Many of us who live in rural areas probably were “meal planning” without even realizing it and before it was trending! After all, we aren’t going to drive five to 10 miles for one missing ingredient. We either plan ahead or make do with what we have on hand by substituting ingredients.
Some of my friends make elaborate monthly menus like what my school printed in the newspaper when I was a kid. (I’m dating myself, but I remember my mom cutting out the school lunch menu and posting it on the refrigerator. Each morning I would look at the school lunch menu to see if I wanted to pack my lunch.) My friends who make these elaborate menus are very much about sticking with what’s on the menu for each specific date. They’ve learned what works best for them. I’ve also learned that I can’t stick to a strict schedule.
Because my husband travels frequently and our kids’ activities often take us away from home, I make a list of seven meals and side dishes before I do my weekly grocery shopping. I have a general idea of when I plan to serve each of the meals, but we can flex our meals when the situation arises.
I typically make sure we have a variety of dishes that use pork, beef and poultry with an occasional meal of fresh catch or grilled salmon. In celebration of May Beef Month, this week I put together a week’s worth of beef recipes based on recipes we’ve featured on “The Field Position” blog:
Monday – Prime Rib Roast (in the crockpot), steamed green beans and peaches with cottage cheese. I once read on a food blog you should make Monday’s supper the easiest meal of the week. After all, “it’s a Monday!” (Please tell me you’ve had “one of those days,” so you understand what I’m talking about.) Mondays are a great time for crockpot meals or freezer meals, so you can start the week off right.
Tuesday – Beef Stew or Beef & Noodles, using leftover roast and the broth/juice in the crockpot from the Mock Prime Rib. Consider serving stew with fresh beer bread topped with homemade jam. We like beef & noodles served over the Best Dang Mashed Potatoes with a side of steamed peas and canned pears. (Val, who blogs at “Corn, Beans, Pigs & Kids, suggests using frozen veggies to save time. Click here for more of her time-saving tips.)
Wednesday – Baked Tacos. This recipe makes it easy to make quick and delicious supper. Since the homemade taco season recipe makes enough for two pounds, I brown two pounds of hamburger right away. You can always freeze the other pound for later. Consider serving these tacos with sides of frozen corn and fresh fruit with Mexican Fruit Dip.
Thursday –Lasagna with garlic bread and a tossed salad. (Please don’t dismiss this meal idea without reading the recipe. It’s as easy as it is delicious!)
Friday –Fire up the grill! Hamburgers on the grill are one of our family’s favorite meals. I particularly enjoy grilling on Fridays because it’s a good way to wind down at the end of a work week. That means fewer dishes, less time cleaning up and more time chilling out. Consider serving grilled burgers with sides of Sweet & Spicy Hog Wild Baked Beans or Calico Beans and slices of fresh melon.
Saturday dinner – Sour Cream Meatballs. You can serve it over rice with a side dish of fresh asparagus or steamed broccoli.
We knew we had a winner on our team the first time Kurt Ludwig, graphic designer for Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, brought Bourbon & Bacon Meatballs to our company’s holiday potluck. This recipe takes meatballs to a whole new level! You could even serve this as appetizers for a Derby-themed party… once the Kentucky Derby and other large group gatherings are allowed again.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has altered many a plans and cancelled many events, it’s not stopping us from celebrating May Beef Month. Go ahead and have a ball this weekend!
2020 I-LEAD Mission Trip Reiterates Importance of Steady Trade Partners
guest blog post by Emily Peters, Sales Manager of Agricultural Products for Union Pacific Railroad
If you watch the news or read the headlines in the paper about all the trade disruptions, you would wonder if there’s a place in this world where U.S. agriculturists are welcome. The truth is every day many people share the story of American agriculture.
Earlier this spring I had the opportunity to attend a trade mission with the Iowa Corn Growers’ Iowa Leadership Enhancement and Development (I-LEAD) program. About a year and a half ago, my I-LEAD classmates and I debated where to go for our trade mission. Our final two options were (1) China; and (2) Peru, Colombia, and Panama.
Option 2 won by a slim margin because we thought it was important to meet with steady trade partners, even if they weren’t as large.” Our I-LEAD class departed Des Moines on March 2, 2020, with the mission of learning about, strengthening and growing important trade partnerships for U.S. agriculture.
Throughout the trip, we visited with local representatives of the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) and the U.S. Embassy in both Peru and Colombia. Maintaining these relationships was a key theme.
One representative from the USGC said it best, “Latin America is a constant and consistent consumer as long as you don’t ignore her.”
I was impressed by the great talent working in our foreign Ag sectors. They are doing important work. For example, they work with local politicians to structure and implement price-band systems that make U.S. corn more price competitive with grain from other countries. A tour of the National Institute of Agriculture queued us into the growing interest among Peru’s science community to understand how GMOs could help their populations. While Peru does not allow local growth of GMO crops, importing GMO corn is critical to feeding its growing poultry market.
We met with large customers of U.S. corn. Not only did they express appreciation for our corn, but they also showed us how much U.S. corn supports their businesses. We toured the production facility of Huevos Kikes, the largest egg production company in Colombia. It produces five million eggs daily, and egg production is expected to grow to six million eggs daily by the end of 2020!
Eighty percent of the corn used by Huevos Kikes for feed rations comes from the United States. We reassured company representatives that we have plenty of corn available to meet their growth expectations. We also visited an Ingredion corn processing facility, which produces germ, gluten/feed, syrup, gluten meal, modified starch, and slurry-suspended starch. This facility imports 385,000 tons of #2 yellow corn annually, and 100% of that comes from the United States!
The farms we toured were amazing! They were vast in size. They also were diverse and faced unique challenges to what we see in the Midwest. One farm we visited raises 30 different fruits, accounting for more than 1 billion pieces of fruit annually. This same farm also grows avocados and feeds seven million chickens.
Geography determines where citrus can be planted. We toured a 4,000-acre piece of ground in a narrow mountain valley that is devoted to mandarins and avocados. The area south of Peru is extremely dry, requiring costly irrigation for all production ground. It costs $80,000 to drill a well 100 meters deep.
Another farm we visited raises asparagus, papaya, and blueberries. I found blueberry production extremely interesting. This farm was in the middle of a desert. All its blueberries are grown in bags of soil, so they can be immediately certified organic. Nearly all the blueberries raised here are exported, as local Peruvian consumers are not yet accustomed to the taste.
Just as Midwestern bankers are reserved about lending to specialty crop farms, Peruvian bankers are not yet comfortable providing loans for blueberry farms despite the crop’s enormous margins. Lenders in Peru are more familiar and, therefore, more willing to lend for asparagus and papaya production.
Our last stop before heading home to America the Panama Canal. I’m so glad we made the stop because its immensity is something you can’t grasp from pictures. The Canal spans 50 miles with three lock-steps on each side, and Lake Gatun is in the center. The ships passing through the locks were HUGE.
Two-thirds of all vessels going through the Panama Canal are either going to or coming from the United States. One hundred percent of U.S. corn going to Peru and 50% of U.S. corn going to Colombia travels through the Panama Canal. Without this canal, ships would have to travel an additional 8,000 miles around Cape Horn.
Our trip reiterated the importance of maintaining relationships with steady trade partners. During this uncertain time with China, our largest trading partner, it was refreshing to meet with trade partners like Peru and Columbia who WANT to buy U.S. products.
In addition, my eyes were opened to how important it is to understand what is valuable to various sectors within the agricultural industry. For example, some critics of our trade agreements will argue the volume of corn exported from the United States to their countries far outpaces the volume of crops they export to us, therefore, creating an unfair trade imbalance. However, their specialty crops are more valuable per unit. Although we don’t produce citrus, avocados, or commercial flowers here in the Midwest, those producers are important allies in defending trade agreements that make U.S. producers preferred suppliers.
Finally, this incredible opportunity reminded me of how blessed we are. A HUGE thanks to Iowa Corn, and all the generous sponsors like Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, for granting the trip of a lifetime to 25 of us aspiring Ag leaders.
Today I’m sharing with you a recipe for empanadas from Food & Wine as this is a delicious meal that is often served in Peru.
Spring is a Fresh Start, so Try Something New in the Field
When the sun shines, the snow melts slowly and temperatures are above normal on a late Midwest winter’s day, folks across the Upper Midwest start thinking about the hope that comes from the changing of the seasons. No crop would ever get planted without optimism.
“South Dakota farmers came off an unprecedented in 2019 and then faced our hardest fall ever,” says Dustin Leiseth of Hazel, SD, who has farmed since 1999 with his father, Paul. “I was in Aberdeen for township meetings last fall, so I called Dad to ask how harvest was going. He said, ‘Well, nothing has broken down yet today.’ So… that’s how we were measuring success.”
Both final drives and the cleaning fan went out in the last 500 acres of combining. The Leiseth family finished the harvest on December 6, 2019. To commemorate the occasion, Dustin took a selfie in the field. Pictured with him are his father and Roger Adams, who has been one of Paul’s best friends since kindergarten. Roger has helped with harvest for years, taking vacation days to help the Leiseth family before he retired in 2014.
“I’ve never been so happy to be done,” says Dustin. “I told my dad, ‘You’re the only person I would want to do this with. I can’t see myself farming if one of my sons doesn’t farm with me. I’m going to tell my son, ‘This is our legacy. My grandpa moved here. Your grandpa and I have fought to keep this land in our family. I want you to farm with me and for this farm to be yours someday, if that’s what you want. Farming must be someone’s passion. No operation can truly be successful if the person who is running it doesn’t have a strong desire and passion for it.’ I just want us both to have open and honest communication when that day comes. It is, and always will be, about his passion in this life, not mine.”
Dustin is the third generation who felt called to farm this land, and he says he never wanted to do anything else. Like his father did upon graduating from high school, Dustin attended Lake Area Tech in Watertown where he learned many useful skills from electrical wiring to welding and carpentry.
“I was fortunate that my parents said they wanted me to come back to the farm,” says Dustin. “My wife understands this life comes with sacrifices. Bridget is very supportive. She makes my life even better, and she’s great with our sons. I make the farm go, and she keeps our family whole. Together we unify.”
Dustin and Bridget have two sons, 12-year old Preston and 7-year old Caleb.
“I get to raise my sons on the farm where they have the freedom to be who they are,” says Dustin, who enjoys fishing and boating with his family. He also enjoys hunting pheasants and white tail deer. “The boys ride bikes down the back-country roads and the 4-wheeler across the home section. They just experience good country living.”
Huntin’, fishin’, and lovin’ every day… That’s the prayer that a country boy prays.
Like the lyrics to a good country music song, Dustin is thankful that God blessed him this way.
“There are several things I enjoy about farming. Every day is different. Days may be similar, but no two days are ever the same,” says Dustin. “Spring is a fresh start and time to try a few new things like new seed varieties, increasing seed populations, or applying fertilizer at varying rates and application timing. I strive to try one or two new things each year. The good Lord only gives us a finite number of chances to plant and harvest on this earth, so I try to make each one better than the last.”
Rebuilding Roads & Roadways
Flooding washed away gravel and washed out culverts in 2019. Large amounts of snowfall this winter has many South Dakota residents concerned that snowmelt combined with spring rains will cause more flooding in 2020.
While many farmers are aware of how flooding in 2019 left their farm-to-market roads in disrepair, Dustin is aware of how much damage was caused statewide. He has been a township clerk for the past 10 years. He has served as
a director for the South Dakota Association of Towns & Townships for the past four years and as its president for the past two years.
“South Dakota has experienced two disasters in the past eight years that have involved FEMA,” explains Dustin, who started attending township meetings as a 17-year-old with his dad. “Our last disaster started at the end of March 2019, and 11 months later we haven’t received a check. Our township was the second out of 13 to complete all of our documents, but we’re still waiting for the money to arrive.”
Dustin Leiseth and his son, Preston, in February participated in the Polar Plunge on Lake Kampeska. The event raises approximately $45,000 annually for Special Olympics South Dakota and the Special Olympics Watertown.
Flood repairs push South Dakota townships to financial brink. As president of the state’s Towns & Townships association, Dustin attends meetings for the joint committee of Appropriations in Pierre. He meets with the Secretary of Transportation and the Association of Counties. Five entities have been meeting throughout the winter because they were supporting a bill to help fund large culverts.
There is a push from the hunting and gaming commission for township roads to be repaired and maintained, so hunters and fishermen can get to the sloughs. The problem is that neither the county nor state wants to pay townships to rebuild these roads. More money is needed for infrastructure repair at a time when statewide revenue is lower due to fewer hunting and fishing licenses.
“Hunting and fishing has been a large part of South Dakota’s tourism, so there is a push underway to engage the next generation. If kids don’t have a parent to go with, they grab their phones instead of a pole. When we were kids, we’d call one another and go fishing. That’s not happening today.”
Spring is on the horizon, so there is renewed hope that families will return to the great outdoors to enjoy camping, fishing and riding bicycles. To help power through these remaining late winter days and those damp, early spring days, Dustin is sharing with us one of his family’s favorite recipe for a hearty stew.
Teresa Erger Stays Strong by Adapting and Overcoming
During a trip to Alaska in August 2018 with Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, Tess Erger decided she needed to make getting in shape a priority.
When life becomes challenging for people, they’re either going to get defeated or become more determined. Teresa (Tess) Erger of Brandon, Iowa, isn’t one to get knocked over and stay down. She has learned to overcome challenges by focusing on what she can do to make a positive difference in the world around her.
Teresa is a wife, mother of two, grandmother of eight, and an entrepreneur.
“Because I have my online gym, I don’t have any excuses not to work out,” says Tess. “I can take my ‘gym’ anywhere I go. I carry my iPad with me wherever I go. Last year when the combine broke down, I did my workout in the middle of a corn field. I also have grandkids, so that motivates me. I want to be a positive role model for them. I want to be the grandma that rocks, not the one who sits in a rocking chair!”
In April 2019, Tess opened her virtual gym. She has learned to overcome excuses and makes time to exercise daily. She also encourages others to do the same. Fifty-nine women and nine men join her regularly for virtual workouts.
Tess was an aerobics instructor in the 1980s, but like many of us, she has had lots of other demands on her time based on each chapter of life. She operated her own beauty salon for 15 years. When her children started high school, she went back to college and earned a degree in elementary education with endorsements in Pre-K Special Education and Reading. Tess also earned a master’s degree in Differentiated Instructional Strategies.
While she has always helped on the farm before and after her off-farm job and on weekends, Tess has served as her family’s official grain cart operator for the past 10 years. She has learned to adapt and fill a need as it arises.
Tess’s virtual gym is filled with daily inspirational messages, workouts and recipes.
“On November 19, 2015, our family was hit hard with the reality of how quickly life can change in a blink of an eye,” says Tess. “My husband, Dave, had a massive heart attack at the age of 52. He underwent emergency surgery that day and was resuscitated twice. You prioritize and look at life differently when you almost lose love someone you love.”
“Fast forward one year, and Dave’s health continued to decline. Doctors couldn’t pinpoint why, so we ended up going to the Mayo Clinic. After three days of testing, Dave was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus, Hashimoto, Sjogren’s disease. All three are auto immune diseases for which there is no cure. Dave’s disease is treated like cancer, so doctors use various medications to trick the disease into remaining dormant,” adds Tess. “We have spent so many hours, days, and weeks at the hospital dealing with the damage this disease has caused to my husband’s internal organs. His diseases have attacked everything from heart, lungs, kidneys and his nervous system to his eyes, teeth and skin. Eating healthy and getting fit became our main focuses to prolong and to give Dave quality life.”
Tess has a Group Fitness and Boot Camp instructor certification from the American Sports and Fitness Association. She also is certified in POUND, REFIT, BoKwa, and Zumba.
“I didn’t like being put in a specific category as a fitness instructor or having limitations as to what I could or couldn’t do, so I created my own program, routines, and workout programs. I created a group called ‘Choose to Change Group Fitness.’ I have been able to adjust, modify, and develop a program that works for all ages and stages of life. One thing that was missing from my program was a nutrition, supplements/vitamins, meal plans, and helping people change how they view fitness, health, and wellness. That is when I found BeachBody®.”
“Beachbody has such a great success record with workout programs, meal plans, and nutrition,” says Tess. “I became a coach and got my certification in Portion Control. Then I started an online virtual gym for both women and men. People can now workout in the convenience of their own home when it fits their schedules, and they have me as their personal coach, motivator, and biggest cheerleader. I help people work on professional development and help them find confidence in who they are and who they want to become.”
Fitness becomes part of your daily routine just like brushing your teeth or combing your hair, says Tess Erger. She adjusts, modifies and develop workout programs for people in all ages and stages of life.
Working vs. Working Out
“There is a huge difference in working and working out! I feel we need to workout at least 30 minutes a day to stay in shape, build muscles and stay strong, so we can handle all types of jobs and minimize the risk of getting hurt. Working out and getting our heart rate up also helps keep us from getting fatigued. When we workout, endorphins are released which make us feel better and makes us happier,” says Tess.
“On the farm, we work hard from dusk until dawn and even longer hours in the spring and fall,” adds Tess. “Some of the tasks and jobs that must be done require manual labor. Cleaning out a grain bin, for example, requires a lot of strength, endurance and cardio. It is back breaking work. The same is true with baling hay, picking up rocks, fixing equipment, feeding and caring for livestock, and more. There also are a lot of jobs that require sitting such as driving tractors, lawn mowers, going to agriculture meetings, and hauling grain to town.”
“My workouts are my therapy,” says Tess. “I feel lost when I don’t do them. Once you start this journey and you do it every day, it becomes part of your daily routine just like brushing your teeth or combing your hair. You do it without really thinking about it. I also need to release those positive endorphins in order to stay positive and keep my mind right. Dealing with a sick husband is stressful. Farming isn’t easy and it takes a lot of dedication and self-motivation to keep going.
Plan for Success
Planning ahead and learning portion sizes is key to success, says Tess. She uses Portion Control Containers because they take all the guess work out of how much to eat and what types of foods to eat.
Because the containers are color-coded, it’s easy to track and measure each of the food groups:
green for vegetables
purple for fruit
red for proteins
yellow for carbs
blue for healthy fats; and
orange for seeds or dressings.
“Many times, we order a salad thinking we are making a healthy choice, but it often is large enough to feed two or three people,” says Tess. “I plan meals on Saturday and prep on Sundays. I keep pre-measured snacks in baggies in the refrigerator, so they’re read to grab and go. I make it a rule to not eat in the car.”
Grapes, carrots, celery, strawberries, diced watermelon, peanuts and almonds are a few of Tess’s prepped “to go” snacks.
“When we go out to eat, I often request a burger without a bun, choose a vegetable or a fruit instead of fries, and take it easy on dressings and sauces. Remember, ‘dip, don’t drench’,” coaches Tess. “I choose fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. I try to stay away from pre-packaged or processed foods. If God created it, then you can eat it!”
With that said, Tess doesn’t believe in denying oneself from special treats. She says she isn’t going to pass up a piece of birthday cake or a homemade cookie. She just eats sweets in moderation.
“I eat to fuel my body not to fill my belly. I eat when I’m hungry not because it’s time to eat,” she says. “I monitor my moods and make sure I’m not emotional eating or sabotaging the progress I’ve made because I’m upset. Instead of eating to deal with my problems, I choose to push ‘play’ and do a workout instead. The most important thing is to make up your mind to get more active and eat healthy. We all can find time to do a 20 or 30-minute workout or move our bodies. You just need to find something you like to do and make it a priority to fit it into your schedule.”
Remember to practice patience. Results will come.
“It takes 21 days to build a new habit, three months to make it a routine, and one year for it to become automatic,” says Tess. “Keep in mind that our health is our wealth. Invest in yourself!”
To help you take a step toward healthy eating, today Tess is sharing with us a one of her recipes for Perfectly Portioned Lasagna Roll Ups. Perfectly portioned Lasagna Roll Ups use poultry sausage, frozen spinach, and three cheeses to make a crowd-pleasing dinner! Do yourself a favor and make a double batch. It freezes well.
This historic 19th century building has served many purposes throughout the years: church, masonry and horse barn. Today it houses the West Fork FFA’s Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs), which range from farrowing hogs to laying hens and thriving bee hives.
Like many rural communities across North Iowa and the Midwest, Sheffield has a population of approximately 1,200. The community is bordered on all sides by productive farmland. The north side of town also is home to Sukup Manufacturing. Less than one mile from Sukup headquarters, there is a quaint little barn that Sukups rents out for use by the FFA. This late 1800s barn serves as West Fork’s Animal Learning Center.
Thanks in part to the Animal Learning Center and extra hours logged by a passionate teacher, the West Fork FFA chapter has nearly doubled in just two years. There were 37 members when Kaitlyn (Bonzer) Porter accepted the role as agricultural education teacher and FFA advisor here; today there are 63.
Half of the West Fork FFA’s chapter members live in town, and many of them are interested in raising livestock. Fortunately, these students can learn from a passionate agricultural education instructor both inside the classroom and outside in their Animal Learning Facility.
“During the 2017-18 school year, we had two gilts farrow their first litters in the Animal Learning Facility. Since then, our students have had a chance to breed their own gilts. This is an excellent opportunity for them to learn a little bit about genetics, how to artificially inseminate, and how the farrowing process works,” says West Fork FFA Advisor Mrs. Porter, 2016 recipient of the Iowa Agricultural Association of Educator’s Outstanding Young Member for the North Central District.
“Livestock births don’t always go according to plan, but we’ve had great support from our community members,” adds Mrs.Porter. “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.
The FFA is as diverse as students’ interests. Take Hope Hartman, for example. “When she was a freshman, Hope was asked to join FFA. As a town dweller she was not sure what she could do in FFA but decided to give it a try,” says Hope’s mom Michelle Hartmen. “In FFA, I have seen Hope try things and go for projects that she never would have before. I have also seen her gain so much interest, take leadership roles and work very hard on our family Christmas Tree farm. FFA has so much to offer students, and I highly suggest that everyone give it a try as they enter high school!”
Hope is a great example of students finding their passion in AgEd and FFA. She was recently elected as chapter reporter.
Other leadership and development opportunities are offered to FFA members through a variety of contests and learning experiences since Mrs. Porter joined the faculty. In her first year, four teams competed in the North Central District Soils contest. Ian Latham, son of John and Shannon Latham, was a member of the team that advanced to the state competition. The Latham’s daughter joined FFA in her senior year. She’s had the opportunity to learn about species and crops we don’t raise, and she’s become intrigued by animal science.
Because a West Fork FFA member was elected to serve as a North Central regional officer, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds proudly sponsored the officer team’s polo shirts. Congratulations to Jason Meier on being re-elected for the second year as North Central District Secretary.
In May, the West Fork FFA will hold its 4th annual sale of vegetable garden starter plants, hanging baskets, and flower bed plants. Plans also are underway for the 5th Annual West Fork Summer Classic the first weekend in June at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Hampton. The show began 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 Mrs. Porter. “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!”
Front Row (L to R): Autumn Stonecypher, Mya Mathies, Elle Latham, Kale Petersen, Carson Nuehring (Sentinel), Collin Witte (Vice President), Grant Nuehring (President), Macy Dirksen (Secretary), Hope Hartman (Reporter), Ali Rice, Macey Rust, RaeLynn Nash, Tiyana Rogers, Kalli Trewin
Back Row (L to R): Nate Hubka, Ki Janssen, Max Heimbuch, Levi Janssen, David Sturges, Carter Koop, Cannon Craighton, Edison Caspers, Jason Meier, Kacee Guritz, Riley Peterson, Reed Stonebraker, Cassidy Wegner, Lindsey Eberling, Nick McKinney, Rose Rother, Brett Witte
Not Pictured: BetiJo Hayes, Nate Akins, Cail Weaver, Elli Weaver, Christian Dixon, Cole McKee, Ava Henricks, MacKenzie Ames, Josh Hagin, Nashuan Bryant, Keelee Sheriff
Many FFA chapters will be hosting spring banquets, and the summer potluck season will soon be upon us. April Hemmes of Hampton, Iowa, says she always took homegrown beef roast to potlucks when her kids were in high school. Beef Roast a classic meal that’s always a treat, whether or not you raise your own beef. In honor of National FFA Week and farmers like our friend April, today we’re sharing a classic recipe with you.
Middle school is a time riddled with self-doubt and self-consciousness for nearly everyone. For Casey Schlichting of Clear Lake, Iowa, that time in his life was downright humiliating. One defining moment prompted him to make a lifestyle change.
“I was in eighth grade. At an Eagle Grove wrestling tournament, there wasn’t a heavyweight in my age bracket. They brought a Junior down to wrestle me, and you can about imagine how that went!” says Casey. “I was big, but I wasn’t strong. I couldn’t even do one chin-up. I decided I needed to do something about it, so I started going to the weight room.”
“When I was a freshman, my sister was a senior. All her friends looked out for me in the weight room,” adds Casey. “The senior class was supportive and encouraging. I was there every morning at 6:15 and completed an hour-long workout.”
Because the school didn’t serve breakfast at that time, Casey got the protein he needed by opening old school cans of tuna and packing boiled eggs. He says eating a well-balanced diet doesn’t have to be overly complicated. Rather than downing sugary drinks and empty calories, he continues to look for foods that are low in both sodium and added sugars.
“There are literally 100 different types of diets, but the ‘right one’ is the one that you can follow,” says Casey, who has learned that Keto isn’t right for him. He needs complex carbohydrates to provide energy to train for powerlifting and triathlons. He believes in eating all food groups in moderation.
Casey participating in a Sprint Triathlon.
Casey finds inspiration, as well as gains knowledge about health and nutrition, by following body builders and triathletes online. The White Rhino, who holds the all-time raw world record of 2,226.6 pounds in powerlifting, is one professional whom Casey particularly enjoys following.
With two triathlons under his belt, Casey is once again focusing on weightlifting. He competed in bench press competition while he was in high school. For many years, he was focused on power lifting. Now he’s has a goal of competing in the Strongman competition at the 2020 Iowa Games.
Summer also means Casey will log many miles again on his bicycle. He and Teresa enjoy going on bike rides with their twins. Their home is close to the trail, so they often bicycle to Big Blue or Clear Lake where they enjoy swimming before riding back home. Their daughter, Josie, also enjoys playing basketball and volleyball. Their son, Jack, isn’t sure if he wants to continue playing baseball this summer. He enjoys helping his dad and grandpa on the farm.
Schlichting Family
“I enjoy raising my family in the house where my grandparents lived,” says Casey. “At night, we can sit around the fire in our Adirondack chairs and watch the crops grow.”
While the Schlichting family eagerly awaits the change of season, they’re staying active inside. The family enjoys their Y membership where they can swim, as well as play basketball and racquetball. Teresa also enjoys yoga.
For more ideas on how your family can stay active this winter, follow Casey and the other members of Iowa Food & Family Project’s Farm Team during their 10 Week Wellness Challenge. Better yet, join along! Although it’s too late to register for this particular challenge, it’s never too late to begin your own health and wellness journey! To help you get started, today Casey is sharing one of his favorite post-workout breakfast recipes, Stan Efferding’s Monster Mash.
Some days, it can feel like connecting with consumers is nearly impossible.
With each trendy diet, noisy advertisement or misinformed social media comment, it seems like the distance between the 2% who farm and 98% who don’t is widening.
In my consumer-facing role with the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) and Iowa Food & Family Project (Iowa FFP), I work to unite Iowans in conversations about modern agriculture. I work to showcase the work farmers do to raise safe, nutritious products to feed their families, neighbors and the world.
Each time I speak with a farmer, their question to me remains the same: “What do consumers really want to know about farming and how can I connect with them?” This leadership and openness are the first steps in shrinking the seemingly significant divide between consumers and farmers.
And the bridge goes both ways. More than 130,000 Iowa consumers (that’s the combined population of Iowa City, Cedar Falls and Boone!) are engaging with Iowa FFP content, activities and events. They’re hungry to meet farmers and have authentic conversations about how food is grown and raised.
Each year, Iowa FFP conducts a Consumer Pulse Survey among food purchasers in the state. Now in its eighth year, the survey gauges grocery shopping habits, food label influence and attitudes toward farming.
These objective survey findings shape Iowa FFP’s approach to connecting farmers and consumers. And best of all, these findings can help farmers answer the question: “What do consumers really want to know about farming and how can I connect with them?”
Here are three key takeaways from the most recent survey:
Iowans are fans of farmers: 83% of grocery shoppers agreed they have a positive opinion of farming in Iowa. In fact, 9 in 10 agree that farmers are on the right track with building strong communities and providing safe foods.
Trends aren’t that trendy: Only 3% of food purchasers shop for groceries online. Almost 9 in 10 shoppers agree they are unlikely to replace meat with imitation meat for any given meal.
Mistrust in food marketing: Half of shoppers seek information on front-of-package food marketing (call outs like “organic,” “hormone-free” or “all natural”), with 83% finding it misleading. Since 2016, the purchasing influence of front-of-package marketing has dropped from 32% to 19%. Food quality and price of food top the list as the most important factors when grocery shopping.
The November 2019 survey had 597 responses and 307 were engaged with Iowa FFP as monthly newsletter subscribers. Respondents’ age groups, income levels, education levels and geographic regions closely follow the state’s population, resulting in a 4% margin of error. Blue Compass, a digital marketing agency in West Des Moines, conducted the survey analysis from data collected through Dynata’s business-to-consumer panel.
For additional survey insights and resources that connect farmers and consumers, visit iowafoodandfamily.com.
To wrap up the past year of Food & Family Features, we’re highlighting the top five most viewed blogs from 2019. Each one of the following posts contains a recipe that is special to the family being featured.
Click on the links below to revisit each of these top stories from the past year:
Filzens Work Together to Carry on Family Legacy. No matter what job you have, it’s all about relationships. That’s a lesson Latham® seed dealer Dale Filzen learned from his father, and it’s a lesson he’s passed along to his three daughters. Click on the link to read the rest of the story and to download one of the Filzen family’s favorite recipes. Celebrate January soup month by downloading their hearty recipe, which is sure to warm you up on a cold winter’s night.
These Super Fans Bring Superb Tailgating Skills to the Table. Ryan and Meg Schon (pronounced “shown”) honed their tailgating skills when their favorite team didn’t have a hope or a prayer of post-season play. The Schons met when they were both students at Iowa State University. Like many Cyclone fans, they’ve been loyal and forever true to their school. Their eternal optimism prompted them to develop the mantra of “Tailgate Victoriously.” It’s a tagline that has become so ingrained in their fall activities that Ryan created Cyclone jerseys with the numbers “19” and “95” to commemorate the year he and Meg were married.
Iowa’s First Authenic Farm Stay Opens. One travel trend is local experiences you can’t find at the office, down the street or from mainstream motel or hotel. A North Central Iowa dairy family offers a unique travel experience by combining a sleep experience with agritourism. Dan and Lynn Bolin of Clarksville, Iowa, have opened New Day Dairy Guest Barn. Attached to their dairy barn, the loft of the Guest Barn features two cow-gazing windows. Each of the three bedrooms has a private attached bathroom. A kitchen and dining area finish out the space. You can book a stay now through AirBnB and Sleep with the Cows: AirBnB at bit.ly/sleepwiththecows
Broedlow Family is Living their Legacy in Southeastern Wisconsin. Their families owned land adjacent to one another. Their childhood homes were just one mile apart, yet Brady and Lynsey Broedlow didn’t meet until they were both out of high school. Even their first meeting is unusual for teenagers raised in a small town… When she was 16, Lynsey joined the Helenville (Wisconsin) Volunteer Fire Department because her dad has been on the department since he was 18. His service ignited Lynsey’s desire to serve. Brady joined the department a few years later when he turned 18, which is where their love story begins.
Pozarski Finds His Niche in Niche Markets. When you think of maple syrup production, chances are you think of New England. You wouldn’t be wrong. However, Wisconsin is the fourth top maple-producing state. Maple syrup is uniquely a North American product due to our climate. Freezing nights and warmer days are required for the sap to flow properly from the trees. Latham® dealer Blake Pozarski of Pozarski Family Farms grew up on a dairy farm and says there are many similarities between dairying and producing syrup. “I joke with my kids, ‘I’m milking trees today’. When you grow up farming, it’s in your blood.”
Meeting our dealers, customers and friends in agriculture is something we truly enjoy. We enjoy telling stories that showcase how farmers are making an impact in the agricultural industry and in their communities.
We’re always looking for a good story to tell – and every family has one! Feel free to call our office at 641.692.3258 or drop us an email at TeamLatham@gmail.com. It would be an honor to share your story on “The Field Position” in the year ahead. We wish you a happy 2020!
To wrap up the past year of Food & Family Features, we’re highlighting the top five most viewed blogs from 2019. Each one of the following posts contains a recipe that is special to the family being featured.
Click on the links below to revisit each of these top stories from the past year:
Filzens Work Together to Carry on Family Legacy. No matter what job you have, it’s all about relationships. That’s a lesson Latham® seed dealer Dale Filzen learned from his father, and it’s a lesson he’s passed along to his three daughters. Click on the link to read the rest of the story and to download one of the Filzen family’s favorite recipes. Celebrate January soup month by downloading their hearty recipe, which is sure to warm you up on a cold winter’s night.
These Super Fans Bring Superb Tailgating Skills to the Table. Ryan and Meg Schon (pronounced “shown”) honed their tailgating skills when their favorite team didn’t have a hope or a prayer of post-season play. The Schons met when they were both students at Iowa State University. Like many Cyclone fans, they’ve been loyal and forever true to their school. Their eternal optimism prompted them to develop the mantra of “Tailgate Victoriously.” It’s a tagline that has become so ingrained in their fall activities that Ryan created Cyclone jerseys with the numbers “19” and “95” to commemorate the year he and Meg were married.
Iowa’s First Authenic Farm Stay Opens. One travel trend is local experiences you can’t find at the office, down the street or from mainstream motel or hotel. A North Central Iowa dairy family offers a unique travel experience by combining a sleep experience with agritourism. Dan and Lynn Bolin of Clarksville, Iowa, have opened New Day Dairy Guest Barn. Attached to their dairy barn, the loft of the Guest Barn features two cow-gazing windows. Each of the three bedrooms has a private attached bathroom. A kitchen and dining area finish out the space. You can book a stay now through AirBnB and Sleep with the Cows: AirBnB at bit.ly/sleepwiththecows
Broedlow Family is Living their Legacy in Southeastern Wisconsin. Their families owned land adjacent to one another. Their childhood homes were just one mile apart, yet Brady and Lynsey Broedlow didn’t meet until they were both out of high school. Even their first meeting is unusual for teenagers raised in a small town… When she was 16, Lynsey joined the Helenville (Wisconsin) Volunteer Fire Department because her dad has been on the department since he was 18. His service ignited Lynsey’s desire to serve. Brady joined the department a few years later when he turned 18, which is where their love story begins.
Pozarski Finds His Niche in Niche Markets. When you think of maple syrup production, chances are you think of New England. You wouldn’t be wrong. However, Wisconsin is the fourth top maple-producing state. Maple syrup is uniquely a North American product due to our climate. Freezing nights and warmer days are required for the sap to flow properly from the trees. Latham® dealer Blake Pozarski of Pozarski Family Farms grew up on a dairy farm and says there are many similarities between dairying and producing syrup. “I joke with my kids, ‘I’m milking trees today’. When you grow up farming, it’s in your blood.”
Meeting our dealers, customers and friends in agriculture is something we truly enjoy. We enjoy telling stories that showcase how farmers are making an impact in the agricultural industry and in their communities.
We’re always looking for a good story to tell – and every family has one! Feel free to call our office at 641.692.3258 or drop us an email at TeamLatham@gmail.com. It would be an honor to share your story on “The Field Position” in the year ahead. We wish you a happy 2020!
PRODUCE IS A GROWING BUSINESS FOR THE RUPPERT FAMILY
Kerry and Kim Ruppert
October is National Farm to School Month
Farmers, like the Ruppert family of Currie, turn seeds that are planted into the rich soils on their family’s Minnesota Century Farm into food on the table. They raise traditional Midwest row crops including corn and soybeans, but they’re best known for their garden produce. The Rupperts provide fresh foods for eight school districts, three restaurants, 3 farmers markets, and various food shelves in the area.
“Our garden has grown in size as our kids have taken on more and more responsibility. Gardening is their full-time job from spring into fall. Once school is back in session, Kerry and I do the weekday picking and delivering,” says Kim Ruppert, who has served as Murray County Farm Bureau president for the past three years.
Raised in the city of Marshall, Kim discovered her passion for agriculture after marrying a fourth generation Minnesota farmer. The couple shares a desire for hands-on learning, as well as for higher education. Kim recently graduated with a degree in Agriculture Business from Minnesota West. Each of Kerry and Kim’s three children have a 529 Minnesota College Savings Plan that is funded through the produce they raise and sell. One might say they’re turning greens into greenbacks.
What started as a one-time sale has turned into thrice weekly farmer’s market stands in three communities.
Twelve years ago, Kerry’s parents raised more garden vegetables than they could use. They asked Kim and Kerry’s oldest daughter Haylee, if she would like to sell the produce in town and keep the proceeds. The 10-year-old netted $179 and discovered she really enjoyed interacting with consumers at the farmer’s market. The following year Kerry’s parents showed Haylee, Zachery and Katelyn how to plant seeds and tend a garden. They try to plant around the middle of April, weather permitting. Potatoes, cabbage, onions, beets, and carrots are some of the first things that are planted. Plants that need re-seeding, such as, watermelon, muskmelon, and cucumbers get done quickly so they mature at relatively the same time. Planting the garden this year was challenging with the cold wet conditions. Many items went in later and matured later.
The garden is an FFA Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) for 17-year-old Zach. A senior at Tracy Area Senior High School, he creates the crop plan and researches what varieties to plant. He keeps track of how many pounds of fruits and vegetables are produced, what sells where and to whom. Last year his SAE earned 1st at the regional competition and 3rd at state. He’s hoping to improve his ranking this year.
“Zach spends a tremendous amount of time weeding the garden all summer long,” says Kim. “We’re not certified organic, but we don’t spray for weeds or insects. We make our own sugar water using tomatoes or muskmelon and watermelon rinds in five-gallon pails along with four or five inches of water. The bugs are attracted to those pails, so that minimizes the insect damage to our garden produce. To attract bees to help with pollination, we plant Cut & Come Again Zinnias.”
Katelyn, Haylee and Zach Ruppert
Now that she joined the Tracy Area FFA this year, 13-year-old Katelyn is spending more time in the garden by planting. She also helps Kim with the marketing by contacting radio stations to promote the markets, as well as posting photos to the Ruppert’s Garden Produce on Facebook.
The girl who started it all is now an adult with a full-time, off-the-farm job. Haylee, 22, graduated with an associates degree in Agriculture Business and works at US Bank in Marshall. Her degree was funded by selling garden produce. She also is pursuing a nursing degree. Haylee lives in Marshall and enjoys helping in the garden as her schedule allows.
“The garden has always been on the home farm. We took it over once my parents moved to town,” says Kerry. “Gardening has become something our family really enjoys doing together. I had a garden of my own growing up, along with my mother tending her own.”
Their one-acre garden raises enough produce to feed their family plus hundreds of others in southwestern Minnesota. About eight years ago, they began selling in-season fruits and vegetables to local schools as part of the Farm to School program.
“Schools want large watermelon and muskmelon,” says Kim.
The Rupperts grew 3,500 pounds of muskmelons, and over 8,000 pounds of watermelon last season. Muskmelons ranged in weight from 7 to 13.5 pounds, and their watermelons weighed between 20 and 35 pounds. Some of the schools freeze carrots, peppers, and onions so they can incorporate locally grown foods into their lunch program well into the winter.
“We pick our produce when it’s ripe, which maximizes the flavor. We occasionally donate what didn’t sell at our farmers markets to local food shelves or nursing homes,” says Kerry. “We don’t like to see food wasted, so we try to take it where it can be used. When we heard there was frost in the forecast in early October, we picked the peppers and contacted schools to purchase them for freezing purposes.
In addition to green bell peppers, the Ruppert family plants and then sells the following fruit and vegetable crops: sweet corn, onions, potatoes, beets, carrots, zucchini, muskmelon, watermelon, cabbage, cucumbers and tomatoes. They purchase their cabbage, tomato and pepper plants locally. All the other crops are started from seed.
Ruppert’s Garden Produce is available weekly July through September at the farmer’s markets in Westbrook on Wednesdays, Walnut Grove on Fridays and in Currie on Saturdays. Kim and Zach also bake at least 30-40 loaves of zucchini bread each week to sell at the markets. This year they sold over 330 loaves. They still use the hand grinder and a 1970s-style mixer from Kerry’s mom to crank out the homemade sweet bread that brings customers from miles around.
“We’ve met so many great people at the farmer’s markets,” says Kim. “They’ve become more than customers to us. We’ve developed a relationship with them, and they like knowing where their food comes from. Some of them have even visited our farm and even toured our garden.”
While earning their own money has taught them the value of a dollar, Ruppert’s Garden Produce has provided the children with priceless learning opportunities.
“We’ve involved our kids in making decisions for our farm and garden,” says Kerry. “From the time Zach was 10, he’s really taken control of the produce business. It used to be a project, but now it’s a business. Zach doesn’t spend a dime of what he earns because he wants to attend college next year for precision agriculture.”
The Ruppert family enjoys working together, as well as playing together. All of them are involved with the Tracy Area Pool League. Weekly billiard games begin in October and ends in March. Kerry has been president of the Tracy Area Pool League for 30 years, and he’s been shooting pool with the same group of guys for 28 years. Zach and Katelyn also belong to the Tracy Area Youth League, which Kerry and Kim oversee from January to March. Haylee also shot pool in her youth. Katelyn also plays Jr. High basketball.
With their corn and soybean crop currently being harvested and kids’ activities to attend, the Rupperts rely on easy but delicious and hearty recipes to keep their family fueled. Today they’re sharing with us a family favorite recipe they enjoy making with the potatoes they raise.
Monday – Prime Rib Roast (in the crockpot), steamed green beans and peaches with cottage cheese. I once read on a food blog you should make Monday’s supper the easiest meal of the week. After all, “it’s a Monday!” (Please tell me you’ve had “one of those days,” so you understand what I’m talking about.) Mondays are a great time for crockpot meals or freezer meals, so you can start the week off right.
Wednesday – Baked Tacos. This recipe makes it easy to make quick and delicious supper. Since the homemade taco season recipe makes enough for two pounds, I brown two pounds of hamburger right away. You can always freeze the other pound for later. Consider serving these tacos with sides of frozen corn and fresh fruit with Mexican Fruit Dip.
Friday – Fire up the grill! Hamburgers on the grill are one of our family’s favorite meals. I particularly enjoy grilling on Fridays because it’s a good way to wind down at the end of a work week. That means fewer dishes, less time cleaning up and more time chilling out. Consider serving grilled burgers with sides of Sweet & Spicy Hog Wild Baked Beans or Calico Beans and slices of fresh melon.
Saturday dinner – Sour Cream Meatballs. You can serve it over rice with a side dish of fresh asparagus or steamed broccoli.
