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Celebrate National Ice Cream Month with the Iowa Dairy Princess

By Amber Hammes, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds Marketing Intern

2015-2016 Iowa Dairy Princess Kate Stewart is celebrating National Ice Cream Month! Join in by hugging your favorite dairy cow like Kate, or by scooping up some dairy-licious ice cream.

At this point in the year, most Iowans are counting down days until the Iowa State Fair. July is chalked-full of county fairs, vacations and preparing campers and livestock trailers for another trip down to the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Kate Stewart, 2015-2016 Iowa Dairy Princess, has been just as busy celebrating National Ice Cream Month!

Kate is a fifth generation dairy farmer from Oelwein, Iowa, where her family milks 150 Holstein cows three times per day and farms 290 acres of alfalfa and corn. She grew up following the footsteps of her four older siblings by becoming active in 4-H, FFA and the National Junior Holstein Association.

“Whether it be showing cattle at the fair or testing my dairy knowledge in dairy quiz bowl contests at the state and national level,” Kate says, “these incredible organizations have given me countless opportunities to grow as a dairy enthusiast.”

In 2014, Kate served as the Fayette County Dairy Princess. She spent the year serving frozen yogurt at local schools, throwing cheese sticks in parades and educating 2^nd grade classrooms about the role dairy plays in a healthy lifestyle. After having these amazing experiences, she wanted to continue to reach more people and advocate for the Iowa dairy industry. In August 2015, Kate was crowned 2015-16 Iowa Dairy Princess.

Kate and Leslie Sivesind, 2015-2016 Alternate Iowa Dairy Princess.

The Midwest Dairy Association created the Iowa Dairy Princess position over 60 years ago to be a public figure that advocates on behalf of dairy farmers. Kate and Leslie, along with the Midwest Dairy crew, promote the importance of getting three dairy servings per day with the #Dairy3ForMe pledge.

“The 2015 Dietary Guidelines have come out and they are still recommending that we get 3 servings of dairy every day to help us live healthy lives,” Kate said. “So make sure to grab a cheese stick for a snack on the go, celebrate ice cream month with a serving of ice cream, and grab a glass of milk after a workout – it just so happens to be the best way to rehydrate and refuel your body post-exercise!”

Kate’s adventures as the Iowa Dairy Princess take her across the state, serving as an ambassador for the dairy industry. She gets to attend Iowa dairy farmer’s open houses, county fairs and dairy community events. Sadly, Kate’s term will end in August. She will be handing over her crown to the 2016-2017 Iowa Dairy Princess on August 10^th at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. The public is welcome to attend the coronation and show support to contestants who work hard to advocate for the Iowa dairy community. For more information, visit the Iowa Dairy Princess Facebook page and stay up to date on Iowa Dairy Princess appearances throughout the year.

About National Ice Cream Month

July was established as National Ice Cream Month in 1984 by the American Dairy Association in conjunction with President Ronald Reagan. The third Sunday in July (this Sunday, the 17^th!) is National Ice Cream Day. This year, Kate and Alternate Iowa Dairy Princess, Leslie Sivesind, will be attending an Iowa Cubs baseball game and throwing the first pitch. If you’re headed to Principal Park on Sunday, be sure to stop and say “Hi!” to Kate and Leslie! You can also talk to Kate at the Iowa State Fair, where she can be found working the dairy cattle shows, Midwest Dairy Association booth and Butter Cow exhibit.

Kick your boots off, scoop up a dish of dairy-licious ice cream and enjoy the remainder of the summer with Kate and all of us at Latham!

Wondering where you can get your ice cream fix at the Iowa State Fair? Here’s a list of all the vendors and their locations on the fairgrounds!

Gary Geske

July 15, 2016

Desserts, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Crowded But Clean is Sailer’s Impression of Tokyo
This is the trip of a life time!

Peaches are one of the leading ag crops in the Yamanashi Prefecture of Japan. It takes about 5 to 7 years for a new tree to start producing peaches, and the lifespan of a peach tree is about 20 years. During a recent trip, Iowa Farm Bureau presidents learned fresh fruit as often given as gifts. Pictured here is Darcy Maulsby of Yetter, Iowa. She said one fresh peach costs approximately $8!

My wife, Janice, and I boarded a plane July 7 for Japan as part of an Iowa Farm Bureau trip. As I write this blog post, I’m sitting in a hotel room in the Tokyo where 13 million people live within the city limits and another 4 million commute here every day for work.

This city is a marvelous network of roads, railways and forms of transportation. There are places where the roads are stacked six deep above ground plus there is underground transportation outside my view. No wonder the young female producer, who visited my farm in 2012 with a Japanese film crew, stood in awe of the countryside and said this is what she had dreamed of. I imagine she had never before see so many miles of farmland nor such sparsely populated communities.

Larry and Janice Sailer, enjoying dinner with a view at the Tokyo Skytree restaurant.

Fast forward about four years and now I am the one in awe. I had no idea until now that there isn’t green grass – or any open space – in Tokyo. A lawn mower would be out of place in this city where buildings stretch to the horizon. From ground level, a person notices concrete everywhere: buildings, roadways and sidewalks. It took a visit to the observation deck of the Tokyo Skytree to see patches of green thanks to our bird’s eye view of the tree tops.

Another observation that amazed us is the cleanliness of the city. There are millions of people in this city – and no visible trash cans – yet there is no garbage to be found. Janice saw one bottle tucked into a shrub, but that was the only piece of garbage we saw during an entire day touring the city!

Bonsai Garden museum

Not only is Tokyo clean, but it’s safe. As we left our bus to tour, we were told you could leave all your valuables onboard. What a difference this was from Ukraine where you couldn’t set a bag down at all without worrying about it getting taken!

Cleanliness and honesty are valued in Japanese culture. Upon entering a temple, we were shown the fountain of water for cleansing. The Japanese also take great pride in honoring customs. We visited a Bonsai Garden museum where we learned about green tea. We also tried writing in their language and dressed up as a traditional warrior. What fun!

Trying my best at learning to write in Japanese and enjoying the chance to interact with locals!

I learned more about the Japanese culture while seated for an evening meal next to Evan Mangino, with the USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service; Yusaku Nakajima, senior staff of the International Affairs division for Yamanashi Prefectural Government; and Kim Heidemann, executive director of Iowa Sister States. The conversation was amazing!

Our next leg of this journey is a visit to Iowa’s Sister State of Yamanashi. Hopefully, we’ll find some pigs along the way! (Remember, Iowa’s friendship with Japan was strengthened by the 1960 hog lift. Click here to learn more.)

I’m looking forward to more days of filled with fun learning experiences. And, of course, I plan to blog about them next week! In the meantime, you might enjoy reading the following blogs written by others who are with me on this trip.

Related Posts:
Larry Sailer, Musings of a Pig Farmer

July 12, 2016

Agriculture, General, Industry News
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Franklin’s Farm Hands

Franklin’s Farm Hands is a youth agriculture education initiative at the Franklin County Fair, organized by the Tall Corn FFA chapter.

By Amber Hammes, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds Marketing Intern

All across Iowa, county fair season has officially begun. County fairs are more than just sewing projects and 4-H kids showing their livestock, though. They’re events for everyone in the community to come together and enjoy.

Here in Franklin County, our fair is going on this week from July 13-17. The Tall Corn FFA chapter is doing its part to engage with the community by hosting the annual event, Franklin’s Farm Hands. Borne out of an idea stemming from the Iowa State Fair’s popular kid’s attraction, Little Hands on the Farm, Franklin’s Farm Hands aims to educate kids about where their food comes from. (more…)

Gary Geske

July 11, 2016

Agriculture, General, Industry News
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From Speedway to Farm Gate: Be an Influencer

By Kilah Hemesath, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds Marketing Coordinator

As Rusty Wallace was an influencer on the design of Iowa Speedway, Bob Hemesath plays a similar role influencing the agricultural industry, serving as the Iowa Corn Growers Association President.

Bob has found the equilibrium between doing what he loves with his family and standing up for the agricultural industry nationwide. Bob farms in Northeast Iowa with his dad, Fred, and brother, Ron. The phrase, “farming is a family affair,” is not just words thrown together for the Hemesath family. It’s a legacy that involves growing corn and raising hogs.

Perseverance is a characteristic Bob learned at an early age by watching his parents work together on the farm. The memory of his grandpa and grandma coming to visit is a treasured one. Years later, as the day-to-day operations of the farm switched to Bob and Ron, they worked tirelessly to build on the foundation created.

Bob explained the agricultural industry is the best place to be, especially working in Iowa. He has made the most of his role as the Iowa Corn Growers President, advocating for the industry upon which the Midwest is built.

“From becoming involved with government affairs to meeting with farmers on their own place, I’ve had the chance to look at the same thing with a different perspective, and that is irreplaceable,” says Bob.

Practices in agriculture are constantly advancing, creating an industry that is ever changing and open to growth. The Renewable Fuels Standard has given farmers in Iowa the marketing access to marketing ethanol, creating a demand on corn. The Iowa Corn 300 has been growing in correspondence to the use of ethanol in Iowa, celebrating its 10^th year anniversary this Sunday, July 10.

The Iowa Corn Indy 300 provides corn farmers with an opportunity to share the message behind ethanol and the positive influence it has on the economy in Iowa. In honor of influencers Rusty Wallace on the Iowa Speedway and Bob Hemesath in agriculture, we’re giving away an Iowa Food and Family Project T-shirt signed by Rusty Wallace. Enter by commenting your reason for being an Indy racing fan!

Part of the experience for race fans is tailgating. That’s why today we’re sharing Bob Hemesath’s favorite recipe for grilled pork chops. Check out other tailgating recipes from Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds’ Pinterest page or TheFieldPosition blog.

Webspec Admin

July 8, 2016

General, Pork, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

ASK THE AGRONOMIST: Foliar Diseases
Ask the Agronomist: Foliar Diseases

Read this week’s Ask the Agronomist to learn about which foliar diseases you should be looking for in your fields at this point in the growing season.

Q: Should I be thinking about spraying foliar insecticides yet?

A: We’re about midway through the growing season, and it’s the time of year when leaf diseases and insect pressure prevails. Watch for these three situations in your corn fields:
- Northern Corn Leaf Blight
- Western Corn Rootworm
- Eye Spot
Also check your soybean fields for Soybean Aphids, and all fields for redheaded flea beetles.

Q: What can you tell us about Soybean Aphids?

A: In last Wednesday’s weekly crop reports, none of our regional sales managers reported soybean aphids at threshold levels but aphid populations can double every two to three days! With the varying stages of soybean development due to an extended planting season and many late replants, continue scouting past your first insecticide application and all the way through pod development.

Q: Soybean Cyst Nematodes are the #1 yield robber of soybeans; are we seeing signs of SCN damage yet?

A: It’s a bit early for Soybean Cyst Nematodes to appear, especially for those late-planted fields and replants. However, farmers can dig roots to check for SCN presence before symptoms can be seen. Digging roots is the best way to monitor fields for SCN, and female SCN will be on soybean roots through early August.

Q: If symptoms aren’t present, why do you recommend checking for Soybean Cyst Nematode females on the roots?

A: Farmers should evaluate effectiveness of their seed treatments all throughout the growing season. The most effective way to manage SCN and many other diseases is by selecting quality soybean seed. At Latham, we urge our growers to consider selecting our unique IronClad™ Soybeans. To bear this brand, every variety must be SCN resistant and have an Iron Deficiency Chlorosis rating of 2.2 or better. It must also contain a Phytophthora-resistant gene as well as a 2.2 or better rating against Brown Stem Rot and either White Mold or Sudden Death Syndrome.

Q: On the corn side, what leaf diseases should farmers be scouting for, especially considering the high-moisture spring and humid summer we have had?

A: Plentiful moisture is ideal for fungal corn diseases. Check your fields weekly for these common diseases:
- Gray Leaf Spot
- Southern and Common Rust
- Northern and Southern Leaf Blight
- Eyespot
There are confirmed cases of Northern Corn Leaf Blight (NCLB). Now is a critical time to scout fields, especially for fields planted with NCLB-susceptible hybrids. If the disease is present on 50 percent of the field (one or more lesions per plant) at tasseling, a fungicide application may be warranted to protect yield.

Q: In the future, how can farmers lessen their chances of NCBL presence in their fields?

A: To prevent NCLB from becoming a larger problem in the future, rotate to a non-host crop. A two year rotation away from corn may be necessary in no-till and reduced tillage fields with a history of NCBL. Hybrid selection is also key for reducing future threats of NCLB

If you have a question about what you’re seeing in the fields, feel free to ask! Send your questions via Twitter to@LathamSeeds, in a private message on Facebook or call our office at 1-877-GO-LATHAM (1.877.465.2842).

Also be sure to check out TheFieldPosition.com for timely agronomic information. Crop reports From the Field® across Latham’s six-state marketing area are published every Wednesday during the growing season by Latham’s regional sales managers in each of those locations. New articles are posted each week day on our blog. You can even search for “topics” by simply typing key words into the search bar on the upper right-hand corner.

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s Ask the Agronomist. We’ll be back again next week to field all of your questions during #grow16.
Gary Geske

July 7, 2016

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Disease, General
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Sister States Showcase How Agriculture Build Bridges
America needs farmers. Our infrastructure is key to global commerce. The world needs farmers, who use cutting edge technology to raise a diverse food supply. Why? Because agriculture can help solve the world’s problems in relation to hunger, health issues, and improving the quality of life.

We can learn so much by traveling abroad and meeting with farmers across the world, says Larry Sailer. This photo was taken when he traveled to Ukraine.

I’m getting excited for a trip this week to Japan with the Iowa Farm Bureau! There are so many reasons I’m thrilled to be part of this delegation, but the fact that we have a sister State in Japan makes it even better.

Diplomacy with Japan was strained after World War II, as you can imagine. But in 1959, a typhoon in Yamanashi Prefecture changed the relationship between Iowa and Yamanashi for the better. An Iowa sergeant, who had vacationed in Yamanashi when he was stationed in Japan, heard this disaster had caused heavy damage to agriculture. Sgt. Richard Thomas decided to help, and Iowans did not disappoint! They shipped 35 breeding hogs and 100,000 bushels of corn to the needy state. This act of kindness started our Sister State program.

In 1960, Yamanashi became the first of nine Iowa Sister States around the world. There have been many exchanges between these sister states involving agriculture, education, art, music, sports, medicines and more. The most important exchange, however, is friendship.

Many life-long friendships have formed because of that shipment of pigs to Japan. Yamanashi sent aid to support our state during the great flooding of 1993. Again in 2014, Iowa sent aid to Japan when it suffered from extreme amounts of snow.

I’m going to fly over to Japan and personally research this relationship with Yamanashi Prefecture. I’m hoping to learn more about their culture, food, and maybe even see some pigs! I wonder what breed of swine we sent them… so stay tune. I plan to blog more about what I see and learn about agriculture in Japan.

Related Posts:
Larry Sailer, Musings of a Pig Farmer

July 5, 2016

Agriculture, General, Industry News
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Today we’re celebrating our Freedom of Independence

Team Latham

July 4, 2016

Agriculture, General, Industry News
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Beef Project Helps the Irons Develop Nerves of Steel

David Irons met the love of his life in 1989 when they were both working in the same office in Des Moines. Although David and Patty had both grown on up farms – he on a cow-calf operation in the Altoona-Runnells area and she on a feeder cattle-row crops operation in North Iowa – farming fulltime wasn’t something they had thought about much. After all, they had grown up during the 1980s Farm Crisis and moved to the city for stable paychecks and promising careers.

Lisa and Coral at the Clay County Fair in September 2015

Then, as it often does, life handed the young couple a curve ball. Patty’s father was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 1992, so the Irons had a decision to make. They chose to move to Northwood to become a part of the family farm and make a fresh start. They moved to the farm in January 1996 after Patty’s mom moved to town. Over the years, they’ve remodeled facilities. They put a new roof on the barn in 2009 and tinned it in 2013 to make a nice area for the girls to store show equipment and fit cattle.

Fitting is something Lisa, a junior studying Animal Science and beef production at Iowa State, enjoys and has become known for. She also enjoys showing cattle they’ve raised themselves and was proud to have produced the top selling heifer at the 2015 Worth County Club Calf Sale. This is the last summer Lisa is eligible to show in FFA. Both Lisa and Mary showed at the Worth County Fair in June. They plan to show at various open shows in July, the Iowa State Fair in August, and the Clay County Fair in September.

The Irons have shown in many Iowa Junior Beef Breeds Association shows, including Beef Expo. Lisa has also shown at Ak-sar-ben in Omaha and the Minnesota Beef Expo in St. Paul. Lisa has led several clinics for beginning showmen.

“Giving presentations and leading fitting demonstrations has helped me develop confidence, overcome my fear of public speaking and cope with anxiety,” says Lisa. “My 4-H and FFA beef project has helped me develop so many skills, meet many people and led me toward a career. My dream is to graduate from college and farm with my dad.”

Mary and Smurf taking a break at the 2014 Iowa State Fair

Lisa started showing cattle as a third grader when she entered a bucket bottle calf in the county fair. She brought that heifer back the following year. Mary followed in her sister’s footsteps, starting with bucket bottle calves. As a N-K High School Senior, she plans to bring her first heifer back as a cow/calf pair to the 2017 Worth County Fair.

As the girls have grown, so has their beef herd. They began with Maine-Anjou and have added more Simmental, which had more genetic resources available. Plus, the Simmental are known as a pretty docile beef breed that makes them good show animals. The Irons have focused on developing better and better stock, selling off animals and then using those proceeds to purchase better genetics.

Most of their steers are sold to local feeders, but they feed out a few to sell directly to consumers. Female calves are kept as replacements or sold as bred heifers to other beef operators.

“My dream is for my kids to find something they enjoy that provides a good life, as well as a good living, and to pass this farm to the next generation.”

Team Latham

July 1, 2016

Beef, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Ask the Agronomist: Rapid Growth Syndrome

Thanks for tuning into Week Nine of our “Ask the Agronomist” Audiocasts. Guest Agronomist and Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds Regional Sales Manager for Eastern Iowa, Jerry Broders will be filling in for Latham’s Senior Agronomist, Mark Grundmeier. To listen to Jerry’s response to this week’s question about rapid growth syndrome, play the audio file below. (more…)

Webspec Admin

June 30, 2016

Agronomics, General, Growth Stages
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Farmers Feed the World… So What?

Larry Sailer says it’s fitting that during his visit last week to D.C. he got to see this likeness of Norman Borlaug in the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall. Dr. Borlaug is widely called “the father of the Green Revolution” because of his work to increase food production and combat world hunger.

If there were one thing that you could do to make the biggest difference in the shortest amount of time, what would it be?

Every dollar invested in agriculture is twice as effective in reducing poverty as investing in non-agriculture sectors. I truly believe it’s not the producing of food that will eliminate hunger; it’s the access and ability to afford food that will eliminate hunger! The economy of a society must improve. And it’s my understanding that agriculture is always the basis to begin improving an economy.

But where do we start? I believe we start with kids. If you have listened to Trent Loos this week, you know that human milk is medicine. Good nutrition during pregnancy followed by mother’s milk gives a child a great start! This time frame is so critical to the brain and its future functioning. How can an economy flourish with stunted bodies?

Food aid programs in the past have been pretty much all reactive. When there is a crisis, you want to get people fed! I was thinking about this a lot last week as I traveled to Washington, D.C. I kept thinking of the saying, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and you feed him for life.” This sounds simple, but I think we all know it’s complicated!

First of all, it takes money to do anything in this world. That’s one of the reasons I was in D.C. last week with a group of farmers who are part of The Farm Journal Foundation’s Farmers Feeding the World initiative. A group of 21 farmers from 16 states are making a special effort to make a difference in the world by combating hunger.

How can we make the world a better place? Well-fed people are less likely to fight wars. Well- fed people can build a better economy. Although some people wonder why U.S. farmers are concerned about the well being of others around the world, I’m looking forward to this new challenge!

Larry Sailer, Musings of a Pig Farmer

June 28, 2016

Agriculture, General, Industry News