Latham® Seed Dealership Complements Beef and Crop Operation
What I like about raising the girls on the farm is there are so many learning experiences from weather and crops to raising cattle,” says Krystal Albertsen. “Our girls have hands-on experiences that most kids won’t get to do!
Latham brand soybeans were top performers year after year for Albertsen Farms. When their local retail supplier went out of business in the 1990s, however, they switched to another brand. Then last winter Mike was researching LibertyLink® soybeans and came across Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds.
Selling seed is a good complement to farming, says Mike. It allows him to earn additional income to complete projects like adding on to the shop or buying more cattle.
The Albertsens raise registered Hereford and Black Angus, which they also cross to produce black and white commercial club calves. They have 60 cow-calf pairs but would like to double that because both of their girls are interested in 4-H Beef Projects. Mike and his wife, Krystal, are the proud parents of two daughters. Gracye is 14 and Sienna is 10.
“Our girls have learned so much about feeding the calves, and they both enjoy showing cattle at the fair” says Krystal. “Sienna got to show one of our calves that lost its mother as a bottle bucket calf (shown in picture) last year at the fair. This year she will get to show it as a Market Steer. It’s been a neat learning experience for her to be involved with the whole process of seeing this calf born, raising it on a bottle and now feeding it out.”
In addition to 4-H, the girls are extremely active. Gracye is involved in volleyball, basketball, track, softball, golf, band and church youth group. Sienna is involved with softball, basketball and church kids’ choir.
During the spring planting season and softball season, the Albertsens don’t have much time to spend cooking. That’s why Krystal appreciates quick and easy recipes that taste good, too. She says one of family’s favorites is the homemade Pizza Ring, which Krystal adapted from the blog Kiss My Apron.
Emerging leaders need mentors to guide them, as well as a network of peers to reassure them they are not on the journey alone. That’s how generations of the Brown family and other Franklin County 4-H members became champion livestock judges and successful business professionals.
“This tradition goes back to the 1920s for many local families, including ours,” said Mike Brown, a former member of the Reeve Hampton Hustlers, who is now the senior director of livestock operations for Merial, a leading global animal health company.
Mike credits his father, J. Kent Brown, with encouraging he and his brothers’ participation in 4-H. Kent attributes his involvement in 4-H to his father, J. Verald Brown, who was inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame in 2002. J. Verald Brown joined 4-H in 1923, just five years after the first 4-H club was organized in Franklin County in 1918.
J. Verald Brown was influenced by V.B. Hamilton, a Franklin County agent in the 1920s and 1930s who played a key role in local 4-H history. “V.B. Hamilton sparked the fire for livestock judging in this area for generations,” said J. Kent Brown, a former member of the Mott Meat Makers 4-H Club who judged swine, beef cattle, dairy cattle and sheep.
Franklin County boasted world champions Through the years, many Franklin County livestock judging teams won not only regional and state, but national and international competitions. In 1925, the Franklin County Farm Bureau’s Champion Junior Cattle Judging Team of the United States (coached by V.B. Hamilton) represented America at the International Dairy Cattle Show near London, England, from July 7-11, 1925.
After winning the world champion title and a $250 gold trophy, the team of Iowa farm boys and Coach Hamilton received a hero’s welcome at home. They were greeted by 3,500 people—one of the largest crowds to ever gather in the Hampton City Park.
This legacy of excellent carried through to the 1950s and 1960s, when livestock judging workouts were held each summer at different farms around the county. “A lot of the parents would come along with the 4-Hers so they could learn, too,” J. Kent Brown recalled.
The 1959 Franklin County 4-H livestock judging team, which was coached by Carl Rehder (center) included (back row, left to right) Bill Dohrmann and Bob Latham, (front row, left to right) Art Wagner and Charles Akers. The team won the 4-H livestock judging contest at the 1959 Iowa State Fair and were named the national champion 4-H livestock judging team at the 1959 International Livestock Exposition in Chicago, Ill.
Judging teams of this era did extremely well, including the 1959 team of Bill Dohrmann, Bob Latham, Art Wagner, Charles Akers and Coach Carl Rehder. Not only did they win the 4-H livestock judging contest at the 1959 Iowa State Fair, but they were named the national champion 4-H livestock judging team at the 1959 International Livestock Exposition in Chicago, Ill.
4-H teaches lifelong lessons Livestock judging challenges team members to evaluate animals’ physical characteristics and make a comparison to other animals, as well as the ideal standard of that particular class. Livestock judging through 4-H also helps young people:
Enhance their decision-making capabilities
Build character, confidence and integrity
Network with other people who share similar interests
Improve their communication abilities and public-speaking skills
“Judging teaches you to make decisions, support your reasoning and communicate clearly,” said J. Kent Brown, who worked for the American Angus Association after college before returning to farm in Franklin County.
The value of these lifelong skills can’t be underestimated, added Brown’s son, Layne, who runs an insurance and financial planning firm in Pleasant Hill. “Through 4-H, I learned how to set goals, track progress and work as a team. Not only did it develop my work ethic, but I met a lot of great friends, too.”
These connections endure, added J. Kent Brown. “I’ve been fortunate to have lifelong friendships with people all over the county, state and nation, thanks to 4-H.”
One of these friendships includes Jay Van Wert, a long-time farmer from Hampton, whose family often relied on this favorite recipe when they were busy with 4-H activities.
Egg and Cheese Bake (This casserole can be prepared the night before, refrigerated and baked in the morning.)
Ingredients:
1 cup biscuit mix (Bisquick)
1 ½ cups cottage cheese
½ pound grated cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon dried onion or 2 teaspoons fresh onion
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon salt
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
¾ cup butter, melted
Directions:
Mix ingredients in order given.
Melt butter in 9-inch by 13-inch by 2-inch baking dish.
Latham® Dealership Helps Bring Next Generation Home
They had never before planted Latham® Hi‑Tech Seeds but that didn’t prevent Mike and Patty Bergquist of Foxhome, Minnesota, from taking on a dealership when asked.
Mike and Patty Bergquist
“We were looking for a way to bring our son, David, home and this ‘solution’ seemed to present itself,” said Mike. “You might say opportunity knocked when your sales manager came to our door that day and talked with us about Latham Seeds.”
They weren’t able to get the soybean brand they were accustomed to planting, so the Bergquists decided to try Latham Hi‑Tech Soybeans. They also put Latham® corn to the test, and Latham Hi‑Tech Hybrids topped their on-farm yield test. He was sold on the Latham performance!
No one in their area had a Latham® dealership, so Mike said his family liked the idea of offering something others didn’t have. He said that national companies have several dealers in the area, but he really liked the idea of working with a family-owned company that shares similar values.
Mike served for three years in the U.S. Navy and then returned home and helped his step-grandfather, Harold, farm. To supplement his income, Mike started working campaigns in 1975 at the local sugar beet processing plant. He worked at the plant whenever Harold didn’t need him in the field.
When Mike and his wife, Patty, were married in 1977, Harold offered to let them move a trailer house onto the farm. They appreciated that opportunity to live on the farm where they could begin a family. Four years later their first child was born, and Mike had to choose between accepting a promotion at the beet plant or farming full time with Harold. He chose farming, but it wasn’t long before their situation changed.
Harold passed away in 1985. The 1980s Farm Crisis made it challenging for a young couple to support a growing family, so in 1988, this father of five went back to working campaigns at the beet plant. Mike accepted a full time position there in 1989, and today he serves as a plant supervisor. Because Mike only get weekends off once every four years, it helps to have David involved with the farming operation.
David, the Bergquist’s youngest child and only son, completed the John Deere program at North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) in Wahpeton. He has been at RDO Equipment for two years as a John Deere technician. He’s been dating Chloe Bergman since they were freshman in high school, and she’s studying to become a dental hygienist.
Their oldest daughter, Kari, and her husband, Tim Marquardt, have 3 kids. Their son Hunter is 8 and Hudson is 4. Their daughter Hadley is 6. Kari works as a school cook and Tim works at the co-op. Their daughter Heidi has two fur babies: Harley is a Black Lab and Buster is a mix that she rescued. She works as house manager for West Central Community Services.
Third in birth order is Katie. She is a daycare provider and her husband, Derrick Wolter, is an engineer for Willrich. They’re the proud parents of two sons, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Carsten.
Daughter Holly is a nanny. Her husband, Travis Rogahn, is a John Deere technician plus he farms. They have two son, 4-year-old Michael and 6-month-old Bennett.
In their free time, the Bergquist family enjoys camping. It’s something they enjoyed doing when their kids were young. Now it’s something the three generations enjoy doing together.
When everyone gets together for camping, Patty keeps the menu simple. A family favorite is Tequilaberry Salad, which she’s sharing with us today.
Author and pie baker extraordinaire Beth Howard was right when she said you can create peace with a piece of pie. It’s been six weeks since we lost Amy Hild, a valued member of Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds’ marketing team, in a tragic automobile accident. It’s hard to feel like smiling when there’s a pit in your stomach and an emptiness in your soul that’s indescribable.
Iowa bloggers, creating soul food. from left to right: Mary Hopper, Jennifer Flaa, Jessica Wood, Shannon Latham and Val Plagge
But thanks to a small group of positive women, there’s joy in my heart today. Yesterday four members of the North Iowa Bloggers and I road-tripped about two hours south to accept an invitation for a baking class from Cristen Clark, a national award-winning cook and baker. The idea originated from a post by blogger Jennifer Flaa entitled, “Baking Feelings into Pies.”
I spent a perfect day in the kitchen filled with positive women. (BTW, my experience yesterday reminded me the title to a book I greatly enjoyed. Click here if you’d like to learn more about it.) Even the most seasoned bakers in our group learned from one another.
A few of the tips and tricks I want to remember include:
“Fat is where it’s at!” (Fat adds flavor to hamburgers. It also makes pie crust delicious and flakey. Use butter or lard; it’s a personal preference.)
When mixing up the pie filling, zest half a fresh lemon peel into the sugar. (“Perfume the sugar.” Words alone cannot explain how delicious this smells. You must experience it yourself!)
Squeeze the juice from the half of lemon over your fruit, even fresh pears, as you mix the filling.
Use Tapioca (in place of flour) as a thickener.
A cake lifter helps prevent crust from sticking to the counter top. Continually shower flour (as opposed to “blizzard”) onto the counter top to prevent the crust from sticking.
Also use the scraper to keep your rolling pin clean to avoid putting dents in your crust.
“Thick strips are in” when making lattice top pie. Slide your pastry cutter or pizza cutter along a metal ruler to keep the strips straight.
Wrap pie plate with a ring of foil to prevent the edges of the crust from getting too brown or burning. While my mom taught me to cover the edges with foil, I have to admit that I had trouble keeping the foil ON the crust. The ring is the trick! NOTE: Put the foil ring around your pie BEFORE placing it in the over to avoid burning your fingers.
Once you bake the pie, let it cool for 4 hours before cutting into it. Talk about temptation… who can look at pie that long without sneaking a bite? (Fortunately, I baked my pie an hour before bed time. I woke to a cool pie – perfect for breakfast!)
P.S. Pull tabs on the ends of cling wrap help secure the roll and make it easier to dispense without the saran clinging to itself. Seriously, who knew?! That tip alone might have been worth the drive.
Because it’s Friday on TheFieldPosition.com, I’m sharing with you the recipe I used to bake blueberry pie yesterday. I have to confess that I was having “pie envy” as I watched Pear Pie being assembled, and I can’t wait to try my own hand at it very soon. Click here for the recipes Cristen uses for pie crust and $3,000 Pear Pie.
Enjoy Easter Leftovers with “Round 2 Recipe” Ideas
What’s not to love about this weekend? Easter lilies are so fragrant and vases of tulips are so vibrant. I’m looking forward to my family’s traditional holiday feast of baked ham, roasted turkey, homemade mashed potatoes with lots of real butter, deviled eggs, plus assorted homemade pies. There most likely will be food left over, and I LOVE leftovers!
Before you think I’ve lost my mind, let me set the record straight. I do not define leftovers as turkey with a squirt of mayo between sliced bread. Reheating a slice of ham doesn’t count either. When I refer to “leftovers,” I’m talking about turning these “precooked proteins” into fabulous weeknight dinners!
My quick tips include cutting up leftover holiday turkey or ham. Then place 1½ to 2-cup servings per freezer bag, and then lay the bags flat in your freezer. Take out a serving at a time for a quick and easy meal.
Below are Top 10 “Round 2 Recipe” ideas I complied from recipes that have been featured previously on TheFieldPosition.com and in the Let’s Cook cookbook, which was printed last year by the Iowa Food and Family Project:
Garden Turkey Salad– If you click on this link, you’ll see the real title is “Garden Chicken Salad.” I often substitute chicken for turkey and vice versa. It’s all good!
Turkey & Blueberry Salad – The beautiful photo of this salad just looks like spring on a plate. I’m hoping there’s leftover turkey this weekend, just so I can make this one soon!
Sausage and Deviled Egg Salad Sliders – I’m intrigued by this recipe and think it will be the perfect use for the breakfast sausage that’s in my freezer.
Turkey Pot Pies – With spring fieldwork underway, this is a great go-to recipe.
Scalloped Eggs and Ham Casserole – This recipe from the Iowa Egg Council is featured below.
What’s stopping you from trying a new recipe or two? I’ve read the average family eats nine different meals at home. NINE. If I left it up to my kids, they’d probably rotate between these five recipes: spaghetti pie, baked tacos, pizza casserole, breaded tenderloins and lasagna. But the foodie in me likes to try recipes that look and/or taste gourmet but are quick and easy to make.
I’m often inspired by beautiful food photography in magazines, coffee table cookbooks and even my Facebook newsfeed. In fact, Facebook is responsible for me selecting today’s featured recipe for Scalloped Eggs and Ham Casserole. I hope you find it intriguing, too! Let me know how you like it if you try it.
What’s one word to describe 4-H? “Addictive,” said Carter Collins, who couldn’t wait to join a club after he saw how much fun his older sister, Taylor, had.
“She had such a great experience that I wanted to get involved, too,” said Collins, a Hampton native and Iowa State University’s (ISU) 2014 homecoming king. “For me, 4-H became addictive.”
As a member of the Reeve Hampton Hustlers 4-H Club, Collins’ 4-H adventure encompassed six life-changing benefits:
Exploring new interests. Collins was interested in photography, along with food and nutrition projects. He earned top honors at the Iowa State Fair with recipes like Mint Truffle Cups (see recipe below). “I enjoyed spending time in the kitchen with my mom and grandma while expanding my culinary skills,” Collins said.
Developing life skills. From grade school through high school, 4-H taught Collins how to set goals, be resourceful and complete projects. “4-H helps kids develop a work ethic from the very beginning,” noted Collin’s mother, Dawn. “The more you put into it, the greater the reward.”
Learning to lead. Not only did Collins serve as treasurer, secretary and president of the Reeve Hampton Hustlers, but he co-chaired the Franklin County 4-H Council, served on the area 4-H council and attended state leadership conferences. “I was always looking for the next step at every level,” he said. “I also learned how to work with people from all different kinds of backgrounds.”
Improving communication skills. Collins and his friend, Spencer Claypool, often collaborated on 4-H working exhibits. Their demonstrations ranged from how to build pinecone bird feeders to creating “soil sundaes,” complete with chocolate cookies and gummy worms, to show layers of soil and promote conservation. Not only do these opportunities develop 4-H members’ public speaking skills, but they give young people the confidence to become advocates for what they believe in. “In large groups or small groups, they are able to present ideas with confidence,” Dawn Collins said.
Discovering new opportunities. While Collins grew up in town, he enjoyed expanding his horizons through 4-H field trips that included a visit to ISU’s veterinary medicine facilities. He also appreciated 4-H’s emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). “I got to experience a lot of the agriculture world through 4-H, thanks to club leaders like April Hemmes,” added Collins, a senior majoring in journalism/mass communication and political science at ISU. “Her energy and enthusiasm are contagious.”
Networking with others. Not only did Collins make friends through 4-H, but these connections endured beyond high school. “I reconnected with a lot of former 4-Hers at ISU,” Collins said. “It’s great to have a 4-H family at college.”
Dawn Collins is grateful that 4-H has given her children so many things that other groups can’t offer. “We really appreciate the long-lasting friendships and opportunities the kids would have missed out on had it not been for 4-H,” she said.
There’s no youth development program like 4-H, Collins concluded. “4-H gives you the chance to grow. All you have to do is seek these opportunities.”
Van Wert Family Celebrates Four Generations of 4-H
Oh the anticipation! If you grew up in the Van Wert family near Hampton, the day you could join 4-H marked a big milestone.
“We couldn’t wait to get our own 4-H projects, because we’d heard so much about4-H from our parents,” said Jay Van Wert, a Franklin County farmer who is proud that four generations of his family have participated in 4-H.
It all started with Van Wert’s father, J.S. “Pat” Van Wert, who joined 4-H in Franklin County in the 1920s, and his mother, Alice Anderson, who was a 4-Her in Minnesota. “They both benefited from great county Extension staff members and local volunteer leaders who lit the spark of 4-H participation,” said Van Wert, whose father raised pigs, calves and lambs, while his mother specialized in foods, clothing and home furnishings projects.
Pat, who was a member of the Franklin County dairy judging team that won state and national judging contests, also represented Iowa at the National 4-H Camp in Washington, D.C. His experiences prepared him well for his studies at Iowa State College in Ames, where he met Alice.
After the young couple married, they encouraged their four children (Jay, David, Sonnie and Trish) to get involved in 4-H. As soon as they were old enough, the boys joined the Mott Meat Makers, while the girls joined the Mott Cloverettes. The boys raised hogs, calves, hens and dairy cows and competed on the livestock, dairy, crops and poultry judging teams. The highlight of their 4-H projects included a gilt that gave birth to 18 piglets on Feb. 20, 1951.
“We raised all the pigs to market weight,” said Van Wert, who added that the total market weight of 4,419 pounds set a world record.
Reaching this goal was no small feat. When the piglets were young, Van Wert and his brother rotated the animals so nine nursed from the sow while the other nine received a homemade milk replacer every 20 minutes throughout the day and night. “This routine was extended out until every 45 minutes until the pigs reached weaning age at eight weeks,” Van Wert recalled.
The boys also named each pig. Nine had “A” names, including Abner, Abigail, Agnes, Abraham, Albert, Amy, Alex, Amos and Archie. Eight had “B” names, including Barney, Betty, Benny, Bertha, Bernie, Billy, Beulah and Barbara, while the smallest piglet at birth was named Squirt.
Learning lessons that last a lifetime
The yearly anticipation of exhibiting 4-H projects at the county, district and state fairs encouraged all the Van Wert kids to invest the time necessary to succeed. “The challenge was always to make the best better,” said Van Wert, who was honored in 2014 with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award. “4-H demonstrations and judging teams also helped us gain confidence and become comfortable speaking before the public.”
4-H also gave the Van Werts a network of friends throughout the state. “Holding offices in our clubs, and later serving as Franklin County officers and state officer candidates provided great learning experiences,” added Van Wert, who is proud that his children and grandchildren have participated in 4-H, too. “4-H offers tremendous leadership opportunities and helped each of us grow as individuals.”
Home-cooked favorites
Jay and his wife, Sally, served as 4-H leaders while their three children were growing up. Despite their business schedules, which included running J’s Hay Company, home cooking was a priority for the Van Werts, who were inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame in 2010.
Jody Halsted is a family travel authority with a mad passion for Ireland. A frequent visitor to the Emerald Isle, she loves nothing more than exploring the country with her husband and two daughters. The publisher of Ireland Family Vacations, Jody also plans Ireland itineraries and provides Ireland travel coaching. Get inspired by the Ireland Family Vacations Pinterest boards or follow Jody on Twitter @IrelandFamTrvl.
As I look out my window right now I see a gentle creek parting the rolling hills that will soon be green. The pre-dawn air is still a bit too brisk for the grass to have the smell of morning dew when I open the door to let my dog out. And the only ruined castle I see is made of snow, its frozen turrets slowly dwindling in our glorious spring thaw.
Across the ocean I am watching my Irish friends already harvesting early spring vegetables from small gardens. Each day brings new photos of baby lambs and colts romping in damp grass, the filtered sunlight creating a magical effect over the entire image. A centuries old ruin can be seen far in the background, its stone walls holding stories of life, love, and intrigue.
Iowa. And Ireland. My two homes.
Though an ocean separates them, I see so very much similarity between my home state and the country of my heart.
Dramatic Views: Though Ireland can boast extraordinary ocean views from its magnificent cliffs, the stark natural beauty of Iowa’s river borders as Bald Eagles soar overhead are just as majestic.
Ancient History: You build with what you have available. In Ireland it was stone. In Iowa it was trees and dirt. Megalithic tombs and ‘thin places’, effigy mounds and sacred places.
Amazing People: The people of Ireland are known as the friendliest in the world, the land of “céad míle fáilte” or “One hundred thousand welcomes”. In Iowa we’re known as nice. Iowa Nice, that is.
John Wayne: OK, this one may be a stretch. But I don’t live so very far from Winterset, where John Wayne was born. And one of my favorite villages in Ireland is Cong, where The Quiet Man was filmed. In both towns you’ll find a statue of ‘The Duke”.
John Wayne statue in Ireland
The Weather: Let’s just face facts. No one vacations in Ireland – or Iowa- for the weather. When it is bad it is beyond horrid. But when it is good, oh it is glorious!
Lush, open fields stretching for miles: It’s mid-spring. Stand in the center of Ireland or Iowa. Close your eyes and breathe deep. Open your eyes and slowly turn. A prism of green spreads before you. The land is alive, growing beneath your feet. Everything is fresh, clean, holding promise.
I know that soon the grasses will be lushly green and birds will be singing outside my window. When I open the door as the sun is just breaking the horizon I’ll smell the morning dew before it burns off. For a moment I’ll smell Ireland.
Farmer herding cattle in Ireland
Traditional Irish Breakfast
Also known as the “Full Irish” or the “Fry Up”, you may find it’s not that different from a hearty farm breakfast.
Begin by searching your area for a British or Irish market. (I visit the British Food Store at the Mucky Duck Pub in Ames.) This is where you will find bacon rashers, also called back bacon, a thicker piece of meat than American bacon, the bangers, a tube shaped sausage, and the puddings, also a sausage. Black pudding may be called blood pudding, or blood sausage, while the white pudding has no blood. If you don’t have a market nearby, you can order these treats online from sites like FoodIreland.com.
After gathering your necessary ingredients, you’ll want to bake a loaf or two of Irish Brown Bread. This filling bread is made with both wheat and white flour, as well as oatmeal and wheat germ. (Note: This is not Soda Bread. Soda Bread is made with only white flour.) See the recipe below.
Cooking Your Irish Breakfast
Cooking the perfect Irish Breakfast is really a lesson in timing. It’s best to have all your ingredients at hand.
Begin with the items that can be kept warm in the oven- the meats.
Begin by frying the bacon. As Irish bacon is not as fatty as American bacon, you may need a bit of pure butter in the frying pan. Do not fry the bacon crisp, but just to a bit brown on the edges.
Next you will fry your bangers. An alternate method of preparation is to bake them on the oven at 375° for 20-25 minutes.
As the bangers are frying, slice the bread and place it in the oven to warm.
Slice your puddings, about ¾” thick, and fry them next, until browned on both sides.
If you are preparing potatoes, you have a couple options. Slice peeled, boiled potatoes and fry them in a mixture of pure butter and the meat drippings. Or prepare boxty, an Irish potato pancake, ahead of time. If you are serving beans, put them in a pan to heat.
Add your sliced tomato or mushrooms to the side of the pan while you are frying the potatoes.
After the potatoes are done, it’s time to fry the eggs. Though you can serve your eggs in your favorite way, sunny side up or over medium are best for dipping the warm brown bread into the runny yolk.
After the eggs are done, plate it all and enjoy a hearty Irish breakfast.
Family Farm Expands Iowa’s “Farm to Table” Movement to Seafood
A typical Iowa family farm usually consists of approximately 360 acres that get planted to corn and/or soybeans. Sometimes the farm also includes a livestock enterprise, such as cattle or hogs. Some families, desiring to bring the next generation home, look for additional income opportunities such as a seed dealership.
With both of their sons interesting in returning to the family farm, Annette and Dave Sweeney are taking a non-traditional approach to make room for everyone. Joe Sweeney is pictured on the left; Jim in between his parents.
“With farmland and cattle prices as high as they are, growing our existing operation wasn’t a viable option,” said Annette Sweeney, who in 1983 moved from Illinois where she was teaching middle school to take over her family’s 1,350-acre row crop and cow/calf operation upon her father’s untimely death. “Both of our sons would like to be a part of our family farm, so Dave and I decided to take a non-traditional approach to help make that happen.”
The Sweeney’s youngest son, Joe, became interested in fish production. As a student majoring in Ag Business, Economics and Entrepreneurial Studies at Iowa State University (ISU), he learned there was a supply gap for fish. He wanted to make a mark for himself, and Joe was interested in owning his own business.
“When an economics student hears ‘supply gap,’ he thinks ‘market opportunity’,” says Joes, a sixth generation Iowa farmer. “My entrepreneurial side identified ‘market opportunity’ with ‘business opportunity.’ Starting my own fish farm is a way to continue my family’s farming legacy while making my own mark.”
Barramundi Seabass photo courtesy Randy Heitz
Much research on fish production has been done at Auburn University, so Joe reached out to experts there. Once he graduated from ISU in May 2013, Joe spent that summer traveling and conducting his own research. He visited Auburn, as well as traveled to other fish farms and fish markets in Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Georgia. Sometimes he traded “labor for lessons” from other fish farmers.
Breaking ground in July 2014 for Buckeye Fish Company’s production facilities was the result of two years’ preparation. Joe wrote a business plan and secured funding. His parents sold him land on which to build the fish farm. His older brother, Jim, designed the solid core insulated panel building. From the outside, the building resembles a machine shed. On the inside, you’ll find state-of-the-art systems that regulate air and water flow. Lighting simulates daytime and nighttime.
Jim earned a degree in structural engineering from Iowa State and has worked since 2011 as an engineer for Energy Panel Structures in Graettinger. The brothers worked together innovating floor plans and materials typically used for hog and chicken production, so they would be better suited for the higher humidity environment created by fish production.
After eggs from Barramundi Seabass hatch, the fry are flown from Australia to the Minneapolis airport. From Minneapolis, the fry are trucked to a bass farm in Webster City where they’re grown to about four inches long. The fingerlings are then transported to Buckeye Fish Company where they’ll be fed to 2 pounds.
The first fingerlings are expected to arrive mid-March. Buckeye Fish will take a staggered approach to filling and emptying tanks, so fingerlings will be placed in 2 of the 24 tanks at first. Two more tanks will be filled each week for the next 6 months. When running at full capacity, Joe and the other five farm families involved will produce nearly one-quarter million fish annually. It takes approximately 6 months for each tank of Barramundi Seabass to be market-ready.
As part of her statewide tour, Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds on Wednesday toured Buckeye Fish Company with a group of women in ag from North Iowa.
“The trend toward farm-raised seafood represents a great opportunity for us to enter this market early,” says Joe. “Farm-raised seafood has surpassed beef in worldwide consumption. China, which has been the primary seafood supplier to the U.S., is expected to reduce its exports in coming years. The demand for U.S. farm-raised fish should continue for the next 30+ years as the world population is expected to reach 9 billion people to 2050.”
Barramundi Seabass is the species of choice for Sweeney as it’s becoming more popular in U.S. markets. This particular type of fish is sought after for its affordability, mild flavor, versatility, ease of cooking plus health benefits. Barramundi Seabass is full of heart- and brain-healthy Omega 3s and Omega 6s, so it’s becoming known as a Super Food.
Home cooks will enjoy learning that Barramundi Seabass is not a “fishy fish” and won’t leave an odor in your kitchen. Moms will like knowing there are no little bones that create choking hazards. Health-conscious Americans will appreciate knowing it’s raised without antibiotics or hormones, and specially formulated feed ensures that every bite is free of mercury.
Not only are hearts synonymous with Valentine’s Day on Saturday, but February is National Heart Month. Today we’re sharing tips from health professionals to help you prevent heart disease. Adequate exercise and healthy meals are key to wellness.
“A healthy meal is balanced by eating something from every food group,” says Anne Hytrek, Dietitian and Diabetes Educator at the Ankeny Prairie Trail Hy-Vee, and member of the Iowa Food & Family Project’s Advisory Committee. “Many times excess calories are consumed when one eats more than the serving size for meat and grains per meal and thereby eating less vegetables.”
Eating a well-balanced diet is extremely important for overall health, adds Hytrek. Eating fruit and vegetables daily lowers the risk of serious health problems like heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and obesity. In spite of all these benefits, only 1 in 5 Americans eats the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
A healthy meal centers on the USDA’s food guidance system MyPlate, which recommends half the plate is composed of fruit and vegetables. Hytrek explains the other half the plate is divided between protein like meat or cheese and grains such as bread, pasta or rice. A serving of dairy, such as 1 cup low fat milk or yogurt, is also included. Pack fruits and vegetables for mid-morning and for mid-afternoon to help reach the 5 A Day goal.
To eat healthier Hytrek suggests:
Select any lean meat or protein first followed by a low fat cooking method such as grilling, broiling, roasting or baking. Choose at least two different colors of vegetables to include in your meal. Finally, choose whole grain foods to balance your meal that provide fiber to not only fill you up, but also help lower LDL “bad” cholesterol.
Cook from scratch as much as you can rather than relying on processed foods. Use low fat dairy products and reduced fat/light condiments according to their serving size on the nutrition label. Switch to Kosher salt, which is naturally one-third less in sodium than iodized salt. You will not notice a taste difference since the salt crystal is hollow inside and “pops” on the tongue a lot like pop rock candy!
Put a new twist on traditional foods. Try Greek yogurt topped with blueberries, aronia berries or strawberries that are rich in antioxidants. Replace traditional lettuce salads with greens like kale and spinach. Add fiber into your diet with 100% whole grain or ancient grains like quinoa or faro. Salmon and tuna are great sources of Omega 3 healthy fats.
“Hy-Vee dietitians are happy to set up personal shopping appointments where we can suggest heart healthy foods,” says. Hytrek “We can also provide a meal planning consultation with a physician’s referral to individualize meals, according to food preferences and schedules. And on Hy-Vee.com, you can select meal solutions and access recipes tailored to special diet restrictions and individualize healthy eating.”
