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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Farming with Family at the Core
For Bruce Platz, farming has always been a family affair. He grew up on the farm near New Ulm, Minnesota, where his parents moved in 1969. “I’ve always lived here,” Bruce laughs. “The only move I ever made was to a different bedroom.” Today, Bruce and his wife, Laurie, continue that tradition with their own family. Laurie is an integral part of the operation — she runs the combine, plants and even takes a turn with the field cultivator. Their three sons are always busy tinkering in the shop, helping with harvest or planning for their own futures in agriculture. And earlier this summer, the Platz family celebrated a new chapter when their oldest daughter, Cassidy, was married.

Expanding Through Opportunity

For years, Bruce raised pigs independently, but recently he partnered with Wakefield Pork on a 3,700-head wean-to-finish operation. “Now that I don’t have to spend as much time marketing pigs, I had room for something new,” Bruce explains. That “something new” turned out to be becoming a Latham® dealer. Bruce’s long-time relationship with agronomist Dan Miller helped pave the way.

“I bought seed from Dan at the co-op, and after he left, he stopped by and asked if I’d be interested in being a dealer,” Bruce says. “I planted Latham for the first time in 2024, and the crops are looking really good.” He also appreciates that there aren’t many other Latham dealers in his area, giving him something unique to offer neighbors.

Family and Community

The Platz farm is as full of activity off the field as it is on it. Laurie enjoys gardening. She has grown and designed bouquets and centerpieces for several family weddings, including helping Cassidy with her arrangements. The family also takes part in the rich German culture of New Ulm, a town that hosts seven festivals throughout the year, including Oktoberfest and Bavarian Blast.

For Bruce, farming is about more than yields — it’s about making a life with family at the center. With Laurie in the cab, the boys in the shop and crops that are thriving in the field, the Platz family is keeping their roots strong while building new opportunities through Latham Seeds.
Kraut Casserole

Here’s a favorite Platz family recipe, just in time for Oktoberfest.
mixing spoon
knife
Large bowl
glass baking dish
1 lb. ham (cut into small cubes)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup Miracle Whip ((not Mayo))
2 cups Bavarian Style Sauerkraut
4 cups cooked potatoes (diced (red or yellow potatoes work best))
1 cup buttered breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp. paprika
Mix all ingredients except breadcrumbs and paprika together in a large bowl.
Spread in a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish.
Arrange breadcrumbs over the mixture and sprinkle with paprika.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Notes: Smoked sausage or hot dogs can be substituted for ham.
Regular sauerkraut can be substituted for the Bavarian sauerkraut
Freezes well. If making from freezer, thaw and bake a little longer (around 45 minutes).
Shannon Latham

September 18, 2025

Fall, Food & Family, Pork, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Which came first, the Easter bunny or Easter eggs?
Decorating eggs for Easter is a tradition that dates to at least the 13th century. It is believed German immigrants brought the egg-laying hare to Pennsylvania in the 1700s. Their children made nests where this fabled creature could lay its colored eggs. As this custom spread across the nation, Easter morning deliveries expanded to include chocolate and other types of candy and gifts.

It has been 60+ years since my mom hosted her family’s first egg hunt, and our tradition is still strong and growing through five generations. Mom also makes an Easter egg tree annually, so I asked her to help us make a fresh one. She cut a branch from her lilac tree, cemented it into a coffee can and painted the branches white. Then she showed our Italian exchange student how to carefully use a needle to make a small hole at the top of the egg and a larger hole at the bottom, so we could blow out the yolks. (Anyone else do this and then make an angel food cake?)

When I was a kid, we couldn’t purchase Easter tree decorations at the store. We had to color real chicken eggs and then decorate the tree branches with silk flowers and ribbons. Now our tree contains a mixture of handmade and store-bought decorations.

In years’ past, we dyed hard-boiled eggs that were then turned into my mom’s legendary potato salad. I remember standing on a kitchen chair as a little girl, so I could reach the kitchen counter where Mom would help me make an Easter bunny cake. Another one of my favorite memories is when a live bunny was left in my Easter basket.

Now that my kids are adults our traditions continue to evolve. My daughter will tell you that Easter dinner isn’t complete without ham and a side of macaroni and cheese with corn. My cousin makes the absolute best homemade version of this, using our grandma’s recipe for frozen sweet corn. Today I’m sharing a similar recipe from our hometown church cookbook.
Macaroni & Cheese with Corn
Large bowl
2-quart casserole dish
1 15.25 ounce can whole kernel corn, including water
1 14.75 ounce can cream style corn
1 cup uncooked small shell pasta or elbow macaroni
1 cup Velveeta cheese (cubed)
½ cup butter (melted)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Stir together corn, uncooked pasta, cheese, and butter in a large bowl until well combined. Transfer mixture to 2-quart casserole dish.
Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover, stir, and continue baking for 30 more minutes or until pasta is tender.
Shannon Latham

April 10, 2025

General, Recipes, Season, Sides, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Go wild! Go Hunting Gor Asparagus And Mushrooms
As a kid, I couldn’t wait for the warm spring weather to produce wild asparagus and mushrooms. I loved trekking through the woods with my dad, in search of morels. I also loved traipsing through the road ditches in search of tender, young asparagus. Most of all, I looked forward to eating my fill of both!

My favorite way to eat morels is dipping them in eggs, rolling them in crushed saltine crackers and frying them in real butter. If you’re lucky enough to find some yet this spring, check out these 10 amazing recipe ideas at https://www.midwestliving.com/food/fruits-veggies/morel-mushroom-recipes/.

While morel season in Iowa typically ends around Mother’s Day, there is still asparagus to be harvested. One of my favorite uses for asparagus is in a casserole with ham and noodles. This easy-to-make recipe is perfect for a formal Sunday brunch or a casual weeknight supper. Give it a try and let me know what you think. Also feel free to share your favorite asparagus recipes with me. I’d love to try some new ways to fix asparagus!
Asparagus and Ham Casserole
Food processor
Large pot
Medium bowl
Medium saucepan
Large bowl
2-quart casserole dish
1 slice white bread (or ½ c. bread crumbs)
3 3/4 c uncooked extra braod egg noodles (or pasta of your choice)
2 ½ c sliced asparagus (1 ½”)
¼ c all purpose flour
½ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 c whole milk
1 c chicken broth (fat free, less sodium)
1 Tbs butter
¾ c onion (finely chopped)
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 ½ c cubed ham (1/2” square – about 8 oz)
¼ c chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbs grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Place bread into food processor, pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form to measure ½ cup.
Cook pasta in boiling water 7 minutes, omitting salt and fat in water. Add asparagus, cook 1 minute.
Drain.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife.
Place flour, thyme, salt and pepper into medium bowl.
Gradually add milk and broth, stirring with a whisk until well blended.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add the onion, sauté 4 minutes.
Add milk mixture, cook until thick (about 4 minutes), stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
Combine pasta mixture, milk mixture, ham and parsley in a large bowl, spoon into a 2-quart casserole dish.
Sprinkle with bread crumbs and cheese.
Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden.
Shannon Latham

April 2, 2025

Appetizers, Food & Family, Pork, Recipes, Sides, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Celebrating the Holidays With Latham Hi-Tech Seeds

At Latham Seeds, we believe the holidays aren’t just about festive decorations and delicious food — they’re about celebrating the people who make this company feel like family. That’s why every December, our tradition of a holiday potluck takes center stage. And since National Ugly Sweater Day always falls in the mix, we encourage our team to dig deep into their closets (or their sense of humor!) and don their boldest holiday attire for the occasion.

This year’s ugly sweater celebration didn’t disappoint! From garish Grinches to light-up beachside Santas, the creativity brought many laughs. Of course, the potluck table was piled high with family recipes, each dish a reminder of the care and pride this team brings to every corner of their lives, both personal and professional.

One of the most heartwarming parts of our holiday potluck, though, isn’t the sweaters or even the incredible food — it’s the tradition of giving each Latham Seeds employee a handcrafted ornament. For years, our Site Manager, Rod Fesenmeyer, has been the mastermind behind these unique keepsakes. Each wooden ornament is carefully designed and made by Rod himself, serving as a lasting reminder of the bond we share as a team. The ornaments are different every year, making them as special and unique as the people who receive them. It’s this kind of thoughtfulness and care that reflects the heart of Latham Seeds: family-first values and a commitment to making every team member feel appreciated.

But what’s a potluck without a dish that steals the show? This year, Carma DeVries’ famous macaroni salad was the undisputed champ. Creamy, savory, and downright irresistible, it had everyone lining up for seconds. Carma is sharing her recipe with us today!

And so, as we gather this holiday season in ugly sweaters and good cheer, we’re reminded of how lucky we are to be part of such a supportive and close-knit team. From all of us at Latham Seeds, we wish you and yours a holiday season filled with joy, laughter, and traditions that bring people together — ugly sweaters optional!

Shannon Latham

December 19, 2024

Food & Family, General, Recipes, Season, Sides, Winter
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Proud to be 100% Latham

Ramon Kuntz’s introduction to Latham Seeds came as a young graduate of Iowa State University, when he went to work for a Latham® dealer named Gene Cole
in Grafton, Iowa. Ramon started in sales, familiarized himself with Latham’s lineup and learned how the products compared to others that his boss was
selling at the time.

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. 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!”

Shannon Latham

November 8, 2024

Fall, Food & Family, Poultry, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From Teen Mechanic to Trusted Dealer: Jed’s Journey

While many of his peers in high school were chasing girls, Jed Allen was chasing a business dream: J.W. Allen Small Engine Service, which he opened as a teenager on his grandfather’s farm near Chapin, Iowa. It was there that Jed began to earn a reputation for fixing machinery – specifically ATVs, snowmobiles and countless Honda ATC three-wheelers.

“Me and all my buddies had old, clunker snowmobiles,” Jed recalls. “We called ourselves ‘Jalopies.’” Today, his company is named after that notion: Jed’s Jalopy Joint – and it’s still located on the farm where it all started 30 years ago.

Jed says he has a long history “with wrenches and farming.” He grew up working with his grandfather farming row crops, baling hay and chopping silage. Jed also developed an interest in machinery repair and diesel engines, and his knack for fixing things took him to Hawkeye Community College after high school. He completed the two-year Ag Power Technology program, which focused on diesel engines, hydraulics, electronics, powertrains and transmissions.

He returned to the farm after graduation with plans to continue running his repair business. But the original tin-shed shop with a dirt floor had become too small for the expansion he had in mind. So, in true Jed fashion, he went to work remodeling an old corncrib/farrowing house on his grandfather’s farm. He made sure it was big enough for tractor repair, and so began the transition from small-engine repair to large-scale tractor and combine repair.

It was about the same time that Jed started selling seed under Allen Seed & Grain. Over the years, and having worked with several different seed companies, Jed says he’s seen “unbelievable changes.” He has been a Latham® Dealer since 2014.

“Latham has by far been my favorite,” he says. “They are local and independent, and their superior products rose to the top for me.”

At the company’s 2024 Dealer Kickoff event, President John Latham presented Jed with an award for his 10 years of service.

“Jed is all about customer service,” John says. “He has a genuine commitment to helping farmers succeed. We’re grateful to have him on our team.”

Jed and his wife, Candie, have three boys: Cyrus, Clyde and Colby. All are active in 4-H and county fair projects. Like their dad, they enjoy resurrecting old farm equipment and going to antique tractor shows.

Getting everyone in the kitchen for pizza is another Allen family favorite. This hands-on recipe has something for everyone.

bonnie-harris

August 22, 2024

Food & Family, General, Latham News, Recipes, Season
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Latham’s Sandie Johnson Retires After 43 Years in the Seed Industry

From sunflowers to kidney beans to soybeans and corn, Sandie Johnson says her 43 years in the ag industry has treated her well.

She was just 25 years old when she started in the sunflower research department for SIGCO Research in Breckenridge, Minn. In the fall, she worked in the fields, collecting moisture samples for testing. In the winter, she threshed sunflower heads one by one, putting the seeds in envelopes for planting.

“It was hard, monotonous work,” says Sandie, who is retiring from Latham Seeds after 12 years of working with farmers and dealers.

A knack for numbers and an interest in accounting took Sandie to the accounts payable department at SIGCO, where, among other things, she tracked all capital purchases. When SIGCO was bought by Mycogen Seeds, she moved to a different department (SVO) that contracted with farmers to grow high oleic oil sunflowers — and was happy to continue working with growers through delivery, billing and settlements for their crops throughout the season.

The purchase of a lake house in 1994 an hour away prompted Sandie and her husband to relocate.

Her new job was as an office “floater” at the hospital in Fergus Falls, Minn. It only took six months for her to realize how much she missed working in the ag industry.

“It was the same thing every flippin’ day!” Sandie says of the hospital position. “I couldn’t do it.”

She accepted an opening at Prairie Bean Co., (a division of ConAgra) and focused her attention on processing kidney beans. And then in 1996, Sandie moved to Wisconsin to be the office manager at Brown Seed Farms. As a small company, she handled everything in the office – from seed orders, shipments, returns, account receivables, payments and settlements, payroll and accounts payable. Thirteen years later, when Brown Seed was sold to NuTech Seed, she relocated to Forest City, Iowa and continued to work with the dealer network that also moved to NuTech.

“Then one of the RSMs I worked with at NuTech went to Latham Seeds,” Sandie says. “He told me they needed someone and I was interested in working with a family-owned business again.”

That was in 2011, when Sandie accepted a seed account manager position at Latham. She worked with farmer-dealers for several regions for 10 years until December 2022, when she moved into the finance department — again relying on her knack for numbers and accounting experience.

“I’ve been so lucky that I’ve always enjoyed who I worked for in this industry,” Sandie says. “I’ve loved working in agriculture every minute. It’s been very good to me.”

The unexpected death of her son-in-law earlier this year made Sandie reevaluate her future. In many ways the tragedy brought her and her children closer together. But it was a life-changing event that she simply couldn’t ignore.

“Going through it, we saw the value in each other,” Sandie says. “And while I love what I do – my job and the people I work with – I love my family more.”

Sandie and her husband, Todd, live in Forest City with their two dogs: Zuzu, a 15-year-old puggle, and Stella, a one-year-old Dalmatian.

She has two children, two stepchildren and six grandchildren. Sandie’s an avid baseball fan (especially of the Minnesota Twins) and loves participating in community theatre, which she’s done for most of her adult life in several states.

Her plans after retirement?

“I intend to do my best to be fully present and enjoy every minute I can with family and friends.”

In honor of her time at Latham Seeds, Sandie is sharing a recipe for the dish she has always brought to the annual holiday potluck.

bonnie-harris

June 28, 2024

Food & Family, General, Latham News, Recipes, Sides, Summer
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Celebrate January as “Souper” Bowl Month

It’s hard to think of something more comforting than a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter day. We all have our favorite soup recipes, and I’m pretty sure each bowl has a favorite memory behind it.

My favorite soup growing up was – and still is – my mom’s beef vegetable soup with homemade dumplings. I also enjoy my mom’s hamburger soup. Mom is a great from-scratch cook who doesn’t measure, so I’m thankful for The Pioneer Woman’s recipe for Hamburger Soup. I’ve added more favorite soup recipes over the years while interviewing Latham® Dealers for my blog. I made sure many of these got included in the Latham Seeds commemorative cookbook.

If you haven’t seen the soup recipes for cheeseburger, wild rice or sausage & squash . . . well, grab a copy of the cookbook and see for yourself why these are new must-haves in your menu plan. A few copies of the cookbook remain, so order now if you still need one. Email jennym@lathamseeds.com for ordering details.

Because there’s always room for soup, we want more recipes! Help us celebrate National Soup Month by sending us your favorite soup recipes.

Complete this online form and you’ll automatically receive a soup ladle from Latham Seeds! Better yet, you’ll be entered to win a fabulous Ninja Foodi Cooker, which has EIGHT cooking functions for soup (and many other things).

Send us just one recipe and you will feel like a souper star! We can’t wait to see your family favorites.

Submit Recipes Here.

Shannon Latham

January 5, 2024

Food & Family, General, Recipes, Soups, Winter
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Tips for Choosing the Hybrid Maturity
As farmers make their final seed purchasing decisions, some may wonder if the hybrids they selected in early fall are still the right ones today. The Latham Team will gladly help put your mind at ease.

Let’s begin by reviewing a few product selection basics. Most selection decisions begin with relative maturity (RM). These ratings are relative to physiological maturity and largely driven by a combination of growing degree days (GDDs) and planting date. When building a plan for the upcoming growing season, identify the GDD range and average required for a hybrid to reach physiological maturity (black layer) in your geography.

Planting multiple hybrids of varying maturity will reduce risk in three main areas:
1. Agronomics (emergence, stalk strength, disease tolerance)
2. Harvest management (harvest moisture)
3. Genetic diversity (yield, drought tolerance)
About 60 to 70% of a farmer’s portfolio traditionally is focused on the core RM zone (i.e. 100-day RM) with 10 to 20% focused on earlier RM and the remainder on later RM. Remember, there is typically more yield variability within a given RM group. Spreading risk across a wider maturity range is especially important given the moisture limitations across the Upper Midwest.

Grain moisture at harvest also increases steadily with increasing relative maturity. On average, grain moisture at physiological maturity increases by 0.25 to 0.5% with each one-day increase in relative maturity. Selecting hybrids of appropriate maturity is important for a balance between yield potential and managing grain moisture at harvest, which ultimately grows more corn.

The Latham Team is here to help you feel confident about your seed decisions. After harvest each year, we share results from our own research. We hire third-party companies to plant and harvest Latham Elite trials, so our Product Team members can observe products and take notes at a greater number of locations. As a result, we have recently tripled the number of trials conducted on both corn and soybean products in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota!

Once we identify experimental products from the Elite Trials that meet Latham Seeds’ standards AND fulfill our customers’ needs, we release them for sale. Check out multiple years and multiple locations of Latham® performance at LathamSeeds.com.

Yield pays. Latham delivers on that promise, just as we have for more than 75 years. Feel free to contact your local Latham Seeds representative or call 877-GO-LATHAM (877) 465-2842.
Team Latham

December 14, 2023

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Data, Fall, General, Growth Stages, Season, Soybeans, Tech Tuesday
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Tips for Analyzing Harvest Data
As harvest season ends, it’s time to think about which products to plant on your farm next year. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by seed company data. To help, I’ve put two of the most important numbers at the bottom of the page: CV and LSD. Let’s take a deep dive into each number.

What is the Co-efficient of Variation (CV)?

The co-efficient of variation (CV) is a statistical measure of the dispersion of data points in a data series around the mean. The statistical mean is the mathematical average, which is calculated by adding up all the values in a data set and then dividing by the number of data points.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The co-efficient of variation (CV) is a statistical measure of the relative dispersion of data points in a data series around the mean.
- The CV is useful for comparing the degree of variation from one data series to another, even if the means are drastically different from one another.
- The lower the ratio of the standard deviation to mean return, the better risk-return tradeoff.
CV SUMMARY

The co-efficient of variation shows the extent of variability of data in a sample in relation to the mean of the test or trial. The lower the CV, the more value the trial or data set you’re looking at has. Paying attention to the CV is very important this year due to the variability we experienced during the growing season. Use caution with data CVs between 15 and 19, and do not use data with CVs higher than 20.

What is the Least Significant Difference (LSD)?

When studying yield data from universities, seed companies or third-party sources, always look for the Least Significant Difference (LSD value) at the bottom of the data set or table. The LSD value measures variability in a test that might be caused by soil types, population density variations, micro-environment or experimental errors.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
- To be considered significant, the yields of any two hybrids or varieties must be greater than the LSD value. This is to make sure the differences are real and not caused by chance or soil variability.
- Uniform tests have smaller LSD values and are more reliable. Agronomists and researchers try to limit variabilities by seeking uniform ground to conduct their tests. The differences of 10 bushels in high-yielding corn test plots are generally not significant and are within the LSD value, so it is a mistake to make a big deal when a hybrid tops one test plot.
- LSD values in the university tests are generally reported at (0.1) or 10% level. It means that there is a 90% chance that any one of the hybrids or varieties within the LSD value for the test could be on the top. Some test plot data are now being reported with LSD at (0.25) or 75% level, perhaps to be more inclusive.
Everyone likes to be on the top for “bragging” rights, but a hybrid on top in one test may be in the middle in the next test. Rather than focusing on hybrids that top a plot, look for the hybrids that are consistently in the top tier in different plots across several locations.

LSD SUMMARY

It’s human nature for our eyes to gravitate to the top of a trial and assume the top product is what to plant on the farm next year. It’s not uncommon for almost half of a 20-entry trial to be within the LSD.

To help determine which products might perform best given your soil types, management practices and other factors, consult your local Latham® representative. We’re here to help guide you through the fall data rush.
Team Latham

November 1, 2023

Data, Fall, Season, Tech Tuesday