Spring Calves, Summer Camping & Milestone Celebrations
Memorial Day Weekend marks the unofficial start of summer. Now that their four daughters have finished school for the academic year, Tyler and Michelle Sandven are kicking into high gear to make time for their favorite activities including grilling, camping and riding motorcycles.
Oldest daughters, Sydnie and Rylie, are members of 4-H and FFA. They enjoy showing cattle and riding horses. In addition, they have summer jobs at the fitness center. Syndie is a 2021 graduate of Humboldt High School. She plans to attend Iowa Central Community College to become a medical assistant. Rylie will be a junior in high school. Twins Kylan and Kynlie will turn 10 years old at the end of this month.
The Sandven Family
“It takes a lot of energy to keep up with four active girls! I lost 30 pounds and gained my energy and health back with the Yoli® program. After my success with the all-natural system, I became a health coach in 2018,” says Michelle, who is a licensed cosmetologist and works two days a week at the American Barbershop in Humboldt.
The Sandvens also farm.
“We feel fortunate to raise our family where they’re sure to develop a good work ethic,” says Tyler. “Our girls really enjoy the animals and helping with chores. When they were younger, they enjoyed riding in the cab of the tractor while the cattle are being fed. They also like helping bottle feed the calves.”
Having a family who shares his love of agriculture makes this Iowa farmer proud.
“Farming is all I ever wanted to do,” says Tyler, who was raised on a diversified farm in Humboldt County. After graduating from Iowa State University with a degree in Ag Business, he was eager to return to the family’s farming operation.
Together with his dad and his brother, Tyler raises cow-calf pairs and has a feeder-to-finish cattle operation. The family also raises horses, which his father especially enjoys riding. Tyler, on the other hand, prefers to ride something with a motor. “Hanging loose in Hawaii” by riding a Harley across Maui during a Latham Seeds’ dealer trip is one of Tyler and Michelle’s favorite memories.
“I like working with a family-owned seed business whose owners share a lot of our same values,” says Tyler, who has been a Latham® dealer since 2007. He appreciates having a solid lineup to sell of corn, soybeans and alfalfa. He encourages farmers to plant a minimum of three different Latham brand corn or soybean products with a mixture of offensive and defensive traits. He also recommends mixing maturities to further reduce risk.
Tyler and Michelle also look forward to attending Latham Dealer meetings throughout the summer and into the fall. Another annual event they look forward to is Latham’s tailgate at an Iowa State football game. The Sandvens enjoy cheering on the Cyclones every chance they get!
In celebration of summer growing season and May Beef Month, today the Sandven family is sharing with us one of their favorite recipes for garlic steak bites. This recipe can be served as an appetizer or paired with side dishes to become a meal.
Jon Suntken and Tami Pralle’s shared passion for 4-H brought them together in 1979 when they were selected to serve on the Franklin County 4-H Council. They have made their home on the Suntken’s Iowa Century Farm for 36 years.
“All of our children began showing bucket calves at the Franklin County Fair when they turned five, and someone from our family showed bucket calves for 17 consecutive years,” says Tami. “This helped our kids develop a passion for showing and judging livestock.”
The Suntken family.
The 2021 Franklin County Fair will mark the first time in 27 years that the Suntken family will not be showing cattle at the fair. However, their years showing cattle provided them with life-long memories and taught them important life lessons.
“4-H has taught our children lessons and provided them with many experiences that are important in life: work ethic, responsibility, how to start and finish projects, character development, meeting new people, public speaking, helping others and developing new friendships.”
The Suntken’s oldest daughter, Katelyn, served as both Franklin County beef princess in 2007 and beef queen in 2008. She and her husband, Ryan Borcherding, live in Reading, Pennsylvania, with their four-year-old daughter. Katelyn is a stay-at-home mom, and Ryan works for Deere & Company as a regional manager. The Suntken’s oldest son, Kellen, interned with Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds in the early years of our precision ag program. Kellen graduated from Iowa State University. He serves as Plant Operations Lead for Syngenta Seeds in Lone Tree, Iowa. He also remains active in the family’s farming operation. Their son Kendrick played linebacker for the University of Northern Iowa and now farms with his dad. Kenrick also is a chemical rep for Innvictis Crop Care and Biodyne USA. Kirsten just finished her freshman year at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) in Ankeny where she is majoring in Ag Business. This summer is serving as a precision ag intern with Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds.
“Serving as Franklin County Beef Queen was an honor. I loved representing an industry that I am passionate about,” says Kirsten Suntken. “One highlight as Beef Queen was being part of a new cattle show in August called the North Iowa Cattle Battle. Although my time as queen wasn’t what I was expecting due to Covid-19, I learned a lot through these times. I also learned to never take anything for granted.”“It was an honor to be selected for the Governor’s Charity Steer Show and to raise money for a good cause,” says Kendrick Suntken. “It was also rewarding to help clean up the Ronald McDonald House in Des Moines.”Kellen and Kendrick Suntken had the honor of being part of the team that placed second in the 2011 Iowa State Fair 4-H livestock judging competition. From left to right are former Franklin County 4-H members: Kellen Suntken, Joe DeVries, Kendrick Suntken, and Drew Abbas. Kendrick also was the first place individual in that competition. During his career, he also placed third overall in the state FFA competition and earned High Individual at the ISU Spring Extravaganza. Kellen placed second in the individual competition for 4-H in 2011. He also was a member of the Iowa State University Livestock judging team when he was in college.
The Sunkten’s diversified farming operation includes corn and soybeans plus a cow-calf herd and a custom hog finishing operation. Jon started farming full-time in 1979 and also worked 12 winters at Latham Seeds. He has been a contract Latham® soybean grower for 42 years. Tami works full time as a program technician at the Wright County Farm Service Agency.
Today Tami is sharing a recipe for grape salad with an Irish twist. Kirsten is promoting Iowa beef during Beef Month by sharing with us one of her favorite recipes for pot roast in a crock pot.
Grape Salad with an Irish Twist
Ingredients
8-ounces of Philadelphia® cream cheese (softened)
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 to 3 pounds of large, red, seedless grapes
Directions
Wash grapes.
Cream cheese and sugars, then add other ingredients and mix all together.
Cinnamon Ridge Dairy Gives Farm Guests a Seat at the Table
When people eat, they want to feel connected to their food.
This simple premise is what prompted fifth-generation, Iowa farmer John Maxwell to open the doors to Cinnamon Ridge Dairy. He began offering farm tours in 1997 when John Deere heard he had won the National Outstanding Young Farmer Award.
“I’m not afraid to take a risk,” said Maxwell in a 2013 Agri-View article, who took a risk by opening his working farm to the Deere tours. He expanded from there, providing educational tours as requested for guests hosted by other agribusinesses. He also since branched out by working with foreign tour and travel companies, including American Queen River boats and Viking River Boats.
John and Joan Maxwell with their grandson during a farm visit in March 2021. Photo credit to Darcy Maulsby.
Nestled in the rolling hills of Scott County, the farm’s proximity to the Mississippi River provides a convenient location for many tour groups. John and Joan Maxwell are gracious tour guides with a great story to tell. Their modern farm is committed to sustainability, and its picturesque landscape is second to none.
“The Mississippi River used to flow a mile north of here,” explained John during my recent visit to his beautiful farm. “The glacier choked off the river and crested the ridge. I named my farm for this ridge and the cinnamon-colored cows we raise.”
Award-Winning Jerseys
The Maxwells milk on average 220 purebred, registered Jerseys using four Lely robotic milkers. John’s daughter, Amy Maxwell, began managing the family’s dairy operation in 2011 after she graduated from Iowa State University. Through the years, Amy has developed other production and genetic leaders that have earned several awards including the 2018 Hilmar Cheese Yield Trophy, 2018 President’s Trophy and the 2011 National Jersey Youth Production Contest.
One way the Maxwells easily track lineage is by using a unique nomenclature to denote a family of cows. For example, “Cheddar” is from the cheese family. She is one of Cinnamon Ridge’s top cows based off of DHIA records. Offspring in her family have names like Brie and Gouda.
Amy purchased her first heifer at age 9 from the Pot O’Gold Sale. Numerous descendants from that heifer remain in the herd today, including Cinnamon Nitro Noble-ET, Excellent-90% (a.k.a. “Noble”) who set the nation’s top 305-day milk record for 2020. Also in 2020, Cinnamon Ridge Dairy was named the nation’s top herd for milk and protein production on both an actual and m.e. basis for the second consecutive year. Due to their high-quality milk and their success in the show ring, older cows from Cinnamon Ridge Dairy are sold for their genetics.
A calf lounges at Cinnamon Ridge Dairy.
Farm guests can get a picture of success. An upper-level conference room featuring large picture windows overlooks the free-stall barn, so farm guests have a bird’s eye view of contented cows. Cows can choose to have their back scratched by Luna brushes, get milked, or lounge around on beds of soft sand.
“We like to see one-third of our cows eating, one-third standing and one-third lounging,” explains Joan Maxwell, who married John in 2013. An RFID tag on each cow’s neck records milk output, as well as temperature and 122 data points, which Amy studies to monitor herd health.
Farm-to-Table Meals and Market
When he saw farm visitors peering inside his kitchen windows, John decided to start offering farm-to-table meals in addition to barn and farm tours. Guests dine on farm-raised foods like steaks, grilled pork chops, burgers and shredded beef, as well as homemade bread and baked goods.
Providing homecooked meals for bus tours of 50 people takes a lot of time. John wants to create a family atmosphere, as well as practice sustainability, so he serves guests using real plates and silverware. To provide this high level of service, he hired part-time help to prepare and serve the meal. These ladies also bake the delectable, signature cinnamon rolls that sell out as quickly as they hit the on-farm store’s shelves. Fresh baked rolls, cookies, bars and quick breads are stocked at Cinnamon Ridge Dairy’s roadside stand by 6 P.M. on Thursdays.
This retail store, aptly named the Country Cupboard, opened in 2007 because farm visitors were interested in purchasing products after they toured the barn and farm. This self-serve store sells a variety of products from Cinnamon Ridge Farms: eggs, beef, pork, artisan cheese, cheese curds, meat sticks, canned jellies, local honey, and homemade baked goods.
Providing guests with a wonderful experience is top priority for John and Joan. They know the food they serve and sell, the appearance of their farm, and their hospitality all factor into a great customer experience. Handouts and dairy recipes are available inside the dairy barn and conference room.
Today I’m sharing with you one of those recipes for Unicorn Smoothies, which was named by their four-year-old granddaughter, Aubrey. Because Cinnamon Ridge produces artisan cheese and meats on their farm, we’re also providing this link to a feature story by Iowa Food & Family Project with tips for creating craveable cheese boards.
When Melissa (Bisbee) Moretz was 5 years old, she went into business with her brother and sister. Their father purchased a few ewes for them to raise. They were in charge of feeding and lambing them. As they grew older, they accepted more responsibility, including the finances.
“This is where my farming background began. It was an effort made by my parents to help my siblings and I save money for college, but it developed into much more. As we grew older and became 4-H members, we decided to sell the sheep and get into cattle and swine,” says Melissa, who served as a high school ag instructor and FFA advisor before becoming a senior portfolio manager in 2017 at a local bank. “I showed breeding beef at the county fair along with market swine at the county and state fair. I farrowed swine for my Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) program in FFA. I participated in many career development events (CDE), met many people, served as a chapter officer for two years, and learned what hard work really was.”
The Moretz Family
With so many life lessons learned, it’s no wonder that Melissa and her husband, Nate, desire to raise their family on a farm. She says she loves coming home from work and taking their children to the barn.
“Raising our children on a livestock and grain farm has already begun to instill a strong work ethic within both of them,” says Melissa. “Having livestock gives my children an opportunity to learn about the circle of life at a very young age. They have also learned how to care for any bucket bottle calf that ends up on our farm, and they get so comfortable with them that they are more pets than cattle by the time they are weaned from the bottle.”
The Moretz’s two-year-old daughter enjoys chasing her brother around the farm and checking on the family’s calves.
Their five-year-old son is in preschool. He loves to farm any chance he gets. His two favorite things about the farm are spring calving season and riding in the planter or combine with his papa (Nate’s father).
“This year for Kole’s class show-and-tell, we were able to do a Zoom meeting with his class. Kole shared a new calf that was born the day before our Zoom meeting. Kole explained to his class how to take care of calves and why we raise them. The class even got to name the baby. Rainbow is now happily out in our pasture with her momma.”
The Moretz’s two-year-old daughter wants to keep up with her brother. When she isn’t chasing her brother around the farm, she helps her mom deliver meals to the field. She enjoys a good picnic in the tractor. She also loves playing outside on the swing set and going for bike rides.
Nate and Melissa also farm with Nate’s parents, calving about 120 cows/heifers each spring. As young farmers easing their way into the operation, Nate and Melissa began to purchase market steers and heifers to finish out. Melissa says they care for each animal in the best way possible with two goals in mind: (1) keep our animals safe and healthy; and (2) produce quality offspring.
“A special bond forms between people who are working together to accomplish a common goal,” says Melissa. “Both Nate and I were raised on farms and want to teach our children the life lessons that, in our opinion, are learned best on the farm. Responsibility, hard work, life/death, and teamwork are a few of the valuable lessons I have learned on the farm and want to share with our family.”
In addition to raising kids, crops and cattle, the Moretz family has been Latham® seed dealers since 2015.
The Moretz children pose for a photo on a pallet of Latham seed. The family has been Latham seed dealers since 2015.
“Our Latham Hi‑Tech Seed dealership has really taken off in the past couple of years. This has been a great side business for us and a supplemental income,” says Melissa. “Many customers continue to be impressed each year by the products they purchase. They show their appreciation by ordering larger volumes the next year and/or referring us to other farmers in the area. There’s nothing better than word-of-mouth advertising! We are very excited to sell for Latham and can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
In celebration of May Beef Month and the season of tractor picnics, today we’re sharing one of the Moretz family’s favorite recipes for pizza burgers.
Lessons in Leadership: 5 Insights from Shannon Latham
by Darcy Maulsby, Iowa Storyteller, Darcy Maulsby & Co
Success in life requires a backbone, not a wishbone. Just ask Shannon Latham, who was diagnosed with scoliosis (an extreme curvature of the spine) when she was in junior high.
“My mom will tell you one of the hardest days of her life was watching me put on my shoes after I was fitted into my back brace,” said Shannon, who grew up in Greene, Iowa. “The prosthetist told my mother I needed to learn to do things for myself. She watched with tears in her eyes as I tried to bend to grab my shoes off the floor.”
Shannon had to wear the back brace 23 hours a day for two years. She’ll never forget the day a guy in study hall thought he would be funny by pulling a chair out from under her as she sat down.
“I fell on the floor and didn’t know how to get up because I couldn’t bend at the waist,” said Shannon, who always tried to disguise the brace under her clothing. “I believe he was shocked senseless because he never offered me a hand up. Instead, I grabbed a table leg and pulled myself up.”
These experiences became defining moments in her life. “My parents never let me believe I was a victim, and for that I will be forever grateful.”
This instilled a spirit of strength in Shannon. When she enrolled in the College of Agriculture at Iowa State University in 1989, the ratio of males to females was 5 to 1.
“I believe one of the main reasons I’ve succeed in agriculture is because I haven’t made an issue out of my gender,” Shannon said. “I treat all people with respect. I study hard and work harder. I take detours where others stop at roadblocks.”
That kind of backbone defines the American spirit, which Shannon embraces through:
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1. A strong work ethic. From the time she was old enough to walk, Shannon helped her parents feed livestock.
“I loved everything about living on our small farm and was passionate about my 4-H sheep project.” She worked hard to grow the size and quality of her family’s purebred, registered Suffolk flock.” She tracked expenses like feed and revenue from sheep sold. She also had to come up with a farm name and promote it.
This marketing mindset inspired her commitment to complete her MBA with an emphasis in marketing from the University of Iowa. It also influences her role as vice president at Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds. Shannon has written unique content weekly through “The Field Position” blog from 2008 through today.
2. Small-business savvy. Shannon’s parents were small-business owners who taught her the value of a dollar.
“My mom took me to the bank when I was 10 years old and helped me open a checking account that was solely for buying and selling sheep,” Shannon said. “I wasn’t allowed to spend what I didn’t have.” When Shannon returned to North Iowa after her first full-time jobs in the Des Moines area, she applied her business skills in a whole new way.
“When my husband, John, decided to start his own hybrid seed corn company in our garage, it wasn’t long before I was spending half my time helping market Latham® brand corn.” As the demands of this work grew, Shannon knew something had to change. “I told John, ‘I love you, but I can’t live on love alone.” John agreed to make Shannon an equal partner in his corn company. Today, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds market corn, soybeans, alfalfa and cover crops across seven Upper Midwest states.
3. Assertiveness. Shannon landed her first full-time as director of legislative affairs for the Agribusiness Association of Iowa.
“I reported to Dan Frieberg, who’d say, ‘We didn’t hire you to take a seat at the table. We hired you to be a voice for our members’.” As a 21-year-old lobbyist, Shannon needed to talk to a state senator about an unintended consequence of a bill he had sponsored.
“I offered an amendment to solve the problem,” she recalled. “He got in my face and said, ‘You tell your boss not to send a little girl to do a man’s job.” I looked at him and calmly responded, ‘In all due respect, Senator, my boss sent me to do this job because he knows I’m competent and capable’.”
4. Pursue Your Passion. The summer after Shannon’s junior year of high school, the 4-H Citizenship Washington Focus trip proved to be a life-changing experience.
“We had the opportunity to meet with Iowa’s congressional delegation. We also listened to an American Farm Bureau lobbyist speak, and I was intrigued by the political process.”
In 2020, Shannon was elected to represent District 54 in the Iowa House of Representatives. She serves as the vice chair of Appropriations Committee. She also serves the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committees, as well as the Economic Development Budget Subcommittee.
Her leadership in agriculture has earned her many awards, including the Iowa Soybean Association’s Advocate for Agriculture, inclusion in the 2016 FarmHer Hall of Fame, and ISU’s Greenlee 2020 Professional Achievement Award. Of all the titles she’s held, however, “mom” is her favorite. She shares her favorite Henry David Thoreau quotes with her two children, including, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”
5. Giving back. In addition to serving in the Iowa Legislature, Shannon serves on her church council. She was a Girl Scout leader for 12 years and served as the inaugural chair of the Communications Committee for the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA). She continues to serve on the ASTA Communications Committee. She is a former member of the Seed Science Foundation board, the Iowa 4-H Foundation and the Franklin County 4-H Foundation. She thinks back to Melva Berkland, who was her supervisor during an internship with ISU Extension Communications for 4-H.
“Melva taught me to view challenges as opportunities, and that perspective has made a world of difference,” said Shannon, who believes a positive outlook is essential to leadership. “Many of life’s greatest lessons are learned – and life’s greatest blessings can be found – on the road less traveled.”
When she isn’t serving her state or her community, Shannon enjoys traveling around the state to enjoy one of Iowa’s Best Burgers or spending time in the kitchen creating a meal her family will enjoy around the table. Today she is sharing with us one of her go-to meals when company is coming. She says Pork Roast with Raspberry Sauce is a fix-it-and-forget type of meal that looks impressive.
Local Businesses Do Battle and Food Pantries Benefit
Ag Week 2021 marked the 10th anniversary of the Breakfast Battle sponsored by Franklin County Farm Bureau and local businesses, including Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds.
“This is such a fun and meaningful event that we’ve repeated for 10 years now,” says Mike Borcherding, president, Franklin County Farm Bureau. “We schedule it during National Ag Week to promote agriculture in Iowa and to bring awareness to food insecurity in our area. Plus, it’s a great way to give back to Franklin County communities!”
Each year National Ag Week recognizes and celebrates the abundance provided by agriculture to our daily lives including food, fiber, and fuel. “Food brings everyone to the table” was the 2021 Ag Day theme, so farmers and business owners in Franklin County helped put food on the table.
“It’s important to remind people that while food is abundant across Iowa, there are food insecure even in Franklin County,” adds Borchering. “We want to maintain a partnership with our local food pantries that are doing a great job helping to meet those needs.”
During the annual Breakfast Battle, teams from local businesses race around the Fareway store in Hampton. They collect groceries for a family of four for one day’s worth of meals. Recipes from Iowa State University Extension’s “Healthy and Homemade” cookbook are provided to the racers for breakfast, dinner, and supper. Racers must gather those ingredients to make a complete meal plus additional items to hit a certain grocery total. Teams that spend more than the designated grocery title are penalized by having time added. The winner receives a traveling trophy for the year.
Thanks to Franklin County Farm Bureau and Lacey Peter for racing on behalf of Team Latham. Although we didn’t take home the trophy, local food pantries were the winners.
“This year’s Breakfast Battle looked a little different to accommodate the continuation of the COVID pandemic,” said Anna Dunnwald, Outreach Coordinator for Franklin County Farm Bureau. “Each business had only one racer rather than a team of three, but we still met our goal. Each year our goal is to gather enough groceries to provide three meals a day for 10 local families. We also encourage participating businesses to match a donation to the pantries for $50, which hopefully doubles the impact!”
Each year the families who receive the groceries also receive a cookbook, donated by Franklin County Extension, that contains the recipes used in the race. New this year, Central Park Dentistry of Sheffield provided dental hygiene kits for the families.
Franklin County Food Pantry in Hampton and the West Fork Food Pantry in Sheffield received food from the 2021 Breakfast Battle. In celebration of National Ag Day on March 23, 2021, Team Latham members helped Pastor G. Kim and Diane Wills pack Easter baskets for those who are served by the West Food Pantry. Our afternoon of service was inspired by the challenge issued by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig for those involved with Iowa agriculture to give back.
Special thanks to the Team Latham members who volunteered time on Ag Day to help pack food sacks at the West Fork Food Pantry in Sheffield, Iowa. The number of families served by the food pantry has doubled since the pandemic began. Pictured from front to back and from left to right are: Ryan Schon, Brandi Hoesing, John Latham, Rod Fesenmeyer, Jesse Meints (youth and family director for Zion St. John), Pastor G. Kim, Meg Schon, Diane Wills (site coordinator for West Fork Food Pantry), and Chris Latham.
West Fork Food Pantry
It was about five years ago when Pastor Wills and his wife, Diane, heard a report on KLMJ radio about local food insecurity. It prompted them to contact the Food Bank of Iowa (FBOI) and learn about the need in Franklin County. In 2016, the Wills helped start a mobile pantry that was held at Zion St. John Lutheran Church in Sheffield, Iowa.
“The Food Bank of Iowa uses the mobile pantries to determine if there is a need. As a mobile pantry, we received a shipment of food every month. The food went out the door the same day. There was no cost to us, and we didn’t need to provide storage,” says Diane Wills, site coordinator for West Fork Food Pantry. “Once the need was established in our community, the Food Bank of Iowa encouraged us to become a permanent pantry in 2018.”
As a permanent site and partner agency with the FBOI, the West Fork Food Pantry purchases most of its food from the FBOI. It also must provide storage. The local pantry is open the first Thursday of every month from 10 A.M. to noon. It is open the third Thursday of each month from 3:30 to 5:30 P.M.
“Before the pandemic, we served about 40 to 50 families, or approximately 140 to 150 people, each month. Now we average 60 to 80 families, or around 250 people per month,” says Wills. “All of our funding is provided through grants and community donations. We accept monetary and in-kind donations.”
Those interested in contributing to the West Fork Food Pantry may email Diane Wills at wfpantry@zionstjohn.org or call the church 641-892-4010. The original partnering churches include Zion St. John Lutheran, West Fork Methodist, First Methodist of Sheffield, St. Paul Lutheran of Thornton and St. Peter Lutheran in Rockwell. Regular donations come from First Grace Baptist in Sheffield, United Methodist of Thornton, Sacred Heart Catholic in Rockwell, and Zion Reformed of Sheffield.
In celebration of National Ag Day, today we’re sharing a recipe from Iowa State University Extension for Loaded Potato Soup.
A Note to Farmers from Secretary Naig to close out National Ag Week
Guest post by Mike Naig, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture
Happy National Ag Week! This annual event is a great opportunity to say thank you to the farmers and agribusinesses who provide food and fuel for all of us. This past year reminded everyone what we, in agriculture, already know. Agriculture is essential to our livelihood, our food chain and our state’s economy.
My roots are in agriculture. I was born and raised on a crop and livestock farm in Cylinder, Iowa. The agriculture community shaped who I am and I still plant and harvest our family farm every year. But nothing makes me more proud than taking my wife and three boys to the family farm to teach them about agriculture and caring for our land. Latham Seeds celebrates food and family every Friday on this blog, The Field Position so I’m sharing the below recipe for Kringla, a favorite treat in my family.
During the past few days of National Ag Week I’ve been visiting farmers, agribusinesses and food security organizations across the state to say “thank you” for your contributions. This past year was not easy, but it highlighted the creativity, resilience and generosity of Iowa’s agriculture community.
There are two very special organizations I’d like to recognize this week — the Iowa State University Meats Lab and the Iowa Food Bank Association. These organizations went to extraordinary efforts to help livestock producers overcome supply chain disruptions and feed hungry Iowans during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a thank you, it’s my pleasure to present the Secretary’s Ag Leader Awards to both of these organizations.
The ISU Meats Lab, and the Iowa Food Bank Association and its six regional food banks, played vital roles in the state’s food security initiatives, including Pass the Pork, Beef Up Iowa, Pack the Pantry and Turkey to Table. These programs were developed by the Governor’s Feeding Iowans Task Force in the spring of 2020, in part, to help livestock producers market their protein when the COVID-19 pandemic reduced meat processing capacity at the state’s large processing facilities. Through these programs, 1.75 million servings of Iowa-raised pork, beef and turkey were delivered to the food bank and food pantry feeding programs.
I believe the Iowa agriculture community can continue leading important conversations and tackling difficult issues. Foreign animal disease prevention and planning, generating demand for renewable fuels, and scaling-up soil health and water quality projects continue to be my priorities.
As we spend this week thanking the farmers who work tirelessly to feed and fuel us, we must also recognize their businesses must be financially and environmentally sustainable to continue doing so.
That’s one reason why I’m working to establish a value-added agriculture grant program. If the funding is approved, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will provide grants that incentivize producers to explore new product offerings, production methods and marketing opportunities to help them be more profitable.
The Department is also investing in conservation programs that improve soil health and water quality, and we’re learning more about the new carbon markets. These market-based systems create revenue streams for farmers and landowners who invest in carbon-sequestration practices. This is one way farmers and landowners can build upon the conservation efforts underway across the state.
These are just two examples of the programs designed to give the Iowa agriculture community the resources it needs to continue its legacy of innovation. I am confident that the creativity and resiliency that served agriculture well in the past, will continue to drive innovation, environmental stewardship and profitability into the next decade and beyond.
Thank you for your contributions to the Iowa agriculture community. I hope you’ve enjoyed National Ag Week, you certainly deserve it.
Jerry Paumen (pronounced Paw-men) remembers when “three strikes, you’re out” as a young boy playing baseball in Plato, Minnesota only applied to baseball. But many years later, it took on a much different meaning.
“I always wanted to come back to the family farm, but my parents didn’t accept my proposal the first two times I made it,” says Jerry, who attended Dakota County Technical College for Diesel Mechanics.
In 2006, his third — and final —proposal was accepted. “That was going to be my last attempt to join my parents in business or else I was starting my own.”
Let’s rewind to see this family’s full story:
Jerry’s parents, Jim and Lanette Dammann, were founders of Gold Country Seed®. His mom ran the seed office from their house until 1991 when they built a shop that served as Gold Country’s headquarters. After selling the company, Jerry and his parents continued to operate a Gold Country Seed dealership as Dammann Seeds.
The parallels between the Dammann Seeds and Latham Seeds are quite remarkable. Jerry’s grandfather started their family business by conditioning and then selling oats. When Jerry’s father returned to the farm after college, he focused on selling soybeans. Jerry’s parents in 1989 ventured into corn sales, which provided Jerry with an opportunity to come home.
Just as Jim and Lanette helped the generation before them grow the seed business, Jerry and his wife, Steph, have done the same. Now their sons, JP and Jack, also are involved with the business.
“It’s nice to have our kids help,” Steph says. “They interact with customers. Our boys have learned important lessons about customer service and providing value. It’s fun to watch them grow and develop their own interests.”
The Paumens also are involved in their community, with Steph volunteering at school and at church. Jerry has served on the parochial school board and coached baseball and trap. He also has served on the high school’s trap board. The couple belongs to the Minnesota Corn Growers Association and the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association.
One of their favorite family recipes — for breakfast, lunch or even dinner — is this easy and delicious Hashbrown Hotdish.
“Things go better with Coke” was the 1960s marketing slogan of one of America’s oldest soft drinks, and college students nationwide put it to the test.
Linda Laverty was a junior at Iowa State University when a friend set her up on a Coke date with Bill Latham, who was a senior majoring in Agronomy. While they had a nice time, the timing was not right.
Bill soon graduated and took a job as a sales representative and agronomist in Louisiana. Later he was transferred to Nebraska and moved to Lincoln. Meanwhile, Linda graduated with her degree in Child Development and began teaching Head Start in West Des Moines. Then she followed her career to Omaha. Nebraska is where Bill and Linda’s paths crossed once again. As fate would have it, a high school friend of Linda’s married a fraternity brother of Bill’s and moved to Omaha. The young married couple reintroduced Bill and Linda.
ZING! Just like the claims made in the 1960s Coke advertisements, Bill and Linda discovered that “be-alive sparkle” and were married in August 1967.
Because Bill had moved home to North Central Iowa to join his parents in the family’s seed business, the newlyweds made their home in rural Franklin County. Then in 1973 Bill and Linda built a home right next door to the seed company’s headquarters.
“It was so much more convenient to be close to the farm in the fall and spring when seed was coming in and going out to growers. Each day was exceptionally long, but the boys looked forward to getting off the school bus and joining their grandpa and dad. Chris discovered his love for computers, and John developed a passion for seed products.”
Another advantage of living next to seed farm is that cousins lived nearby. Three of the five Latham brothers were involved in the seed business, and each one lived within two miles of the seed company. John and Chris each had a cousin the same age, so they were the best of friends and shared many similar experiences.
After John graduated from high school, he followed in his father’s footsteps by enrolling in the College of Agriculture at ISU and pledging Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. Chris also made his way south after high school and graduated from Drake University in Finance. The two brothers worked for other companies before working together in the startup Latham Hi‑Tech Hybrids. Today they and John’s wife, Shannon, are proud to be the third generation to own and operate Latham Seeds.
From left to right: Chris, John and Bill Latham
“I know Bill would be very proud of what John and Chris have done in the seed business,” says Linda. “I also am proud of them as they are following a deep legacy. Their grandparents, father and uncles all involved and known in the seed business. I believe by living close to the business they learned about the responsibilities of operating a business, and they developed leadership skills.”
Bill served as president of the Iowa Seed Association (ISA), the Independent Professional Seed Association (IPSA) and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA). Now John is president of ASTA. Chris recently finished his term as ISA president and recently started serving on the IPSA board.
Bill and Linda Latham hosted a joint seed conference in June 1998 with the Canadian Seed Trade Association president and First Lady, Wayne and Isabelle Gale. Both couples are pictured here during opening ceremonies.
“When the boys were growing up, they attended a lot of industry meetings with us,” says Linda. “Our family vacations were usually centered around one of the meetings as they were held across the United States. We became friends with people all over the world through our involvement in these seed meetings.”
One of the best experiences Linda said they had was in 1997-1998 when Bill served as ASTA president. He and Linda spent the year working with the president of the Canadian Seed Trade Association and his wife as they hosted a joint convention in Toronto.
“That year of working with Canadians and Americans to plan a convention for more than 1,000 attendees was a big highlight!” says Linda. “We traveled so much that year and attended the Federation of International Seed Association convention in Monte Carlo. We also were able to attend the Southeast Asian Seedsman meeting in Brisbane, Australia. Bill attended meetings while I got to see and pet koala bears and kangaroos.”
Dr. Norman Borlaug & Bill Latham
Another highlight was in 1999 when Bill and Linda served as ASTA convention chairs in Lake Las Vegas. One of the keynote speakers was Dr.
Norman Borlaug. A native of Cresco in Northeast Iowa, Dr. Borlaug became known as the Father of the Green Revolution and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970.
“Dr. Borlaug arrived at the hotel on Sunday afternoon with a friend who had just won the World Food Prize. Bill and I visited with them in the hotel lounge. Norman ordered a rum and Coke. Shortly thereafter, Bill thought they should register for the convention. Bill left with Dr. Borlaug’s aid, leaving me at the table with the guest of honor. I was a little panic-stricken for a moment. After all, I’m not a scientist! What could I possibly have in common with Dr. Borlaug? It turned out that he was very easy to talk with. Because he was born and raised on a farm in Iowa like I was, we visited about his childhood. He was genuinely nice. I felt like I was talking to my grandpa as Dr. Borlaug was in his 90’s then.”
Today Linda enjoys reliving many of her favorite life experiences through her sons. She looks forward to traveling to Ireland in July 2021 on a Latham® Dealer trip. Linda’s ancestors moved from Northern Ireland to Jasper County in Central Iowa, so she looks forward to sharing her ancestry with her grandkids. Linda also enjoys attending her five grandchildren’s many activities plus attending Iowa State Cyclones football and basketball games. Her grandchildren range from 4th grade to college, but they have a love for chocolate cake in common.
Today Linda is sharing with us one of her favorite recipes for chocolate cake.
I BELIEVE in the future of agriculture, with a faith born not of words but of deeds – achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturists; in the promise of better days through better ways, even as the better things we now enjoy have come to us from the struggles of former years…
This first line of the “FFA Creed” is lived out by the group of men and women, who serve as FFA advisors and/or teach agricultural education. This small but mighty group is moving the needle toward an educated, innovative new generation of agriculturists.
Heidi Hain of Nora Springs, Iowa, is one of the new teachers shaping the next generation of agricultural leaders. Ms. Hain is in the middle of her second full year as a full-time Ag Education teacher. She teaches the 7th through 12th grade agricultural classes in the Nashua-Plainfield school district. Because agricultural classes and the FFA made such a profound impact in her life, she chose to become a teacher.
“Rockford Senior High had an Agricultural Education program, which is something my previous school had lacked. My older cousins had taken agricultural classes and were active in the same FFA chapter, so I decided to add that to my schedule,” explains Ms. Hain. “I was immediately drawn into the FFA, and Intro to Ag was my favorite course that year.”
Conduct of Meetings team from Northeast Sub-District of the North Central District!
In high school, Ms. Hain served as a Co-Reporter and Vice-President for her FFA Chapter. She also served as the Auditing Committee Chair for her State during senior year. In college, she was involved with Iowa State’s Collegiate FFA/Ag Ed Club. She participated in the parliamentary procedure team and placed 3rd Nationally!
Today Ms. Hain strives to push her students to use their talents to the fullest. As an FFA Advisor, she oversees Career Development Events (CDEs), helps plan a variety of events and continually pushes her students to become better. She appreciates this part of her job the most as it’s the real-life application of what she teaches in the classroom.
“I’m constantly pushing my students to be better people. I tell them that no ‘magic’ can happen when you stay in your comfort zone. I find so much joy when they leave their comfort zone and acknowledge the growth they made!”
Ms. Hain is a prime example of doing what she loves. She shows the support on her social media pages to promote agricultural education and how she is contributing to developing the next generation of ag. Lastly, she shares the why behind what she does:
“To me, being ag Ag Education Teacher is being able to exert an influence in my home and community which will stand solid for my part in that inspiring task. At the end of each day spent at county fair, prepping a contest or doing a fetal pig dissection is just as inspiring as the next task because I know it will make a difference in someone’s life.”
![Steer[1]](https://www.lathamseeds.com/app/uploads/2021/05/Steer1-scaled.jpg)
