#Plant15 is in full swing across the Midwest. With a 7-day forecast calling for nothing but sunshine and temperatures in the 70s, there’s talk that many farmers will go straight from planting corn to soybeans. We’re well within the window for achieving optimal yields for both corn and soybeans.
Research by Iowa State University shows the optimal planting dates for soybeans – if soil conditions are suitable – in the southern 2/3 of the state is the last week of April and the first week of May for the northern 1/3 of Iowa. Seventy-nine percent of the time planting in late April or early May resulted in higher yields than soybeans planted around May 20.
Due to the shorter growing season in the Dakotas and Minnesota, it’s important to plant soybeans early to catch more daylight. Soybean maturity is based on the length of daylight hours, and we all know the number of daylight hours decreases after June 20. Farmers must weigh the need to optimize daylight hours with the need for warmer soils.
Experience has shown us that good yields are made when farmers hold off planting soybeans until soil temperatures reach – and maintain – temperatures of 60. Soil temperature is more critical when planting soybeans than corn because corn can more readily germinate in a soil environment of about 55 degrees.
If the air temperature after germination hits 28 degrees Fahrenheit or less, soybean seedlings can be killed since the growing point of the plant is right at emergence. That’s why it’s also important to look at the 10-day forecast to see what temperatures will likely be when the seedlings emerge.
it pays to stop the planter periodically and check (1) seed-to-soil contact; (2) planting depth and (3) seed spacing.
We certainly understand a farmer’s eagerness to get seed in the ground, but we also know that it pays to take a few precautions. Get out of the cab periodically and check (1) seed-to-soil contact; (2) planting depth and (3) seed spacing. Watch for skips and doubles. Missing plants will decrease yield relative to a uniform stand. Finding too many doubles is not only a waste of seed, it can also mean that your planting units are in need of adjustment or repair.
Inadequate planter adjustments coupled with fast planter speeds results in seeding depth variability within a row. Variable seeding depth translates into variable emergence rates which results in reduced yields. Take your time and have a safe planting season!
Every April, the Franklin County Farm Bureau hosts an Ag Fair at the Franklin County Fairgrounds for the third graders throughout county. Jennifer Healy has organized this event for many years. This year was no exception, although she was fighting cancer.
The Ag Fair on April 23 was bittersweet this year as Jennifer passed away one day before the event. Jennifer was as passionate as anyone about hosting this event, so kids can experience agriculture firsthand. Even in a rural county like ours, many kids don’t experience farm life.
Thanks to the staff of North Central Iowa Ag in the Classroom for doing such a great job. These ladies provide hands-on learning experiences that are so much fun. Third graders experienced many different stations: horses, cattle, fire safety and llamas. Who knew we had so much diversity in our own county? Talk about a well-rounded farm day!
It’s important for people of all ages to understand how their food is raised. That’s why I accepted an invitation to attend a screening on the Iowa State University campus last week of Farmland, followed by panel discussion. The movie is about several young farmers from across the country with very different types of operations, and the ISU panel was set up the same way. The committee did a great job of bringing together a diverse group of Iowa farmers:
Bill Couser raises cattle and crops.
Mark Kenney grows crops and seed.
Katie Olthoff raises turkeys.
Andrew Pitts is an organic farmer.
Mitchell Roush grows the famous Muscatine watermelons.
And me… a pig farmer with a small crop farm.
A diverse panel of Iowa farmers shared their personal ag stories with Iowa State University students, who gathered to watch the Farmland movie and to learn more about agriculture. Panelists included: Larry Sailer, pigs; Andrew Pittz, organic crops; Mitchell Roush, produce, Bill Couser, cattle; Katie Olthoff, turkey; and Mark Kenney, corn and soybeans.
Now his is the way to find out how your food is grown… learn about farming from farmers! Our group represented six very different ways to grow food. And guess what… there wasn’t a single argument. No one put down another farmer’s way of growing food. We had a great discussion about how what we do, and we discussed how our practices are “right” for each one of our operations.
We all grew up in different areas of the state, and we came from different backgrounds. What we have in common, however, is the desire to grow food and tell our costumers why we do what we do.
We talked about food choice, and how Americans can buy what they want. Consumer choices also creates diverse markets for farmers.
One member of the audience asked how consumers can find out more about food, and I believe this panel was a perfect way to do that! Special thanks to Natalina Sents for bringing together such a great event with a panel of high caliber experts to share about what they do.
If you’re interested in learning more about your food is grown, follow some of my favorite ag bloggers including:
Emerging leaders need mentors to guide them, as well as a network of peers to reassure them they are not on the journey alone. That’s how generations of the Brown family and other Franklin County 4-H members became champion livestock judges and successful business professionals.
“This tradition goes back to the 1920s for many local families, including ours,” said Mike Brown, a former member of the Reeve Hampton Hustlers, who is now the senior director of livestock operations for Merial, a leading global animal health company.
Mike credits his father, J. Kent Brown, with encouraging he and his brothers’ participation in 4-H. Kent attributes his involvement in 4-H to his father, J. Verald Brown, who was inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame in 2002. J. Verald Brown joined 4-H in 1923, just five years after the first 4-H club was organized in Franklin County in 1918.
J. Verald Brown was influenced by V.B. Hamilton, a Franklin County agent in the 1920s and 1930s who played a key role in local 4-H history. “V.B. Hamilton sparked the fire for livestock judging in this area for generations,” said J. Kent Brown, a former member of the Mott Meat Makers 4-H Club who judged swine, beef cattle, dairy cattle and sheep.
Franklin County boasted world champions Through the years, many Franklin County livestock judging teams won not only regional and state, but national and international competitions. In 1925, the Franklin County Farm Bureau’s Champion Junior Cattle Judging Team of the United States (coached by V.B. Hamilton) represented America at the International Dairy Cattle Show near London, England, from July 7-11, 1925.
After winning the world champion title and a $250 gold trophy, the team of Iowa farm boys and Coach Hamilton received a hero’s welcome at home. They were greeted by 3,500 people—one of the largest crowds to ever gather in the Hampton City Park.
This legacy of excellent carried through to the 1950s and 1960s, when livestock judging workouts were held each summer at different farms around the county. “A lot of the parents would come along with the 4-Hers so they could learn, too,” J. Kent Brown recalled.
The 1959 Franklin County 4-H livestock judging team, which was coached by Carl Rehder (center) included (back row, left to right) Bill Dohrmann and Bob Latham, (front row, left to right) Art Wagner and Charles Akers. The team won the 4-H livestock judging contest at the 1959 Iowa State Fair and were named the national champion 4-H livestock judging team at the 1959 International Livestock Exposition in Chicago, Ill.
Judging teams of this era did extremely well, including the 1959 team of Bill Dohrmann, Bob Latham, Art Wagner, Charles Akers and Coach Carl Rehder. Not only did they win the 4-H livestock judging contest at the 1959 Iowa State Fair, but they were named the national champion 4-H livestock judging team at the 1959 International Livestock Exposition in Chicago, Ill.
4-H teaches lifelong lessons Livestock judging challenges team members to evaluate animals’ physical characteristics and make a comparison to other animals, as well as the ideal standard of that particular class. Livestock judging through 4-H also helps young people:
Enhance their decision-making capabilities
Build character, confidence and integrity
Network with other people who share similar interests
Improve their communication abilities and public-speaking skills
“Judging teaches you to make decisions, support your reasoning and communicate clearly,” said J. Kent Brown, who worked for the American Angus Association after college before returning to farm in Franklin County.
The value of these lifelong skills can’t be underestimated, added Brown’s son, Layne, who runs an insurance and financial planning firm in Pleasant Hill. “Through 4-H, I learned how to set goals, track progress and work as a team. Not only did it develop my work ethic, but I met a lot of great friends, too.”
These connections endure, added J. Kent Brown. “I’ve been fortunate to have lifelong friendships with people all over the county, state and nation, thanks to 4-H.”
One of these friendships includes Jay Van Wert, a long-time farmer from Hampton, whose family often relied on this favorite recipe when they were busy with 4-H activities.
Egg and Cheese Bake (This casserole can be prepared the night before, refrigerated and baked in the morning.)
Ingredients:
1 cup biscuit mix (Bisquick)
1 ½ cups cottage cheese
½ pound grated cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon dried onion or 2 teaspoons fresh onion
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon salt
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
¾ cup butter, melted
Directions:
Mix ingredients in order given.
Melt butter in 9-inch by 13-inch by 2-inch baking dish.
The arrival of spring weather is something every Midwest farmer anticipates. Early to mid-April brought favorable conditions for fieldwork. Many local farmers finished tilling soils while others started putting seed in the ground.
Soil temperatures across Iowa had been above the 50-degree mark, which is usually the target for corn planting to begin. However, a cold front moved in and soil temperatures have dropped a few degrees in recent days.
Even when soil temperatures are warm enough to plant, farmers must be certain that warmer air temperatures are in the forecast. Warmer air temperatures are critical to protect the seedlings. If the air temperature hits 20 degrees Fahrenheit or less after germination, the young seedling can be killed with the growing point of the plant right at emergence.
Remember, soil temperature for soybean planting is more critical than for corn. We recommend waiting until soil temperatures in a region reach – and maintain – 60 degrees Fahrenheit before soybeans are planted. Soybeans can germinate in a soil environment of about 55 degrees Fahrenheit, but if the air temperature after germination hits 28 degrees Fahrenheit or less, the young seedling can be killed with the growing point of the plant right at emergence. Adversely for corn, the growing point stays under the surface until much later.
Latham Corn Product Specialists advise farmers to “take the crumble test” before reentering fields. Grab a clump of soil and watch how easily it crumbles. If it stays in a ball, conditions are NOT right for planting. If it crumbles easily, the soil is fit for planting.
I’m not going to be politically correct because an attack on American’s freedom of choice is increasingly bothering me.
I always trying to understand all sides of any issue. I read all that I can get my hands on: newspapers, magazines, Facebook, blogs… But I learned a long time ago that if I read enough information, I can defend either side.
It’s no wonder today’s consumers are confused as to what to eat. Media reports are filled with mixed messages: Good fat. Bad fat. Eggs are good. Eggs are bad. Eat more beef. Reduce your red meat intake.
There is a huge amount of oversight keeping our food safe. We don’t need expensive regulation, just common sense. Let common sense prevail… Eat sensibly and work off what you consume.
Latham® Dealership Helps Bring Next Generation Home
They had never before planted Latham® Hi‑Tech Seeds but that didn’t prevent Mike and Patty Bergquist of Foxhome, Minnesota, from taking on a dealership when asked.
Mike and Patty Bergquist
“We were looking for a way to bring our son, David, home and this ‘solution’ seemed to present itself,” said Mike. “You might say opportunity knocked when your sales manager came to our door that day and talked with us about Latham Seeds.”
They weren’t able to get the soybean brand they were accustomed to planting, so the Bergquists decided to try Latham Hi‑Tech Soybeans. They also put Latham® corn to the test, and Latham Hi‑Tech Hybrids topped their on-farm yield test. He was sold on the Latham performance!
No one in their area had a Latham® dealership, so Mike said his family liked the idea of offering something others didn’t have. He said that national companies have several dealers in the area, but he really liked the idea of working with a family-owned company that shares similar values.
Mike served for three years in the U.S. Navy and then returned home and helped his step-grandfather, Harold, farm. To supplement his income, Mike started working campaigns in 1975 at the local sugar beet processing plant. He worked at the plant whenever Harold didn’t need him in the field.
When Mike and his wife, Patty, were married in 1977, Harold offered to let them move a trailer house onto the farm. They appreciated that opportunity to live on the farm where they could begin a family. Four years later their first child was born, and Mike had to choose between accepting a promotion at the beet plant or farming full time with Harold. He chose farming, but it wasn’t long before their situation changed.
Harold passed away in 1985. The 1980s Farm Crisis made it challenging for a young couple to support a growing family, so in 1988, this father of five went back to working campaigns at the beet plant. Mike accepted a full time position there in 1989, and today he serves as a plant supervisor. Because Mike only get weekends off once every four years, it helps to have David involved with the farming operation.
David, the Bergquist’s youngest child and only son, completed the John Deere program at North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) in Wahpeton. He has been at RDO Equipment for two years as a John Deere technician. He’s been dating Chloe Bergman since they were freshman in high school, and she’s studying to become a dental hygienist.
Their oldest daughter, Kari, and her husband, Tim Marquardt, have 3 kids. Their son Hunter is 8 and Hudson is 4. Their daughter Hadley is 6. Kari works as a school cook and Tim works at the co-op. Their daughter Heidi has two fur babies: Harley is a Black Lab and Buster is a mix that she rescued. She works as house manager for West Central Community Services.
Third in birth order is Katie. She is a daycare provider and her husband, Derrick Wolter, is an engineer for Willrich. They’re the proud parents of two sons, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Carsten.
Daughter Holly is a nanny. Her husband, Travis Rogahn, is a John Deere technician plus he farms. They have two son, 4-year-old Michael and 6-month-old Bennett.
In their free time, the Bergquist family enjoys camping. It’s something they enjoyed doing when their kids were young. Now it’s something the three generations enjoy doing together.
When everyone gets together for camping, Patty keeps the menu simple. A family favorite is Tequilaberry Salad, which she’s sharing with us today.
Want to add a little joy to your backyard? Plant a butterfly garden! Butterflies spread beauty as they feed on the flowers they help pollinate.
There are a lot of things to think about when planning a butterfly garden, but the most important – and also the most obvious – is the plants. Lure butterflies into your yard with flowers that produce the nectar they prefer.
Some perennial plants that work well to attract butterflies to gardens in North Iowa and across Plant Hardiness Zone 4 include:
Butterflies are attracted to fragrance. Be sure to include good smelling plants like lavender, lilac and bee balm. These plants will be a treat to your senses, too!
April is National Gardening Month and a great time to plan your butterfly garden. Just click the links above to get started!
Join Cristen & Kristen on a Food Journey across Iowa
“Iowa Girl Eats” blogger Kristen Porter and “Food and Swine” blogger Cristen Porter are teaming up for a food journey across Iowa.
A self-described “born and raised Iowa farm girl with a passion for baking timeless recipes,” Food and Swine blogger Cristen Clark is teaming up with Des Moines native Iowa Girl Eats blogger Kristin Porter to “cook up” conversations about today’s farm and food system.
“I’m an Iowa girl through and through, but until I teamed up with Iowa FFP, my ‘farm visits’ were limited to seasonal trips to the farmers’ market, an apple orchard or a pumpkin patch,” said Porter. “… The biggest takeaway I had from each [farm] visit was the assurance that the farmer I just met does everything he or she can to raise quality food for their families, neighbors, communities and state.”
Starting this month, Cristen and Kristen will connect food-minded Iowans with the people who provide, prepare and serve food. They will partner with farmers and a dedicated team of chefs and dietitians from Hy-Vee, Inc. to share information about production methods, health information and food preparation.
Follow along with their journey at www. iowafoodandfamily.com. Watch for dates to be posted soon about these activities:
Iowa Food and Family (Iowa FFP) Cookbook: This recipe book features nearly 60 recipes from Cristen and Kristen, farmers and Iowa FFP sponsors like Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds. (Words alone cannot express how excited I am to have some of my favorite recipes included in this cookbook!) Complimentary copies of this cookbook will be distributed during in-store events at Hy-Vee, the Des Moines and Beaverdale Farmers’ Markets and the Iowa State Fair.
Recipe Refresh: You’ll have the opportunity to win a makeover and shopping experience — with food! Winners of “Recipe Refresh” events will be chosen statewide and will join Hy-Vee dietitians, area farmers and bloggers as they shop for ingredients to prepare their favorite recipes in-store while also stocking their carts with groceries courtesy of the Iowa FFP.
Make it & Take It: This dinner club event welcomes food-minded Iowans to participate in an informational, hands-on cooking demonstration alongside farm group leaders, a Hy-Vee chef and dietitian.
Bullying Can Happen to Someone You Love, Online or Off!
We no longer feel the isolation and loneliness that were common before instant communication. Through Facebook, I’ve been able to connect with old friends and meet new acquaintances with shared interests. Through Twitter, I’m able to follow a newsfeed filled with hot topics. There are so many people to communicate with – and so many opportunities to do so!
As much as I enjoy being active on Facebook and Twitter, as well as blogging, I’ve found that I am often misunderstood on social media! People reading my posts cannot see the twinkle in my eyes. They can’t hear the tone in my voice. Text messages – even with the use of emoticons – don’t allow us to look into someone’s eyes or read their body language.
Social media can be a very non-emotional form of communication. Comments can easily be taken out of context. Too often people make statements while hiding behind a computer. Facts can get twisted and feelings can get hurt when people post comments via social media that they would never say in during a face-to-face talk!
When I posted a blog taking a look inside #RealPigFarming on March 31, I received several unpleasant comments. Those comments hurt enough to make me question whether I should continue to keep blogging. That wasn’t the first time I’ve felt harassed online, and the negative effects are cumulative.
Think about it… what kind of communication are our young people having? My attention was focused on this very question while visiting with my granddaughter after one of her friends committed suicide this past week. This action was taken by a girl in Junior High!
After talking more with my granddaughter, I discovered that her friend was being bullied. Cyberbullying has become a new lethal form of bullying. Speaking of bullying, 85% of students witness bullying when adults are not present. I also learned that my granddaughter’s friend was a very troubled young girl. I understand that I’m only hearing one side of the story, but it brought mental healthcare to mind.
Why are so many kids today either involved in school shootings or taking their own lives? Many folks are quick to dismiss this topic by saying, “Kids have always been this way.” Or they ask, “What’s wrong with today’s kids?”
So many things can probably be blamed: social media, nutrition, the way we discipline our kids, and Common Core with all the testing. But I firmly believe that kids today must learn – and accept – that everyone is NOT the same. Not everyone deserves a blue ribbon. Not every team can win a game, so keep score at ball games. Teach kids how to win and lose! Kids need to learn that more effort often yields results. That way players, who don’t win every game, can feel good about their efforts. A kid who earns a red ribbon but desires a blue ribbon will be motivated to want to learn how to improve.
We need to stop making excuses and start looking for answers. Kids are dying! My granddaughter, like other teenagers facing a similar situation, is very hurt. She wonders if there was more she could have done, and the guilt she carries will be another problem. Suicide does not only involve one person; it has a huge effect so many people.
In the short term, my granddaughter needs to be reassured that she’s not to blame and that’s she’s loved! In the long term, this problem needs to be addressed by everyone. Empathy must be taught for bullying to stop, says internationally recognized educator, best-selling author, and bullying prevention expert Dr. Michelle Borba.
There isn’t a simple solution. A community must be willing to change. Community leaders, parents and educators must collaborate. What do you think is the best way to get a conversation like this started in a community?
Author and pie baker extraordinaire Beth Howard was right when she said you can create peace with a piece of pie. It’s been six weeks since we lost Amy Hild, a valued member of Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds’ marketing team, in a tragic automobile accident. It’s hard to feel like smiling when there’s a pit in your stomach and an emptiness in your soul that’s indescribable.
Iowa bloggers, creating soul food. from left to right: Mary Hopper, Jennifer Flaa, Jessica Wood, Shannon Latham and Val Plagge
But thanks to a small group of positive women, there’s joy in my heart today. Yesterday four members of the North Iowa Bloggers and I road-tripped about two hours south to accept an invitation for a baking class from Cristen Clark, a national award-winning cook and baker. The idea originated from a post by blogger Jennifer Flaa entitled, “Baking Feelings into Pies.”
I spent a perfect day in the kitchen filled with positive women. (BTW, my experience yesterday reminded me the title to a book I greatly enjoyed. Click here if you’d like to learn more about it.) Even the most seasoned bakers in our group learned from one another.
A few of the tips and tricks I want to remember include:
“Fat is where it’s at!” (Fat adds flavor to hamburgers. It also makes pie crust delicious and flakey. Use butter or lard; it’s a personal preference.)
When mixing up the pie filling, zest half a fresh lemon peel into the sugar. (“Perfume the sugar.” Words alone cannot explain how delicious this smells. You must experience it yourself!)
Squeeze the juice from the half of lemon over your fruit, even fresh pears, as you mix the filling.
Use Tapioca (in place of flour) as a thickener.
A cake lifter helps prevent crust from sticking to the counter top. Continually shower flour (as opposed to “blizzard”) onto the counter top to prevent the crust from sticking.
Also use the scraper to keep your rolling pin clean to avoid putting dents in your crust.
“Thick strips are in” when making lattice top pie. Slide your pastry cutter or pizza cutter along a metal ruler to keep the strips straight.
Wrap pie plate with a ring of foil to prevent the edges of the crust from getting too brown or burning. While my mom taught me to cover the edges with foil, I have to admit that I had trouble keeping the foil ON the crust. The ring is the trick! NOTE: Put the foil ring around your pie BEFORE placing it in the over to avoid burning your fingers.
Once you bake the pie, let it cool for 4 hours before cutting into it. Talk about temptation… who can look at pie that long without sneaking a bite? (Fortunately, I baked my pie an hour before bed time. I woke to a cool pie – perfect for breakfast!)
P.S. Pull tabs on the ends of cling wrap help secure the roll and make it easier to dispense without the saran clinging to itself. Seriously, who knew?! That tip alone might have been worth the drive.
Because it’s Friday on TheFieldPosition.com, I’m sharing with you the recipe I used to bake blueberry pie yesterday. I have to confess that I was having “pie envy” as I watched Pear Pie being assembled, and I can’t wait to try my own hand at it very soon. Click here for the recipes Cristen uses for pie crust and $3,000 Pear Pie.
