1Cover
PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PA I D Permit No. 371 Newton, IA 50208 ****************ECRWSS**** Local Postal Customer
New clubhouse, same course at
Oakland acres
The fabric business with
Custom design wood furniture at
Studio 53 Kellogg celebrates
150 YEARS
Regina Frahm
log cabin
LIVING with Keith and Beverly Smith
SUMMER | 2015
2
One of the Midwest’s largest independent clinics ...
because you deserve a choice in health care Paul Ruggle, M.D. family practice
Steve Hill, M.D. family practice with OB
Pat Edwards, M.D. family practice with OB
Orville Bunker, M.D. family practice
T.Y. Chan, D.O. internal medicine
Min Pak, M.D. family practice
Mureema Solberg, M.D. family practice
Leighton Frost, M.D. family practice with OB
Zack Alexander, M.D., CCD family practice
Duane Jolivette, M.D. family practice
Andrew Cope, D.O. family practice with OB
Stephanie Bantell, M.D. family practice with OB
Shari Lagodzinski, PA-C family practice
Lacy Lundgren, CNM, MSN women’s health with OB
Starting Oct. 2015 Esgar Guarin, M.D., FAAFP family practice with OB
Janice Gates, DPM podiatry
• family medicine • pediatrics • gynecology (including IUD placement) • obstetrics (including C-sections) and midwife services • women's health • physicals • well-child exams
Laurie Siddall, ARNP, FNP-C Beth Preston, ARNP, FNP-C family practice family practice
• • • • • • • • •
colonoscopies vasectomies bone density testing skin surgeries/biopsies cardiac stress tests fracture casting urgent care/walk-in appointments inpatient care screenings
• X-rays • lab testing • medical aesthetics (Botox, dermal fillers) • health education • podiatry (painful toenails, athlete’s foot, corns, calluses, infected nails, warts, hammer toes, bunions, diabetic foot care, heel pain)
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(641) 792-2112 • 300 N. 4th Ave. E.
www.newtonclinic.com • www.facebook.com/newtonclinic
3
Index 5
Gift
7
DINING
9
TREASURE
11
FEATURE
15
HISTORY
17
ISSUE
19
PEOPLE
Joe Maher builds custom-made wood furniture for his customers at Studio 53 in Colfax.
7
For more than 45 years, Dan Holtkamp has owned a Newton landmark.
Oakland Acres Golf Club has expanded to created an atmosphere not just for golfers.
9
Keith and Beverly Smith purchased 3.1 acres and have built their dream log home near Baxter.
Originally named Manning Station, Kellogg recently celebrated its sesquicentennial.
11
Is sweet corn lucrative? Local farmers John Brandhof and Emily Van Manen explain their answer.
Regina Frahm has grown her fiber business, Esthur Purl Fibers, to include wool, cashmere and silk.
Jasper County Living is a Newton Daily News publication........................ Dan Goetz Publisher
Abigail Pelzer Editor
Jeff Holschuh Advertising Director
Kate Malott Niche Publications Editor
Spring Summer 2015 2015• ••Jasper Jasper County County Living Living Summer 2015 Jasper County Living
Volume 3 Issue 3
3 3
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How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December is here before it’s June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon? ~Dr. Seuss Fall and then winter will be here before you know it…call Newton Village and find out what we have available before the snow flies.
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Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living
The custom-built furniture of
Studio 53 When Joe Maher opened Studio 53 in November of 2012, the focus seemed to be on antiques, with Maher building a few custom wood furniture items here and there. Since then, business has changed for Maher. In 2015, he says about 90 percent of his work is new custom creations, and he doesn’t even rebuy antique items for resale anymore. While Studio 53, 11 E. Front St. in Colfax, certainly still has some quality antique furniture, the dominant, unique items in the room are ones he’s crafted himself. “A lot of the wood I use is from trees that grew for decades right here in Jasper County,” Maher said. “I prefer items that are a little more substantial, but it seems things have gone a little bit thinner lately.” Maher said there’s also an increasing interest in “living edge” wood, where the edges of a surface retain the original bark outline of a
tree. “I call this my ‘rare earth line,’” Maher said, laughing and pointing to some living-edge items. Maher purchased the Front Street building two years before opening Studio 53, after selling his previous business, Maher Products, to employees Bob and Beau Perry. The red-brick building was vacant and had been used as storage for more than 10 years. Maher is well-versed in the history of furniture, from the Ming Dynasty to Roman and Greek patterns. He has carried many Celticinspired items. There is a huge variety of items visible in the front half of Studio 53 — especially if including all the sold items. From hutches to breakfast bars to coffee tables and chairs, there isn’t much in the modern furniture world not represented. Maher has created several hybrids that can serve in more than one capacity, and are made of more than one type of wood and/
Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living
or other materials. One wheeled table is tall enough to be a serving table for wine or hors d’oeuvres, yet big enough to be a regular breakfast-eating spot most of the time. In the back half of the main studio, behind a door usually closed to keep the dust in back, is Maher’s shop, where he stores slabs of wood and uses the sawmill. Helping him out at times is his nephew, Noah Wood. Maher created, by hand, the castings that make up the lamp posts around downtown Colfax. He enjoyed doing casting work, he said, but there were “a lot of rules, and I don’t like rules.” The artist said he still follows a few guidelines, such as making sure there are clean lines in his furniture. However, he said he doesn’t have a lot of preconceived ideas about materials or looks — he likes to create furniture that will fit into any contemporary
Story and art by Jason W. Brooks
setting, and be practical and useful as well. “A lot of what I make is very original,” he said. Studio 53 is open the second Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. to 4
p.m., but Maher meets many of his customers by appointment on almost any day. He can be reached through the Studio 53 Facebook page or at 515-249-2584. •
5
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We are partners with our community, working together to create a place that fosters mental health and supports those with mental health challenges. Programs include: • Individual, group, child and family therapy • Psychiatric evaluation and treatment for adults and children • Chemical Dependency evaluation and treatment • Psychological testing for adults and children • Residential and Community Based support services With offices in: 306 N. 3rd Ave. E. Newton, IA 50208 641-792-4012 6
2003 N. Lincoln Knoxville, IA 50138 641-842-4925 Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living
Hours Monday through Friday — 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday — 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Address 215 First Ave. W. Newton Phone 641-792-4166
“I enjoy visiting with people who come back to town and come in for a Maid-Rite.”
Dan Holtkamp
MR. DAN’S SANDWICH SHOP By KATE MALOTT
Located on First Avenue in Newton is the well-known and established home of the Maid-Rite sandwich — Mr. Dan’s Sandwich Shop. The restaurant was first brought to Newton in 1926 by Fred Angell and has been owned and operated by Dan and Pam Holtkamp and their family since 1970. The restaurant hasn’t changed much in the last 45 years under the ownership of Holtkamp. The look and feel of the space remains inviting and familiar. It still has the same design as it did it 1970,
with booth seating in the back and a unique horseshoe counter and window glass front. The food hasn’t changed much either, but many customers have changed their diet over the years, cutting back on sweets and tolerating less salt. The most common order is simply a Maid-Rite and a drink, Holtkamp said. The changing times hasn’t stopped by locals and visitors from coming to the restaurant to enjoy the same quality beef sandwich they did growing up.
MAID-RITE
Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living
Breakfast
The restaurant serves a traditional breakfast menu of eggs, meat and hashbrowns along with many other sides, however, its speciality are the homemade cake donuts made by master makers Lori Ganoe, Amy Clark and Stacy Kregel. Cake donuts are made with white and chocolate batter and can be topped with a variety of toppings.
Lunch & Dinner
The Maid-Rite sandwich is by far the most popular item on the menu at Dan’s Sandwich Shop, but the restaurant also serves salads, fries, cheese balls and milkshakes to name a few things. The secret to the sandwich is in the preparation, technique and beef quality. There is no secret recipe or spice, Holtkamp says, and it’s true. “It’s just plain hamburger,” Holtkamp said. A Maid-Rite sandwich is made with whole beef from Amend Packing Company out of Des Moines. Holtkamp has been getting his meat from their cattle for 45 years. The meat arrives in large packages, is hung in the walk-in cooler and is put through the grind daily, often times more than once. The meat becomes crumbled finely from a combination of cooking in bulk, using a steamer and constant stirring with a paddle. The sandwich is served plain and available with cheese, onions, pickles, ketchup and mustard. •
7
The Newton
American Legion Book our Ballroom for
2015
Rick’s Amoco
The ONLY FULL SERVICE gas station in Newton.
24 hour fuel
for your next event!
Ask about how you can receive a BP gas discount card. This is NOT a credit card!
The Legion is all on ground level with complete kitchen, ample parking and OPEN to the Public. Great for reunions, family gatherings, graduations and wedding receptions No membership required
Stop in Mon.-Sat. after 4 p.m. or call 792-3353 for more details.
1101 W. 4th St. So. • Newton • 792-3353
Why
• Belts • Hoses • Tires
• Plugs • Antifreeze • Wiper Blades
• Batteries • Tune-ups
Check with us for brake & exhaust work, shocks & struts, front/rear alignment, cv shafts & all minor repair service. CAR STARTING SERVICE • FLAT TIRE RESCUE
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Park Centre...
My name is Andrea Jensen. I grew up in Newton and my dad worked for Maytag. My mother broke her arm and needed skilled nursing care and subsequent care in assisted living. We chose Park Centre. My mother’s care has been the best care that could possibly be provided. The staff are obviously carefully screened for their loving personalities. If there was more time, I could tell you stories about the wonderful care my mother has experienced at Park Centre. The community is bright, superbly clean, spacious and well kept. Mom needed x-rays but it was not problem, there is an interior hallway to Skiff Hospital. The food is also well chosen and my mother really loved her meals. Park Centre Administration is also focused on customer service and very accommodating. My mother recovered and returned to her home. If she ever needs assisted living again, we know where she will receive the very best, most loving care possible, Park Centre. 500 First Street North Newton, Iowa 50208 641-791-5000
www.wesleylife.org/ParkCentre 8
Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living
Score a hole-in-one at
Oakland Acres By Alex Olp Since opening 52 years ago, Oakland Acres Golf Club has expanded numerous times and created an atmosphere, not just golfers, but anyone can enjoy. Kristin Van Wyk grew up in a house overlooking the course and is now the director of golf and the general manager of Oakland Acres. The course has been in multiple hands and is currently owned by Larry and Jim Heishman. Growing up on the course, Van Wyk has seen it transition over time, but since the Heishmans took ownership, a new clubhouse has been installed and the course is being improved on a continual basis. “They’ve done so much work out in the course,” Van Wyk said. “There’s just been some amazing updates that got the course in such great shape and this new
Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living
clubhouse. Everyone loves this new clubhouse.” Currently, work is being done to improve the cart paths and help golfers’ mobility from one hole to another. Van Wyk played the course in her childhood years and still manages to get out there when she can, but said the 18 holes in place now are very challenging for any golfer. “On seven and eight the water runs all along those holes and then the back nine is very hilly, but yeah it’s a really tough course,” she said. It’s a perfect course for avid golfers to compete on as Oakland Acres hosts multiple tournaments each season including monthly senior tournaments, a pair of Continued on page 16
9
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1719 1st Ave. East, Newton, IA 50208 641-792-9339 or 800-365-5537 You have a choice. Choose Hammer.
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Owned and operated by Dan and Margaret Ellis 32 years serving Jasper County
www.mcgriffsfarmandhome.com 1352 Hwy 63 • New Sharon, IA • 641-637-4010
It’s our differences that make us great. Lonnie Portner, Agent 123 E 2nd Street S Newton, IA 50208 Bus: 641-792-6000 lonnieportner.com
No matter what you value, I’m here to protect it with respect and professionalism. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. CALL ME TODAY. Lonnie Portner, Agent Lonnie Portner, Agent
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No matter what you value, E 2ndStreet StreetSS 123123 E 2nd GM Program & Pre-owned Vehicles I’m here to protect it withit with Newton, IA 50208 I’m here to protect Newton, IA 50208 Bus: 641-792-6000 respect and professionalism. Bus:lonnieportner.com 641-792-6000 respect and professionalism. I-80 Exit 168 to 1910 1st Ave. E., Newton Lonnie Portner, Agent lonnieportner.com Like good neighbor, Noamatter what ®you value, 123 E 2nd Street S Like a good neighbor, 641-792-6412 • 800-568-2341 State I’m Farm here istothere. protect it®with Newton, IA 50208 www.lauterbachcars.com State Farm is there. Bus: 641-792-6000 CALL ME TODAY. State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL 1101010..1 respect and professionalism. lonnieportner.com State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL CALL ME TODAY. 10 Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. CALL ME TODAY. ®
by Mike Mendenhall
log cabin
LIVING with Keith and Beverly Smith
It’s all about the view. This was the selling point for Keith and Beverly Smith when they decided to move to the countryside and purchase 3.1 acres to erect their dream log home. The couple — who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this year — lived in Newton for 45 years and decided their retirement should have a mix of something new and something rustic. “We wanted a new home, and we wanted a log home,” Beverly said. Their two-story log house sits in a small spacious development in the country just outside the Baxter city limits. With 1,600 square feet, three bedroom and one-anda-half baths, Beverly and Keith Smith’s all-log home has a serene view the rolling hills, pastures and fields of northern Jasper County through the main living area’s 10 foot high westward-facing windows. Construction on the log home took nearly a year, beginning in May 2010. After battling through the rainy weather — which produced the 2010 floods in Jasper County — the Smiths finally became owners of the cabin-esq home in February 2011. The home was built by Des Monies area contractor Doug Pooch. Elements of the Smith’s two-story county cabin came from the builder’s own house, but Keith said the overall design is one-of-a-kind. It was important to the Smiths to maintain a natural look for their home. The interior logs are not stained, just coated with enough sealer for protection and shine. “I told our contractor I wanted more than a one-butt kitchen,” she said. “Because the house we moved out of was just a one-butt kitchen. Just with a little space.” The house has a large rear porch, and the Smiths have landscaped with potters, flower beds and a garden filled with onions, potatoes, tomatoes and cucumbers. The log home also has a detached two-car log garage with a concrete patio leading from the utility door. A second attached two-car garages adds additional storage and comfort for cold prairie winters. Continued on page 13
Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living
11
Capitol II Theatre Where every movie brings out Joy!
Open Daily! Theaters equipped with Assistive Listening and Closed Captioning Devices
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LandscapinG, Ltd 2015 season will be booked soon so please get your projects confirmed and start thinking about booking now for 2016.
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Ticket Prices Adults $7 Children $5 Seniors $5 Matinees $5 (shows before 5pm)
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Community Heights Alliance Church
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Phone: 641-791-9062 Fax: 641-791-5358 1217 E. 8th St. N. • PO Box 772 • Newton
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Kitchen
Stairway
Continued from page 11 Walking into the entryway of the house, the main living room is spacious and open with a vaulted ceiling and all-log beams crisscrossing the room. An open loft with a spare bedroom overlooks the living area and serves as a sewing room with
bay window light for Beverly. The house has two gas fireplaces — both chimneys framed with cobblestone. The fireplace is the true centerpiece of the main living room, but one of the Smith’s favorite features is the sunroom off the great room’s southwestern wall. The dining area features light fixtures wrapped in cast-iron antlers, keeping the lodge motif fluid throughout the home. In the corner near the
dining room’s sliding glass door is a Lowery electric organ, framed in wood and matching the log interior. The finished basement holds two bedrooms and a half bath with a fireplace and game room. The kitchen has a duel oven with range, pantry, custom cabinets with nutty pine wood to compliment the log structure and a deep bay window which overlooks the neighbors pasture. During the summer months the
kitchen view is dotted with perfectly packed hay bails. Both Beverly and Keith grew up on the farm, so they feel right at home with the natural Midwestern scenery bailed throughout the summer and fall. “We enjoy watching him bail,” Beverly said. “We come from the farm, so we just love to watch him work.” •
Fireplace
Back Deck
Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living
13
For your loved one and you, the result is peace of mind.
Call for a tour! Kelsey Terpstra
(641) 791-4500 wesleylife.org/adultday
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Dwight Rawlins • 641-526-8002 Cell Phone: 641-891-0002 9420 Image Ave. Kellogg, IA 50135 www.kellogglawnandsnow.com
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14
Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living
Kellogg celebrates 150 years by Jamee A. Pierson Originally named Manning Station after the man who owned the stagecoach stop, it was also thought that the name Jasper City was used before the railroad named the point Kellogg and designated it a station on the line. The name was official on March 21,1871 and became a municipality in 1874. Having its early beginnings in 1865, Kellogg recently celebrated its sesquicentennial anniversary with a weekend-long event. The first railroad track reached Kellogg in the spring of 1866 after a delay because of very rough country between Grinnell and the city. The terminus of the railroad was in Kellogg for a time, possibly a year or two and the town grew quickly as freight, passengers and mail went onward by stagecoach and wagon.
Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living
Most of the buildings in town were shanties and shacks except for one owned by a Mr. Downing, which later became the Methodist Parsonage. Several of the shanties still exist but are barely recognizable because of room additions, siding and new roofs. A numbers of businesses were opened in 1866, including a tavern, Blair & Adair, started by Benjamin Manning; a blacksmith shop opened by Samuel Rich and several town site proprietors opened stores. Rich also served as the postmaster. Sesquicentennial events kicked off on a recent Friday evening with a concert and street dance featuring the Richard Arndt Band. Saturday was highlighted by the opening ceremonies and a parade featuring Grand Marshal David Barr and Sesquicentennial King and Queen Virgil and Marie Redding. Following
the parade, games and contests took place with food and merchandise vendors set up until dusk. A special activity took place that helped visitors and community members alike learn about the history of Kellogg. A historical scavenger hunt took place bringing participants through the town finding interesting artifacts detailing Kellogg’s past. “We’ve had a group of people put clues together. It sent them around Kellogg and introduced them to some of the history of Kellogg,” Sesquicentennial Chairman Lauren Gildersleeve said. A Kellogg Reunion was held at the Newton Ikes club in the afternoon and beginning at dusk the movie “McFarland, USA” was played in Holmdahl Park. Continued on page 23
15
Continued from page 9 couples tournaments every year and a junior tournament. Outings can also be booked at the course for anyone looking to host an event. The golf club also has a junior golf program taught by Van Wyk, who began picking up the sport when she was 2 years old. She teaches children from ages 4-12. “They come twice a week, and we go on the range, the putting green and then they play some golf too. So we’re just getting them familiar with the game,” she said. The cost to participate in the program is $120 per child for a six-week period. After the sun sets for the day, golf rests, but Oakland Acres does not. Inside the clubhouse, a bar sits as the center piece, but customers can also have a sit-down dinner, watch college games on TV and browse in the gift shop. The golf club has always been popular, but Van Wyk said the new clubhouse gave the place a night life
atmosphere it didn’t have before. It gets pretty busy over the weekends, but people also pack the building to enjoy dining specials during the weekdays, she said. “Everybody’s favorite day is Tuesday or Wednesday. Tuesday is Mexican specials, so we have different types of Mexican foods, and Wednesday is a french dip special. Those two days are really popular,” Van Wyk said. The place also has two golf simulators, which get extremely busy during the winter, and a stage for live entertainment. Oakland Acres books live bands at least twice a month, so when weekend golfers get through all 18 holes, they can enjoy the rest of their night in the clubhouse. “They can do everything they want in one day,” Van Wyk said. “They can play golf, come in to eat lunch and have some drinks. We just have a great facility here.” More information about golf rates and the course can be found at www. oaklandacresgolfclub.com. On the website, Oakland Acres also lists public tee times, upcoming events and menus for its bar and grill. •
Consignment Shop Maternity . Baby . Baby Gear . Shoes Kids . Teen . Toys . Accessories 719 Broadway . Pella, IA 50219 . Phone: 641-628-2877 email: extraconsignment@gmail.com
Hours: M-F 9-6 Sat 9-3 . 641-628-3535 • 630 Washington St., Pella www.facebook.com/dejavuconsignments
16
Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living
“You’d have to search far and wide to find someone who dislikes sweet corn.” — John Brandhof, Mitchellville farmer
W
hen John Brandhof sets up his sweet corn in the back of his pickup truck at the Newton Farmers Market, he has family help. When Emily Van Manen sets up sweet corn in a pickup truck, she is the family help, herself. There are as many different arrangements and ways of selling sweet corn as there are farm families in Iowa. Each family takes its own individual approach, and two Jasper County families are set up on the same Newton street — a few blocks apart. The Brandhofs and the Van Manens farm in opposite ends of the county, but both have long enjoyed the benefits of selling sweet corn locally. They supplement their incomes, which are largely hitched to field corn and other farm elements, with a local process that keeps them in touch with their neighbors. John Brandhof sets up his truck near the Shoe Dept. store on First Avenue East, where he’s been for years. A few blocks to the east, in a car wash parking lot, is Emily Van Manen. “I really enjoy it,” Brandhof said. “And everyone seems to like to eat it. You’d have to look far and wide to find someone who dislikes sweet corn.”
Both the Brandhofs and the Van Manens have had other venues for selling their sweet corn locally, beginning in early July, but setting up on a main street in a familiar spot helps get repeat customers from the previous year. There’s a likelihood the customers will be familiar as well. While filming a video last year for the Iowa Food & Family Project, Van Manen was distracted when a cousin drove past. “I enjoy socializing, so I like being able to talk to people and getting to know customers,” Van Manen said. “It’s a great way to connect with them, and to have them return the next week and the next year.”
Brandhof said he’s been selling sweet corn for about 20 years. He had a steady stream of customers at the Shoe Dept. location on a recent day, despite intermittent rain, and on a recent trip to the Newton Farmers Market, Brandhof and his daughterin-law, Autumn, were quickly selling dozens of ears as fast as it could be bagged in the bed of a pickup truck. While it might not seem like much work to put the gate down on a truck and make change, Brandhof reminds everyone that the truck full of large, green ears is only the finished product — not simply of years of planning, but of a single long day that starts in the field and
includes with selling to customers. “We sell it the same day it’s picked,” Brandhof said. “You can come out to our field at six in the morning and see how much work it is. It ripens fast, so when it’s ready, it’s ready. It needs to get sold and consumed.” Van Manen, 20, has shared J & E Sweet Corn as a business with her brother, Jacob, in name since the two were the very young children of Julie and Kevin Van Manen. They recently took over the business on a day-to-day basis, and while Emily is still an Iowa State University undergrad student, the two are young entrepreneurs in the farming industry. Continued on page 19
Why sell sweet corn? Van Manens, Brandhofs keep strong community connections going By Jason W. Brooks
Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living
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Continued from page 17 On the rainy day mentioned earlier, Emily was up early to pick sweet corn for its same-day sale, as usual. Two inches of rain had already fallen by the time she got to the field. “The mud was so thick, you couldn’t take a step without getting your foot stuck,” she said. Brandhof said his sweet corn lasts until about Labor Day weekend. He has plenty else to keep him busy, including planting and harvesting tomatoes, zucchini and melons. And, of course, there’s the field corn — the long-season May-to-October crop that all the other shorting growing cycles fit within. While Brandhof smiles and chats with customers, he knows he needs to get back to his fields. Selling sweet corn is highly gratifying, he said, but it’s also a ton of extra time and lifting. “We usually look forward to that part of the season ending,” Brandhof said, laughing. Van Manen said she likes field corn because she can see the result of many months worth of work, through multiple seasons. She also likes the opportunity to tell others what progress farmers have made in agricultural areas like conserving water or managing runoff. “I really like being able to advocate for ag,” she said. “Selling sweet corn is a great way to do that.” •
Jason W. Brooks Top: Emily Van Manen loads up a bag for J & E Sweet Corn. Bottom: Autumn Brandhof smiles after completing a sale while helping her father-in-law, John, sell sweet corn at the Newton Farmers Market. Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living
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Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living
FRAHM makes wool her business by Jamee A. Pierson Never in Regina Frahm’s wildest dreams did she think she would be doing what she is today. For the past 14 years, Frahm has been growing her fibers business, Esthur Purl Fibers, starting with a few farm sheep to working with blending cashmere, working with yak and adding silk, bamboo and alpaca to the mix. “It actually kind of started by accident. Our son had bottle lambs and he got into sheep that way and that’s how I got started in it,” Frahm said. She started investigating other breeds and found a couple that she had never heard of including California Red and Cormo. The breeds were very pretty and although she new nothing about them, she drove to New Jersey and brought some home to the century farm, Jasper’s Edge Farm, in rural Jasper County. After raising the sheep and having her first sheer, she started selling the raw fleece. “I went to the Iowa Sheep and Wool Festival the first year they had it and sold fleece there and sold every one of them,” Frahm said. Following the festival, she was contacted by a large festival in the twin cities to bring the sheep and display them in a breed exhibit. While there, Frahm met a woman from Blue Sky Alpaca, a large yarn company. Continued on page 23
Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living
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Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living
Continued from page 15
Continued from page 21
Sunday brought a joint church service also at Holmdahl Park with a community potluck to wrap up the weekends events. Three community members were honored during the celebration for their work and dedication to the city. Grand Marshal David Barr and King and Queen Virgil and Marie Redding were celebrated during the opening ceremonies and then took their places in the parade. “David Barr is known throughout the community for his work ethic, integrity, exceptional leadership and most importantly his service to others, these faithful attributes are what entitle him to the prestigious position of grand marshal,” Gildersleeve said. Barr is the youngest child of Chester and Irene who grew up as a Kellogg resident most of his life. He attended Kellogg Elementary and graduated from Newton High School in 1976. He serves on the administrative board at the Kellogg United Methodist Church, was a past leader of the community youth group and was a leader for KID’s Club and Vacation Bible School. He helped start and lead Camp on the Rock and serves on the East Jasper Christian Food Pantry Board. He served the City of Kellogg Reserve Office, served as deputy for the Jasper County Reserve and volunteered for the Kellogg Fire Department for five years. He served on the Jasper County Extension Council, on the Jasper Country Fair Board and on the Kellogg Community Chest Board. Virgil Redding 95, is a native of Kellogg and is the middle of four children. A retired tool maker, he uses his creative mind through his active hands to keep busy. His hobbies include making things, working on cars, building a motor home and building two houses. Virgil built the home he and Marie currently live in himself in 1977. He served as assistant chief in the Kellogg Fire Department for 36 years. Marie, 94, grew up south of Sully but was “swept off her feet” by Virgil and moved to Kellogg after marrying him. Marie is the youngest of seven children and worked as a meat wrapper and candled eggs before becoming a homemaker. She likes to make afghans and going “blue grassing” as a family. The couple met at Old Settler in Lynnville and married 77 years ago on March 18, 1938. The story goes Virgil spotted Marie and knew he wanted that charming, pretty lady. The couple had three children, and their family has grown with eight grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. “Their love for each other and dedication to the community over the numerous years are what earn them the right to be called King and Queen,” Gildersleeve said. “Our community would not be the same without them.” •
“She started talking to me about yarn and that is where it started,” Frahm said. Esther Purl Fibers was born and the name came from a special place — Frahm’s great-grandmother. “She was one of those women that turned everything into something lovely. She could cook, quilt, knit, tat, crochet, you name it, Esther did it, and did it well,” Frahm said. “My goal is to take the fibers grown here at Jasper’s Edge Farm and continue the tradition. I want to see the character in each fleece and turn it into the best yarn or roving possible.” Frahm contacted a woman from Muscatine who then taught her everything she knew about processing the wool. From there, her business took shape, and she now boasts being one of the few manufactures who does everything from start to finish. She raises all of her own fiber, either through her farm or from her breeding stock that has been sold in the past. After sheering, she does all of the washing where it then can go in many different directions. The wool can be sold as is or can be made into batting or roving form. Then, it can be hand-spun on a wheel or spun on computer automated spinners. “The popularity of this has just exploded the last few years. People that don’t know anything about sheep have gotten into spinning and knitting,” Fr ahm said.
Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living
Frahm does all of the dying herself as well, using a safe combination of vinegar or citric acid. The wool can be dyed after washing, in roving form or dye it as yarn, depending on the look you want. “I hand-paint all the fibers myself. This is truly one of my favorite parts of the process. You never know exactly what you’re going to get, although this also poses quite a challenge,” Frahm said. Frahm currently has her product in seven shops around the country including locally at Hotger’s Cornerstone Country Store in Laurel. She is a member of the American Wool Council and travels across the country to talk with other breeders who have herds ranging from six to 1,000 sheep. In the future she hopes to start doing pattern designs and continue to expand her hobby that turned into a business. •
Regina Frahm 23
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Summer 2015 • Jasper County Living