AG Mag Central Iowa
Life Force The heart of agriculture in Central Iowa is just beneath the surface HOLDING PATTERN: Grain glut has many farmers deciding whether to sell or store HIS AND HERS: On today’s farm, men and women are equals
A Publication of Shaw Media
Fall 2015
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Index
AG Mag Central Iowa
Publisher Dan Goetz Advertising Director Jeff Holschuh Managing Editor Abigail Pelzer Magazine Editor Jeff Rogers
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Page Design Jeff Rogers
COVER STORY
Reporters & Photographers Jason W. Brooks, Pam Eggemeier, Dave Fox, Kate Malott, Mike Mendenhall, Alex Olp, Alex T. Paschal, Jamee A. Pierson, Bailey Poolman, Kathleen A. Schultz, and Kyle Wilson
Dirt rich The black dirt that covers much of Iowa produces some of the nation’s best crops.
Published by News Publishing Co. 200 First Avenue East Newton, IA 50208 641-792-3121 Articles and advertisements are the property of News Publishing Co. No portion of the Central Iowa Ag Mag may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of News Publishing Co. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, News Publishing Co. cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. News Publishing Co. cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this magazine.
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Index 20
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TRENDS IN AGRICULTURE
FIRST READ
Sell vs. store
Woman’s work
Central Iowa famers must decide what to do with all that grain as prices continue to lag.
How have the lives of women on the farm changed over the years? How have they stayed the same?
A love story Their first meeting was a bit awkward, but the years that followed have been wedded bliss on the farm for the Van Wyks.
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Prairie City row crop farmer Harold Nolan plows his first field of the harvest Oct. 14. Nolan farms roughly 100 acres in Jasper County. He and most farmers in his extended network have sold their grain from last year’s harvest, he said. (Mike Mendenhall/Central Iowa Ag Mag)
AMPLE WAVES OF GRAIN Central Iowa farmers forced to be creative in getting rid of last year’s crop
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BY MIKE MENDENHALL AND DAVE FOX For Central Iowa Ag Mag
rairie City Heartland Co-op applicator Tanner Bistline turns the crank on a semitrailer at the facility’s 800,000-bushel grain pile. Harvest has been in full swing for about 2 weeks, and the co-op has seen a steady, daily stream of truck traffic. In Iowa’s bins and elevators, farmers have been clearing last year’s inventory to make room for what experts think could be another record grain harvest.
6 Fall 2015
Mark Johnson is a field agronomist for Iowa State University Story County Extension and serves nine counties in Central Iowa. He characterized last year’s harvest as a good year but would not call it a “bumper crop.” ■■■ Johnson said the unusually unpredictable price fluctuations in the 9 months since the end of the 2014 harvest created a slight inventory backlog for individual farmers in Iowa, but not to the extent seen in other corn and soybean-producing states. CONTINUED ON 7
4CONTINUED FROM 6 “Prices bounced a lot the last 9 months, and a lot of people have sold on the ‘ups,’” Johnson said. “So much of the grain market is psychology, and unfortunately there are a lot of guys who sell on emotions instead of a rigid marketing plan.” Johnson said farmers who plan benchmarks and have a sales schedule – planning to have a specific number of bushels sold by target dates throughout the year – typically will not end up with leftover stock. “I would never put new crop on top of old crop,” he said. “If I have a half-full bin, I wouldn’t want to put new crop to fill that bin up. I’d want to get that bottom half out of there.” For those sitting on an excess, the ISU agronomist said the Iowa farmers he advises have found a way to market that grain – whether it’s hauling it to the elevator or to sell at a better, future market price. But Johnson said the prices in the corn and soybean futures market were not positive by October, so the costs outweigh the advantages of storing surplus at an elevator on a price-later
‘‘
It’s the guys who are doing a good marketing plan who are going to come out OK on this. The prices have gone up and down more in the last 9- to 10-month period than any other 9-to 10-month period I can remember.
Mark Johnson, field agronomist for ISU Story County Extension
basis. “It’s the guys who are doing a good marketing plan who are going to come out OK on this,” Johnson said. “The prices have gone up and down more in the last 9- to 10-month period than any other 9- to 10-month period I can remember.” He said a recent Iowa soybean trade deal with China, other war actions and global politics all have had an effect on the amount of surplus grain. But Jeff Jones, manager of the Heartland Co-op in Prairie City, said in October that most of the 2014 grain stored at his location had been sold. Corn prices reached a peak in 2012, but have dropped significantly since. According to Iowa State University, the average price per bushel received by Iowa farmers
’’
was $6.67 in 2012. This year, the university projected, it will be $4.13. Reed Akre, a commodities broker with Maplehurst Farms in Lee Center, Illinois, said although dropping corn prices are troubling for farmers, they’re good for consumers. “Because when corn prices go down, fuel prices also tend to drop,” he said. “We’re also seeing corn prices drop because there has been less demand for ethanol.” Corn prices are down significantly across the Mississippi River, as well. Last month, the average cash price in many northwest Illinois locations was around $3.60 per bushel. Midway through the harvest there, prices were somewhat CONTINUED ON 84
Mike Mendenhall/Central Iowa Ag Mag
Harvested grain is deposited on a growing pile at Prairie City Heartland Co-op in October. The harvest had been in full swing for about 2 weeks, and the co-op had seen a steady, daily stream of truck traffic. AG Mag 7
CONTINUED FROM 7 “I think we’ll probably see a lot of farmers in this area just hunker down and hang on to their corn a while to see if they can get prices $4 a bushel or better,” Akre said. Soybeans tend to follow the same trends and cycles as corn, he said. In Iowa, the peak was in 2013, when farmers were getting an average of $14.13 per bushel, according to Iowa State University. Through August, prices were averaging at or below $10. “Bean prices are down largely due to increased technology, higher yields, and a wider variety of uses,” Akre said. In recent decades, beans have been used in inks, cleaning fluids, and biodiesel fuels, which helps drive up demand for higher yields. Higher demands and higher yields help keep prices low. Another concern for farmers is rent prices on land. When corn prices went up,
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most land rents were increased accordingly. “With landlords used to getting those higher prices, espeReed cially after Akre record high grain prices a few years ago, it’s hard to get them to go back down on rent prices,” said Tex Bellows, who farms corn, soybeans and hay in Ogle County, Illinois. “If that happens, we’ll just have to pay, because if we don’t someone else will.” From the platform of his John Deere in a 17-acre field in Prairie City, Harold Nolan said the harvest was looking bountiful, but he and other area farmers have managed to sell their product and have room for what he believes could be a record year for Iowa corn. “My neighbor got rid of all his grain,” Nolan said. “As far as I know, most farmers have sold their stock.”
Mike Mendenhall/Central Iowa Ag Mag
Tanner Bistline works at the temporary grain pile at Prairie City Heartland Co-op east of Prairie City. The enclosure can hold up to 800,000 bushels of corn. Depending on current markets and sales, the result could be a surplus of grain.
Kyle Wilson/Central Iowa Ag Mag
Farmers Forum WITH CENTRAL IOWA AG MAG
How has this year’s wet weather affected your operations?
Brad Deutsch
Dwight Grimes
Ross Wasson
Will Cannon
Jason Robinson
“Crops are looking real good. I’m very happy with yield so far.”
“It hasn’t really affected anything. I’ve had good crops so far, so I can’t say the wet weather affected me any.”
“It actually benefited the beans and corn. It dried up this fall quite a bit, which allowed us to get in the field and harvest efficiently.”
“We’re pretty pleased with where the crops are for what the weather was. I would say it had a fairly minimal impact on our operations.”
“On a wet year like this, the important thing is fungicide application on your corn due to the wet conditions we had this summer.”
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Down to a
Science Mariposa Farms basil is grown using a hydroponics growing system, which allows crops to mature out of a gravel mixture called perlite, rather than soil. (Photo submitted)
Fresh herb supplier Mariposa Farms celebrates 20 years BY KATE MALOTT Central Iowa Ag Mag
South of Grinnell is a large herb farm and business belonging to Dave and Denise Conkling. Mariposa Farms features thousands of herb plants grown in long, covered greenhouses. It’s been Iowa’s largest local herb supplier for more than 20 years. “Dave concentrates on the business side of things, and I do the plant side,” Denise said. “It works out really well.” “She’s the botanist. She’s the scientist. She’s the one that really understands what’s happening with the plants,” Dave said. In fact, Mariposa Farms grows its herbs in a state-of-the-art hydroponics growing system. Hydroponics is the science of growing plants in a water and nutrient-type gravel mixture perlite rather than soil. Herb crops are grown, harvested, packaged and distributed from the Grinnell farm and greenhouse. Mariposa Farms products are distributed across the state and to surrounding Midwest states such as Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Colorado, North Dakota and South Dakota. Mariposa Farms is primarily known for its fresh herbs but also offers a large array of dried organic products and live plants. The most popular product sold is basil, both dried and fresh leaf, which makes up nearly 40 percent of its sales. CONTINUED ON 11 10 Fall 2015
Kate Malott/Central Iowa Ag Mag
Hy-Vee sells Mariposa Farms products at all of its groceries in Iowa. The farm south of Grinnell is the largest fresh herb supplier in the state, with basil being its best seller.
CONTINUED FROM 10 “We carry nearly all the herbs they offer because they’re a good local, fresh product,” Grinnell Hy-Vee produce manager Gary Green said. Basil is the most popular product at Hy-Vee, Green said. Mariposa Farms products are available at all Hy-Vee and Fareway locations. “Local suppliers and home-grown products are getting more popular, which in turn helps the community,” Newton Hy-Vee produce assistant James Pietz said. Mariposa Farms products include: • Fresh herbs — arugula, baby dill, basil, opal basil, bay leaves, chervil, chives, cilantro, edible flowers, lavender, lemongrass, marjoram, mint, oregano, Italian parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, sorrel, tarragon, thyme and watercress. • Dried products — dehydrated chile peppers, aji mirasol, ancho, chipotle, de arbol, habenero, New Mexico pod, pasilla negro, pequin and serrano. • Mushrooms — black trumpet, boletes, chanterelles, lobster, morel, Northwoods blend, oyster, paddy straw, porcini, portabella, shiitake sliced, shiitake saps, stir fry blend and woodear. For more information, contact Mariposa Farms at info@mariposafarms. com or 641-236-5740.
After you visit Marisopa Farms, try these tasty treats ROSEMARY SQUASH 1 1/2 to 2 lbs butternut squash or 3 acorn squash 1 tbsp butter or margarine melted 6 1-inch sprigs of fresh rosemary 1/4 cup cider apple juice freshly ground pepper Directions 1. Cut squash in half; remove seeds. Brush each half with melted butter. 2. In a large pan with sides, place each squash, cut side down, on top of three sprigs of rosemary. Pour cider into pan. Add water until liquid is 1/4-inch deep. 3. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Turn squash over and bake 15 minutes more or until tender. Serve with freshly ground pepper. CAPRESE SALAD 1 lb. baby mozzarella balls, halved 1 lb. cherry tomatoes, halved (a mix of red and yellow tomatoes) 12 large Mariposa Farms fresh basil leaves, chopped cracked black pepper and salt, to taste With dressing: 1 clove garlic, grated 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 6 tablespoons olive oil
Directions 1. Place mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes and Mariposa Farms fresh basil into a shallow bowl. Add some salt and fresh cracked black pepper and stir to combine. 2. Mix the garlic, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and some more salt and pepper in a jar. Screw on lid and shake to combine. Pour over salad and serve immediately.
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Bill and Dorothy Van Wyk farmed for more than 50 years at their rural Jasper County acreage, raising cattle, pigs, sheep, chickens, corn and soybeans while watching their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow and be involved in the farm along with them. (Jamee A. Pierson/Central Iowa Ag Mag)
Life and love in farming Once Dorothy learned Bill’s name, they never parted BY JAMEE A. PIERSON Central Iowa Ag Mag
It began with a chance meeting at the county fair. “I had a dairy cow that I was showing, and he had pigs that he was showing,” Dorothy Van Wyk said. “Every morning, I’d take Hero out there to get a drink, and every morning he was out there watching me. I’m thinking, ‘How come you are watching? You have pigs, you don’t bring them out here.’” So she asked the boy what his name was. “He, of course, didn’t know,” Dorothy said. “So, I watched one morning until he went back in where his pigs were, and I quickly followed him to see what his name was, because everyone had their names above their animals.” “I must have done it right, because I won her over,” Bill Van Wyk chimed in. Bill and Dorothy have spent a lifetime in farming, working the fields, milking cows, feeding livestock, and growing a family that now extends to great-grandchildren. CONTINUED ON 13
12 Fall 2015
Photo submitted
Dorothy Van Wyk said that although they never had horses, the kids would ride around on all of the other livestock on the farm, including the cows and sheep.
CONTINUED FROM 12 They just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They have five children. “They all worked on the farm,” Bill said. “They had livestock because they were always in 4-H.” Bill started working with his dad on their Sully farm, while Dorothy lived near Monroe on the farm that eventually became theirs and is now farmed by their son. “When I was about 11, 12 years old, I started doing a lot of work with horses,” Bill said. “We had horse-drawn machinery that we used. I could barely lift a harness but if I pushed it and pushed it, I could get it on.” After beginning work on their own farm, the Van Wyks saw the industry change – from the machinery used, to the prices they received for the grain in the field. “When I started farming, $1 corn was a good price,” Bill said. “As time went on, one year we got $3 and I thought that we really had something really going. We got up to $8 here 2, 3 years ago and that was fantastic.” The couple stayed busy with their kids’ activities, a herd of cattle, pigs, sheep, chickens, and with tending their fields. “I think harvesting is my favorite time of year. You learn how much you got for
The Van Wyks and their five children on their family farm in 1970. your work,” Bill said. The Van Wyks milked cows for 27 years. Their five children gave them 15 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, and they spent 50 years in the fields before deciding to hand the reins over to their son. They have since
Photo submitted
enjoyed retirement by traveling with Bill’s brother and spending time with their family. “Farming has been a good life. Sometimes I was disappointed, but most of the time it’s been a good life,” Bill said. “I have a good wife to enjoy it with me.”
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LEAVING
Area farmers work to maintain soil health and quality for years to come BY JASON W. BROOKS AND PAM EGGEMEIER For Central Iowa Ag Mag
W
hile Iowa seems quite flat along major highways, its basin-river system actually has many places highly suited for growing grain — and some of those juxtaposed spots are nearly right next to each other. Roger Zylstra is the District 5 representative on the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, and has been farming near Lynnville, in Jasper County, for about 35 years. “The best soils in Jasper County are usually located on the ridges between the rivers,” Zylstra said. “They would usually be Tama or Killduff soils and are classified as not highly erodible. “Corn and or soybeans are the primary crops grown because they have the most potential to return a profit, and because they are not highly erodible they generally don’t require special conservation practices.”
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Many farmers rely heavily on government rating systems, which help determine not only land valuation and insurance costs, but also where and how to grow major crops, such as corn and soybeans. Trish Hafkey, of Iowa Farm Bureau, said a complex “corn suitability rating” is used in many cases. An Iowa State University map shows county averages in the state ranging from as low as 56 in Woodbury County, in western Iowa along the Missouri River, to as high as 88 in Polk County, which incorporates Des Moines in central Iowa.
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G THEIR FOOTPRINT Many east-central Iowa counties have average ratings in the upper 70s to low and mid-80s. “In terms of ‘best’ soil, much of the soil being used for crop production has a “CSR” rating associated with it,” Hafkey said. “This rating is used to determine soil suitability for growing crops. Generally, those acres with a rating of 90 and up are deemed very, very good – premium ground. Eighties are pretty good, too.” The rich, black dirt that covers much of Iowa and the Midwest produces some of the nation’s best corn and soybean yields year after year. That farmland is largely the product of glaciers that protected the land during the Ice Age. The last of four glaciers melted about 13,000 years ago. The ice sheets left flat prairieland throughout most of the state, and river basin sediment was deposited in the soil from long periods of flooding and dust storms. The riverbeds eventually dried out and the silt, called loess, blew over the prairie, covering most of the state. Loess is perfect for agriculture – it is rich in minerals, has no rock, and it retains moisture. Mollisol, a dark, rich soil, covers much of the state and most of the southwest region. It is the byproduct of the decomposition of prairie plants that had covered the terrain after the glaciers had melted. Sustenance of the great gift bestowed by nature continues to evolve after more than 7,000 years of farming on Iowa soil. Josh Bruett, 24, of Indianola, is a sales agronomist for BB&P Feed and Grain in Winterset. His focus is agronomy, helping farmers with seed recommendations based on a variety of factors, including soil quality. “My job would be a lot easier if everyone had the same field elevation and the same type of soil,” Bruett said. “It is very difficult to make soil conservation decisions. It is not just a simple yes or no. All farmers have a vested interest in soil conservation. ... A lot of thought goes into how farmers practice soil conservation and still turn a profit.” CONTINUED ON 164
Photo illustration by Alex T. Paschal/Central Iowa Ag Mag
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Photos by Jason W. Brooks/Central Iowa Ag Mag
A combine finishes up a row of corn in Jasper County in early October. Soil in Central Iowa can vary greatly in quality – especially in its corn suitability rating – depending on whether it’s on steep or flat ground, and if waterways are nearby. 4CONTINUED FROM 15 Curt Donohue, district conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Newton, said the less disturbance the soil receives, the more it can maintain its ability to produce high yields. Donohue and his colleagues have been heavily promoting cover crops, soil and nitrogen “catch” methods, no-till techniques and crop rotation over the past several years. “There was a time when the plow was the farmer’s only tool to affect the land,” Donohue said. “Now, we know so much more, and farmers can do so much more than simply till up soil and let it sit uncovered when there aren’t regular crops in the ground.” Dave Harrison, a resource conservationist with the Whiteside County Soil and Water Conservation District in northwest Illinois, said, “The more you keep something living in the soil, the better the biological results. It sucks up nutrients that would otherwise be lost in drainage tile.” Harrison promotes the use of cover crops. His personal goal is to have cover crops used on 50 percent of the farmland in his region. Right now, he said, it’s about 10 percent. Statewide, there has been a 15-fold increase in cover crop acreage since 2010. “Overall, the soil in the area is probably better than it was 25 years ago,” he said. “I would suggest that farmers take advantage of the Conservation Reserve 16 Fall 2015
In some states, the best ground for growing crops is along rivers and creeks. However, the moisture content in darker, riverine soils in Iowa means the lighter, drier soil of ridge top areas is better for growing corn and soybeans. Program, put in cover crops, and it can gradually build up soil quality.” Ag scientists agree soil quality is a difficult concept to quantify. It can be easy to confuse exactly what is being measured. “Productivity and soil quality are
very different things,” said Emerson Nafziger, an agronomist at University of Illinois. “Soil is a very complex system, and it is divorced from the high yields we continually get.” CONTINUED ON 174
CONTINUED FROM 16 Nafziger said there are many different measurements done on soil, but the level of organic matter present and bulk density draw more focus. The slow process of building stable organic matter can be measured easily in the topsoil if erosion hasn’t intervened. “The deeper the organic matter goes, the better, because that deeper soil will hold it much better,” Nafziger said. Soil erosion has been a problem in Iowa, but it has lessened. The United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service estimates that farmland soil erosion in Iowa decreased from 7.4 tons per acre in 1982 to 5.1 tons per acre in 2007. In the same time period nationwide, farmland soil erosion fell from 4.0 tons to 2.7 tons per acre. Biotechnology has played a role in high productivity.
Jake Waddingham/Central Iowa Ag Mag
Josh Bruett of BB&P Feed and Grain in Winterset prepares the soil to take a field sample. Bruett said all farmers have a vested interest in keeping their soil healthy, but deciding what practice best fits the land each year is a difficult task. “Technology allows farmers to control insects without all of the tilling,” Nafziger said. “The introduction of Roundup 15 or 20 years ago made no-till much more feasible.” Many practices contribute to maintaining nutrient-rich soil, but improper use can
Look for our next edition of
cause different problems. The most high-profile issue of late has been water pollution attributed to nitrogren, phosphorus, and other ag-related chemicals. The chemicals can infiltrate tile draining systems and contaminate waterways. To directly help farmers,
the Illinois Council on Best Management Practices has been formed. A website, illinoiscbmp.org, has been developed by Illinois Farm Bureau to help farmers implement a broad-based strategy. “There is a wealth of information available on field practices, including how to use nutrients, cover crops, buffers – it’s really all-encompassing,” said Laura Lurkins, director of natural and environmental resources at Illinois Farm Bureau. Illinois hasn’t reinvented the wheel in setting up the program. “Our strategy looks a whole lot like what they’re doing in Iowa, but they are just a couple of years ahead,” Lurkins said. A cornerstone of Iowa’s program is the pumping of dollars into cover crops. The ICBMP website also highlights conservation practices that include saturated and conservation buffers, bioreactors, wetlands, and reduced tillage.
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Jason W. Brooks/Central Iowa Ag Mag
The Grinnell High School FFA program won a number of local, state and national honors last year. Adviser Ashley Wolfe (front left) poses with the 2015-16 officers (front row, from left) Secretary Caleb Heinselman, Treasurer Amanda Osland and Historian Taylor Sheets; and (back row, from left) Vice President Taylor Spencer, Sentinel Tanner Hoffstetter, President Tierra Long and Reporter Addie Fenner.
An awarding experience Grinnell High School FFA program recognized for its excellence BY JASON W. BROOKS For Central Iowa Ag Mag
Thanks largely to a rich area history in farming, the Grinnell High School FFA program always has a high bar set for its success. Last year was no exception, as awards won at the state, regional and national levels helped the program advance further, and set high standards for the 2015-16 officers to meet or exceed. A school year full of fundraisers, competitions and a few out-of-town trips began with a full slate of activities during the first week of school in August. “We had 55 people in our program last year,” GHS instructor and FFA adviser Ashley Wolfe said. “And we had six students go to nationals.” The Grinnell program has five classes: and introductory class to agriculture and FFA, soil science, plant science, animal science, and a survey of the animal industry classes offered in conjunction with Iowa Valley Community College. Among the 2014-15 honors was having its four-member team taking top honors in the senior division at the sev18 Fall 2015
enth annual Iowa Pork Producers Association Youth Swine Judging Contest on Jan. 29. All four members of the team received a $750 scholarship from IPPA. GHS took first place as a team in the FFA sheep-large group competition at the Iowa State Fair in August. Kevin Werner had the champion Suffolk ewe and “best in show” for Suffolks, while Kolton Werner had the reserve champion in the Dorset Ram category. At the state FFA level, the chapter display received a gold rating and GHS placed fifth in chapter program activities. GHS took home a number of honors from the 86th Iowa FFA State Leadership Conference, held April 28-29 in Ames. The school’s Ag Issues and Perceptions team, which included Jessica Moyer, Addison Bidwell, Jacob Cline, Megan Iverson, Taylor Long and Jason Brau, brought home first-place honors among 12 teams. The Chapter Display team of Brittni Wyma, Abby Versendaal and Peyton O’Dell earned a bronze rating. The Greenhand Quiz Team – comprised of Caleb Heinselman and Taylor Spencer – took 10th place.
Five Grinnell seniors were honored with FFA “Degrees” – the highest honor a four-year FFA member can earn at the state level. They are Addie Bidwell, Jacob Cline, Megan Iverson, Taylor Long and Jessica Moyer. Grinnell FFA also received a $1,000 donation from Wes Finch Auto Plaza, earning the most votes in a 17-organization social media competition. Individually, then-senior Kyle Nisley received a $1,000 scholarship from Theisen’s, and he’s pursuing a degree at Iowa State University. GHS competed in the 88th National FFA Convention & Expo in late October in Louisville, Kentucky. Grinnell’s largest event is typically its cattle show in April. Other major events for the year include fall fruit-sales fundraisers, a petting zoo and a tractor parade. The Grinnell High School FFA officers for 2015-16 include Long, who is the president, along with Spencer (vice president), Heinselman (secretary), Taylor Sheets (historian), Addie Fenner (reporter), Amanda Osland (treasurer) and Tanner Hoffstetter (sentinel).
Central Iowa Post-Secondary Agriculture Programs DES MOINES AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE Des Moines (Campuses in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Newton, Carroll, Perry, Boone, Ames and Ankeny). www.dmacc.edu 515-964-6200 or 800-362-2127 Associate of Applied Science programs: Agri-Business, Veterinary Technology. Certificate programs: Agronomy, Animal Science, Farm Management, Agriculture Sales/Service, Sustainable Agriculture, Turf Maintenance, Landscape Design, Greenhouse Production. Certificate programs: Agri-Business-Sustainable Agriculture, Agricultural Supplies (Retailing and Wholesale). DORDT COLLEGE Sioux Center www.dordt.edu 800-343-6738 Bachelor’s degrees offered: Agriculture, agribusiness, animal science, ag missions, biotechnology, plant science. Associate degree: Agriculture. Other programs: Pre-veterinary medicine program; Agriculture education that allows teachers to earn an endorsement through Dordt’s education program. IOWA CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE Fort Dodge (East and west campuses in Fort Dodge; others in Webster City and Storm Lake) www.iowacentral.com 800-362-2793 , 515-576-7201
Programs offered: Agricultural Technology A.A.S. Degree; Agriculture Transfer Program A.A. Degree. IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY Ames (Several extension campuses/programs) 515-294-2518 www.cals.iastate.edu/about/ departments Undergraduate majors offered: Agricultural and Life Sciences Education; Dietetics Agricultural Biochemistry; Environmental Science; Agricultural Business Environmental Studies; Agricultural Studies; Food Science; Agricultural Systems Technology; Forestry Agriculture & Society; Genetics; Agriculture Exploration; Diet and Exercise; Global Resource Systems; Agronomy; Horticulture; Animal Ecology; Industrial Technology; Animal Science; International Agriculture; Biology; Microbiology; Culinary Science; Nutritional Science; Dairy Science and Seed Science. ISU College of Veterinary Medicine programs: Veterinary Anatomy (Cert, MS, PhD); Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Other (Cert, MS PhD) Veterinary Medicine (DVM); Veterinary Microbiology and Immunobiology (Cert, MS, PhD); Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology (Cert, MS, PhD); Veterinary Preventive Med Epidemiology/Public Health; Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management.
HAWKEYE COMMUNITY COLLEGE Waterloo 319-296-2320 www.hawkeyecollege.edu Degree/certificate or transfer programs: Agricultural Business Management, Agricultural Science, Veterinary Assisting, Golf Course and Country Club Management, Horticulture, Natural Resources Management.
SOUTHWESTERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE Campuses in Red Oak, Creston and Osceola www.swcciowa.edu 641-782-7081 or 800-247-4023 Associate degrees: Agriculture major. Associate of Applied Science programs: Agricultural Business Crop Production, Livestock Production.
INDIAN HILLS COMMUNITY COLLEGE Ottumwa and Centerville www.indianhills.edu 800-726-2585 Associate of Applied Science programs: Sustainable Agriculture Entrepreneurship. A.A. or A.A.S. programs: Biology, A.S. program: Natural Resources. One-year program, no formal certificate: Forestry.
NORTH IOWA AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE Mason City www.niacc.edu 1-888-GO-NIACC Transfer programs: Agriculture cluster: Marketing & Finance, Agriculture Operations Management, Agriculture Sales & Service, Agriculture technology. Other transfer programs: Biology, Environmental Sciences, Forestry, Horticulture, Veterinary Medicine. Also: Animal Ecology.
IOWA LAKES COMMUNITY COLLEGE Campuses in Algona, Emmetsburg, Estherville, Spencer and Spirit Lake www.iowalakes.edu 712-362-2604 or 800-521-5054 Associate of Applied Science programs: Agribusiness Technology, Agriculture Production Technology, Farm Equipment and Diesel Technology, Landscape & Turfgrass Technician and Veterinary Technician. Transfer programs: Agribusiness, Agriculture Communication or Agriculture Education, Agriculture Studies, Agronomy, Animal Science and Horticulture.
KIRKWOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE Cedar Rapids 319-398-5609 www.kirkwood.edu Two-year programs: Agricultural Geospatial Technology, Agriculture Business, Agriculture Production Management, Agriculture (Liberal Arts transfer degree), Diesel Ag Technology, Diesel Truck Technology, Floral Careers, Golf Course & Athletic Turfgrass Management, Humane Officer Training, Landscape Construction and Design, Parks and Natural Resources, Pet Grooming, Veterinary Assistant, Veterinary Technician.
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EQUITY ON THE FARM Women in agriculture no longer a rarity, or a stereotype
I
BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ AND JAMEE A. PIERSON For Central Iowa Ag Mag
t’s a familiar image: The farm wife in the slightly worn cotton dress, drying her hands on her apron as she turns from the sink/stove/table with a warm but equally worn smile, heads out the door and onto the porch to call the kids/husband/farmhands in for breakfast/lunch/supper. Familiar, yes, but far, far, from the truth. For 30 years now, “farm wives” have been evolving well beyond the perception that their primary function is to cook, clean and keep the home fires burning. They’re also accountants, pro-
In the photo Lori Nelson drives a tractor with two grain trailers attached while she harvests soybeans in rural Greenfield, Iowa. Lori and her husband, Mike, farm row crops, and Lori helps haul grain. (Bailey Poolman/Central Iowa Ag Mag) curement officers, combine drivers, mechanics, vets ... equal partners in the business of keeping the family farm afloat and, often, promoting the industry in general. And more and more, they’re also the boss. The USDA’s Economic Research Service released a report in April 2013 that showed that the share of women farmers nationwide nearly tripled, from 5
percent in 1978, the year the Census of Agriculture began asking for gender data on principal operators, to 14 percent in 2007. By 2012, 288,264 women were principal operators. Toss in secondary operators, and the number jumps to 969,672 female farmers, 30 percent of all farmers nationwide.
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CONTINUED FROM 20 (Most secondary operators, about 96 percent, work alongside a male principal, usually their husbands, data show.) In Iowa, 32,167 women, 25 percent of all farmers, work 9.1 million acres that bring $474 million to the state each year. More than 7,100 are principal operators. In general, the women who run farms nationwide are older than their male counterparts, and most of the farms they run are smaller – 78 percent have sales of less than $10,000. And the number of younger women entering farming is higher than the number of older women leaving the field, data show. Still, while being a constant for her husband during the busy months and taking advantage of the times when the family can work together, the modern farmer’s wife still takes many cues from her predecessors. “My favorite part about the farm is that it’s centered around family. It is a great place, in my opinion, to raise children. We love checking cows together, riding around on the Ranger. We even enjoy fixing fence together,” Lacey Vander Linden said. Vander Linden, her husband, Cole, and their two children farm in Marion and Jasper counties, raising cattle and
Jamee A. Pierson/Central Iowa Ag Mag
Life on the farm for Lacey Vander Linden includes a bit of everything, from filling buckets, bringing lunch, fixing fences, to hauling cattle. Although she does not have a specific role on the farm, she is in charge of taking care of everything at home, including her two children. Lacey and her husband, Cole, farm in Marion and Jasper counties, raising cattle and growing corn and soybeans. growing corn and soybeans. “I don’t have a specific role; I help out whenever Cole would need it, whether it be filling buckets, bringing lunch, dinner, helping him fix fences or haul cattle, work cattle or check cattle, which we do as family fun time most Sundays,”
“Farmers selling at Farmer’s Prices
Vander Linden said. “I don’t do anything daily. I don’t have specific chores, but I take care of everything on the home front – kids, meals and housework, so he can be dedicated to work.” CONTINUED ON 22
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4CONTINUED FROM 21 Similarly, Jourdan Van Wyk occasionally runs meals out to the field to her husband, Dirk, but found her main job is to take care of their two boys. Van Wyk farms about 800 acres in Jasper County. “I have driven a tractor once, a few years ago, only for fun. I grew up in the city and while I was interested in how the farm operated I was quite satisfied learning about it second hand,� Van Wyk said. She said that she has become more involved recently because of their kids. “One of our favorite summer activities was to feed the cattle on the Ranger. This was something even I could do,� Van Wyk said. “My favorite thing about the farm is seeing how much love it symbolizes – the love the farmers have for the land, love that is built in families that endure the hardships that farming brings, love for the simple beauty in the everyday tasks that are a part of the job.� June Hjortshoj has seen the farming landscape change drastically since marrying her husband, Paul, and starting work on the farm. From horses to field work and pencil and papers to complete the books, she has seen technology become a larger part of the dayto-day business. “Paul’s father started with horses
when he was farming,� Hjortshoj said. “For quite a few years it was the number one way to farm. He then had to transition into tractors, and now Paul is farming with his combine that has a computer that will drive the combine for him. It’s amazing to me to see the difference.� Hjortshoj has taken on many roles on the farm, including bookkeeper to doing traditional tasks such as bringing meals to the field. “I can drive a tractor and I can run a few pieces of equipment. We are still taking meals to the field so that he doesn’t have to take time coming in,� Hjortshoj said. A great victory in agriculture, said Annette Sweeney, president of Iowa Agri Women, is that men and women are equals on the farm. Sweeney, of Alden, was a state representative from 2009 to 2013, and farms with her husband and two sons. Women have made great strides in the industry, she said, noting that “there’s more gals at Iowa State University in the veterinary college than there are guys,� and that the number of women enrolling in agribusiness and STEM-related courses is steadily on the rise. She also pays tribute to those women who choose primarily to work the land. CONTINUED ON 234
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Having grown up in the city, Jourdan Van Wyk takes a limited role on the farm and focuses her time on caring for her two boys. Jourdan and her husband, Dirk, farm about 800 acres in Jasper County.
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CONTINUED FROM 22 “I think it’s great that people get to experience their passion, for ladies to be able to experience their passion, whether it be for what I like to call ‘dirt therapy,’ or whether they like to work with livestock. ...” Lori Nelson, used to work full-time away from the farm while she and her husband had a hog operation. Now, farming corn and beans with her husband, Mike, in rural Greenfield in southwest Iowa, is her fulltime job. “This was nothing in the realm of what I thought I would be lucky enough to do,” Lori, 53, said. She helps Mike haul water and chemicals during planting season, then drives tractors and semitrailers carrying loads of grain during harvest. “She does handle the tractors well,” Mike said. “When we’re planting corn, she hauls seed. When we’re spraying, she pulls the water trailer. In the fall she hauls grain. “She’s just as important as I am out here. She’s an equal partner.” The Nelsons own 12 fields, and Lori said she admires women who run other machinery. “I feel like the women who run the combine, they’re really involved,” she said. “I’m a town girl, so the equipment, ... I respect it. I always tell my husband as the equipment gets bigger, I respect it more.” While Sweeney, the Iowa Agri Women president, said she’s glad to see young women taking on more ag-related careers, she does think many aren’t as cognizant as they should be of their history, and are perhaps a bit dismissive of those who came before, bearing the farm wife standard. “One thing I see is, the young gals that are making great strides are a little bit discriminatory to us older gals who blazed the trail,” Sweeney said. Overall, though, she’s
encouraged by the change in mentality she’s seen, especially over the past 15 years or so, Sweeney Annette said. Sweeney It’s an President ever-improvof Iowa Agri Women frets ing landthat “the young scape, and not solely gals that are making great because of the women. strides are a When she little bit discriminatory was in her to us older gals late 20s, back who blazed the in 1983, her trail.” dad got sick and Sweeney came home to run the farm. She had no brothers, and wasn’t yet married. “I started buying farm equipment, and back then, if they didn’t know my dad, they wouldn’t do business with me. Now there’s females selling equipment.” When she and her farmer husband, David, married a few years later, “My grandma hated it that I went to work outside. My husband thought, ‘Well, she’s part of the operation’.” And when she became the first Republican woman to lead the Iowa House Agriculture Committee, “I didn’t get the feeling [from male counterparts] that, just because she’s a girl, she doesn’t know anything about agriculture.” That attitude – or lack thereof – happily has taken root, and spread, she said. “The younger men, I’m going to give them kudos,” Sweeney said. “These young guys are coming in with the mentality that she’s part of the operation, she’s not just a spouse, she’s a farmer, too. That age bracket, they get it – the wife is part of the operation.” That’s what makes for a great partnership, she said. “We always need both genders, because the genders are wired differently ... and when we use that difference as a tool to be productive, it can’t be beat.”
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23
Proving grounds Prairie City brothers develop timemanagement skills from 4-H, FFA BY ALEX OLP For Central Iowa Ag Mag
Connor and Colton Warrick see county and state fairs as opportunities to showcase their pigs, but also to display their knowledge agriculture. The brothers from Prairie City are FFA and 4-H members, and each has his own pigs he breeds and raises on the family farm. When the animals are ready, the Warricks haul their swine to local fairs in an attempt to sell them. “I’ve been in 4-H since fourth grade and I’ve been showing pigs forever,” Connor said. “Dad has raised pigs his whole life, so we got into it really young. I’ve been showing since I was like 5 or 6 years old.” Connor graduated in May from Prairie City-Monroe High School, where Colton is a sophomore.
Colton (left) and Connor Warrick stand in front of their pigs at the Iowa State Fair this summer. The brothers own four pigs each that they bred and raised on their family farm near Prairie City. (Photo submitted)
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Time management is a big thing I learned, especially because I played a lot of sports. And things don’t always go right. It teaches you really quick that things don’t always go as planned. You can come home one day and a pig is lame or a pig is dead. You never want that to happen, but it just happens and you have to deal with it. Connor Warrick
CONTINUED FROM 24 The Iowa State Fair in August was one of Connor’s final moments with family before he moved to Ames to attend Iowa State University, where he is pursuing a career in athletic training. Growing up on a farm and having daily responsibilities raising animals throughout his childhood has helped him prepare for those early-morning college classes. “You learn to wake up early, even if you don’t want to,” Connor said. “We were up at like 5 a.m. this morning. Whether you want to or not, you have to get up a lot of days to get everything ready.” The brothers have lived on their family farm just outside of Prairie City their whole lives, and Conner said that lifestyle, in addition to busy schedules at school and dedication to high school sports, has taught him how to deal with whatever life hands you. “Time management is a big thing I learned, especially because I played a lot of sports,” Connor said. “And things don’t always go right.
’’
It teaches you really quick that things don’t always go as planned. You can come home one day and a pig is lame or a pig is dead. You never want that to happen, but it just happens and you have to deal with it.” As 4-H and FFA members, Connor and Colton have typically stuck to raising pigs, which they show and sell either at the Iowa State Fair or the Jasper County Fair. However, next year little brother Colton could be the owner of a few other animals. “Dad used to have a lot of different animals on the farm. We’re going to have goats next year because of him,” Connor said as he pointed at Colton. “He wants goats. It’s different.” Colton said being an FFA and 4-H member has not only taught him about the responsibilities on a farm, but it also allows him to venture out and enjoy the company of other livestock farmers at local fairs. “There are a lot of possibilities,” he said. “You get to meet a lot of new people and make new friends. It’s just fun.”
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AG Mag Central Iowa
February 2016
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25
TO THE RESCUE
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Prairie City firefighters test a tube used in grain bin rescues in February. The tube is wedged into a silo when someone is submerged in grain and allows rescuers access. Money collected during a Valentine’s Day fundraiser went toward purchasing equipment. (Photo submitted) 26 Fall 2015
EMS, fire crews train for farm accidents at harvest BY MIKE MENDENHALL For Central Iowa Ag Mag
W
hen Colfax Volunteer Fire Chief Dennis Lester announced his department’s acquisition of a grain bin rescue tube in May, it was a milestone for the small town of 2,093 and for Jasper County. Lester applied for a $5,000 grant through DuPont Pioneer Hybrid Seeds sales representative John McLaughlin to get the 5-foot tall, yellow aluminum tube, which is wedged into a silo when someone is submerged in grain and allows rescuers access. With the donation to Colfax, every smalltown fire department in Jasper County has a grain bin rescue tube at its disposal. ■■■ Pioneer has donated nearly $150,000 toward the purchase of grain bin rescue equipment to Iowa fire departments since 2013, according to data released in June. For smalltown fire and EMS crews, funding for the proper equipment is half the battle. Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty also is a firefighter for a volunteer department in Mingo, Iowa. The town of 300 people maintains the fire department with a budget of $27,000 a year, which mainly goes to equipment maintenance and small equipment purchases. Although a need, Halferty said a new grain rescue tube would have been a lofty expense without outside funding. CONTINUED ON 27
Index of Advertisers AgriVision ............................................................28 Bank Iowa ............................................................24 Central Iowa Water Association ........................11 Farmers National Company.................................8 First Newton National Bank ..............................25 Hi-Line Trucking Center ....................................20 I-80 Farms............................................................20 Iowa Family Farms .............................................23 Iowa Grain Systems ............................................23 Kane Welding & Supply .....................................11 Mike Mendenhall/Central Iowa Ag Mag
Jasper County Sheriff Mike Halferty shows how a lightweight, aluminum grain bin rescue tube is assembled at the Mingo fire station. 4CONTINUED FROM 26 Farm Credit Services offered to purchase a tube for Mingo and the neighboring Baxter fire departments this year with the caveat that they train each first responder how to use the device. “We had both agencies there for two different nights to attend the training,” Halferty said. “The idea is [that] prior to the last couple of years we only had two or three sets in the county, so we would have to wait longer to get them depending on where the incident takes place.” The tube is made of rounded panels that are adjustable to make a larger or smaller tube. It’s lightweight, allowing firefighters and first responders to climb grain silos more easily with the equipment. Many rural departments in Jasper County began to see a need for their own grain rescue tubes after one was used in September 2014 to successfully free a man from a silo near Newton. Four fire departments and the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department responded to the incident.
“The guy walked out of the bin because we did what we were trained to do,” Halferty said. “And while they may have got him out, at some point they said we better call for help because the corn was above his head.” Jasper County trains all EMS and firefighters to use the grain rescue tubes and in proper techniques to free a trapped individual. Victims are slowly suffocated, Halferty said, if they are not removed in time, and in many situations victims who are submerged are unconscious by the time first responders arrive. During a training session last year near Kellogg, Halferty invited sheriff’s deputies and dispatchers to watch the exercise, so if law enforcement was first on the scene they would know how to start the rescue process – shutting the power off and directing the equipment into a staging area. “When we do the training, we have a volunteer from the department wear shorts and you can see the corn indentation on their legs,” Halferty said. “It’s a compression they’re not able to expand and it slowly pushes in.”
Kellogg Lawn & Snow, Inc.................................25 Key Cooperative ..................................................13 McCall Monument ..............................................25 Midwest Biotech ..................................................22 Newton Health Care Center ...............................13 O’Grady Chemical Corporation .........................3 Park Centre .........................................................17 Rohrer Bros Fertilizer ........................................25 Rotary Airlock .......................................................5 Shawn’s Hay Grinding .........................................4 Shomo-Madsen-Umble Insurance .....................19 S.I. Distributing ..................................................22 Sinclair Tractor .....................................................2 Sully Farm Supply, Inc .......................................24 Tama County Mutual..........................................21 Tama Livestock Sales ..........................................19 Van Ko Farms......................................................21 Vanderwaal Insurance ........................................23 Willowbrook Adult Day Center .........................23
AG Mag
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