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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
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
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Farming Binds this Northwest Iowa Family Together
Everly is best known for its cattlefeeders, but Keith and Joyce Kruse are proud to produce pork in this Northwest Iowa farming town with a population of approximately 600. Keith started farming by the neighboring town of Royal in 1976; Joyce joined the partnership in 1981 after the two married. This husband-wife team raises corn, soybeans, oats and are part owners of a farrowing unit.

Farming has been a tradition in the Kruse family for generations. The “home farm” located southwest of Royal, has been in the family for 118 years and is still home to Keith’s parents.

Keith and Joyce’s kids have fond memories of playing catch with their dad while waiting for the bus to come pick them up for school. They learned how to accept responsibility by growing crops and caring for livestock. Both kids showed pigs at the Clay County Fair through 4-H and FFA. They learned how to accept responsibility and work with others by growing crops and caring for livestock. Many family trips were anticipated while riding on the bean bar the night before leaving on vacation!

“We feel blessed to have raised our kids on a farm,” says Joyce. “Farming gives us the freedom to set our own hours, which was a real benefit when we were juggling farming with kids’ activities. Many nights, after coming home from the kids’ ballgames and track meets, Keith would head outside to care for the pigs or climb back in the combine. Now we appreciate the flexibility to be active in our church and farm organizations and spend time with our family.”

The Kruse’s 27-year-old son, Javan, graduated from Iowa State University and joined the family’s farming operation in 2007. He and his new bride, Danielle, live nearby. Danielle graduated from Northwestern and Mercy College of Health Sciences and works as a sonographer at the Orange City hospital. The Kruse’s 23-year-old daughter, Alecia, also graduated from Iowa State University. Although Alecia lives in Des Moines where she works in accounting and human resources for Garner Printing, she still tries to make it home every fall to run the combine on the weekends.

Family, faith, friends and farming are the heart strings that bind the Kruse family. In addition to farming full time, Keith and Joyce serve on the Clay County Pork Producers board. The Clay County Fair is an extremely busy one for them. Keith and Joyce help run The Iowa Chop Shop restaurant, volunteer in the 4-H building and give tours to 3rd and 4th graders through Ag-Citing, a program to educate and excite students about agriculture and its importance to individuals, communities, and our state.

In their spare time, Keith and Joyce enjoy cheering for the Iowa State Cyclones and the Minnesota Twins. They also enjoy traveling and say their most memorable trip by far was to Ireland for a visit while their daughter was studying abroad there. They also enjoy gardening and are eagerly awaiting the spring planting season.

In anticipation of May Strawberry Month, today Joyce is sharing one of their family’s favorite recipes for Strawberry Crunch Cake. And like any dedicated pork producer, they look for opportunities to promote their products. Joyce is also sharing a recipe for shredded pork loin, which she made for Alecia’s high school graduation party. This recipe was such a hit that she hasn’t bothered trying another one. Try it and see what you think. I, for one, am certainly looking forward to giving it a personal taste-test!

Shredded Savory Pork

This well-seasoned pork filling is used to prepare tacos or hearty sandwiches.

Prep: 15 minutes
Roast: 2.5 hours
Oven: 325°
Makes: 12 servings (about 5 cups cooked meat)

Ingredients:
- 1 3-lb boneless pork shoulder blade roast
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground red pepper
- 1 cup beef broth
- Hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls, split and toasted (optional)
Directions:
1. Trim far from meat. In a small bowl combine garlic, coriander, cumin, oregano, onion powder, salt, black pepper and red pepper; rub into the meat. Please meat in a roasting pan that has a cover; add beef broth. Cover and roast in a 325° over for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until very tender.
2. Remove meat from liquid with a slotted spoon; discard excess fat from cooking liquid, reserving the liquid. When meat is cool enough to handle, shred it using 2 forks to pull through it in opposite directions. Stir in ¼ cup of the reserved cooking liquid to use as taco filling or stir in enough cooking liquid to moisten; reheat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, and serve on toasted buns.
Crock-Pot Directions: Prepare meat as told to in Step 1 above. Place meat in a 3½ to 5-quart crock-pot; add beef broth. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Continue as left.
Team Latham

March 22, 2013

Desserts, General, Pork, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Dreaming of Spring Break Along the North Shore

As North Central Iowans were digging out from the 10 inches of snow on Monday morning, I couldn’t help but notice the irony. You see Monday was the start of our kids’ Spring Break, but it felt more like Winter Break!

The view from the top of Lookout Mountain was worth the trek through the muck and the mud!

This time last year, however, our family was hoping for fresh powder as we loaded our SUV and headed to Lutsen, Minnesota. We were looking forward to meeting friends for a few days in the Caribou Highlands where we could literally ski out the back of our rented condo and catch a gondola to the slopes.

Each morning we hit the trails early and were able to enjoy two or three hours of ski time before warm temperatures turned the slopes into slop; conditions were better suited for building snowmen and tossing snowballs than boarding or skiing.

On the third day, we totally abandoned our skiing plans and took a hike. The sun shined brightly overhead, and temperatures reached the low 70s. Conditions were nearly ideal for a 2.25-mile trek to the top of Lookout Mountain in the beautiful Cascade River State Park. Although melting snow made for muddy trails – and we hadn’t really packed gear fit for this expedition– the view from the top was worth it!

Last year our family enjoyed Spring Break in Lutsen, Minn., where we hiked through the beautiful Cascade River State Park.

Lutsen ranks as one of my favorite family vacation spots. I know our experience was enhanced because of the company we kept. Our family has fond memories of playing board games and eating at Sven & Ole’s Pizza in Grand Marais with the Luchsinger family.

It’s funny how we often associate good memories with good food… That’s why I headed to the kitchen when my heart was yearning for northern Minnesota. This week I literally got a taste of the North Shore, using the wild rice and maple syrup that I had purchased during our visit there. I also served homemade bread topped with strawberry rhubarb jam, which I had purchased in Grand Marais. Today I’m sharing not only sharing my North Shore menu, but I’m sharing my recipes on TheFieldPosition.com. I hope you enjoy this meal as much as my family did!

What’s your favorite family vacation spot? I’d love it if you’d share a related recipe with me at shannonl@lathamseeds.com.

Team Latham

March 15, 2013

General, Pork, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Æbelskivers Give 4-H Cooking Club a Taste of County History
“Having fun while learning to cook” is the goal of Franklin County’s 4-H Kitchen Krew. Club leaders are Pat Sackville and Michelle Sackville. Club members, from left to right, in the back row are: Meg Christensen, Emma Sackville, Mary Winsor, Ashlyn Hanson and Ellie Latham. Pictured in front, from left to right, are Jenna White and Keturah Sauke. Members not pictured include Benji Sauke, Max O’Dell and Anika Miller

Whether admiring the boat-shaped ceiling of Nazareth Lutheran Church in Coulter, walking through St. John’s cemetery in rural Coulter or visiting the historic Harriman-Nielsen house in Hampton, the community’s Danish heritage is apparent.

Danish heritage is also celebrated annually when local churches host an annual Æbelskiver Dinner. Æbelskivers are traditional Danish pancakes in a distinctive shape of a sphere. When translated from Danish to English, æbelskiver literally means “apple sliced.” Traditionally, a very thin slice of raw apple is pressed into the dough. Fillings also may include jam or small fruits like raisins or blueberries. After it’s baked to golden brown perfection, æbelskiver may be topped with apple sauce, baked apples, syrup, jam, brown sugar or powdered sugar.

4-H Kitchen Krew

Last Sunday members of the Kitchen Krew 4-H Club got a taste of county history during a field trip to St. John Lutheran Church in Coulter, Iowa, to see first-hand how aebelskivers are made. While the Krew didn’t actually make æbelskives that day, club members are used to making their own meeting treats. About 10 members, including my daughter, meet monthly after school at the Methodist church in Hampton.

Designed to teach life skills for members in fourth through eighth grades, the Kitchen Krew is in its second year. The mother-in-law / daughter team of Pat and Michelle Sackville decided to start the club due to Emma Sackville’s interest in spending time in the kitchen with her friends.

Each club meeting focuses on specific skills needed for contestant in the “Cook This!” youth culinary competition:
- Cutting, chopping
- Braising, broiling
- Grating, peeling, blending
Club leaders introduce tools needed and demonstrate the skills. Then club members are given as homework assignment, which involves practicing that skill at home. Roll call for the next club meeting includes each member reporting on how they practiced a given cooking skill at home. Members shared what worked well for them in the kitchen and what they learned from their experience.

Part of the “Cook This!” challenge involves a three-minute presentation, so Kitchen Krew members practice their communication skills monthly. In addition to gaining cooking skills, they talk about balanced diets and portion control.

The next challenge for Franklin County’s Kitchen Krew is catering a meal on March 19 for participants in Annie’s Project. For more information about Kitchen Krew or Annie’s Project, contact Michelle Sackville at 641-386-2138 or sackvill@iastate.edu. Farm women also may register online https://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/annie/quickregister.html.

While æbelskivers aren’t likely to be on the menu for March 19, you can have a ball with Danish aebelskivers at home. Our daughter is looking forward to making a batch of aebelskivers at Easter time with her grandparents. We’re sharing a recipe today on TheFieldPosition.com. Click here for Top-Rated Æbelskiver Pancake Recipes from Williams Sonoma: Lemon-Mascarpone, Blueberry-Filled Pancakes, Cinnamon-Bun Filled Pancakes, Spiced Apple-Filled Pancakes, and Bacon & Cheddar Filled Pancakes.
Team Latham

March 8, 2013

Desserts, General, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

San Diego, Cure for Winter Blues

Whenever I travel, this is usually my mantra: “It’s always good to go away but it’s always better to come back home.”

I love traveling to new places, trying new foods and seeing the sites. Usually, I get homesick after just three or four days away. This week, however, I couldn’t get enough of the sites or of the food in San Diego!

Take a look at today’s featured recipes shared by House of Blues San Diego Award-Winning Chef Aarón Sánchez and you’ll get a flavor of what this unique Californian city has to offer: Mexican-, Italian-, Asian- and Delta-inspired cuisine just to name a few.

Tuesday evening a group of about 40 dealers and customers of Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds had the pleasure of enjoying the House of Blue’s special creations, including a Rock & Roll Dessert Buffet. I have to admit that the mac ‘n cheese was my fave. (Seriously, I’ve never had mac done like this! It was sooo worth the calories.)

Another special treat on Tuesday was a behind-the-scenes tour of the Concert Hall and green rooms. I couldn’t help but feel somewhat giddy, knowing I was standing on the very stage where artists like Selena Gomez, Jonas Brothers, One Direction, Britney Spears and Katy Perry performed sold-out shows. (Even my two tweens were impressed!)

The House of Blues was certainly a highlight of our getaway to San Diego, which promises to the city where “happiness is calling,” and it didn’t disappoint! I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m not a City Girl, but San Diego doesn’t feel like a big city. There are plenty of things to see and do outdoors from viewing Harbor Seals in La Jolla and walking around Torrey Pines to watching the “Blue Horizons” show at Sea World and visiting the baby panda at the San Diego Zoo.

U.S.S. Midway

Other highlights of our trip included a docent-led tour of the U.S.S. Midway, dining along the boardwalk and browsing through shops in Seaport Village. Our group also enjoyed taking a gondola ride through Coronado Bay and feeling the warm sand tickle our toes along Coronado Beach.

A self-guided tour of the Hotel del Coronado makes me long to rent Some Like it Hot, starring Marilyn Monroe. Some folks in our group also visited the Kansas City Barbecue where Top Gun was filmed. Hmm… what could be better snuggling in front of the fire with a bowl of popcorn while watching a video on cold winter’s Friday night in the Midwest? TGIF!

Sunset Hills, Coronado Island, Old Town, Little Italy… this week’s trip to San Diego left me wanting more. You can bet that I’ll be back… and none too soon!

In the meantime, perhaps I’ll savor my warm memories of San Diego as I try these recipes by Chef Sanchez. I’m not sure I can make the Ahi Salad look photo-worthy, but I’m quite certain that I’ll enjoy making (and especially eating!) the Champagne Vinaigrette. ¡Buen provecho!

Team Latham

March 1, 2013

General, Recipes, Seafood