By Lydia Zerby, consumer insights & engagement manager, Iowa Food & Family Project
Lydia Zerby, consumer insights * engagement manager, Iowa Food and Family Project
The iconic Iowa State Fair is the perfect way to celebrate food, family and farming! Whether it’s meeting baby calves, catching a food demonstration in The Kitchen or enjoying a new fair food, fairgoers from both rural and urban communities can make lifelong memories during the incredible 11-day event.
This year at the Iowa State Fair, immerse your family in the art of agriculture with the Iowa Food & Family Project (Iowa FFP)! From Aug. 11-21, visitors can engage with Iowa FFP in the southeast atrium of the Varied Industries Building.
It’s a chance to “Find your Fun” by engaging with area artists who will be creating colorful and larger-than-life murals. Visitors to the display can double their fun by hunting for hidden objects in each design. Kids of all ages (adults, too!) can spin the wheel for fantastic prizes, play ag trivia, step inside an “ag-citing” photo booth or pick up an exclusive coloring sheet. Plus, there will be a special art contest for kids to enter!
Once again, Iowa FFP will be handing out its wildly popular reusable tote bags and visitors can enter to win some blue ribbon-worthy prizes. This year’s “Grand Champion” prizes include:
Iowa Pork gift basket courtesy of the Iowa Pork Producers Association
Iowa Corn gift basket courtesy of the Iowa Corn Growers Association
Earl May Nursery & Garden Center gift card
Hy-Vee grocery store gift card
The Machine Shed restaurant gift card
Framed photo of Iowa agriculture courtesy of Joseph L. Murphy
The Iowa Food & Family Project is all about celebrating families, uniting rural and urban communities and providing the information and experiences consumers need to make informed food choices. The initiative involves a collaborative network of nearly 35 food, farming and healthy living organizations who are proud of Iowa’s homegrown foods and hometown values. Iowa FFP is funded by the soybean, pork, beef, egg, corn, turkey and dairy checkoffs, as well as non-checkoff resources.
Approximately 135,000 food-minded Iowans engage with Iowa Food & Family Project monthly through social media, eNewsletter and magazine channels.
We invite you to join more than 75,000 fellow subscribers who receive our monthly Fresh Pickings eNewsletter. It’s chock-full of delicious recipes, farm stories, giveaways and ways to get involved with the Iowa Food & Family Project. Sign up here for your free subscription: www.iowafoodandfamily.com/sign-up
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is a great partner of the Iowa Food & Family Project, helping the initiative maintain consumer-focused engagement as we celebrate the continuous improvement of Iowa’s farm families and their dedication to providing wholesome food for everyone. Working together, we’re building a greater understanding and confidence among food-minded Iowans.
See you at the 2022 Iowa State Fair, where visitors will “Find Your Fun!” #ISFFindYourFun
At Latham Hi Tech Seeds, we take pride in providing all the options for soybean herbicide traits. Each of these traits has its place, but there is only one product that I’ve seen prevent tough weeds like water hemp from even getting started.
Cereal rye used as a cover crop before soybeans eliminates early season weed growth without a pre-emergence herbicide. Allelopathic chemicals released by the cereal rye roots suppress growth of many challenging broadleaf weeds. This effect will eventually wear off, but mulch can continue to inhibit germination of light-sensitive weed seed.
If you’re using cereal rye to reduce weeds in soybean fields, it will be more beneficial to have seeding rates closer to a bushel per acre. Also use a guaranteed seeding method, such as a drill or vertical tillage tool, for an even stand to get adequate seed-to-soil contact.
Cereal rye adds more value than early season weed control. It can slow erosion, hold onto nutrients, break up compaction with its fibrous root system, increase the amount of water soil can hold during heavy rain events and provide food all winter long for the forgotten microbe population in your soil. This is the benefit of adding just one cover crop to your corn-soybean rotation!
In the Latham Premier Agronomy Center, our long-term plots provide tips for incorporating cover crops into your operation. This spring we planted earlier hybrids and varieties, so we can more easily establish cover crops this fall. You wouldn’t need to do this on every field, but it could extend your seeding window of opportunity and help you get that task done before you fully get into harvest.
Mark your calendars for Sept 8th to attend the unveiling of our Premiere Agronomy Center and to learn more about the practices we’re incorporating to help make cover crops work with our corn-soybean rotation!
Team members of Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds welcomed Latham dealers from six Upper Midwest states to Iowa’s Capital City, July 14-15, to kick off our 2022-2023 seed sales year. This year’s event was particularly meaningful as our family-owned and managed company celebrated its 75th “birthday” in grand fashion – from balloon creations and face painting for the kids to horse-drawn wagon rides and a delicious meal catered by the Iowa Machine Shed at Living History Farms.
We chose Living History Farms for this celebratory event because of its iconic nod to Iowa agriculture and its beautiful surroundings, including native Iowa prairie. We enjoyed going back to a simpler time of life when community members gathered for lawn games and ice cream.
What began in 1947 with an innovative farmer’s vision and his wife’s office management skills has since grown into a seed company with one of the industry’s deepest portfolios. Willard and Evelyn Latham worked hard to help fellow farmers be more profitable through forward-thinking solutions, all while raising five sons who have carried forth the company’s mission. And that mission – to be a trusted partner for farmers by providing personalized solutions today so they can grow even stronger legacies tomorrow – hasn’t changed.
Whether we’re hosting a Latham event on our family’s Iowa Century Farm or in a farm field somewhere in the middle of Latham Country, we honor Evelyn Latham by continuing her tradition of hospitality. Evelyn was named Wallaces Farmer Homemaker of the Year in 1962. She developed a reputation for always having a fresh pot of coffee on the burner and homemade cookies on the table when customers came calling. Scotcharoos were often on Evelyn’s cookie plate, but that goes to reason since Rice Krispies® were invented by an Iowa State University graduate.
Scotcharoos are often served with Maid-Rites (not to be confused with Sloppy Joe’s). Who knew Iowa is home of the Maid-Rite® sandwich, too? Fred Angell served the first loose-meat sandwich in 1926 and franchised his idea in 1927. At Taylor’s Maid-Rite in Marshalltown, they still grind 100% choice beef daily to ensure its quality and freshness. We’re sharing a recipe for this Iowa classic, so you can enjoy loose-meat sandwiches at home.
We enjoy learning about regional fare as we travel across the Upper Midwest, visiting Latham dealers and customers. We’re linking to our past Kickoff blogs to give you a taste, too!
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds’ Premier Agronomy Center at our company headquarters in North Iowa provides us with opportunities to collect data on real-world challenges. It also provides us with an opportunity to talk about the exciting new Latham® products, as well as management practices, that help you raise more bushels. This year we have 18 different plots (10 corn and 8 soybean) to demonstrate different techniques.
Interested in seeing Latham’s Premier Agronomy Center? Plan a visit! Latham Dealers are encouraged to make arrangements with their regional sales manager (RSM), so they can bring their customers throughout the growing season. We will be open for public tours on Thursday, Sept. 8, at 4 p.m.
Here’s what you can see inside Latham’s Premier Agronomy Center… As you drive west on 180th Street in Alexander, Iowa, you will see our Latham Showcase plots featuring our top corn and soybean products. Next to that are corn and soybean seed treatment demonstration plots. I also planted my hybrid stress research up front. Twenty different Latham hybrids were planted from 22,000 to 36,000 plants per acre, so we can pinpoint when each hybrid flexes and how we can better manage them in-season.
The second tier of plots contains high-yield plots (corn/beans) where we “throw the kitchen sink at it,” so to speak, to try to add some extra bushels. Our soybean Iron Deficiency Chlorosis (IDC) plot uses tactics like in-furrow chelated iron products with increasing population to overcome the challenges IDC can bring. We have a silage demonstration plot with a planting date demonstration. You’ll also see a sneak peak of Latham’s corn breeding program alongside some great observation plots featuring planting depth.
The third tier of plots are “long-term plots” that include cover crops, no-till and continuous corn. These practices come with many challenges, so we have several different products/treatments including in-furrow fertilizer, biologicals, in-furrow fungicide, and biological products for providing nitrogen to corn. We also have included herbicide demonstrations, showing how cover crops can increase water infiltration during pounding rains, as well as also reduce herbicide costs and improve weed control in soybeans.
All growing season long we’re providing opportunities to learn from our demonstrations in the Premier Agronomy Center. Follow @LathamSeeds on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. We share our weekly “Ask the Agronomist” videos, as well as season-specific information.
Latham Seeds Salutes Farmers at Hy-Vee’s INDYCAR Race Weekend
From the first lap in fields every spring to the final lap at harvest, Latham Seeds has always been committed to helping farmers grow. And this past weekend we were at the Iowa Speedway in Newton for a special Salute to Farmers at the Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend.
As part of our own 75th milestone as a family-owned, farm-proven company, Latham Seeds sponsored the 75th lap of the race on Sunday. Check out our commercial below!
“Honoring farmers is something we have done ever since our grandfather established Latham Seeds back in 1947 right here in Iowa,” says John Latham, company president. “But it’s something we are especially proud to celebrate this year during our 75th anniversary.”
Celebrate Summer by Cow Gazing and Enjoying Ice Cream
The Bolin family of Clarksville, Iowa, offer a unique experience for travelers by combining a sleeping accommodations with agritourism.
The stars at night are big and bright in farming country. While those who live in urban areas often comment on how great the star gazing is in rural areas, they now have the opportunity to cow gaze thanks to a unique experience available from New Day Dairy GuestBarn in Clarksville, Iowa.
“Because I didn’t grow up on the farm, I knew visiting a farm is intriguing and exciting for people,” says Lynn Bolin, who grew up in a Minneapolis suburb and met her husband, Dan, while they were both students at Iowa State University. “Dan and I traveled a lot in our younger years, so we value travel for the experiences you can bring home. Travel is about enriching life, not just escaping life, for us. Part of traveling is also experiencing foods unique to that area. I truly believe that food is the tapestry that weaves us all together. The way and what we eat looks different from person to person but I’ve yet to meet someone who didn’t eat!”
Lynn and Dan, a fifth-generation dairy farmer, started their own dairy operation on December 9, 2015, with 110 cows. Not only do the Bolins open their gates to farm tours, but they have taken the “farm experience” one step farther by opening a European-inspired guesthouse attached to their barn.
“All guests get access to 24/7 cow gazing from the GuestBarn loft. If a calf is born while guests are staying, they get to help name the calf. We also give every guest an introductory farm tour, so they can meet our cows up close and watch Rita the Robot at work as she milks cows.”
Rita the Robot milks cows 24/7 at New Day Dairy. The cows choose when to get milked, which is on average, three times a day.
“The cows love the consistency of Rita because they know exactly what she going to do every time, and she never has a bad day!” explains Lynn. “Dan enjoys the robot because it gives him flexibility in his day, which makes his job more interesting. Because he doesn’t have to put milking cups on the cows all day, he has more time to care for the cows and provide more technical maintenance.”
Some guests add “Be a Dairy Farmer Challenge” to their stay. This tour is given exclusively from #DairymanDan. He takes them on a tractor ride and learn to hand milk a cow. They also walk with the cows and peek inside Rita the Robot and bottle-feed a calf. Another highlight of this tour package is helping feed the calves.
Another popular add-on is “Make-Your-Own Ice Cream” package, which includes an ice cream maker and all the supplies to make vanilla ice cream plus toppings. What better place than a dairy farm to experience how ice cream is made? While guests wait for the ice cream to be made, they can work on cow-themed puzzles and look through a picture window in the loft of the GuestBarn to watch cows either lounging or getting milked by Rita the Robot.
“Families play farm-themed board games, put together puzzles or play with farm toys. They also can enjoy stargazing in the garden or walking down our private lane. Many guests enjoy playing with our two porch cats,” says Lynn. “While there are many activities to enjoy nearby in Cedar Valley, most of our guests choose to spend their entire stay at the GuestBarn. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy time together as a family, as well as opportunities for relaxation.”
Since the New Day Dairy GuestBarn opened in January 2020, they have hosted many Midwest visitors. They’ve also become a place for families to meet as the farm is located in the middle from Minneapolis to Des Moines or Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City and Omaha. They also have hosted guests from as far away as Germany and from New York, Washington, Florida and Texas.
Enjoy these photos from a day at the farm.
Dan gives a tour while “Rita the Robot” milks a cow.
Dan checks the cow data on the computer screen.
As they’re milked by Rita, the cows get a “treat.” This treat is their perfectly balance diet of protein and carbs. In barn, cows have full access to the “salad bar” of corn silage, alfalfa, and other vitamins and minerals.
Questions frequently asked during all farm tours include:
Do the cows stay inside all year long? (yep, in the summer they have a shaded “picnic pavilion” barn with big fans. In the winter they’re protected from the winter)
How old is your oldest cow? (a cow typically lives on the farm until they’re 6-10 years old)
What are all those big long white bags? (the cows’ pantry – we store their corn silage & haylage fermented, like canning from a garden, so they can eat it all year long)
What are they laying on? (sand – it’s comfy and it’s clean)
How much do cows’ sleep? (they take “cow naps” but they don’t all sleep all night long – that’s why Rita the Robot can milk them all night long)
How long a cow is pregnant? (approximately 9 months)
How many calves does a cow have on average in her lifetime? (two to four)
Do you have a bull on the farm? (no, that wouldn’t be safe for us or our guests. Dan uses a process called assisted inseminated to help each cow get pregnant when she’s ready)
What is a female cow called? (technically only a female that has had a calf is a cow)
What is male cow called? (bull or steer, depending on whether he is intact)
What is a baby cow called? (calf)
What is a heifer? (a female bovine that hasn’t had her first calf)
“One thing I stress is that there really is no dumb or off-limit question,” says Lynn. “Folks ask about how much things cost, our family’s lifestyle, and more!”
Lynn makes it easy to ask questions as guests are encouraged to text her questions throughout the day. If you’re interested in learning more about life on an Iowa Dairy Farm, follow @NewDayDairy on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Celebrate National Ice Cream Month in July with one of the Bolin family’s favorite recipes for Oatmeal a la Mode. Ice cream for breakfast? Yes, please!
With everything from groceries to gas on the rise, we understand the need to question whether expenses are necessary or justifiable. Below is information to support why fertilizing alfalfa in summer and applying fungicide to silage hybrids warrants your attention.
Fertilizing alfalfa in the summer helps fill the cellular gas tank of the plant’s crown, which helps increase its yield potential for the current growing season, as well as increases its potential for winterhardiness. All alfalfa benefits from in-season fertility, regardless of cutting schedule or strategy.
Summer seeding is fast approaching. July 20 through August 1 are key seeding dates for Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds’ northern territory, which includes North Dakota, as well as northern Minnesota and northern Wisconsin. August 1-15 is the range of recommended alfalfa seeding dates for southern Minnesota and southern Wisconsin while most alfalfa growers in Iowa typically seed in mid-August. Look at this graph.
Sourced from University of Wisconsin – Extension
Due to our late spring, many Midwest alfalfa growers have moved seeding alfalfa to this fall. The success of fall seeding depends on moisture. It’s important that alfalfa germinates quickly, develops a crown, and builds enough crown carbohydrates to overwinter.
Latham® AlfaShieldTM is a great seed treatment to help facilitate quick emergence. Think of AlfaShield as wrapping your alfalfa seed in a sponge. It helps protect the fragile germ of the seed. It also helps draw moisture to the seed, which is particularly important when seeding into moisture-stressed soils. Summers-seeded alfalfa is up against the time clock; approximately four to six weeks of significant growth needed to develop the crown before frost. The 2022 and 2023 Latham product guides include a dry matter (DM) ton advantage of AlfaShield compared to the old industry standard. AlfaShield has a bigger advantage in moisture-stressed soils.
Summer Considerations for Corn Silage
When I walk fields and test plots in the fall, I note a hybrid’s stay-green ability. I believe this observation relates to plant health. Healthy plants tend to have a lower probability of developing infection, which can create the environment for molds and mycotoxins to grow. Fungicide application promotes plant health and can boost yield and corn silage quality. Healthy, dark green, disease-free leaves are like solar panels capturing more sunlight for more photosynthesis. Healthy leaves also build more yield, as well as reduce chances for mold and mycotoxins to develop.
There are a variety of fungicides to select from, all of which inspire improved plant health. I have the most experience with BASF fungicide corn silage research relating to improved corn silage tonnage and forage quality. Several of the studies have resulted in two to three more tons of corn silage per acre plus the potential of reduced molds and mycotoxins is encouraging. With current commodity prices, that’s around an extra $140 to $210/acre in corn silage tonnage!
Investing fungicide is worth consideration for livestock producers, who raise their own forages. Molds and mycotoxins can be more challenging to quantify. When fed to livestock, however, they can severely impair animal performance. In severe instances, it can lead to mortality.
Feel free to contact your local Latham rep with any questions about summer fertilizing or fungicide application. You’re also welcome to email me at coreyc@lathamseeds.com. I’m always happy to visit with Midwest farmers who are interested in raising better meat, milk and eggs!
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds Sponsors Iowa’s 4-H Career Pathways Academy to Inspire Youth
As a family-owned business, Latham Seeds has been a longtime supporter of Iowa’s 4-H mission to empower youth to reach their full potential. That’s why we are proud to sponsor a new, 12-month program for Iowa students that will not only provide pathways to higher education but careers in industries with the highest needs for skilled workers – such as agriculture.
The program kicked off earlier this week at Iowa State University, where 8-11 grade students from around the state met with Academy leaders and business mentors to begin their year-long journey exploring career possibilities and connecting with their local communities. These young people will take part in monthly sessions highlighting industry pathways in:
Agriculture
Entrepreneurship
Education
Healthcare
Manufacturing
STEAM
“Because agriculture is a STEM career, we have a vested interest in preparing the next generation for the growth of our industry,” says John Latham, president of Latham Seeds. “We’re especially excited that these students will participate in hands-on, research-based projects while connected with local businesses in their own communities.”
Cayla Taylor, director of the 4-H Career Pathways Academy, says its creation is the first step in establishing a more formal academy that serves as a “hub” for positive youth development, teaching and outreach for Iowa State University.
“Iowa has a continuing need for a skilled workforce, so it’s important to get our young people focused on college and career exploration at an early age,” she says. “This program will include valuable experiential learning opportunities such as guest speakers, job site visits, and field trips in healthcare, education, manufacturing, agriculture, entrepreneurship and skilled trades.”
Learn more about the 4-H Career Pathways Academy at Iowa State, and stay tuned for how Latham Seeds is working with Iowa’s youth to build strong, lasting legacies in our field.
Latham Seeds is very active in our local communities across Latham Country. Check out other programs we support in an effort to make a difference. Learn more.
Our own Shannon Latham remembers learning how to make omelets when she attended 4-H camp — a skill she says has served her (and others!) well over the years. Today she shares a versatile recipe from the Iowa Egg Council.
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds Welcomes Michael Theis as a Regional Sales Manager
Michael Theis (pronounced “Tice”) joined the Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds team on June 13 as a regional sales manager (RSM) for Northeast Iowa.
“I am very excited to have Michael join our team,” says Latham® Sales Manager Amy Rohe. “He brings experience working alongside independent dealers to really understand their goals and is there every step of the way to put those goals into action. Michael has a strong knack for sales and business that will also be a great asset when working with our dealers.”
The youngest of six kids, Michael grew up on a family farm in North Central Iowa raising corn, soybeans and hogs. He knew from an early age that agriculture was his passion, and served as vice president and president of his local FFA chapter. He has fond memories of his grandfather teaching him how to repair and maintain equipment in the shop and around the family farm. To this day, Michael says his favorite time of the year is the spring planting season, and “getting the crop in the ground no matter the challenges Mother Nature presents.”
Michael followed two of his older brothers to Iowa State University, where he joined the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and majored in Agriculture Studies. His first internship as a crop scout sealed his future: “I knew agronomy is what I wanted to focus on,” he says. Before joining Latham Seeds, Michael worked as a crop protection representative for Bayer CropScience in Illinois, and an agronomy sales advisor for a local co-op in Northeast Iowa.
“I am really looking forward to finding opportunities in the area to help growers maximize their ROI, and Latham Seeds adds value to farmers,” Michael says. “We have flexibility in our product lineup, and our people help growers in very specific areas across the Midwest – which most companies don’t deliver.”
He adds: “The family culture that Latham Seeds has instilled for employees and customers is very important to me. I am part of a company that has proven performance for 75 years, and is always looking to innovate to create solutions for growers.”
Michael and his wife, Rachel, were married in August 2018 – a wedding “strategically timed” so it didn’t interfere with any Iowa State football games. They welcomed their first child, Jaxson, just before Thanksgiving last year. When they’re not cheering on the Cyclones, Rachel likes to golf and Michael likes “attempting to golf” with her. He also loves helping out on the family farm, and looks forward to having Jaxson in the fields with him this fall.
Michael and his wife Rachel
The Theis Family
Today Michael is sharing a favorite recipe that was always a treat growing up – especially since his family raised turkeys for many years. He asked his mom for the recipe because he loves it so much, and promises it is simple enough for a perfectly grilled meal.
Like other crops, high-quality alfalfa is commanding a good price. Strong market prices can change the economic thresholds, making it easier to justify investing in pest control. Below are some charts to help guide you.
Many insects can damage alfalfa, so it’s important to build a plan that keeps alfalfa healthy. Insects can damage the plant so much that the plant can acquire a disease and die.
Each alfalfa plant is like a factory. Crop scouting, spraying and fertilizing is like providing critical maintenance to keep the factory operating efficiently, as well as to optimize yield and quality.
Controlling alfalfa insects generally involves two things: (1) spraying insecticide; and (2) cutting alfalfa early. Check out these two articles for more insight.
