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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Fear Spreads Faster than Wildfire!
While sipping my morning cup of coffee, I usually browse my social media news feed. While doing so last Thursday, I came across a post entitled “Did You Know?” on the blog Jean’s Boots Are Made for Talking. Imbedded in this post was a video that I’d seen before, and honestly, it blows my mind every time I watch it. This video virtually reminds how we’re not isolated in our own part of the word, and it also explains why I believe we must work diligently to educate others about farming practices and how their food is grown.

Why should farmers care about consumers? The long and short of it is that hate stems from fear. People, who lack a clear understanding of GMOs, for example, fear the GMOs and hate everyone who grows GMO crops. More consumers need to understand why farmers plant GMOs, for example.

Another reason farmers should care about consumers’ thoughts and opinions is because – thanks in large part to social media – misinformation spreads faster than wildfire. Below is an excerpt from a post I saw last week on Facebook:

DANGER TO YOUR FAMILY!!
from the Department of Life Education:

The small cocktail (baby) carrots you buy in small plastic bags are made using the larger crooked or deformed carrots, which are put through a machine that cuts and shapes them. What you may not know and should know is the following…

There is no truth to the myth that the whitish film on baby cut carrots is a chlorine residue from carrot processing.

Once the carrots are cut and shaped into cocktail carrots they are dipped in a solution of water and chlorine. (This is the same chlorine used in your pool). Since baby carrots don’t have a skin or natural protective covering, they’re given a higher dose of chlorine.

You’ll notice that once you keep these carrots in your refrigerator for a few days, a white covering will form. This is the chlorine which resurfaces! At what cost do we put our health at risk to have esthetically pleasing vegetables? I used to buy those baby carrots for vegetable dips. I know that I will never buy them again!!!

I was watching this conversation – trying to decide if when and how to engage – when I saw a fellow agvocate, Carolyn Olson, post. Carolyn shared “Myth & Fact about the white film on baby carrots” and then shared a related link for waterandhealth.org. Great job, Carolyn!

It’s difficult to always be in the right place at the right time as Carolyn was, but I hope this explains why there is a group of agvocates speaking out and trying to have that conversation. I hope this also helps explain why we need more farmers to join our effort. Agvocating: It’s harder to say than do. Just do it!

Related Posts:
Larry Sailer, Musings of a Pig Farmer

April 16, 2013

Agriculture, General, Industry News
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Genetically Modified News?
Guest blog by Dan Gogerty, Communications editor for CAST

Information comes at light speed and in bulk proportions through websites, news releases, and social media outlets. This can be good and bad. For example, the topic of genetically modified food – plant and animal – becomes mind numbing with the barrage of articles and opinions. Maybe we consumers of news need a bit of genetic modification ourselves in order to handle it all.

Most, not all, seem to agree that GMO plants used in food have not been a research-proven hazard, but some say there are other problems with the concept, and they speculate that problems could surface. Food from biotech animals brings up a similar mix of opinions, but the tone is even more edgy.

The following links show a wide variety of opinions, but many other sources are available:
- The FDA provides a questions & answers page about food from genetically engineered plants.
- This agri-journalism site by Ag Professional gives a top-ten list of positives about biotech crops.
- This Farm Aid site provides opinions and links about GMO crops, some of them questioning the practice.
- A blog from the “Chicks on the Right” favors the new law supporting GMO crops, and it provides a link to the Mark Lynas’ speech. The “chicks” also have a DDT problem with Rachael Carson.
- Maybe this writer could be called “Dude on the Left.” He opposes the new GMO law, and he seems skeptical of the wide use of biotech food products. This letter is a farmer’s pro-GMO response.
SIDEBAR by Shannon Latham
From Dan Gogerty’s guest post, it is evident there are two sides to every (news) story. “Dude on the Left” obviously believes the “Farmer Assurance Provision” was put in place to protect Monsanto. “Why do GMOs need protection?” he asks. Here’s why…

It’s farmers who need the protection! The so-called “Monsanto Protection Bill” doesn’t protect Monsanto. The true name is the “Farmers Assurance Provision.” This provision was added to a bill that was signed into law on March 26 for the express purpose of protecting farmers! The intention of the provision is to mitigate the effects of repeated and future litigation from anti-biotech activists, who have been using the courts to impede the use of biotech crops.

My hope is that, by providing several articles with points and counterpoints, today’s blog post will help set the record straight. For additional background information on GMOs and why they’re planted, read:
Team Latham

April 15, 2013

General, Industry News, Seed Technology
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

“Dish This” Contest Promises to Serve Up Fun

Franklin County 4-H members who earned top awards in 2012 for promoting Iowa-grown foods include Collin Meints, in the Junior division, as well as Kendra Vanness and Ben Fahrmann in the Senior divisions.

Not everyone understands how food is grown. Even those who buy fresh produce at the Farmer’s Market or try their hand at gardening aren’t always familiar with how to fix it. Thanks to a revamped program being offered July 18 at the 2013 Franklin County Fair, however, fairgoers can learn a thing or two from 4-H members. After all, these recipes will be simple enough for a fourth grader to fix!

An updated version of the Promote Your Commodities contest, Dish This!, features the use of Iowa-grown products in food dishes. New contest categories include: Appetizer / Snack, Salad / Side Dish, Main Dish, Bread and Desserts.

The 2013 Franklin County Fair will be the fourth time Collin Meints of the West Fork Winners 4-H Club in Sheffield, Iowa, has participated in this contest. When school gets out for the summer, he’ll be busy conducting research on websites and paging through cooking magazines to gain ideas for this year’s entries. Of course, trying new recipes means he and his family get to “taste test” new recipes throughout the summer.

“My favorite part of this contest is getting to taste everyone’s entries once the judging is complete at the fair,” said Collin. “My older brother participated in this contest before I was old enough to join 4-H. He had fun, so I knew that I wanted to enter this contest once I became a 4-H member.”

Not only has he entered this contest, he’s conquered it! Last year he took top honors in the Soy, Dairy, Beef and Pork categories. Collin is sharing two award-winning recipes with us on TheFieldPosition. His recipe for Pork and Bean Bars, promoting soybeans, earned him a purple ribbon in 2012. Collin also received a purple ribbon in 2010 for promoting dairy with a Morning Orange Drink.

Team Latham

April 12, 2013

Desserts, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Standard Planting Guidelines Might Not Apply in 2013
The main objective at planting time is to provide seed with an environment that promotes rapid germination and vigorous early growth. Corn needs water, aeration and temperature – all in the right portions – as well as seed-to-soil contact to germinate and emerge. Obviously, soil temperature and soil moisture are key to germination. If the soil is too dry or too cold, the seed will just lay in the ground without germinating.

When soil moisture is at field capacity, the optimum planting depth is 2” deep for corn and 1.5” deep for soybeans. We know current field conditions in some areas across Latham Country aren’t “optimal.” In dry conditions, seeding depth can differ. If we receive the rain that’s forecast in the next 10 days, however, soil moisture could be more than adequate at planting time.

Three factors affect corn’s response to seeding depth: (1) soil texture; (2) tillage system; and (3) residue cover. Knowing the soil texture will help dictate how deep seeds need to be placed for adequate available moisture for successful germination. No-till fields should retain adequate soil moisture at a reasonable planting depth in most years. Minimum-till also helps conserve moisture.

Planting too deep just may have the opposite effect of what you’d like. There are two major problems that can result from planting too deep: (1) delayed emergence and (2) uneven stands. Stands may become uneven due to crusting, too. If a hard, pounding rain falls shortly after planting, seedlings can have a very hard time breaking through crusted soils.

Also keep in mind that planting too shallow can also provide negative results. Corn seed planted too shallow most often results in poor root development and may affect the crop all the way to harvest. Seeds that are planted too shallow have a tendency to develop “rootless corn syndrome,” causing plants to fall over because they lack nodal root development.

There are “best management practices” farmers can implement this spring. Keep the conservation of moisture in mind, and make the most of the good field conditions. Fewer passes across the field with disks or field cultivators will help conserve moisture. Also bear in mind how the amount of residue may affect planting conditions. Take notice of debris in the field. Too many stalks or root balls can inhibit seed emergence.

Related Posts:
- Corn Seed Depth: Back to the Basics
- Soil and Management Factors Affect Planting Depth
- Adjusting Down Pressure
- Soil Capillary Action
- 4-Inch Soil Temperature Map
- Till Less for More Water
Webspec Admin

April 10, 2013

General, Season, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Unemployment and Apathy Grow Poverty
Most Midwest farmers have spent the past week preparing for the spring planting season and closely monitoring soil temperatures in anticipation of #plant13. There are a few things that I still need to get done before I head to the field, but I’ll admit, my energy level is low right now.

While eating my lunch on Friday, I was trying to figure out why I have less ambition than I used to. Several thoughts came to mind:
1. It’s been a long winter. (Those early spring snowfalls dampened my spirits, even though I appreciate the moisture they brought.)
2. I’m not a spring chicken any more. (I’ve been farming for 50 years!)
3. During the winter months, I’m less physically active even though hog chores keep me pretty busy.
Then I had the proverbial “light bulb moment…” I believe government has played a large role in my recent frump. It seems that apathy and anxiety has become a pandemic affecting our nation. Why?

Breaking news on Friday, April 5, was that U.S. unemployment numbers are lower. This sounds like good news until you realize that unemployment fell for all the wrong reasons – five times as many people quit looking for work than jobs that were created! The job participation rate of “prime-age” workers, age 25 to 54, fell to match the lowest reading since 1984, according to CNN.

While taking a lunch break on Friday, I continued to wonder why fewer Americans are feeling the need to search for a job when I came across an article by Tim Elmore, author of Growing Leaders. He makes a case for how adults are stealing ambition from kids:

“One of the most valuable commodities we can cultivate in this emerging generation of kids is ambition,” writes Elmore. “By wanting our children and students to be happy, we may have created the most depressed population of kids in recent history. By leading them in this way, we have all but removed ambition in them… Think about it. If I grow up in a world where almost everything has been given to me, or made easy—I start feeling entitled to it.”

Have Americans become so politically correct that we’re taking the will to learn away from our kids? Every kid is different, yet many sports programs and educational endeavors try to treat everyone equally. My own grandkids provide a great example. Some, like Devin and Jessica, have a passion for sports. Carlie enjoys writing and dancing. Darin enjoys hunting, fishing and gardening. Zach is interested in wood working and mechanics. Hallie, Lindi and Jessica are very artistic. Sydney is an avid reader, while Quinten is a computer guru.

Each one of my grandchildren have different talents, skill sets and interests, but they’re driven to pursue their passions. That’s what we need! We need to do away with “cookie cutter mentality,” which reminds me of the one-size-fits-all approach our government has taken to the school lunch program.

Speaking of government… I received a notification on Friday of an update from the Caffeinated Thoughts blog with news that Iowa Senator Brad Zaun filed a bill (Senate File 336) to repeal the Iowa Department of Education and the Iowa State Board of Education. Senator Zaun believes an increase in educational funding will not lead to an increase student performance. He says he wants “real education change” and is quoted as saying, “This bill will increase student performance and give parents 100% choice.”

Regardless of whether you’re Republican, Democrat or Independent, the fact remains that America is facing big issues that need to be addressed. Unless we change current policies and attitudes, unemployment and poverty is only going to grow. How can a nation maintain its position as a World Leader then?

Other related posts:
Larry Sailer, Musings of a Pig Farmer

April 9, 2013

Agriculture, General, Industry News
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

“Buy Local” Initiative Brings “Dough” to Rural Communities

Knowing where food comes from and how it is grown is becoming increasingly important for many U.S. consumers. Connecting consumers with local producers is one goal of the Healthy Harvest of North Iowa’s “Buy Fresh. Buy Local.” initiative.

Local food initiatives help fuel stronger communities. Each dollar spent on locally grown food keeps dollars circulating through the community, which can have a big impact on rural communities. The average Iowa family spends $137.90 weekly on food. Residents in the Iowa counties of Franklin and Wright spend $69 million annually on food.

“If we could capture 10% of the food dollars in Franklin and Wright counties, that means $6.9 million would be reinvested in our local communities! Even a 1% market share would be significant,” said Jan Libbey, coordinator for Healthy Harvest of North Iowa.

Team Latham

April 8, 2013

Agriculture, General, Industry News
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Locally-Grown Wheat Makes Bread “Homemade” from Start to Finish

Carlson Family

Thirty-five years ago, Cathy Carlson was interested in finding a way to provide a second income without having to leave home. She had always enjoyed baking and was fascinated by wedding cakes, so she enrolled in adult education classes through North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) in Mason City and launched a home-based business.

Today Cathy’s Country Cook’n is known for beautiful wedding cakes, creative birthday cakes and festive cupcakes, as well as other delicious baked goods like cookies, pies and breads. (Side note: I’ve always loved the Spiderman birthday cake that Cathy made years ago for our son. Because it was comprised of individual cupcakes, it was especially easy to serve to kids.)

Cathy’s baking business continues to expand through partnerships with local businesses and consumers. She and her husband, Dennis, about three years ago became charter members of a regional food working group called Healthy Harvest of North Iowa. During the Christmas season, they run a retail store inside Carlson Learning Tree Lodge that features wares from local vendors including homemade jams, jellies, candies, baked goods, sewing items and handcrafted wood items.

During the rest of the year, Carlson’s Learning Tree Lodge has a variety of uses from business retreats and environmental workshops to Girl Scout Day Camp and Vacation Bible School classes. It’s also home base for the many classes that Cathy offers on everything from wreath making to bread baking.

Cathy Carlson takes “homemade” to a new level by growing wheat in North Central Iowa and then using it to make her own bread.

Cathy takes “homemade bread making” to a whole new level by growing her own wheat. Three years ago she and Dennis had the opportunity to purchase an additional five-acre field adjacent to their farm. They were talking about what to plant in that field when Cathy had the idea to try growing wheat.

Although no other farmer in the area raises wheat, that didn’t deter Cathy. She researched what type of wheat could be grown in North Iowa. She also had to find someone to sew it and harvest it since all area farmers are equipped to harvest corn, soybeans and a few oats and alfalfa.

Word soon spread and the Carlson’s neighbors offered their help. One neighboring farmer brought over his drill the first year. Another neighbor with a small combine used for oats said he would be glad to harvest the wheat. A third neighbor offered to window the wheat. Then Cathy learned that Rainbow Feed & Grain in Hampton had an oat-cleaning system that could be used for wheat, too.

In the heart of corn and soybean country, where does one go to process wheat? Cathy searched the Internet and found someone who sold mills in Iowa Falls – only about 20 miles away. Now Cathy is able to grind about 5 pounds of wheat in only 3 minutes right in her kitchen. She usually grinds 40 pounds at a time and then freezes it to bake fresh wheat bread.

Home-ground wheat must to be kept in the freezer because it includes wheat germ, which gets extracted from the wheat flour sold in stores to extend its shelf life. Because wheat germ is a protein source, Cathy’s homemade wheat bread is good source of vitamins and is higher in fiber. She’ll even sell you a bag of wheat flour if you’re interested in baking your own bread.

BAKER’S TIP: Our palettes aren’t used to 100% whole wheat, so Cathy converts recipes by using half white flour and half whole wheat flour. Pure wheat flour doesn’t rise as high as white flour, so Cathy also experiments to see how much I can add to sweet breads and still get a good rise.

Try your hand at baking muffins, wheat bread or rolls at home. Today Cathy is sharing her recipe for “60 Minute Rolls.” If you’re not that confident in your baking abilities, sign up for one of the many classes that Cathy offers.

Kizoa slideshow: No title – Slideshow

Team Latham

April 5, 2013

General, Recipes, Sides
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Bring On Those April Showers!
The arrival of spring weather is something everyone in the Midwest awaits, especially farmers. Now that we’ve turned our calendars to April, it seems that folks are more eager than ever for warmer temperatures – and spring rainfall.

Farmers with whom I’ve visited recently are anxious for the spring planting season to begin, but they’re also being realistic. It’s going to be a few weeks before field work begins. We really need those soil temperatures to warm up before any seed goes into the ground. It would also be great if we’d receive some rainfall. The snowmelt will help provide moisture at planting time, but we still have a moisture deficit.

In a recent blog post, April Hemmes said her farm in southern Franklin County received a total of 5 inches of rain between May and October 2012. Normal annual rainfall is 23 inches, which means fields here in North Central Iowa are suffering from a moisture shortfall. The U.S. Drought Monitor shows we’re not alone. Conditions through many areas across the Upper Midwest range from severe to extreme drought. Many western areas are suffering from an exceptional drought. Bring on those April showers!

A moist, warm seed bed really help seeds germinate since the soil serves as a blanket for the seeds. We need soil temperatures to warm up by about 20 degrees or so. Current soil temperatures are averaging in the mid-30s, and we need those temps to be 50 to 55 degrees at corn planting time.

Even when the soil temperatures warm, farmers must be certain that warmer air temperatures are in the forecast. Warmer air temperatures are especially 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.

The good news is that time is on our side. Research by Iowa State University shows the optimal planting date for corn is between April 12 and May 8, depending on the region where you farm. A lot of seed can go in the ground just in two or three good days, so there’s no need for farmers to sacrifice yield by rushing Mother Nature.

There are 3 important factors farmers should take into consideration before planting this spring:
1. Avoid soil compaction. Avoid planting in cold, wet soils.
2. Monitor soil temperature. It’s best to plant when soil temperatures are 50 degrees and those temperatures can be sustained.
3. Be aware of crop insurance deadlines. Check your policy and talk to your crop insurance agent to make sure you understand the possible consequences before planting that early. Replants may not be covered. Plus, the seed in farmers’ sheds now is most likely their first choice. If farmers have to replant, they may be planting their third or fourth choice for seed corn as supplies are tight across the industry.
Webspec Admin

April 3, 2013

General, Season, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Why is USDA Expanding StrikeForce While Cutting Other Programs?

Isn’t it ironic that new programs are being created – government is expanding – at the same time our nation’s politicians are stumping about our need to balance the federal budget?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture this past week announced plans to expand its StrikeForce program, which was launched in 2010 to promote economic growth in rural areas. It began as a pilot program in Arkansas, Georgia and Mississippi. In 2011, StrikeForce expanded to Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada. New efforts would bring StrikeForce to poverty-stricken areas in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Virginia.

I have mixed emotions about this program for many reasons. StrikeForce spends tax dollars we don’t have. It will grow government since additional “rural partnerships” will require additional governmental administration. Plus, I don’t understand reasoning behind axing some existing programs only to create new programs or expand others. The Sequester is supposedly taking money away from current programs, some which are required by laws already on the books! Yet, it appears dollars can be found for the current administration’s pet projects.

Eleven new states will be added to the StrikeForce program. When I heard this reported on 1040 WHO radio early Monday morning, I googled the program to be sure that I heard the announcement correctly. My search yielded a Huffington Post article in which an embedded USDA video explains some of the success that StrikeForce has had to date including “tackling food insecurity in Arkansas and improving access to farm programs in Nevada.”

The Huffington Post article also states: “Every day the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides assistance to help grow American agriculture and increase opportunity for rural communities. Unfortunately, 90% of America’s persistent poverty counties are in rural American – and we can’t allow these areas to be left behind.” One question I have is, “Does the 90% of the poverty counties refer to the number of people or are we just looking of area size?”

I’m conflicted. Watching the USDA video, one can be persuaded to believe StrikeForce is a great program. But, how’s it being funded? Is the program focused only on minorities? (Sidebar: The deadline was just extended on a big settlement of discrimination cases for minorities… Why?) Rules to apply loans of over $30,000 look simple, which raises more questions about how this program is run.

StrikeForce could be a fantastic program, but I’m pessimistic when it comes to bigger government as a whole. Take a look for yourself. Do some checking. And of course, let your elected officials know what you think. It’s our government, our money, and our program!

Larry Sailer, Musings of a Pig Farmer

April 2, 2013

Agriculture, General, Industry News
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

“Colored Easter Eggs” Take on New Meaning
Bunny Bait

After surviving several spring snow storms, many Midwesterners are eager for warmer temperatures to bring with it blooming tulips and song birds. It makes me long to “defy Mother Nature” by setting a beautiful table with a cheerful, yellow bunny jacquard tablecloth accented with a centerpiece that Better Homes and Gardens claims is easy to create at home.

Someday I will try my hand at making one of the beautiful table arrangements that I’ve pinned on my “Easter board” on Pinterest! In the meantime, I’ll try something a little more “kid friendly.”

Yesterday I mixed up a batch of Bunny Bait as snacks for my Girl Scout meeting. They loved it! Actually, kids of all ages can enjoy this sweet treat. Just think how it exciting it could be for little kids to set out “bunny bait” the night before Easter in hope of enticing the Easter Bunny to stop by and fill their baskets with goodies. This recipe is so quick and easy that even toddlers could help by pouring in some ingredients like pretzel sticks, M&M candies or pastel marshmallows.

Making seasonal recipes and crafts is something that I’ve enjoyed since my childhood. Tomorrow I’m looking forward to trying a Pinterest-inspired idea to dye hard boiled eggs for Fancy Edible Deviled Eggs. I can’t wait to see the look on my relatives’ faces when they first see my egg tray at Sunday’s family potluck. 🙂 I’m not sure which they’ll be more disappointed about: the fact that I brought colored eggs or the fact that I didn’t bring my “signature” asparagus casserole.

Today I’ll share the asparagus casserole recipe with on TheFieldPosition.com. Like most tried and true recipes, this one game from a church cookbook. I’m also including links to some of my favorite brunch recipes in case you’re looking for new ideas, too.

Easter Brunch Ideas:
Team Latham

March 29, 2013

General, Recipes, Sides