The Rush is on for Maui Gold

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Shannon Latham, Vice President

Photo courtesy of Maui Gold Pineapple

Leave your picks, shovels and gold pans at home. You only need a sweet tooth to enjoy the gold rush that’s striking the Hawaiian island of Maui: Maui Gold® pineapple.

One week ago today a group from Latham Hi-Tech Seeds had the pleasure – and I do mean pleasure – of touring the Maui Gold Pineapple Company. We began with a walk through its production facilities where we saw employees hand-sorting pineapples according to color. The greenest pineapples are shipped to the mainland since the firmer fruit withstands shipping better.

Our next stop along the tour illustrated just how efficient the Maui Gold Pineapple Company is; there is very little waste. Pineapples that don’t meet size requirements for shipping are used locally. Before the smaller fruit are put in a large grate, however, their crowns are removed. These crowns are then used to seed the next pineapple crop, plus removing the crowns allows more fruit to fit in each crate.

After touring the production plant, we boarded a bus for a field tour like no other! Maui Gold pineapples are grown across 1,350 acres on the slopes of Haleakala. This location in upcountry Maui provides the perfect growing conditions for this particular variety of pineapple: warm, sunny days, cool nights, fresh water and rich, volcanic soils.

A pineapple is perfectly ripe in the field for only 48-72 hours. Once picked, pineapples will not ripen further.

Since quality is the pineapple company’s primary concern, Maui Gold pineapple is harvested within a 2-3 day window. Maui Gold Pineapple Company is the only pineapple grower in Hawaii with employees dedicated to assessing sweetness and consistency in the weeks prior to harvest. As a result, Maui Gold pineapples are always handpicked at the optimal stage of ripeness.

If you’re like me, you’re a bit skeptical about a company’s claim to be the best tasting pineapple. But Maui Gold made a believer out me because you can literally taste the difference. The Maui Gold variety was developed to be lower in acid and sweeter tasting for fresh consumption. Pineapple that is more suitable for canning, however, is completely different. The high volume canning industry prefers plants that are naturally hardy and highly acidic.

It takes 18 months to grow a Maui Gold® pineapple.

One can honestly taste the nuances between pineapples. Our guide, Steve Potter, selected three pineapples fresh from the field. Each pineapple was in a different stage of ripeness. We started by tasting the least ripe pineapple, which is probably the most similar to what we’d buy here in the grocery store. We thought it was good until we tasted the second pineapple, which was much sweeter. Steve handed us a slice of the third pineapple and said, “You’ll taste hints of coconut in this gold pineapple.” I was skeptical, but he was right! I took a bite and couldn’t believe the difference. It was almost like biting into a piña colada.

Speaking of pina colada, I know understand where it gets its name. The name pineapple comes from the combination of the Spanish word “pina” due to its resemblance to a pinecone, and the English word “apple.” The English called it an apple because of its tasty fruits.

If you’d like to try these tasty fruits from the comfort of your own home, you’re in luck! You can order Maui Gold® pineapples online. You can also get a taste of the tropics by trying Hawiian cole slaw. It was served aside a grilled fish sandwich at the Haliimaile (pronounced hi’lee-my’lee) General Store where we enjoyed lunch following the tour. Another common food in the Hawaiian islands is pineapple salsa, which I’m eager to make sometime soon with fish or Hawaiian chicken kabobs. In the meantime, I’m going to try my hand at making a Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Rum-Caramel Sauce.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Topping:

1, 8-ounce can pineapple slices
2 T. butter or margarine
1/3 C. packed brown sugar
8 maraschino cherries, halved
¼ C. pecan halves

Cake:

6 T. butter or margarine, softened
1 C. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1½ C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ C. milk
½ tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To make the topping, drain the pineapple slices but reserve the juice. Measure the juice and add water to make ½ cup. Set aside.
In a 10-inch skillet with an oven-safe handle and straight sides, melt 2 T. butter. Stir in brown sugar and pineapple juice; bring to a boil. Cook and stir about 7 minutes or until the mixture is thickened. Remove from heat. Spread the syrup evenly over the bottom of the skillet. Cool.
Arrange the pineapple slices, maraschino cherries and pecans over the syrup mixture; set aside.
To make the cake, combine 6 T. butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended, scraping sides of the bowl. Beat in eggs.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture and milk, alternately to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.
Stir in the vanilla and lemon extract. Carefully pour the batter over the syrup mixture in the skillet, spreading to reach the edges. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean

Cool a few minutes in the skillet. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving platter.

Hemann Family Lands in Mitchell County, Iowa

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Shannon Latham, Vice President

After embarking on a journey that lasted five years and took him across six states, pilot Dale Hemann landed in Mitchell County.

Today Dale and his wife, Cindy, feel blessed to raise their four children in the remodeled farmhouse where Dale lived as a child. They also raise corn and soybeans plus sell Latham® seeds. In addition, Dale contract feeds hogs and finishes Holstein steers after starting them on the bucket.

“We love it here,” says Cindy, a native of Wellington, Kansas. “We’ve lived in enough places to appreciate the quality of life in rural Iowa.”

Like many high school graduates, Dale left his parents’ home in rural Osage, Iowa, and enrolled in college. Dale earned a bachelor’s degree in Aviation Technology and a commercial pilot’s license before moving to Arkansas where Dale worked for a freight outfit as an airplane mechanic, flying to other cities where he did maintenance right on the ramp.

After Dale earned a master’s degree in Aviation Safety from the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, he had a short stint as production manager at Kestrel Aircraft in Norman, Oklahoma. He then made the move to Tulsa, where he worked for American Airlines. It wasn’t long before a friend of Dale’s called to let him know that Raytheon had an opening for an engineer in Wichita, Kansas. Dale got the job and moved once again. Shortly after moving to Wichita, Dale and Cindy got married. Cindy then left her job at College of the Ozarks in Branson and joined Dale in Wichita.

After a year in Wichita, Dale was contacted by a friend with whom he had worked at American Airlines. He thought Dale would be a good fit for a newly created position in his department at FedEx in Memphis, Tennessee. Dale and Cindy packed up and moved to the Memphis area, settling in Olive Branch, Mississippi. The Hemann’s oldest two children were born while they were living in Mississippi.

With their young family in mind, Dale and Cindy began their journey “home.” They knew they wanted to raise their children around extended family members and in a rural area where there kids could play freely without some of the worries that come with city living. Dale took a position as a ramp/operations manager with FedEx and subsequent transfers moved the family to Madison, Wisconsin, and then to Ames, Iowa. They were thrilled when a position opened with FedEx in Rochester, Minnesota, just 60 miles from Dale’s hometown.

While commuting home from work one day, Dale had a heart-to-heart talk with his dad. Dale was growing weary of switching jobs and moving his family. He was seeking stability and believed that farming would provide that. Plans were made for Dale to begin farming with his dad. Meanwhile, his parents, Larry and Rosemary, made plans to build a house in town. Dale farmed long distance for the first year, commuting to Osage on weekends and using vacation days as needed to get the farm work done.

“None of this would have been possible without the help of my dad,” says Dale. It was an interesting time for all family members. Larry and Rosemary moved out of their house in the country one weekend, and Dale’s family moved in the following weekend.

That was eight years ago, and the family has done lot of growing. Dale and Cindy’s oldest daughter, Lindsay, is now 13. Emily will turn 12 on Feb. 29, and Whitney is 9. Their son, Alex, is 7.

“I love that we live in the country where our kids have lots of room to play,” says Cindy, who grew up in town where she enjoyed playing with neighborhood kids. “They find creative ways to entertain themselves, and we host lots of play dates.”

This time of year the children are busy making crafts, trying experiments and baking. Four active kids with a host of active friends means lots of kitchen time!

“We recently made clay. We had to make volcanoes two weekends in a row because our kids wanted to make them with their friends,” says Cindy with a smile. “Although we’re constantly cleaning up the kitchen, it’s worth it. We’re making memories.”

Cupcakes are one of the Hemann kids’ favorite things to make. The family’s favorite show is Cupcake Wars, which has no doubt inspired some of their fascination with muffin tins and decorating tools.

Although they enjoy sweet treats, the family’s favorite meal centers on beef. Today they’re sharing a recipe for Beef Brisket.

Slow Cooker-Barbecued Beef Brisket

Serves: 6

3 pounds fresh beef brisket

DRY RUB:

1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. celery seeds
1/4 tsp. pepper

SAUCE:

1/2 c. ketchup
1/2 c. chili sauce
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. cider vinegar
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. liquid smoke flavoring
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Directions:

Combine ingredients for dry rub and rub all over brisket.
Place brisket in slow cooker.
In a bowl, combine sauce ingredients.
Pour half of the sauce over the brisket.
Refrigerate remaining sauce.
Cover and cook brisket on high for 4-5 hours or until meat is tender.
Serve meat with reserved sauce.

“Take it to the House” Sunday with Pork

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Shannon Latham, Vice President

When the heat is on, you can bet this Sac County Iowa farm family will be serving pork!

“Pork is versatile, nutritious and simply delicious,” says Barb Campbell Determan, who has been passionately promoting pork during her lifetime. Raised in Little York, Illinois, Barb served as Henderson County Pork Queen. After attending the University of Illinois, she wrote for Drover’s and then started selling pharmaceuticals for the pork industry. Barb was working a tradeshow booth at the American Pork Congress when she met her husband, a pork producer from Early, Iowa. Since he obviously couldn’t move his farm, she relocated to Northwest Iowa.

Today Barb serves on the Pork Safety & Quality Committee for the National Pork Board and also serves on two committees for the National Pork Producers Council. In addition, she served as NPPC president in 2001-02.

In addition to serving as a passionate advocate for the pork industry, Barb is also a tireless volunteer for the 4-H organization. She became a leader for the Early Achievers 4-H Club just one month after she was married and recently earned her 30-year volunteer pin. She is also past president of the Iowa 4-H Foundation and is serving her sixth year as a 4-H Foundation Trustee.

This mother of three is also an active partner in the family farming operation plus is president of the Heartland Marketing Group, which she founded in 1982. With a schedule this full, it’s no wonder that Barb has a list of favorite go-to meals!

“We once had a hired man who said the Determans don’t eat a meal if it can’t be made in a slow cooker,” says Barb with a warm smile and a twinkle in her eye. “And you know, that’s not far from the truth – especially during harvest. Since I help run the combine and haul grain, I don’t have much time to spend in the kitchen. I’ll put some pork in the crock pot, so we all can enjoy a home-cooked meal.”

When she does have the extra time, Barb enjoys cooking for family and friends. And when she needs a little more inspiration, she checks out the Pork® Be Inspired^TM website for healthy recipes. Her other favorite past times include cheering for the Iowa State Cyclones and the Fighting Illini, as well as crocheting prayer shawls. She also enjoys spending time outdoors.

“All five of us enjoy being outside, and our farming operation has allowed us to work together and develop a closeness that we might not otherwise have had,” says Barb. Steve does the book work for their farming operation, as well as for Heartland Marketing Group. He also writes manure management plans plus farms full time. The Determans credit farm work, and especially livestock chores, for helping instill a strong ethic in their children. All three children showed hogs, cattle and sheep in 4-H, which helped them learn to set goals.

Today the Determan’s children are still working to meet their lofty goals. Andy, 28, is a graduate of the University of Illinois and lives in Kansas City where he’s location manager and grain merchandiser for the Scouler Company. In addition, Andy is on track to receive his MBA by May. Dan, 26, graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management. He serves as Group Sales Manager with the Denihan Hospitality Group in Chicago where he manages two of the company’s boutique hotels. He also plans to start graduate school in the fall. Daughter Kourtney will turn 22 next week. She’s a senior at Iowa State University, majoring in ag education with a communications option. Kourtney plans to attend law school after earning her undergraduate degree from ISU.

This weekend the Determans – like most Americans – will take a break from work to enjoy Super Bowl XLVI with friends. And, yes, pork is sure to be on the menu when they gather. Check out these pork inspired recipes for Super Bowl Sunday from ham-wrapped dill pickles to Cuban Glazed Pork Loin.

“The Cuban Glazed Pork Loin is ridiculously easy, but it tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen,” says Barb. “It’s an easy entrée to make ahead when company is coming, and it’s always a crowd pleaser. Plus, the leftover loin makes the most delicious Southwestern Pork Tortilla Soup.”

Cuban Glazed Pork Loin
Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

3 ¼ to 3½ pound boneless pork loin roast
1 lime
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (optional)
1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the pork roast in the center of a shallow roasting pan.

Grate the zest of the lime into a small bowl. Juice the lime and add 1 tablespoon to the bowl; reserve remaining juice for another use. Stir the remaining ingredients into the bowl. Spread the citrus mixture over the surface of the pork. Surround the pork with the sweet potatoes and onion if desired.

Roast 20 minutes per pound or about 65 to 70 minutes until the internal temperature on an instant read thermometer reaches 145°F. Remove from oven and let the roast rest for 10 minutes. Slice slightly over a third of the roast, surround with roasted vegetables if desired and serve.

Reserve the remaining roast, cut in cubes and refrigerate, covered, for two additional meals.

COOK’S TIP: This recipe gives directions to make the soup on the stove, but Barb says she simmers it in the crock pot. She also adds a can of corn to the ingredients.

Use leftovers for upcoming meals of Pork Tetrazzini and Southwestern-style Pork Tortilla Soup.