When the cicadas sing and the crickets chirp, Tyler Stockwell and his family pack up the camper and enjoy spending the weekend at their favorite campgrounds. They’re making memories swimming, playing outdoor games and enjoying time with friends.
Tyler and his wife, Rachel, are the proud parents of three children. Their eight-year-old daughter, Aleya (pronounced A-lee-a), is interested in swimming and dancing. Their three-year-old twins, Brielle and Brant, are developing their own interests. Brielle enjoys playing with dolls and coloring. Brant likes playing with fire trucks because he likes to be like his dad.
Tyler began serving on the Laurens Fire Department in 2009 as a junior fireman.
“My father has been on the Laurens department for nearly 20 years, and he’s now the safety officer,” says Tyler, who served on the Laurens Fire 
Department for six years. He joined the Emmetsburg department in 2016 and remains an active firefighter. “Dad gave me the opportunity to start serving when I was just 16. I enjoy being a care giver to people in times of crisis.”
In addition, Tyler is active in his church and remains involved with his family’s farming operation. He was raised on an Iowa Century Farm northwest of Laurens. He’s still active in the operation, which includes corn and soybeans, 40 head of cow-calf pairs plus a feeder-to-finish hog confinement. Tyler also runs a 5,000 head wean-to-finish site.
“My grandfather was a huge role model,” says Tyler. “I grew up doing cattle chores and going to the coffee shop with him. He then passed down the operation to my parents. We have continued to implement new strategies to achieve higher yields than we have ever seen in the past.”
After majoring in Ag Technology with a minor in Ag Sales from Iowa Central Community College, Tyler took a job with a local cooperative. He has worked as an agronomist in the cooperative system for the past five years where sold seed, fertilizer and plant protection products. Most recently, he managed a team of agronomists.
“What I enjoy most about selling seed is helping growers make the right choice for their acres,” says Tyler. “I also enjoy watching the team I work with succeed while building relationships. I’m looking forward to leading the sales team in Northwest Iowa, meeting the awesome Latham® dealers we have in the area and bringing new dealers onboard. Latham Seeds has a great portfolio of products for our area, which is one of the reasons I wanted to join this family-owned company.”
A new seed selling year is underway. The 2021 Latham Seed Guide is hot off the presses, and Tyler is busy making calls to farmers in Northwest Iowa.
In his free time, Tyler enjoys golfing and hunting. He and Rachel also play on a couples bowling league in the winter. Today they’re sharing with us one of their family’s favorite camping meals. We hope you savor the best of summer, too!
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Jalapeno Poppers
Ingredients
- Preheat smoker to 200 degrees
- Half the jalapeños and cut out seeds. Then soak in ice water to take some of the heat out.
- Cook bacon till crispy. Set aside to cool.
- Mix cream cheese, shredded cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and seasoning salt in a medium bowl. Crumble bacon and add to mixture. Spoon mixture into jalapeño halves. Add 1/4 cup of butter to a tin foil pan. Place jalapeño halves in tin foil pan. Cook at 200 degrees for 30 minutes and turn up to 350 degrees for an additional 15 minutes. Pull fro smoker and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
12 jalapeños
8oz cream Cheese
2 cups taco blend shredded cheese
1 pound bacon
Salt to taste
Garlic powder- to taste
Pepper to taste
Onion powder to taste
Seasoning salt to taste
Butter
Tin foil pans