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Farm News
(Clarinda)--He works hard but he's never worked a day in his life. Such is the mantra for Greg Muller, a Page County cattle producer who continues to live his dream by raising cattle around 9 miles southwest of Clarinda. That's because even though Greg works long hours, 7 days-a-week, the 5th generation cattle producer absolutely loves what he does and as we continue to celebrate May Beef Month, it's good to know there are plenty other livestock producers who feel the same way in KMAland. Greg and his wife, Bonnie, live in Clarinda. They have four children: Jessica, Jacob, Ben and Molly and enjoy spending time with their two grandchildren as well. A 1984 Clarinda grad, Greg grew up in the Yorktown area and went to school at St. Paul Lutheran School, an educational tradition that continues today as the Clarinda Lutheran School. 
(Nodaway)--As we continue to celebrate May Beef Month, Rob Tucker, General Manager with New Balance Commodities in Nodaway wants to thank all of the great customers that have helped the Adams County business show continuous growth since its inception seven years ago. New Balance Commodities works extensively with feed manufacturers like ethanol plants to offer a variety of products to the livestock industry, including but not limited to wet, dry and modified distillers grains. The company, which has grown to over 20 employees since 2006, does the majority of their co-product business in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska but continues to branch out into other states as well. 
(Lewis)--When Jim Rogers was a pulling guard for the Kansas State Wildcat football team back in the 1970's he may not have imagined himself not only coming back home to farm near Griswold with his brother, Steve, but also working with other farmers in Southwest Iowa through Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. But that's exactly what he's doing today. Steve and his wife, Patty, live on a farm near Cumberland. Patty works in Atlantic at Atlantic Memorial. They have one, daughter, Bethany. Steve's parent's, Tom and Mary Lou Rogers, recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Jim also has two sisters. Jim, a 1974 Griswold grad, enjoyed his time at KSU, where he not only played football but studied Agriculture and Dairy Sciences. After graduation he came back to Cass County and along with farming with Steve, also worked for Midwest Dairy and Griswold Pelgas over the years. 
(Shenandoah)--There's a new business coming to Shenandoah, ready to help farmers and truckers; anyone who burns diesel fuel in their trucks and machinery. It's called DEFinite Advantage and it will be run by J.F., (2nd from left in photo) Derryl, (far left) Dennis (2nd from right) and Matt McLaren (far right) of Farragut. DEFinite advantage is located at the former UBC location on the west side of Hiway 59. DEF stands for Diesel Exhaust Fluid, a liquid used in conjunction with diesel fuel to ultimately lower emissions and meet more stringent air quality standards. By 2014 all Tier 4 diesel engines will be required to meet these standards through the utilization of DEF. 
(Clarinda)--Many successful married couples do well by working as a team. In the case of Reid and Sue Hester, they carry that concept one step further. The Hesters are not only married but they both work for Barker Implement in their 8-location network of stores in Southwest and South Central Iowa. Reid and Sue grew up on farms in their respective Madison and Clarke counties. They were married in 2010 and reside in Cumming, just south of Des Moines. They enjoy exercising in their spare time and spending as much time as they can with their four children: Brendan, Gabe, Sam and Carly. Reid studied Agriculture Business at Iowa State University while Sue pursued a Communications degree at Missouri Western State University and Grandview University. 
(Red Oak)--Members of the Red Oak FFA brought home the "hardware" recently from the Iowa FFA Convention in Ames as Advisor Alan Spencer's chapter was the district winner in the Ambassador program, as you can see from the beautiful trophy representing the award as held by member Kylie Pendleton in the photo left. Red Oak FFA was presented with the honor because a whopping $12,000 was raised on the local level in part because 55 bags of donated Stine Seed was sold to raise funds for the FFA Foundation through the Stine Seed FFA program along with dollars raised through the local COOP. Other members were individually honored at the conventioin as Will Stanley received the Iowa FFA Degree, the highest degree offered in the state, along with a $500 scholarship to Iowa Western Community College as a result of his outstanding salesmanship in the Stine Seed FFA program. 
(Ames) -- The current wet conditions are a mixed bag providing moisture to recharge the soil profile and potentially mitigating the residual effect of last season’s drought. The amount of moisture we received over the past two weeks can significantly improve soil moisture conditions for early-season growth and for the rest of the season. Here are the immediate impacts on soil: Soil erosion: Fields with intensive fall tillage are experiencing significant amounts of soil erosion. The destruction of soil structure during tillage operations reduced water infiltration causing the surface soil to seal and resulting in great amounts of surface runoff and sediment losses to rivers and streams. The lack of residue cover on the soil surface is a main factor in accelerating soil erosion. 
(Farragut)--If young people are looking for a hands-on learning experience in the Hamburg/Farragut area of Fremont County, chances are they know Dave Nelson very well. Nelson, a graduate of Oakland High School and Northwest Missouri State University, is the Vocational Agriculture teacher at Nishnabotna High School in Farragut. After working at various jobs for about 10 years, including truck driving and seed/chemical sales, Dave decided to go back to school to pursue his passion of teaching. Shoeing horses for years taught Dave the best way to learn is by doing and throwing yourself into the mix of a challenge is something a person shouldn't shy away from but instead, embrace. Now, after over 20 years of teaching in Fremont County, his students are and have been doing just that. 
(KMAland) -- Three KMAland FFA members were recently honored at the 85th Missouri FFA Convention. Tanner Adkins of Elmo the son of Kevin and Cheryl Adkins was named the 2013-2014 Area 1 State FFA Vice President at the convention. He's a member of the West Nodaway FFA Chapter. Adkins supervised agricultural experience program consists of raising a breeding herd of Balancer cattle on pasture he rents, operating a lawncare business and working at Snodderley Lumber Company. He has also served as chapter president, vice president and junior treasurer of the West Nodaway FFA Chapter. He also was the sentinel of the Area 1 FFA Association. In addition, Adkins participated in Division I and II prepared public speaking, as well as extemporaneous speaking, and competed in the livestock evaluation and soils evaluation career development events. 
(Malvern)--When people have a dream they tend to work hard to make it a reality. That's exactly what is going on in Mills County as a group of people are working toward the goal of building the Mills County Community Center & Extension/Outreach Services facility. Chad McCollester (left in photo) and Woody Wright (right in photo) are members of the Mills County Fair Board and are also building committee members for the proposed 16,000 sq. ft. facility. Others include Bob Blum, Nathan Mass and Brady Smith. The goal is to place a climate controlled building on the Mills County Fairgrounds. If you've ever been to the Mills County Fair in July you know, along with being a lot of fun, it's also been known to be an extremely hot experience for those involved. 
(Oakland)--When it comes to Short Horns, Bernie Bolton of Oakland is long on love and admiration for the breed of cattle he's been raising for almost 60 years. Bernie and his wife, Norma, farm 2 1/2 miles west of Oakland on the Bern-a-Dale Short Horn Farm where they raised three girls; Lori, Mischa and Erica. They enjoy spending time with their six grandchildren, many of whom help Bernie and Norma take care of the many cattle on the farmstead. Norma has worked in the Riverside school district for a many years and enjoys studying family genealogy and collecting antiques. Gaining Century Farm status in 2011, it was Bernie's grandparents, J.A. and Olive Bolton who purchased the initial homestead near Oakland, moving over from the Wheeler Grove area east of Macedonia. Bernie's parents, Dale and Mildred also farmed and passed along the love of the land to their young son, Bernie. 
(Bedford)--Most of us have heard of The Peace Corps, but what about AmeriCorps? Chances are we're more familiar with the former than the latter. Marlena Staton is looking to change that and she's working right here in KMAland as an AmeriCorps Wildlife Habitat Specialist in Taylor and Ringold Counties. Marlena grew up in Arizona but most recently spent time on the West Coast where she graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Wildlife Conservation and Anthropology. After graduation she decided to get some paid experience with the "domestic Peace Corps"-AmeriCorps, which is similar to the Peace Corps except the work is focused on projects and people within the United States. AmeriCorps in broken down into three divisions, State, Vista and National Civilian Community Corps. 
(College Springs)--Some farm kids can't wait to escape the country life when they're young but find out when they're older they can't wait to return to their roots and head back to the farm. Such is the case with Mike Zogleman of College Springs. Raised in rural Kansas near Wichita, Mike found farm life to be O.K. as a kid but he found flying airplanes to be exhilarating so he made a career of taking to the skies. He bought his first airplane for $800! After 2 1/2 tours of Air Force duty in Vietnam, Mike has flown privately and commercially for over 40 years, most recently flying for those who manage the Clarinda Academy. Mike and his wife, Kathy, have four children, Bob, Mike, Kaitlyn and Lindsey along with four grandchildren and three . When the opportunity came up to buy a couple hundred acres in College Springs Mike went for it. 
(Sidney)--Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Week is a great opportunity to say thank you to those who extend themselves to us in such a giving way through their daily extension and outreach work. It's also another opportunity for those who work in extension to continue to promote what they do and remind folks that extension and outreach is a great resource that can be utilized for many areas of life. Mandy Maher, Fremont County Extension and Outreach Program Coordinator, (far left in photo) has been on the job since January of 2012 and has really enjoyed her time in Fremont County, working with and helping people from all walks of life. Maher, a lifelong 4Her, wanted a vocation which was all about serving the community and that's what she got with her extension career. 
(Red Oak)--Freshmen Maria Pendleton and Rob Vial of the Red Oak FFA (left in photo) represent Advisor Alan Spencer and the rest of the chapter in thanking James and Joni Sallach as the Red Oak FFA was selected by the Sallachs as the recipient of the 3rd annual America's Farmers Grow Communities award for Montgomery County. Through the Monsanto Fund, $5000 will be awarded to the Red Oak FFA by the Sallachs Tuesday evening, March 26th at the Red Oak School Board meeting. Pendleton and Vial say the money will be used toward local community service programs run through the Red Oak FFA. 
(Malvern)--It's not often you can thank a Veteran while at the same time getting sound horticulture advice. That's exactly what you're going to get when you visit with Nancy Crews, the new Mills County Horticulture Specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach based out of Malvern. Crews, a 22-year Navy Veteran, will be taking over the position most recently held by Denise Fikes. While serving our country at sea she was involved with technology management and oceanographic research, amongst other responsibilities. Her husband Greg, is a veteran of the Vietnam War. Nancy and Greg have two children, Ryan and Jade. The East Coast native recently got her Masters Degree in Education, does some substitute teaching and consulting, volunteers at the Omaha Zoo and of course, enjoys spending time with her family. 
(Bethesda)--For Stanley and Barbara Johnson of rural Bethesda, loving the land means ensuring everything they do gives back to the land that ultimately gives so much to all of us. The Johnsons, married in 1968, raised three daughters, Clarisa, Angela and Laura and they enjoy spending time with their six grandchildren. Stanley is a 1964 graduate of Clarinda High School while Barbara is a 1965 Red Oak grad. The Johnsons have a passion for stewardship of resources which leads them to volunteer. Barbara has been Page County Soil & Water District Commissioner for 16 years and has taken on another 4-year term. She's been on the Conservation District of Iowa State Board for 8 years. Stanley and Barbara are also deeply involved in Page County Pheasants Forever, amongst other organizations. 
(Shenandoah)--They say that home is where the heart is and for Nick Bosley, his heart and family are now firmly back where he wants them to be, in Southwest Iowa. Nick, a 1994 Shenandoah graduate went to college at Northwest Missouri State University where he studied communications. He worked for a number of years in Omaha in the sales and banking fields before getting the opportunity to come back to his roots in 2009 as an agent for United Group. Nick, his wife, Jessica and their two children Maren and Megan enjoy being around a lot of family in the local area, including Nick's parents, Gary and Barb Bosley of Shenandoah. Jessica works as a dental assistant at Shenandoah Family Dentistry. At United Group Nick is well-versed in the areas of home, auto, commercial, farm and crop insurance. 
(Nebraska City)--There are plenty of wonderful opportunities for learning in KMAland and one lies just across the river in Nebraska City-The Kimmel Education and Research Center. UNL Extension Educator in Leadership and Innovation, Connie Reimers-Hild, (in photo left) invites all of us to take in the beautiful facility at 5985 G Road which sits on the picturesque grounds of Kimmel Orchard and Vineyard. Connie, a UNL graduate, has been with the center since 2006 and has seen the evolution of the facility as it continues to grow and reflect the values and love for extension brought about by the Kimmel family all those years ago. 
(Shenandoah)--The Davis Rodgers FFA in Shenandoah is enjoying a great year and having good times this week celebrating their version of National FFA Week. Lindsey Peterson, The Davis Rodgers FFA Advisor, (far left in photo) decided to get in a full week of celebration as last week, the official FFA week, the Shenandoah members had only three days of school because of scheduled student conferences. Chapter President, Trevor Johnson, (2nd from right in photo) said plenty of fun was had all week long as Monday was "Animal Day" where kids dressed up like their favorite animal, Tuesday was "Farmer Hick Day", Wednesday was "Drive Your Tractor To School Day", Thursday was "Camo Day" (see photo) and Friday the members are looking forward to the "Ag Olympics" and "FFA Shirt Day". 
(Red Oak)--Under the leadership of Advisor Alan Spencer, the Red Oak FFA Chapter continues to grow and progress to the point where the group now finds itself in a new location with more space at the Red Oak High School Technology Center. As we continue to celebrate National FFA week, the students are excited to be learning at the updated facility which is comprised of three work areas; classroom space, lab space and a terrific machine/industrial space which will give students more hands-on mechanical opportunities. The week-long festivities celebrate FFA and the contributions of Agricultural Education to our country and the new classroom space will only enhance those educational opportunities. Red Oak FFA Chapter Vice President, junior Haley Woods, (left in photo) enjoyed "Red, White and Blue Day" Monday as the members commemorated President's Day while kicking off the FFA week celebration. 
(Shenandoah)--When Dave York was growing up in the Farragut/Riverton area of Fremont County, he was always proud of his grandpa, Jesse McIntyre. And for good reason. Jesse and his wife, Irene, were fixtures in the Fremont and Page County areas for decades as Jesse worked his auctioneering/real estate business. Over the years Jesse built an outstanding reputation as someone who really knew and understood land values while at the same time being an effective communicator with people. Jesse also loved 4H, as he explained many times to his grandson that "4H has been good to me". Jesse and Irene are gone now, but Dave's mother and Jesse and Irene's daughter, Janell McIntyre, still owns and runs the family business today in Shenandoah. 
(Red Oak)--The stepping stones of Margee Swanson's education and career path have fit together perfectly to bring her to her present position as Montgomery County Extension and Outreach Youth Coordinator. Swanson, the daughter of Tom and Linda Langemeier, and her husband, Kent, live in the Stanton area where Kent farms with his brothers at 4K Farms. Margee and Kent have three children: Dana, Dylan and Lucas. A Creston graduate, Margee went on to study elementary education at Iowa Western Community College and Buena Vista University. Along with being a stay-at-home mom, Margee has also worked with young people at the Clarinda Academy and has enjoyed time spent on the Montgomery County Extension Board. It was there she learned the youth coordinator position was open and she thought it would be a good fit for her. 
(Villisca)--Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Those words ring true for a lot of folks when it comes to many pursuits in life, but when it comes to yield contests, Mark and Dawnette Herzberg of rural Villisca are happy they went ahead and gave it a shot. Mark and Dawnette were married in 1981 and have four children: Chelsea, Jackie, Emily and Olivia. Mark's parents are Oliver and Mary Jo Herzberg while Dawnette is the daughter of Marvin and the late Sandy Smith. The Herzbergs, both Villisca graduates, farm southeast of the Montgomery County town where they raise corn and soybeans. Like a lot of Villisca-area farmers, Mark and his dad used to raise hogs but got out of the business when the market plummeted back in the mid-90's. That was when Oliver decided to retire and Mark began focusing 100% of his farming attention to row crops. 
(Siam)--It's extremely important for many farmers in KMAland to leave as much fertile soil as they can for future generations, especially in counties where the ground is, in some areas, marginal. Count Jerry and Darla Fine in that mix of people. Jerry, a 5th generation farmer and 1961 graduate of South Page High School, and his wife, Darla live near Siam, southeast of New Market where they raise corn, soybeans, alfalfa and cattle. They have four children and ten grandchildren. Jerry's grandfather, Clem, ran an Allis Chalmers dealership in the Siam area and it was Jerry's parents, Harold and Helen, who helped instill the importance of conservation into the young farmer all the way back to the 1940's and 50's. |
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