Area News October 27, 2010

SUBMITTED BY MADISONA trip to the pumpkin patch is a

fall tradition for many families, followed by a fun-fi lled after-noon of carving jack-o’-lan-terns. Pumpkins are great for more than just fall décor.

Pumpkin may be prepared in almost any way you would winter

squash and is a good source of vi-tamin A:

* Blend a pumpkin smoothie. Whirl pump-

kin, fat-free milk, frozen vanilla yo-gurt, a dash of pumpkin pie spice

or cinnamon in a blender.

* Add fresh cooked or

canned pumpkin to your favorite pancake batter.

* Cook mashed pumpkin with chicken broth, fat-free half-and-half, nutmeg, onion and other spices for pumpkin soup. Serve in a cleaned out pumpkin for a seasonal touch.

Choose pumpkins that do not have blemishes. Store whole pumpkins at room temperature up to a month or refrigerate up to three months.

FARM FAMILYFAVORITES

CENTRAL IOWA

BOONE . STORY . MARSHALL . DALLAS . POLK . JASPER . MADISON . WARREN . MARION

IOWA FARM BUREAU SPOKESMAN OCTOBER 27, 2010

Cranberry RoastRecipe provided by Growmark

3-4 lb. roast (beef or pork)1 pkg. dry onion soup mix1 c. barbeque sauce

1/2 c. water1 can (15 oz.) jellied cranberries

Mix all ingredients and pour over the roast of your choice. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours. Can also be cooked in a crock pot on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Carrot CakeLorraine Hess, Estherville (Emmet County)

1-1/4 c. oil1-3/4 c. sugar2 tsp. cinnamon2 tsp. vanilla3/4 tsp. salt4 eggs2-1/4 c. flour2 tsp. baking soda1- 8 oz. can crushed pineapple

2 c. shredded carrots1 c. coconut1 c. chopped walnuts

Frosting:2-1/2 c. powdered sugar6 oz. cream cheese, softened1 stick butter or margarine,

softened

Combine oil, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Add eggs and beat by hand. Stir in fl our and baking soda. Add pineapple with juice, carrots, coconut and walnuts. Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour. After completely cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting.

Denver Potato PieRhoda Kaiser, Milford (Dickinson County)

6 eggs1/2 tsp. onion powder1/2 tsp. thyme leaves1/4 tsp. salt1/8 tsp. pepper3 c. frozen hash brown potatoes1 c. (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar

cheese1/2 c. diced ham1/2 c. green pepper, chopped1 tomato, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously grease a 9-inch pie pan. Combine eggs with seasonings and beat well. Stir in potatoes, cheese, ham and green pepper. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until set. Garnish with tomato slices.

Wait until soil temps drop before applying anhydrous ammoniaSUBMITTED BY BOONE

With the early harvest, Iowa’s conservation leaders are encourag ing

farmers to wait until soil tempera-tures lower before applying anhy-drous ammonia (NH3) this fall. Anhydrous ammonia applied be-fore daily soil temperatures remain below 50 F and continue trending lower can result in the nitrogen loss that can impact crop development and have negative environmental impacts, such as enhanced leaching into groundwater and streams once converted to nitrate.

“By waiting for cold soil temper-atures, the applied ammonia will

have a better chance to be retained in the soil and benefi t the crop next spring,” says Barb Stewart, state agronomist with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). “Cooler soil temperatures slow biological activity, which slows conversion of ammonium to nitrate, therefore allowing nitrogen to stay in the ammonium (NH4) form longer.”

Heavy rains throughout 2010 caused a lot of yellow corn due to nitrogen loss. Stewart says applying anhydrous ammonia prior to soils dropping below 50 degrees could produce similar results. “With high anhydrous prices this fall, consider a spring or split spring/sidedress application to make the best use of

the nutrients,” she says.Historically, soil temperatures

at a four-inch depth cool below 50 F in the northern third of the state during the fi rst week of Novem-ber. In central and southern Iowa, soil temperatures cool below 50 F during the second week and third weeks of November, according to Iowa State University Extension. Producers and fertilizer dealers are encouraged to visit the Nitrogen and Phosphorus Knowledge Web page, http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/NPKnowledge/, to view daily, previous day, and three-day history of average soil temperatures in ev-ery Iowa county.

ISU Extension research indicates lower yields can result when an-

hydrous ammonia is applied in the fall versus spring, and crop residue cover can be reduced by the tillage action of NH3 application, increas-ing the risk of soil erosion.

To save energy and money, NRCS recommends farmers use online energy estimators for till-age and nitrogen, at www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/energy/index.html. The energy estimator for tillage estimates diesel fuel use and costs in the production of key crops. It compares potential energy savings between conven-tional tillage and alternative till-age systems. The energy estima-tor for nitrogen enables farmers to calculate the cost of nitrogen product use. It also evaluates op-

tions based on user input.According to the USDA, nitrogen

fertilizer is one of the largest indi-rect uses of energy in an agricultural operation. Fertilizer accounts for 29 percent of agriculture’s energy use, according to USDA research data. The energy consumption for nitro-gen fertilizer manufacture and rela-tion to application rate is outlined in an ISU Extension publication, Energy Consumption in Corn Ni-trogen Fertilizer, available at www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM2089I.pdf. Proper management of nitrogen fertilizer, including the use of organic sources of nitrogen, such as animal manure and cover crops, can save producers energy and money.

Ears aplenty

Fourth-graders at Beaver Creek Elementary proudly hold the ears of corn they picked from the Learning Test Plot at their school. Dur-ing October more than 650 students participated in harvest programs through Polk County Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program. For more on this story, please see the Polk County page. PHOTO COURTESY

OF POLK COUNTY.

Prep vehicles now for winterSUBMITTED BY MARSHALL

Soon the beautiful fall weather will give way to the snow, sleet and ice of an Iowa winter that can lead to slower traffi c, hazardous road conditions, hot tempers and unfore-seen dangers. The National Safety Council offers these suggestions to help you prepare your vehicle for the coming season.

First of all, to ensure better gas mileage, quicker starts and faster response on pick-up and passing power, schedule a tune-up. Read your owner’s manual for the rec-ommended interval.

Your winter prep list should in-clude checking antifreeze levels and the freeze line, changing and adjusting the spark plugs and in-specting the distributor. Take a look at the tires. How’s the tread depth and sidewall wear? Always make sure the tires are infl ated properly and check the pressure periodically throughout the season. Have your vehicle’s battery tested and inspect ignition, brakes, wiring hoses and fan belts at the same time. And fi -nally, to ensure maximum perfor-mance, replace old or dirty air, fuel and emission fi lters.

Pumpkins: Good for more than just carving

EAST IOWA


TAMA . BENTON . LINN . JONES . JACKSON . POWESHIEK . IOWA . JOHNSON . CEDAR . CLINTON . SCOTT










softened






SUBMITTED BY CEDAR, JONES, POWESHIEK

The Monsanto Fund announced the expansion of the America’s Farmers Grow Communities pro-gram at the Farm Progress Show, the nation’s largest outdoor farm event, in Boone. This program gives eligible farmers the opportunity to win $2,500 for their community. America’s Farmers Grow Com-munities program is being offered in more than 1,200 counties across 38 states. Eligible farmers can sign up today through Dec. 31, 2010, at www.growcommunities.com or by calling (877) 267-3332.

“More than 95 percent of the land in the United States is home to a ru-ral community, and farmers work hard to support those communities,” said Brett Begemann, Monsanto Fund chairman. “We created the America’s Farmers Grow Commu-nities program to celebrate that hard work. Every rural community has vital needs. It’s our goal for every $2,500 award to support rural com-munity needs and cause a ripple ef-fect of benefi ts along the way.”

In Iowa, $247,500 will be in-vested in rural communities in 99 counties. The program is intended to benefi t nonprofi t community groups such as ag youth organiza-tions, schools and other civic groups important to America’s farmers.

“A donation of $2,500 could help a community garden buy thousands of seeds, or help a school buy new com-puters,” Begemann said. “It takes just a few minutes for a farmer to sign up online for a chance to really benefi t an organization that’s important to them, and more importantly, benefi t their friends, family and neighbors as a result of that donation.”

Monsanto Fund also will donate $1 to the United Way on behalf of each farmer who signs up for the Ameri-ca’s Farmers Grow Communities program. The $1 will be donated to the United Way chapter in the home county of the farmer. This offers yet another way for farmers to invest in the future of their rural community.

Farmers age 21 and over who are actively engaged in farming a mini-mum of 250 acres of corn, soybeans and/or cotton, or 40 acres of open

fi eld vegetables, or at least 10 acres of tomatoes, peppers and/or cucum-bers grown in protected culture, are eligible. The application period runs Aug. 31 through Dec. 31. The pro-gram is open to all qualifying farm-ers, and no purchase is necessary in order to enter or win. One winner will be randomly selected for each of Iowa’s 99 participating counties. Monsanto Fund will announce win-ning farmers and recipient organiza-tions by February 2011.

Eligible counties include Adair, Adams, Allamakee, Appanoose, Audubon, Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer, Buchanan, Buena Vista, Butler, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Cerro Gordo, Chero-kee, Chickasaw, Clarke, Clay, Clayton, Clinton, Crawford, Dal-las, Davis, Decatur, Delaware, Des Moines, Dickinson, Dubuque, Emmet, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Fremont, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Har-rison, Henry, Howard, Humboldt, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Jef-ferson, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Kossuth, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Lucas,

Lyon, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Marshall, Mills, Mitchell, Monona, Monroe, Montgomery, O’Brien, Osceola, Page, Palo Alto, Plym-outh, Pocahontas, Polk, Pottawat-tamie, Poweshiek, Ringgold, Sac, Scott, Shelby, Sioux, Story, Tama, Taylor, Union, Van Buren, Wapel-lo, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Winnebago, Winneshiek, Woodbury, Worth and Wright.

Visit www.growcommunities.com to sign up and to learn more about the America’s Farmers Grow Communities program. The project is part of a broad commitment by Monsanto Fund to invest in farm

communities, in order to highlight the important contributions farm-ers make every day to our society. To view the offi cial rules for this program, visit www.growcommu-nities.com or send a written request Eileen Jensen, 914 Spruce St., St. Louis, MO 63102.

The Monsanto Fund is the phil-anthropic arm of the Monsanto Company. Incorporated in 1964, the Fund’s primary objective is to improve the lives of people by bridging the gap between their needs and their resources. Visit the Monsanto Fund at www.monsanto-fund.org/asp/welcome.asp.

Iowa farmers to plant $247,500 to grow their local communities

Trees, composting and canna bulbsSUBMITTED BY IOWA

How can I propagate a willow?

On a mild winter day in late Feb-ruary or early March (temperatures should be above freezing), go out and collect cutting material. Prune off branches that are about 1/2 inch in diameter. Bring the branches indoors and cut the branches into 12-to-18-inch sections. Bundle the 12-to-18-inch-long cuttings together with string or twine. Place the bun-dled cuttings in a plastic bag that contains some lightly moistened peat moss. Place the plastic bag in the re-frigerator. In early April, remove the cuttings from the refrigerator and stick the cuttings into the ground. Place the bottom 6 to 8 inches of the cuttings in the soil. Willow cuttings root quite easily. The cuttings should begin to root and leaf out within a few weeks. An alternate rooting method is to place the cuttings in a container of water indoors. Regu-larly change the water. When the

cuttings have developed good root systems, remove them from the wa-ter and plant outdoors.

Can I place weeds and diseased plant debris from my vegetable gar-den in my compost pile?

Place weeds that are producing seeds and diseased plant debris in biodegradable bags and have the material picked up and composed by a municipal or commercial com-posting facility. The temperatures in home compost piles seldom get high enough to kill weed seeds and disease pathogens. However, the weed seeds and disease pathogens will be destroyed by the higher temperatures at municipal and com-mercial composting facilities. The compost produced by composting facilities can often be purchased by home gardeners and commercial landscape companies.

How long should I con-tinue to water trees planted in late summer?

The roots of trees continue to

grow until the ground freezes. If the weather is dry, continue to wa-ter newly planted trees until the soil freezes in winter. Small trees usu-ally require watering for one or two growing seasons. It may be nec-essary to periodically water large trees for three to four years.

How do I over-winter cannas indoors?

Cut the plants back to within 4 to 6 inches of the ground a few days after a hard, killing freeze. Then carefully dig up the canna clumps with a spade or garden fork. Leave a small amount of soil around the cannas. Allow them to dry for sev-eral hours. Afterwards, place the cannas in large boxes, wire crates or in mesh bags. Store the cannas in a cool (40 F to 50 F), dry location.

Got gardening questions? Call the Hortline at (515) 294-3108, Mon-day through Friday, from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m., or send an e-mail to [email protected]. For more gardening information, visit Yard and Garden Online, www.yar-dandgarden.extension.iastate.edu.

Ask the ISU Extension garden experts

SUBMITTED BY JACKSONGardeners, novice and experi-

enced, will be inspired by Iowa State University Extension’s 2011 garden calendar. The full-color, 12-month calendar is fi lled with stun-ning photography and information. Monthly “gardening is good for

ISU Extension gardening calendar availableyou” messages and health tips have been added to the gardening tips traditionally featured in the Exten-sion garden calendar.

The calendar will provide new gardeners with information that helps them improve their garden-ing practices, while helping experi-

enced gardeners fi nd new and dif-ferent things to try. The calendar’s goal is for all gardeners to become better gardeners.

The “Gardening is GOOD for you” 2011 garden calendar, PM 815, is available for $6 from your county ISU Extension offi ce.

NORTH IOWA


MITCHELL . HOWARD . FLOYD . CHICKASAW . BUTLER . BREMER . GRUNDY . BLACK HAWK










softened






SUBMITTED BY CHICKASAW, HOWARD

Late season grazing will be fea-tured at the next Northeast Iowa Gra-ziers Pasture Walk on Nov. 3 at the Jeremy Peake farm west of Waukon.

Discussion topics include out-wintering heifers with the use of hoop buildings. The Peakes milk 36 head of Jersey cows that they rotationally graze. They sell their milk through Organic Valley.

The walk will run from 1-3 p.m. and is open to grass-based farmers or “graziers” of all species and at all levels. The Peake farm is located at 323 North Line Drive, Waukon. From the junction of Highway 9 and Highway 51, turn north on Ap-

ple Road and go 1 mile noth to Line Drive. Turn east onto Line Drive.

The Northeast Iowa Graziers plan monthly walks to local farms to help producers learn how bet-ter pasture management can re-sult in both healthier profi ts and a healthier environment. The walks are organized by area graziers and supported by Iowa State University Extension, the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Northeast Iowa Community Based Dairy Foundation.

For more information about the 2010 Pasture Walks, contact Jen-nifer Bentley, ISU Extension dairy specialist, at (563) 382-2949 or [email protected].

Pasture Walk near Waukon Nov. 3

Fall AITC activities

On Oct. 5, Chickasaw County AITC coordinator Cindy Davis visited with the Nashua-Plainfi eld kindergartners on their fi eld trip to the Borlaug Research Farm near Nashua. The children had fun decorating pumpkins and reading about apples. All enjoyed sliced apples with caramel. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHICKASAW COUNTY.

Iowa farmers can grow their communities one donation at a time

SUBMITTED BY BLACK HAWK, BUTLER

Rural communities are important to farmers. They give farmers a place to call home, a place to meet with friends for breakfast, a place to raise families. Now, Iowa farm-ers in 99 counties have the opportu-nity to win $2,500 awards for their favorite nonprofi t organization.

The awards are available through Monsanto Fund s̓ America s̓ Farm-ers Grow Communities program. The program s̓ fi rst two pilots provided nearly 500 farmers in 10 states with $2,500 awards to direct to their favorite nonprofi t. That to-tals nearly $1.2 million invested since the fi rst pilot program began in January. The program has now expanded to more than 1,200 coun-ties across 38 states.

The America s̓ Farmers Grow Communities program is intended to benefi t non-profi t community groups such as ag youth organi-

zations, schools and other civic groups important to America s̓ farmers. Farmers can apply online at www.growcommunities.com, or they can call (877) 267-3332 to ap-ply by phone.

Farmers age 21 and over who are actively engaged in farming a minimum of 250 acres of corn, soy-beans and/or cotton, or 40 acres of open fi eld vegetables, or at least 10 acres of tomatoes, peppers and/or cucumbers grown in protected cul-ture are eligible. Farmers can enter now through Dec. 31. The program is open to all qualifying farmers, and no purchase is necessary in order to enter or win. One winner will be drawn from each of the par-ticipating counties, and Monsanto Fund will announce winning farm-ers and recipient organizations by February 2011.

Eligible counties in Iowa include: Adair, Adams, Allamakee, Appa-noose, Audubon, Benton, Black

Hawk, Boone, Bremer, Buchanan, Buena Vista, Butler, Calhoun, Car-roll, Cass, Cedar, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Clarke, Clay, Clayton, Clinton, Crawford, Dallas, Davis, Decatur, Delaware, Des Moines, Dickinson, Dubuque, Emmet, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Fremont, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Har-rison, Henry, Howard, Humboldt, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Jef-ferson, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Kossuth, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Lucas, Lyon, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Marshall, Mills, Mitchell, Monona, Monroe, Montgomery, Musca-tine, OʼBrien, Osceola, Page, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Polk, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Ring-gold, Sac, Scott, Shelby, Sioux, Story, Tama, Taylor, Union, Van Buren, Wapello, Warren, Washing-ton, Wayne, Webster, Winnebago, Winneshiek, Woodbury, Worth and Wright.

BY JOHN WHITAKERSUBMITTED BY CHICKASAW

Are you involved in agriculture? Chances are that as you read this, you either are or have just fi nished eating a meal or a snack. You have just connected with agriculture and the farmers of our nation.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has stated many times that, “You may not need an attorney ev-ery day, but everyone needs a farm-er every day.”

As Americans, we are probably the best fed people in the world and we have this abundance at the most reasonable cost in the world due to the effi ciency and hard work of the American farmer. Food producers in our nation often times toil long hours in all types of weather to provide all of us with a secure food supply. Our food security truly begins in rural America because of their hard work.

Just consider this: in the 1930s the average U.S. farmer fed 10 people;

today that number is 155. Our ag-ricultural production system is one of history s̓ greatest success stories, and we should thank our farmers who humbly take little credit.

So the next time you grab a car-rot or open a can of your favorite cold beverage, please pause a mo-ment to remember who is really responsible for our abundance, the American Farmer.

John Whitaker is the FSA state executive director.

Iowa Farm Service Agency editorial

NORTH CENTRAL IOWA


KOSSUTH . WINNEBAGO . WORTH . HANCOCK . CERRO GORDO . HUMBOLDT . WRIGHT . FRANKLIN . WEBSTER . HAMILTON . HARDIN


3-4 lb. roast (beef or pork)1 pkg. dry onion soup mix1 c. barbecue sauce







softened



6 eggs1/2 tsp. onion powder1/2 tsp. thyme leaves1/4 tsp. salt1/8 tsp. pepper3 c. frozen hash brown potatoes

1 c. (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 c. diced ham1/2 c. green pepper, chopped1 tomato, thinly sliced



Iowa Organic Conference to help producers meet growing demand for organics

SUBMITTED BY FRANKLINThe nation caught a glimpse of

Iowa organic farming when Presi-dent Barack Obama visited Morgan Hoenig and MogoOrganic last April as part of his Main Street Tour. Now, participants at the 10th Annual Iowa Organic Conference will learn even more about MogoOrganic and or-ganic production on Nov. 21- 22 as Hoenig, other producers and experts from across the country speak at the Iowa State University conference at the Scheman Building on the ISU campus in Ames.

“The world market for organic products reached $35 billion in 2009

and the demand for organic grains and produce continues to exceed supply,” said Kathleen Delate, ISU organic agriculture specialist. “Growers ev-erywhere are encouraged to consider the potential for organic production.”

Delate encourages organic farm-ers, those transitioning to organic and those interested in learning more about organic production to attend the Iowa Organic Conference. Bob Quinn, a fourth-generation Montana farmer recently selected for the Or-ganic Leadership Award by the Or-ganic Trade Association, will kick off the conference with his keynote address Monday morning. Quinn

converted the family farm to organic production in 1988 and now pro-duces 100 percent organic crops on the 2,400-acre farm. He speaks with great enthusiasm about his efforts in sustainable agriculture and soil con-servation, work that has been recog-nized by USDA-SARE.

The conference agenda includes information on vegetable, fruit and livestock production and related top-ics - soil and water quality, crop in-surance, diversifying marketing op-portunities, government programs, the new pasture rule and transition-ing issues. A pre-conference social on Sunday, Nov. 21, is planned for

exhibitors and sponsors, but anyone can purchase a ticket to attend.

“This is our 10th anniversary and we have a lot to celebrate,” said De-late. “The Iowa Organic Conference is the largest university-sponsored organic conference in the country. Despite the challenges of fl ooding this year, we anticipate successful organic yields with organic soybean prices averaging $17 per bushel.”

Register online at www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/organic10/home.html. The cost of the conference is $105 on or before Nov. 1 and $125 after Nov. 1. Non-vendors must purchase a $15 ticket for the Sunday reception. For

additional conference information and directions to the conference visit www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/organ-ic10/home.html or contact Delate at [email protected].

Conference partners include Iowa State University Extension, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Midwest Organic and Sustainable Educational Services, Organic Val-ley and Practical Farmers of Iowa. Contacts are Kathleen Delate, Hor-ticulture and Agronomy, (515) 294-7069, [email protected] Willy Klein, Extension Communications and External Relations, (515) 294-0662, [email protected]

Neighbors help with harvest

When Geoff Mickelson suffered an unexpected accident this summer, neighbors stepped up to help in every way they could with harvest being no exception. On Oct. 12 more than 15 semitrailers, 12 combines and several grain carts fi lled Mickelson’s 900 acres of corn fi elds to harvest his crops. Many of the volunteers had crops of their own to harvest but felt the need to help. This group of outstanding volunteers, along with several others not pictured, are also making plans to help with tillage. Mickelson is currently undergoing extensive physical therapy in Kansas City after a 14-foot fall. Mickelson is owner of R & G Electric in Humboldt and has been a Farm Bureau member for many years. Photo courtesy of the Humboldt Independent. SUBMITTED BY HUMBOLDT COUNTY.

Ready for the hayride

For the past seven years, pumpkins have been grown at Dan and Linda Anderegg’s for Mason City Roosevelt Elementary second-graders. This year was no different and on Thursday, Oct. 14, 85 students came to the coun-try and chose their very own pumpkin. There were three stations to visit for the second-graders on their trip to Anderegg’s. This group is ready to go on a hayride. For more on the story, see the Cerro Gordo county page. PHOTO

COURTESY OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.

NORTH EAST IOWA


WINNESHIEK . ALLAMAKEE . FAYETTE . CLAYTON . BUCHANAN . DELAWARE . DUBUQUE










softened







Pictured, from left, are Matt Schulte, Nikki Schulte, Jared Winkie and Luke Schulte. PHOTO COURTESY OF ALLAMAKEE COUNTY.

FFA Soil Judging Contest heldSUBMITTED BY ALLAMAKEE

On Oct. 1, Northeast Iowa Area Community College hosted the 2010 Northeast District FFA Soil Judging Contest. This event is designed to teach students scien-tifi c evaluation of soil, soil man-

agement, and soil use and con-servation. Students participated in evaluating four soil pits and a problem solving test. Thirty-four teams and more than 100 indi-viduals from 11 area schools par-ticipated in this yearʼs event. The

Waukon FFA Chapter fared well in the event with its team placing fi rst overall.

Individually Luke Schulte placed fi rst, Jared Winkie placed third, Nikki Schulte placed sixth and Matt Schulte placed eighth.

Pasture Walk near Waukon Nov. 3

SUBMITTED BY ALLAMAKEE, CLAYTON

Late season grazing will be fea-tured at the next Northeast Iowa Gra-ziers Pasture Walk on Nov. 3 at the Jeremy Peake farm west of Waukon.

Discussion topics include out-win-tering heifers with the use of hoop buildings. The Peakes milk 36 head of Jersey cows that they rotationally graze. They sell their milk through Organic Valley.

The walk will run from 1-3 p.m. and is open to grass-based farmers or “graziers” of all species and at all lev-els. The Peake farm is located at 323 North Line Drive, Waukon. From the junction of Highway 9 and Highway

51, turn north on Apple Road and go 1 mile north to Line Drive. Turn east onto Line Drive. The Northeast Iowa Graziers plan monthly walks to local farms to help producers learn how better pasture management can result in both healthier profi ts and a health-ier environment. The walks are orga-nized by area graziers and supported by Iowa State University Extension, the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Northeast Iowa Com-munity Based Dairy Foundation.

For more information about the 2010 Pasture Walks, contact Jennifer Bentley, ISU Extension dairy special-ist, at (563) 382-2949 or [email protected].

Feeding strategies improve dairy calf performance

SUBMITTED BY ALLAMAKEE, CLAYTON, FAYETTE

Producers can learn about strate-gies and feeding programs used to improve calf starter intake and over-all calf performance at a Dairy Calf Seminar on Nov. 10 at the Northeast Iowa Community Based Dairy Foun-dation.

The day will also include a hands-on “wet lab” discussion of lab fi nd-ings on pasteurization and a tour of Dairy Foundation calf facility with use of its pasteurizer.

The program will feature Noah Litherland, assistant professor, dairy cattle nutrition, research and exten-

sion from University of Minnesota. Litherland will discuss current re-search in milk replacer feeding fre-quency, accelerated milk replacer feeding programs, combining milk replacer additives, and the use of an-tibiotics in milk replacer.

Following lunch, Dr. Bob Schell will discuss the use of pasteurizers and their use with automatic calf feeders. Dr. Schell is a practicing vet-erinarian and owner of CalfStart, and has fi rst-hand experience assisting dairy producers with their pasteuriz-ers. Schell will provide fi ndings from the lab on pasteurized wastemilk.

Jenn Bentley, ISU Extension dairy

specialist, will discuss a recent survey on pasteurization use in Iowa. The day will conclude with a tour of the Dairy Foundation s̓ calf facility and discussion on its use of a pasteurizer.

The seminar will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation Center in Calmar. Lunch is sponsored by Dairy Tech, Inc. and there will be a $5 fee to attend. Please RSVP by Friday, Nov. 5, by calling (563) 382-2949 or go online to www.extension.iastate.edu/winneshiek. For more information contact Jenn Bentley at [email protected] or (563) 382-2949.

Iowa farmers can grow their communities one donation at a time

SUBMITTED BY CLAYTON, DELA-WARE, FAYETTE

Rural communities are important to farmers. They give farmers a place to call home, a place to meet with friends for breakfast, a place to raise families. Now, Iowa farmers in 99 counties have the opportunity to win $2,500 awards for their favorite non-profi t organization. The awards are available through Monsanto Fund s̓ America s̓ Farmers Grow Communi-ties program. The program s̓ fi rst two pilots provided nearly 500 farmers in 10 states with $2,500 awards to direct

to their favorite nonprofi t. That totals nearly $1.2 million invested since the fi rst pilot program began in January. The program has now expanded to more than 1,200 counties across 38 states. The America s̓ Farmers Grow Communities program is intended to benefi t non-profi t community groups such as ag youth organizations, schools and other civic groups impor-tant to America s̓ farmers. Farmers can apply online at www.growcom-munities.com, or they can call (877) 267-3332 to apply by phone.

Farmers age 21 and over who are

actively engaged in farming a mini-mum of 250 acres of corn, soybeans and/or cotton, or 40 acres of open fi eld vegetables, or at least 10 acres of tomatoes, peppers and/or cucumbers grown in protected culture are eligi-ble. Farmers can enter now through Dec. 31. The program is open to all qualifying farmers, and no purchase is necessary in order to enter or win. One winner will be drawn from each of the participating counties, and Monsanto Fund will announce win-ning farmers and recipient organiza-tions by February 2011.

NORTH WEST IOWA


LYON . OSCEOLA . DICKINSON . EMMET . SIOUX . O’BRIEN . CLAY . PALO ALTO . PLYMOUTH . CHEROKEEBUENA VISTA . POCAHONTAS . WOODBURY . IDA . SAC . CALHOUN . MONONA . CRAWFORD . CARROLL . GREENE

Harvest nears completion in northwest Iowa










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Susan Krummen with her lead lambs at the Clay County Fair.Ryan Pitts, Presley Herrig and John Eddie posing with one of the livestock signs donated by the Clay County Farm Bureau. PHOTOS COURTESY OF BUENA VISTA AND

CLAY COUNTIES.

Sioux Central FFA members participate in Clay County FairBY MAGGIE PATTERSONSUBMITTED BY BUENA VISTA, CLAY

From Sept. 11-19, members of the Sioux Central FFA participated in livestock shows at the Clay County Fair. Members raised their various livestock at home during the spring and summer. During the fair, their livestock was judged against oth-ers in the county and district based on categories, such as rate of gain. The members themselves were judged on their ability to show their animals and the cleanliness of their stalls.

The chapter had one participant in the sheep category. Susan Krum-men, a senior at Sioux Central, ex-hibited sheep for FFA. Two of her lambs earned fourth and seventh place for rate of gain. Krummen received a reserve champion award on one of her speckle classes, and the remaining three lambs in her lead lamb pen received blue rib-bons.

David Movall, a collegiate FFA member, participated in the FFA cattle division. He received county reserve champion for his prospect calf.

Logan Wenck, a sophomore, represented the Sioux Central FFA chapter in the poultry and dog divi-sions. He received purple ribbons and champion standings on his medium weight goose, pheasant breeding pen of three and bantam duck breeding pen of three. His heavy weight goose, domestic tur-key and wildlife display received reserve champion standings. He also received a blue ribbon for his bantam duck breeding pen of three. On the county level, Logan re-ceived county champion small bird pen of three, supreme champion small bird pen of three, and county

champion senior showmanship. Within the dog division, Logan received county grand champion for graduate novice obedience and novice agility. He also received a blue ribbon for rally novice and se-nior showmanship.

The Sioux Central FFA chapter had three winning participants in the swine division. John Eddie, a senior at Sioux Central, received reserve county market pig and sec-ond place in showmanship. Presley Herrig, a junior, also participated in showmanship and received fi fth place. Ryan Pitts, a freshman, re-ceived sixth place in his class and 10th place in showmanship. Two members of the chapter also were crowned as Clay County Fair roy-alty. Presley Herrig was crowned as the Clay County Fair Queen runner-up and participated in Clay County Fair activities such as the Bret Michaels concert. Kearsten Brown, a senior, was crowned as the 2010 Clay County Fair Queen.

She represented the fair during the day by handing out livestock tro-phies, judging food contests, and giving the crowd a recap of her day at the nightly grandstand shows.

Many of the students who par-ticipated in the livestock shows at the Clay County Fair use them for their Supervised Agricultural Expe-rience (SAE) projects. Each chap-ter member must have one or more SAE project every year. The proj-ects must have a connection to agri-culture, whether through something as directly linked as livestock and crop production to projects such as pet care and food science. Students take detailed records of their proj-ects during the entire school year and present these to receive a mul-titude of awards. These SAE proj-ects allow the chapter members to discover agricultural activities that they enjoy and can incorporate into future careers.

Maggie Patterson serves as the 2010 chapter reporter.

Roger Braun, manager at the Cher-okee First Co-op grain location, stands next to the machine that weighs grain and checks the mois-ture in the loads of corn. On Oct. 12 the Cherokee location brought in 65,600 bushels.

The 2009 fall harvest with all its rain and snow is now a distant memory for northwest Iowa farm-ers. With temperatures running slightly above normal, the sec-ond straight week of warm, dry weather has speeded up the 2010 corn harvest.

“Record number of bushels, completion in record time, corn running to full capacity have all been positive factors, harvest is going more smoothly than last year’s,” states Roger Braun of the First Coop Association in Chero-kee. In addition, “Corn harvest is fast and furious with people reporting dry corn everywhere; warmer then average temperatures over the past several weeks mean the crop is dry-ing in the fi eld so there are no drying costs to farmers. Average moisture has been running 14.7 percent.”

According to Jim Sunde, who works in the corporate offi ce of First Coop Association in Cherokee, “Half of the harvest is done here in north-west Iowa.”

He states, “Company-wide on the 12th of October the coop took in 1,316,000 bushels at the 13 grain locations in northwest Iowa to in-clude Cherokee. Cherokee brought in 65,600 bushels, and Aurelia, the larg-est location in northwest Iowa, took in 195,000 bushels the same day.”

Most harvest accidents occur when the farmers get overly tired from the long hours. Farming being one of the most dangerous occupations, espe-cially during harvest, it is important to take continual breaks. Follow all the safety procedures, such as turn-ing off the combine before unplug-ging it and make sure all shields are in place around the PTO shafts. Also,

have a buddy with you at all times when working around grain bins. The potential for grain bin accidents occurring this fall is far greater than in most years due to the quality of the corn harvested and binned.

SOUTH EAST IOWA

MAHASKA . KEOKUK . WASHINGTON . LOUISA . MUSCATINE . MONROE . WAPELLO . JEFFERSON . HENRY . DES MOINES . APPANOOSE . DAVIS . VAN BUREN . LEE











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IPPA offering emergency action

plannerSUBMITTED BY HENRY

The Iowa Pork Producers Asso-ciation has developed an emergency action planner for producers to use in their swine facilities.

The binder includes detailed steps on how producers and their employ-ees should handle emergencies in-volving manure spills, weather, fi re, power outages, biosecurity, euthana-sia and mass animal mortality. There also is space in the planner for site

maps, building layout and general emergency information.

Producers can obtain copies of the planner at no charge. To get your binder or for more information, con-tact Tyler Bettin, IPPA producer ed-ucation director, at (515) 225-7675 or [email protected].

In recognition of October being National Pork Month, Henry County Farm Bureau would like to thank all the pork producers for all they do.

Students step back in time

Fifth-graders from Agassiz Elementary School took a class fi eld trip to Living History Farms on Sept. 24, thanks to the Teacher Supplement Grant and $200 from Wapello County Farm Bureau. Shown above is the fi fth grade class with their teachers, Christine McClure and Jeanne Benge. PHOTO COURTESY OF WAPELLO COUNTY.

Evaluating soil

Central Lee agricultural education and FFA students Skyler Wright, Chase Vogel and Ricky Courtney evaluate soil at the 2010-2011 soil judging event held near Wapello. The activity allows students to evaluate soil for land use and management. PHOTO COURTESY OF LEE COUNTY.

Not too early for Christmas presentSUBMITTED BY DES MOINES

Need a gift for someone who has everything? Consider a gift to the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Ky. Join the Henry County Farm Bureau on Feb. 15, 2011, on the bus trip for $450 per couple (single or double beds), you will get two nights ac-commodations in Louisville, bus ride to and from the show and din-ner on the way home on Thursday, Feb. 17.

The National Farm Machinery Show is the nation’s largest indoor farm show with row after row of quality products and services, hands-on demonstrations of the latest technological advancements and a variety of free seminars. The Farm Bureau bus will be going to and from the high-intensity action of the Championship Tractor Pull, the oldest indoor tractor pull in America, on Wednesday night.

Passengers will be picked up

in Fairfi eld, Mount Pleasant and West Burlington. To reserve a seat a deposit of $200 is due by Nov. 17. Please make checks out to the Henry County Farm Bureau, but the checks can be dropped off at any of the following counties: Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Lee, Van Buren or Wapello.

For more information or to re-serve a seat contact the Henry County Farm Bureau at (319) 385-3174.

SOUTH WEST IOWA


HARRISON . SHELBY . AUDUBON . GUTHRIE . ADAIR . CASS . WEST POTTAWATTAMIE . EAST POTTAWATTAMIE . MILLS . MONTGOMERYADAMS . UNION . CLARKE . LUCAS . FREMONT . PAGE . TAYLOR . RINGGOLD . DECATUR . WAYNE










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BY JOHN M. SHUTSKESUBMITTED BY FREMONT

It’s a perfect day to start wrapping up the last full week of a long, busy har-vest. There’s not a cloud in the sky. The crop is dry and

bountiful. The harvest has been as hectic as any other, but for-tunately with no breakdowns or any real problems! In fact, other than checking the oil a few times, greasing bearings and fueling up, your combine hasn’t missed a beat. You’re congratulating your-self, because this year you’ll be done with harvest before all your friends and neighbors.

As you turn at the end of the fi eld, midway through your fi rst round, you smell smoke. You feel your stomach sink. That feeling of anticipation and exhilaration turns to fear and you realize that last busy week of combining could drag on into the early winter!

You jump out of the combine wishing you were closer to the cell phone and fi re extinguisher in the cab of your pickup! Just as you hit the ground, you turn back to see bright orange fl ames and smoke starting to pour out of the bottom of the combine’s engine compartment. You walk toward the smoke to get at the engine to try and at least throw some dirt on it. You burn your hands on the now red-hot hood latch and resign yourself to standing back and watching your $250,000 new machine go up in fl ames!

Does this scene sound far-fetched? Probably not to most busy farmers. University of Minnesota research shows that combine and tractor fi res still cause millions of dollars in property losses each year and even more because of lost time and downed crops during the busy harvest season. Fires not only cause huge losses and waste time, they also cause dozens of injuries each year, and occasionally a per-son is killed because of a farm ma-chinery fi re.

There are two keys to prevent-ing a disaster like the one just de-scribed: 1) prevention and 2) prep-aration in case a fi re does break out.

Machinery fi re preventionFor a fi re to occur, three things

must be present: air, a material to burn and a heat source. It’s im-possible to eliminate air around a farm machine. So, machinery fi re prevention focuses both on keep-ing the machine clean of possible fi re-causing materials and eliminat-ing all possible sources of heat that could lead to a fi re.

Cleanliness and mainte-nance

Begin every harvest season with a clean machine. Pay special at-tention to the engine and engine compartment, since research indi-cates that over 75 percent of all ma-chinery fi res start in that area. Use a pressure washer to remove all caked-on grease, oil and crop resi-due. A clean engine will run cooler, operate more effi ciently and greatly reduce your chance for fi re.

After starting the season, make sure you frequently blow any dry chaff, leaves and other crop materi-al off the machine with compressed air. Also, clear off any wrapped plant materials on bearings, belts and other moving parts.

Pay close attention to your ma-chine operator’s manual and fol-low all instructions and schedules for lubrication and routine main-tenance. If you notice leaking fuel or oil hoses, fi ttings or metal lines, make sure to replace or repair them immediately!

Eliminate heat sourcesCombine and tractor fi res can be

caused by several heat sources. The most common is exhaust system surfaces that contact fl ammable material. Make sure your exhaust system including the manifold, muffl er and turbocharger are in good condition and free of leaks.

When checking your oil and per-forming other daily maintenance, quickly scan any exposed electri-cal wiring for damage or signs of deterioration. Replace any worn or malfunctioning electrical compo-nent with proper parts from your dealer. If you are blowing fuses, or have a circuit that intermittently cuts out, it’s a good sign that there’s a short or loose connection in the system. The arcing electrical wires on a farm machine will generate extremely high temperatures.

Also keep an eye out for worn bearings, belts and chains. A badly worn bearing can glow red-hot. Any rubber belt subjected to intense heat from a worn part can burst into fl ames.

Be prepared for the worst Despite your best intentions

and good maintenance, a fi re on a combine or tractor can still oc-cur. Your best source of protection for a combine is at least one fully charged 10-pound ABC dry chemi-cal fi re extinguisher. A fi ve-pound unit is recommended for tractors. Select only extinguishers with an Underwriter’s Laboratory approv-al. Having two extinguishers on the machine is even better, in case one malfunctions or loses pressure.

Keep one mounted in the cab and one where it can be reached from the ground.

Check your extinguishers peri-odically, paying special attention to the pressure gauge. To function ef-fectively, the gauge must show ad-equate pressure to expel the powder inside.

Extinguishers should also be checked periodically by some-one from your local fi re depart-ment or insurance company. Any extinguisher that has been even partially discharged must be fully recharged before it’s used again. During even a brief discharge, the tiny dry chemical particles will cre-ate a small gap in the internal seal of the extinguisher valve. This tiny opening will cause any remaining pressure to leak out in a few hours or days.

What if I have a fi re?If a fi re does break out on a ma-

chine you’re operating, quickly shut off the engine, grab your ex-tinguisher, get out and get help. If you forget to grab the extinguisher, don’t go back in after it unless the fi re is small or confi ned to an area well away from the cab.

Having a cell phone or two-way radio nearby will help get profes-sional assistance to the fi eld more quickly. Be sure to stay calm and give complete and accurate direc-tions.

Approach any fi re with extreme caution. Even a small fi re can fl are up dramatically as you open doors, hatches or other areas to gain ac-cess. These types of fi res are espe-cially dangerous when liquid fuels are involved.

If possible, use the extinguisher’s fl exible hose to shoot the chemical from a safe distance at the base of any fl ames you see. Continue to blanket fl ames to allow the fi re to cool and prevent a refl ash.

Remember that it may not be possible to put out every fi re. If it’s in a diffi cult-to-reach area or seems out of control, don’t risk the chance of injury or even death ... wait for help to arrive.

Before resuming operation after any fi re, make sure to fi nd and cor-rect the cause. It’s always best to have the machine looked at by a qualifi ed equipment mechanic who can also help to prevent future fi res by locating parts that need replace-ment and inspecting other areas that might represent a future fi re hazard.

John M. Shutske is an agricul-tural safety and health specialist and professor of bioproducts and biosystems engineering at the Uni-versity of Minnesota.

Grain combine fi res still a burning problem

ISU Extension hosts agricultural outlook

meeting Nov. 17SUBMITTED BY ADAMS, FRE-MONT, EAST POTTAWATTAMIE

Iowa State University (ISU) Extension will be hosting an Agri-cultural Outlook and Management meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 17, at the Park Playhouse in Shenandoah. The Park Playhouse is at 604 West Ferguson Road. Registration will begin at 1:30 p.m. The meeting will start at 2 p.m. and end at 4 p.m.

“Because of the shifting sands un-der the markets, this year the focus will be all grain and oilseed,” said Tim Eggers, ISU Extension fi eld agricultural economist. “Chad Hart, ISU Extension grain marketing spe-cialist, will be the sole presenter.”

For the second time in 10 months, the USDA supply and demand re-ports have had a major impact on the

markets. The early January 2010 re-port dropped the corn market about 50 cents, whereas the Oct. 8 report caused the corn market to jump more than 60 cents. Hart will discuss the timing of USDA reports and the consequences on the markets. He will also talk about he dependence of the markets on biofuels.

According to Hart, “USDA re-ports are essential to farmers’ pre- and post-harvest marketing plans. They explain the fundamental forces in the markets.”

The Agricultural Outlook and Management meeting costs $15, and pre-registration is requested by Nov. 15. For more information and to pre-register, call the Page County Extension Offi ce at (712) 542-5171 or (877) 596-7243.

Area News October 27, 2010

Documents

Transcript of Area News October 27, 2010