Building a Family Business

Jake’s business partners, Ben Steele and Seth Maxwell, along with a talented team that includes agronomy, precision ag, shop and seed specialists, have helped MCS thrive. At home, Jake and his wife, Jamie, are raising three kids — Ella, Emmett and Ensley — all while staying deeply rooted in their community through school activities, local sports, and church.

“I can’t see myself doing anything outside of ag,” Jake says. “We love building relationships, helping customers succeed and being part of a family company like Latham.”

Choosing Latham Seeds

The MCS team first learned about Latham Seeds when a district sales manager visited their office and shared the Latham story. From the start, they were impressed with the family-first mentality and no-pressure sales approach.

“Meeting John and Shannon Latham in Alexander was key,” Jake explains. “The warm welcome, the plant tour, the support — it felt like we mattered from day one. Plus, Latham products consistently perform in the field, running right alongside the biggest names in the industry.”

Supporting Seeds of Hope

One of the things that makes MCS stand out is its commitment to giving back. This year, Jake and his team are once again pledging $1 per unit of Seeds of Hope hybrids sold to support the American Cancer Society. Their donation will directly support Latham’s Final Drive for 75 campaign — a goal to raise $75,000 in honor of the company’s 75th anniversary.

“It’s important for us to be part of something bigger than ourselves,” Jake says. “We’ve all been impacted by cancer in some way, and this is a way we can make a difference.”

A Dealer Who Rocks (Literally)

Jake’s passion for farming and seed sales is matched by his love for music. A lifelong drummer, he’s played in bands since age 13, even winning a “Battle of the Bands” contest that earned him the chance to open for national rock acts. These days, he still plays occasionally with his dad’s old band, and with his kids’ busy sports schedules, he’s happy to keep the beat both on and off the farm.

Whether it’s selling seed, supporting customers, raising a family or giving back through Seeds of Hope, Jake Edmondson and Montezuma Crop Service are proof that independent dealers are at the heart of what makes Latham Seeds special.

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Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Dill Pickle Slaw

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Equipment

• 3 bowls
• 1 pan

Ingredients

Chicken + Marinade

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ½ Tablespoon minced garlic
• ½ Tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large chicken breast about 8 oz.

Dill Pickle Slaw

• ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon avocado oil mayo
• 1 Tablespoon pickle juice
• 2 stalks green onion chopped
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves
• ½ cup sliced dill pickles
• Salt + pepper to taste
• Coleslaw mix

Spicy Mayo

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoons sriracha sauce or to taste
• 1 teaspoons honey optional
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice optional
• ¼ teaspoon minced garlic optional

Instructions

Chicken + Marinade and Dill Pickle Slaw

• Whisk marinade ingredients in a bowl.
• Slice the chicken breast in half, pound to ½ inch thickness, and toss in marinade.
• In a separate bowl, mix all slaw ingredients until well combined.
• Grill chicken 5-6 minutes per side or until fully cooked.
• Toast the buns and stir together spicy mayo.
• Assemble sandwiches: bottom bun with spicy mayo, grilled chicken, slaw, then top bun.

Spicy Mayo

• Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
• Allow to rest in the refrigerator before serving.

Today, Ramon says he’s proud to be “100% Latham” for more than a decade. He’s a fourth-generation farmer in Grafton, continuing to work with his parents and one cousin. Ramon’s dad runs the combine in the fall; his mom runs the grain cart. Ramon and his wife, Sara, have two boys: Raiden and Brantly. Last year, Ramon was thrilled that Raiden ran the tractor by himself for the first time.

“He can run about anything. He’s done the grain cart and the big tractor with the disc,” Ramon says of his boy. “He’s done skid loaders. But it was good to see him going solo in the tractor.”

Ramon’s loyalty to Latham Seeds stems from years of proven product performance and family-owned customer service. When he started experimenting with moving to more conventional corn, Ramon says Latham supported him with product suggestions that fit well in his family’s operation.

“Latham is a regional company that selects hybrids and varieties that fit my area,” he says. “That’s important to my business.”

Personalized service has been important to Ramon’s success, too. A self- proclaimed “old-school” farmer, Ramon says he enjoys working with an independent company with leaders who know him by name. He calls it a “charm” that larger seed brands don’t understand.

“I like working with family-owned companies where I can walk straight up to the top executives if I have a question — and they’ll not only answer me, they’ll know me,” Ramon says. “That’s what I get with the Lathams.”

The Kuntzes have celebrated Grafton-area turkey farmers for decades. This is how his family makes a turkey — because, as Ramon says, “If you use an oven, you are ruining a good turkey!”

Gary Geske’s career path has always revolved around farming. As a high school junior, he bought a half section from his great aunts and started farming. He even worked his college schedule around the farming seasons.

A passion for motors led Gary to enroll in the Diesel Mechanics program at North Dakota State College in Wahpeton, and he ran an engine rebuilding business out of the family’s farm shop.

“I enjoyed tearing motors and equipment apart to see how they work.  Some of it even got put back together,” Gary says with a smile.

Gary left the family farming operation in 1990 to become a district sales manager for Keltgen Seed. When Dow bought Mycogen and began merging companies in 1995, Gary pursued an opportunity at a machinery dealership.

Two years later, Gary returned to the seed business. He managed research plots and scored hybrids until 2001 when he and a business partner started Quality Seed Genetics (QSG). In 2009, Gary decided to concentrate on the seed treater business.

Then, in 2011, he joined the Product Development Team at Latham Seeds.

Gary and his wife, Sandy live only a few miles from where both of their families farmed outside Enderlin, about 40 miles west of the Minnesota border just off Highway 46.

“Sandy and I had a chance to meet some of the Latham management team before I joined the company, and it was very evident then that the company revolves around teamwork,” Gary says.  “I was impressed by the company’s access to the industry’s best genetics and technologies.”

With nearly 35 years of seed industry experience, Gary provides a wealth of knowledge on everything from products to seed treatments. As sales agronomist, he will continue to support Latham’s northern area in an agronomic capacity. He looks forward to focusing on product promotion throughout the growing season.

Whether it’s meeting with farmers to select the best hybrids for their operation or choosing hops for some homemade brew, Gary is sure to have a good time!  He and Sandy value time spent with friends and family, including their three children: Kyle, Kayla and David.

Time spent with family and friends usually goes hand-in-hand with good meals. Today the Geskes are sharing a family favorite recipe for “special sauce” that’s perfect on grilled burgers.

The group’s main concern? How to keep from being shut out of the best genetics and early traits in soybeans (and later corn) as those traits came into the marketplace.

Chris Latham, who was 16 years old, remembers lots of “kitchen table talk” at his home in Alexander, Iowa, where Bill and others actively brainstormed ways to move forward.

“It was frankly a scary time,” Chris says. “The future was very uncertain as large companies could have easily shut out independents.”

As a result of those early discussions, however, the Independent Professional Seed Association (IPSA) was born. Fast forward 35 years later: Bill Latham’s sons, Chris and John, are still carrying on their father’s example as stewards in the industry.

“IPSA has always had great innovators, my father included,” says Chris, who just concluded a one-year term as president of the organization. He previously served as president of the Iowa Seed Association, and older brother John continues to serve on the board of the American Seed Trade Association.

“Independent companies provide a critical pathway for new products and ideas — outside what global seed companies can offer,” Chris says. “The inherent nature of independent companies is to find innovative ways to create value for farmers outside of the traditional trait and genetic pathways.”

Chris says his goal as IPSA president was to tell its members’ stories through bold and humble leadership. He also aimed to help the industry push forward, despite many mergers and consolidations among the global companies. Often, he says, Wall Street undervalues the benefits that independent companies bring to agriculture — a lesson he learned not only from his father but as CFO of Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds.

“I always admired Dad’s desire to learn about things and to apply it to whatever he did,” says Chris, who recalls summer vacations spent road-tripping across the United States, taking in the sights on their way to the latest seed industry convention. “I literally grew up in the seed business.”

After graduating from CAL High School in Latimer, Iowa, Chris majored in Finance at Drake University. He graduated in May 1995 and worked full-time in the banking industry. On Saturdays, he attended classes at Iowa State University in Ames to earn a Master of Business Administration.

Chris, his brother John and sister-in-law Shannon Latham purchased the family’s flagship soybean seed company in 2009 as the third-generation owners.

“While my background was not in agronomy, I felt I was in the right place and time to help grow the business,” Chris says. “John and Shannon have backgrounds in sales and marketing respectively. We each have unique roles, so we can contribute in our own way.”

Chris’s wife, Ann, is a family and child psychologist. She specializes in helping kids with learning challenges. They live in Urbandale, Iowa, and have three children: Will, Courtney and Morgan.

He shares his favorite recipe Turkey Tetrazzini below.

From playing cribbage to working together on the family farm, values of teamwork and integrity were instilled in Beau and his brother, Colby. Beau grew up just three miles from where he now lives and says the home farm is where his favorite memories took place.

For example, Beau drove to the field for the first time with his grandpa. His grandma would pile all the grandkids into the front seat of the old farm pickup and let each of them have a turn driving. They would pretend to go through the McDonald’s drive-through, so there was no damage to the crops. He found himself on other side of his favorite memory more than 25 years later, teaching his kids the same “skill.”

Beau and his wife, Amie, are the proud parents of three: Leah, Blake and Lane. Amie stays busy with kids’ activities plus working full time as a physician assistant in a high-risk obstetrics office. She and Beau’s mom bring family favorite meals to the field during harvest and planting season.

Beau farms with his dad, Nick, who became a Latham® dealer in 2000. Beau handles the day-to-day operations related to row crop operation, and Nick runs his own cow-calf herd on the side of their farm. After working for 11 years as a mortgage underwriter in downtown Des Moines, Beau traded in his suit coats and ties for polo shirts and caps. Then, in 2001 he became a full-time farmer and took over his dad’s Latham Seeds dealership. Beau hopes that some day a fourth generation will continue the family tradition of farming.

As an exclusive Latham Dealer, Beau takes pride in personally checking on his customers. He really appreciates working with a family-owned seed company. Beau says the Lathams look out for their people and treat them like family.

“I appreciate knowing that John Latham will make time to walk a field with one of my customers,” said Beau. “That shows a lot about the culture of Latham Seeds and the positive experience they are willing to provide for their customers.”

The Dawes family values time spent together, especially playing games and sharing meals. Today they’re sharing one of their favorite recipes that’s perfect for busy times throughout the year.

Because he also was good with numbers, Tony considered a career in financing. He graduated from North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) but his heart was set on farming rather than studying more numbers. His family’s farming operation wasn’t large enough to support everyone, so Tony spent two years driving trucks for Sukup Manufacturing in Sheffield, Iowa. In 2005, he reached his goal of starting his own trucking company.

Today Tony and his wife, Jessica, live down the road from where Tony’s great grandfather began farming in 1919. His parents, Mark and Sue Rother, live on the homeplace. Father and son have been farming together for more than 20 years. Since 2010, they also have been hauling seed to Latham® dealers and customers.

“What I enjoy most about trucking is the freedom I have,” Tony says. “I enjoy being my own boss and making my own decisions. I really enjoy working for Latham Seeds and talking with farmers across the Midwest.”

The ability to drive long distances comes in handy with an active family. Tony and Jessica have two children: Landon and Olivia. Both are active in traveling sports teams. Landon’s favorite sport is basketball and Olivia’s is softball. Jessica works as a social worker for Iowa Total Care, which takes her to several counties across North Iowa.

In their free time, the Rothers are involved in their community. Tony helps coach Landon’s West Fork basketball team. Jessica serves on the West Fork Booster Club and teaches Sunday School at Zion-St. John Lutheran Church.

One of their year-round, favorite recipes is Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breasts — which is easier to make than it sounds! This main dish can be paired with nearly any type of side.

Years later when asked if he’d be interested in taking on a Latham® dealership of his own. Ramon says he was quick to answer: “I went back to the farm and did it.”

Today, Ramon says he’s proud to be “100% Latham” for more than a decade. He’s a fourth-generation farmer in Grafton, continuing to work with his parents and one cousin. Ramon’s dad runs the combine in the fall; his mom runs the grain cart. Ramon and his wife, Sara, have two boys: Raiden and Brantly. Ramon has been thrilled to watch his boys run the tractor by themselves for the first time.

“They can run about anything,” Ramon says of his boys. “It is good to see them going solo in the tractor.”

Ramon’s loyalty to Latham Seeds stems from years of proven product performance and family-owned customer service. When he started experimenting with moving to more conventional corn, Ramon says Latham supported him with product suggestions that fit well in his family’s operation.

“Latham is a regional company that selects hybrids and varieties that fit my area,” he says. “That’s important to my business.”

Personalized service has been important to Ramon’s success, too. A self-proclaimed “old-school” farmer, Ramon says he enjoys working with an independent company with leaders who know him by name. He calls it a “charm” that larger seed brands don’t understand.

“I like working with family-owned companies where I can walk straight up to the top executives if I have a question,” Ramon says. “They’ll not only answer me, they’ll know me. That’s what I get with the Lathams.”

The Kuntzes have celebrated Grafton-area turkey farmers for decades. This is how his family makes a turkey — because, as Ramon says, “If you use an oven, you are ruining a good turkey!”

“We always try to remind each other to be coachable because that’s how you learn something new every day,” Amy says.

The Rohe (pronounced “Roy”) family applies much of that advice through their boys’ active involvement in baseball. The game alone teaches lessons both on and off the field. The message Amy appreciates the most is that it takes a whole team to win.

“We can have a few superstars who make big plays, but we must play as a team,” says Amy, who has worked for Latham since 2010. “Teams that put team goals ahead of individual goals usually have a winning record.”

Whether she’s managing a team of sales representatives or taking a road trip to visit Latham® dealers across the Upper Midwest, Amy approaches the task at hand with the same gusto. Her positive energy, combined with a background in sales with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Iowa State University, are two main reasons she was promoted to sales manager at Latham in 2019.

“We have team members who have many years of experience and others who are just getting into their groove, but each of us appreciates what we all have to offer,” she says. “We listen and learn from each other. This makes us stronger. There is nothing better than knowing you are making a difference.”

Amy adds, “One thing that I love about Latham is we’re innovative while staying true to our traditions, such as hospitality and the spirit of farmers helping farmers. Our leadership reminds us that faith and family come first.”

When they aren’t watching their boys play baseball, the Rohes enjoy riding horses, spending time on the water and camping — especially in the Dakotas where her father grew up and later farmed.

In the spirit of teamwork and baseball, the Rohes love easy, hearty recipes on busy summer days. This slow-cooked pulled chicken, paired with fresh sweet corn and watermelon, fits the bill.

“All four of our boys are farm boys in every way,” Sally says. “They all want to farm together too.”

Kyle and Sally met in high school at a church retreat, where Sally quickly noticed Kyle’s green Mustang and asked him for a ride.

Little did she know that Mustangs were a Johnson family “first car” tradition that began with Kyle’s dad. Both Kyle and his brother, Chad, had a Mustang growing up. Sally’s oldest sons — Ethan, Preston and Logan — have since chose a Mustang for their first cars, too. Thirteen-year-old Dawson plans to keep the tradition going.

“Even though our driveway is gravel, our boys all wanted one,” says Sally, who works as a trauma team case manager at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo. “Even I have a Mustang now.”

It’s said when you drive a Mustang, you’re living your dream. Together, Kyle and Sally are fueling similar dreams for their family on their fifth-generation North Dakota farm. A Latham® Seeds dealership helps diversify their income.

It was Sally’s cousin, Ken Highness, who first introduced her and Kyle to Latham products, which they started planting in 2015. The quality and performance of corn varieties and Ironclad soybeans helped Ken, a Latham regional sales manager, convince the Johnsons to take on a Latham® dealership — a decision Kyle says ended up being a perfect fit.

“It was a good opportunity, but it also made sense for us being a family-owned business,” he says. “We love that the whole Latham family, from John, Shannon and Chris are involved, because that’s what we strive for with our own family. We want to keep working together.”

When they aren’t farming, the Johnsons enjoy sports, hunting, ice fishing and annual trips to Yellowstone National Park. They also love this tried-and-true chicken enchilada recipe that feeds their hungry crew.

This week at Latham Seeds, we all gave a cheer

For the food and the sweaters — yes, our potluck was here!

Crockpots and cookies all waited in line

And the tacos arrived, just precisely on time.

Who brought that cheese dip? Who made those bars?

Mexican sushi? Oh, we’re eating like stars.

“Feliz Navidad” was our theme for this year,

There were jalapeños galore, for those with no fear.

We had cheesy corn and tortillas, beans and rice

And all the Christmas staples – so much sugar, so much spice!

Our ugly sweater contest brought Quentin some fame.

But who knew Spanish Bingo is the best reindeer game?

Personalized ornaments were hung on the tree

As a thank you to Team Latham for everyone to see.

With hearts and bellies full, no one left without

Because a tradition like this is what family’s all about.

Enjoy a recipe that was brought to the potluck below!