EasternIowaFarmer_Fall2022

THE 

The Eastern Iowa Fall 2022 

Farmer 

® 

A Publication of Sycamore Media 

COST OF 

FARMING 

Fresh off a year of strong crop prices and solid 

profits, Eastern Iowa farmers are now facing new 

circumstances, including rising input costs. 

The 4-H Equation: Summer 

extension camps combine learning 

and hands-on fun to teach important 

skills to area youth. 

For the Birds: Avian flu thwarted 

bird swaps earlier this year, but taking 

precautions helped lessen local impact. 

Business in Bloom: Local 

man looks to develop a niche in the 

flower business. 

Country Cooking: Tasty and 

easy to make, cornbread is a kitchen 

staple that can serve as a side dish, 

part of a main course, or even dessert. 

HERE’S TO YOU: 

See photos of your 

friends and neighbors!

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Bayer is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Bayer products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Bayer’s Policy for 

Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. Commercialized products have been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop 

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product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship. 

SmartStax® PRO corn products will be commercially available for the 2022 growing season. 

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its labeling. NOT ALL formulations of 

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Roundup Ready® 2 Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate. Products with XtendFlex® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate and 

dicamba. Glyphosate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Glufosinate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glufosinate. Contact your seed 

brand dealer or refer to the Bayer Technology Use Guide for recommended weed control programs. 

Channel® and the Arrow Design® and Seedsmanship At Work® are registered trademarks of Channel Bio, LLC. Herculex® is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. LibertyLink® and the Water 

Droplet Design® is a trademark of BASF Corporation. Respect the Refuge and Corn Design® and Respect the Refuge® are registered trademarks of National Corn Growers Association. DroughtGard®, 

RIB Complete®, Roundup Ready 2 Technology and Design, Roundup Ready 2 Xtend®, Roundup Ready 2 Yield®, Roundup Ready®, SmartStax® and XtendFlex® are trademarks of Bayer Group. All other 

trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2022 Bayer Group. All rights reserved. 46677 ED 08.15.22 

Before opening a bag of seed, be sure to read, understand 

and accept the stewardship requirements, including 

applicable refuge requirements for insect resistance 

management, for the biotechnology traits expressed in 

the seed as set forth in the Technology/Stewardship Agreement that you sign. 

By opening and using a bag of seed, you are reaffirming your obligation 

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The Eastern Iowa 

Farmer® 

DIRECTORY OF ADVERTISERS 

7 Hills Paving....................................... 45 

Abstract & Title Guaranty Company.... 43 

AgWest Commodities.......................... 60 

American Family Insurance................. 25 

American Mutual.................................. 67 

Anamosa Silo Repair, LLC.................. 35 

Appliance Solutions............................. 81 

Arensdorf Trucking, Rock Quarry, 

and Ag Lime Application................. 27 

Beck’s.................................................. 56 

Bellevue Lumber.................................. 94 

Bellevue Sand & Gravel...................... 35 

Bellevue Veterinary Clinic.................... 36 

Ben Schueller Auction Co.................... 66 

Brandenburg Drainage........................ 39 

Breeden’s Vermeer.............................. 68 

Bullocks Inc......................................... 91 

Burger Chiropractic.............................118 

Burger Shoe Repair............................118 

Cascade Lumber Co............................ 53 

Channel................................................. 2 

Citizens First Bank............................... 46 

Citizens State Bank..............................11 

Clinton County Democrats................... 98 

Clinton National Bank.......................... 79 

Clover Ridge Place.............................114 


of Greater Dubuque.......................... 6 

Cornelius Seed.................................... 21 

Custom Dozing and Crane Service... 101 

Dave River Construction Inc................ 77 

Deep Creek Applicators......................111 

Delaney Ag Service............................. 26 

Delmar Grain Service........................ 121 

DeWitt Bank & Trust Co..................... 132 

Dr. Appliance..................................... 105 

East Iowa Real Estate......................... 42 

Eberhart Farm Center.........................119 

Farm Bureau Financial Servies 

- Barb and Doug Collins................ 108 

Farm Bureau Financial 

Services - Megan Fuglsang............ 74 

Farm Credit Services of America......... 64 

Farrell’s Inc.........................................115 

First Central State Bank...................... 57 

Franzen Family Tractors 

and Parts, LLC.............................. 106 

Goodale Custom Excavating 

and Grading.................................... 29 

Green Tech Spray Foam Insulation..... 86 

Heritage Mutual Insurance.................116 

Hostetler Precision Ag Solutions....... 103 

Insurance Planning Services Corp.....112 

Iowa Illiniois Senior Solutions.............. 90 

J.J. Scheckel Performance 

Angus Genetics.............................. 70 

J&S Auto Specialists.......................... 109 

Jackson County Regional 

Health Center.................................. 71 

Ken Kruger.......................................... 44 

Kleinschmidt Excavating...................... 55 

Kunau Implement................................ 18 

Legacy Insurance Group..................... 87 

Liberty Ag & Excavating....................... 36 

Liqui-Grow........................................... 38 

Maggie’s House Assisted Living.......... 95 

Maquoketa Livestock Exchange.......... 80 

Maquoketa Lumber.............................. 94 

Maquoketa State Bank........................ 83 

Martens Angus Farms......................... 37 

Matthiesen’s........................................ 44 

Meant To Be With Flowers................... 59 

MidWest Metal & Supply..................... 99 

Moore Local......................................... 73 

Ohnward Farm Management............... 51 

Ohnward Insurance Group.................. 33 

Ohnward Tax, Accounting 

& Business Servies......................... 48 

Ohnward Wealth & Retirement...........110 

Osterhaus Pharmacy........................... 32 

P&K Midwest....................................... 96 

Park Farms Computer Systems.......... 63 

Peoples Company............................. 130 

Pioneer.............................................. 100 

PMC Agri-Service.............................. 120 

Preston Locker & Grocery................... 49 

Preston Veterinary Clinic..................... 36 

Regency Retirement Residence 

of Clinton......................................... 78 

ReMax - Abby Schueller...................... 72 

River Ridge ATV Trails........................113 

River Valley Cooperative..................... 92 

Rockdale Locker.................................. 23 

Rolling Hills Veterinary Service............ 62 

RPJ Repair & Warehouse................... 61 

Schlecht Farm & Hatchery................... 75 

Schoenthaler, Bartelt, 

Kahler & Reicks............................ 104 

Schueller & Sons Reconstruction........ 84 

Schuster & Meinsma........................... 14 

Scott & Oberbroeckling Insurance....... 88 

Sheets General Construction.............. 15 

Spain Ag Service................................. 52 

State Farm........................................... 54 

Steve Bradley...................................... 57 

Stickley Electric................................... 17 

Swanton Ag Service............................ 34 

TADA Meats......................................... 16 

The CROSSROADS Inspired Living.... 30 

The Feed and Grain Store................... 76 

The Friedman Group........................... 89 

Titan Pro............................................ 102 

Tony Amsler......................................... 44 

Tri-State Building Corp.......................... 4 

United Country Real Estate................. 93 

Veach Diesel & Automotive Repair...... 58 

Veach Septic & Sewer......................... 20 

Welter Seed & Honey Co.................... 24 

Wheatland Manor................................ 50 

Wheatland Mutual Insurance............... 65 

Whispering Meadows Resort..............113 

White Front.......................................... 22 

Wildlife Solutions................................. 29 

Wyffels Hybrids...................................117 

Zirkelbach Home Appliances............... 69 

8 EASTERN IOWA FARMER | FALL 2022 eifarmer.com

EDITORIAL INDEX 

40 

19 

31 

85 

97 

THE 4-H EQUATION.......................................... 12 

FOR THE BIRDS................................................ 19 

AG IN THE CLASSROOM................................... 28 

BUSINESS IN BLOOM....................................... 31 

FROM THE FSA OFFICE..................................... 35 

THE COST OF FARMING ................................... 40 

AG LAW........................................................... 75 

FARM LIFE CAN BE ‘A PIECE OF HEAVEN’........... 82 

WHAT’S ALL THE BUZZZZ.................................. 85 

EMBRACE THE ‘FFA KID’ LABEL......................... 93 

COUNTRY COOKING......................................... 97 

AG BYTES...................................................... 109 

eifarmer.com FALL 2022 | EASTERN IOWA FARMER 9

THE 

Farmer 



COST OF 

FARMING 









bird swaps earlier this year, bu taking 











friends and neighbors! 

EasternIowaFarmer_Fa l2022.indd 1 9/13/22 10:36 AM 


Farmer 

® 

Sycamore Media President: 

Trevis Mayfield 

Advertising: Faith Jones, 

Trevis Mayfield, Wendy McCartt, 

Brooke Taylor, and Dean Upmann 

Creative: Brooke Till, Elizabeth 

Goodman, Erica Mohr 

Editorial Content: Megan Clark, Fayeth 

Henningsen, Kris Koth, Nancy Mayfield, 

Trevis Mayfield, Mindy Merrell, Jackie 

Miller, R.B. Quinn, Jenna Stevens, 

Kristine Tidgren 

Photography Content: Trevis Mayfield, 

Jackie Miller, Erica Mohr, Brooke Till 

Editors: Kelly Gerlach, Nancy Mayfield, 


Published by: Sycamore Media 

108 W. Quarry St., Maquoketa, IA 

563-652-2441 

Cover: Brooke Taylor 

The Eastern Iowa Farmer is a specialty publication 

of Sycamore Media Corp., 108 W. Quarry Street, 

Maquoketa, Iowa 52060, 563-652-2441. No 

portion of this publication may be reproduced 

without the written consent of the publisher. Ad 

content is not the responsibility of Sycamore 

Media Corp. The information in this magazine 

is believed to be accurate; however, Sycamore 

Media Corp. cannot and does not guarantee its 

accuracy. Sycamore Media Corp. 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. 

VIEW THE ENTIRE 

MAGAZINE ONLINE 

EIFARMER.COM 

® 

MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHER 

Interview goes sideways 

… in a very interesting way 

Every issue of this magazine has 

been an adventure for us one way 

or another. 

As we do the work of building 

ads, taking photographs, and interviewing 

local agriculture professionals for stories, 

we run into surprises every time. This issue 

was no different. 

It’s not uncommon when we are interviewing 

a source about a specific topic that 

we learn other, interesting things about them 

that have nothing to do with the focus of the 

story, and it’s in this column that I sometimes 

share those interesting bits and pieces. 

As we worked on the cover story for 

this issue – which examines how Eastern 

Iowa farmers are dealing with the changing 

expense-side economics of this year’s 

crop – we found ourselves standing around 

a Clinton County farmyard just north of 

DeWitt chatting with longtime corn grower 

Bob Bowman. 

I was there to 

take a photograph 

of Bowman as 

Nancy Mayfield, 

my wife and the 

editor of this magazine, 

interviewed 

him about how 

he was managing 


President, 

Sycamore Media Corp. 

input costs. But as 

sometimes happens 

when I tag along, I 

hear something that 

interests me and off I go like a dog after a 

squirrel. 

Bowman, as it turns out, has been 

working with the national Corn Growers 

Association for a long time – long enough, 

in fact, to have been involved in a farmer 

exchange program that connected American 

farm managers with their counterparts 

in what was the Soviet Union. 

This was more than 30 years ago, and 

a lot of changes were under way in that 

part of the world as the Soviet Union was 

dissolving under the weight of economic 

and political collapse. 

Bowman arrived in Ukraine just two 

weeks after that country declared its sovereignty. 

Bowman had hosted a Ukrainian farmer 

at his home in Clinton County, and he had 

visited a series of farms in the Ukraine, 

and he came away with some interesting 

experiences and observations. 

He told us it was customary to always 

give and receive a small gift when meeting 

a new Ukrainian farmer. The most common 

gift offered was vodka, he said, even 

though it wasn’t his thing. 

To reciprocate, he kept a roll of silver 

coins featuring the American Eagle and the 

likeness of President John F. Kennedy. The 

coins, because they were a novelty in that 

part of the world, were a consistent hit. 

He also took note of the differences in 

how the Soviet-managed farms compared 

to those that allowed Ukrainian farmers to 

share in the economic outcomes of their 

work. 

Those who had skin in the game were 

far more motivated to learn and try new 

things, Bowman said, while the “managers” 

of the state-run operations seemed to 

just go through the motions without a lot of 

effort or motivation. 

But most interesting was his story about 

how, at a friend’s urging, he smuggled a 

few Bibles through the Iron Curtain into a 

country that all but prohibited organized 

religion. 

Yes, much of the conversation was not 

what we were there to write about, but 

fascinating, nonetheless. Another example 

of meeting some of the most interesting 

people while working on this project. 

That’s something we always enjoy. And 

as I always say at the end of this column, 

we hope you enjoy this issue of The Eastern 

Iowa Farmer as much as we enjoyed 

putting it together. 

We thank our readers, our sources, and 

especially our advertisers who make it all 

possible. 

Have a great harvest, and we’ll see you 

in the spring! 

Sincerely, 

Trevis Mayfield, 

Sycamore Media president 


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4-H 

The 

Equation 

Extension summer camps in Eastern Iowa help kids 

become ‘Engaged Contributors, Outstanding 

Communicators, Effective Leaders, and 

Successful Learners’ 

BY JACKIE MILLER 

EASTERN IOWA FARMER 

send the bee to 

square C6 to get it to 

the peach tree,” said 

“Let’s 

Matthias Luetkemeier 

to a handful of kids gathered around 

him on a July morning at the Jones 

County Summer Discovery 4-H camp. 

The group was strategizing on the 

best foraging route for their “bee-bot” 

– a miniature robot that 

looks like a honeybee – to 

maneuver along a plastic 

mat illustrated with colorful 

trees, flowers and other 

plants. 

With a finger, Luetkemeier 

pushed the “down” arrow on the 

bee’s back six times, the “right” 

arrow twice, and then the green “go” 

button and watched as the bee-bot 

arrive at the desired destination. With 


a smile on his face, he asked his friends 

“Where should we send it next?” 

The exercise – which not only teaches 

about bees but fosters teamwork, problem-solving, 

and agricultural and science 

skills – is just one of the educational activities 

local kids took part in during summer 

programs hosted by the Iowa State University 

Extension & Outreach. 

Iowa’s 100 county extension offices provide 

programming during the break for students 

in kindergarten through 12th 

grade. The activities fit into five 

areas: agriculture and natural 

resources, communication 

and the arts, civic engagement 

and leadership, 

healthy living, and STEM 

(Science, Technology, Engineering, 

Mathematics). 

In Eastern Iowa, 

extension staff in Clinton, 

Jackson, and Jones 

counties led such programs 

as Growing in the Garden, 

Science Discovery, Spa Day, 

Little Chefs, Water Rocks, 

Clockwise from bottom left: Kody Lawrence smiles 

as he waves the parachute with his camp friends 

at the Jones County 4-H Summer Discovery 

Camp. Hayden Veach works the soil while 

students in Jackson County learn about growing 

a garden. An up-close look at some healthy dirt. 

Emrie Petersen enjoys a breakfast burrito that she 

made during the Family Fixin’s class in Jackson 

County. Aidan Foit makes a tower with spaghetti 

and marshmallows in Clinton County. 

EASTERN IOWA FARMER PHOTOS / JACKIE MILLER 


EASTERN IOWA FARMER PHOTO / JACKIE MILLER 

Rebecca Trumm, Clinton County youth 

coordinator, gives creative ideas to Corbin 

Maher as he works on his kindness rock. 

4-H EQUATION 

4-Hers in Training, Babysitting Basics, 

Art Explosion, and Family Fixin’s, just to 

name a few. 

The goal is to take information learned 

from high-level studies at ISU and make 

it relatable to a variety of age groups, 

said Cayla Taylor, program development 

manager for the state extension’s 4-H 

Youth Development Program. 

“4-H educational program offerings 

are research-based, which means that 

the educational content is grounded in 

research-based learning that stems from 

experiences in the lab or the classroom at 

Iowa State University and then re-packaged 

to be age-appropriate, hands-on, and 

most importantly, fun, for our youngest 

learners,” Taylor said. 

The programs follow the experiential 

learning model of “do, reflect, apply.” 

Within each camp, instructors connect the 

activities to what the students are learning 

through questioning, encouraging reflection, 

and then supervising the application 

of concepts to real-life circumstances. 

For example, during an exercise in 

Clinton 

County, 

students used critical thinking to 

successfully build a replica of Iowa State 

University’s famous campanile, or bell 

tower, from spaghetti noodles and marshmallows. 

“You have 10 minutes to build your 

structure. Whoever’s is the tallest and can 

stand the longest, wins” said intern Kailey 

Clark, as she supervised the project. 

“5, 4, 3, 2, 1… go!” 

As Clark finished her countdown, small 

hands grabbed noodles and marshmallows 

and got to work. 

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SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1976 

Left to right: Cathy Meinsma, CPA and President; 

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and Ashleigh Determann. 



(Above) Averi Barker soaks her hands as students 

enjoy a spa day at the 4-H summer camp in 

Jackson County. (Right) Students in Jones County 

get hands-on learning by using a “bee-bot” – a 

miniature robot that looks like a honeybee. 

4-H EQUATION 

Student Livea Petersen approached 

the task analytically with 

her teammates. 

“Corbin, we need to make the 

base be a square so it’s more sturdy 

and holds more weight,” she said. 

All the summer program activities 

develop the five senses, with 

kids using their hands, noses, ears, 

eyes and tongues to learn. It’s common 

to hear kids exclaim such phrases as 

“Mmmm this tastes delicious!” or “This 

smells so good!” or “Look how much it 

has grown!” 

Rebecca Trumm, Clinton County youth 

coordinator, sees a lot of lightbulbs go off 

in the students’ heads. 

“Summertime is when a lot of kids 

grow emotionally and 

physically. Through these 

camps, they find their 

interests and their niches,” 

Trumm said. 

Taylor agreed. 

“Our job is to help youth 

find their spark and continue 

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experiences that help 

youth further grow and 

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sparks. We want youth to see 

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4-H EQUATION 

as well as pathways to higher educational pursuits and 

even career opportunities,” she said. 

The summer programs also give college students a 

chance to supervise and gain teaching skills as interns. 

“This job opportunity has allowed me to become 

more aware of the way others learn and how to adapt 

to the individuals and community I am teaching to,” 

said Colton Holdgrafer, a Jackson County Extension 

summer intern. 

The hard skills learned at these camps such as constructing 

something new, coding, growing, calculating, 

or cooking, help students in the real world, staff said. 

“At each camp, we focus on the staple of community-building 

by making each kid feel like they have 

a sense of belonging and feel included,” said Katie 

Peterson, 4-H youth program specialists for Jackson, 

Dubuque and Delaware counties. Through ice breaker 

activities, engaging and speaking with new students 

during group work, and presenting themselves and 

skills, students grow socially. 

Ivan Lambertson, a Jones County Extension summer 

intern, said he enjoyed seeing the connections made. 

“Overall, our kids just love the interactions they 

have with students near and far and the opportunity to 

be with each other throughout the summer,” he said as 

he watched his students play tag on the playground. n 

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4-H EQUATION 

(Far left) Jackson County campers work on their 

balance by practicing a tree pose during their 

4-H summer camp spa day. (Left top) Nolan 

Shepard works on constructing his replica tower 

of the Iowa State University Campanile during the 

Clinton County camp. (Left bottom) Amelia Ernst 

cuts out some shapes while working on flower art 

during the Jackson County session on growing 

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DeWitt Central FFA member Abe Vickers poses with his barred rock hen 

on his farm outside of DeWitt. Vickers and his family have a small flock 

of chickens that they mostly use for eggs, and he says they are taking 

more precautions than ever to keep their chickens safe from the bird flu. 


FOR 

THE 

BIRDS 

Bird swaps shut down earlier this year 

due to avian influenza, but extra 

precautions limited impact on local flocks 

BY JENNA STEVENS 


Dillon Beck and his family 

have hunted turkeys for years 

throughout rural Jackson 

County, and last spring was 

one of the toughest seasons they have 

experienced. 

That was thanks, in part, to avian influenza, 

more commonly known as bird 

flu. It affected not only domestic flocks 

but also wild bird populations. 

“As a hunter, it was hard to find 

turkeys,” Beck said. “There were not as 

many as what we usually see, and we 

had to go out to hunt more times than 

normal.” 

Beck, who lives in Spragueville, also 

raises his own flock of chickens, ducks 

and turkeys, which he usually sources 

from area hatcheries and local bird 


FOR THE BIRDS 

swaps. A spike in bird flu cases across 

Iowa shut down the swaps during the 

early part of the year. 

“We usually have a lot more birds 

right now, but they were hard to come 

by,” he said in May. 

A spring beginning 

Avian influenza started in Iowa in 

early March, and more than 13 million 

commercial and backyard birds have 

died or been killed to stop the disease 

from spreading. Experts believe that the 

disease spread through the migratory 

bird flocks that pass through Iowa each 

year, according to the Iowa Department 

of Agriculture. 

A similar situation took place in 2015, 

when Iowa farmers were hit with the 

largest poultry death loss on record, the 

department said. 

“Avian influenza is spread in respiratory 

secretions and feces,” said Dr. Katie 

Rumsey, assistant state veterinarian. 


Beck sources most of his poultry from local bird swaps and area hatcheries. The bird swaps were 

closed for part of the spring making sourcing difficult. Those birds that were purchased from a 

hatchery were done so at a premium price. 

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FOR THE BIRDS 

“Contact, including ingestion, with either respiratory 

secretions or feces can result in the spread.” 

Most of the cases reported in the state this year 

were in the western 

and central part of 

the state, where some 

larger commercial operations 

are housed. 

And while there were 

“When visitors come 

to our farm, they 

are not allowed 

inside the coop.” 

— ABE VICKERS 

not reported cases 

in Eastern Iowa, 

restrictions were 

implemented across 

Iowa. The ban on live 

bird exhibitions was 

lifted on June 3 by 

the state’s agriculture 

department. 

The impact of the 

flu was one factor in 

a major price increase 

in chick this year. But even with the added cost, 4-H 

and FFA members across the area are happy they 

could show their animals at the fair this year. 


Dillion Beck of Spragueville is both a chicken farmer and hunting enthusiast and 

says that both things have been impacted because of the bird flu. 

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FOR THE BIRDS 

About Avian Flu 

Avian influenza (AI) is a viral disease 

that mainly affects birds. The virus occurs 

as both low pathogenic (LPAI) and 

highly pathogenic (HPAI) forms based 

on how sick they make poultry, such as 

chickens and turkeys. 

Chickens and turkeys with LPAI may 

not show any signs of illness or they 

may show mild signs such as sneezing, 

coughing and discharge from their eyes 

or beak. 

Chickens and turkeys with HPAI may 

have difficulty breathing or die suddenly. 

Waterfowl, such as ducks and 

geese, can naturally carry LPAI and 

most commonly do not show any signs 

of being ill. 

Domestic poultry that become sick 

with LPAI may display: 

n Minor sneezing or coughing 

n Minor discharge from eyes or break 

n Decreased food and water intake 

n Decreased egg production 

n Deformed eggs 

If wild ducks and geese come into 

contact with chickens and turkeys they 

can give them LPAI. 

Once chickens and turkeys are infected 

with LPAI, there is a chance the disease 

can become more severe, changing 

into HPAI. Domestic poultry that 

become sick with HPAI may display: 

n Severe lethargy 

n Severe difficulty breathing 

n Blood-tinged discharge from 

eyes or beak 

n Unfeathered skin appearing 

blue on the head, comb and wattle 

(and snood in turkeys) 

n Swollen combs, wattle or shanks 

n Decreased food and water intake 

n Decreased egg production 

n Deformed or shell-less eggs 

n Sudden death 

Source: Iowa Department of 

Agriculture and Land Stewardship 

Taking extra precautions 

Poultry producer Abe Vickers of Grand 

Mound said the bird flu means taking 

extra precautions around the farm and 

making sure that visitors are aware of the 

risk they pose to the flock and his show 

season. 

“When visitors come to our farm, they 

are not allowed inside the coop,” said 

Vickers, who is a DeWitt Central FFA 

member. “We do not know what might be 

on their shoes, and we want to minimize 

the exposure to outside foreign bodies. 

We also take special precautions when we 

enter our own facilities including making 

sure that we have clean shoes on or that 

we wash our shoes before going inside.” 

Vickers says that these changes to the 

management of their flock are likely to 

be permanent along with the continuation 

of veterinary checks for poultry prior to 

entering the fairgrounds. He thinks that 

increased diligence will ensure that flocks 

stay healthy. He believes that as producers, 

he and his family play a role in that. 

“We take the safety of our animals 

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FOR THE BIRDS 

seriously,” Vickers said. “If the 

bird flu were to get into our flock, 

it would mean having to euthanize 

and dispose of all of them 

and start over. For egg layers, this 

takes time. You must wait until 

they start laying again.” 

To continue to keep flocks safe, 

Jessica Wagner, environmental education 

coordinator with Jackson 

County Conservation, said people 

can take measures to help. 

It’s important to keep feeders 

clean, with the recommendation to 

wash them at least once every two 

weeks all year round, she said. 

“If you really want to help the 

birds, taking down your feeders 

for a short period can avoid a 

lot of birds coming together and 

potentially spreading the avian 

flu. Thankfully this time of year, 

birds have other sources for food 

and don’t necessarily need the 

feeders,” she said of the summer 

months. n 

Among the birds Beck 

raises at his home farm in 

Spragueville are chickens, 

ducks and turkeys. Pictured 

here at right is a Royal 

Palm turkey and, below, a 

Muscovy duck that are part 

of his flock. 


PHOTO / JACKIE MILLER 

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BY JENNA STEVENS 

Ag in the Classroom 

Coordinator 

Clinton County Farm Bureau 


Two percent. Two percent of an 

acre is 871.2 square feet. Two 

percent of the price of a 2022 

John Deere combine with a corn 

head is $18,650.50, and two percent is also 

the number of farmers and ranchers in the 

United States directly employed in producing 

our food, according to the American 

Farm Bureau Federation. 

Depending on which resource you want 

to believe, that number might even be 

lower. Producers are by far the smallest 

segment of the agricultural industry, and 

yet without them none of the rest of the 

agricultural sector would continue. 

Millions of people work in ag in positions 

juxtaposed to production, and yet 

many of them have never made a living 

farming. 

As technology increases, producers 

find themselves facing challenges never 

dreamed of in previous generations. While 

the internet makes it easy to market grain 

in an instant and troubleshoot problems 

from the cab of a tractor, the tradeoff is the 

need to play defense about the decisions 

and practices necessary to put food on our 

own tables. 

Production agriculture often finds itself 

at the center of controversy on social 

media and websites alike, making the 

public skeptical of what we do to produce 

the products that feed, fuel, and clothe 

consumers. This mistrust is powered by an 

online culture that allows critics to hide behind 

the anonymity of their tablet screens. 

It has become trendy to raise concerns, 

real or imagined, about everything from 

pollution to poultry production, calling into 

There’s a lot of power 

behind the 2% 

in U.S. agriculture 

EASTERN IOWA FARMER PHOTO / BROOKE TILL 

Megan Clark gave a TEDx talk about the 

misconceptions within animal agriculture in 

front of an urban audience in the Quad Cities. 

Clark, who graduated from Central DeWitt, 

studies agricultural communications at Iowa 

State University. 

question decisions that we as farmers have 

spent months thinking about, planning for, 

and with a leap of faith, finally taking. 

Farming is stressful, no one can deny 

that. Every decision comes with careful 

estimations. 

“If I stretch this note out longer, can I afford 

the payments on a new bale wrapper? 

What repairs am I looking at if I go with 

used options? Did planting an extra 500 

acres to beans this year make a difference 

on my bottom line or did I give up too 

many bushels that could have been corn?” 

Online criticism from environmental and 

animal welfare groups and people posting 

negative comments anonymously can make 

the conversation feel unbalanced and lead 

to frustration if you are producer. 

To combat this, we must leverage our 

voices across the same platforms that 

are being using by critics; but, instead of 

remaining anonymous, it is important that 

we be a face, a voice, someone willing and 

able to answer questions with facts rather 

than theory. 

An example of this is the TEDx Talk 

given by Central DeWitt student, Megan 

Clark. Clark was selected to speak about 

the topic of misconceptions within animal 

agriculture in front of an urban audience 

in the Quad Cities. Her talk, titled “What 

I wish you would ask me,” addresses misunderstandings 

in the show cattle industry 

and gives advice on how producers and 

consumers can work together to close the 

knowledge gap. 

Finding a way to share production 

practices with consumers is key in helping 

them develop an open mind when it comes 

to having conversations about where and 

how our food is produced. When these 

conversations take place face-to-face, it is 

easy to answer questions that arise in the 

natural flow of the discussion, but with 

online critics, a different approach must 

be taken. We as producers must meet them 

on the same social media platforms and 

websites where their comments take aim. 

Instead of playing defense, we must counter 

with a strong, fact-based offense, citing 

resources from credible sources along with 

telling our own stories. 

While two percent does not seem like 

much land in an acre or much of a down 

payment on that new John Deere, it is one 

hundred percent of the voices needed to 

counterbalance the negative information 

online. If we do not start telling our stories, 

people who have less than two percent 

knowledge of what we do will tell them 

for us. 

Megan Clark’s talk can be found on You- 

Tube under TEDx Youth Davenport with 

the title “What I wish you would ask me.” 


MATHIAS GOODALE 

owner 

Lost Nation, IA 

563-271-1734 

goodaleexcavating@gmail.com 

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BUSINESS IN BLOOM 

Business in Bloom 

Delwood man’s plan to reduce yardwork grows into entrepreneurial 

project that serves local businesses with wholesale flowers. 

BY NANCY MAYFIELD 


On a breezy day in mid-May, 

the temperature in Delmar was 

well above 80 degrees. Joshua 

Bauer was out in the afternoon 

sun tending to the crops that are part of 

his entrepreneurial project, Delwood 

Flowers. 

Next to his home in Delmar, just off 

Highway 136, he’d recently finished 

planting beds of sunflowers (with more 

than 1,000 seeds in each strip) and 

zinnias. Those plants were sold in the 

summer and into this fall to local florists 

at wholesale prices. 

While the business is not Bauer’s 

full-time job – he works in the natural resources 

field – the entrepreneurial venture 

grew out of an effort to simply reduce his 

yardwork. 

Bauer moved to Delmar a few years 

ago, and his first spring there he planted 

some wildflowers in the large lot he owns 

next to his house to cut down on mowing. 

“They all came up, and it was crazy. I 

was like, look at all these beautiful flowers,” 

he said. It got him to thinking. He 

did some research on the flower business 

and learned that, according to the USDA, 

some 80% of all wholesale flowers are 

imported to the United States, with Canada 

and Ecuador being large providers. 

One of the big advantages to local florists 

is they can have the flower in water 

less than 24 hours from being cut. 

Joshua Bauer grows thousands of sunflowers and zinnias on about a fourth of an acre at his 

Delmar home. He spends hours there after his full-time job caring for the beds. He carefully burns 

holes in a special fabric he lays over the soil so the plants can grow tall while the weeds are 

controlled. He also sets up water hoses for a drip system and applies fish emulsion fertilizers. 

EASTERN IOWA FARMER PHOTO / TREVIS MAYFIELD


DELWOOD FLOWERS 

COMPANY: Delwood Flowers 

LOCATION: 211 Richland St., Delmar 

FOUNDED: 2020 by Joshua Bauer 

ONLINE: Delwood Flowers on 

Facebook 

“That’s how they sell themselves,” he 

said of his flowers. 

It’s a much shorter supply chain than 

going from a point of origin – elsewhere 

in the United States or beyond – to a port 

to a distributor. That trip could take the 

flowers more than a week to make. 

“I offer produce that’s local and 

sustainable,” he said. Most of the work 

is done simply by human manpower, his 

own, with very little pesticides or insecticides. 

He started talking to some local florists. 

“We just love his flowers and he’s great 

to deal with,” said Lisa Duffy, owner of 

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Meant to Be with Flowers in DeWitt. 

“He goes into a lot of depth about how 

and why he plants them a certain way. I 

enjoy hearing about that. His flowers are 

beautiful when he brings them in.” 

And on his part, Bauer does some listening 

of his own to fine tune his inventory 

for optimal commercial use. 

“Florists want a tighter, smaller head 

when they are arranging them with smaller, 

more delicate flowers,” he said. 

He plants the flower seeds in patches 

10 days apart so he will have a steady 

supply of flowers during the selling 

season. Bauer’s goal is to get enough 

wholesale customers to move all his product. 

This year, he expanded his flower 

shop customers. If he finds himself with 

a surplus of plants, he posts limited hours 

on Facebook for people to stop by his 

house to buy a bouquet. 

This past year, he grew sunflowers and 

zinnias. He honed in on those two species 

after some trial and error the previous 

year with dahlias. 

“I learned a lot,” he said, including 

EASTERN IOWA FARMER PHOTO / TREVIS MAYFIELD 

The wildflowers Bauer plants along the outside of his garden have a dual purpose. They attract 

pollinators, which is good for all his plants. They also give him a beautiful view for several 

months a year. 

that growing dahlias is much too labor 

intensive when you have a full-time, dayjob 

and are trying to plan for economy of 

scale. 

Sunflowers and zinnias check off some 

important boxes: Low maintenance, 

pest-resistant and in demand by local florists. 

He rotates their location each year. 

As he prepared for his harvest window 

from early July to September, Bauer 

said he’s looking forward to building the 

business. 

“Delwood Flowers is a passion of 

mine,” Bauer said. “It’s never been about 

making money. Growing flowers keeps 

me busy and connected with my community. 

I hope in the future to try new things 

and teach the community that growing 

pollinators is not just for folks with acreage; 

it’s something we can all do.” n 

Our team has you covered! 

At Ohnward Insurance Group, we understand the long hours 

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DeWitt, IA 52742 

563-659-2699 

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Pictured left to right: Laurie Messmer, Brian Franzen, Leora Claeys, Matt Franzen, 

Cathy Ryder, Jody Schmidt and Susanne Owen 


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By KRIS KOTH 

Clinton County Executive Director 

Cedar County Acting Executive Director 

Farm Service Agency 

kris.koth@usda.gov 


Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced 

that the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) plans to provide 

up to $200 million in assistance for 

specialty crop producers who incur eligible onfarm 

food safety program expenses to obtain or 

renew a food safety certification in calendar years 

2022 or 2023. 

USDA’s new Food Safety Certification for 

Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program will help 

to offset costs for specialty crop producers 

to comply with regulatory requirements and 

market-driven food safety certification requirements, 

which is part of USDA’s broader effort to 

transform the food system to create a more level 

playing field for small and medium producers 

and a more balanced, equitable economy for 

everyone working in food and agriculture. 

Specialty crop operations can apply for assistance 

for eligible expenses related to a 2022 

USDA 

announces 

assistance 

Aid to help on-farm food safety 

expenses for specialty crop growers 

food safety certificate issued on or after June 21. 

USDA is delivering FSCSC to provide critical 

assistance for specialty crop operations, with an 

emphasis on equity in program delivery while 

building on lessons learned from the COVID-19 

pandemic and supply chain disruptions. Vilsack 

made the announcement from Hollis, New 

Hampshire, where he toured a local, family-owned 

farm and highlighted USDA’s efforts 

to help reduce costs for farmers and support local 

economies by providing significant funding to 

cut regulatory costs and increase market opportunities 

for farmers in New Hampshire and across 

the nation. 

Program Details 

FSCSC will assist specialty crop operations 

that incurred eligible on-farm food safety 

certification and related expenses related to 

obtaining or renewing a food safety certification 

in calendar years 2022 and 2023. For each year, 

FSCSC covers a percentage of the specialty crop 

operation’s cost of obtaining or renewing their 

certification, as well as a portion of their related 

expenses. 

If you have 

any questions, 

please contact 

your local 

FSA Office. 

Cedar County 

205 W. South St., 

Ste. 3, Tipton, IA 

52772 

(563) 886-6061 

Clinton County 

1212 17th Ave., 

DeWitt, IA 52742 

(563) 659-3456 

Dubuque County 

210 Bierman 

Road, Epworth, IA 

52045 

(563) 876-3328 

Jackson County 

601 E. Platt St., 

Maquoketa, IA 

52060 

(563) 652-3237 

Jones County 

300 Chamber Dr., 

Anamosa, IA 

52205 

(563) 462-3517 

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USDA 

To be eligible for FSCSC, 

the applicant must be a specialty 

crop operation; meet the 

definition of a small business 

or very small business; and 

have paid eligible expenses 

related to the 2022 (issued 

on or after June 21, 2022) or 

2023 certification. 

Specialty crop operations 

may receive assistance for the 

following costs: 

n Developing a food safety 

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n Certification upload fees 

n Microbiological testing 

for products, soil amendments 

and water. 

n Training 

FSCSC payments are 

calculated separately for each 

category of eligible costs. A 

higher payment rate has been 

set for socially disadvantaged, 

limited resource, beginning 

and veteran farmers and 

ranchers. Details about the 

payment rates and limitations 

can be found at farmers.gov/ 

food-safety. 

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The FSCSC application 

period is through Jan. 31, 

and the application period 

for 2023 will be announced 

at a later date. FSA will issue 

payments at the time of application 

approval for 2022 and 

after the application period 

ends for 2023. If calculated 

payments exceed the amount 

of available funding, payments 

will be prorated. 

Interested specialty crop 

producers can apply by completing 

the FSA-888, Food 

Safety Certification for Specialty 

Crops Program (FSCSC) 

application. The application, 

along with other required 

documents, can be submitted 

to the FSA office at any USDA 

Service Center nationwide by 

mail, fax, hand delivery or via 

electronic means. 

Producers can visit www. 

farmers.gov/food-safety for 

additional program details, 

eligibility information and 

forms needed to apply. n 

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THE 

COST OF 

FARMING 

Oh, how things change! 

Fresh off a year of strong crop prices and 

solid profits, Eastern Iowa farmers are facing 

new circumstances, including rising input costs, 

lingering supply chain challenges, and uncertainty caused by global events. 

In the short run, they’re sharpening their pencils to account for costs rising 

across the board – for everything from seed, fertilizer and chemicals to hired labor, 

machinery repairs and fuel. 

That means local ag producers are now navigating choppy waters that also 

include the impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine on food supply and fertilizer 

prices, as well as the effect of lingering supply chain interruptions that began during 

the pandemic. That’s in addition to the specter of inflation and rising interest rates. 

But despite this cocktail of challenges, with careful management and a little bit of 

luck, farmers and ag experts remain optimistic about where yields and markets will 

take them this year. 


THE COST OF FARMING 

Bob 

Bowman 

DeWitt 

Clinton County farmer 

Bob Bowman has been 

in the business for 

almost 50 years. He’s 

seen many cycles of 

crop prices and input 

costs going up and 

down over the decades. 


PHOTO / TREVIS MAYFIELD 

BALANCING ACT: 

As farmers face the usual 

cyclical challenges that 

come with raising crops 

and livestock – as well as 

a few curve balls – there’s 

still profit to be made. 



In the spring of 2021, Bob 

Bowman paid $485 a ton to 

apply anhydrous ammonia to 

his fields. Months later, the 

price had almost doubled. 

Despite the hike, he decided to 

place an order. 

“We booked it at $800 a ton for 

fall application. By the time we 

were done with harvest the first of 

November, it was up to $1,600 a 

ton,” said the DeWitt farmer who 

has been growing corn and soybeans 

in Clinton County for almost 

50 years. 

Bowman and others in the local 

ag industry know that when prices 

for corn and soybeans are up, costs 

for chemicals, seed, fuel and other 

inputs are sure to follow. 

“It’s cyclical. No doubt about 

that,” Bowman said. Still, it can be 

tough to stomach prices that have 

doubled or tripled for necessary 

things. And a few unusual national 

and international events are causing 

farmers to buckle in for a volatile 

ride on the road to profitability. 

“We’ve got some decent grain 



“My rough math 

is that the direct 

inputs for the 2023 

corn crop – seed, 

fertilizer, chemicals, 

etc. – are going 

up about 80 cents 

a bushel from the 

2022 crop. 

— GREG GANNON 

prices right now, but we need them,” Bowman 

said. “This fall if we have good yields, I think 

it will be an ok and maybe a good year. What 

I’m concerned about is the downturn. When 

you’ve farmed as long as I have, you’ve seen 

this pattern before. Our commodity prices top 

out or soften and go lower, and expense prices 

don’t. That’s where the real pinch is.” 

His concerns mirror those of other Eastern 

Iowa farmers who are fresh off a year of strong 

crop prices and solid profits that mirrored 

conditions from about a decade ago. But today 

local ag producers are navigating choppy 

waters that also include the impact of Russia’s 

war against the Ukraine on food supply 

and fertilizer prices, as well as the effect of 

lingering supply chain interruptions that began 

during the pandemic. That’s in addition to the 

specter of inflation, increasing costs for fuel 

and other inputs, and rising interest rates. 

And while Bowman and fellow farmers in 

Eastern Iowa may feel some heartburn talking 

about the challenges, there are profits to be 

made, especially with some strategic planning 

and maybe a little luck, some in the local ag 

industry said. 

“My rough math is that the direct inputs for 

the 2023 corn crop – seed, fertilizer, chemicals, 

etc. – are going up about 80 cents a bushel 

from the 2022 crop. Presently, we’ve got corn 

a little over $6 a bushel. Despite the increase 

in costs, those are still profitable levels,” said 

Greg Gannon, president and chief executive of 

DeWitt Bank & Trust Co., who also is a farmer 

in Clinton County. 

Among the list of challenges top on the 

minds of producers he speaks with are the 

availability of fertilizer (Russia and the 

Ukraine are big suppliers) and chemicals, 

Gannon said. 

On the plus side, he ticks off healthy liquidity, 

a low degree of leverage, strong borrowing 

capacity, and appreciating land and equipment 

values. 

“What we see from our customer base is 

balance sheets are strong and there’s a good 

amount of liquidity. And even if prices drop 

and profitability is diminished, there’s enough 

strength in reserves available so it’s not a dire 

situation,” he said. 

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“From my perspective as 

a lender and what we talk to 

our customers about is that 

with more dollars invested in 

a crop, there’s more dollars 

at risk. Risk management is 

more important,” Gannon 

said, including protecting 

prices through marketing 

tools, such as hedging or 

options, and also through crop 

revenue protection insurance. 

Bowman agreed. 

“If we have the yield and if 

I do a good job of marketing, 

we’re in an area right now 

where we have the opportunity 

to make money,” he said, 

adding that it also requires 

paying close attention to 

expenses. 

“Sometimes we’ll lock in a 

price just to take that piece off 

the table,” he said of his fall 

decision to pay the $800 a ton 


Farmer and banker Greg Gannon said that some of the positives for the 

local ag industry are healthy liquidity, a low degree of leverage, strong 

borrowing capacity, and appreciating land and equipment values. 

price for anhydrous ammonia. 

“If you’re dealing with half 

a dozen unknowns, anything 

that you can take off the table 

– you’re managing your risk. 

You might not be optimizing, 

but you don’t have to worry 

about that anymore. Yes, it’s 

high, I agree. Is it good? No, 

it’s not good. But let’s worry 

about something else.” 

Chad Hart, professor and 

crop marketing specialist with 

Iowa State University, said the 

big question farmers have had 

to consider in the past year 

is how to manage operating 

returns. 

“When you get a bigger 

profit, what do you do with 

that extra money? A lot of it 

goes back to looking at the 

market today. Can you do 

things today that will lock in 

a profit margin? And if you 

can, take advantage of those 

opportunities. We know the 

last few years have been 

profitable, so we have to go 

through downturn. Set aside 

funds to protect farm. Look to 

control our costs or manage 

costs in the future. It’s not 

a deal of saying things are 

always going to be good or 

bad. It’s how do we use these 

good times to prepare for bad 

things?” n 

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Jake Lammers 

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Cascade 

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the owners of White Front Feed & Seed, use 

advice they learned over the years from their 

dad, Bruce Lammers, who started the business. 

As they ride the waves of domestic and global 

events impacting the agriculture business 

in Eastern Iowa, they place a high value on 

seeking out good information. 


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‘Everything is just 

constantly shifting’ 

The ripple effect of events occurring oceans away 

from Eastern Iowa are among the market issues that 

impact prices for both buyers and sellers of crop inputs 



When the European Union 

imposed sanctions on 

Belarus because of human 

rights violations in June 

2021, the ripple effect was felt some 

5,000 miles away in Eastern Iowa. 

“Just like that, the price of potash went 

up $150 a ton,” recalled Jake Lammers, 

an owner of White Front Feed & Seed in 

Cascade. 

Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine earlier 

this year only added to the volatility 

of the price and availability of potash, a 

crucial nutrient for corn, soybeans, and 

other crops, as more countries slapped 

sanctions against Belarus and Russia, 

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“I went a month without 

knowing what it was going 

to cost me, but knowing it 

was needed. At least 

I could tell farmers it 

was here. I said, ‘I know 

I can get you the product, I 

just don’t know how much 

your cost will be yet.’” 

— TERESA COONS 

world’s potash respectively. 

The average price per ton went from 

$221 at the end of January to $562 in 

mid-April, a 154% increase. 

“We haven’t heard that there’s going to 

be a shortage yet,” Lammers said in late 

August, “but they’re still not exporting 

enough.” 

It’s just one example of many of how 

pandemic-related production slowdowns, 

unrest in Eastern Europe and other market 

factors are impacting the fertilizer and 

crop protection products that White Front 

sells. As they and other companies in 

the industry pay higher prices for their 

products, they must balance remaining 

profitable with passing on increases to 

their customers. 

Natural gas shortages this year have 

also impacted the production cost of both 

pesticides and fertilizers. And China’s 

reaction to sanctions by the United States 

and other countries for human rights violations 

has resulted in a slowdown of how 

fast some of fertilizer’s key ingredients – 

many of which are made in China – get to 

crop protection manufacturers. 

“We’re learning that for this go around, 

it’s always something different that we’re 

facing,” said Lammers, who handles 

the fertilizer side of the business. Teresa 

Coons, his sister, handles the crop protections 

side. 

One more widespread challenge this 

year is not knowing what things are going 

to cost until delivery or after, as price 

swings for some products in both the 

fertilizer and crop protection sectors can 

be unpredictable, the siblings said. 

Coons recounted how earlier this year 

she received two loads of herbicide with 

no price tag. 

“I went a month without knowing what 

it was going to cost me, but knowing it 

was needed. At least I could tell farmers it 

was here. I said, ‘I know I can get you the 

product, I just don’t know how much your 

cost will be yet,’” she said. 

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about 30% from when she’d ordered it. 

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White Front already had some of the 

herbicide on hand, so she could absorb 

some of the increase by averaging it with 

the cost of what was previously in stock. 

“Everything is just constantly shifting,” 

she said. “It’s been a nightmare.” 

Prices from suppliers have been changing 

faster and more frequently than usual. 

When Coons first started working with 

their dad, Bruce Lammers, they would receive 

about 25 price updates or additions 

by the end of September. In early August, 

she had already received 33. 

Bruce started the business in 1975 and 

retired this past year. One of the many 

things Lammers and Coons learned from 

him is having a policy of not being reactionary. 

“One thing our dad has always said 

is don’t break the market. By trying to 

follow along with others in the industry, 

Jake and I follow the way our dad always 

did it. We try to absorb price increases 

through the inventory we already have to 

benefit our customers,” Coons said. 

For example, her brother was able to 

“It’s different every year. 

You can’t keep one set 

plan. You’ve got to be 

able to adapt as things 

change.” 

— JAKE LAMMERS 

buy the majority of their fertilizer needs at 

a lower cost earlier this year, she explained. 

“We still needed to buy more, and the 

price went up, but we won’t just sell it at 

the higher price. We will average it out 

with the lower cost of inventory. And we 

will keep that going as we go through the 

year. Every month, or more, we reassess 

our prices,” she said. 

They also learned from their father to 

be patient, Lammers said, because some 

of the prices that spike tend to come back 

down to follow the grain market 

“Two years ago, urea was $300 a ton,” 

Lammers said. “Earlier this spring there 

was a natural gas shortage causing the 

urea price to spike to almost $1,000. Now 

it’s down around $600 (at time of this 

interview). So, in one year’s time, it raised 

$700, and lost $400. It’s just all over the 

place.” 

They also learned to follow a strategy 

but still be flexible. 

“It’s different every year. You can’t 

keep one set plan. You’ve got to be able to 

adapt as things change,” Lammers said. 

An additional piece of advice from their 

dad that they’ve found helpful is to seek 

out good information. 

“Listen to people around you. Don’t 

always assume you’re the smartest person 

in the room,” Coons said. 

They talk regularly to the crop protection 

and fertilizer representatives with 

whom they work. 

They also rely on their salesmen, Jason 

Kurt, Josh Smith and Matt Link, who also 

farm, for their input and experience. 

“All three see a broader scale of our 

customers and what impacts them. We can 

read stuff until we are blue in the face, but 

they are in the trenches,” Coons said. n 

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Rolling with 

the punches 

For this young farmer, concerns about economy are on his mind, 

but knowing the industry is cyclical helps keep things in perspective 



On a mild, sunny morning just north 

of Andrew, Kaleb Marshall looked 

out over rolling fields lined with 

rows of cut alfalfa waiting to be 

baled. He was hoping the conditions would 

be right to make some hay later that August 

afternoon. 

“We’ll see,” said Marshall, who makes his 

living selling hay and raising livestock. He’d 

been waiting about a week for it to dry out 

enough for his liking, and he was eager to get 

it to market. The longer it sat in the field, the 

longer it would take to show up on his bottom 

line. 

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A hay rake sits ready for action last August as Marshall waited for dry 

conditions to bale cut alfalfa. 

everything from fuel for his tractor to fertilizer for his crops to 

feed for his animals, the 29-year-old noted that he and other 

farmers are thinking a lot about profit margins. 

“I’ve been shifting my mentality a bit and trying to pay 

stuff off,” Marshall said. It seems to him that being less in debt 

makes sense right now. 

“The less leverage, the more peace of mind,” said Marshall, 

whose wife works off the farm. With the average age of farmers 

in Iowa being about 57, according to the USDA’s 2021 census 

of agriculture, Marshall is a young producer. He plans to be in 

the business for many years, but admits that concerns about 

inflation, government regulations, the supply chain and rising 

prices weigh on him. 

“It’s the nature of the world right now, not just farming,” he 

said. 

While he doesn’t grow corn or soybeans currently, he feels 

the impact of the market conditions that those producers feel. 

“I’m dealing with the same stuff. The price of hay seed hasn’t 

gone up as drastically as corn and beans have, but I’m still 

paying for higher-priced fertilizer and fuel. And, I’m buying $7 

corn to feed my livestock,” he said. 

The hay business is a bit different than other crops. 

“What I have is high-risk, high-reward because I can’t contract 

anything,” Marshall said. He sells hay by either the bale or 

the ton, both to individuals and at the Dyersville hay market. 

“I’m looking at what it’s costing me per ton to make it. It 

definitely has gone up,” he said. 

On the livestock side of things, Marshall sells a lot of farmto-table. 

“The hogs are sold through a locker, so we can set our own 

prices a little bit there and make sure we’re making money,” 

he said. He sells about a third of his cattle through a locker and 

some privately. 


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Years when corn and 

soybean prices are strong are 

usually a bad year for livestock 

farmers, he noted. 

“At some point livestock 

prices should follow the grain 

market going up, but it’s typically 

going to follow a year 

or two later. You’re going to 

have to pay those high prices 

(for feed) for a while before 

you really see that catch up,” 

he said. 

Marshall said he views 

things from two levels. In the 

short run, cash income must 

be sufficient to pay operating 

costs for such things as seed, 

fertilizer, chemicals, insurance, 

cash rent, and hired 

labor, as well as machinery 

fuel and repairs, and interest 

on operating capital. In the 

long run, income should ideally 

be sufficient to allow for 

investment into growth and 


Marshall raises hogs and cattle, in addition to having a hay business. 

While he doesn’t grow corn or soybeans currently, he feels the impact 

of the market conditions that those producers feel. 

expansion of the business. 

“It’s not always fun,” he 

said of the planning and the 

accompanying market uncertainties, 

“but it’s part of it. It’s 

normal to me anymore.” 

As Americans adjust to rising 

costs driven by food and 

energy prices, ag producers 

feel the pinch. 

“Agriculture has not been 

immune to inflationary pressures, 

and, in fact, has faced 

more significant price increases 

than the general economy,” 

noted a report released earlier 

this year by six Iowa State 

University economists. 

“The price increases have 

boosted farm revenues, with 

crop prices leading the charge, 

but have also added to farm 

costs, with feed, seed, labor 

and land expenses growing,” 

it added. 

But Marshall and others 

say they will move forward 

by continuing to make solid 

strategic decisions and understanding 

what they can’t 

control. 

“I’m definitely a roll with 

the punches kind of guy. It’s 

going to be whatever it’s 

going to be,” he said. n 

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Balancing 

Act 

Navigating rising costs and supply chain delays 

while maintaining a profit margin, 

small ag supply companies walk a fine line 



Thousands of paper bags are 

stored in a warehouse at Welter Seed 

& Honey Co. 

The year’s supply of inventory, 

which will eventually hold one of 

the more than 200 varieties of seed 

the Onslow-based business sells 

to farmers, is just one indicator of 

the economic pressures facing ag 

businesses. 

“The cost of bags has gone up 

dramatically,” said Jim Welter, one 

of the operators of the family owned 



Welter Seed 

& Honey Co 

Onslow 

Karen Knepper, Dustin Paulson and Jim 

Welter stand with bags of red clover seed, 

one of the hundreds of products Welter Seed 

& Honey Co. sells. Supply chain issues 

have impacted Welter and many other 

ag businesses. Besides the price of bags 

going up dramatically, supply chain delays 

have also increased the wait time for such 

materials. 


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company founded in 1955 by 

Herman and Veronica Welter. 

“And the waiting time to get 

more is three or four months 

after you place an order.” 

The rising cost of paper and 

supply chain delays are just 

the tip of the iceberg. Rising 

fuel costs and truck driver 

shortages are among the factors 

smaller seed companies 

navigate as they balance the 

price they pay for their raw 

material – seeds – with the 

price they charge customers 

for their products. 

“Seed prices have increased. 

Fuel costs have increased,” 

Welter noted. “We have to 

try to maintain our margin 

because a lot of our costs have 

gone up.” 

Dustin Paulson, Welter’s 

sales agronomist, said it’s a 


Welter Seed keeps a year’s supply of bags to hold one of the more than 200 varieties of seed it sells to 

farmers. The Onslow company buys such grains as wheat, barley, rye and oats from certified famers in a 

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“Costs have increased 

fast enough that there 

isn’t room for us to make 

much more margin 

and still be palatable 

for the customer.” 

— JUSTIN PAULSON 

balancing act. 

“Seed prices are going up, but it’s not 

because we are increasing our margins necessarily,” 

he said. “We have to pass some 

of our increased costs on; we’re not here 

to lose money. Costs have increased fast 

enough that there isn’t room for us to make 

much more margin and still be palatable 

for the customer. Also, with our specialty 

crops, we are often competing for acres.” 

Like many local ag businesses, Welter 

operates with a small staff whose members 

handle multiple aspects of the operation. 

“Large companies, the Fortune 500 

businesses, have a team of people who look 

at every aspect of costs and expenses on 

the hour,” Paulson said. “We aren’t able to 

analyze every cost factor such as, ‘That’s 

costing us X %, X cents per mile, per trip, 

etc. We’re probably working more around 

generalities. We don’t have the staff of 

people to always figure down to the last 

penny.” 

While some businesses in the ag input industry 

change their prices daily in response 

to economic impact, seed businesses 

generally don’t. Welter sets prices for small 

grains twice a year, which allows them to 

adjust. It pays premium prices for quality 

grains such as wheat, barley, rye and oats 

from certified growers in a five- or six-hour 

radius throughout the Midwest who are 

absorbing their own price increases. 

That allows farmers some ability to plan 

for that specific cost, Welter and Paulson 

said, adding that they rely on strong relationships 

and good communication with 

their customers. 

“Once that price is set, it typically is not 

going to go up unless we have to replace 

product at a higher cost,” Paulson said. 

The story of higher costs and longer delays 

are being felt at every level of farming. 

The costs for shipping freight by truck 

has more than doubled, Welter said. That 

upward trend started during the pandemic. 

And for specialty products, in particular, 

that tips the economies of scale. For example, 

bringing in organic barley grown by a 

Nebraska supplier to Iowa will cost a lot 

more than if the grower was selling it to a 

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“There’s also a trucker 

shortage,” Welter said. “We 

feel it. I have some small 

seed suppliers from Oregon, 

and they had a two-week 

turnaround usually. At one 

point, it was taking five to six 

weeks.” 

And the war in Ukraine 

impacted their energy costs. 

“The majority of impact 

was fuel costs when they 

spiked,” Paulson said. “There 

was already a run-up in fuel 

costs. The hangover from 

COVID has been a bigger 

issue than war. But the war 

didn’t help.” 

They also expect to see a 

bigger demand for seed wheat 

as farmers in the United States 

look to fill demand left by 

the uncertainty in Ukraine’s 

ability to grow and ship its 

product. n 

Pictured, left to right: Julie Hansen, 

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Mike Hofer and Michael Schaeffer 

‘Make sure you’ve 

got your pencil sharp’ 

Knowing operation well helps farmers plan strategy 

for marketing, inputs and more as margins tighten 



Among those who work in the numbers 

side of the local farming industry, 

the consensus is that 2021 

was a strong year for agriculture. 

Prices for corn and soybeans were up, and 

input costs were low. The scenario shifted 

this year, with input costs rising – some at 

remarkable rates and levels – as expected 

trends unfolded and other extraordinary incidents 

developed. 

With some good strategic planning, farming 

should be profitable in 2023, but margins 

will tighten, experts said. 

“From a profitability standpoint, it all 

comes down to producers knowing their 

numbers and being able to make decisions,” 

said Joel Lasack, first vice president of agriculture 

loans with Maquoketa State Bank. 

“That’s the same thing I’ve been telling 

everybody for the 12 years I’ve been in lending. 

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Joel Lasack 

Greg Bopes 

Maquoketa 

Joel Lasack, with Maquoketa State 

Bank, and Greg Bopes, with Ohnward 

Bancshares, Inc., work closely with 

farmers and land owners. They keep an 

eye on land values, inflation, and other 

market factors that impact agriculture. 


Do some homework. Shop around for inputs. On the 

flip side of that, make some marketing decisions and be 

prepared to make marketing decisions to maintain your 

bottom line.” 

Lock in on input prices, know your floor in terms of 

grain marketing, and know your cost of production. Use 

that information to make decisions, he said. 

“The industry is cyclical, but what’s different here 

is some uncommon factors – COVID and its effect on 

supply chain, and inflation. You throw in a war that’s affected 

both the food supply and the input supply for the 

production side on top of that. Any good manager could 

have a marketing plan developed that wouldn’t have either 

one of those scenarios factored into it,” Lasack said. 

The scenario farmers have been in the past year and 

a half hearkens back in some ways to the 2012-13 era 

when prices for corn and soybeans reached new highs, 

said Chad Hart, professor and crop marketing specialist 

with Iowa State University. 

In June 2013, the average price for a bushel of corn 

was $7.09 compared with $7.48 a bushel in June this 

year. The average soybean price per bushel in June 2013 

was $15.20, an all-time high at that point, compared with 

$16.20 this past June. 

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Farmer sentiment improves, 

but producers still concerned 

about rising costs, inflation 

Farmer sentiment improved in August as the Purdue-CME 

Group Ag Economy Barometer index rose 14 points above its July 

reading to 117. The rise in the overall measure of agricultural 

producer sentiment was driven by increases in both the Index 

of Current Conditions, which rose 9 points in August to 118 and 

the Index of Future Expectations, which climbed 16 points in 

August to 116. Producers were less worried about their farm’s 

financial situation than in July, although they remain concerned 

about a possible cost/price squeeze. When asked about their 

biggest concerns for the next year, over half (53%) of respondents 

chose higher input costs. Other concerns included rising interest 

rates, input availability, and lower output prices chosen by 14, 

12 and 11 percent of respondents, respectively. Despite August’s 

improvement in sentiment, all three indices remain well below 

year ago levels. The Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy 

Barometer sentiment index is calculated each month from 400 

U.S. agricultural producers’ responses to a telephone survey. 

James Mintert and Michael Langemeier, 

Purdue Center for Commercial Agriculture 

Prices are softening some, but 

should still be decent next year, 

Hart said. 

Looking forward to 2023 

across the categories, farmers are 

going to face higher production 

costs, particularly in categories 

that can move quickly, like fertilizer. 

Some will move up more 

slowly, like land, seed, machinery 

and repair costs. 

Interest rates are creeping up, 

too. 

“You may be 2% higher on 

an interest rate than you were a 

year ago,” Lasack said. “Higher-priced 

fertilizer and input 

costs mean you are borrowing 

more on an operating line, which 

means you are going to pay more 

interest, which affects the bottom 

line as well.” 

Rates in August were just a 

little higher than they were at 

pre-pandemic levels. 

“It’s not terrible, but when 

you’re talking input costs that are 

twice as much what they were 

at that time, that’s real money,” 

Lasack said. 

One area that will see some 

movement will likely be cash 

rents, said Greg Bopes, assistant 

vice president and assistant trust 

officer and farm manager for 

Ohnward Bancshares, Inc. 

“We didn’t see a lot in that area 

in 2022. I would anticipate to see 

an increase in 2023 based on land 

values,” he said. 

The average acre of Iowa farmland 

increased nearly 30% last 

year, according to the Iowa State 

University Land Value Survey, 

released late in 2021. Auctions 

in Eastern Iowa this year have 

been bringing in record prices per 

acre, in the $15,000 and above 

range. 

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“This land market has been remarkable. 

What it’s done since March of 

2021, it’s been a rocket ship since then. 

It used to be when you had a farm appraisal 

done, you could count on it being 

accurate for a few months because the 

market wouldn’t move that fast. We’ve 

had appraisals done here where three 

months after the appraisal is completed it 

really almost can’t be used as a guidepost 

anymore because it’s moving so 

fast,” Bopes said. 

He said he engages in ongoing conversations 

with his landowner clients, 

discussing many factors, including what 

it takes to put a crop in the ground. Good 

communication is key, Bopes said. 

“I do anticipate we’re going to have 

those conversations coming up. We always 

try having an ongoing conversation 

with our landowners because the rent 

equation works both ways. That way we 

avoid huge swings,” Bopes said. 

According to an Iowa State University 

survey released in June, stronger 

commodity prices and farmland values 

are leading to higher cash rents across 

most of the state. The most recent annual 

survey of cash rental rates for Iowa 

farmland showed that rates increased an 

average of 10.3% in 2022, to $256 per 

acre. 

This is the third consecutive and largest 

uptick in cash rents since 2013, when 

rents peaked at $270 per acre – a level 

5.5% higher in nominal terms than in 

2022. In comparison, nominal corn and 

soybean prices received by farmers in 

Iowa declined by 16 and 11%, respectively, 

since mid-2013. 

“The challenging part in general in 

the last 12 months would be people are 

looking more at asking if this is the tiv 

tme to sell. Land markets have exploded 

and rents are following pretty closely,” 

he said. 

Eastern Iowa farmers will be closely 

watching the land values and cash rent 

prices, the experts said. 

“Liquidity is important,” Lasack said. 

“Cash is king when it comes to weathering 

bad years and being able to expand 

in good years. If you are solid from a 

debt standpoint when times are bad, you 

might have the opportunity to expand 

your operation and have the cash to do 

that. 

Hart advised setting aside funds for the 

future and looking at how to control and 

manage costs. 

“It’s not a deal of saying things are 

always going to be good or bad. It’s a 

question of how do we use these good 

times to prepare for bad things. Think 

about what you’ve done over the past 

decade – 2021 looked like 2012. How 

did you prepare yourself then? What lesson 

did you learn? How did you prepare 

yourself?” Hart said. 

“It’s is always a roller coaster,” Hart 

said of the agriculture industry. “It’s 

smart to save for that rainy day. I look 

back at profits from the last couple of 

years, and two three years from now, that 

will be the cushion.” n 

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Gaining an edge 

Precision farming technology can provide information to help farmers 

increase productivity while improving sustainability 



When it comes to 

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crucial as farmers look to 

optimize their costs. 

“It’s like feeding cattle. 

You don’t just dump the feed 

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feed bunk because it is more 

efficient,” said Hostetler, who 

has owned Hostetler Precision 

Ag Solutions in Andrew the 

past 19 years. 

And when it comes to row 

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All the decisions a farmer makes when 

planning for planting, growing and harvesting 

can be positively impacted by getting detailed 

information about their soil and crops through 

drones, GPS and other technologies. 

concept has developed into using some of 

the most advanced technology for growers 

to improve crop yields, optimize costs 

and limit environmental impact. 

Many farmers in Eastern Iowa use 

such equipment as drones, GPS and other 

technologies to help them gather detailed 

information about their soil and crops 

so they use just the right amounts of 

fertilizer, herbicides and insecticides, for 

example. Not only does the practice help 

them optimize costs, they also increase 

productivity and improve the sustainability 

of their ground. 

“We take our business to sort of a holistic 

approach in all aspects of planting, 

fertilizing, and soil testing,” Hostetler 

said, including evaluating the efficiency 

standards of a grower’s planting system, 

evaluating the biological needs of the 

crops, or educating their customers on 

how to be efficient. 

For example, a specialized row crop 

unit gives growers the opportunity to 

adjust seed depth and placement, control 

downforce, give the seed direct liquid fertility, 

be aware of the moisture availability, 

and increase planting speed, he said. 

Hostetler also provides service for 

the parts his company sells for a grower’s 

planter system’s. Within the past 

few months, he’s seen the impact of the 

increase in product prices and limitations 

on product supplies. 

“If farmers want to ensure they have a 

product, I advise them to get a down payment 

on it,” Hostetler said. With the busy 

springtime approaching, it is essential 

more than ever for a grower to plan for 

what their planter system needs. 

As many ag industry experts agree, 

having solid information about their 

business allows farmers the best foundation 

to plan strategy and make decisions. 

And many of those decisions made each 

farming season have an impact on improving 

soil health to mineralize nutrients, 

combating erosion and runoff, and 

having a positive environmental impact, 

Hostetler said. 

One practice he does to help provide 

information for his customers is to make 

multiple extensive field walks during the 

growing season. They dig into the dirt, 

evaluate roots and compaction layers, 

find diseases, do ear counts, and identify 

any mistakes the grower’s planter may 

have made at planting time. They use that 

information to make adjustments. 

“The big thing we try to teach our 

customers is the why, not just the how, 

the why we do it so they understand the 

reasoning behind it,” Hostetler said. n 

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THE 


Farmer 


COST OF 

FARMING 









bird swaps earlier this year, but taking 











friends and neighbors! 

EasternIowaFarmer_Fall2022.indd 1 9 

® 


Inflation Reduction Act promotes 

climate-smart ag practices 

By KRISTINE A. TIDGREN 

Staff Attorney 

Center for Agricultural 

Law & Taxation 

Iowa State University 


The Inflation Reduction 

Act of 2022 was 

signed into law on 

Aug. 16 by President 

Joe Biden. 

This estimated $740 billion 

act invests $369 billion in new 

or expanded climate and energy-related 

incentives, mostly 

in the form of complex tax 

credits. The act also invests 

$80 billion in the IRS, primarily 

for increased enforcement, 

and $40 billion in agricultural 

programs, most designed to 

encourage the reduction of 

greenhouse gas emissions. 

Additionally, the act increases 

Affordable Care Act subsidies 

and seeks to lower prescription 

drug prices for Medicare 

participants. Several new tax 

provisions within the act raise 

revenue. 

The act appropriates $40 

billion for new and enhanced 

programs primarily designed 

to promote climate smart agricultural 

practices and reduce 

greenhouse gas emissions. 

Additionally, the funds are directed 

to enhance the financial 

wellbeing of at-risk farmers, 

ranchers, and foresters. This 

summary reviews some of 

the key provisions of the act 

that impact the agriculture 

industry. 

CONSERVATION 

The act appropriates significant 

funding to expand current 

USDA conservation programs 

to promote the sequestration 

of carbon and the reduction of 

carbon emissions. 

Environmental Quality 

Incentives Program 

(EQIP) - $8.45 billion 

n $250 million for fiscal 

year 2023 

n $1.75 billion for fiscal 

year 2024 

n $3 billion for fiscal year 

2025 

n $3.45 billion for fiscal 

year 2026 

Conservation Stewardship 

Program (CSP) - $3.25 

billion 


year 2023 


year 2024 

n $1 billion for fiscal year 

2025 

n $1.5 billion for fiscal year 

2026 

The funds for the above programs 

are to be made available 

for one or more agricultural 

STRUTTING OUR STUFF FOR 55 YEARS 

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Pictured: Owner Etta 

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incubating and hatching 

room. 

Chickens 

Ducks 

Eggs 

Turkeys 

Geese 

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PH. 563-682-7865 

9749 500TH AVENUE 

MILES, IOWA 52064 

Hatchery Hours : 

Monday - Friday 7:30-4:30 

Saturday - By appointment only 

Closed Sundays 

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2017 

Award Recipient 

Farmer of 

the Year 

IN 

JACKSON COUNTY 


INFLATION REDUCTION ACT 

conservation practices or enhancements 

that the USDA determines including that 

they directly improve soil carbon, reduce 

nitrogen losses, or reduce, capture, avoid, 

or sequester carbon dioxide, methane, or 

nitrous oxide emissions associated with 

agricultural production. 

Agricultural Conservation Easement 

Program (ACEP) – $1.4 billion 

n $100 million for fiscal year 2023 




These funds are to be used for easements 

or interests in land that will most 

reduce, capture, avoid, or sequester 

carbon dioxide, methane, or nitrous oxide 

emissions associated with land eligible 

for the program. 

Regional Conservation Partnership 

Program – $6.75 billion 



n $1.5 billion for fiscal year 2025 

n $2.4 billion for fiscal year 2026 

These funds must be used to support 

the implementation of conservation projects 

that assist agricultural producers and 

nonindustrial private forestland owners in 

directly improving soil carbon, reducing 

nitrogen losses, or reducing, capturing, 

avoiding, or sequestering carbon dioxide, 

methane, or nitrous oxide emissions, 

associated with agricultural production. 

These funds may not be paid out beyond 

September 2031. 

The act also provides funding to USDA 

for the following programs: 

n $1 billion to provide conservation 

technical assistance through the Natural 

Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 

n $300 million to establish a program 

to quantify carbon sequestration and 

carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous 

oxide emissions 

The Rural Development and Agricultural 

Credit provision appropriates $14 

billion for rural develop and lending 

projects, including: 

n $1 billion for forgivable loans under 

the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 for 

electric generation from renewable energy 

sources for resale to others 

n $1.97 billion for eligible projects 

under the Rural Energy for America Program 

(REAP) 

n $500 million for new biofuels infrastructure 

to increase the sale and use of 

agricultural commodity-based fuels 

n $9.7 billion for USDA grant assistance 

to rural electrical cooperatives for 

renewal energy projects that promote 

long-term resiliency, reliability, and affordability 

of rural electric systems 

RELIEF FOR BORROWERS 

WITH AT-RISK OPERATIONS 

The act allocates $3.1 billion for distressed 

borrowers for the cost of loans or 

loan modifications. The USDA is directed 

to provide relief to agricultural operations 

at financial risk “as expeditiously as 

possible.” Additionally, the act allocates 

$125 million to provide technical assistance 

to underserved farmers, ranchers, 

and foresters. 

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INFLATION REDUCTION ACT 

The act allocates $2.2 billion to 

provide financial assistance to farmers, 

ranchers, and foresters who have experienced 

discrimination in USDA lending 

programs prior to Jan. 1, 2021. No borrower 

may receive more than $500,000 in 

assistance. The program is to be administered 

by one or more non-governmental 

programs, under the direction of USDA. 

This provision replaces the embattled 

ARPA provision providing loan payments 

to socially disadvantaged farmers. 

FORESTRY 

The act provides $5 billion in funding 

to the USDA for the national forest 

system, including funding for forest 

restoration and wildfire prevention, as 

well as grants to owners of state or private 

forests for climate mitigation, forest 

resilience, and related activities. 

CLEAN ENERGY AND 

REDUCING CARBON 

The act extends and enhances production 

tax credits for electricity produced 

from certain renewable resources, including 

facilities producing electricity from 

wind, geothermal, and solar. These credits 

expired at the end of 2021, but will 

now generally apply to projects placed 

into service before Jan. 1, 2025. 

The production tax credit is now 

tiered. The basic credit amount is 1.5 

cents per kilowatt hour. Taxpayers that 

do not pay prevailing wages and ensure 

that qualified apprentices complete a 

certain amount of the work, however, 

will receive only 0.3 cents per kilowatt 

hour. Taxpayers can boost credit amounts 

by 10% by sourcing their steel, iron, or 

manufactured-product components from 

U.S. manufacturers or by locating in a 

community with significant employment 

in the fossil fuel industry or which have 

experienced the closure of a coal mine or 

coal-fired plant. 

Energy Property Investment 

Tax Credit 

The act extends and enhances the investment 

tax credit for wind, geothermal, 

solar, and energy storage projects through 

2024. Geothermal is extended through 

2034. Taxpayers that meet prevailing 

wage and apprenticeship requirements 

are eligible for the full credit of 30%. The 

credit for those who do not meet wage requirements 

drops to 6%. A bonus applies 

for taxpayers who buy American components 

or locate in an energy community. 

For 2023 and 2024, qualified solar or 

wind facilities located in low-income 

communities or on Indian land will 

qualify for an additional 10% bonus. The 

bonus jumps to 20% if the project is a 

low-income residential building project or 

a low-income economic benefit project. 

Clean Fuels 

The act implements credits for clean 

fuels. Several of these credits are extensions 

of existing credits, such as incentives 

for biodiesel, renewable diesel, and 

alternative fuels, as well as second-generation 

biofuel incentives. It also creates 

two new fuels credits: one for sustainable 

aviation fuel and one for the production 

of clean hydrogen. 

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Farm life can be 

‘a piece of heaven’ 



The orange sun setting 

in the west, the rolling 

hills overlooking the 

miles of beautiful 

scenery, the white Charolais 

cows grazing the pasture with 

their calves, the smell of fresh 

cut hay filling the air, my hair 

catching the breeze from the 

soft wind created by the movement 

of the Ranger, and Travis 

Tritt’s song “It’s a Great Day 

to Be Alive” playing in the 

background. 

As I absorb this scene, my 

Dad, who is seated next to me, 

drives while looking over his 

herd. He says, “This is our own 

piece of heaven, Jackie.” 

I simply respond with, “Yeah 

dad, I know.” 

If you were to ask me why I 

was proud of where I came from, 

the words would naturally roll off 

the tip of my tongue with passion, 

and I would support my answer 

with the scene described as “our 

own piece of heaven.” 

Being an active student and 

leader in the community has 

presented me with opportunities 

to see diverse individual backgrounds. 

I’ve learned that many 

people my age do not have the 

opportunities I have on a daily basis 

to experience a rural scene like 

this, develop a connection with 

the land, or have an appreciation 

for the simple things in life. 

If our family’s diversified grain 

and livestock farm has taught my 

two older sisters and me anything, 

it has been to identify our roots 

and stick to them. This includes 

knowing 

what a good work ethic is, having 

goals and motivations, striving to 

do better each day, and finding joy 

in simplicity. 

My roots have been toiled, 

tempted and tested, but what I 

have learned is there is no better 

time or place for this to happen 

besides right here in Eastern Iowa. 

I am cared for, protected, and 

surrounded with an incredible 

community that pushes me to dig 

deeper, find my passion, and seek 

my niche. 

Today, I have found my passion 

for sharing the stories of local agriculturalists, 

promoting agriculture 

education, and advocating for 

what is right. 

When I live in a beautiful community 

like Eastern Iowa, sharing 

stories about some of our most 

authentic and rational agriculturalists 

becomes effortless, my desire 

to learn more about the industry 

develops, and my appreciation for 

Eastern Iowa continues to grow. 

Thanks Mom and Dad for raising 

me on “a piece of heaven.” n 

Columnist Jackie Miller grew 

up on a diversified grain and 

livestock farm in Jackson 

County. One of the valuable 

lessons she says she’s 

learned is finding joy in the 

simple things around her. 

Some of those things on the 

family homestead include wild 

flowers, spending time with her 

dad, Brian, and a grazing calf. 

EASTERN IOWA FARMER PHOTOS / 

JACKIE MILLER 


Pictured: Joel Lasack, Jan Kahler, Brian Nabb, Laura Farrell, Leo McGarry 

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What’s all the 

BUZZZZ 

David Hayes opens the first layer of one of his honeybee 

hives in Clinton County. The valuable work of the bees 

goes beyond producing honey. They and other pollinators 

are crucial to agriculture and the food system. 


Study finds bees 

can increase yields 

for self-pollinating 

soybeans, while prairie 

strips can help attract 

them to crops 

BY MEGAN CLARK 


As Clinton County beekeeper 

David Hayes uncovered the 

first layer of one of his honeybee 

hives on a summer day, 

he revealed a frame full of brood that his 

bees had been working on for months. 

A brood is where the new eggs are 

laid, along with the developing larva. The 

brood these bees were creating is pivotal 

for their reproduction cycles and ensures 

the colony will continue. 

Hayes showed off other frames, unveiling 

the hard work his bees completed every 

day, which goes far beyond producing 

honey. 

Pollinators such as honeybees, butterflies, 

and moths are crucial to agriculture 

and the food system. They play a necessary 

role in flower and crop production 

because they make plant reproduction 

possible. They are crucial for such fruit 


THE BUZZ 


Some tools of the trade are the hive boxes that hold frames of wax combs, a vat of extracted honey, and a bee smoker that helps calm bees. 

crops as watermelon and squash, as well 

as for beets, onions and nuts among others 

plants. Higher yielding crops such as 

corn and soybeans primarily use self-pollination; 

however, a recent study shows 

that insects can have some value. 

While most soybean plants are self-pollinating, 

Lisa Schulte Moore, co-author 

of a study done by the Natural Resources 

and Ecology Department at Iowa State 

University, concluded that soybean yields 

are higher with the help of bee pollination. 

“Wild bees and honey bees can improve 

soybean yields upwards of 20% 

when they help to pollinate the soybean 

plants,” according to the study, which 

was released last year. The study compared 

these results to improvements in 

crop genetics and management factors, 

which ranged between 8% and 15% yield 

increases. 

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THE BUZZ 

(Left) Chris and Ray Johnson of Preston have 

raised bees for years at Yaddof-Johnson 

Apiaries. (Above) After they extract the honey, 

the Johnsons package it using this bottler. 


Partners in the field. 

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THE BUZZ 

Although the flowering stage of the soybean 

plant is fairly short, producers have been looking 

at new practices in hopes of increasing the 

number of bees in their fields during this time. 

One way is by installing prairie strips. Prairie 

strips are buffer pieces in fields that are seeded 

with prairies grasses and wildflower mixes and 

provide food and habitat to wild bees and other 

pollinators. 

Schulte Moore has conducted previous research 

as part of the ISU Prairie STRIPS team 

showing that planting sections of pollinator 

habitat among agricultural fields creates biodiversity 

and slows nutrient runoff from the soil, 

among other benefits. The new study suggests 

prairie strips might also strengthen production 

by attracting insects that can then pollinate 

nearby soybean plants. 

Hayes, who has 20 acres of pasture and 

currently raises a few pigs and chickens, also 

talked about the value of the practice. 

Prairie strips “not only save the soil from 

erosion, but also provide housing to wildlife 

and pollinators that need the nectar and pollen 

from the crops to feed their hives,” explained 


Pollinators such as honeybees play a necessary role 

in flower and crop production because they make 

plant reproduction possible. 

Hayes, the former 4-H leader whose four 

grown children all showed sheep at the Clinton 

County Club Show. 

Prairie strips “not 

only save the 

soil from erosion, 

but also provide 

housing to wildlife 

and pollinators that 

need the nectar 

and pollen from the 

crops to feed their 

hives.” 

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THE BUZZ 

Soybeans 

and 

pollination 

Most soybean varieties 

are bred to be selfpollinating. 

That is, the 

pollen produced by a 

soybean plant’s flower 

fertilizes the pistil, or the 

ovule-producing organ, 

of the same flower. 

Pollinating insects can 

improve both pollination 

and cross-pollination, 

which is known to 

improve seed set, or the 

number of seeds a plant 

produces per seed pod. 

Another benefit of such plantings is they 

help stabilize the pollinator population, which 

has been decreasing in the United States; 

populations, especially in Iowa, have dropped 

significantly, said Andrew Joseph, apiarist for 

the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land 

Stewardship. 

Within the past 10 years, pollinator populations 

in Iowa have dropped over 54.1 percent 

during the winter season, Joseph said. 

Chris and Ray Johnson have first-hand experience 

at dealing with the pollinator decline and 

have shifted some of their personal practices to 

accommodate losses. They are the owners of 

the Yaddof-Johnson Apiaries in Preston. 

Because of losses, the Johnsons were forced 

to frequently exchange the queen bees in their 

hives, resulting in higher expenses for the honey 

producers. In hopes of raising profitability, 

they switched from purchasing mated queen 

bees to raising their own. 

Raising their own queens enabled the business 

owners to not only save when it comes to 

growing their hives, but it also made them more 

knowledgeable beekeepers. This knowledge 

Lisa Schulte Moore, 


Natural Resources and 

Ecology Department 

helped them further 

refine apiary practices. 

Meanwhile, ISU’s 

Schulte Moore said 

she and fellow ISU 

soybean and pollinator 

researchers are working 

on gathering Iowa-specific 

soybean data to test 

how pollinating insects 

affect yields. Converting 

marginal acres that 

don’t usually turn a 

profit for farmers due to 

poor soil or hydrological 

conditions to pollinator 

habitat might make sense, particularly if doing 

so boosts the yields in surrounding acres, she 

said. 

“Here in Iowa, as we look at our agricultural 

landscapes, there could be opportunities where 

gains in production and gains in ecosystem 

services reinforce one another, rather than act 

as trade-offs,” she said. “To get there, we have 

to look further at data from Iowa fields.” n 

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Embrace the 

‘FFA kid’ label 

BY FAYETH HENNINGSEN 


High school students have the 

opportunity to join many clubs 

and activities that enable them 

to find their own interests. 

At my school, Central DeWitt, there are 

more than 30 extracurriculars in which to 

participate, ranging from fine arts to athletics 

to robotics. The list goes on and on; 

but one organization that has stood out to 

me for the last five years is FFA. 

I am the 2022-23 DeWitt Central FFA 

chapter president, and I have learned a 

couple of things during my time as an 

officer. I have learned that FFA is an 

organization designed not only to enhance 

students’ knowledge about agriculture, 

but, more importantly, it allows them to 

work at being strong leaders whether in 

their school, community, the workforce, 

or even the world. 

FFA members reap personal and career 

benefits, like attending leadership conferences 

across the country, planning community 

service projects, learning how to 

keep online records, building connections 

with agriculturists, and so much more. 

With all of these awesome opportunities, 

why do some kids today feel like being in 

FFA is embarrassing? 

Many feel that being the “FFA kid” 

is a label they have to deny. The reason 

for this might be because some of their 

classmates think that FFA is strictly about 

the cliché cowboy ranchin’ they see in the 

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FFA KID 

in case there is not enough 

corn on your farm... 

What does the farmer 

refer to his next-door 

horse as? 

His neigh-bor. 

What is a sheep’s 

favorite game to play? 

Why are people 

jealous of agriculture 

Baaaa-dminton. 

EASTERN IOWA FARMER PHOTO / CONTRIBUTED 

Incoming president Fayeth Henningsen kicks off retreat week for 

Central DeWitt Community High School’s FFA chapter in June. 

movies. It is common for FFA 

majors? 

members to be asked, “Why 

do you do this? You are not a 

Because they always get 

a job in their field. How did the farmers farmer.” 

get the highest marks 

While production agriculture 

is FFA for some people, 

in the math exams? the majority have a far different 

They were all pro-tractors. 

experience. Nowadays 

FFA offers a variety of opportunities 

for all and appeals to 

What is a farmers 

favorite Bruce 

a large audience of students, 

Springsteen song? 

some of who may have never 

set foot on a farm. 

year to fully embrace my FFA 

Born in the USDA 

For example, one FFA 

experience. 

Why do cows have 

experience could consist of 

I now know that I am the 

hooves instead of feet? 

working with biotechnology 

“FFA kid” who is usually 

Because they lack toes. 

found wandering the agriculture 

hallway wearing blue 

systems, another in agribusiness, 

and another still in environmental 

service systems. 

jeans and a classic DeWitt 

Central FFA hoodie or showing 

her livestock at the fair. I 

Most students learn the basics 

of agriculture in their initial 

also know that I am the “FFA 

Bellevue Maquoketa course of study and specialize 

kid” who is pumped for every 

based on their likes and interests 

as they move forward. 

state FFA convention, and that 

Lumber Lumber 

I have learned how to be a 

563-872-3750 

563-652-5155 

With agriculture being the leader, a public speaker, and 

nation’s largest employer, student’s 

experiences are almost this organization. No longer 

a future educator because of 

bellevuelumberia.com maquoketadoitbestlumber.com 

never the same. 

do I worry about the raised 

Therefore, the solution to eyebrows of my classmates. 

the misunderstanding of FFA As my time in FFA draws 

is for all members to embrace to a close, the label I have 

the label. Embrace being the gained will live on, never to 

“FFA kid,” because otherwise be hidden again. FFA is a part 

others will not understand how of who I am, and if it is a part 

diverse FFA can be. 

of you too, embrace it before 

As a first time FFA-er, I was you can’t any longer. 

not super active in my chapter. Fayeth Henningsen is a 

I thought that if I showed off senior at Central DeWitt 

my hard work with my livestock, 

my classmates would part of the CAC Media Group, 

Community High School and 

Serving Clinton, Dubuque, Jackson and Jones 

counties in Iowa since 1947 

raise eyebrows. It took me which focuses on current ag 

until the end of my freshman concerns. 


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www.maggieshouse.com 

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P&K MIDWEST IS PROUD TO SERVE THE FARMERS OF EASTERN IOWA.

COUNTRY COOKING 

ON THE TABLE: 

Cornbread 

Super easy to prepare, 

cornbread makes a tasty 

accompaniment to a savory 

meal or stands on its own with 

some variations on the basic 

recipe. All you need is a few 

ingredients, a cast iron skillet 

and your appetite 

BY MINDY MERRELL AND R.B. QUINN 


How is it that cornbread, 

an essential American 

staple, has not enjoyed 

its own 15 minutes of 

superstar fame as has its partner the 

biscuit? Could it be simple operator 

error in the kitchen? We’ve 

all endured plenty of fall apart, 

crumbly dry cornbread. Yet, there 

is no excuse for this because great 

cornbread is super easy to make. 

So, what is good cornbread? 

Good cornbread is a beautifully 

balanced in-and-out combination 

of a deep golden, crispy crust 

outside, and a tender, moist 

inside. This critical combination 

makes cornbread swing. And 

anyone can do it. 

Start with a bag of self-rising 

cornmeal mix, not cornbread 

mix. Cornmeal mix is simply 

finely ground cornmeal blended 

with a little flour for binding, 

EASTERN IOWA FARMER 97

OUR LIBERTIES WE PRIZE 

AND OUR RIGHTS 

WE WILL MAINTAIN 


Deidre DeJear 

Governor 

Eric Van Lancker 

Lt. Governor 

Christina Bohannan 

House of Representatives 

Adm. Mike Franken 

US Senate 

Joel Miller 

Secretary of State 

John Norwood 

Secretary of Agriculture 

EASTERN IOWA FARMER PHOTO / CONTRIBUTED 

After you’ve whipped up some cornbread batter, the sky’s the limit. You 

can use the same batter to bake a crispy round of bread, pour it in the 

waffle iron, do corn cakes on the griddle, or make muffins, like the ones 

shown here. 

Tom Miller 

Attorney General 

Mike Fitzgerald 

State Treasurer 

Jenny Hansen 

Iowa House 69 

Rob Sand 

State Auditor 

Jed Ganzer 

Iowa Senate 35 

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Iowa House 70 

VOTE DEMOCRAT 

Paid for by Clinton County Democrats 

and just the right amount of 

leavening and salt. You can 

probably find two longtime 

brands Pearl Milling Company 

(formerly Aunt Jemima of 

pancake and syrup fame) and 

southern Martha White. 

Just as self-rising flour 

made biscuit baking easier, 

self-rising cornmeal mix 

boomed in the early 20th 

century, easing the burden of 

home cooks in the rural South 

and beyond who typically 

made cornbread every day. 

Unfortunately, today this 

kitchen mainstay is often 

overlooked as it competes for 

attention with so many mixes. 

Self-rising cornmeal mix 

is really all you need, and 

it contains no sugar which 

allows the cook to decide 

which direction to go. Many 

of those mixes contain more 

flour than cornmeal, and 

plenty of sugar, so you have 

to ask yourself: am I making 

cornbread or baking a cake? 

Follow the recipe on the 

bag—usually two cups 

self-rising cornmeal mix, 

1/4 cup oil (or melted bacon 

grease, of course), one egg, 

a little sugar if you like, and 

enough buttermilk or milk 

(or mixture of plain yogurt 

and milk) to make a pourable 

batter. Pourable batter is an 

absolute must. Thick clumpy 

batter makes dry, crumbly 

cornbread. We often add an 

extra shot of water to loosen 

up the batter and help hydrate 

the corn whenever the batter 



R.B. Quinn and 

Mindy Merrell know 

a thing or two about 

making cornbread. 

Over the years, 

the Nashville, 

Tennessee-based 

duo, shown at their 

home kitchen, have 

traveled far and wide 

teaching hands-on 

seminars on how to 

get the perfect crust 

and sharing other 

cooking tips. 

EASTERN IOWA 

FARMER PHOTO / 

CONTRIBUTED 

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Swanton Ag Service Goose Lake 

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TM ® SM Trademarks and service marks of Dow AgroSciences, DuPont or Pioneer, and their affiliated companies or their respective owners. © 2020 Corteva. 20D-1495


EASTERN IOWA FARMER PHOTO / TREVIS MAYFIELD 

A hot oven in the heat of summer is probably 

the biggest deterrent to making a skillet of 

crispy cornbread. To keep the kitchen cool, 

make cornbread waffles instead; they’re good 

whatever the season. Cornbread waffles offer 

the bonus of a crispy crust to soft interior ratio 

that heavily favors the crust. In fact, cornbread 

waffles are mostly just crust. 

seems too thick (i.e., not pourable). 

The other absolute necessity is a 

cast iron skillet or a cast iron muffin or 

corn stick mold. Okay, you can get by 

without cast iron, but why risk missing 

out on an epic crust? Heat the skillet 

(or whatever pan you are using) with a 

slick of oil or knob of bacon grease in 

the oven while it preheats. Get the skillet 

smoking hot then carefully pour in the 

sizzling batter. That hot skillet guarantees 

the beautiful crust and balances the 

moist, tender interior. Bake in a 450-degree 

hot oven until golden brown, somewhere 

under 20 minutes. Remember, it’s 

all about the crust. 

When baked, here’s our last bit of 

good advice. When it comes from the 

oven, flip the cornbread out of the skillet 

onto a cutting board crust side up. 

Slice and serve. Do this for a couple of 

reasons. One, don’t cut the cornbread 

in the skillet because it will dull your 

knife. Two, if you leave the cornbread 

in the skillet, condensation makes the 

crust a bit lifeless. Again, it’s all about 

that crust. 

Lastly, with leavening and salt already 

mixed in, it’s easy to make any size 

batch of cornbread you want by simply 

remembering to use a couple tablespoons 

of oil per cup of cornmeal mix, 

the egg amount is not critical so one-ish 

per one to two cups (country-style cornbread 

contains no egg at all) and enough 

milk or buttermilk to make a pourable 

batter. 

Skillet size makes a difference too. 

We love super-thin cornbread baked in 

a giant skillet. Make a recipe using one 

or 1½ cups cornmeal mix and see how 

that crust-to-soft insides grabs you. It’s 

a game changer. Use this same batter in 

the waffle iron. Talk about an excellent 

crust-maker. Corncakes on the griddle 

are excellent, too. 

If you can find Martha White, know 

that you are enjoying Nashville, Tenn.’s 

historic hometown brand. The southern 

baking company that made “Hot Rize” 

CUSTOM DOZING AND CRANE SERVICE, INC. 

When it comes to getting the job done quickly, efficiently and safely — you can count on us! 

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Call us to see how we can help with your next project on the farm. 

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Specializing in all types of ag construction including: 

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Hauling 

• Site Prep for 

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Family 

owned and 

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customdozingandcrane.com 



self-rising products famous through its historic 

longtime sponsorship of the live broadcast of the 

Grand Ole Opry on 50,000-watt clear channel 

WSM-AM, the 5:45 a.m. Biscuit and Cornbread 

Time Radio show, and their spokesmen, the legendary 

bluegrass duo Flatt and Scruggs (you likely 

know their theme song from the “Beverly Hillbillies”). 

Where can this basic cornbread recipe lead? You 

name it, but here a few ideas to try: 

n Add cooked, crumbled sausage 

n A handful of shredded cheddar cheese 

n A spoonful of Dijon mustard and crumbled 

bacon 

n Black pepper and shredded parmesan cheese 

n Chopped green chile and cheese 

n Spoon over a casserole of hot chili and bake 

n Crumble and toast for cornbread croutons or to 

top a casserole 

n Crumble and make a cornbread salad with 

fresh tomatoes, celery, and onion dressed with mayo 

n Make this or freeze and save your leftover 

cornbread to use in your holiday dressing. Say no to 

that bag of crumbs! 

Here are a few other recipes for cornbread dishes 

as well as some good accompaniments. n 

Cornbread Salad 

Use up the last of your fresh 

tomatoes! Great side to take 

to a potluck or serve with 

simple grilled and roasted 

meats and chicken. 

1 skillet of crispy cornbread, 

cooled and cut into 1-inch 

cubes 

About 4 cups chopped ripe 

tomato 

A few green onions, thinly sliced 

2 stalks of celery, thinly sliced 

10 slices crisply cooked bacon, 

crumbled 

(use as little or as much as you 

like) 

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 

Bottled ranch dressing or a 

mixture of 1 cup mayonnaise 

and 1/4 cup pickle juice—sweet 

or dill (add chopped pickled 

to the salad too, if you like) 

Combine all the salad ingredients 

in a large bowl. Toss gently with 

the dressing. Refrigerate and let 

the flavors meld. 

To make your own ranch 

dressing: Combine 3/4 cup 

mayonnaise and 1/2 cup 

buttermilk in a large jar. Add a 

squeeze of fresh lemon juice, 

one smashed and finely minced 

clove garlic, a big pinch of dried 

oregano or Italian seasoning 

and a generous amount of black 

pepper. Add a pinch of salt. Seal 

with a lid and shake. Taste and 

add what it needs. If you want 

it thicker, add more mayo. If 

you want it thinner, add more 

buttermilk. 

You can go in all directions with 

cornbread salad. Add corn, pinto 

beans, jalapenos, and cheese 

and it’s Tex-Mex. Dress it with 

ranch or a blend of salsa and sour 

cream or mayo. 

Clean Fields. Big Yields. 

SEED | CROP PROTECTION | PLANT PERFORMANCE | AERIAL APPLICATION 

Our mission is to provide the highest 

quality products and value-added 

solutions that enable our dealers and 

customers to succeed. 

BRIAN BRADLEY | DEALER 

563-599-2515 


Do you have 

what it takes? 

Profitability and Sustainability 

Your Trusted Local Dealer For : 

eifarmer.com FALL 2022 | EASTERN IOWA FARMER 103 

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Nashville Cornmeal 

Cookies 

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 

1 1/2 cups sugar, plus about 

½ cup for rolling the cookies 

1 egg 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

zest from one lemon (optional) 

2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 cup self-rising cornmeal mix 

1 scant teaspoon salt 

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Cream 

the butter and sugar in a large mixing 

bowl with an electric mixer until light and 

fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and lemon 

zest (if using). Blend well. On a low mixer 

speed, blend in the flour, cornmeal mix, 

and salt just until well blended. Using 

a small scoop or two teaspoons, scoop 

balls of dough, about 1-inch diameter, 

and roll the balls in a shallow bowl of 

sugar. Place the balls on a baking sheet 

about 1-inch apart. Flatten slightly with 

your fingers. Bake 13 to 14 minutes 

or until the edges are golden brown. 

Remove from the baking sheet and cool 

on a wire rack. Makes about 45 cookies. 

White Beans and Greens 

1 pound dry white beans, rinsed 

1 smoked ham hock or a 

chunk of country ham 

2 medium onions, diced 

3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 

1 cup sliced celery 

3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 

2 teaspoons salt, or to taste depending 

on the saltiness of your ham 

10 cups water 

4 cups salted water 

1 pound turnip, mustard or collard 

greens, coarsely chopped 

Combine the beans, ham hocks, onions, 

carrots, celery, garlic and salt in a large 

slow cooker. Add 10 cups of water. Cook 

on high for about six hours (12 hours on 

low), or until the beans are tender. In a 

separate pot, bring 4 cups salted water 

to a boil. Add greens, reduce heat, and 

simmer until wilted and tender, about 15 

minutes. Stir cooked greens into beans 

just before serving. Serve with cornbread 

and Overnight Slaw. Makes about 10 

servings. 

Company 

Creamed Chicken 

6 Tablespoons butter 

1/4 cup finely chopped onion 

1/4 cup finely chopped celery 

6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 

4 cups chicken broth 

salt and pepper to taste 

2 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts 

and thighs, cooked and sliced 

1/4 cup heavy cream, optional 

chopped fresh parsley 

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. 

Add the onion and celery and cook over 

medium heat until softened, about 10 

minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, cooking 

and stirring about a minute or two. Stir 

in the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to 

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a simmer, stirring constantly until bubbly 

and thickened. Add salt and pepper to 

taste. Add the chicken, and, if using, 

the cream. Simmer to warm the chicken. 

Sprinkle with parsley. Serve over corn 

bread. Makes 6 servings. 

Overnight Slaw 

1 1/2 cups cider vinegar 

3/4 cups sugar 

2 teaspoons whole mustard seed 

2 teaspoons salt 

1 teaspoon celery seed 

2 teaspoons ground turmeric 

1 medium head cabbage, finely 

shredded, about 8 cups 

2 cups shredded carrots 

2 cups finely chopped bell pepper 

2 cups finely chopped celery 

1 cup finely chopped onion 

Combine vinegar, sugar and spices in a 

large bowl. Stir in the vegetables. Store 

in the refrigerator in a large, covered 

container. Refrigerate at least overnight 

before serving. Stir occasionally. It will 

keep in the refrigerator about a week. 

Makes about 10 cups. 

Southern 

Cornbread Dressing 

2 cups chopped celery 

2 cups chopped onion 

1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup) 

About 6 cups crumbled cornbread 

About 3 cups fresh bread cubes 

Handful of chopped parsley 

Black pepper to taste 

Dried herbs to taste – marjoram, sage, 

thyme 

About 4 cups chicken or turkey broth 

2 eggs, beaten 

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Melt 

1 stick of butter in a large pot. Cook 

the onions and celery in the butter 

over medium heat until soft, about 

15 minutes. Stir in cornbread, bread, 

parsley, and black pepper. Add your 

choice of herbs, starting with 1 teaspoon 

each. Taste and adjust. Stir in 3 cups 

broth and eggs. Add additional broth 

so mixture is very moist, but not soupy. 

Grease 9 x 13-inch baking pan with 1 to 2 

Tablespoons o the remaining butter. Pour 

in the dressing. Dot with the remaining 

butter. Cover lightly with foil and bake 

for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and 

bake until the top is crispy and browned, 

about 15 minutes. Makes 12 servings. 

CHOPPED champion Mindy Merrell 

and R.B. Quinn visited Jackson 

County a few years ago to share 

their cooking expertise, including 

how to make the perfect cornbread 

and salads using fresh produce. 

Home cooking is their thing, whether 

it’s in the kitchen or backyard. They 

believe it is the key to a good, 

balance life. Learn more about them 

and their cooking adventures at 

kitchenpit.com. 

Appliances are what we love. 

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Our 4 service technicians are ready 

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606 Main St, Delmar IA 

Call or Text: (563) 599-0416 

Hours: Mon-Fri 8-4, Sat 9-12 

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The team, left to right: Casey Brooks, Riley Anderson, Steve Anderson, 

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Minimum premium payment required. Four-year contract required, surrender charges for early termination are as 

follows: Year 1: 8%; Year 2: 6%; Year 3: 4%; Year 4: 2%. 1 Based on the Company's 8/1/22 declared interest rate for the 

New Money 4 (Select IV Fixed Premium Annuity) product. Current interest rates posted above are neither guaranteed 

nor estimated for the future and premium banding is as follows: Years 1-4 3.25% ($25,000-99,999); 3.50% 

($100,000+). Credited rates following the initial rate guarantee period are neither guaranteed nor estimated for the 

future. The Company reserves the right to change the current rate for future purchases without notice at any time for 

any reason. Contact the company for the current rate. Based on the claims-paying ability of Farm Bureau Life Insurance 

Minimum premium payment required. Four-year contract required, surrender charges for early termination are as follows: Year 1: 8%; Year 2: 6%; Year 3: 4%; Year 4: 2%. 1Based on the Company’s 8/1/22 declared interest 

rate for the New Money 4 (Select IV Fixed Premium Annuity) product. Current interest rates posted above are neither guaranteed nor estimated for the future and premium banding is as follows: Years 1-4 3.25% ($25,000 

99,999); 3.50% ($100,000+). Credited rates following the initial rate guarantee period are neither guaranteed nor estimated for the future. The Company reserves the right to change the current rate for future purchases 

without notice at any time for any reason. Contact the company for the current rate. Based on the claims-paying ability of Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company. Securities & services offered through FBL Marketing Services, 

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+ 

Affiliates. *Company providers of Farm Bureau Financial Services. PRANN-B 311-600 (8-22)

Ag Bytes 

Monticello 

farmer 

earns top 

award for 

conservation 

Monticello farmer Dave 

Lubben was named the 2022 

Iowa Conservation Farmer of 

the Year for his ongoing work 

to protect water quality and 

soil. His conservation efforts 

include management intensive 

grazing, which helps preserve 

pasture and promote streambank 

stabilization. 

The conservation award is 

sponsored by the Iowa Farm 

Bureau Federation and Iowa 

Department of Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship. 

PHOTO / CONRAD SCHMIDT/IOWA FARM BUREAU SPOKESMAN 

Dave Lubben has been honored as the 2022 Conservation Farmer of 

the Year. He and his grandson, Collins Grant, 4, took a stroll through 

one of the fields last summer. 

“When you combine Dave 

Lubben’s inspiring passion 

for conservation with the great 

pride he takes in being a teacher 

and mentor to others, it is 

quite evident that he is worthy 

of being honored as Conservation 

Farmer of the Year,” said 

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture 

Mike Naig. 

Management intensive 

grazing allows for the natural 

propagation of grasses and legumes, 

gives each area a rest 

period, and provides cattle 

with fresh pasture every day. 

The cattle are rotated 

through paddocks portioned 

off by electric fence, so they 

don’t get back to the initial 

grazing area until 30 days later. 

Lubben implements other 

conservation efforts on the 

farm he operates with his wife, 

It’s our job to keep grandpa in line, 

it’s his job to keep your vehicle in line. 

Oil Change, Lube & Filter • 

Tire Sales, Repair • 

Wheel Alignment • 

Engines, Transmission Repair • 

Tune Up for Cars and Trucks • 

Auto Sales • 

J&S Auto 

Specialists 

JEFF & SHERRY BAKER, OWNERS 

563-652-6100 

401 E. PLATT • MAQUOKETA, IA 

Pictured: J&S Auto owners Jeff and 

Sherry Baker with grandkids 

Milo, 2; Addilynn, 6; Jackson, 7; 

William, 7; Sawyer, 4 months; 

and Charlotte, 3 weeks. 


Ag Bytes 

Lisa; son, Clayton; and daughter and sonin-law, 

Neal and Lydia Grant. They have 

770 acres of conservation tillage; 307 

acres of no-till soybeans; 160 acres of dry 

hay, haylage and baleage; and 450 acres of 

pasture for 220 head of commercial beef 

cattle with a 500-head feedlot. 

Strip till, vertical till and no-till beans 

were among the first practices enacted on 

the farm along with the management intensive 

grazing, and they have since been 

complemented with waterways when 

needed, a prairie strip and a pond. Cover 

crops and trees are additional practices 

employed during the past five to 10 years. 

Lubben said he’s humbled to receive 

the conservation award, as he sees many 

of his colleagues doing many of the same 

practices. As a general rule of thumb, most 

farmers want to improve the land and leave 

it better than when they started farming the 

ground, he said. 

Local farms earn 

Century, Heritage 

recognition 

Several Eastern Iowa farm families 

were honored with the Century or Heritage 

Farm designations at the Iowa State 

Fair last summer. The program celebrates 

farms that have been owned by the same 

families for 100 and 150 years, respectively. 

The Century Farm program began in 

1976 as part of the nation’s Bicentennial 

Celebration. To date, 20,773 Century 

Farms and 1,685 Heritage Farms have 

been recognized across the state of Iowa. 

Receiving Century Farm distinctions 

in Clinton County were Lynn Chambell, 

Clinton, 1920; Goodall Farms, LLC, De- 

Witt, 1920; Paul F. McGlynn II, DeWitt, 

1920; Larry A. and Julie A. Peters, Clinton, 

1920; Jane Mess Pfefferkorn, Clinton, 

1915; Lowell and Arlene Till, Elwood, 

1911. 

In Jackson County, 

a Heritage Farm 

award was given to 

William and Lola 

Giddings, Sabula, 

1855. Century 

Farm awards went to John W. Dyas, Maquoketa 

1917; and Ronald and Lori Kilburg, 

Bellevue, 1922. 

In Jones County, Heritage Farm awards 

were presented to Mark and Debra Hein, 

Monticello, 1872; and Mike and Cindy 

Inglis, Wyoming, 1858. Century Farm 

awards went to Chad and Kari Kromminga, 

Monticello, 1922; Kevin and Julie 

Miller, Monticello, 1920; and Gary and 

Janis Smith, Martelle, 1921. 

Recessions are painful. 

Expansions are powerful! 

Your monthly habits are 

building wealth. 

Work with a financial pro and 

understand your time horizon 

and risk tolerance. Saving for 

retirement or simply building 

emergency funds are habits 

needing encouragement. 

Our Greatest Honor is 

Learning Your Story. 

Kerry Schepers-ChFC, Shirley Driscoll, and Amber Knickrehm 

Kerry Schepers and Amber Knickrehm are Registered Representatives. Shirley Driscoll is an office team member and not a registered representative. 

Registered Representative, Securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a broker-dealer, member FINRA / SIPC. Investment Advisor 

Representative Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., A registered Investment Advisor. Cambridge and Ohnward Wealth and Retirement are not 

Affiliated. Products sold are Not FDIC insured, No bank guarantee, are not a deposit, are not insured by any federal government agency and may lose value. 

Come see us at the Ohnward 

Bancshares headquarters: 

107 E. Quarry Street, Maquoketa 

Phone: 563-652-2491 


Ag Bytes 

Hotline offers help 

for stress, legal 

questions and more 

The Iowa Concern Hotline number is 

800-447-1985. Iowa Concern is a program 

of the Iowa State University Extension 

service. The program began in 1985 as a 

toll-free number serving the agriculture 

community. 

Today, the toll-free number serves urban 

as well as rural Iowa. By calling Iowa 

Concern has one access to an attorney for 

legal education, stress counselors, and information 

and referral services for a wide 

variety of topics. 

In addition, Iowa Concern maintains a 

website, extension.iastate.edu/iowaconcern, 

featuring an extensive frequently 

asked questions database for legal, finance, 

crisis and disaster, and personal 

health issue. 

The website is also the link to Iowa Concern’s 

“Click here to chat with an Agent” 

service. 

Live chat immediately connects you 

with a stress counselor where you can 

“talk” (type) one-on-one in a secure environment. 

All Iowa Concern services are available 

24 hours a day, seven days a week at no 

charge. 

Crop margin 

protection helpful 

farm insurance tool 

Crop farmers have multiple ways to protect 

and insure their investments each year. 

While revenue protection and yield protection 

are the most popular in Iowa, farmers 

can also elect for margin protection. 

The margin is defined as the difference 

between the revenue (yield multiplied by 

sales price) and the costs of growing the 

crop. Margin protection insurance is available 

for corn and soybeans, rice and spring 

wheat. 

An indemnity is paid when the actual 

margin falls below the trigger margin, 

which is calculated using county-based 

Don’t Waste a GooD thinG: 

Your farm’s manure is a great source of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. 

Let us pump it out of your pit and inject it into your ground. 

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tractors! 

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office: (563) 678-2837 | Maquoketa, iowa | Cell: (515) 460-2553 


Ag Bytes 

Alejandro Plastina, 


Associate Professor 

in Economics 

yields and input costs calculated by the 

United States Department of Agriculture’s 

Risk Management Agency. 

The margin protection option is explained 

in a recent article in the Ag Decision Maker 

newsletter, written by Alejandro Plastina, 

associate professor in economics and extension 

economist at Iowa State University, 

and Steve Johnson, retired farm management 

specialist with Iowa State University 

Extension and Outreach. 

While the concept of margin protection 

is simple, Plastina said the options farmers 

face can be complex. For example, farmers 

can choose from 70% coverage up to 

85% coverage, which carries a subsidy 

ranging from 59-44%. 

Farmers can also choose “protection 

factors” with their coverage, which range 

from 80-120%. 

The article explains the different coverage 

options farmers have, and how coverage 

might look for 

a given operation. 

It also summarizes 

the different 

advantages and 

disadvantages of 

using margin protection. 

Plastina said 

it’s very important 

to pay attention 

to deadlines and 

timelines if using 

margin protection. 

The deadline to 

purchase margin protection is Sept. 30 prior 

to the insured crop year. 

If an indemnity payment is triggered, it 

will be issued 21 months from the closing 

date of purchasing the protection. 

Also, because the program relies on 

county-level averages for yields and national 

averages for costs, the margin formula 

may or may not produce results that 

favor an individual farm. 

“Margin protection is another form of 

insurance available to farmers, but they 

should closely consider the pros and cons 

before choosing this option,” Plastina 

said. “The program protects against a drop 

in profit margins, but is considered an 

‘area policy’ rather than a ‘farm-specific 

policy.’” 

Plastina and Johnson both recommend 

that farmers consult with a crop insurance 

agent to determine if margin protection 

best meets their needs and for detailed 

price quotes. Quick estimates of premiums 

can be obtained from the USDA Risk 

Management Agency Margin Protection 

Premium Estimator and Price Discovery 

at marginprotection.com, and to see prices 

published daily during the price discovery 

period. 

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Ag Bytes 

Ground broken, 

work on learning 

hub begins 

Construction began this spring on the 

Jackson County Fair/Extension 4-H Outreach 

Center with a celebratory groundbreaking 

May 16 at the Jackson County 

Fairgrounds. 

Earlier this year, the county awarded 

contracts for the estimated $2.9 million 

facility, which will be owned by the county. 

Bids came in slightly under the project 

budget. 

Since 2016, community leaders have 

organized as Together We Build to raise 

money for the project. Together We Build 

is a partnership between the Jackson 

County Iowa State University Extension 

Office and Jackson County Fair. Together, 

they laid forth plans to build a new, almost 

13,000-square-foot ag learning hub on the 

site of the former horse arena on the fairgrounds. 

Organizers expect the building to be 

completed in mid to late 2023. 

Iowans urged to 

be on the lookout 

for spotted 

lanternflies 

The spotted lanternfly – an invasive 

plant hopper from China that can kill 

grapevines and many trees – was found 

in central Iowa last summer and spurred a 

swift response to contain and eradicate it. 

“The day that they called us, we had a 

whole herd of people out there looking for 

any other signs of spotted lanternflies, or a 

spent egg mass,” said Robin Pruisner, state 

entomologist for the Iowa Department of 

Agriculture and Land Stewardship. “We 

were trying to find a mode of transportation, 

which is usually eggs getting laid 

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Ag Bytes 

on something, and that something being 

moved. It looks like a smear of mud.” 

An “astute” resident who lives near the 

county line that divides Dallas and Polk 

counties first glimpsed a young lanternfly 

— a little, black beetle-looking creature 

with white spots — on a maple tree 

and captured it for official identification, 

Pruisner said. The person found another in 

the area about a week later. 

“We’re very appreciative of that person,” 

she said. 

The area is under heavy residential construction, 

and Pruisner said it’s likely the 

insects hitched a ride on some landscaping 

material. 

The herd of people was unable to find an 

egg mass, and no other lanternflies were 

seen in the area. The bugs do not travel 

great distances on their own because — 

despite their name — they jump and glide 

more than fly. 

The discovered lanternflies had yet to 

turn red with black and white spots, which 

is the last nymph stage before becoming 

an adult with a chance to lay eggs. Adults 

are about an inch long, with gray wings 

spotted with black that sit like a long tent 

on their backs. Their underneath or hind 

wings are red, black and white. 

The egg-laying stage can start in September, 

with the eggs hatching in May. 

Each female adult is believed to lay at 

least 60 eggs each year. 

The insect was first discovered in Pennsylvania 

in 2014 and has since established 

notable populations in 11 states, according 

to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The 

closest one to Iowa is Indiana. 

IDALS plans to put out traps and lures 

in the area and to monitor another invasive 

Chinese transplant: The tree of heaven. 

The name is a bit of a misnomer because 

it releases offensive odors from its ornate 

flowers and is a favorite for the lanternfly. 

Research has shown that adult lanternflies 

that feed on the tree can lay many more 

eggs and lay them sooner. 

The tree of heaven — taxonomically 

known as ailanthus altissima — is sporadically 

present in Iowa, Pruisner said. They 

will be watched for lanternflies. 

The insects can swarm trees and plunge 

their tubelike mouths into bark to slurp 

sap. They secrete a sweet sticky fluid that 

builds on trunks or on the nearby ground 

and can get moldy. 

Those in Iowa who suspect they have 

found a spotted lanternfly can contact ID- 

ALS’ Entomology and Plant Science Bureau 

at (515) 725-1470 or entomology@ 

iowaagriculture.gov. 

Jared Strong with the Iowa Capital Dispatch 

contributed this story. 

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Ag Bytes 

Two water quality 

partnerships impact 

key watersheds 

The state will fund two new water 

quality and soil conservation partnership 

projects that will increase the utilization 

and installation of proven conservation 

practices in key watersheds. Partnering 

with the Practical Farmers of Iowa in one 

project and the Soil and Water Conservation 

Society in the second project, the 

Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land 

Stewardship will provide the funding to 

support outreach and technical assistance 

to deliver priority practices. 

The first project, a partnership with 

Practical Farmers of Iowa, is designed to 

advance several land-use and edge-of-field 

water quality 

practices. 

The threeyear 

project, 

funded 

at $480,000, 

will focus on 

direct one-onone 

technical 

assistance and outreach to landowners to 

deploy strategically placed prairie plantings 

(prairie strips/precision conservation 

areas) and multipurpose oxbows to advance 

water quality and wildlife habitat 

efforts. 

The second project, a partnership with 

the Soil and Water Conservation Society, 

is a three-year project aiming to build 

capacity and edge-of-field infrastructure 

practices in four new locations within key 

watersheds. Leveraging existing local and 

national networks to streamline the installation 

process, this partnership, funded at 

$426,000, will deliver targeted outreach, 

technical assistance, resources and training 

to build capacity. 

The Iowa Water Quality Initiative was 

established in 2013 to help implement the 

Nutrient Reduction Strategy, which is a 

science and technology-based approach to 

achieving a 45 percent reduction in nitrogen 

and phosphorus losses to our waters. 

The strategy brings together both point 

sources, such as municipal wastewater 

treatment plants and industrial facilities, 

and nonpoint sources, including farm 

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Ag Bytes 

fields and urban storm water runoff, to 

address these issues. The Initiative seeks 

to harness the collective ability of both 

private and public resources and organizations 

to deliver a clear and consistent message 

to stakeholders to reduce nutrient loss 

and improve water quality. 

More information about the initiative 

can be found at CleanWaterIowa.org. 

Swander among 

four recognized 

for Hall of Fame 

Mary Swander was one of four women 

named to the Iowa Woman’s Hall of 

Fame this year. Swander is an author, 

playwright, storyteller, educator and musician. 

Her work has been performed in 

Mary Swander 

Eastern Iowa several 

times, and she 

also has led storytelling 

workshops 

here. She serves 

as executive director 

of AgArts and 

Swander Woman 

Productions. 

To highlight 

women’s heritage 

and recognize their 

contributions, the 

Iowa Commission 

on the Status of Women (ICSW) established 

the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame 

in 1975. Each year the ICSW welcomes 

four women into the Hall of Fame, paying 

tribute to them and setting them forth 

as role models for others. As of 2021, 188 

women had been inducted into the Iowa 

Women’s Hall of Fame and 33 individuals 

were awarded the Cristine Wilson Medal 

for Equality and Justice. 

Jackson County’s new 

youth coordinator 

comes from 4-H family 

Growing up in Ogden, Abi Henderson 

spent many summers exhibiting cattle, 

pigs, goats and various indoor projects at 

county fairs. 

Now she is determined to share her 

love of 4-H with others as she settles into 

her role as the Jackson County youth coordinator 

for the Iowa State University 

Extension and Outreach Office. 

“I know the positive impact my county 

youth coordinator had on me when I was 

in 4-H, so I want to make that same impact 

on 4-H’ers in Jackson County,” said Hen- 

Head 

From 

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Both businesses are located at 1340 Delhi Street, Dubuque — just down the 

road from Finley Hospital and across from The American Legion. 


Ag Bytes 

derson, 21, who 

lives in Preston. 

She started her 

job at the extension 

office in June, 

taking the lead on 

all county 4-H and 

youth activities. 

Henderson grew 

up on her family’s 

show cattle 

operation and was 

Abi Henderson active in 4-H and 

FFA. She found 

success at state and national cattle shows. 

Those activities taught her skills she uses 

daily. 

“My 4-H experience has shaped me 

into who I am today,” Henderson said. 

She graduated from Kirkwood Community 

College in May 2021 with an 

associate’s degree in ag business. She is 

currently finishing her bachelor’s degree 

in that field at Buena Vista University. 

Two months into the job, she is enthusiastic 

and has some goals. 

“I am excited for this position because 

it allows me to work with the youth of 

Jackson County. I enjoy helping the youth 

find something they are passionate about 

in the 4-H organization because there is 

really something for everyone,” Henderson 

said. 

She wants to develop relationships with 

the 4-H families of Jackson County and 

get to know them on a personal level. She 

is confident her extensive livestock background 

will provide her with the skills and 

knowledge to guide 4-H’ers to success. 

Recruitment is a focus for Henderson. 

“Since I know what 4-H can offer to 

kids, I want to connect with them and 

encourage involvement so they can see 

where 4-H can really take them,” she said. 

Iowa confirms first 

case of rabbit 

hemorrhagic disease 

The first confirmed case of Rabbit 

Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Type 2 

(RHDV2) within the state of Iowa was 

announced in late August by the Iowa Department 

Iowa Department of Agriculture 

and Land Stewardship. The disease is 

not considered a risk to humans or other 

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Ag Bytes 

animal species, including cats and dogs, 

but it is highly contagious and deadly to 

rabbits. 

The confirmed case is in Story County. 

The affected rabbits in the isolated case 

had not recently traveled to any exhibitions 

of fairs. RHDV2 is a viral disease 

fatal to rabbits, hares and pikas. It does 

not affect humans or other animals, according 

the USDA. It was first detected 

in wild rabbit populations in the United 

States in March 2020. 

The disease can be spread by contact 

with infected rabbits, their meat, fur, or 

materials that infected rabbits have come 

in contact with. Often, the only clinical 

signs of the disease are sudden death and 

blood-stained noses caused by internal 

bleeding. 

Rabbit owners should consult their veterinarian 

about possible steps to protect 

their animals. 

Farmers should evaluate 

grain drying home, 

livestock heating needs 

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture and Land 

Stewardship Mike Naig is urging farmers, 

agribusinesses and rural residents to evaluate 

how much propane they will need to 

meet grain drying and home and livestock 

heating demands this fall and winter. Propane 

users should anticipate, and suppliers 

should make plans to accommodate, 

increased propane demands this fall. 

“It’s important for farmers and rural 

residents to start evaluating their propane 

needs early and get contracts in place 

with their suppliers now. I also encourage 

farmers to take advantage of early booking 

discounts and fill their propane tanks 

before harvest begins,” Naig said. 

Planning Resources for Farmers 

High-moisture corn must be dried before 

the grain can be stored in the bin to 

prevent grain quality issues. The Iowa 

State University Extension and Outreach 

Grain Drying Economics Module helps 

farmers work through corn drying and 

marketing decisions. 

The Propane Education and Research 

Council (PERC) has created a grain dryer 

propane use calculator to help crop farmers 

determine how much propane they 

may need this fall. Enter the number of 

crop acres, the average anticipated yield 

per acre, and how much moisture may 

need to be removed from the crop to estimate 

how many gallons of propane may 

be needed. 

The Iowa State University Extension 

and Outreach Grain Quality Initiative also 

has resources to help agricultural decision-makers 

work through grain drying, 

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Pictured - PMC customers 

Robert Schaefer, Samantha Horman 

Renee Hartung, Lucas Bratthauer 


Ag Bytes 

Mike Naig, 

Iowa Secretary of 

Agriculture and Land 

Stewardship 

storage and quality 

considerations. 

Planning 

Resources 

for Suppliers 

The National 

Propane Gas 

Association has 

developed an 

“ABCs of Supply 

Preparation” 

checklist. This tool 

guides propane 

suppliers through 

demand, supply, 

logistics, storage 

and customer considerations to help decision-makers 

plan their fall inventories. 

Suppliers can track Iowa propane demands, 

inventory levels and prices on the 

Iowa Propane Trends and Statistics website 

at quetica.com/propane-iowa/. This is 

a public resource that was launched in January 

2020 by the Iowa Department of Agriculture 

and Land Stewardship (IDALS) 

and Iowa Department of Transportation to 

increase the visibility of key metrics that 

impact the propane supply chain in Iowa. 

Iowa Propane Stakeholders Group 

In the fall of 2019, Iowa experienced 

some propane supply challenges because 

grain drying demands caused by the late 

planting season coincided with an early 

cold snap that increased livestock and 

home heating needs. 

IDALS have regularly convened a 

group of propane stakeholders, including 

members of the Iowa Propane Gas Association, 

propane suppliers, and several 

agricultural groups, to anticipate and take 

action to prevent future propane supply 

chain issues. 

If farmers or agribusinesses experience 

propane shortages, they should notify Paul 

Ovrom at IDALS at (515) 242-6239 or 

paul.ovrom@iowaagriculture.gov, or Deb 

Grooms at the Iowa Propane Gas Association 

at (515) 564-1260 or dgrooms@ 

iapropane.org. 

Share your news 

with the EIFarmer 

The Eastern Iowa Farmer welcomes 

news of ag achievements, industry news, 

upcoming seminars or trainings, helpful 

farm-related websites and other information 

for the Ag Bytes column. Please 

submit items – including who, what, why, 

where, when, etc., along with a contact 

name, number and email (in case we need 

more information) to eifarmer@sycamoremedia.net. 

Please include “Ag Byte 

submission” in the subject line. 

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FALL 2022 | EASTERN IOWA FARMER 121

1. Lifelong farmer Roy 

Schnoor, 88, is still going 

strong. Every year — with his 

wife, Janice — they plant a 

huge garden and maintain all 

their fruit trees and berries. 

Roy is shown fixing fences on 

the farm. He just never quits 

— a great role models for his 

children and grandchildren. 

Submitted by Susan Sheets 

1 2 

2. Phil Lambert waits for the 

perfect specimen to enter the 

ring at Maquoketa Livestock 

Exchange where he’s been a 

customer for decades. 

Submitted by Brooke Till 

3. What’s more Iowa than 

eating Casey’s pizza in 

a feed bunk? Left to right, 

Girls- Emmalyn Howell and 

Renly Larkey. Boys- Ruger 

Larkey and Ethan Howell. 

Photo taken on the Levi Larkey 

farm in Onslow. 

Submitted by Kristy Howell 

5. Brayden and Callie 

Winkler proudly show off 

their first calf of the year. 

Submitted by Callie Winkler 

5 

6. Gibson Miller poses 

with his 4-H calf. 

Submitted by Alicia Miller 

6 

8. These young farmers plant 

turnip seeds in the garden. 

Submitted by Brittany Johnson 

9. Jonathan Harkless, age 

2, is meeting baby calves for 

the first time. Papa Joe (Joe 

Eberhart of Delmar) is bottle 

feeding a calf as Johnny 

admires the cow calve pairs 

in the field. His father (Scott 

Harkless) holds him up for a 

clear view. The Harkless lives 

in Florida, so visits to the farm 

are always special. 

Submitted by Jovonn Harkless 


8

4 

3 

7 

4. The Hunt and Kruse family has been doing an 

Old Macdonald farm at the Dubuque County Fair for 

6 years. Hunt’s also raise boer goats and a variety 

of other animals near Cascade and Kruse’s raise 

pork near Farley. In photo L-R - Old Macdonald Tom 

Hunt, Adam, Kyle & Jennifer Hunt. Farmer Phil and 

Jamie Kruse. 

Submitted by Jennifer Hunt 

7. Wylie Miller takes his horse, Babe, for a ride. 

Submitted by Alicia Miller 

10. The fifth, sixth and seventh generation of Iowa 

farmers.Erwin, Tim and Carson Felderman pose for 

a photo. 

Submitted by Mary Jo Felderman 

10 

eifarmer.com FALL 2022 | EASTERN IOWA FARMER 123 

9

1 

1. Anna Selman and Ellie 

Selman help grandpa Joe 

Heinrich to plant corn in the 

spring of 2022. 

2. Cade Weis enjoys a batch 

of calf kisses while visiting 

with the baby animals. 

3. Kennedy, Rogan and Brynn 

Kilburg feed their calf. 

4. Sutton Moore goofs off 

by sitting in a bucket during 

milking time. 

5. At Duhme Farms near 

Maquoketa, Festus the Cattle 

Dog keeps a safe distance in 

the truck bed away from the 

Holsteins. 

6. At six days old, Ruth 

Winkler naps while checking 

on the family’s cows. 

7. Audrey Mapes visits 

the farm this summer from 

Powhatan, Virginia. Her 

Grandpa is Tom Donovan from 

Zwingle and a lifelong farmer 

in Eastern Iowa. 

5 

6 

8. Sisters Teegan and Kiersten 

Nawa watching the sunset at 

Papa and Grandma’s farm 

outside of DeWitt, Iowa on 

Sept. 2. 

9 

9. Chris Nelson and two of 

his grandkids, Lily and Oliver, 

are proud of their first annual 

sweet corn stand in Delmar. 

10. A natural beauty was 

spotted west of Maquoketa 

earlier this summer. It had 

just rained and sun began 

to shine, showing off this 

beautiful, full rainbow. 

Photo by Joyce Ostert 


10

2 

3 

4 

8 

7 


1. Ben Selman and daughter 

Anna Selman are hard at 

working making haylage to 

feed the cattle. 

1 

2 

2. Lincoln Johnson enjoys all 

the food from the 4-H food 

stand and loves watching 

and loves watching the 

exhibitors. 

3. Holding a rope, Cooper 

Moore leads his calf around 

as the pair take a walk. 

4. Randy Schoening and 

Brooks Owen stop for a 

photo while working on 

Schoening Farms in DeWitt. 

6 

5. Kinnick Paulsen takes his 

grandpa’s old John Deere B 

tractor for a drive. 

6. Ray Johnson is hard at 

work in one of his many 

beeyards. 

5 

7. Kennedy and Bryant 

Kilburg collect field 

dandelions and cornstalks. 

8. Kyler Kilburg watching 

his dad, Brad Kilburg plant 

beans on the family farm. 

9. Corey Johnson holds his 

heritage breed pasture pig 

gilt. He dreams of being 

a farmer and Judy the pig 

is the start to his dreams, 

according to his mother, 

Brittany Johnson. 

10. Weston Willey takes his 

calf for a morning walk. 

11. Hadleigh Zeimet feeds 

the cows some apples while 

she munches on a popsicle. 

9 

10 


3 

4 

8 

7 

11 


1. Left to right: Mary 

Jo Felderman, Sydney 

Felderman, Carson 

Felderman(yellow shirt), 

Reese Boldt, Spencer 

Felderman. Back row: Ava 

Boldt, Madi Felderman and 

Erwin Felderman stand on 

their Heritage Farm near St. 

Donatus. Next year, it will 

have been owned by the 

Feldreman family for 175 

years. 

2. Zach and Cade Weis plant 

corn in the spring of 2022. 

3. Papa Steve Foust (Otter 

Creek) giving grandson Beau 

Hartz, 2, a tractor ride in 

August. 

4. Adam Miller and grandson, 

James Miller, seed oats. 

5. Caroline Johnson and 

“Kitty” get some cuddles after 

church on Sunday morning. 

6. Maverick Scott loves to 

combine his corn. 

7. Kyler Wilson relaxes during 

fair week preparation, lying 

without a care in the world in 

front of an 1,100-pound steer. 

8. Brothers Kade & Jackson 

Foust get help putting away 

the chickens and ducks 

on their farm outside of 

Maquoketa from their cousins 

Beau & Hayden Hartz. 

1 

4 

2 

9. Bryant Kilburg takes 

inventory of his family’s 

pasture cows while feeding 

them. 

10. Bryce Weis rolls with life 

chillin’ in a tractor tire. 

7 

11. Cooper Kuhlman leans out 

of his stroller as he attempts 

to meet some penned calves. 


8

3 

5 

6 

9 

10 11 


“The entire Peoples Company team was great to work with. When it came time to 

sell the farm that’s been in our family since the ’60s, we were careful about who 

we wanted to work with. We knew auctioning three sites could get complicated. 

When we met with Doug and Alan, we were impressed with their professionalism. 

They were courteous, kind, smart and they took the time to explain all the details 

to us. The whole team worked in tandem to get the best results for all parties.” 

— JB and Dana Priest, 

Owners Vanguard Inc., Dubuque 

One of the nation’s fastest growing land 

services organizations offering land 

brokerage, land management, land 

investing, and appraisal services. 

ALAN MCNEIL 

563.321.1125 

alan@peoplescompany.com 

DOUG YEGGE 

563.320.9900 

doug@peoplescompany.com

LAND 

OWNERS 

Dana and JB Priest 

2011-2022 

YeggeMcNeilLand.com 

563.659.8185 

700 6th Avenue | DeWitt, Iowa 52742

We are with you every 

step of the way. 

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Member 

FDIC 

www.dewittbank.com 

815 6th Ave, DeWitt • 563.659.3211 

Pictured: Jeff Peters, Bill Vetter, 

Karen Icenogle, Greg Gannon, 

Sarah Jurgens, Mike Dunn, 

Marty Murrell*, Bridget Maher, 

Francesca Schwartz, 

Rachel Neilson, 

and Tina Lively. 

Investments 

*Marty Murrell is a Financial Advisor offering Securities and Investment Advisory Services through Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, a Broker/ 

Dealer and Registered Investment Adviser. Member SIPC and FINRA. Located at DeWitt Bank & Trust Co., 815 6th Ave., DeWitt, IA 52742. 

Phone: 563-659-3211. DeWitt Bank & Trust Co. and Cetera Advisor Networks LLC. are not affiliated companies. Investments are not FDIC 

Insured – May lose value – Not a deposit – Not financial institution guaranteed. Not insured by any federal government agency.

EasternIowaFarmer_Fall2022

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