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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Get a Slice of Farm Life during Dairy Month
Sarah Mumm isn’t a typical work-from-home mom. Every morning at 6 a.m. and again every evening at 6 p.m., you’ll find her milking her 50 registered Holstein dairy cows in a picturesque white dairy barn nestled in the hills of rural Grant County Wisconsin. Owning a dairy herd has been a dream since Sarah was a little girl; she grew up on a dairy farm about 30 minutes from where she and her husband, Joe, live with their two young sons.

“People often ask why I milk 50 cows. It’s the perfect number for me because of the space we have here and the amount of time it takes to chore and milk,” says Sarah, who at age 16 got her first milking job with a family raising Jersey cattle near Cobb. That family’s optimism about the dairy business was one of the reasons Sarah attended the University of Wisconsin short course for Dairy Herd Management.

It takes Sarah about 1½ hours to complete her shift of milking. While she does the morning milking, Joe stays inside with Vincent, age 3½, and Mitchell, age 2. Joe then leaves for his seasonal job at Majestic View Dairy in Lancaster, and Sarah keeps busy with their boys. There’s a lot of “farming” to be done as the boys’ extra large sandbox is filled with tractors and equipment. They also enjoy gathering eggs from their laying hens, helping take care of the calves and taking care of their two pigs.

“We want our boys to know where their food comes from, so we raise a little bit of everything,” says Sarah with a warm smile. She and Joe met at Majestic View where she was a herdsman and he worked with the crop side of the business. It wasn’t long before Sarah bought a few cows of her own, and Joe proposed to her on the same day she started milking them.

Today Joe and Sarah operate Vin-Rose Dairy. They make their home on the same farm where Joe was raised. They raise crops 50:50 with their landlord, who lives in California and comes to stay in Wisconsin for about one month each summer.

Like father, like son. While Joe Mumm gets ready to plant corn, his son Mitchell holds up the bag of sweet corn for his patch.

“There just aren’t enough words to explain how fortunate we feel to raise our family on a farm,” says Sarah. “Our boys learn so much just by watching us. They have an understanding of life and death. They grasp that seeds get planted, so crops can be harvested for food. They learn how to care for animals. And they enjoy eating food from our garden.”

Sarah opened up her recipe box and shared some of her family’s favorites with us today on TheFieldPosition.com. Cheesy potatoes are a family favorite on Sundays, and banana bread with a class of milk is one of the boys’ favorite snacks. As a salute to America’s dairy farmers during the Dairy Days of June, take the cap off a jug of milk, open a fresh package of cheese and let the cooking begin!

Banana & Peanut Butter Smoothie

Ingredients:
- ½ cup milk
- 6 ounces plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1 fully ripe banana
- 2 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- ½ cup ice cubes
Directions:
1. Blend all ingredients, and serve immediately.
Cheesy Hash Brown Potatoes

Ingredients:
- 2 lbs frozen hash browns, thawed
- 2 cans Cream of Celery or Cream of Chicken soup
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 2 Tbsp dried minced onion
- 2 tsp salt & a dash of pepper
Topping:
- 2 cups crushed corn flakes
- 1/4 cup melted butter
Directions:
1. Mix all together and bake in a 9×13 pan at 350° for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile in small bowl mix together crushed corn flakes and melted butter with fork. Remove potatoes from oven. Sprinkle corn flakes on top of potatoes. Bake 45 minutes longer, uncovered.
Team Latham

June 7, 2013

Desserts, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

2nd Graders Get Hands-On Experience with #plant13
2nd grade students planting their corn

Second graders at Taft Elementary School in Humboldt, Iowa, are getting firsthand experience with planting Iowa’s number one crop as part of a project that begins with spring planting on a local farm and extends to next fall when, as third graders, they will harvest the crop they helped plant. Throughout the summer, they’ll have a chance to follow the crop’s progress through videos posted periodically online.

Humboldt County farmers Dean and Carol Coleman, along with their son Mike, initiated this program to help 2^nd and 3^rd grade students understand how and why farmers raise crops. The Coleman family raises corn and soybeans on their North Central Iowa farm.

“We wanted kids to have a chance to meet with the people who get their hands dirty every day,” says Carol Coleman, who served as a preschool teacher 20 years, plus is a mother of two and a grandmother of four. “We want kids to be able to put a face on farmers, who provide the basics of everyday life from food on their tables, fiber in their clothing and building materials for their houses. Basically, we want to answer the fundamental question: ‘Where does my stuff come from’?”

Farmer Dean & Farmer Mike

The Colemans had the idea for the Adopt-a-Farmer program after they listened to Bruce Vincent, a third generation logger from Montana, speak about the importance of telling your ag story.

“We decided to develop a program to make others aware of what farming is all about. Naturally, we thought of telling our story to kids. We had hosted grade school classes in the past. While they visited our farm, there wasn’t really time for us to explain farm operations. The kids had fun seeing the how much a bushel weighs and what is made from corn and soybeans. They loved climbing on the equipment and seeing the inside of the grain bin, but we wanted to create a program that would provide a more comprehensive look at agriculture. We wanted to give kids a chance to ask questions and learn facts about farming. We want them to see that food doesn’t just magically appear on grocery store shelves. We want them to learn how their food is grown.”

Dean and Carol Coleman with their sons, Nick and Mike

Prior to the planting season, the Colemans visited the classroom and introduced themselves to the students. They explained what the “Adopt-A-Farmer” program entailed and how they would like to become part of their classroom. The Colemans have provided videos of Farmer Dean and Farmer Mike doing their jobs, so students can see what’s involved with moving rock, welding equipment & grinding metal for a hitch piece for the planter or fix the tractor’s computer.

Also via video, students “rode” in the sprayer and the planter with Farmers Dean and Mike. Students then came to the Coleman farm and each planted 5 kernels of corn, themselves, in the field. Throughout the summer, students and their families can drive by and literally watch their corn plants grow. In the fall, they will come back to the farm and harvest their crop and see more things for harvest season.

“We really want all 109 students to get excited when they see crops in the field and know what is growing! Maybe they’ll even share some fun facts, which they learned on our farm, with their parents. We also want them to start understanding the difference between fact and fiction since the media doesn’t always accurately tell agriculture’s story.”

To help make a connection between the crops that are planted and the livestock that is raised with the food on our tables, today the Colemans are sharing two of their family’s favorite recipes for Taco Seasoning and Apricot Oatmeal Soy Cookies. Enjoy!

Taco Seasoning Recipe

Ingredients:
- 3 Tbls Chili powder
- 1 Tbls Salt
- 1 Tbls garlic powder
- 1½ tsp black pepper
- ¾ tsp red pepper
Directions:
1. Brown hamburger (can substitute ground turkey)
2. Then add ¼ cup of water and 1¼ teaspoon of seasoning per 1 lb. of meat.
3. Stir frequently and let slowly simmer for 15 minutes.
Try this seasoned meat on baked potato or Tostito chips with lettuce, refried beans, cheese and chip dip.

COOK’S TIP: To break up browned hamburger into fine morsels, stir with a whisk while it’s browning.
Team Latham

May 31, 2013

Desserts, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Create Peace with a Piece of Pie

The pie is finished and ready for a photo-op!

What the world needs now is pie, sweet pie!

(Sing it with me now to the tune of Dionne Warwick’s “What the world needs now is love, sweet love.” Homemade pie is synonymous with love.)

“Pie is meant for sharing. Pie connects people. Pie knows no cultural or political boundaries,” says Beth Howard, nationally acclaimed pie advocate, author and baker extraordinaire. “Pie makes people happy. And happy people make the world a better place. That’s why the world needs more pie.”

“The World Needs More Pie” is more than a philosophy for Beth. It’s become her way of life.

The American Gothic House

Beth bakes of hundreds of pies each season inside the famous American Gothic House. Yes, she lives in the American Gothic House – the one made famous by Grant Woods’ iconic painting. She also sells pie to tourists from her Pitchfork Pie Stand from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day weekend.

In the “off season,” Beth teaches pie making classes that include a tour of her private residence. You can take a virtual tour of this 130-year old Iowa farmhouse plus get a preview of Beth’s luscious pies by watching this segment on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Ingredient” (from the 21 minute mark).

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing inside the American Gothic House and attending one of Beth’s pie baking classes. (I still can’t believe it… I made the classic All-American Apple Pie inside the iconic American Gothic House. How surreal!) We were blessed by a beautiful spring day. The fragrance of blooming lilacs permeated the air as we posed for our souvenir photos outside the front porch; cinnamon and baked apples tickled our noses inside the house. Birds were chirping outside; inside laughter filled the air. It was one perfect day!

Every one of Beth Howard’s pie classes ends with a “victory pose.” From left to right are Darcy Maulsby and her mom, Beth, me and my mom.

This class was intended as a surprise birthday present for my mom; it really turned out to be a gift to me. It provided a good “work excuse” for me to spend some time with Darcy Maulsby, a fellow advocate, ISU journalism grad and guest blogger on TheFieldPosition.com. Honestly, it turned out to be a great therapy session! It was nice break from a stressful planting season plus a diversion from multiple printing deadlines. As Beth Howard quotes in the forward of her memoir, Making Piece, “Stress cannot exist in the presence of pie.”

There was no stress during our baking class. Before that day, however, I feared making pie dough. I’ll admit it. I’ve enjoyed making pies like my treasured recipe for Colorado Peach Pie or Key Lime Pie – neither of which requires a “real” crust. But ask me to make a double-crusted fruit pie for the 4-H stand at the Franklin County Fair, and I’ve been known to call for help! (“Hello, Mom!” or “Hello, Cathy!” of Cathy’s Country Cookin’ in Hampton, Iowa… I’d dial until I found someone who would answer my call.)

But that was so last year! That was before May 18, 2013, when Beth Howard shared her wisdom:

“Forget the rules! Relax. Take a free and easy approach.”
“Use your fingers like salad tongs. It’s quick! Get your hands in and out.”
“Don’t manhandle the dough. Think gentle, loving thoughts about the dough.”

Perhaps the most important lesson I learned that day was not to worry if my pie doesn’t look perfect! “Your pie looks like one-of-a-kind and homemade,”says Beth as she encouraged her students and sang their praises for a job well done. “Give yourself permission to not be perfect. Your pie looks perfectly delicious.”

Fresh, homemade apple pie seems so patriotic and a fitting way to celebrate Memorial Day. Beth’s apple pie recipe is posted below, and you can download her recipe for Shaker Lemon Pie from The World Needs More Pie website.

Of course my mom and I got to dress up and take a picture like the iconic Grant Woods painting. The one of the left is the “classic pose” and the one on the right is the “fun pose”!

Team Latham

May 24, 2013

Desserts, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Celebrate May Beef Month with Pot Roast

Every farmer I know looks forward to the beginning of a new planting season – as well as to its end! As much as Ben Jones of Spencer, Iowa, enjoys farming, he’s eagerly anticipating the end of the 2013 planting season and the beginning of a new chapter in his life.

Ben and his fiancé, Chelsea Heikens, are set to wed on June 22. Ironically, the two will be married in the building were they became reacquainted as the former Bomgaars building in Spencer has been converted into Faith Lutheran Church.

Both Ben and Chelsea were FFA members at Clay Central Everly, but Ben was a senior when Chelsea was a freshman. It was a few years – and many trips to Bomgaar’s – later, before the two reconnected.

“At the time, I was working fulltime for a farmer from spring through fall and working construction in the winter. It seemed like I was always going into Bomgaars for one thing or another. Once I realized Chelsea was working there, I might have come up with a few more reason to head into town,” says Ben with a shy smile.

Growing up on the farm and being active in both 4-H and FFA, helped Ben and Chelsea develop a love of the land and a passion for livestock. As a member of the Clay Raiders 4-H Club, Ben’s favorite 4-H project areas were cattle and hogs.

“I learned a lot about managing livestock and the importance of keeping accurate records,” he says of his 4-H experience. “You learn from your experiences and look for ways to continually better your operation.”

Such 4-H life skills are still in practice today as Ben helps his dad with the family’s Black Angus-mix cow-calf operation. Ben runs his own custom baling business, as well. He also still helps a local farmer, who Ben credits for interesting him in precision farming. They use GPS data to increase overall farm profitability by managing nitrogen and planting at variable rates.

Seed selection and seed placement are also key factors in increasing profit per acre. This is where Ben and Chelsea can team up as they get their Latham® seed dealership off the ground. This summer Chelsea is interning with a co-op. After earning an agronomy degree this December, she’ll pursue full-time employment in agronomy.

With two busy schedules, Ben and Chelsea plan ahead to spend time together often while enjoying a good meal. The two of them even cooked up their own recipe for Pot Roast. And in honor of May Beef Month, they’re sharing it today on TheFieldPosition.com. Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner!

Team Latham

May 17, 2013

Beef, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Sweet & Sour: This Recipe Describes Our Spring Weather, Too!

You might say that farming is in Ben Rein’s blood. His great, great grandfather homesteaded around Highland, Minnesota, in 1884. Farming is a tradition that has continued throughout the generations.

“I’ve been farming for as long as I can remember,” says Ben, who grew up on a family farm and started farming full time in 1997 by custom baling hay and renting 160 acres. He shared equipment with his dad and uncle, who were farming together at that time. They ran a 100-sow, farrow-to-finish operation. They also raised 200 registered Angus cows, selling bulls and heifers. In 2005, Ben’s dad went to work for him. Today they grow corn and alfalfa. They also milk 65 cows and finish fat cattle.

Ben said he wanted to try Latham® products because the company is independent and family owned. He’s stayed with the company because the corn really yields. “I’ve been planting Latham for two years and have had a great experience,” he says. “The people I work with are very knowledgeable and accessible. The seed corn I used last year yielded 200 to 230 bushels, and it was the only corn that stood against the wind and rootworm issues we dealt with.”

While Ben tends to the crops and livestock, his wife Amber stays busy on the home front. The couple lives on the farm Ben’s grandfather bought in 1952, and it’s where they’re raising their five children: Steven, 14; Jaime, 12; Nora, 10; Kimberly, 8; and Rachel, 4.

“Living on a family farm allows us to spend time together working and playing,” says Ben. “It’s the perfect place for kids to develop a good work ethic and to discover their interests. Some of our kids are interested in horses while others enjoy working with calves. There are just so many different things our kids can explore.”

The Rein children are also involved in a lot of activities at school. During the summer months, they enjoy camping. During the winter months, Ben enjoys restoring antique John Deere tractors.

Like most farmers, Ben enjoys promoting the products he raises. Today, in honor of May Beef Month, the Reins are sharing one of their family’s favorite recipes for Sweet and Sour Meatballs. Crock-pot recipes like this are perfect for the spring planting season, so give it a try and let us know what you think!

Team Latham

May 10, 2013

Beef, Food & Family, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Bonin’s of North Iowa Live with Love of Agriculture
Joy & Dave Bonin

Warm weather means Joy Bonin can look through the patio window and take in her favorite view, watching black cattle grazing in the green pasture. Her husband, Dave, jokingly calls their cows and calves “lawn ornaments” because she comments so often about what a pretty picture the cattle make.

The Bonins raise Angus and Black Baldies bred to an Angus bull near Belmond in Wright County, Iowa. Their farm includes 40 acres of creek pasture where the cattle graze in the summer months. They also grow corn, and they’ve been contract Latham® soybean growers for approximately 35 years.

Dave and Joy began farming 46 years ago. For the past 44 years, they’ve lived on a farm that Joy’s grandparents purchased in 1950. Joy’s father purchased the farm in 1986, and ever since then she and Dave have farmed it. It is now owned by the Bonin’s and Joy’s four siblings. It’s also where they raised their two children, Michelle and David.

“The farm is a great place to raise a family because there are so many things to do and so many wide open spaces to roam,” says Joy. “Both of our children have a very good work ethic and we believe it’s because they learned to work alongside their parents.”

The Bonin’s daughter, Michelle, earned a bachelor’s degree from Drake University and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago. She works as a financial services consultant for Deloitte. Her husband, Mike, recently started his own business. They also stay busy with their two children, Madilyn, age 11½, and Matthew, age 8½.

Dave & David

The Bonin’s son, David, plays an active role in the family’s farming operation. He and his son Colton do cattle chores daily, as well as farm in partnership with Dave and Joy. David is an electrician and has his own business with three additional employees. His wife, Rachel, works part-time at Fareway and stays busy keeping up with their five active children. Mike & Colton work for David, Zach will be a senior at UNI majoring in accounting, Liberty is graduating from Belmond-Klemme this Spring and will be attending DMACC majoring in Entrepreneurship. Cole just completed his sophomore year at Belmond-Klemme.

With seven grandchildren, Dave and Joy have a busy calendar! They enjoy attending as many sporting events and recitals as possible. They also enjoy weekend visits to Glen Carbon, Illinois. In addition, they’re active in their community. Dave serves on the Belmond Community Housing board and the Art Council. He enjoys pencil drawing and riding motorcycle in his spare time. Joy serves as their church’s bookkeeper plus teaches Vacation Bible School. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, gardening and baking.

Because Joy has worked off-farm at Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds for nearly 43 years, she values meals that are quick, easy and flavorful. Joy often relies on beef when she prepares supper and takes it to the field during planting and harvest.

Today Joy is sharing a couple of her favorite seasonal recipes with us, one for Rhubarb Crunch Cake and another for Beef & Rice Casserole. Enjoy!

Cherry Rhubarb Crunch by Joy Bonin

Crust:
- 2 ½ cups oatmeal
- ¾ cup flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup margarine
Filling:
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 T. cornstarch
- 1 cup water
- 1 can cherry pie filling
- 4 cups diced rhubarb
- 1 t. almond extract
Crust: Combine ingredients and cut together to make crumbs. Save ¾ c. crumbs for top; put rest of crumbs in a 9X13 in. pan

Filling: In sauce pan, combine sugar, cornstarch and water and cook until thick. Remove from heat and add pie filling, rhubarb, and almond extract. Pour over crumbs and sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Bake at 350° F. for 40 minutes.
Shannon Latham

May 3, 2013

Beef, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Celebrate Soy Foods Month with Key Lime Pie

Vanessa Kummer, Chairman United Soybean Board (USB)/Soy Checkoff , Blaine & Paul (Photo credit from Farm and Ranch Guide.)

Increasing the value of U.S. soy meal and oil, maintaining farmers’ freedom to operate, as well as meeting customers’ needs for high-quality soy products are strategic objectives of the United Soybean Board (USB). They’ve also been a personal mission for North Dakota farmer Vanessa Kummer, who has served on the USB board for the past decade.

“I really hope my involvement opens the door for more women and helps empower them to believe they deserve to have a seat at the table,” says Vanessa, who was the first woman to be elected as USB chairperson and the first North Dakotan elected to this position.

Thirty percent of U.S. farms are operated by women, and an even higher percentage of farming operations involve women along with other family members. Women’s roles in farming are changing as more women are earning business degrees and even MBAs before returning to their family farms. That’s why Vanessa believes it’s important for women to be active in the industry and represented in leadership positions.

When asked how more women can become involved in agricultural organizations, Vanessa said, “Show up to meetings regularly, ask questions and participate.” As one of three female panelists at the Top Producers Executive Women in Agriculture event last December in Chicago, she said the amount of misinformation being spread about farming is a real concern. She also said that more and more consumers are being misled by media.

Consumer outreach was one of Vanessa’s main focuses while serving as USB chair. She worked with leadership within the National Corn Growers Association to launch the CommonGround^TM program aimed at addressing consumers’ food concerns by sharing facts about farming and dispelling food myths. CommonGround focuses on women-to-women communications to bridge the gap between rural and urban areas. It involves a group of volunteer farmer participants, representing all sectors of agriculture.

“Food safety concerns can affect our freedom to farm,” says Vanessa. “That’s why U.S. farmers must connect with consumers. It’s important to share our stories and promote understanding. If we don’t give consumers the facts about U.S. agriculture, then who will?”

Vanessa recently finished serving her term as USB chair, but she remains active within the industry and in her community. But being active is nothing new to Vanessa. She’s held leadership positions within several organizations during the past 35 years that’s she’s been farming.

Vanessa has been active on the United Soybean Board for the past decade. Her service included four years on the USB executive committee including two as chair for the Communications Program. As USB Vice-Chair, she also served as chair for the Global Opportunities Program and as team lead for the USB Strategic Planning Team. She has termed off USB, but continues to serve as a director for the United States Soybean Export Council (USSEC), the international marketing arm for USB and the American Soybean Association (ASA).

On the state level, Vanessa has served the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association as a board member, treasurer and past president. She also has been active with the North Dakota Corn Growers. She served as a 4-H leader and as softball coach, plus she’s a member of the North Dakota State college of Science’s Athletic Hall of Fame. In addition, Vanessa is active in her local church.

Vanessa and her husband, Paul, continue to operate their family farm. Their daughter, Rachael, is a math teacher in Colorado. Their son and daughter-in-law, Blaine and Megan, farm with them south of Fargo where they raise sugar beets, corn and soybeans.

As a soybean grower, Vanessa sings agriculture’s praises by advocating for America’s soybean farmers. That’s why, in celebration of April Soyfoods Month, Vanessa is sharing with us one of her favorite recipes for Key Lime Pie.

Team Latham

April 26, 2013

Desserts, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

DIY, Build Your Own Burger Bar
“DIY” is the buzzword among people who enjoy making crafts and repurposing antiques, but we all know that “do it yourself” was a farmer’s motto long before the advent of Pinterest! With that said, however, I have found many inspiring “build your own burger bar” ideas on Pinterest. I’m not sure what intrigues me most about this concept – the idea that this type of building doesn’t actually involve a hammer and nails or the fact that the end result is so tantalizing for the taste buds.

Burgers are the top of the list of my all-time favorite foods, so I enjoy taking a self-guided burger tour across Iowa while traveling the state to visit Latham® dealers and customers. I’m always on a mission to find a recipe that I can share on TheFieldPosition.com.

Roscoe’s Burger, one of the top burgers in Iowa

I’ve had the pleasure of taste-testing burgers from some of the Top 10 restaurants in Iowa’s Best Burger Contest. I loved the signature “Roscoe’s sauce” at Roscoe’s in Norwalk. I also enjoyed every bite of a Rodeo Burger, topped with pepper straws, at the 1^st Street Grill in Keosauqua in southeast Iowa. (I wonder if I could make them at home, similar to onion strings, only substituting onions for green pepper strips. Hmm…)

My burger fetish started in 2011 when the Iowa Beef Council treated us to “tailgate lunches” during the WHO Radio – Latham Seeds Crop Tour. Michelle delivered gourmet burgers, fresh and hot, to the fields where we were broadcasting “The Big Show” live. They also shared tips on how we could make tastier burgers at home. The number one mistake people make is squishing burgers with a spatula; they literally squeeze all of the flavorful juices out of the meat.

To grill like a master, the Iowa Beef Council offers these grilling tips:
1. - Grill burgers and steaks over medium heat.
  - Use a long-handled spatula to turn burgers and tongs to turn steaks.
  - Remove beef from the grill when the temperature reaches 10° below the desired doneness.
  - Never leave food out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours. If the temperature is above 90°F, food should not be left out more than 1 hour.
    Keep hot food hot — at or above 140°F. Place cooked food in chafing dishes, preheated steam tables, warming trays, and/or slow cookers.
    Keep cold food cold — at or below 40°F. Place food in containers on ice.
  - Plan your menu early. Do prep work a day or two prior.
Because we “eat with our eyes first,” it’s important to make sure your condiments are as pleasing to one’s eyes as the burgers are to the tongue! Food that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye may help trigger appetite. Plus, food that is prepared and displayed well may also entice someone to eat what they’d otherwise avoid.

Make your condiments more appealing by displaying them attractively as part of a burger bar. Check out all the Pinterest-inspired ideas that we’ve pinned to the Latham Seeds “burger board.” If you decide to experiment on your own, I’d love to see your creations. Feel free to send your photos to shannonl@lathamseeds.com.

If you’re feeling inspired to mix up some burgers this week, try Rachel Ray’s version of the Tex-Mex Bacon Cheeseburger. The chipotle ketchup is simple to make and definitely complements the burger. I recommend serving these burgers with a side of fresh pineapples and strawberries plus Mexican fruit dip.
Shannon Latham

April 19, 2013

Beef, General, Recipes
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

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