Do Your Heart Some Good & Practice Random Acts of Kindness
Since today is National Wear Red Day® and Valentine’s Day is literally one week away, today on TheFieldPosition we’re providing ideas and activities that will “do your heart some good.”
If you forgot to wear your red power tie or lipstick today, no problem! You still have 21 more days to “Go Red.” The entire month of February is National Heart Month to draw nationwide attention to the fact that heart disease, which was long thought to be a “man’s disease,” is the # 1 killer of women. Did you know that heart disease claiming more lives in the U.S. than all forms of cancer combined?
“Giving to othersmakes them happy and in turn it makes you happy,” says American Gothic Pie Lady Beth Howard. Find peace by serving up a few slices for your loved ones. Even if baking isn’t part of your plans this weekend, you can others’ spirits and your own during Random Acts of Kindness Week, Feb. 10-16. Iowa farmer and author of the Corn, Beans, Pigs & Kids blog, Val Plagge, offers 10 ideas to Beat the Winter Blues such as sending a handwritten “just because” note to friends or family members.
Next Saturday morning I’ll likely be whipping up a batch of Heart-Shaped Pancakes for my family because that’s been a valentine tradition for the past 10 years at our house. Apparently nothing says “I love you” like hot cakes with a side of bacon!
Join Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey on WHO Radio’s 2014 Tractor Ride
March to the beat of the drums and sound the 76 trombones… 1040 WHO Radio has announced its 18th Annual Tractor Ride will be based out of historic River City! Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is a proud sponsor, so make plans to join us June 22-25 as we traverse the beautiful North Iowa countryside.
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds will host lunch June 25 for 2014 Tractor Ride participants
When visiting North Iowa, be sure to include a visit to Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds. We’re looking forward to hosting lunch Wednesday, June 25, on our family’s Century Farm which now serves as our company headquarters. Stay tuned to the Tractor Ride blog for more announcements and updates. In the meantime, click here for more information about local accommodations including hotels and camping.
Farmers gathered inside the Iowa Machine Shed Restaurant last Friday for the route announcement of the 2014 Tractor Ride
Last Sunday was a big day, beginning with our local church service and ending with The Big Game. (The Super Bowl showcased good defense, and I like defense. I also enjoyed watching many of the TV commercials. While none of them quite struck an emotional cord nationwide like last year’s God Made a Farmer spot, America’s farmers and ranchers were well represented on a regional level by the Blythe family of Kansas in Begins with a Farmer – A Mother’s Love.
Farming and ranching is certainly a labor of love. It’s also a cyclical business: Good prices, bad prices. Good weather, bad weather. The Polar Vortex and seasonably cold temperatures have created a few more challenges for Midwest farmers, especially livestock producers, this season.
Farmers and ranchers in the West are plagued with problems of their own as zero rain fell in many areas throughout the entire month of January, which is typically California’s wettest month of the year. The drought in southern California is turning into one of the worst in history. No wonder my friend Celeste Settrini on Sunday spearheaded the event, Harvesting Faith, a day of reflection, prayer and fasting.
During our local church service on Sunday, we lifted up the West in prayer and asked God to bring rain to drought-stricken areas. That’s why it seemed, at first, to be complete irony when Pastor Scott delivered a sermon about job happiness. He reminded us that Adam and Eve’s lives in the Garden of Eden were meant to be joyful. Before the serpent and apple, they were happy taking care of God’s creations.
Similarly, sin has caused all of difficulties. Thinking of difficulties makes me think of farming. (Yes, my mind tends to wander during sermons!) Through all of the hardships and risk, there are still folks like me who enjoy farming. I love watching small pigs when they first come into my hog barns. They scuffle and jockey for position, making a new pecking order. I watch for a sick pig, treat it with the right medicine because “it’s the right thing to do,” and am happy when it makes a full recovery. I enjoy my pigs, even watching Houdini, who jumps out of her pen every day.
I love smells in the spring like freshly planted ground and even the aroma of the natural fertilizer my pigs make, which gets recycled back into the ground to grow feed the pigs will eat and then promptly turn back into natural fertilizer again.
I love watching crops grow from the small seeds I plant in the ground. I wonder how such a tender little plant has the power to break through a crusted soil after a hard rain. Last summer I was amazed how six-foot-tall corn could stand back up after getting pounded by a heavy wind that beat it flat to the ground.
I also enjoy watching wildlife. I see deer play in the field as I combine. Bald eagles have made a great come back, and I enjoy watching them circle overhead as I work in the field and wonder if my little dog, Tucker, is safe outside the tractor.
I have watched baby colts be born after what seemed like an eternity. I have watched my young son’s pet goat get killed by the neighbor’s dog and felt my heart break by from his anguish. But I also experienced the joy of watching my kids grow up to understand how and why we farm; they learned to understand the cycles of life and the meaning of hard work. I enjoy my grandkids’ long stays on the farm where they, too, enjoy playing with livestock.
I have operated new, big machinery, when times were good. I have farmed with junk machinery discarded by other farmers. And I must admit, I’ve been happier to get my farming done with the old junk than I was with new machinery during good times. Tough times can make you appreciate what you have gone through. Sometimes the toughest lessons are the best ones to learn!
While many other occupations can be very fulfilling, I’m glad to be a farmer. The job of growing food, fuel and fiber just takes me back to thinking of the Bible, creation and that Garden of Eden. Yes, there’s still joy in living!
“I love dressing up and painting my nails, but when need be, I can wrestle a calf or fix fence.” — Celeste Settrini, 4th generation rancher from Salinas, Calif.
California experienced its driest year on record in 2013. The New Year brought hope of much needed moisture, but those hopes have diminished with each passing day.
“In 135 years of record-keeping, this has been the driest,” said climatologist Bill Patzert of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in a January 27 VOA report. “Since July 1, we’ve had less than an inch of rain. In January, which is historically our wettest month, we’ve had zero rainfall.”
So what’s a rancher to do when pastures turn brown and water supplies dry up? Celeste Settrini, a fourth generation rancher from Salinas, California, is drawing on the strength of those who have gone before her. Her ancestors moved to southern California 100 years ago, started dairying and then built a commercial Hereford herd. When Celeste’s father took over the family ranch, he switched to Red Angus beef.
“We’ve spent years building our herd and investing in genetics,” says Celeste, who lives in the same house her grandfather called home. Her father passed away suddenly last June, so now she and her brother manage the cow herd while their mother does the books. “Ranching is our legacy, and we’re committed to it.”
In an interview January 28 with Trent Loos on Rural Route Radio, Celeste described the dire situation facing farmers and ranchers in the west.
“… I was throwing hay off the back of our truck and saw our cows coming over the hill,” she says. “It was so warm out, and there was so much dust following them. I just sat there and cried because I’m so anxious and so worried about this drought we’re going through.”
That day was a turning point for Celeste. She realized it was time to do something. With encouragement from a friend, Celeste decided to share her faith and invite others to ask God in unity for help. She created an event called Harvesting Faith – a day of reflection, prayer and fasting and scheduled it for Sunday, February 2. She asked all of her friends on social media to pull together to support friends in need by praying for rain.
Winter is normally the time that California ranchers rely on the rain to turn the grass green and restock their water supplies. Without rain, there’s no grass for the cattle. Many ranchers are purchasing hay, and some fear their production costs will triple.
Photo Source: MyRecipes.com Photo: Ralph Anderson; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine
California ranchers won’t be the only ones feeling the economic impact of this drought, however. Drought in Southern California could impact world food prices as this area produces 400 different crops. Volumes of fruits, vegetables and cattle are sold throughout the U.S., as well as exported.
This week I was fortunate enough to get to taste test a few of this region’s specialties firsthand during a trip to southern California. Celeste introduced me to grilled artichoke in Monterey, and I taste-tested some of state’s freshest extra virgin olive oils and artisan vinegars at the Quail and Olive in Carmel Valley. Celeste says she LOVES grilled cauliflower (which I’m looking forward to trying soon) and believes chunky blue cheese dip makes fresh vegetables all the more enjoyable.
Because strawberries also are grown on the Settrini Ranch, today Celeste is sharing with us one of her “guilty pleasures.” She says this strawberry treat is simple but heavenly. Try her recipe below or click on the links above to add some new flavors to your Super Bowl Party. If you chose to fast as part of the Harvesting Faith event this Sunday, keep these recipes in mind for another day soon to enjoy some of California’s finest produce.
Systematic, Diverse Approach Needed for RW Management
A systematic, diverse approach to corn rootworm management is needed if growers are to have successful corn-on-corn acres in the future, said Dr. Aaron Gassmann while presenting last month during the 25th Annual Integrated Crop Management Conference on the Iowa State University campus.
Since 2009, Dr. Gassmann has studied the use of Bt corn hybrids in Iowa. He says the number of fields showing severe rootworm injury has increased every year primarily due to the overuse of one specific trait on fields for many consecutive years, lack of refuge compliance, and lack of scouting for both larval rootworm and adult beetles.
Farms with continuous corn production, and specifically those fields planted to the same Bt event year-after-year, are most at-risk for developing a resistant population. To delay resistance, Dr. Gassman and his colleagues recommend the following IPM approaches:
Rotate to soybeans or other crops to break the corn rootworm life cycle between growing seasons.
Consider using pyramided Bt hybrids, which is defined as corn that contains multiple Bt proteins targeting corn rootworm.
Implementing a long-term integrated approach to corn rootworm management is most important, according to Gassmann. Integration of tactics across seasons is fundamental to prolonging the usefulness of any effective management strategy
As I write this, North Central Iowa is experiencing absolutely frigid conditions again! The sunshine is very deceiving. Once I step outside a warm building, the raw wind gives me an instant ice cream-headache. This winter’s unseasonably cold temps makes me believe in my hog barns more and more!
With a true temp of -9 F & wind chills nearing 30 below, this weather isn’t fit for man nor beast!
Not everyone believes hogs should be raised indoors. Misperceptions run rampant, especially on the Internet. That’s one reason I’m so gung ho about advocating. Others don’t know what we’re experiencing unless we share it with them, so I post #felfies of myself while working outdoors and videos of my hogs all toasty warm in their barns.
People involved with agriculture must explain why we farm the way we do because just doing it right doesn’t cut it anymore. If we’re not careful, farmers will be legislated into farming the way a small minority of well-fed people think it should be done.
“We’re allowing 5% of consumers who are very vocal to appear to represent the majority,” radio personality Trent Loos said last week during a presentation at the Iowa Pork Congress. “Very clearly, there are people who have questions. And we should be as transparent as possible… But we need to lead and drive that discussion.”
Trent did a great job firing up the crowd, encouraging pork producers to speak out and get involved. So, the next day I expected to see a nice crowd of farmers wanting to learn how to communicate with consumers. But I was greatly disappointed! More than 200 people listened to Trent; fewer than 10 listened to the social media class.
Ag folks want to listen to Trent, but Trent cannot tell consumers about their operations! Each farmer, each rancher must share how he or she farms and why. The non-farming grocery shopper wants to hear from a farmer who raises their food. The foodie mommy wants and needs to hear from unpaid #agvocates!
Operation Main Street (OMS) a National Pork Board Speaker Corps, formed in 2005 because there was a need for farmers to truthfully talk with consumers about how and why we have made changes to our farms. The OMS program even started to address college classes and groups of dietitians and county commissioners. I’ve been active in OMS for about 8 years, but last week was the first time I was asked to be one of the teachers for a culinary class. Besides sharing tips for cooking pork, I’ll talk about how many people live on our planet.
Did you know 50 percent of the world’s 7 billion try to survive on $2 a day? Three and a half billion people live on $730 per year… and that humbles me greatly!
Unfortunately, this week’s Operation Main Street training session was postponed due to inclement weather. I will look forward to presenting these stats and sharing my passion for advocating on the next go round.
Weather is certainly creating hardships from the Polar Vortex extending across the Midwest to the drought in California. Farmers and ranchers depend on the weather to make a living raising the food that we all take for granted.
Food is so readily available and relatively cheap that many people really do take it for granted. But 3.5 billion people worldwide do not have that luxury! More than 49 million Americans, including kids and adults, are food insecure. It’s so important that food plentiful and affordable for everyone! But, regulations only increase food costs.
We must look for regulations hiding in new legislation – not just the Farm Bill – that force costly restrictions on food and fiber producers. Talk to your elected officials about the bills they will vote on! New legislation must be read and understood. Amendments must be read and understood. Our government has become so burdensome and restrictive, that even the courts are legislating. And the back door presidential legislating by executive order seems to be unrestricted!
Farmers are passionate about what we do, but we must take that passion beyond the “choir!” Grocery shoppers, including foodie mommies, want to hear from a farmer. Consumers are increasing interested in how their food is grown, according to survey results released earlier this month.
It’s time for more farmers to jump in and advocate! I know how intimidating social media seems at first, but I promise there are resources there to guide you along the way. I’ve learned that the hardest part is taking the first step. I’ve found that the more active I’ve become, the more interest I attract from media and legislators who are interested in hearing a “real farmer’s” point of view. Think one person can’t make a difference? Think again. YOU can make a lasting impact… Agriculture needs YOU!
Representatives from Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds took to center court Saturday in James H. Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa, as we were one of three Iowa-based companies being recognized for supporting the Cyclone Charity Stripe. This promotion raises money for every free throw the Iowa State Cyclones Men’s Basketball team makes during the 2013-14 basketball season; donations benefit the American Cancer Society through Coaches vs. Cancer.
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is proud to support the Cyclone Charity Stripe, which raises money for Coaches vs. Cancer with every free throw the ISU Men’s Basketball team makes during the 2013-14 season
Coaches vs. Cancer evolved from a concept championed by Norm Stewart, former head coach of the University of Missouri men’s basketball program. As a cancer survivor and member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), Coach Stewart challenged fans to pledge a dollar amount for points made by his team. The American Cancer Society and the NABC adopted that concept in 1993, transforming it into a nationwide effort “to provide help and hope to people facing cancer.”
Providing support for the American Cancer Society and helping raise awareness for cancer prevention and early detection is a cause that’s near and dear to our family. John’s mother and his paternal grandmother, Evelyn Latham, are both breast cancer survivors. John’s dad and our company’s past president, Bill Latham, is about to celebrate the four-year anniversary of his stem cell transplant.
ISU Men’s Head Basketball Coach Fred Hoiberg sports tennis shoes in support of Coaches vs. Cancer during Saturday’s game in Hilton Coliseum. Iowa State defeated #22 Kansas State, 81-75.
Because we know first-hand what a gift “hope” can be, we’re glad to help support the American Cancer Society and Iowa State University’s Cyclone Charity Stripe Promotion.
Free throws this season have net $17,000 for the American Cancer Society, and points in the charity stripe helped the Cyclones defeat the Kansas State Wildcats. Now that’s what I call a “win, win situation”! Click here to see video highlights of Saturday’s game in Hilton.
Scott and Cindy Rasmussen of Burt, Iowa, were high school sweethearts. Today they’re still teaming up and enjoying life on their North Iowa farm.
Super Bowl Sunday is a little more than a week away, but already good-natured ribbing and game day speculations are underway. Whether you’re planning to watch the big game (or just the commercials) with family and friends at their house or yours, the Rasmussens from Burt in North Central Iowa offer some tried and true hosting tips.
“Our approach is really to keep it simple. We do much of the food prep ahead of time, so we can enjoy more time with our friends and family when they arrive,” says Cindy, who works part-time off the farm for an attorney and also helps with field work during the spring and fall.
Scott, the other half of this husband-wife team, is quick to share one of their secrets. While I’m talking with Cindy, he walks over to the freezer and pulls out a Ziploc® freezer bag filled with Rye Bread Appetizers. Now that’s my idea of “fast food”!
Keeping food on hand that can be fixed quickly when company drops in unexpectedly makes entertaining fun and easy. Now that their three children have graduated college and are living on their own, Scott and Cindy look forward to their visits and also relish time reconnecting with their friends.
“All of our kids were very active in high school with sports and extracurricular activities like 4-H,” says Scott, who served as 4-H club leader for 11 years and coached their AAU basketball teams. Cindy was a Sunday School teacher and Scott served as a trustee. They both served as T-ball coaches when their kids were younger.
Adds Cindy, “It took some planning, especially during spring and fall, but we really wanted them to experience life outside of farming, choose their own paths, and earn a four-year degree.” That being said, now our kids come home during spring and fall to help during the busy season. They truly understand what a great life farming is and that it is the perfect setting for raising a family.”
The Rasmussen’s oldest son, Noah, graduated from Algona High School in 2000. He earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University and works for John Deere in Urbandale. His wife, Rachel, also graduated from ISU with a master’s in public administration. She works in human relations. The couple has three daughters ages 8, 4, and 3 months.
The Rasmussen’s second son, Drew, graduated from high school in 2005. He earned a degree in Industrial Systems Technology (Ag Systems Technology) from Iowa State University and is a shift foreman at the biodiesel plant in Algona. He also helps Scott and Cindy farm and is looking forward to farming on his own someday. Drew and his fiancée, Sierra, are planning an August wedding.
Daughter, Chelsie, graduated from high school in 2007. She earned a degree in psychology from the University of Iowa. She and her husband, Tom, make their home near Britt. They both work full time plus Chelsie is taking classes through North Iowa Community College (NIACC) to become a physical therapy assistant. They’re expecting their first child in June.
While their children were growing up, the Rasmussens had a farrow to finish operation in addition to their cropping operation. In 2000, hog prices went to $8, so Scott was determined to find a way to make up for lost income. With margins on the hog operation going from tight to negative, Scott went to work at Aluma Trailers in Bancroft. He appreciated that company’s flexibility, so he could work around his farming schedule. After a year of working at Aluma, Scott’s dad retired from farming. Scott was able to continue working part-time and farm additional acres. Then in 2008, they converted the barn into a heated shop where Scott enjoys maintaining his line of farm equipment and woodworking especially during the winter months.
“I really enjoyed working at Aluma and my boss was really good to me,” says Scott. “He was one person who really helped make a difference. Cindy and I have really been blessed by the people who have helped us along the way.” They mention the respect they have for the farm manager of the Stockwell Memorial Farm, who helped them start farming on their own, and for an elderly neighbor, who also chose Scott to farm his land when he decided to retire.
Click on the image to enlarge, then print.
“We’ve learned to surround ourselves with good people, and that’s one of the reasons we enjoy working with Latham Seeds,” says Scott. “The company is filled with good people. I know that I can call the office and be connected with someone who has the answer to my question. I really enjoy Latham’s personal service, plus Latham® products really perform well.”
In their spare time, the Rasmussens enjoy fishing, boating, spending time with family and friends, and spoiling their grandchildren. The couple also enjoys antiquing, refinishing and repurposing furniture. They had a cabinet built into a buffet to camouflage a dorm-sized refrigerator. They also put locking wheels on an island in their kitchen, which readily converts into a snack table for grandkids or extends their kitchen counter space if they want to set up a buffet line. Both items make entertaining easy.
So that you can spend more time with friends and less time in the kitchen, today the Rasmussens are sharing two of their favorite recipes on TheFieldPosition. Take it to the house next Sunday with Rye Bread Appetizers and Party Pretzels!
Super Bowl Sunday XLVII had us reaching for a tissue and wiping our eyes as the nation was overcome with emotion when Dodge Ram’s God Made a Farmer television spot aired. That commercial, featuring a poem recited by Paul Harvey during the 1978 FFA annual convention, paid tribute to Americans farmers.
Dodge’s “Year of the Farmer” commercial made those, who tend to livestock and nurture the land, feel rightfully proud. It made those who aren’t farmers wish they had such a noble calling.
We believe farmers deserve to be in the spotlight once again, so we’re proclaiming Super Bowl 2014 as “Year of the Felfie.”Join Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds as we host a virtual Super Bowl party! Enter for a chance to win freebies by participating in Felfies, Foodies & Football:
Between now and the kickoff on Sunday, Feb. 2, take time to take a #felfie. They say a photo is worth a thousand words. In this case, it could be worth a stadium blanket and chairs! Plus, your felfie could help non-farmers gain a better understanding how their food is produced.
Speaking of food… Everyone knows the key to hosting a good party is having ample quantities of wonderful food. That’s why, beginning tomorrow, we’ll post simple yet delicious “Game Day” recipes on our company’s Facebook page. We hope you’ll join us throughout the week as we prepare for Super Bowl 2014!
Many Midwest farmers are asking questions about the benefits of spraying foliar fungicides on their soybean fields. The simple truth is… there are a lot of opinions.
Be very leery when they are bombarded by claims of yield increases due to improved overall plant health. Do some of your own testing before deciding to make large-scale applications of these products. It may very well prove that fungicides of this type will pay great dividends on certain farms and pay zero dividends on others!
There is one very important thing to remember when conducting trials of this kind: leave some areas in the field unsprayed to “check” the actual value of the products. As you make plans for the 2014 crop, keep these three things in mind:
Be sure you’re making an apples-to-apples comparison. For example, I’ve received reports from farmers who advocate the use of foliar fungicides on soybeans. However, the fields they compared were several miles away and some were not even the same soybean variety!
There are people out there who want to sell you something, regardless of whether you need it.
If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
One of our brand promises at Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is to help farmers save time. Another promise is to help farmers reduce risk. That’s why I’m being as honest as possible by questioning the investment in foliar fungicide on soybeans. Seed treatments, on the other hand, are worth the investment. Seed treatments are one key to achieving higher soybean yields; click here for others.
Since today is National Wear Red Day® and Valentine’s Day is literally one week away, today on TheFieldPosition we’re providing ideas and activities that will “do your heart some good.”
