organization and its approach to “sustainable farming.” I learned that SILT launched in January 2015 and boasts of having a “politically diverse” leadership: Bill Stowe, CEO of Des Moines Water Works, which is suing Buena Vista and two other area counties over river water quality; Republican leader Jeff Kaufmann; and Okoboji native and organic livestock producer Kate Mendenhall. Does this leadership structure appear balanced?

Then I dug into the stipulations and requirements of SILT farmers. There are a lot! It left me wondering who can possibly live up to required sustainability guidelines and make a living. How can a farming operation be sustainable if isn’t financially viable?

“In general, for rural communities in Iowa there is no evidence that [farmers] markets create any real sustainable economic activity. The problem with the traditional farmer’s market model is that, while they are a nice social event for successful communities, for the growers they are seasonal, labor intensive and, in many cases, expensive to participate in. No doubt there have been additional economic opportunities, but… participation by the producers is likely more of an important marketing tool rather than an incoming-producing opportunity. In order to build an economically sustainable business model, producers must be able to capitalize on post-farmer’s market sales opportunities,” writes Shane Tiernan in a document about the opportunities and challenges of scaleable, locally-grown food enterprises in Iowa.

To assist local food enterprises, SILT shares resources for beginning farmers. This organization also plans to help match landowners like Mary Ellen Miller with potential producers like Kenn and Ashly Jenkins, who want to farm.

My guiding principle is honesty,” writes Kenn, an agronomy student at Iowa State University. “From being honest to what you do on your land and on the plants you’re going to sell to people to being honest about what you can produce before committing to more, and being honest to the land about what’s sustainable because you want it to be sustainable for generations.”

Another locally grown initiative underway is Global Greens Farm, a partnership with the City of Des Moines and Lutheran Social Services. This partnership allows refugees to supplement their income by planting a 50’ x 50’ plot of land. Advanced market farmers then move to a ¼-acre plot and receive training on crop production, business development and marketing. According to the program website,

“Our food is locally grown and chemical-free. Our food is certified naturally grown. We teach natural and sustainable farming methods and do not use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. All the seed we plant is non-GMO.”

Why? “Locally produced” by definition doesn’t require a crop to be GMO-free. It doesn’t require it to be certifiably organic either. Organic doesn’t mean the crop was grown without the use of chemicals, and organic foods are not any healthier than conventionally-produced foods. If SILT truly wants farmers to be economically viable, why are they insisting on farming methods like those practiced by small holder farmers in third world countries?

Sustainability is an ambiguous term that means different things to different people. What does sustainability mean to you? Let’s have a discussion!

I encourage you to look into this new organization and give me your opinion. Is this really the future of agriculture in Iowa? Will “sustainable” initiatives really solve all the problems this group believes are bad with the current farms? I think you know my thoughts, but if not, you can bet I will share more about this in a future blog!

By Kilah Hemesath, Marketing Intern, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

“Being a woman in agriculture means being a minority in an industry I am passionate about. It means proving that I am just as hardworking, dedicated and experienced as the next guy,” says Danisha Pladsen, from Shellsburg, Iowa.

Founded in 2013 to update the image of agriculture to include women through imagery, FarmHer has become a multi-faceted source of inspiration and connection for women in all types of agriculture. FarmHer gives women in agriculture the chance to connect, inspire, communicate and gain knowledge, while becoming successful leaders in agriculture.

Agriculture is built on the foundation of farmers around the world filled with hard work, persistence and determination. I grew up on a grain and livestock farm with four brothers. My brothers and parents served as role models while I was growing up and they continue to do so. They helped me discover my interest in agriculture and taught me to never let the “status quo” affect my goals.

While attending Iowa State, I’ve been able to meet and become close friends with students who share my same interest. It is rewarding to meet other females who share my love for agriculture as I do. I would classify these ladies as FarmHer’s ready to achieve their goals.

FarmHer is hosting an inaugural “Grow by Future” event on Friday, October 13, at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny. The event will include a variety of topics including STEM, producer’s perspectives and international agenda. The agenda includes presentations by several Iowa women who have blazed trails in agriculture include: Dr. Wendy Wintersteen, Endowed Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University: Iowa Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds; and Franklin County (Iowa) farmer April Hemmes, who has been a full-time farmer in Franklin County for more than 30 years.

In honor of tomorrow’s #Grow15 event, I found it appropriate to share the story of two FarmHers I have met at Iowa State University. Andee Hammen, a junior at Iowa State University majoring in Agricultural Communications, shares a similar passion for agriculture. She says, “I am blessed to have the opportunity to grow up on a farm and someday I hope to transition into operating the family farm alongside my father.”

Being a FarmHer has given Hammen the chance to find her passion and strive to turn her dream into a reality. She has been actively involved in her farming operation back home in Jolley, Iowa, ever since she was young. Involvement in 4-H and FFA helped further her interest and provided her with opportunities to reach her goals as a FarmHer.

Pladsen has a goal of returning to her family farm, raising cattle and starting a soil sampling business. It’s easy to see Pladsen’s passion for agriculture when she talks about her new heifer.

“Most students might want a new car or house accessory for their graduation gift,” Pladsen said. “When I received my registered shorthorn heifer, I was overwhelmed with excitement. This is my chance to start my herd and live the dream.”

For more information on FarmHer, visit the group’s Facebook page and get involved!