No Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) program has claimed more national championships than North Dakota State football. The Bison won nine FCS titles from the 2011-21 seasons.

Those stats are treasured by fans of the NDSU Bison, but they have a much different meaning today for the Mauch family of Barney, North Dakota.

Cody Mauch played offensive tackle for the NDSU Bison football team before being drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the spring of 2023. He made his NFL debut with the Bucs on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023 in a game against the Minnesota Vikings – a team he always cheered for growing up.

His dad, Joe Mauch, recalls feeling proud watching his son play that first game, even if it felt odd to root “against” Minnesota.

A From-the-Farm Work Ethic

“We’ve been Vikings fans our whole lives and now we’re here cheering for the Bucs,” Joe says.

One of eight kids who grew up on the family’s fourth-generation farm in Southeast North Dakota, Cody says his parents, Joe and Stacey Mauch, introduced him to hard work at an early age. In an interview with reporters after his second-round draft pick, Cody explained how that upbringing translated into his football career.

“I was driving tractors at seven or eight years old. They put a lot of trust in me when I was young,” he says. “But that helped me a lot in life. My mindset is to go out there and have fun, but get the job done. I’m going to work hard and do my part.”

The Bucs officially listed Cody as starting right guard – a position he says fits his 6’5”, 302-pound frame well. With his signature long red hair and missing front teeth, Cody says he “couldn’t be any more authentic.”

Joe and his younger brother, Andrew, raise corn, soybeans and sugar beets on the family farm. They also custom bale wheat straw. The brothers recently took on a Latham® dealership to diversify their operation and to provide their seed customers with more options.

Everyone Watched This Watch Party

More than half their town of 900 people came out in full force to support Cody on NFL draft night, Joe says.

“The crowd went wild when Cody’s name got called,” he says. “Cody was with us at the community center with teachers, friends and coaches. People came from rival towns. It was just so neat that a small-town kid got drafted because that doesn’t happen that often.”

Joe says the families will travel to Florida after harvest to watch some games on the Bucs’ home turf.

Cody’s favorite “taste of home” meal is his mom’s Hamburger Hot Dish.

Books can sweep your mind to far-away places when you must stay home, but it’s the beauty and peace of the Irish countryside that fills my heart these days. St. Patricks’ Day seems like an appropriate time to relive some of my favorite memories from the Irish adventure we enjoyed in July 2022 with a group of Latham® dealers.

Highlights of that trip included a visit to the Cliffs of Moher, a private tour of Jameson Distillery in Midleton and a pint inside The Gravity Bar. Its figure-eight shape gives guests a 360-degree panorama, which includes the Wicklow Mountains where Guinness sources its freshwater. (Irish water is also the secret ingredient in Jameson Whiskey . . . but I digress.)

Another favorite stop for me was a visit to Ballymaloe, where I purchased a beautiful coffee table cookbook entitled “30 Years at Ballymaloe” by Darina Allen. Allen started Ireland’s first farmers market and helped develop it into a national industry. She and her brother Rory O’Connell established Ballymaloe Cookery School in 1983. As a tireless ambassador for Irish cooking, Allen has authored more than 10 books and presented on six television series. Today one of her daughters-in-law, who graduated from Ballymaloe Cookery School, has taken on many of Allen’s duties.

The importance of using fresh, local ingredients is taught at Ballymaloe Cookery School. I agree the most delicious food is prepared when using the highest quality ingredients. Because I don’t have greenhouses and our gardens are still frozen in the Upper Midwest, I have adapted a recipe from Ballymaloe for Shepherd’s Pie.

I’m also linking to my family’s favorite recipe for the Best Dang Mashed Potatoes. As an empty nester, I’m all about repurposing leftovers. A “round one” recipe of Iowa Ham Balls with a side of mashed potatoes becomes a “round two” recipe of Shepherd’s Pie. Brownies, however, go with every meal in my opinion! Which one of these recipes do you think I should try first: Guinness Brownies with Irish Cream Frosting or Fudge Guinness Brownies with Salted Caramel?

By Ann Foster Thelen

Life is full of full-circle moments. Often, they occur so seamlessly that we don’t even notice. Other times, these moments are so significant we are stopped in our tracks. My full-circle moment came two days before Christmas in 2021 when I was told I had breast cancer.

It’s a full-circle moment because my mom died just seven years earlier from a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer. When she was diagnosed, Mom was 74 years old, and our family was shocked. We didn’t have any history of breast cancer in our family, and perhaps naively, we didn’t think cancer would place its devastating grasp on us.

During Mom’s journey, which was just five months from the time of her Stage IV diagnosis until her death, we learned a lot about breast cancer. Her cancer was Inflammatory Breast Cancer, which is only responsible for 1-3% of all breast cancer diagnoses. Our family was told Mom’s cancer was a type that wasn’t hereditary. Years later, I learned that only 5-10% of breast cancers are heredity. As a society, we’re often lulled into playing the odds in our mind of “it won’t happen to me.” In fact, 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer (and men aren’t immune from a breast cancer diagnosis).

After Mom died, I had genetic testing to see if I carried any gene mutations (such as BRCA and approximately 20 other genes), which can often lead to breast cancer. The testing was negative and gave me a slight sigh of relief. However, a voice inside kept telling me that my vigilance shouldn’t stop there. I proactively shared information with my doctors during my routine check-ups that year. At times, I felt I needed to be persuasive to get the extra tests. My doctors listened to my family history and started me on a screening regimen for early detection. Once a year, I receive an MRI and, six months later, a 3D mammogram.

Biopsy, treatment and lessons learned

Fast forward to December 2021, when I lay scared on a table in a dark room getting my first breast biopsy. The doctor performing the procedure was kind and compassionate when he told me that the tumor was likely cancerous. He knew, and I knew. As tears streamed down my face, he put his hand on mine and told me that because I had so many detailed screening images dating back to 2014, they were able to detect my cancer very early. The next day, my husband and I met with a surgeon who told me I had Stage I lobular breast cancer. It was not my mom’s cancer, but cancer, nonetheless.

I had a lumpectomy in January of this year, 12 weeks of chemotherapy and 21 consecutive days of radiation. Because my breast cancer was estrogen, progesterone and HER2 positive, I also receive an anti-hormone infusion every three weeks until February 2023. I’ll also take a hormone-blocking pill for at least 5-7 years. Luckily, my cancer had not spread to my lymph nodes and my surgeon said I was technically cancer-free after my lumpectomy. The treatments were all part of a well-documented protocol to prevent cancer from returning and to kill any microscopic cancer cells. I had scans in August, and thankfully, they were clean. I also had more genetic testing – this time, more than 70 genes – and all were negative. The genetic counselor said we might never know why I got cancer.

This journey has been an impactful full-circle moment for me and one that gives me pause every time I think about it. While she is no longer with us here on Earth, my mom – the person who gave me life – also saved my life. Without her cancer diagnosis, I likely wouldn’t have been so adamant about regular screenings. I also vowed to share information about breast cancer among circles of friends, family and colleagues. Losing her was hard, but it gives me peace knowing that I can carry on her legacy and voice by educating others about my experience with breast cancer.

I’m often asked what I learned from my experience or what I can share that might help others when a family member or friend goes through cancer.

• Be vigilant. I met many incredible cancer warriors while sitting in waiting rooms for radiation therapy or in the cancer center at John Stoddard. Too often, people said they had gone years between screenings. Or they were afraid to have a mammogram for fear doctors would find cancer. We are blessed to live in a world where modern medicine can detect cancer at its earliest stage, and when that happens, cure rates are often near 100%. Work to overcome the fear of screenings; you and your family will be grateful you did.
• Let others help. I was lucky to have friends and family offer to bring meals or do errands. It can be hard to agree to let people help. But I was so grateful to have delicious meals dropped off – even if I wasn’t hungry – it was true “comfort food” because I knew my husband didn’t have to worry about cooking or getting something for us. Or a couple of my neighbors checked in every week of chemo. I looked so forward to those visits, even if they were brief. When others faced cancer or another illness, I would often say, “Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.” I learned that most people – including me – have too much pride to ask for help. If someone you care about goes through a challenging situation, just do whatever your heart is called to do for them. They will be so appreciative.
• Understand your cancer is your cancer. Even though my cancer was caught early with an excellent prognosis, many didn’t understand why my treatment regimen seemed aggressive. Every cancer is different and requires a customized approach. I probably wouldn’t have needed chemotherapy if my cancer hadn’t been “triple positive” for the hormone receptors. However, extensive studies show that the HER2 portion of my treatment is most effective when given with a short run of chemo. Find doctors you trust, and then listen to them.

Cancer is a journey. When diagnosed, I didn’t ever want cancer to define me. However, it can shape me, and that’s OK. We’re all continuously being shaped by experiences and situations and, hopefully, learning along the way. I’ve learned that cancer will always have a space in my thoughts – managing the anxiety between scans or worrying about a new ache or pain – but I can choose how I navigate forward with strength.

While October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I encourage every month to be cancer awareness month. Get the screenings that are appropriate for your situation and be an advocate for your health!

Ann Foster Thelen is a public relations consultant who lives and works in Des Moines.

Every tractor has a story. That is why Todd Toppen collects model toy tractors that tell the story of his family’s farm over the years.

Todd enjoys restoring model toy tractors. His goal was to find all the tractors he had when he was growing up, and he is close to achieving this goal. He has the first tractor that he ever drove, the first tractor his dad purchased, and many more to represent family milestones on their farm – all of them with a personal story that Todd shares with pride.

The Toppen family has been farming for more than 100 years in Horace, North Dakota. Todd and his family farm the same ground that his parents purchased in 1958, raising wheat and soybeans.

“There was never any question I wanted to farm when I got older,” said Todd.

LeAnn and Todd met in high school. They went to their high school homecoming dance and have been together ever since. LeAnn also grew up in North Dakota in a family involved in agriculture. Her grandparents were farmers and her dad was a Case tractor dealer and a diesel mechanic. In addition to working on the farm, Leanne works at a local church.

Todd and LeAnn have three children— Kyle, Erin and Leslie. Kyle, who graduated from the University of North Dakota with a degree in accounting, is active in the Toppen day-to-day farming operation. Once the crop is harvested, Kyle spends the winter months working as a farm tax accountant. Kyle says he has three busy seasons throughout the year planting, harvest, and tax season! Kyle, his wife, Mary, and their son, Oliver live in a second house on the Toppen farm.

The Toppens’ daughters, Erin and Leslie, live in the area and often visit the farm to pitch in. “Farming is what brings our family together,” says LeAnn. Erin and her husband, Brandon, have three children — Jackson, Madelyn and Peyton — and farm near Kindred, N.D. Leslie and her husband, Chad, live in West Fargo N.D., have 3 children Lennon, Decker and Cooper.

By talking with the family, you can hear the passion in their voices they have for farming, but it hasn’t always been easy. “Not everyone can be a farmer; it takes a very special person.” says LeAnn.

When they aren’t working on the farm, the Toppens enjoy spending time at the lake with their children and their seven grandchildren. The entire family goes to Pelican Lake almost every weekend during the summer.

Todd and LeAnn really enjoy having their family close to spend time with their grandkids. Todd stated, “There isn’t much you don’t like about being a grandparent!” They also enjoy attending their grandkids’ school and sporting activities.

In North Dakota a wide variety of crops including wheat, barley, corn, soybeans, sugar beets and sunflowers are grown. The Toppens have raised all these crops over the years which makes seed sales a challenging part of their operation.

Todd became a Latham® dealer in 2014. He also grows soybeans for our company. He became familiar with Latham through a local seed company and then decided to become a dealer. Todd says he chose Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds because the company is known for producing quality products, respects their employees and provides valuable customer service. He also really enjoys how accessible the staff and owners are too!

Family is very important to the Toppens and keeps them moving forward on their operation. We are lucky to have them as a part of our Latham family! Check out Todd’s Lasagna that he shares with us today! It’s a family favorite.