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www.driftlessjournal.com | news@driftlessjournal.com | 563-382-4221 | Tuesday, April 30, 2024 | Vol. 6 Issue 18
Turkey Valley FFA’s high-tech growing strategies yield promising results
Lansing bridge is open
Chapter’s ‘Flower Fest’ held in May By Zach Jensen The Turkey Valley FFA Chapter is going high tech in its greenhouse. Last year, the 48-student chapter raised $3,000 to buy a “Farmbot” opensource CNC farming robot; a tool many FFA chapters only dream about. “I just started putting it together at the end of last year and got it pretty much built, and the wood part I built in the shop at the beginning of this year,” said Turkey Valley senior Tanner Tlusty. “Since then, I’ve been fixing some issues with it.” Tlusty, 17, said the Farmbot can receive instructions/programming from a smartphone application anywhere in the world. For example, just a few weeks ago, he was on vacation in Florida and could control the robot from there. “Because it’s web-based, you can run it from anywhere in the world, and that adds a lot of flexibility, because you don’t have to be here to get stuff done,” the student explained. “Using the app, I program where I want plants, and I schedule sequences to take place at different times and different days, and I don’t need to be here. It will pick up seed, and it will plant it where I led it to, and it will water that plant every day. There’s also a weeder part of it that I haven’t figured out yet.” Before it plants, the Farmbot has some settings, like soil height, that needs to be set manually, but once it’s
set, Tlusty just presses a button, and the Farmbot does everything automatically. Tlusty said the chapter hasn’t used it to plant anything yet, but he has big plans for the robot’s future. “In my coding, I have it sectioned off into four quadrants,” he said. “In one quadrant, I’m planning on having six tomato plants. Another quadrant will be lettuce, another will be chives or beans, and the last one will be something else.” While Tlusty will be studying engineering after he graduates from Turkey Valley, Turkey Valley Chapter-mate Nicholas Bernhard, 14, said he’s not sure yet what field he’ll go into after high school. “Being involved in FFA has really opened up a lot of career opportunities,” Bernhard, a freshman, said. “That’s made the decision a little tougher, I think, because there are so many more opportunities I didn’t know even existed before I was in FFA.” “I really enjoy it,” Bernhard continued, “because in FFA, I’m doing something that doesn’t just help me; I can also make a difference in my community. And, I have fun with all my chapter-mates.” Bernhard’s primary interest in the FFA chapter’s greenhouse is the hydroponic growing system. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil by using a nutrient-rich water solution instead. The roots of hydroponic plants grow into the liquid solution in-
Kindness for the Earth
Turkey Valley senior Tanner Tlusty, 17, shows off his FFA chapter’s Farmbot open-source CNC farming robot, which the chapter purchased about a year ago for $3,000. (Driftless Multimedia photo by Zach Jensen) stead of into dirt. Hydroponic systems can be used indoors or outdoors and can produce faster growth and higher yields than traditional soil-based growing systems. From five hydroponic towers, the chapter has grown butterhead lettuce, tomatoes, romaine lettuce and peas. The chapter started out with five towers and just recently purchased five more to expand its production. “Water gets pumped into our water filtration system, and the two tanks are full of concentrated fertilizer,” Bernard said. “The fertilizer is mixed in with the water and put into another tank. From that tank, it goes into these towers, which are all on a timer, so they all get watered and fertilized automatically at the same time.” The FFA members agreed their entire chapter is excited to show off what their self-sustaining greenhouse can do during its annual Flower Fest, which is being held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, May 10, 8 a.m. to noon, Satur-
day, May 11 and 8 a.m. to noon, Saturday, May 18. Stop into the greenhouse in front of the school at 3219 Highway 24 in Jackson Junction to check out over 1,000 flowers and a small selection of vegetables, all grown by students. All funds raised during the event go into the chapter’s Greenhouse Account to help its students continue to grow quality plants and learn about emerging grower technologies and horticultural strategies. “This is a visual representation of all we’ve done as a chapter,” said Bernhard. “It’s really gratifying to see the result of all this work.” “We are so fortunate that we have a school board and administration that is so onboard and supportive of what we do, and I’ve got amazing kids,” added Turkey Valley Vocational Agriculture and FFA instructor Steve Pfaffle. “All of this is a product of the kids’ effort.
FFA Farmbot
continued on page 2
TOP INSET- The Barefoot in the Park event Saturday, April 20, was to celebrate Earth Day, and give some energetic care and energy back to the earth. Catherine Meinecke, MAHHS, BSN, RN, Reiki Master, leading a group healing session to help restore Mother Nature with the beauty of Dunning’s Springs behind her. The powerful setting was the perfect backdrop to the day’s events.
LEFTNina Smock, owner of Resonant Heart in Decorah, led the creation of natural art – an intentionally temporary medium that creates beauty from natural and found materials. It is created knowing it will not last, which makes it all the sweeter as its made and given back to nature. Here Smock works on a portion of the mandalas threaded through Dunnings Spring park with her daughter Alane. MIDDLE INSET- Improvisor’s Orchestra leader and talented percussionist and musician Nick Zielinski led the group in making a joyful noise Saturday, turning a well-intentioned group of attendees into a force of music with simple instruments, rhythm, voices and heart. Pictured are Nick Zielinski and Keiran Martinez. BOTTOM INSET- Lori Holland of Lansing joined in the festivities in celebration of Earth Day. (Driftless Multimedia photos by Samantha Ludeking)
The 2024 Graduating Classes will be published in the Driftless Journal next month
Reserve your space in this commemorative edition by May 2
Call 563-382-4221 or email an ad rep today! Megan Warner
Megan.Warner@driftlessjournal.com
Kate Klimesh
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g Rebecca Bruenin
CELEBRATE YOUR GRAD!
The Mississippi bridge at Lansing re-opened on April 20 after closing in February for emergency repairs. According to a recent press release from the Iowa DOT, “Kraemer North America worked diligently to replace the piers. The new piers are supported by steel pipe pilings reaching more than 100 feet to bedrock compared to the previous pilings that were placed more than 90 years ago and reach approximately 40 feet deep. Because the new bridge is open, water taxi and shuttle service between Iowa and Wisconsin has ended.”
Kasemeier changes plea
By Denise Lana
Brandon Kasemeier has changed his plea to guilty in the Jan. 21, 2024, death of his estranged wife, Jami Kasemeier. Kasemeier originally pleaded not guilty to first degree murder March 11, and a jury trial was set for May 15. Jami, who was estranged from Kasemeier, was found deceased in Kasemeier’s home Jan. 22. She had extensive injuries to her face and an empty handgun case was nearby, along with several spent .22 casings. Originally, her death was labeled “suspicious in nature” but was soon considered a homicide. Kasemeier could not be located for questioning, and a warrant was issued for his arrest in connection with Jami’s death. Kasemeier fled the state before Jami’s body was discovered in his Waukon residence, and he was located in Colorado Jan. 23, where he was originally stopped and arrested for driving under the influence. Colorado police located a .22 handgun under the seat of Kasemeier’s vehicle, and when it was discovered he was a fugitive from Iowa, Brandon was jailed without bond and held in a Colorado detention center until he was extradited in late February back to Iowa. Kasemeier has since been held at the Allamakee County Jail under a $1,000,000 bond. Court records reflect that Jami endured years of domestic abuse with Kasemeier dating back to 2015. Several no contact orders were placed after numerous domestic abuse and harassment incidents took place between the couple. Jami filed two separate petitions for relief from domestic abuse, one in 2017 and again in early 2018. In April 2018, Kasemeier was charged with domestic abuse assault against Jami after he held her down and choked her. Jami called police and he was removed from her house, but Kasemeier threatened Jami “if law enforcement got involved she would be leaving in a body bag.” Kasemeier will be appearing for plea and sentencing May 20, 2024, at 1 p.m. at the Allamakee County Courthouse in Waukon.
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