Monthly Archives: April 2012

SOYBEAN PLANTING CONDITIONS ARE MARGINAL, AT BEST!

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Seed Product Manager

It was another wet, rainy and cold weekend in North Central Iowa, and it looks to be another wet week ahead. There is about a 50% chance of rain every day in the 5-day forecast, so chances are we won’t get back in the field any time soon. The good news, however, is that this week’s rains looks like it will be warmer than the icy cold rains we received last week.

Time is also on our side. There’s no need to worry about the dates on the calendar and feel pressed for time to achieve those optimal soybean yields. For most of Iowa, I’ve always considered the optimal soybean planting dates as the last week of April to mid-May. That means farmers normally will not lose yield if they wait until May 15th to plant soybeans. Plus, that extra time will give soil temperatures a chance to warm up again.

Cooler soils tend to bring out the worst in Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) as early-planted soybean fields are historically more prone to it. There is also some evidence that early planted soybeans are also more prone to iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC). To lessen the risk of IDC symptoms, delay planting soybeans by a week to 10 days on soils with a high PH or with high levels of salts. Years of experience has proven the later you plant soybeans on some of these tougher soils, the better root system these plants will develop. Better root systems will help ward off some of these diseases.

Bottom line: you will likely be better off waiting until conditions improve before planting. Continue to work your crop plan; be vigilant about planting each hybrid and variety in the field where it was intended. (Yes, there is still time to plant corn without worry about switching maturities or switching from corn to soybeans.)

There’s a chance that many farmers will go straight from planting corn to soybeans this year. But given the field conditions, no one should even consider planting soybeans now. Current soil and weather conditions are marginal for planting soybean – at best!

Pull Up a Chair in The Farmer’s Kitchen

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When the Iowa Beef Industry Council announced its Top 10 Finalists for the 2012 Best Burger Contest, I decided to take a “burger tour.” I’m making a point to visit as many of these small town eateries as possible while traveling statewide to visit Latham® dealers and customers.

Meat, delivered fresh from Henningsen’s Locker in Atlantic, is key to the quality of these burgers. Ciabatta buns are made special by Rotella’s Bakery. Check it out at The Farmer’s Kitchen!

Recently I had the pleasure of joining a Latham customer for lunch at The Farmer’s Kitchen in Atlantic. From the time I parked in front of the restaurant, I got a feeling that I was going to enjoy my lunch. The flags waving on the building front are so welcoming, and there is one for every major collegiate team in the area including Cornhuskers, Cyclones and Hawkeyes.

Since collegiate flags are flying on the outside, it’s fitting that the signature burger is the Cy-Hawk Burger. It’s more than a five-napkin burger – It’s served with your own roll of paper towels. I have no idea how many calories are in this burger, but it’s worth every one! I justified it to myself by saying, “It’s not like I eat like this every day.”

CJ’s “CY-HAWK” BURGER is the winner of the 2009 WHO Radio Burger contest. It’s a 1/2-pound burger with 2 slices of smoked cheddar, crisp bacon, sautéed onion, leaf lettuce, tomato, fresh herb butter & roasted garlic BBQ chipotle mayo.

But if I did eat like this daily, I could choose a different burger from the menu. The Farmer’s Kitchen makes so many intriguing burgers including one with Coca-Cola Barbecue Sauce, which is especially fitting given that Atlantic is the Coca-Cola Capital of Iowa. The menu also includes tried and true favorites like the Wisconsin Butter Burger and the Bleu’s Burger.

It’s more than worth the drive to Atlantic for a meal at The Farmer’s Kitchen for award-winning chili, award-winning pie and award-winning burgers. But, don’t just take my word for it. Read this feature from the March 14, 2012, issue of Gourmet magazine:

Let’s get right to the point: peanut butter chocolate explosion pie. Blue-ribbon winner in Crisco’s National Pie Championship, this multilevel marvel demarcates its layers of smooth peanut butter cream and chocolate cream with a stripe of dark, devilish fudge. The Farmer’s Kitchen baker Charlene Johnson is also renowned for sour cream raisin pie—a fave in Iowa dairy country—as well as for crumb-topped apple pie that is guaranteed to have a whole apple in every slice. Pre-pie, don’t miss Charlene’s son Mark’s chili, also a blue-ribbon winner—of the People’s Choice Award in the 2007 World Chili Championship. (319 Walnut St., Atlantic, IA; 712-243-2898)

In addition to the menu, I love that The Farmer’s Kitchen is a mother-son partnership. Charlene bakes award-winning pies; Mark makes award-winning chili. Together they’ve created award-winning burgers. So, of course, I just had to try one of everything! The Peanut Butter Explosion is a wonderful mixture of peanut butter, chocolate and cream. It’s rich, but oh so smooth. I’d definitely recommend splitting it with someone, but it’s a great finale to a truly wonderful dining experience.

Today Charlene has agreed to share one of her top-selling, award-wining pie recipes with us.

SOUR CREAM RAISIN PIE

  • 2 c. rounded sour cream
  • 4 rounded tsp. flour
  • 4 egg yolks (reserve egg whites for meringue)
  • 1 1/2 c. raisins
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 4 tsp sugar

Mix all ingredients, cook over medium heat until boiling for approx. 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

While filling is cooking whip egg whites until frothy, add 4 tsp sugar and beat on high until mixture is shiny and holds a formed peak. Place filling into a 10″ baked shell , cover with meringue making peaks with spatula. Place in a 350° oven and brown til golden. Cool for several hours. Serves 7 large pieces.

Industry NewsStart Squeaking about DOL’s New Rules

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Anyone who has spent time on a farm understands the meaning of greasing a squeaky wheel. Well my farming friends, it’s time to squeak! It’s time to contact your Congressman in an effort to put the heat on the Department of Labor (DOL) in regards to its new rules regarding child labor on farms.

The DOL, in spite of having agreed to re-propose the “parental exemption” portion of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), has yet to commit itself to backing off of any of the other changes in the proposal. Roger McEowen, director of the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation at Iowa State University, was quoted in the Wichita County Ag Outlooks as saying, “Ranchers and farmers should not be lulled into complacency believing the issue is in their rearview mirrors.” DOL Child Labor Changes Will Hurt Farm Families.

According to the proposal as it currently reads, the Outlook article states that a child employed on his or her parent’s farm is exempt from hazardous occupations (HOs) rules. The proposal does not address, however, whether a child of parents who operate a farm that is owned by a legal entity qualifies for the exemption.

The Department of Labor should leave family farms alone, agrees State of Iowa Representative Annette Sweeney. As Chair of the House Ag Committee, she co-signed a letter opposing the federal regulations. She also sponsored HR107, a resolution opposing proposed federal regulations for agricultural child labor. You can listen to her comments on 1040 WHO Radio regarding the federal government’s attack on family farms.

Photo Courtesy of Erin Ehnle, Keeping it Real: Through the Lens of a Farm Girl

No one has a stronger incentive to protect and preserve their farms and their families than today’s farmers and ranchers. “Not only is the land and its resources a farmer’s lifeblood today, it represents the future for his family and its business,” reads a message that’s going viral. On a Facebook post yesterday, agvocate Wag’n Tales wrote, “This is so very, very true… and I feel the exact same way. It’s why Wag’n Tales exists!”

Even people who live in the city are seeing positive results that come when their youth learn what it means to get out on the range and work hard all day. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this April 25th blog post by Alisa Lynn Valdes, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Here’s an excerpt to whet your appetite:

A year ago, if you’d asked me whether the U.S. Dept. of Labor should regulate child labor on farms and ranches, I would have stood up, done a big ole fist pump, and shouted, “Heck yes! Go git ‘em!” Visions of Dickensian exploitation would have swirled in my head. But that was before this (formerly) liberal city girl actually met a traditional cowboy and started spending most weekends on a 10,000-acre cattle and hunting ranch. Let me explain…

After reading this post, I hope you’ll be inspired to take action. (Yes, I know it’s planting season. But I also know that if you want to get something done, you need to ask a busy person!) Contact your elected officials and help them understand how this issue will detrimentally impact your livelihood and your legacy. Ask Congress to turn up the heat on the DOL.