Deb Brown is the CMO, chief foot soldier, answering machine and traveler at Debworks.  Debworks is a marketing organization, traditional and new media, dedicated to getting the word out about your business.  www.debworks.com | deb@debworks.com 641-580-0103

What if you made the decision to purchase one product locally?  You might be surprised at the huge impact just one purchase could have on a small town.

Let’s just consider what would happen if every resident of Greater Franklin County decided to buy their toilet paper locally.  There are 15,000 people in Greater Franklin County and the average person uses 105 rolls of toilet paper a year.  Do the math – just this item would keep almost $2 million dollars in sales in our county.  Two million!  It would also generate $140,000 in sales taxes.

Last year it was estimated that the amount actually spent on toilet paper in Greater Franklin County was $335,800 – that’s lost revenue of $1,631,244!  We haven’t even covered the fact that revenue spent in local businesses tends to stay in the county.  They pay their employees and local taxes, shop for products locally themselves, contribute to non-profit organizations locally and generally support the local community.

Debworks has a commitment to shopping local.  The first thing that comes to mind is shopping at the retail stores.  And we do that.  But we’ve expanded our commitment to say – we support local too.  I live and work in Franklin County and think it’s important that we learn to work together not only to improve quality of life, but also to strengthen our businesses.

What does that mean?  Easy enough – shop local! (See www.debworks.com/5-things-consider)  But it’s more than just shopping local.  It’s also working together.  John F. Kennedy said “a rising tide lifts all boats” (he took it from a New England Chamber of Commerce).  That means if we all work together, we all get better together.

We’re doing a few things in Franklin County that are making a difference:

1.     Thinking about advertising and promotion in an artistic kind of way.

Our Franklin County Arts Council puts on two big productions a year.  At the winter event, it’s a live radio play done on a stage set in the 1940’s.  There are 6-8 commercials between the acts.  These commercials are from local companies!  So not only is your commercial seen live at both showings, it is recorded and played on the radio (and you get the spot for your use) and it is also filmed and you receive that as well.  We like the idea “write once, use many times” – and this works well!  You are supporting the arts, and getting your name out there too. Win-win.

2.     Last year Debworks, Latham Hi Tech Seeds, Franklin County Farm Bureau and Franklin County Tourism teamed up to host a bloggers tour.

We invited 10 bloggers and their families into our community.  We fed them, housed them and entertained them for a weekend.  In turn, they wrote about their adventure in Franklin County.  The short tail on this is – we got immediate blog coverage from Midwest bloggers.  The long tail is – we are still getting noticed and talked about.  CNN found Franklin County and asked some of our residents to come to Des Moines and talk about the caucus with them.  We’ve been featured in newspapers around the state for this tour.  Uptake author Jody Halsted is still posting there about Franklin County.  It continues to be a productive venture.

3.     Debworks and Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds are putting together a Partnership Seminar to be held at the end of the month at TownsEnd Winery. 

We’ve invited a few local businesses to attend and brainstorm on different ways to partner this year.  We’re looking at the calendar for the year’s events (thanks to the Chamber for keeping a great community calendar!) and figuring out how we can be involved and partner up with other businesses.  For example, Shannon’s Pumpkin Patch might partner up with Country Heritage Bed and Breakfast.  For visitors traveling out of town to visit the Harriman Nielsen Historic Farm over their Festival weekend, they could stay at the B and B and take home a great pumpkin from Shannon’s Pumpkin Patch and attend the Festival.  Just imagine what the winery, the Soybean Association and the downtown retailers could dream up!

So why not take a good, hard look at what is available in your community.  What is the Historical Society doing?  How about County Conservation?  Don’t forget the Farm Bureau and Soybean Association.  Now – how can you as a business owner create some fun things that bring people to you?  As a consumer – where can you shop local and help support your community?

Today we pay tribute to the 1962 Master Homemaker
and Matriarch of the Latham family 

How would you begin telling a story about someone for whom you have the utmost respect and who has lived a very full 95 years?  That’s a lot of time to cover in a short amount of space!

After much thought, I’ve decided to begin with an excerpt from memories that Evelyn Latham penned a few years ago for her family.  “My story is one of love and hard work, interspersed with joys, tragedies, achievements, and a lot of family pride.  I was born on December 17, 1916, to John A. and Nora Ladegaard Johansen at our farm home near Latimer, Iowa.”

Yes, Evelyn Latham – grandmother of John and Chris – turns 95 years young tomorrow!  We’re blessed that she still lives in Franklin County, and there’s nothing she enjoys more than visits from family members and friends.  Each time we visit, she is sure to ask about our seed business.  And, it’s no wonder!  She’s been a very integral part of the Latham family business since it began nearly 65 years ago.

“In 1947 Willard bought a large seed cleaner,” Evelyn writes in her memoir.  “He built a trailer to transport it, and that was the beginning of our seed business.  He made a home-made seed treated, and he and John Hill went from farm to farm to clean oats that were full of weeds and infected with smut fungus disease.  They almost froze to death, so the next year Willard had farmers bring their oats to a shed on our farm where they could be cleaned and treated. 

We soon outgrew that, so Willard remodeled our corn crib (granary).  I’ll never forget how hard he worked putting in an elevator and machinery!  He had a man helping him.  When they started the equipment, they discovered the elevator wasn’t high enough.  He was just sick about it.  He came into the house and said, “Eve, come, we have to go for a ride”.  So we went for a little ride.  Then, of course, he had to rebuild it.” 

(Click here for Evelyn’s video)

Evelyn helped support Willard and their business in numerous ways.  The family’s kitchen table served as the company’s office, so she made numerous trips daily from the house to the outbuildings whenever Willard was needed to a phone call.  Known for her cooking skills and hospitality, it wasn’t unusual for Evelyn to feed a room full of hired men and customers.

In addition to serving as secretary and caterer in 1947, Evelyn was busy caring for four boys ranging in age from 6 to 1.  (The Latham’s fifth son was born in July 1948.)

It’s no wonder Wallaces Farmer magazine recognized Evelyn as Iowa Master Farm Homemaker of the Year!  An excerpt from the December 15, 1962, issue of Wallaces Farmer states, “Mrs. Willard Latham, Franklin County, shares her interest in music with her husband and sons…  she loves music and likes to read when she has time.”

No matter how busy and full her life might be, Evelyn has been known for making time to share coffee and fellowship with family and friends.  She’s one of those rare people who puts you at ease from the first meeting.  When John first introduced me to her, Evelyn pulled me into a hug.  Her smile reached her eyes as she told me how glad she was to meet me.  In the next breath, she said, “Let’s go into the kitchen for some coffee and cookies.  You’ll have some, won’t you?  Sure you will.”

Anyone who has ever met Evelyn knows there is no choice but to make time for coffee and cookies.  Fast forward 16 years, and the greeting is still the same.  Evelyn’s eyes still light up when she has company and she’s always more than ready to share a cup of coffee with family and friends.  The coffee is sure to be flowing as Evelyn celebrates her 95^th birthday with friends and family.

In honor of this milestone, today we’re sharing two recipes straight from Evelyn’s recipe box.  The first one is for popcorn balls because they were also such a hit with her 12 grandchildren during the holidays.  In fact, Evelyn was still making her notorious popcorn balls even after great grandchildren arrived.  The second recipe is for a classic ice cream dessert because no birthday celebration would be the same without ice cream.  You’ll see Evelyn has even included a note about how you can make this ice cream dessert fitting for the holidays.  We hope you’ll enjoy these family recipes as much as we do!

Ice Cream Dessert

from the kitchen of Evelyn Latham

Ingredients:

• ½ gallon vanilla ice cream (softened)
• 2 c. Rice Krispies
• 1 c. coconut
• ½ c. nuts
• 2/3 c. brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions:

1. Crush Rice Krispies with rolling pin and then mix them with coconut, nuts, brown sugar and butter.
2. Put 2/3 of this mixture in the bottom of a 9×13 cake pan.
3. Next place the ice cream put the rest of the Rice Krispies mixture on top.
4. Place in freezer.

COOK’S TIP:  Use peppermint ice cream for Christmas.

A coalition of Iowa farmers, businesses and agricultural organizations are helping bring new meaning to “home for the holidays.”

This week this coalition announced a goal to purchase up to 48 pre-made homes, as well as providing Meals from the Heartland, for earthquake ravaged victims in Haiti.  The housing units were designed and are being manufactured by Sukup Manufacturing Co., a family-owned company headquartered in our hometown of Sheffield.

Each pre-made home, called a SafeTHome, measure 18-feet wide by 14-feet tall and can sleep 10 or more people.  Made entirely of metal, the structure is resistant to termites and moisture.  Each one features two windows, which can be locked from the inside.  Plus, a double-roofed system displaces heat.

More than 1.6 million Haitians have been without homes since the 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit their country on Jan. 12, 2010.  Nearly 80% of Haitians live in poverty.  Their need is great.

“When you learn of their struggles, you’re moved to act,” Iowa Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds is quoted in a recent Wallaces Farmer article.  “Working together, we can make a real and positive impact in a way that’s uniquely Iowa.”

Reynolds and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey are co-chairing the “Special Delivery: Homes. Help. Hope. For Haiti.” campaign, which is being coordinated by the Iowa Food & Family Project.  You can get involved in this campaign, too!  “Special Delivery: Homes, Help, Hope. For Haiti.” runs through spring 2012. To make a donation, log on to www.iowafoodandfamily.com.

Help Send A Home.
Help Deliver Hope.
Join us by making a contribution and delivering a better way of life for Haiti.

Before televisions dominated family rooms, a holiday season tradition for many Americans including listening to Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” as performed on the radio by Lionel Barrymore and narrated by Orson Welles.  This weekend, in Franklin County, Iowa, we have the opportunity to step back in time and enjoy this classic radio production as performed by the Franklin County Players.

The final performance of “A Christmas Carol Radio Play” will be 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11, at the Windsor Theatre in Hampton, Iowa.  Advanced tickets are available for $10 from Center I or online at hamptoniowa.org.  Watch as 25 local actors dress in 1940s-style clothing and take the stage.

Even Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds will be a part of the show!  Our company’s sponsorship of this production allows us to pay tribute to Willard Latham, who founded the business nearly 65 years ago, when he produced seed oats for retail.  As the time changed and the business grew, the company evolved from a retail business to a dealer organization.  Today our company offers only the highest quality soybean, corn hybrids and alfalfa seed.

We’re proud to continue the family tradition.  The same values and principles on which Willard Latham founded the business remain our guiding principles yet today: honesty, integrity and unsurpassed customer service.  As you’ll hear in our 1940-esque radio commercial,

Latham Seeds do more for you… Sowing, growing, harvest, too,
Latham yields for you!

We want to help you select the best seed for your dollar. Contact your local Latham® seed representative for some “mighty fine seed” to include your crop rotation.