Although October is officially 4-H Month and National Pork Month, these two are celebrated daily by this Story County farm family. Bryce and Beth Caple of Maxwell have been farming together since they both graduated from Iowa State University and were married in 1994.
“We encouraged our kids to become involved in 4-H because we knew first-hand the benefits of the 4-H program,” says Beth. “The skills they make will be invaluable to their futures, and the friends they make will last a life time.”
Bryce and Beth were both nine-year 4-H members. Bryce’s favorite 4-H project was swine and he especially enjoyed showing at the county and state fairs. He also attended Citizenship Washington Focus as a high school student. As a 4-H volunteer, Bryce has served as swine superintendent at the Story County Fair for about 15 years. He also was in charge of county livestock judging contests for several years.
Beth served three years as the president of her local 4-H Club. She served on the Delaware County Council for two years and also was selected to serve on the Iowa State 4-H Council. She also attended Citizenship Washington Focus and traveled to Switzerland through the International Four-H Youth Exchange (IFYE). Beth’s favorite 4-H project areas were visual arts and foods, plus she enjoyed showing dairy cattle. She continued being involved in the 4-H program as an adult volunteer, serving four years as a Clover Kid leader. Beth is currently serving her second year as 4-H club leader and also serves on the Story County 4-H Foundation.
The Caples
With experiences like this, it’s no wonder all three of the Caple children are active in the 4-H program. Drake, 15, and Creighton, 14, have taken flower gardening and food plus hogs to the county fair. Hannah, 11, is involved with all three of those projects plus she takes visual arts and sewing projects. They’ve all received top awards and purple ribbons. Each child has also exhibited a champion flower garden, as well.
These avid Iowa State fans enjoy their season tickets to Cyclone football and women’s basketball games. When traveling to Ames, it’s a tradition to tailgate in the football stadium parking lot. That’s why today Beth is sharing a go-to tailgating recipe for Slow Cooked Texas Pulled Pork. It’s also a perfect “fix it and forget it” recipe to serve during fall harvest – or anytime of the year!
A few readers asked if she would be willing to share recipes for Hocus-Pocus Pumpkin Bars and Stunning Spider Web Chocolate Cupcakes, so… we’re sharing these two recipes with you today. It’s unusual for us to post recipes on Monday, but we wanted to make sure you’d have every recipe need to create your own frightfully fun meal for this holiday.
I’m also sharing a few links of my own in case you’re in need of ideas for classroom parties:
No tricks here—just easy, Halloween-themed recipes from my kitchen to yours that will wow your family and friends!
I had fun preparing these treats for a cooking class I taught on Oct. 25 at The Elements in Storm Lake, Iowa. I showed the audience how to make Spooky Spiced Spider Cider, followed by hearty Jack O’Lantern Pot Pie, with a side of Crazy-Good Carrots. After sampling some luscious Hocus-Pocus Pumpkin Bars, we enjoyed the grand finale of Stunning Spider Web Chocolate Cupcakes.
These simple, flavor-packed recipes are sure to frighten away your fears of preparing a crowd-pleasing meal!
In celebration of National Pumpkin Month, we’re taking the classroom outdoors to Enchanted Acres Pumpkin Patch in Sheffield. This month I’ll have an opportunity to host classes from six different school districts with students ranging in age from preschool to 6th grade.
Special thanks toAg in the Classroom for helping provide educational learning tools that are age-appropriate. This morning I’m looking forward to helping a preschool class make a mobile that illustrates the pumpkin life cycle. This afternoon I’m looking forward to leading a math lesson for a group of 2nd and 3rd graders. We’re going to measure the circumference of different pumpkins, as well as weigh them. All age groups will get to walk into the patch and pick their perfect pumpkin.
Last week children were able to pick an ear of corn off the stalk in the field, shell it into their hands and then feed our four goats. (I just loved hearing their giggles as they feed the animals.) Another hit was petting our mini lop rabbits, Fluffy and Patches.
It’s my goal that students have as much fun as they can while learning where their food comes from. They’ll also learn that Iowa’s corn and soybean crops are used to provide feed for livestock and humans alike.
We’re helping teach students that seeds – in this case pumpkin seeds – grow into plants that then flower and bear fruit. Pumpkin can be used to make a number of delicious foods from roasted seeds to muffins. We even mix up Pumpkin Pie in a bag and talk about the nutritional value of pumpkins.
Did you know that, like carrots, pumpkin is a great source of beta-carotene? Beta-carotene, as it converts in our bodies to vitamin A, performs many important functions in overall health. Current research indicates that a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protect against heart disease.
So, mix up a batch of delicious Pumpkin Muffins. You won’t have to feel guilty about the indulgence because, after all, pumpkin is a good-for-you fruit! Let your kids join the fun by mixing up this easy-to-make Pumpkin Pie in a Bag. If we can mix it up in a pumpkin patch with a group of four-year-olds, you can certainly do it at home. Best of all, you can make this pie without making a mess – or having to do a sink full of dishes. Enjoy!
As a corn product specialist, I always look forward to fall harvest. It brings closure to the growing season as I get to see how some of my favorite products performed plus get a sneak peek at products that could potentially become part of Latham’s lineup in the future. I also greatly enjoy riding in the combine with customers because I believe the “best seat in the house” is next to them.
But as much as I love farming, fall wouldn’t really be complete without a visit with my family to a pumpkin patch! It’s become a family tradition for my wife, Meg, and I to take our kids to Pinters Pumpkin Patch just west of Decorah in northeast Iowa. (By the way, Decorah is a beautiful town in any season. You can experience the area’s Norwegian heritage while site seeing. I’d highly recommend a trip there if you’ve never been – or a return visit if it’s been a while since you’ve been there. I know that I’m biased, but even Midwest Living magazine named Decorah as one of the top 100 best small town getaways!)
Each time we visit the pumpkin patch, our kids are sure to have a fun time. They especially love the Giant Jumping Pillow and playing in the Corn Bin (like a sandbox but with corn kernels instead). Other family favorites include taking a wagon ride to the pumpkin patch and feeding the goats. There is also an amazing bakery on site. (Just thinking about those baked goods makes me want to head there now!)
Noah and our BIG pumpkin
In addition to visiting the pumpkin patch, we make an annual trip to the apple orchards in Gays Mills, Wisconsin. We enjoy making our own homemade applesauce. This year we pressed our own apple cider for the first time! Also this fall our family entered Clermont’s Great Pumpkin Contest for the second year. Our pumpkin wasn’t the biggest, but it was the brightest. That counts for something, right? 🙂
Other favorite fall activities are wild mushroom hunting and raking our leaves – and then jumping in them, of course! We also enjoy tasting the fruits of the season. Our pre-schoolers love to snack on roasted pumpkin seeds, and our entire family enjoys relaxing weekend mornings when we can savor pumpkin pancakes. That’s why today we’re sharing our favorite pumpkin pancake recipe with you. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy it as much as we do!
by Kourtney Determan, Marketing Communications Intern
Being an avid Iowa State football and tailgating fan can be especially tricky during harvest season. Our family is relatively new to this particular fall tradition, so we needed to find a way to make foods that were easy, tasty and fun.
Fruit pizza is always a favorite at our tailgate, but it’s also a time-consuming dessert. The time it took to make this dessert each home football weekend began to wear everyone down. We started looking for solutions. Instead of baking one large sugar cookie crust, I decided to bake individual sugar cookies. In the spirit of the season, I like to make the cookies in the shape of footballs. Other cookies are in the shape of pigs because we are such a pork promoting family. Pig-shaped cookies are especially appropriate this month since October is Pork Month.
Making sugar cookies has turned from a chore into a fun time, thanks to “baking parties” with my college friends in Ames. We bake up a large batch of cookies and then freeze them in small freezer bags. That way we can take out the number we need before each game, My mom, Barb Determan, makes the frosting and cuts the fruit. We make a simple frosting – cream cheese and Cool Whip. Whip these two ingredients together, put them in a sealed container, and throw it the cooler.
Next we choosefive to six of our favorite fresh fruits that differ in color, taste and texture. The morning of the game, we cut the fruit into small pieces. One thing we learned with the smaller, personal version of fruit pizza is thatthe fruit pieces must be fairly small to allow each person to have a variety. We usually put them in a relish tray for easy transport. Fortunately, we found an economical tray that is deep enough for a good amount of each fruit yet small for the ease of transport in the cooler.
At the tailgate, we set up an “assembly line” featuring a plate of cookies, the frosting and tray of fruit. Each person makes his or her own, selecting the varieties of fruit and putting as much as he or she wants on the personal pizza. We love this method for several reasons: no one now picks off the fruit he or she didn’t like; we can offer a larger selection of fruit choices (don’t have to leave something off one person doesn’t like); plus it divides the labor (one person bakes, one person brings the topping and fruit and everyone assembles). It saves a huge amount of time!
Of course, we always serve fruit pizza with a pork item that is grilled: pork chop on a stick, flavored brats and even bacon or sausage for the early morning games.
Weather like we’ve experienced this week is just one of the many reasons that autumn is my favorite season. I love cool mornings followed by warm afternoons. I really enjoy walking through the woods with our Black Lab, Bailey, as the foliage paints the skyline crimson and gold. I also look forward to baking fall treats like apple crisp or pumpkin bars and trying new casseroles using fruits of the season.
This year I tried my hand at growing Amish, or neck squash. We had such a good crop that I’m able to sell some at our newly opened Enchanted Acres Pumpkin Patch, plus I brought some home to try. Because neck squash looks and tastes similar to butternut squash, I spent a few minutes searching online for a recipe that sounded quick, easy and delicious. During my search, I came across this blog from Ohio’s Amish Country. The author makes broiled veggies, even butternut squash, sound delicious! Read this excerpt below and see if you agree:
Something I discovered some time ago is broiling fresh vegetables. I simply wash and cut up whatever is in season, including broccoli, cauliflower, butternut squash and all kinds of peppers. I allow them to air dry and lightly coat them with olive oil. I season them with garlic salt, Lawry’s seasoning or just plain kosher salt. I also love to grind some fresh pepper across their delicious cut-up pieces. I pop a heavy gauge cookie sheet in the oven (on the top rack) and broil the veggies until they are a dark caramel color- sometimes the broccoli even appears burnt! But don’t let that fool you; it is rich, full-flavored and unbelievably tasty.
Another recipe that caught my attention was Butternut Squash Soup. While attending a business meeting earlier this week in Minneapolis, I taste tested a cup of “seasonal squash soup.” It was unusual and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
Admittedly, I’m a bit of a traditionalist. I just love baked squash topped with Real® butter and brown sugar with a slice of browned bacon on top. (Bacon makes everything better!) That’s why today I’m sharing with you recipe that’s on the top of my “must try” list. This Butternut Squash Bake sounds like the perfect complement to pork loin. Mmmm… just thinking about it makes me want to head into the kitchen right now!
Keep the grill fired up during football season. Whether you’re filling up the stadium parking lot with the aromas of grilled burgers and steaks or tempting guests with smoked beef brisket at home, beef is the perfect way to celebrate your team to victory!
Tailgating Tips:
Grill like a master:
Grill burgers and steaks over medium heat.
Check for medium heat by cautiously holding the palm of your hand above the grate at cooking height. Count the number of seconds you can hold your hand in that position before the heat forces you to pull it away; it’s approximately four seconds for medium heat.
Use a long-handled spatula to turn burgers and tongs to turn steaks.
Don’t press, flatten or pierce the meat as flavorful juices will be lost.
Remove beef from grill when temperature reaches 10° below desired doneness.
Beef continues to cook when removed from grill; allow beef to “rest” by tenting loosely with foil for 10 minutes.
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 before the game.
Chili, stew, meatballs, taco meat or brisket can be prepared the day before the game giving you more time to enjoy the tailgating festivities!
If you don’t want to haul the grill, make these quick and easy Beef Rollups the night before. They work great as an appetizer before or after the game or as a no-mess lunch. For added flavor, stir in ranch dressing, blue cheese or horseradish to the cream cheese.
Selling Seed, Canning Kraut and Racing Turtles are Brandt Family Tradition
First year that I got into seed business with dad. Together, we hired the most new Krueger dealers that year.
Greg Brandt grew up in the seed business on a farm near Westbrook in southwestern Minnesota, but he took quite a different path before making it his career.
Upon graduating from high school in 1985, Greg attended vocational school for electricity and electronics. A job as an electrical inspector for Windings, Inc., took him to New Ulm. He worked his way into a position as Quality Assurance manager and was involved with inspecting parts for NASA, as well aircraft instrumentation for President Regan’s helicopter. He enjoyed his job immensely and switching careers wasn’t on his mind at the time.
“One day my dad gave me a call said he’d grown his seed business to a point where he needed to divide the territory,” says Greg. “He asked me to join him, and honestly, I couldn’t tell him ‘no.’ Dad had worked so hard to get his seed business to that point, so I decided to assist him. Then in 1995, Krueger divided the state of Minnesota in half. Dad covered half as a District Sales Manager, and I covered the other half. We worked together until 2004.”
Now after working for nearly two decades in the seed business, Greg says he can’t imagine working in any other industry. He really enjoys the strong relationships he has with his dealers. Greg appreciates how, as an independent company, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds keeps its focus on helping farmers.
Makayla & Speedy. He really was speedy winning first place.
Greg also appreciates how the company puts family first and looks for opportunities to bring families together. His wife, Heather, and two daughters, Makayla (who will be 11 in two weeks) and Amber (age 9), have enjoyed attending Latham’s summer sales meetings. They also greatly enjoy spending weekends at by the Boy River near Longville where they enjoy feeding the ducks and racing turtles. It’s become their tradition to catch turtles in the spring and race them on Wednesday afternoons at the Longville Turtle Races. Longville is just a short drive from Nisswa, where turtle racing originated 47 years ago.
This coming Labor Day weekend Greg, Heather and their girls will be soaking up the final days of “summer vacation”. The day after Labor Day school resumes. Heather will begin her thirteenth year as a special education teacher; both girls attend elementary school in New Ulm.
Anyone who’s heard of New Ulm knows the community is deeply rooted in German heritage, so it really came as no surprise to me when Greg served brats and kraut at our From the Field spring planting broadcast. What did surprise me is that the kraut was homemade – and that Greg had a hand in making it. It was so good that I had to ask for his recipe! Thankfully, his mother has agreed to share it with all of us on TheFieldPositon.
Front Row (Left to Right): Christy Johnson-Lynch, ISU Head Volleyball Coach; Brandon Hagie and Kevin Jackson, ISU Head Wrestling Coach Second Row (Left to Right): Barb Hagie (Wife of John Hagie); Taylor Hagie; Alan Hagie and Lisa Hagie Third Row (Left to Right): Steve Dunker; Bill Fennelly, ISU Head Women’s Basketball Coach; Paul Rhoads, ISU Head Football Coach; Julie (Hagie) Dunker; John Hagie; Fred Hoiberg, ISU Head Men’s Basketball Coach; Jamie Pollard, ISU Director of Athletics; John Walters, Voice of the Cyclones and CY.
Guest Blog by Hagie family of Clarion
From one family-owned agribusiness to another, Hagie Manufacturing. congratulates Latham Seeds on 65 years of success! We look forward to celebrating with Latham supporters at the Country Fair and Fourth Annual Latham Freedom of Independence Ride, taking place in Alexander, Iowa, this Saturday, August 25!
Hagie Manufacturing. is both proud and humbled by the fact that today, we continue 65 years of innovation and service to the agriculture industry. As a family owned, rural Iowa agribusinesses, Hagie Mfg. has many likenesses with Latham Seeds. Perhaps one of the most interesting commonalities ties back to Hagie’s history in the seed business. Ray Hagie never intended to build the world’s first self-propelled sprayer, as his intentions were to grow hybrid seed corn.
The Hagie story began in 1933, when Ray Hagie graduated from Iowa State College and returned to his family farm, armed with a degree in animal husbandry and an entrepreneurial mindset. One of Ray’s first decisions on the farm post-college was to dedicate 1.5 acres of the farm to experiments with hybrid seed corn. Three years later, a drought hit. The hybrids withstood the challenge, and so did Ray, as the hybrid operation grew exponentially. In 1944, Hagie’s Hybrids opened a seed corn plant in Clarion, Iowa.
Ray was born an innovator, and his wheels continued to turn as his hybrid operation grew. His desire to further improve his own operation and that of his neighboring farmers resulted in a vision. In 1946, to help reduce the painstaking time associated with detasseling, Ray developed a self-propelled “personnel mover.” Ray’s innovation continued as the release of 2-4Dow, known today as 2-4D, hit the market and he saw an opportunity for producers to increase application efficiencies by spraying with a self-propelled chassis. In 1947, Ray invented the world’s first self-propelled sprayer. The originality and efficiency of the product created high demand, and in 1948, Hagie Manufacturing was born.
Three generations, millions of acres and over 65 years later, Hagie Mfg. provides the most innovative crop protection solutions in the industry and a superior customer experience, while building on the same family owned traditions and values. John Hagie, son of founder, Ray Hagie, served as the company President from 1981-2010. John’s committed to the growth of Hagie Mfg. has resulted in many innovations and successes. With great passion to grow the cattle side of the family farm operation, John’s dedication has resulted in Cyclone Trace today being a nationally recognized breeder of purebred Shorthorn cattle. In 2010, Alan Hagie, grandson of founder, Ray Hagie, took over as the third generation President of Hagie Mfg., who is honored to also raise corn and soybeans on the same land that his grandfather and father once managed – Hagie Farms. “We are able to understand our customers’ needs because we are in the same business,” according to Alan Hagie.
As a rural Iowa agribusiness, Ray grew Hagie Manufacturing around a core commitment to his community, his employees, and his industry. Today, Hagie Mfg. continues to have an incredible impact on our community, with over 350 Hagie employees, families, and vendors, along with thousands of community members and customers who rely on our continued support. We strive to be as innovative with our people as we are with our products by offering employees an invigorating environment that encourages innovation and instills a true sense of purpose. We are more than co-workers, we are family. Clarion, Iowa has been our home for over 65 years. We never lose sight of the fact that we are not members of a city, but of a community deserving dedicated resources, support and appreciation. According to Alan Hagie, “Solid, continuous growth is a non-negotiable aspect of our future so that we can continue to provide opportunities and support to our community.”
“It is a privilege leading a company that my grandfather envisioned 65 years ago. Those philosophies that were present at our founding are still present today – whether we’re celebrating our individual and team successes, or facing challenges, we practice humility, listen with respect, have the courage to admit we don’t know everything, and the knowledge that accepting such is the only way we will improve and grow. Our intent has never to be the biggest. It has always been to be the best. Each day represents just one of the many chapters in the Hagie Manufacturing story; with eager anticipation, we turn the page – and together – continue the story,” says Alan Hagie.
It is a privilege to work with Latham Seeds, as a family owned agribusiness that represents strong core values and is committed to sustaining and growing agricultural in rural Iowa. Congratulations to Latham Seeds for 65 stellar years in agriculture. Here’s to your next 65!
