The ACRE program (Average Crop Revenue Election) is coming into focus now, and Aug. 14 is the election deadline for farms to declare their participation. Dan Looker of Successful Farming magazine, gives a brief video overview below of ACRE through MarketEye, a market news service on SF’s Agriculture.com. One Kansas State University educational webinar  he mentions has been held, however, an archive of the web program can be purchased beginning Aug. 7.  Just visit KSU’s ag management web site (www.agmanager.info) An updated financial analysis on the program will also be available on the site Aug. 12.

Also, more information from USDA is here.

Anyone watching this Kossuth County, Iowa parade may have spotted one of our newest Latham dealers pulling his rig through the parade.  Tom Price of Lakota, Iowa has joined the Latham team this year in place of John and Connie Pedersen of Ledyard, Iowa.  John and Connie are retiring after 25 years in the seed business selling Latham products.  Tom Price may be a new dealer, but he is no newbie to the agriculture industry.  Tom has a wealth of experience in agriculture and customers in the Kossuth County area can count on him to bring them the latest and greatest in seed technology.  Tom carries a custom hauling business alongside his seed dealership, so be on the lookout for “TAPRICE INC.” on the roads this fall bringing in the harvest.  Tom is excited to start his new business and continue serving customers in the same way the Pedersen’s have for years.  Here are a couple photos of Tom and his rig in the parade showcasing his dealership and the Freedom of Independence ride on August 29th.

Earlier on this blog we wrote about our trip to Memphis and John’s memorable performance as the Honorary Duckmaster at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis during the hotel’s famous Duck March. Well, we now have exclusive video of the event, posted here for the first time. Enjoy the world premiere of this fowl-length feature:

Wednesday afternoon, storms hit hard in Franklin County. Here’s a recap and some photos of the main event from our own Chris Latham.

We spent a good part of the afternoon in the basement as funnel clouds and strong winds passed over the seed plant. Several fields have downed corn, but the seed plant fared well considering the winds.

One main tree came down in the front lawn and quite a few branches from other trees. An auger was flipped over and the door on the South Warehouse blew in. The top of one of the bins along the west side of the property was ripped open.

Don and Marilyn Latham reported the most damage at their property. Two bins were completely destroyed and the barn also showed quite a bit of damage. The power was off for around an hour, but this wasn’t close to the damage faced in neighboring Hampton, Iowa and Coulter, Iowa where the funnel cloud actually touched down.

Here is a photo of the bins at Don and Marilyn Latham’s farm.

As the email accompanying this video said, “A good rhythm section is hard to find.” This appears to be a Hungarian video, according the the YouTube file information. Old tractors still have a place in this world. The band isn’t bad, either.

Shannon Latham: Official Biker Chick

Sunday (Epilogue)

After completing this course, I’m an absolute safety nut and will have that attitude at all times when riding a cycle. With that in mind, I want to offer a few learnings about protective gear.

Protective gear helps a rider stay comfortable, improves visibility if it’s brightly colored and reflective and protects against the elements in all kinds of conditions.  Every rider and passenger should wear:

• Sturdy, over-the-ankle footwear with nonslip soles
• Long pants
• Good jacket
• Full-fingered gloves
• A helmet manufactured to meet Department of Transportation (DOT) standards with proper eye protection; helmets with full-face protection do the best job of sealing out wind, dust and bugs.

Protective gear should fit comfortably without binding.  A jacket with a zippered front will be more wind resistant than a jacket with buttons or snaps.  A flap of material over the zipper of a jacket gives additional protection against the wind along with protecting your motorcycle’s paint from scratches.  Jackets with snug cuffs and waist are recommended to keep wind from blowing in.  Caution:  a large, loose,  jacket can flap when riding and may irritate skin or be a distraction.

In cold-weather riding, protective gear protects riders against hypothermia.  Hypothermia, a condition of subnormal body temperature, can cause loss of concentration, slowed reactions and loss of smooth, precise muscle movement.  As an example, on a chilly day (50 degrees Fahrenheit) a motorcyclist riding at a speed of 30 mph experiences a chilling effect equivalent to 42 degrees.
In hot-weather riding, protective gear protects riders against heat exhaustion.  Heat exhaustion, characterized by dizziness and headache, can hamper clear thinking and concentration.  Dressing for hot-weather riding requires protective gear that breathes, and riders should drink plenty of water.
Source:  Motorcycle Safety Foundation

Now, bring on the Freedom of Independence Ride!

Sunday (The Final Test)

This morning I arrived 30 minutes earlier at the “driving range” (folks like my husband would be picking up their golf clubs).  I wanted a little extra practice on the Figure 8 because, quite honestly, that move was not my strong suit.  In fact, I just plain stunk at it!  I was afraid to turn my head as far as was needed, and I was afraid to make the turn without putting down my foot.

Wouldn’t you know I could execute a Figure 8 when no one was watching me!  When I was practicing on my own, I could make the turns without putting  a foot down.  I tried to convince myself that I could do it just as well when our driving test was under way, and I almost had myself talked into it when my name was called to be the first driver on the test.  It really unnerved me to think that 11 other students and three instructors were watching my every move.

Concern must have shown on my face as plainly as the beacon from a lighthouse on a dark night because one of the instructors signaled me over before I executed the drill.  “You can mess up the Figure 8 and still pass the driving test,” he said.

I’m sure he thought he was offering words of encouragement and, thus, reducing my stress.  He was right!  I came to cherish those words as I felt my foot touch the ground in the middle of the first turn.  I was so disgusted with myself because I CAN execute that turn flawlessly; I just couldn’t do it when it mattered most.  Yes, I had stage fright in a big way.

Thankfully, I passed the rest of the driving test with flying colors.  I was among the top of the class for stopping quickly, but that won’t surprise anyone who has ridden in a car with me!  The written test was our last criterion in order earn our certificate of completion.  I don’t mean to brag, but I really am proud of this fact: I didn’t miss a single answer on the written test.  It helped that practice exams were found in the back of our handbook, as well as online at www.msf-usa.org.

The Rider Education Course, developed by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) and offered through North Iowa Area Community College and most community colleges across the state, was a great experience!  I really encourage anyone who’s interested in obtaining a motorcycle license to first take this course.

Next time: the “official” picture of me on my ride.