General | | Latham Hi-Tech Seeds

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Latham Seeds Unveils its New Mission Statement at Annual Dealer Meeting
Latham® Dealers from six Upper Midwest states recently gathered in Sioux Falls, SD, to kick off the start of the 2021-2022 sales year. This year’s Latham Dealer Kickoff event marks the beginning of a year-long celebration of our family-owned seed company’s 75^th anniversary.

“I’m sure my grandfather, Willard Latham, never thought about his legacy when Latham Seeds was founded on his family farm back in 1947. His business got a humble start when Grandpa literally answered a call from a neighboring farmer with an oats smut problem. It was such a widespread problem that Grandpa retrofitted a piece of equipment to clean oats, which led him to start selling certified oats seeds,” says third-generation seedsman John Latham, president of Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds.

Today Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds sells hybrid seed corn, soybeans, alfalfa and cover crops across six Upper Midwest states. The company has continued to innovate by providing services like Data Forward^SM that helps farmers use their own data to make more informed management decisions. Data Forward can help determine whether a new piece of equipment will provide a return on investment (ROI) or whether another corn hybrid is better suited for a particular field.

“Farming today is certainly much different than when my grandfather founded Latham Seeds. It’s even much different than when my father, Bill Latham, served as president of Latham Seeds,” says John Latham. “While each generation has had its own challenges to overcome, we believe it’s becoming harder for multi-generational families to stay on the farm. We understand what it’s like to want to preserve your family’s legacy, and that’s why we’re committed to working with our seed dealers and our farmer-customers to live their legacies with Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds.”

Latham Seeds is so committed to helping family farmers preserve their legacies that in 2021 it unveiled its new company mission:

At Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, we know family farming is only getting harder. We believe farmers should have trusted partners who provide personalized solutions today, so they can grow even stronger legacies tomorrow.

We can’t “be on a mission” alone, says John Latham, so we’re looking for people who share our values. We need farmers to represent our company across Iowa and into Illinois and Wisconsin, as well as Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota. We’re looking for farmer-dealers who:
- Have a passion for rural communities
- Are self-motivated
- Have an entrepreneurial mindset
We’re also looking to add members to the Latham Team, from truck drivers to regional sales managers, who understand the importance of delivering five-star customer experiences.

Shannon Latham and Scott McKain, a bestselling author and Professional Speakers Hall of Fame member, delivered the keynote address during the kickoff event.

“Ultimate Customer Experiences® don’t just happen,” is a trademark of bestselling author and Professional Speakers Hall of Fame member Scott McKain. During his keynote address at the Latham Dealer Kickoff event in Sioux Falls, McKain reminded us that no one stays loyal to a generic brand. “How can you differentiate yourself? How can you provide such an exceptional experience that your customers remain loyal?”

McKain certainly provided food for thought. Speaking of food… no Friday blog on “The Field Position” would be complete without a recipe! Did you know that South Dakota’s culinary heritage is a combination of indigenous peoples and the German/Russian immigrants who came to the region? Of course, its food scene is influenced heavily by the foods produced in the area like top-quality beef. Today we’re sharing with you a recipe from the South Dakota Beef Industry Council that is perfectly fitting for National Grilling Month.

Latham Seeds General Manager Ryan Schon and his wife, Meg, embrace our annual Kickoff location by dressing the part. They wore Kentucky Derby attire when this event was held at Prairie Meadows Racetrack in Des Moines, and they were outfitted in western wear for Sioux Falls.

The event included a smores bar.

The “Dueling Fiddles” duo based out of Des Moines, Iowa, provided evening entertainment for our annual awards banquet.

Related Posts:
- Latham Dealer Kickoff 2018 (Mall of America)
- Latham Dealer Kickoff 2019 (Prairie Meadows Racetrack)
- Latham Dealer Kickoff 2020 (Virtual broadcast from Ames, Iowa)
Shannon Latham

July 15, 2021

Agriculture, Beef, Food & Family, General, Industry News, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

It Pays to Follow the Crop Plan

One of the most important to-do items for each of us this spring is following our Field X Field™ crop plans.

If a particular field dries out and is ready to plant, it’s extremely tempting to plant the seed that’s in the front of the shed even if that isn’t the hybrid intended for that field. It pays to take the time to plant the right hybrid in the right field.

How many other decisions do you make every year that account for up to $200/acre?

Planting the right genetics in the right field accounts for up to 20% of the yield. We can’t predict the weather, so we plant more than one hybrid/variety to mitigate that risk. We also do our best to make sure the genetics are planted into the environment where they will thrive.

If you have the technology to capture planting data from the planter, make it happen! Equipment dealers can check your monitor systems and install updates. Then you can enter the hybrid/variety information as you move from field to field. The two minutes it takes to enter the information will pay you back all season long as you track progress on how you manage your farms the rest of the season. Remember, if you’re running a Case IH planter/monitor, plug in a USB stick or it will not record any data. Most other monitors have internal memory that records data until it’s full.

It’s important to note where the hybrid “breaks” are during planting. If you don’t have a planter monitor that can map where you start and stop different hybrids/varieties, then drop a pin in your monitor or even just draw a picture with landmarks. This allows you to go back and compare genetics as they emerge and grow. Another option is Latham’s Data ForwardSM app, which allows you to easily split a field based on landmarks of where a hybrid/variety ran out and where the next one began.

For best success, the crop plan process shouldn’t stop when the planter leaves the field. Take time to walk your fields during emergence. Corn establishes the girth of the ear during the 5-7 leaf stages. If you see stress during emergence, it will likely affect ear development in a few weeks. The premium version of Latham’s Data Forward app provides satellite imagery after planting. This can help narrow areas of focus by noticing different hybrid/variety performance. I’ll talk more about how satellite imagery can be used in upcoming articles because it is a very unique tool. Diligence in keeping records today means more opportunity to move the Data Forward in the future.

Latham Seeds Precision Agronomy Advisors

April 16, 2021

#AskTheAgronomist, General
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Mitigate Weather Risks with Best Management Practices
Weather concerns are top of mind as farmers across Latham Country look ahead to spring 2021 planting. Customers frequently ask us how to mitigate the risk of 2021 drought forecasts.

While we want to take the potential for drought into consideration, we should not let that forecast dictate every decision we make on the hybrids we place in a given field. Review the hybrid characteristics and look for best drought tolerance. For fields with a long history of drought, select a Latham® DroughtGuard® VT Double PRO® product for additional protection on those acres.

Consider these factors to successfully mitigate potential drought on a broad-acre basis:
1. Start with and maintain a weed-free environment. Weeds use a substantially higher amount of water than corn to produce a pound of dry mater.
  1. Corn uses 42 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of dry matter.
  2. Lambsquarter uses 79 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of dry matter.
  3. Ragweed uses 109 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of dry matter.
2. Conserve moisture during field preparation.
  1. A uniform seed bed creates the best opportunity to plant your crop with precision.
  2. Minimize passes in the spring while working hard to create that uniform seed bed.
3. Plant your corn crop with precision. We want all plants to emerge within 72 hours of first emergence. This creates the best root system to maximize water use through the entire growing season.
  1. Plant a consistent seed depth.
  2. Check for consistent seed spacing.
  3. Ensure great seed-to-soil contact.
4. Promote a healthy root system with fertility. Good fertility programs maintain a healthy, strong root system to effectively use available water.
  1. Starter fertilizer gets corn plants off to the best start possible.
  2. Side-dress Nitrogen in a timely manner to nurse optimum plant health.
  3. Maintain a good fertility balance, using soil testing as a guide.
We suggest staying with a hybrid selection plan that does not vary significantly from previous years. A couple management changes at planting time to get your crop off to the best start will result in more success than a total change of hybrid selection. Get your plants off to the best start possible, so they can take advantage of any moisture throughout the season. Remember, the bulk of your yield is created during July and August when plants use moisture to produce grain.

Latham’s Corn Team is here to help you maximize yield in 2021! We’re just a phone call or an email away.
Latham Seeds Agronomy Team

February 16, 2021

General
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Warm, Dry Winter Could Cause More Insect Pressure
by Phil Long, Precision Agronomy Advisor

Many farmers are wondering about spring 2021 after the dry year we had in 2020 and lack of moisture so far this winter across Latham Country. Fall 2020 brought little relief in terms of additional moisture and this winter has been mild in terms of snowfall. What repercussions will we see as we head into this spring? An increase in insect pressure is one thing we will need to keep an eye out for going into spring, especially if we don’t see low enough temperatures to help winter mortality rates in those that overwinter.

Let’s begin by dividing insects into two groups:
1. Survivors, or insects whose life cycle is directly affected by the weather patterns.
2. Opportunists, or insects that can take advantage of warmer, drier weather pattern like we are experiencing.
Group 1 – Survivors

Corn Flea Beetles belong in the first group because the warmer-than-normal weather might allow for more of these pests to survive. They typically overwinter in our area, and their survival rate depends on the temperatures in December, January and February. When the mean temperatures for these three months add up to over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, then there will be a greater number of survivors that will be ready to attack corn fields in the spring.

Likewise, overwintering Bean Leaf Beetles can become an economic pest in soybeans when there is a larger-than-normal percentage of survivors. Both types of beetles will feed directly on young plants just as soon as they emerge. And adding to the degree of injury, both beetles have been known to infest the young seedlings with diseases while feeding on them. Corn Flea Beetles have been known to vector Stewart’s Wilt, and Bean Leaf Beetles have been known to vector Bean Pod Mottle Virus.

Seed treatments that include an insecticide like Cruiser®, Poncho® or Gaucho® can help prevent these insects from attacking young plants and seeds. We know seed treatments prove to be a good investment during a cold, wet spring. Just because it looks to be a dry spring, don’t be fooled into thinking seed treatments won’t pay for themselves this season!

Group 2 – Opportunists

The second group of insects includes all species that can or will eventually feed on the crop. If we have a dry spring and early summer, then crops may suffer moisture stress. ANY kind of stress can be greatly enhanced by insects (or any diseases for that matter) that feed upon those plants, including, but not limited to: Corn rootworms, corn aphids, stalk borers, European corn borer, cutworms and armyworm for corn. In soybeans, there would be the 1st and 2nd generation Bean Leaf Beetles, soybean aphids, two-spotted spider mites, Japanese Beetles and Soybean Cyst Nematode (even though they are not an insect).

Most of the pests mentioned above can be controlled by applications of insecticides if done at the proper time; the exceptions to this are rootworms (because they are below-ground) and SCN (also below-ground and not an insect.)

The good news is that although it takes months for evaporation and evapotranspiration to deplete our heavy prairie soils, it only takes a few weeks to replenish it. With adequate snowfall and early spring rains we should see the rest of those dry regions be back at field capacity and ready for 2021 planting. As we approach the planting season keep in mind which of your fields may be at a higher risk to insect pressure due to minimum tillage, cover crops, or past management practices, and plan ahead with seed treatments, insecticide options, or simply plan to walk your fields a little more to stay on top of insects or other pests.
Webspec Admin

January 13, 2021

Agronomics, General, Insects, Season, Winter
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AsktheAgronomost: Is variety resistance the only way to fight SCN?

Join us on December 7 at 8 AM as we discuss a new way to fight SCN. Learn about the importance of harpin protein and how this new method can translate into more yield in the field.

Laura Cunningham

January 7, 2021

General
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” Celebrates 55 Years

As a young child, I always looked forward to the annual showing of animated classics like “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and “A Charlie Brown Christmas” by Charles M. Schulz. My mom would read “TV Guide” and note when each special would air since “movies on demand” didn’t exist at the time. No wonder these specials were so special!

The Peanuts gang made its debut 55 years ago on Dec. 9, 1965. Schulz had to work hard to convince network executives at CBS, the special’s original network, that they should use actual children to voice the young characters. He believed the audience would respond to the special’s message about the true meaning of Christmas, and although they were concerned, CBS executives finally agreed and aired it as the creator wanted it.

The response to that network debut was even better than anticipated, and through the years, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” has received both Emmy and a Peabody Awards. To commemorate its 50^th anniversary in 2020, the network aired the movie only for one night. Click here to learn How to Watch and Stream ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ This Holiday Season with your family yet this season.

I love “A Charlie Brown Christmas” so much that I even purchased a Charlie Brown Christmas tree for my son to use as a night light when he was a child. Although she is now a young adult, my daughter still looks forward to decorating her own tree for the holiday season and sleeping as it glows throughout the night. I got the idea for the Christmas tree night lights by reading the “ADVENTure of CHRISTmas” by Lisa Welchel. (Some of you may remember her as Blair on “The Facts of Life.” Oh, how I loved watching that sit com when I was growing up!) This book is filled with many great ideas on how to celebrate true meaning throughout the season.

In honor of the Peanuts Gang’s 55th anniversary, and in celebration of National Brownie Day on December 8, I’m sharing a recipe for Charlie’s Brownie Cupcakes that I got years ago from a lady in my church circle. How fun are personal-sized brownies?

Winter break sounds like the perfect time to bake a batch or two of brownies. Just think of them topped with a small scoop of Blue Bunny® Peppermint Stick Ice Cream and homemade hot fudge sauce…

Cue the “Linus and Lucy” theme song and dance around the kitchen as you bake this season!

Shannon Latham

December 28, 2020

Desserts, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Dan Miller Joins Latham Seeds as DSM in Minnesota

Ask children under the age of 10 what they want to be when they grow up and they will likely give you one of these answers: professional athlete, doctor, veterinarian, firefighter, police officer or teacher. It’s no surprise a kid’s answer is heavily influenced by the adults in his or her life.

Dan Miller of Mapleton, Minnesota, says he has wanted to be a seed seller from the time he was old enough to accompany his father, Ron, to plot days and on sales calls. In addition to operating a seed dealership, Ron has raised corn, soybeans and hogs since 1979. He and his wife, Cheryl, also have raised four children. Their oldest son, Lance, is a production agronomist. Their daughter, Amy, is a financial planner. Their son Alan farms with Ron and raises hogs. Alan also recently became a Latham® Seeds dealer. Dan, the youngest, also is following in his father’s footsteps.

“I’ve always wanted to work in agriculture, and seed is the area I enjoy most,” says Dan, who enjoys helping on the family farm. He graduated with a degree in Ag Business from the University of Wisconsin at River Falls. His first job after college was working for a cooperative in southeast Minnesota for five years. During that time, he earned his Certified Crop Advisor. Following that he worked another three years for a cooperative in South Central Minnesota. He also interned for a crop consultant for two years.

While living in southeast Minnesota, Dan met his wife, Clarissa, in Rochester where she was working as a registered nurse in the medical cardiac progressive care unit at St. Mary’s Hospital. They realized they had much in common. She also has three siblings and they both grew up with farming families in rural communities in Mapleton, Minnesota, and Odebolt, Iowa. Their parents were both married within a few weeks of one another, so they celebrated their families when he and Clarissa were married on November 30, 2019. Now Clarissa is a cardiac device nurse at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato.

Both Dan’s and Clarissa’s families enjoy spending time at the lake. In fact, Dan proposed to Clarissa while cruising on a pontoon. When Dan was growing up, his family vacationed for a week every summer at the lake. They still enjoy fishing up north. In addition, Dan and Clarissa have started a tradition of spending a week at Lake Okoboji in Northwest Iowa with her family.

Dan and Clarissa enjoy spending time in the great outdoors, whether its golfing or walking their dog. The couple welcomed a German Shorthair Pointer in January 2020. Dan is training her to hunt pheasants.

As another new year approaches, Dan has welcomed another change. He joined the Latham Team on December 1, 2020, as a District Sales Manager. He serves the Minnesota counties of Blue Earth, Nicollet, Le Sueur, Waseca, Watonwan, Martin, Faribault and Freeborn.

“What drew me to Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is its family atmosphere. Some of my customers have had planted Latham® products, and I’ve seen the great performance. I see opportunities here for Latham, and it excites me to be a part of it. I look forward to just focusing on selling one brand of seed. I enjoy using technology to place hybrids. That’s how I differentiated myself from the competition in the retail setting, and I’m looking forward to putting my background and experience to work for Latham.”

With a focus on family, Dan is looking forward to enjoying holiday traditions. One of his family’s traditions is to enjoy soup and snacks on Christmas Eve. Today he is sharing a recipe for Chicken Wild Rice Soup.

Shannon Latham

December 18, 2020

General, Poultry, Recipes, Soups
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

‘Tis the Season for Holiday Movies, Hot Cocoa and Charcuterie
Alyson Fendrick, RD, Marketing Communications Manager at Midwest Dairy

Scroll through any social media channel this season or open a glossy magazine and chances are you’ll find at least one article about charcuterie, whether it’s one designed as an appetizer or a dessert board.

“Whether you are building a cheese or hot cocoa charcuterie board, you can’t go wrong as long as you include dairy!” says Alyson Fendrick, Marketing Communications Manager at Midwest Dairy. “Experts attribute the popularity of handcrafting eye-catching boards to a few factors. One theory is that putting together photogenic charcuterie boards brings together craft and food cultures, making for a satisfying DIY experience.”

According to Progressive Grocer magazine, “Charcuterie and the deliciously gorgeous boards used to serve it have become so popular that Instagram influencers are quitting their jobs to design colorful charcuterie boards full-time.”

Move over Hot Cocoa Bar… Hot Cocoa Charcuterie is what’s hot this holiday season. The leading lady in Hallmark Channel’s “A Little Christmas Charm” offered her guest hot cocoa with a tray filled with candy canes for stir sticks, marshmallows and chocolate chips.

Photo credit: Undeniably Dairy

Fendrick suggests offering a mix of sweet and savory flavors on a hot cocoa charcuterie board. She includes cinnamon crisp cookies, as well as gingerbread cookies, for that savory flavor. She also includes candy canes, marshmallows, caramels, dark chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and whipped topping.

“Hot Cocoa Charcuterie sounds fancy and it’s a way to elevate your hosting skills,” says Fendrick. “Charcuterie boards also photograph beautifully, making your spread Instagram-worthy. Our consumer insights tell us that Gen Z loves to explore with flavors and what better way to do that then with a Charcuterie board?”

You can even combine boards, says Fendrick. Consider splitting a board down the middle with a traditional cheese charcuterie on one side and hot cocoa on the other.

Photo credit: Undeniably Dairy

I’ll confess that I used to associate “charcuterie” with “fancy.” My first experience with a charcuterie board was at a wine bar in San Antonio during Commodity Classic. That beautiful board included lamb and rosemary sausage, triple cream cheese, prosciutto, brandied cherries, balsamic mustard seeds and honey that tasted like sea salted caramel. I spread triple cream cheese on a cracker, drizzled honey on top and thought I’d found heaven on earth!

But holiday spreads don’t have to be fancy or fussy to be fun and festive. Fendrick shares these tips for putting together a cheese board for the holidays:
1. Find the right board. A large wooden or slate cheese board helps add contrast to the colors of the cheese.
2. Select the Cheeses. Follow the rule of odds. Plan on three to five cheeses, depending upon the size of your party. Choose a variety of flavors and textures. After all, variety is the spice of life!
3. Select the Meat. To add more variety and flavor to your cheese board, add a selection of cured meats. One to three cured meats such as Coppa, Speck, Prosciutto or Salami, are a great start.
4. Add Sides. Add color, texture and a variety of flavors to your cheese board. You can’t go wrong with fresh or dried fruits, nuts and bread. Add surprising items like honey, mustard, jam and pickled vegetables.
5. Artfully Arrange. Your guests will always remember your creativity and the delicious cheese!
“The best thing about any charcuterie board is that it’s all about creativity,” says Fendrick. “Ensuring you have a variety of options that everyone will enjoy is key to success. A pop of color is more appealing to the eye and the appetite, so be sure to change it up. Start by finding the right board that complements your color scheme. Next focus on the staples. Finally add sides galore with a variety of color and textures, and don’t forget to have fun!”

When planning a hot cocoa charcuterie, Fendrick suggests using a smaller board. Stick with the basics, including cocoa, steamed milk and, of course, real whipped topping. Then choose three or four ingredients your guests will love.

Below is a recipe for The World’s Best Hot Chocolate recipe to help you get started. Feel good about choosing dairy products this holiday season as good dairy starts on the farm with excellent animal care and dedication to sustainability. America’s dairy farmers are committed to feeding their communities while taking care of the planet.
Shannon Latham

December 11, 2020

General
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#MadetoWin with John Latham 11/2/20

Join us Monday morning at 8 AM for our #MadetoWin video with John Latham! John discusses his Power 10 soybean varieties covering our entire marketing territory. Tune in to learn more! #LathamSeeds

Webspec Admin

November 2, 2020

General
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Retired Iowa Soldier Helps Others through Chainsaw Carvings

Imagine what it would feel like to go from being a fit, active duty soldier in Iraq to becoming bed ridden and spending three years in a hospital. Anthony Martin, retired Army, had lost all hope as he lay broken in a Washington state hospital bed from August 2011 through October 2014.

“My experience in a military hospital was not a highlight in my life. A military medical facility is a training center, so I endured many experimental procedures. During my first year there, I had surgery on my back. A year later, I had surgery on my left hip. I spent a year getting PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) treatment. I didn’t even know I had PTSD until one day I attempted suicide. What I did sent a message through the whole joint base Lewis-McChord. After two weeks in the hospital, I woke up when I heard a Major calling out my name. I was shocked to hear I had attempted suicide because I was an NCO (non-commission officer) for suicide awareness and was educated on the signs.”

Martin was in despair.

“My medical team told me my morale was down and said I needed to find something that would put some drive back into me. I laughed at that comment because not much was motivating me,” said Martin, who was confined to a wheelchair at the time.

As time went on, Martin was able to take weekend trips outside the hospital. He spent countless hours watching a chainsaw carver work outside the post exchange, which is like a supply store for those who serve in the military.

“I would watch a young man carve for hours. I was so fascinated by what he was doing with a saw that I missed our bus back to my barracks,” explains Martin. “Because I was considered high risk due to my suicide attempt and my medical health, I got in trouble many times for missing the bus. My CO 1^st Sergeant would ask me what my excuse was. I would always reply, ‘chainsaw carving.’ Every time I got called to the commander’s office, it was the same story. The chain of command lost respect for me as an NCO due to my lack of motivation in my health treatment.”

Martin continues, “After being called to the commander’s office one day, I went back to my room and looked out the window. I started thinking about how the chainsaw carver took a log and turned it into an eagle. Three hours later, I heard a knock on my door. When I answered the door, there stood pretty much my whole chain of command. They came in, and my commander handed me an electric chainsaw. Those four people changed my life. They pushed me and encouraged me.”

In one month, Martin went from being in a wheelchair while carving to standing on his feet to carve.

“I found out I could channel the thoughts that haunt my dreams with carving,” says Martin. “You see, carving is a thought process. You must know not to cut too deep, and you must think six steps ahead of your first cut. This helps with my PTSD because it channels my anxiety and it’s therapeutic.”

Logs4Heroes

When Martin got out of the Army in October 2014, his future was uncertain. The Military Warrior Support Foundation of Texas donated a house in Ankeny, Iowa, to him, so he moved to his home state.

“You pretty much know how the story goes: first the house, then the dog. I had a house and a dog, but I didn’t have a way to channel the demons I was dealing with. I couldn’t go to a chainsaw place to get carving equipment because there isn’t one in Iowa. Fortunately, one day my little brother called to ask if I would help him with a project. He was in a fraternity, and he asked if I could build a table for them. I made a log cedar table that was 16 feet long by 5.5 feet wide with a base that weaved in the center. It took me eight months to make. My neighbors would stop by pretty much daily to see the progress. I posted a picture on Facebook and boom! I was hammered by many friends and family wanting either a log bed or a log table. That’s when I got the idea to start Logs4Heroes.”

While the business idea had formed, Martin still needed to secure the necessary equipment and supplies. A trip to the 2015 Iowa State Fair provided him with the connections he needed.

“My wife and I were at the state fair when I heard a chainsaw running in the distance. I left our group to hunt down the chainsaw. I found a guy sitting on a tailgate, so I walked up and introduced myself. I told him that I had been carving for a few years in Washington state but needed help getting started in Iowa. It turns out the guy was Andy Klindt, a very well-known carver in Iowa. He spent a few days teaching me some techniques and put me in contact with suppliers. He told me I have the gift to carve, but I just need to make it my own.”

Today Martin is making his mark by carving sculptures that honor first responders, law enforcement, fire/rescue and their family members. People donate logs for his carvings. If the logs are turned into a memorial, such as the soldier’s cross, Martin gives a history of that tree to the family who receives the carving. In return, the Gold Star Family provides a handwritten letter telling the log donor about their loved one. Then Martin presents the log donor with that letter and a shadow box, including pictures and information about who the tree honored.

“I have honored 40 first responders, fire fighters, law enforcement and military. My goal is to honor every Iowa soldier who was KIA (killed in action) in the War on Terrorism by providing their family with a soldier’s cross. There are 98 confirmed KIA for Iowa.”

Some seasonal and commissioned carvings are sold to cover the cost of the battle crosses that Logs4Heroes gives to families of the fallen. Martin also invites Gold Star Families and battle buddies of the fallen whenever a battle cross is presented.

“We want to get everyone out of their homes and into society,” says Martin of his mission for Logs4Heroes. “They’re hurting. We are hurting. Together we can heal.”

Martin and his wife, Autumn, live with their three young daughters in Meservey, Iowa. Today they’re sharing with us one of their family’s favorite recipes.

To learn more about Logs4Heroes or to inquire about a chainsaw carving, you can reach Anthony Martin via Logs4Heroes on Facebook. He also will be doing live carving demonstrations on Sunday, October 25, at Enchanted Acres pumpkin patch, 1071 250^th Street, Sheffield, Iowa. Admission is free, so plan a visit to Enchanted Acres to meet Anthony! You can learn more about Enchanted Acres by visiting its website or following it on Facebook.

Shannon Latham

October 16, 2020

General