It’s National Heart Month! Over the years we’ve shared many tips and tricks for staying heart healthy. A good number of these tips have come from dieticians we’ve met along the way, as well as the smart folks at the Iowa Food & Family Project. Today we’re pulling some of them all together right here, and we invite you to join us in our journey toward better health and wellness.
Here are a few simple steps to get started:
Protect your sleep. When we are tired, we tend to reach for unhealthy snacks or beverages like energy drinks or sugary foods. This causes disturbed sleep cycles, which can wreak havoc on our appetite hormones, mental performance and immune response. Poor sleep can also drive insulin resistance, which is one of the strongest risk factors for weight gain and obesity. Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep every night to give your body the rest it needs.
Practice self-care. Physical fitness is always important, but we also need to take care of our mind, body and spirit so we can be healthy. Self-care looks different for everyone, but some examples include journaling, breathing exercises, brisk walks outside, dancing, riding a bike or enjoying a bubble bath with a bath bomb! No one can maintain a healthy, active lifestyle without a little “me” time.
Eat well. To really give your heart some love, eat these three foods:
Low-carb Vegetables. Examples: green beans, broccoli, spinach, kale, mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, Brussels sprouts. These veggies are loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber and are low-calorie in comparison to other food groups.
Walnuts. Walnuts are primarily a healthy fat source with some carbohydrate and a little bit of protein. They are high in vitamin B6, folate, thiamin – playing a role in cellular energy and a healthy nervous system.
Salmon/Tuna. Salmon and tuna are both fatty fish and are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, a polyunsaturated fat. The American Heart Association considers 3.5 ounces of cooked fish or ¾ cup to be a single serving. For adults, two servings per week are recommended to help lower risk for heart disease.
This recipe brings all three of these foods into a simple, one-pan meal. It’s a warm salad with heart-healthy ingredients that’s perfect for any February night.
Rod Fesenmeyer got his first smell of the open road when he was 21 years old, driving a Winnebago for delivery from Forest City, Iowa, to Fargo, North Dakota. That trip led to more deliveries, including two to Seattle, when he pulled a Volkswagen diesel behind the Winnebagos to drive himself back home.
Rod went on to buy and operate his own semi, crisscrossing the country from California to the Carolinas and the northern and southern borders. It was a job he loved.
“I got to see the country and get paid to do it,” says Rod, who was raised in Greene, Iowa, with his sister, Shannon.
Fast forward to 2009, when Shannon and her husband, John Latham, purchased Latham Seed Co. She told Rod there was a truck driver opening, so he applied for it. He interviewed with Joy Bonin, the company’s office manager, and never mentioned the connection.
“I didn’t want anybody thinking I was hired because I was Shannon’s brother or John’s brother-in-law,” Rod recalls. “When I walk through the door, I always treat Shannon and John as my bosses, as owners of this company.”
Rod’s background in over-the-road trucking brought much needed efficiencies to Latham Seeds. His knowledge of federal motor carrier standards also brought about changes to keep drivers in compliance with ever changing rules. Rod went to auction and bought the company’s first (used) sleeper truck, which allowed him to sleep where and when he could. As Latham Seeds hired more drivers and purchased more equipment, Rod’s position evolved into logistics and fleet management. His ability to keep track of records and “wheel and deal” is what led to him becoming Latham Seeds’ purchasing manager.
“Dad always said you don’t pay sticker price for anything,” Rod says. “The easiest money you’ll ever make is dealing to save a penny.”
Rod enjoys his current role because he gets to interact with colleagues companywide. He’s usually the first person in the office every morning, which he says gives him time to get to work “behind the scenes.”
Rod and his wife Marty have four children and 12 grandkids. Since fishing has always been a favorite pastime with his family, Rod is hooked on this recipe for Crispy Fried Walleye.
At Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, we have been kicking off the holidays with an all-company potluck since 2009. This year, we thought our gathering was worthy of a Christmas poem. Enjoy our little story and our pictures! Here’s to carrying on your own cherished family traditions this season.
This week at Latham Seeds, we all gave a cheer
For the food and the sweaters — yes, our potluck was here!
Crockpots and cookies all waited in line
And the tacos arrived, just precisely on time.
Who brought that cheese dip? Who made those bars?
Mexican sushi? Oh, we’re eating like stars.
“Feliz Navidad” was our theme for this year,
There were jalapeños galore, for those with no fear.
We had cheesy corn and tortillas, beans and rice
And all the Christmas staples – so much sugar, so much spice!
Our ugly sweater contest brought Quentin some fame.
But who knew Spanish Bingo is the best reindeer game?
Quentin was our big winner!
Personalized ornaments were hung on the tree
As a thank you to Team Latham for everyone to see.
With hearts and bellies full, no one left without
Because a tradition like this is what family’s all about.
Enjoy a recipe that was brought to the potluck below!
Like all great athletes and entrepreneurs, Myron Keltgen has learned it pays to surround yourself with greatness. He was fortunate to get his start in the seed business in 1984 with Keltgen Seed Co.
Myron Keltgen, Corn Product Specialist
“I feel kind of like Brett Favre… I have one last chance to win the big one with the team that will carry me to the goal line,” says Keltgen, who has served as Western Corn Product Specialist for Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds since July 2015. Myron also is a Latham® dealer through Lake Area Ag, which he owns and operates. “The thing that most excites me about Latham is the people on the team.”
The ability to talk to the people who make the decisions is something Myron enjoyed about working for Keltgen Seed. Myron’s father, Darwin, and Darwin’s brother, Keith, started the family-owned seed company.
“If I had an issue, I could go right to the president for help,” says Myron. “If I made a call in the field, I knew they trusted my judgement and would stand behind me. I also knew they sincerely cared about our customers and dealers. This is also what I enjoy about working with family-owned Latham Seeds. I can call John, Shannon or Chris Latham anytime I need help, and they will be there. They also are very sincere. They respect our dealers and customers and greatly care about each one’s success.”
One way Latham Seeds helps set up its dealers and customers for success is by offering the industry’s newest and most effective traits in genetics packages that are specific to the geographies the company serves. Myron’s passion has always been watching crops develop throughout the season, so product development is a great fit for his background and interests.
Myron spends countless hours walking soybean and corn fields every week throughout the growing season, looking for something that differentiates one product from another. He especially enjoys helping select products for Latham’s lineup. He also enjoys the opportunity to work with Gary Geske, who was a district sales manager at Keltgen Seeds and serves as Latham’s Northern Corn Product Specialist.
“I still enjoy calling on friends and customers from when I worked at Keltgen and Wensman,” says Myron. “I enjoy visiting with them and getting updates on their kids and grandkids. My youngest son, Jason, has joined the Lake Area Ag dealership in Watertown. I’m enjoying the opportunity to work with both of my sons now.”
Myron’s oldest son, James, is a regional sales manager for Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds. He and his wife Laurie also are the proud parents of one daughter.
The Keltgen Family
“All our kids and grandkids live within an hour of us, so we’re blessed they’re all so close,” says Myron. The Keltgen family enjoys spending time together at their farm. Many of their fields are research sites for the products they sell.
When he’s not working or farming, Myron enjoys spending time with his family at the river. He especially loves fishing the Lake Ohae area and often serves as a fishing guide. Since the family does an extensive amount of fishing, they shared with us their favorite walleye recipe!
Approximately 100 industry leaders from across the United States gathered in our nation’s capitol and another 100 gathered online for ASTA’s annual Policy and Leadership Development Conference (PLDC). In fact, ASTA made news for becoming the first agricultural group to meet in Washington, D.C., in more than a year, writes Jerry Hagstrom in his National Journal column. The meeting shows that gathering in Washington is still worthwhile.
In appreciation for his year of service, incoming ASTA Chair Brad May presents John Latham with a flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol on John’s birthday.
“It’s so good to be back together as an industry, a community, and as friends,” Latham said in his opening remarks on Monday, June 21, 2021. “The past year was far different than any of us could ever have imagined. Despite the challenges, it has been such an honor to serve as chair of the American Seed Trade Association during this truly unprecedented time.”
Congressman Feenstra of Iowa’s Fourth Congressional District addressed ASTA members on the importance of telling the story of agriculture. He is pictured (left) with John, Ian and Shannon Latham during the meeting.
Latham continued, “I am most proud that we kept the association business moving forward during the pandemic. ASTA board members updated the existing Strategic Plan and added Sustainability as its own pillar. After all, ‘sustainability’ is a part of everything we do – it always has been! Sustainability is a key to telling the story of how the seed industry helps feed the world while protecting, improving, and replenishing our resources for future generations.”
Congressman Feenstra of Iowa’s Fourth Congressional District reiterated the importance of telling agriculture’s story. In his address to ASTA members, he said, “We (in agriculture) have a story to tell.” Feenstra went on to say he is thrilled to tell ag’s story as a member of the House Ag Committee. He also serves on the House Committee on the Budget, as well as the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
“We appreciate that Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra addressed PLDC participants in person,” says Latham. “We greatly appreciate his understanding of agriculture. We need more advocates like Congressman Feenstra, who understand the connection between agriculture, economic security, food security and national security.” Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Senator Joni Ernst also addressed the conference.
Visiting with members of Congress is one important component of the annual ASTA meeting, and association members traditionally visit their respective state’s congressional delegations on Capitol Hill. However, most legislative visits this year were conducted virtually. Seed industry leaders talked with elected officials about sustainability, innovation, and trade issues.
In addition to legislative advocacy efforts, the 2021 PLDC agenda covered timely business topics. General sessions and panel discussions ranged from how to attract more minorities and how to advance women to reopening offices. Concerns also were raised about how legislation and regulation could hamper the seed industry.
John Latham facilitated the “Women in Seed” discussion which included Shannon Latham as a panelist.
To help quell those fears, USDA Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh said on a live video chat that “it all begins with the seed.” (“First the seed” is ASTA’s motto and the name of its foundation.) The Deputy Secretary also said she hopes the success of the COVID-19 vaccine leads to renewed faith in science.
“We can’t pick and choose which science we like,” said Bronaugh. This was welcome news to the seed industry, which fears science skeptics will halt the innovation of seeds.
The importance of seed innovations will continue to be a key message communicated by ASTA members. Because there is a new administration in the White House and many new members of Congress, Latham stressed the importance of building relationships. “Never doubt the power, and necessity, of our strong collective voice,” he said as he addressed ASTA members during a general session.
Legislative priorities for ASTA include:
Opposing new bills at the state level that limit treated seed, which is such a vital tool for agriculture and have tremendous benefits for farmers and the environment.
Engaging in the UN Food Systems Summit where the international community will come together to address global food challenges – with significant impacts on future policy. It’s important the global policy environment encourages continued innovation for the future.
Continuing ASTA’s great work regarding innovation, and specifically gene editing as it has so much promise for companies of all sizes, as well as for all kinds of seeds from corn and soybeans to vegetables and beyond. Gene editing has the promise to help feed the world and maybe even prevent the next global pandemic.
John Latham said he appreciated all the support he received during the week of PLDC in Washington, D.C. He enjoyed introducing Latham Team members to his industry colleagues and friends.
Keeping with tradition, Latham hosted a Chairman’s Dinner on the last evening of the annual summer ASTA conference. The event was held at the newly opened The Point with a waterfront view. Because Washington, D.C., is known for its crab cakes – and crab cakes were served at the Chairman’s Dinner – today we’re sharing with you a recipe, so you can make these delicacies at home. Bon Appetit!
*Recipe excerpted from “Dining by Fireflies” cookbook.
Small Changes Can Have Big Results: Push for a Better You
When we think about new year resolutions, “health and fitness” often bubble to the top of the list. As a member of Team USA at the World Triathlon, Jen (Farrer) Schweigert has that part down. And yet she says her goals for 2023 are bigger (and scarier) than ever. For example:
Run the Boston Marathon in under three hours.
Win a “70.3” — which is a half Ironman-distance triathlon before national and world races begin.
Place in the Top 5 in both the sprint and standard (Olympic distance) at the US National Championship races.
Place in the Top 10 (preferably Top 5) for the 70.3 at the World Championship races.
To be fair, Jen is not a newcomer to the world of competitive sports; she has mastered health and fitness across the globe. She travels frequently with her husband Jim, who — like the owners of Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds — is a third-generation seedsman. Jim is president of Gro Alliance, which produces seed in the U.S. and abroad. The couple owns and manages a SNAP Fitness franchise in Platteville, Wisconsin.
Jen and her husband Jim
“It’s important to me to get in my workouts, so I treat a day of traveling like I do a day at home,” says Jen, who shares her experiences online (#runtheworld), using the handle @jendoestri.
Her road to becoming an elite global athlete wasn’t exactly textbook. Jen recalls being unhappy with her weight in college and deciding to make very small, deliberate changes in her diet. “Instead of 50 Cheese-Its, I would count out 25,” she says. “Instead of drinking three gigantic Cokes each day, I cut down to one.”
Eventually, Jen started running with a roommate. At first, she could only run one block before having to stop and walk. She worked up to running two blocks, then three . . . and, well, the next thing she knew “my roommate and I were running a 5K on Thanksgiving Day.”
Last year, Jen was a World Triathlon podium finisher in Dubai, where she placed 2nd in the Super Sprint — a finish she admits she didn’t expect. “My goal in the super sprint was to race hard, have fun, learn the course and shake off the cobwebs,” Jen says. “I had no idea I would do so well.”
Jen finished 2nd place in the Super Sprint in Dubai
While in Dubai, Jen was able to spend a few days absorbing the “beauty and opulence” of the city. She especially enjoyed the diversity (more than 200 nationalities), touring Burj Khalifa (the world’s tallest building) and eating “amazing meals” of hummus, pita, tabouli and kebabs.
Jen’s advice for anyone wanting to have a healthier new year is pretty simple: Remember the work is worth it.
“As long as you continue to put in the work and stay consistent, it will pay off,” she says. “You will see results. I may be getting older, but I’m also getting better. I can’t wait to see what I accomplish in 2023.”
To help you prepare a healthy meal, today Jen is sharing with us one of her favorite salads. Once you begin eating more vegetables, she says your body will crave them. Here’s to craving salad with cheese and fresh berries!
A group of Latham® dealers and employees set sail July 29, 2018, for an eleven-day cruise and land journey around Alaska’s famous Inside Passage. Our first day at sea was spent relaxing around the pool, acquainting ourselves with the ship and learning more about the Holland America cruise line. Many of us also enjoyed a cooking demonstration on how to prepare salmon by a special guest chef from the cooking show “America’s Test Kitchen.”
Anticipation built as the mighty Noordam made her made into port on Tuesday, July 31. We were greeted with sunshine and unusually warm temperatures. The daytime high reached nearly 80 degrees in Ketchikan, Alaska’s first city. While our group enjoyed the weather, locals voiced concerns about the nearly two weeks of warm, dry weather because the Tongass National Forest is the world’s largest remaining temperate rain forest. It encompasses about 1,700 million acres in Southeast Alaska. Average rainfall ranges from 26 inches in Skagway to 225 inches of rain in Little Port Walter on Baranof Island. Tongass waters house 128 glaciers and all five species of Pacific salmon.
With temperatures about 15 degrees warmer than the average July temperature for Ketchikan plus sunny skies and calm waters inside the bay, many of our guests enjoyed fishing in the world’s salmon capitol. Others enjoyed touring the Misty Fjords National Monument and learning about history in the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center.
Alaska’s rich cultural ancestry is literally on display in Ketchikan as the world’s largest display of totem poles are scattered throughout town. In fact, one of the city’s most famous totems is pictured on page 25 in a U.S. passport. The “Raven Stealing the Sun” Totem Pole was commissioned by the City of Ketchikan to honor the Tongass Tlingit people who inhabited the area. It tells of Raven who desired the sun, moon and stars owned by a powerful chief.
Our next port visit was Juneau where many of us enjoyed riding up the Mount Roberts Tramway through the Alaskan rain forest. We could see the Chilkat Montains to the north, Stephens Passage to the south, Douglas Island to the west, and Silver Bow Basin in the east where gold was discovered in 1880. Atop Mount Roberts, we watched local artisans craft totems. There also was a gallery where Native art prints, traditional weaving and carving were on display. Many of us also hiked here, taking in a spectacular 360-degree view.
Did you know Juneau is the only state capitol that is not accessible by land? That was just one of the interesting facts we learned in this city. Juneau is the second largest U.S. city by area, although it only has a population of about 32,000.
There were so many excursions offered in Juneau from whale watching and tours of Macaulay Salmon Hatchery to salmon bakes and helicopter tours of Mendenhall Glacier. The Mendenhall Glacier is a half-mile wide, hundreds of feet deep and is fed by the 1,500-square-mile Juneau Ice Field.
Because my husband is a pilot and we’re both dog lovers, we chose an excursion that allowed us to take a helicopter ride to a mushing camp. We learned that mushers bring their dogs to the area through the summer months and spend their days and nights on the glacier with the dogs.
While it’s important these Iditarod athletes stay in top-shape, their time spent in Juneau is actually “vacation”. It’s much too warm to train as hard as they will at the close of tourist season, but visitors for dog mushing rides provide great opportunity for mushers to earn supplemental income to help care for the dogs and to get regular exercise in on the sled. In October, they’ll pack up camp and move four hours North to begin training for opening day of the Iditarod – a race across Alaska where teams of dogs will chart over 100 miles daily making their way to Nome, Alaska to claim the title of fastest team.
Our third port stop was Skagway, which has a colorful history dating back to Klondike Gold Rush. Most of the buildings in this town are registered National Historic Landmarks, so a wooden boardwalk is still in place rather than cement sidewalks. All the colors and fonts used on storefronts must be approved by the historical society, as well.
While in Skagway, many from the Latham group enjoyed a trip on the White Pass Summit Scenic Railroad. Against all odds, this iron rail was built 110 years ago through some of the North’s most ruggedly beautiful terrain. The train passed Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point and Dead Horse Gulch so named for the thousands of horses that died as gold miners made their way up the mountain. Our tour also included a stop in Fraser, British Columbia for a few hours of Kayaking near Fraser Pass in the Rocky Mountains. Other Latham guests rented Jeeps and explored the Klondike Highway. Because the town is steeped in history, several from our group chose to stay in town where they also enjoyed fresh catch.
When our seventh day at sea was complete we disembarked south of Anchorage and started the “land” journey part of our trip.This began by bus to Denali National Park for a two night stay at the McKinley Chalet Resort. Dealers and guests enjoyed a back country tour of the park spotting grizzly bears, moose, caribou, wolves, Golden Eagles and other native bird species. We also enjoyed a train tour of inland Alaska on our return to Anchorage aboard the McKinley Explorer.
The photos just don’t do the justice to the vastness and beauty of America’s 49th state. Thanks to all our dealers for their hard work, we hope you enjoyed your trip and relaxation in Alaska.
Fresh Alaskan seafood was available in every port, so today we’re sharing with you two salmon recipes demonstrated onboard the Noordam through “America’s Test Kitchen.”
It’s Crawfish Season, Y’all… Give “Fresh Catch Friday” New Meaning Tonight!
Just how hot are fresh crawfish in the Bayou State? The demand is so high that it’s hard to find a parking place, and even then, the evening’s Crawfish Boil might be sold out.
Crawfish harvest begins around March 1, says third generation Louisiana farmer Caleb Frey of Morganza, Louisiana. Traps are checked once daily at the beginning of the season and more frequently as the season progresses. Crawfishing runs through the second or third week of May, and then a late crop of rice will be planted in those fields where the crawfish were grown.
Sugar cane, soybeans and corn also are grown at Four Oaks Farm. The Frey family raises cattle on the levees that protect their farmland from the Mighty Mississippi. This diversified farming operation lends itself to year-round production.
“What I enjoy most about farming is the change,” says Caleb. “You might have a week or so of the same activity, like planting corn, and then it’s time to move onto the next activity.”
Corn planting was about to get underway around Natchez, Mississippi, when Franklin County Iowa farmer April Hemmes and I arrived. (April and Caleb traveled to China together as part of the United Soybean Board’s See For Yourself program. Applications are being accepted through April 1, so sign up online today to see how checkoff dollars help build markets worldwide for U.S. farm products.)
It had rained just enough the day of our visit that fieldwork came to a halt. So instead of touring the area’s beautiful pre-Civil war antebellum mansions, April and I went on a customized farm tour. Talk about luck! Here’s what we learned during our “short course” in Deep South Farming:
March:
These boats are used to check the traps and harvest the crawfish.
Crawfishing starts around the first of the month. Temperatures need to be in the 70s before the crawfish really start moving, so sometimes the season starts a little later.
Corn planting ideally starts the first or second week of March and will be complete by the month’s end. Last year, the Frey family didn’t start until March 19 and finished on the 30th.
The majority of rice acres are planted from mid-March to early April. Like corn, rice is very sensitive to high temperatures during pollination and needs adequate rainfall. The earlier it gets planted, the better the crop usually is.
April:
Early soybeans, typically early Group 4s, go in the fallow sugarcane ground around April 1.
May:
Most soybean acres are planted in May. Maturities generally range from 4.6 to 5.3.
June:
The Frey family stays busy with irrigating corn, soybeans and sugarcane, as well as spraying.
July:
Irrigating and spraying continues during the month of July as temperatures average 92 degrees Fahrenheit and the monthly rainfall is approximately 6 inches. Early rice and early corn are harvested toward the end of the month.
August:
Corn harvest is in full swing by the first or second week of August. Most of the rice is harvested mid-month, depending on the weather. If there is a hurricane threat, corn harvest is stopped so all hands can get the rice harvested before the weather hits. “Harvesting downed rice is one of the most painstaking things you could ever do in a combine,” explains Caleb. “Add mud to the mix following a big storm and it really gets interesting.”
Early soybeans also are harvested at this time, and the sugarcane planting crews typically follow right behind the combine.
September:
Sugarcane planting and soybean harvest wrap up. Sugarcane needs to grow about one year before it is harvested, so the Freys include this crop as in rotation with soybeans. Harvest begins around the last week of the month on the mature cane crop.
NOTE: The sugar cane gets a little growth on it during the fall, but it typically doesn’t get much more than a foot or two tall before frost causes it to go dormant. In the spring, the entire cane crop basically starts from the same point. It’s cultivated, fertilized, sprayed and irrigated.
Come October the “plant cane,” which is the crop that was planted the previous summer, is harvested along with the rest of the crop. Then it becomes “first year stubble,” which means it has been harvest once. Cane is typically stubbled, or harvested, three to four years before a field returns to soybeans.
October:
Sugarcane harvest cranks up and grain harvest comes to an end in October. Fall field prep is in full swing behind the combines. At this time, a maintenance shot of fertilizer is applied on all of the corn, soybean and rice acres.
November;
Typically all field work is finished by Thanksgiving, weather permitting. Sugarcane harvest is in full swing.
December:
Cane harvest is typically finished between Christmas and the first of the year, but the finish date is completely dependent upon the sugar mill. The mill determines the producers’ daily quota. Your quota is proportional to your cane acres and harvest is typically figured on a 90- to 100-day timeframe.
Additional information: During that 100-day window, each farmer gets one day off every other week. Moisture has no effect on the milling or harvest process, so harvest continues.
During harvest or “grinding” as it’s called here, cane is being harvested 24/7 from September through January. All farmers who haul a particular mill generally finish harvest on the same day, but finish dates vary across the state by a few weeks.
There are 11 sugar mills in Louisiana, and each mills sets its own schedule to a certain degree. Some have split shifts, which means half of their farmers harvest from 12 AM to 12 PM and the other half the opposite. Four Oaks Farms hauls to Cora Texas in Whitecastle, LA. This mill has all of its farmers harvest from 5 AM to whenever the quota is reach. Cane is stockpiled during the day, so cane is available to feed the mills all night long.
January;
The Frey family spends most of this month in the office, finalizing input orders and crop plans for the coming year.
February:
Planter preparation is underway in February plus corn and rice ground is burned down. If it’s dry, the Freys will till old sugarcane stubble so soybeans can be planted on that ground in April.
The Frey family raises cattle on the levees that protect their farmland from the Mighty Mississippi.
Caleb is responsible for purchasing and applying the inputs. He also helps wherever he’s needed from planting through harvest on every crop. Caleb’s dad, Marty, the youngest of four brothers for which Four Oaks Farms is named. Marty is transitioning into the role of president and also oversees the rice and soybeans in Morganza. Caleb’s uncle, Matt, primarily oversees cane production, crawfish harvest and the cattle. Mitch, the oldest of the four, takes care of all maintenance and equipment repairs. He also takes care of all the grain storage facilities plus the rice drying and storage during harvest. Caleb’s uncle, Mark, is the second oldest. Mark manages the northern farm in Vidalia where rice, corn and soybeans are grown. He also markets the farm’s whole crop. In addition, Mark helps his son sell and install irrigation pipes, wells, center pivots and moisture probes.
“I’ve had a chance to learn from the best,” says Caleb as he talks with me about his family’s farming operation. Instead of studying agriculture in college, he earned two associate degrees in Construction Management and Business Management from Baton Rouge Community College. He then enjoyed working four years as a welder and mechanic for Bengal Transportation/Crane & Rigging in Gonzales.
After learning how crawfish are raised, April Hemmes and I got the pleasure of eating this locally grown food. OH. MY. YUM!
Caleb found himself longing for the wide open spaces and the call of the wild, so he returned to the family farm in 2014. He’s had his pilot license for 2½ years and flies whenever he can. In his free time, Caleb enjoys hunting squirrel, deer and rabbit. He also enjoys getting together with friends. On any given night, one of his buddies is hosting a cookout or a crawfish boil. Today Caleb has agreed to share one of his family’s favorite recipes on TheFieldPosition.
By the way, you can most likely purchase fresh Louisiana crawfish at the supermarket in your regional trade center. April Hemmes says she found them at the Hy-Vee in Iowa Falls, Iowa. Who knew? Give “Fresh Catch Friday” new meaning this Lenten season and celebrate with Crawfish Étouffée tonight!
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.
Food is about relationships, says Jennie Schmidt, a registered dietitian who works full-time farming in Maryland with her family. “Food is nourishing to our bodies. Conversation is nourishment for our souls.”
Because many of the food dialogues have been driven by people who know little or nothing about farming, Jennie says it’s more important than ever for farmers to advocate for agriculture. We must correct misinformation and point out when statements have been taken out of context. We also must allow consumers to get to know farmers, so their confidence increases about the food they eat.
Many Americans take their food for granted, says Jennie. Because they’ve never seen empty grocery shelves, they assume the food is industrial and easy to produce. Some Americans can afford to be arrogant about their food, so they try to dictate to the rest of the population. They want to regulate some foods and ban others. Mostly, they criticize others’ food choices when they don’t align with their own.
The need for farmers to connect and help educate consumers became more apparent to Jennie when she was selected as the 2011 Northeast Region Farm Mom of the Year. She then joined Common Ground, a grassroots movement that encourages conversations between the women who grow food and the women who buy it. Today, Jennie blogs at The Foodie Farmer and many of her posts are also shared on Stone Soup, a guest blog written by members of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
In addition to blogging and farming, Jennie also manages vineyards. Farming is all about nutrition for animals, soil and plants after all. Because Jennie was a registered dietician when she married Hans, who was raising hogs and cattle with his brother and their father, she decided to put her nutrition degree to use on the farm.
The Schmidt family has always tried new ventures, and Jennie became interested in growing grapes to further diversify the farm plus make a “niche” for herself. From there, she launched a vineyard management company that is expanding to new areas including Delaware.
Farmers can diversify into grape production if they have a good understanding of crop load and pest management, says Jennie. Unlike commodities, grapes are grown for quality and crop reduction is often necessary. It’s not necessarily a good thing to have high tonnage when the result is poor quality.
Growing grapes is as labor intensive as tobacco, says Jennie whose first job was working tobacco in the fields of western Massachusetts. Her best friend’s dad was a dairy farmer, and Jennie loved helping him haul hay. Although she wasn’t raised on a farm, time spent on her friends’ farms prompted her to minor in International Agriculture.
After college, Jennie spent two years working in Botswana, Africa helping the Ministry of Agriculture develop a 4-H program. Her master’s thesis was about food and agricultural biotechnology, so it’s no wonder that agriculture and food production are so near and dear to Jennie’s heart.
As a tribute to Maryland where she farms, today we’re featuring a recipe for Crab Cakes with Lemon Dill Sauce. We’re also linking to the Taste of Home website where you can download a recipe to make a side of Chesapeake Slaw.
Louisiana farmer Caleb Frey of Morganza, Louisiana. Traps are checked once daily at the beginning of the season and more frequently as the season progresses. Crawfishing runs through the second or third week of May, and then a late crop of rice will be planted in those fields where the crawfish were grown.
