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!)

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.

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.

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.

For those of you needing directions on how to sterilize jars and seal lids, click here for Sauerkraut in a Mason jar.

by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby

Ritchie Berkland and his family relish the opportunity to live and work on their Century Farm near Cylinder in Palo Alto County.

“A century farm is a connection to family, from my ancestors to my siblings to my children,” says Berkland, whose son, Grant, 26, lives in New Jersey, and daughter, Meghan, 19, is a student at Iowa State University (ISU). “This is a gathering place, and my wife, Cynthia, and I are glad we’ve kept the farm in our family.”

Farming has been a way of life for the Berkland family for generations.  The family’s Vernon Township farm dates back to 1891, when Berkland’s great-grandfather, Christian Knudson, homesteaded the land. In 1938, Berkland’s father, Amos, and mother, Pearl, purchased the farm and kept the land in the family.

Berkland’s father, who had grown up with traditional horse power, enjoyed working with horses and was known for his superior ability to cross-check corn. As farming methods evolved, a mounted picker on the family’s Super M tractor helped bring in the harvest, recalled Berkland, who noted that it took his father, his Uncle Melvin and his Uncle Bert the good part of a day to get the picker set up and ready to go. “When Dad got a two-row, pull-type New Idea picker in the mid 1960s, he thought that was the cat’s meow,” said Berkland, who noted that his father raised corn, soybeans, oats and alfalfa on 320 acres.

Berkland didn’t realize how interested he was in farming until he left home to study farm operations at ISU. “I discovered that I really missed the farm and wanted to return.”

After Berkland completed his degree in 1975 and began farming full time, he raised hogs, purebred sheep, corn, and soybeans. He’ll never forget the 1988 drought, when he didn’t even make 100 bushels per acre of corn on his north farm. Despite the tough times, the Berklands were able to keep farming, and Berkland began selling seed around 1993 to supplement the family’s income. “I like being around people and enjoy talking to farmers, so it was a natural fit,” said Berkland, who sells Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds to farmers in Palo Alto and Emmet Counties.

Berkland is impressed by how superior seed genetics have continued to push yields higher. “When I started farming, getting 125 bushels per acre on corn was a big deal. By the 1990s, about 160 to 165 bushels per acre was as good as it usually got. Then we took a quantum leap forward in recent years with all the new traits and genetics. Now I’ve had years where the average has been 217 bushels per acre.”

One thing that hasn’t changed on Berkland’s farm is his commitment to conservation. For years, he and his family have planted evergreens, shrubs, and tall grasses for windbreaks and wildlife habitat. The Berklands also carry on their family’s tradition of serving hearty, home-cooked meals, especially when everyone gets together at the farm each 4^th of July.

“There are no magic amounts for the ingredients in some of my recipes, including my Cheddar Chowder soup,” said Cynthia Berkland, who shares three of her family’s favorite recipes. “I just add a lot of what my family likes and keep tweaking until I think it’s just right. Just call me ‘Goldilocks!’”

CHEDDAR CHOWDER

Ingredients:

• 5 potatoes
• 1 medium onion
• 5 to 6 carrots
• 3 celery stalks
• 2-4 cans cheddar cheese soup
• Milk
• 2 cups ham (diced)

Directions:

1. Cut veggies into bite-sized pieces and boil in salted water for about 10 minutes until tender but not mushy.
2. Mix soup and milk until creamy, then add diced ham and veggies. You can include a little of the water, but you should drain most of it, or the soup will be too thin.
3. Simmer until hot clear through but not boiling.

THREE BEAN CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 pound diced bacon
• 1 tablespoon dark molasses
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 can each kidney beans, lima beans, butter beans (all drained), pork & beans

Directions:

• Brown ground beef, bacon, and onion.
• Drain, then add ketchup and brown sugar.
• Combine all ingredients and simmer.
• Bake at 350° for 1 1/2 hours.
• Can be cooled and frozen, then baked later, if desired.

For a few days each year, folks in southern Minnesota toot their own horns.  They’ve also been known to play the concertina, sing volkslieder (folk songs) and dance a polka.  In fact, they’re so good at carrying on these German traditions that USA Today has named New Ulm one of the “10 Great Places to Celebrate Oktoberfest.” You can experience New Ulm’s 30^th annual Oktoberfest from Sept. 30 – Oct. 1 and Oct. 7-8, 2011.

“Oktoberfest is definitely a great time.  However, because it coincides with harvest in our area, we aren’t always able to attend.  But when we go, we have fun!” says Tom Maiers (pronounced “Meyers”).  “If you enjoy or think you’d enjoy the experience of a German festival, you’ll want to check this one out.  It’s a great opportunity to meet new friends, visit with old friends, taste some wonderful German food and enjoy the local ethnic entertainment.”

Tom and his wife of 38 years, La Mae, farm about 40 miles north of New Ulm in Stewart.  They also have a Latham® seed dealership.  Tom is the primary salesman.  La Mae handles the details of entering the customers’ orders into an online system that also tracks inventory and prints customer invoices.

“I’ve always enjoyed helping people select the best products for their farm,” says Tom, who started making sales calls in the late 1960s with his father, who later became a district sales manager for a seed company.  In the early 1970s, Tom became a dealer himself.  As seed companies sold or brands changed hands throughout the years, the Maiers have stayed with family-owned, independent seed companies.

“One of the reasons La Mae and I are so excited about our new partnership with Latham is because we believe we can offer superior products to our customers,” says Tom.  “Latham offers a diverse lineup with access to all of the industry’s latest traits and technologies.”

Tom is putting those technologies to the test this season with his own on-farm research.  He and La Mae live on the Maiers’ home place, which was originally purchased in 1919 by Tom’s grandfather.  “We feel so blessed that my grandfather settled where he did,” says Tom.  “Our land is very productive and it’s adjacent to a gravel pit where our family likes to fish and hunt.   Wildlife is abundant.  It’s common to look out the window and see deer or turkeys in our yard.  Plus, there is lots of room for kids to play and explore.”

If all goes according to plan, this beautiful farm place will stay in the Maiers family well after it becomes a Century Farm.  All three of the Maiers’ sons live within a 10-mile radius and assist with the planting and harvest.  Their oldest son, Nathan, is also the materials coordinator at Impressions, a printing company located in Hutchinson.  He and his fiancée, Tammy, are busy planning their wedding for early 2012.  Tammy is a speech therapist and also works in the Hutchinson area.

Matthew, the youngest of their four children, is the maintenance supervisor for the City of Stewart.  Matt’s wife, Melissa, is employed with the State Farm Agency in Hector, Minn. They’re also the proud parents of a five-month-old son, Mason.

Jonathan has farmed full-time beside his parents for the past eight years.  He and his wife, Kate, recently purchased an acreage within two miles of the home farm.  They’re hoping they and their three children (10-year-old Dylan, 7-year-old Alexandra and 3-year-old Jack) are moved into the newly remodeled farm house well before it’s time to carve the jack-o-lanterns.  Jon has been burning the candle at both ends, trying to finish up the carpentry work while preparing for fall harvest.  When Kate isn’t working as a registered nurse in the emergency room at Hutchinson Area Health Care, she’s busy painting walls and staining woodwork as the family works together to finish this extensive project.

The Maiers’ oldest child, Kimberly, lives in Nashville.  She and her husband, John Shaw III, released their first self- titled CD Drobac and Shaw in July.  It’s a country album, but it includes the Personal Polka. This single is available as a download for just $.99 on Amazon.com, or the whole physical album at CDBaby.com.  (I’m betting Drobac and Shaw’s version of the polka is distinctly different from the polkas that will be played at New Ulm’s Oktoberfest.  Give it a listen and let me know what you think!)

In honor of their German heritage and the upcoming 30^th Oktoberfest celebration, La Mae graciously treated me to a delicious homemade lunch including the Maiers’ family recipe for German Potato Salad.  Her side dish was so delicious that I’m happy to add this recipe to my own collection!  I’m also glad to have La Mae’s bread pudding recipe.  There’s bread pudding – and then there’s La Mae’s bread pudding.  Seriously, it’s that good.  I’m guessing the secret is in the sauce.  Try it and tell me if you agree!

Recipe: German Potato Salad

From the Kitchen of La Mae Maiers

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs red potatoes
• 6-8 strips of bacon
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2 ½ cups water
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 1 ¼ cups vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

1. Wash and cook potatoes until tender, yet firm. Cool slightly. Peel and slice. Brown bacon with the onion. Drain some of the bacon grease (retaining some adds flavor to the salad). Break up the bacon into smaller pieces.
2. In a large pan, boil together: water, sugar, vinegar and salt until clear, stirring constantly. Reduce heat. Mix cornstarch with an additional amount of cold water to make thickening (as you would for gravy). Slowly stir into the water/sugar mixture, stirring constantly until smooth and slightly thickened.
3. Add bacon/onions and potatoes to dressing. Simmer until potatoes are heated through. Mixture should be “soupy” but will thicken as potatoes soak up the dressing. This dish is much more flavorful if made a day ahead and then reheated on low in a crock pot.