Issuu

AG Mag Southwest Iowa

Field trips Agritourism brings visitors, revenue, to Southwest Iowa farms GLASS HALF EMPTY? Local farmers arenâ€™t as pessimistic as those in a national survey FAIR FORECAST: County fairs in Ringgold, Decatur staying strong

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Summer 2016 AG Mag

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Index

AG Mag Southwest Iowa

Publisher Rich Paulsen Advertising Director Craig Mittag Managing Editor Scott Vicker Magazine Editor Jeff Rogers Page Design Jeff Rogers Reporters & Photographers Amy Hansen, Kelsey Haugen, Philip Marruffo, Alex T. Paschal, Jermaine Pigee, Bailey Poolman, Ian Richardson, Rachel Rodgers, Angel Sierra, Scott Vicker, and Jake Waddingham

COVER STORY PAGE 10

Published by Creston News Advertiser 503 W. Adams St. Creston, IA 50801 641-782-2141 Articles and advertisements are the property of Creston News Advertiser. No portion of the Southwest Iowa Ag Mag may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Creston News Advertiser. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Creston News Advertiser cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Creston News Advertiser 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.

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AG Mag

Index PHOTO STORY PAGE 20

Wild and wooly?

Well, it’s wooly, for sure! Southwest Iowa Ag Mag gives you a look at an alpaca farm operated by Nicole and John Williams northwest of Winterset. 22

‘Grandma Irene’ 16 makes some delicious pies and cinnamon rolls.

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AG Mag

LOCAL FAIRS

Index

PAGE 29

How are they holding up?

County fairs are struggling across the country. So, why are fairs in Ringgold and Decatur counties faring so well? SWCC student Teresa Arkfeld is known on campus for her zeal for agriculture.

Kevin Hullinger shares a lesson heâ€™s learned about keeping the farm in the family.

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8 Summer 2016

Are you slowly dying from lack of sleep? Larry Wagner, Director of Respiratory Services at Greater Regional Medical Center was generally in good health, despite complaining of being tired, having lack of energy, and being slightly overweight. “My wife said I snored and stopped breathing when I was sleeping, so in 2010 I went in for a sleep study here at Greater Regional,” Larry reports. “In the first two hours of the sleep study, I stopped breathing about 40 times for 10 seconds or more. Obviously, there was a disruption happening. They put me on a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) and I went to sleep without a problem. I felt wonderful in the morning, even with the CPAP being brand new to me.” Afterwards, Larry was set up with his sleep equipment in January of 2011. By April, of the same year, he had lost 25 pounds. “I didn’t do anything different. The fact was I got more rest, my body was healthier, and I was more active. I stayed on the CPAP for two years, and then thought I no longer needed it because I was keeping my weight off. “ In 2015, Larry started feeling funny. He was not aware, but he had acquired a new medical condition called Atrial Fibrillation (AFib). Dr. Annie Nawab, medical director of the Greater Regional Pulmonary/Sleep Medicine Center commented, “Untreated obstructive sleep apnea patients are 4 times more likely to develop atrial fibrillations. They also have a 57% higher risk for recurrence of atrial fibrillation after undergoing ablation.” In Larry’s case, he developed AFib due to not wearing his CPAP to keep his sleep apnea under control. Larry adds, “I went to see the cardiologist in May 2016. We had a conversation about how I was feeling and my symptoms. I told him I had been diagnosed with sleep apnea. He looked at me and asked if I was still using my CPAP.” Larry chuckled and added, “I explained to him I knew more than my doctor and I wasn’t using it. He told me to go back on my CPAP, and for the last two weeks I have not noticed any of my symptoms.” One of the triggers leading to Larry’s cardiology appointment was his role in helping research, ARE YOU SLOWLY DYING FROM LACK OF SLEEP? part one of this series, featured in the May 2016 Creston Living Magazine. While participating in the interviews about the link of chronic disease to sleep apnea, Larry recognized he was experiencing some of the same symptoms. Larry advises, “Don’t try to be smarter than your doctor, listen to them! Now I am staying on my CPAP and going to do the best that I can.” Larry now has his AFib under control. He hopes in August his physician will clear him of his irregular heartbeat. To read part one of this article, and to learn more, please visit NEWS at www.GreaterRegional.org.

AG Mag

Vignole grapes grow in the July sun at Madison County Winery in rural St. Charles. The grapes are a favorite of owner Doug Bakker. Bailey Poolman/ Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

A GROWING INDUSTRY

BY BAILEY POOLMAN AND RACHEL RODGERS For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

he wine industry in Iowa has boomed in the past 15 years, increasing from 16 licensed local wineries in 2002 to 105 this year. Two business that have tapped into the industry are Madison County Winery and Covered Bridges Winery. Doug Bakker and his family were in the process of moving from Chicago to Iowa when he decided to break into the business. “I just found the land and developed it from there,” Bakker said. “It was a long process because

10 Summer 2016

grapes take a long time to grow.” ■■■ Bakker, who has made wine in his home since the 1990s, took a year to develop the property he purchased between Winterset and St. Charles, then planted a variety of grapes in 5 acres of rich Madison County earth. In 2007, he built the manufacturing shed, where all the manufacturing equipment is housed, and a tasting room was added in 2010. “We’ve obviously developed a market. We’ve got a good following,” Bakker said. “We have wholesale that we’ve been steady with, and now we have retail here of our own. The thing I’m doing that’s totally new is I’m kegging wine, and I think that’s totally the future.” CONTINUED ON 11

The time is ripe for Southwest Iowa farms to intersect with tourism

CONTINUED FROM 10 A keg holds the equivalent of about 26 bottles of wine, but Bakker believes it will make the industry more sustainable because it cuts out the use of 26 bottles, labels, corks and capsules. It also makes the wine industry’s carbon footprint smaller because fewer bottles and other products would be purchased from other countries. “And, because there’s no sunlight and there’s no oxygen that can get in,” Bakker said, “the wine is better in kegs.” In the opposite direction from Winterset is Covered Bridges Winery. Co-owner Kevin Fifo also made wine at his home from a kit before he and his wife, Jean, moved to Iowa rattlesnake country. He and Jean and their friends, Kevin and Rose Boyle, licensed Covered Bridges Winery in 2008, and by the next year

had the doors open and were selling wine. Their most popular wine is called Rattlesnake Red, named after a serpent found nearby. “Almost all of our harvest here, and around the state for that matter, is done by hand,” Fifo said. “We get people from all over the world, literally trekking down two and a half miles of gravel to Winterset, Iowa, to stop in and see us at the winery.” In mid-July alone, Fifo said, they had customers from more than 10 states and from Japan, Australia, China and Canada. Visitors can pick the fruit and watch the processing procedure. Only one-third of the fruit needed to keep up with demand is grown on the 5-acre plot. The winery gets the rest of the fruit from Keokuk and other Iowa locations. CONTINUED ON 12

Kevin Fifo runs his fingers across a cluster of small, immature grapes in the backyard of Covered Bridges Winery in rural Madison County. The winery sees people from all over the world visiting the local business to try wine made with only Iowa-grown grapes.

Photos by Bailey Poolman/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

Doug Bakker winds grape vines around a wire to keep them off the ground at Madison County Winery in rural Madison County. The winery produces 12 varietals and blends from grapes grown in Iowa, New York, Michigan and other states.

AG Mag

Photos by Bailey Poolman/ Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

Wine ages in wooden barrels at Madison County Winery near St. Charles. The winery produces blends and varietal wines from grapes grown in Iowa and other states.

Kevin Fifo holds two bottles of wine from Covered Bridges Winery, which he owns with his wife, Jean, and their friends, Kevin and Rose Boyle. The two couples started the winery northwest of Winterset in Madison County, and created blends named after the covered bridges dotting the Madison County countryside. 4CONTINUED FROM 11 “It’s very much a tourism-based industry, despite the agricultural roots, obviously,” Fifo said. “It’s not all the glamour and romance that it’s made out to be. It’s definitely agriculture. It’s

definitely farming.” So definitely farming, in fact, that wineries, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, alpaca farms and others of the sort are part of a growing industry called agritourism. Agritourism has been working its

way into the void left as family farms have been replaced by large-scale operations. People are looking to have a “farm experience” they might have once been able to have by visiting friends or family. The agritourism concept was first defined as any operation or event that draws individuals to a farm or ranch site, but the term has evolved in the past several years to encompass a wide range of activity. CONTINUED ON 144

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AG Mag

4CONTINUED FROM 12 Expanding from farm tours and interactive visits, the term can also apply to off-site features such as farmers markets and restaurants that incorporate local produce. The theme that connects all of these practices together is the common goal of sowing a degree of the “farm experience” onto others. The agritourism boom began about 10 years ago with the local food movement to connect consumers with producers in their region and focus on feeding into the local economy, said Diane Handley, agritourism specialist and affiliate association manager at Illinois Farm Bureau. From 2007 to 2012, net cash income of farming operations increased 51.6 percent in Iowa, according to the latest Census of Agriculture data. Adams (67 percent) and Ringgold (58.69 percent) counties had even bigger percentage increases during the 5-year period, but Union (1.86 percent) and Adair (4.59 percent) saw slight decreases. The jump in income could be attributed in part to a resurgence in agriculture growth following the local food movement during the past decade, Handley said. “I honestly think that agritourism is only going to continue to grow along with the local food movement hand in

Bailey Poolman/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

Covered Bridges wine bottles are draped with medals of varying sizes and weights at the winery in rural Madison County. The winery northwest of Winterset produces 14 varieties of reds, whites and blushes.

hand,” she said. “It’s all come down to this snowballing effect from the local food movement.” The agritourism industry has resulted in farmers adding more features and events to draw visitors, whether they have owned property across generations or are just starting out, Handley said. Lisa Ayres, co-owner of the Lincoln Way Inn Bed and Breakfast in Franklin Grove, Illinois, said people are becoming more educated on local agriculture practices and generating more of an investment with where their food comes from. “People are seeking that holistic

farm-to-table experience, whether it’s at a restaurant or at farm events,” she said. “The agritourism dynamic is very much embedded in our daily lives.” When visitors stay at the inn, which celebrated its 1-year anniversary July 11, they can participate in a variety of immersion activities with community agriculture. They include beekeeping or picking apples on Ayres’ farm, or exploring the area’s nature sites like Nachusa Grasslands or the Franklin Creek State Park. Agritourism allows farmers to open a line of communication with consumers about the role of agriculture in the past, present and future, said Matt Lillpop, executive director of Whiteside County Farm Bureau in northwest Illinois. For the past 9 years, the bureau has coordinated the annual Whiteside County Barn Tours weekend, which highlights about a dozen area barns each year. “The barn tours give the Farm Bureau the opportunity to have exposure in the area, and it gives farmers a chance to tell their history,” he said. The event began with 480 participants, and the visitor numbers doubled by 2014, he said. “People want that connection with farmers, and agritourism builds that trust factor, which is crucial,” he said. “It goes beyond the financial reward you may gain; it reflects positively on the industry as a whole.”

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Irene Ripperger, of Creston, displays her two published cookbooks, as well as a peach pie (left) and two gooseberry pies she baked. Ripperger had two gooseberry pies sell for $1,100 and $1,000 at the St. Malachy School auction one year. Scott Vicker/ Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

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‘Recipes from the Heart of Grandma Irene’ BY SCOTT VICKER For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

rom cinnamon rolls to brisket to appetizers and beverages, Irene Ripperger’s two cookbooks offer something for just about anyone. Ripperger, of Creston, has published two cookbooks – “Grandma Irene’s” and “Recipes from the Heart of Grandma Irene.” The latter was done as a project to keep Ripperger busy while her oldest son, Randy, was terminally ill with cancer. “I had to have something to do. I sat down and I wrote all these recipes. I think there’s about 300 in it,” she said. “I printed them all by hand and sent them to the publisher.” After spending years of going from one cookbook to another in search of the recipe she was looking for, Rip-

SA M E P EO P L E. SA M E BA N K. N E W LO O K.

perger decided to compile her own cookbook to make things easier on her. The collector of cookbooks – she estimates at one time she had about 400 cookbooks – has long taken multiple recipes and conjured up a new dish by combining bits and pieces of the different recipes. Among her famous recipes are her overnight cinnamon rolls, which she takes to the Holy Spirit Catholic Church every Monday night during Lent for the soup supper. “Oh my gosh, they’re gone before the soup,” said Linda Hartsock, who knows Ripperger from church. “They are really good. She just has a knack for doing them. They’re not great big, huge ones, so you can eat a couple without feeling guilty.” CONTINUED ON 184

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4CONTINUED FROM 17 Her gooseberry pie has been a major hit at the St. Malachy School auction. The first year she donated a gooseberry pie to the auction, it sold for $575. So, the next year she made two. They sold for $1,100 and $1,000. “So every year, I make gooseberry pie for the fundraiser,” Ripperger said. Ripperger said she still has several boxes left of copies of her second cookbook.

Overnight cinnamon rolls

Ingredients: 1 teaspoon dry yeast 1/4 cup warm water 1 cup sugar 2/3 cup shortening 2 beaten eggs 2 teaspoon salt 3 cups warm water 9 to 10 cups flour 2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup milk crushed pecans (if desired) Instructions: At 3 p.m., dissolve 1 teaspoon dry yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Let stand 5 minutes. In mixer with yeast and water, add: 1 cup sugar, 2/3 cup shortening, 2 beaten eggs, 2 teaspoon salt. Beat. Gradu-

ally add 3 cups warm water and 9 to 10 cups flour, then knead. Put into a large greased bowl. Cover and set aside. At 9 or 10 p.m., knead and divide dough in half. Roll out each half in rectangle. Spread well with butter on the dough and sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar. Roll up and cut into pieces. In a pan, put 2 cups brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup milk. Boil for 1 minute. Pour into two 9x13-inch pans and sprinkle with crushed pecans if desired. Put cut rolls cut-side down. Let rise overnight on countertop. Bake early in the morning in 350-degree oven for about 25 to 30 minutes.

Sweet and savory brisket

Ingredients: 3 pounds to 3 1/2 pounds brisket (cut in half) 1/4 cup grape jelly 1 envelope onion soup mix 1 cup ketchup 1/2 teaspoon pepper Instructions: Place half of the brisket in a slow cooker. In a bowl, combine the ketchup, jelly, soup mix and pepper; spread half over meat. Top with remaining meat and ketchup mixture. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or until meat is tender. Slice brisket and serve with cooking juices.

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18 Summer 2016

Scott Vicker/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

Two gooseberry pies and a peach pie cool on the kitchen island in Irene Ripperger’s Creston home. Ripperger has published two cookbooks and is known for her pies and cinnamon rolls.

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Glenn and Bev Rowe pose at their Lorimor ranch in this contributed photo.

Iowa ranchers recognized for environmental efforts Southwest Iowa Ag Mag staff

Glenn said rotational grazing is a big part of what they do. “We rotate our cows about every week. We have three different groups right now and about 23 different paddocks,” Glenn said. “It just stimulates the growth of the grass and the ground. And, being able to rejuvenate some of these paddocks, we have a lot of native grasses and forbs come back that hadn’t been there for years. It’s just been amazing to see this happen.”

The Rowe Ranch, owned by Glenn and Bev Rowe of Lorimor, was one of seven regional honorees in the national Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP). The award recognized outstanding stewardship practices employed on the ranch. The Rowe family has shown a dedication to conservation and sustainability on their cow-calf operation, making improvements through the years that benefit the land and their livestock.

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Fiber Optics Ever wonder what life on an alpaca farm looks like? Nicole and John Williams gave us a glimpse of their farm northwest of Winterset. Photos by Bailey Poolman for Southwest Iowa Ag Mag RIGHT: Nicole Williams feeds supplemental nutrition pellets to a small herd of alpacas at Sunlight Harvest Farm, where she and her husband, John, live and work northwest of Winterset in Madison County. BELOW: Nicole crochets a thick scarf, while John looms a blue-dyed scarf of yarn processed from the alpaca herd on their farm.

ABOVE: Nicole picks bits of hay and grass from a blanket of alpaca fiber to clean it before it is sent to be processed into yarn in Minnesota. The yarn is sent back to the Williamses, who will use it to make clothing, accessories and other items. 20 Summer 2016

ts a to to in nt ho g, s.

Dean the alpaca smiles for the camera during a morning meal of supplements. Dean is one of seven alpacas the couple currently raise, but they plan to increase that number in the future.

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AG Mag

Things are looking ... down? Philip Marruffo/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

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Have economic hardships shaken farmers’ confidence? BY JAKE WADDINGHAM AND JERMAINE PIGEE For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

armers are generally optimistic by nature. But a tough economic environment has clouded that sunny disposition. According to a national agriculture confidence index, American farmers were more pessimistic about the industry’s future when the year began than at any point since the survey began in 2010. The DTN/The Progressive Farmer Agriculture Confidence Index showed that low commodities prices, continuing high input costs, and low income projections have shaken farmers’ confidence. “Farmers have never felt worse about their current financial situation in the history of the DTN Ag Confidence Index,” said the index’s creator and agriculture economist, Robert Hill.

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“It’s declined precipitously from where it was at this time last year, and it was at a low point then, too. “Not only have crop producers reached these new lows this year, but now the livestock producers have joined them.” DTN surveys 500 agricultural producers before planting, before harvest, and after harvest each year to gauge farmers’ attitudes at key times in the crop cycle. The reading of the index in March was 91.5, compared to 99.4 in August 2015 and 103.4 in December 2014. An index value of 100 is considered neutral, while higher values indicate optimism and lower values reflect pessimism. A majority of those surveyed said input prices were bad, and more than 50 percent said they think inputs and incomes will be the same in a year. CONTINUED ON 244

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4CONTINUED FROM 23 “Farmers are facing some hard economic realities,” Hill said. It’s no different in Southwest Iowa. But do farmers here feel as pessimistic? Not quite. Matt Mensing, who wears two hats as a farmer in Adair County and vice president at Union State Bank in Greenfield, uses forecasts from both professions when making decisions on any costs or trying to read the direction of the commodities market. “You have to remember that input costs are only half of the big picture,” Mensing said. “Knowing what you have spent and what it will cost to get to market is necessary to make sure you at least break even.” Low commodities prices do offer an opportunity for farmers to take a detailed look at their process and add some creativity to their practices. “I think risk management will be vital in the coming months and years of crop farming,” said Michelle Euken, who farms in Cass County with her father and fiancé. “We just try to farm the land the best we can each year to maximize yield.” Randy Caviness, who farms about 4,000-plus acres mostly in Adair County, reevaluated his input costs this season to help hedge against lower commodities prices.

“We switched to a different herbicide and saved about $40 an acre,” Caviness said. “We were really happy with those results. No till is another big one. Farmers can save a lot per acre just by doing no-till practices.” While Caviness made some changes going into the growing season, he remains confident basic supply-and-de-

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Farmers forum Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of the farming industry? Why? Matt Mensing, 28, Adair County “I would say most farmers are a little pessimistic, especially over the past two weeks [end of June to beginning of July]. We had a nice run up at the end of June, then [there was] a hard downturn in the market that changed everyone’s tune. I wear two hats between farming and banking, and a lot of banking economists are forecasting the current conditions to continue long term.”

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Michael Bently, 26, Ringgold County “It is looking better than last year. If you know your breakeven points and try to forward contract, it helps. It also makes a difference if you own the ground free and clear or if you rent. We have forward contracted some of our beans and a little bit of our corn.” Randy Caviness, 57, Adair County “I would say I’m mostly optimistic. We are starting to see input costs come down, and fertilizer costs are coming down. … The world demand for corn and soybeans is increasing, and the outlook [for corn acres] is lower next year. I expect a recovery in prices.” Michelle Euken, 29, Cass County “I think risk management will be vital in the coming months and years of crop farming. We just try to farm the land the best we can each year to maximize yield. I’m optimistic about commodity prices.” Brian Jones, 38, Adair County “I don’t see any signs that there will be any dramatic changes anytime soon. I think the weather is a key component, and that is the one thing we don’t have any control over and can’t forecast accurately in the long term. Unless there is a significant event that changes where we are at, I believe we are stuck in the current conditions. I don’t think farmers wait until the bad times to figure out how to save money. ... If there is money to be saved, we would be doing it all along. If there was one thing we have done [in tough economic environments], it has been delaying equipment purchases.”

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AG Mag

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Southwestern Community College ag business student Teresa Arkfeld, originally of Harlan, poses with cattle she works with on the SWCC ag site in July. After graduating in December, Arkfeld plans to move to Minnesota and eventually open a hardware or farm store. Photo by Joel Wires/Southwestern Community College

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eresa Arkfeld loves working with livestock, but she loves people more. On the agriculture site and elsewhere on the Southwestern Community College campus, Arkfeld, 19, is known for her leadership skills, zeal for agriculture, and compassion for people. “With students like Teresa who have great leadership, communication skills and a strong work ethic, the future is bright for not just the Southwestern agricultural program but the agricultural industry in general,” said Lindsay Stoaks, SWCC assistant vice president of instruction. In December, Arkfeld will graduate from SWCC with an associate degree in ag business. After graduating she plans to move to Minnesota and eventually open her own hardware or farm store. The beginning of Arkfeld’s story shares common ground with many of her classmates – she was raised on a family farm. Growing up, she helped her parents, Brenda and Bill, alongside

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her three older sisters on their farm in Portsmouth. The family raises cattle and grows corn and soybeans. “I did cattle chores, harvesting, drove the tractor all the time for Dad, helped with hay – I about did everything,” Arkfeld said. “I was just Dad’s little farmhand.” Arkfeld attended Harlan High School in Harlan, Iowa. While being an honor roll student, Arkfeld was FFA vice president and reporter and went to the FFA state convention twice. In 4-H, Arkfeld was involved in nearly all aspects of the club and showed livestock through both 4-H and FFA at fairs. After graduating high school in 2015, Arkfeld chose SWCC for its ag reputation and cost. “My last couple years in high school, I was actually thinking about going into accounting, because that’s what my mom does,” she said. “Then, right before I actually decided on a college, I decided I can’t live without ag in my life, so I switched over to ag business to kind of do both.” Since beginning at SWCC, Arkfeld has immersed herself in both ag and

leadership opportunities, serving as treasurer of the college’s ag club, as a student ambassador and as a member of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE). “I watched the money account in the ag club,” Arkfeld said. “But, in the club, everybody has their part in making everything work, so I don’t really think there’s a leadership role in it except for the president.” Stoaks interjected: “I think the president provides more of a facilitating role, but the club was very much student-run this spring. The students made things happen. That took leadership skills by Teresa and others.” One of Arkfeld’s roles this past year was helping coordinate SWCC’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Day. “It’s a hands-on experience for high school students, and she helped facilitate that event, and there were probably 60 high school students out here,” Stoaks said. “It’s designed to provide hands-on activities for students to get them excited about the agricultural field.” CONTINUED ON 284

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4CONTINUED FROM 27 “We taught high school students about livestock judging, and we had John Deere come out, and they taught them the GPS, and we had a vet come out to do ultrasounds,” Arkfeld said. Arkfeld also maintains a 4.0 GPA. “She was one of the first-year agricultural students who received the outstanding agricultural student award, among other awards,” Stoaks said, referencing awards bestowed upon students by faculty in April. “She received that for a combination of her leadership and academic achievements. Teresa is also graduating in a year and a half, which is a half a year early for the ag business program, and that would be a culmination of her taking a heavier course load and concurrent enrollment credits from high school.” This summer, Arkfeld is working full time at Farm and Home in Creston, as a paid internship. She will continue working there through December, and will continue helping her parents on the family farm whenever she can. “I’ve worked at a hardware store in Harlan for the past three years and now Farm and Home. I like working with people more than just being by myself,” Arkfeld said. “I love helping people.”

Kelsey Haugen/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

Southwestern Community College agriculture students accept academic awards during the college’s awards ceremony April 22 in the student center gymnasium. Teresa Arkfeld (far right), originally of Harlan, holds an award given to her by Lindsay Stoaks (far left), assistant vice president of instruction, and agriculture instructors. Working at Farm and Home has She likes the “one warehouse ordering helped Arkfeld decide that once she from one warehouse” style of operation owns her own store, she doesn’t want and plans to run her future store that several vendors selling her products. way.

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Visitors to last yearâ€™s Lee County 4-H Fair in Illinois watch swine judging. Alex T. Paschal/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

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Ringgold, Decatur county fairs remain strong while others struggle BY KELSEY HAUGEN For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

Across the nation, county fairs are struggling with drops in attendance and revenue. But fairs in Ringgold and Decatur counties have been holding off that unwelcome trend. Ringgold County Fair, in Mount Ayr, was held July 6-9. It typically brings in about 3,000 people. nnn

Keith Miller, Ringgold County Fair Board president, said the week of the fair creates an â€œeconomic boomâ€? in the area. â€œIf you have 3,000 people coming into town, itâ€™s not just the fair that draws from the crowd of people, itâ€™s also some of your convenience stores, grocery stores and gas stations that get business,â€? he said. Miller said 4-H participation for the Ringgold County Fair has remained steady in recent years. CONTINUED ON 304

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4CONTINUED FROM 29 “But, I would like to see it grow, and there’s no reason it shouldn’t grow,” he said. “We have quite a few young 4-H’ers coming on, so hopefully the numbers for our shows increase in the next few years.” Kisha Martin, Ringgold County Fair Board secretary/treasurer, said if any attendance numbers have declined, it would be for the beef and swine shows. “I know at one time those were huge, and ever since I came on about five years ago, I feel like our attendance has declined [for those shows],” Martin said. Miller said overall attendance has stayed steady, but weather can affect it. “If you have 96-degree temperatures, a lot of the older people don’t come out to the fair because it’s just too hot, so that may hurt us a bit,” he said. The Decatur County Fair in Leon was held July 20-25. Last year, between 3,000 and 4,000 people attended. “As you invite people to the community for the fair, they’re frequenting your businesses and supporting your concession stands, which are funded through local businesses,” Decatur County Fair Board Member Rosa Sondag said. “And, as 4-H and FFA members begin selecting projects for

Ian Richardson/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

Samantha Stewart shows her horse at the Ringgold County Fairgrounds in Mount Ayr during last year’s county fair. Stewart won the intermediate showmanship category. She would go on to win Champion Junior Trail, Champion Junior Poles and Champion Junior Barrels. the fair and purchasing their animals, they’re impacting our community because a lot of [the livestock] are purchased locally. So, the economic impact is just huge.”

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In Decatur County, Sondag said, the 4-H and FFA programs are thriving, for the most part. CONTINUED ON 314

CONTINUED FROM 30 “We have expanded and provided better facilities that are more efficient, so we have seen expansions in participation,” she said. “Our cattle numbers are up a little, and our hog numbers are up. Unfortunately, we are seeing a few go down, so we hate that, but that’s just part of it.” Sondag said attendance is dependent on the event, and with a smaller county with a lower budget, it can be a challenge to come up with events that will be well attended but also won’t cost much. But, in the more than 15 years she has been on the board, she said attendance has actually gone up for some events. “I know most of the time, when we have our livestock shows, our bleachers are full,” Sondag said. “So, I feel like we have a really good support system of the community attending the fair. You always want to improve that, though, so you keep trying to add fun things to draw people in.”

The economic impact of ag fairs In 2015, the University of Illinois released a report detailing the economic impact agricultural fairs have on local communities. Among its findings: • The 2014 county agricultural fair program produced an estimated statewide economic impact of $90 million and supported a total of 1,000 jobs. In other words, if county agricultural fairs were eliminated, the state would see a loss of $90 million in economic activity, as well as a loss of 1,000 jobs. • In 2014, the Illinois Department of Agriculture appropriated $5.1 million for county fairs. It is estimated the state’s return is 18 times greater than its original investment in 2014. • During the summer of 2014, it was estimated that $170 million was spent as a result of the county fairs. Of that $170 million, an estimated $90 million in transactions occurred directly within the state economy. • County fairs in the Northern Zone generated an estimated economic impact of $44 million, an economic impact of $17 million in the Central Zone, and an economic impact of $12 million in the Southern Zone. • Small fairs generate an average estimated economic impact of $315,000; medium fairs generate $900,000; and large fairs generate $3 million. • Illinois county fairs generated an estimated collective total revenue of $90 million in 2014. • It was found that county agricultural fairs provide nonmonetary benefits to the local community. They serve as a catalyst for continuing local traditions, increasing unity within communities and families, and providing agriculture education for all ages. • The primary challenges facing Illinois county fairs include: lack of state and local funding, diminishing appeal to the younger generation, and the challenge of keeping fairs relevant amid trends of declining involvement in agriculture.

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AG Mag

Boyer shines with FFA’s Star Over Iowa award

STAR POWER

BY AMY HANSEN For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

Out of all of Kaitlyn Boyer’s accomplishments in Future Farmers of America, her Star Over Iowa award stands above the rest. “I was just, like, ‘Oh, I don’t think I’ll get it or anything,’” she said. “Then, they announced my name, and I was just, like, ‘What?’ I couldn’t believe it, because I was just so surprised.” FFA’s Star Over Iowa awards recognize students who have developed outstanding agricultural skills and competencies through their career development programs and demonstrated outstanding management skills. CONTINUED ON 33

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4CONTINUED FROM 32 The finalists were selected from a pool of 693 FFA members who will earn the Iowa FFA Degree – the highest honor the Iowa FFA Association can bestow upon an FFA member.

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Four Star Over Iowa winners were selected in four areas: agricultural placement, agriscience, agribusiness and agricultural production. Fnalists, including Boyer, were interviewed and their supervised agricultural experiences record books were reviewed by a panel of judges. The winners were announced April 19 at the 88th Iowa FFA State Leadership Conference at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. “Just to see the sea of blue corduroy out there and just being able to be in that moment and see all these other people with similar interests in agriculture and the passion to improve agriculture – our future is just amazing,” Boyer said.

Contributed photos

Kaitlyn Boyer shows Billy Bob the bull during the Iowa Beef Expo in February at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. ON PAGE 32: Kaitlyn Boyer works on her family farm in Weldon. She was named a Star Over Iowa award winner in April by the Iowa FFA Association, the only female in the agricultural production category. Her project was beef production, which was tied into her family’s business at Harvest Barn in Osceola.

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Big Chief FFA Chapter, was named the ag production winner. She was the only female in her category. Her project was beef production, which was also tied into her family’s business at the Harvest Barn in Osceola. Boyer helps with the business’ agritourism and sells the family’s beef sticks. They have a family farm in Weldon. “Kaitlyn is the type of young lady ag teachers dream about,” said Brandi Boyd, agricultural education teacher at Clarke. “She is an intrinsically motivated young person who has a passion for educating others about agriculture. It is an honor to work with someone that has such a strong vision for the future, good character, and a solid foundation. Her involvement in agriculture sets my mind at ease knowing she is one of the future leaders of our industry.” Boyer has received numerous accolades from her involvement in FFA, including her years as a south central district officer, serving as reporter and then vice president. “Through my years in being involved in FFA and

other events, I’ve just kind of learned it is what you make of it,” Boyer said. “So, I’ve always tried to take the initiative to get involved as much as I possibly can with FFA. When I started freshman year, I was just hooked. It was amazing, and I absolutely loved it. So, I was just, like, ‘I’m going to try everything I possibly can.’”

Lifelong lessons

Boyer spent a moment contemplating the most important lesson learned from her four years in FFA. There was so much Boyer could say, she didn’t even know where to start, other than to say it’s opened up so many doors for her. “It’s not just cows, sows and plows. A lot of people say that,” she said. “It’s changed tremendously with that through these past years. “Now, it’s opened up to a lot of urban kids who are coming in and have an interest in agriculture and advocating for our industry. It has much different things you can do with technology. “I mean, the list goes on with all the possibilities you can do in agriculture that doesn’t require you to be on a farm.” AG Mag 33

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Following Flat Aggie Farm traveler teaches kids about agriculture, food sources BY ANGEL SIERRA For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

orn and soybeans are typical scenery on Northern Illinois farms, but farming other regions of the state can be different – across the country even more so. To help show children and students where their food comes from, a printed cutout aptly named “Flat Aggie” becomes the teacher. “Sometimes it’s a boy and sometimes it’s a girl,” said Katie Pratt, 38, of Dixon. “This year it was a girl.” Pratt, who for four years has been the agriculture literacy coordinator for Lee County Ag in the Classroom, was inspired by the 1964 children’s book, “Flat Stanley,” featuring main character Stanley Lambchop as a flattened boy who takes incredible adventures. Pratt saw the idea and immediately wanted in, using the power of social media to connect with ag blogger Nicole Small of Kansas, who already had been up and running in 2013. Pratt, who grew up around

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Northern Illinois farms, launched the next year. “We thought it would be cool to bring to the classrooms in Lee County ... to help close the loop on how food ends up on your table,” Pratt said. Teachers like it because it’s a lesson in itself, and receive an update from Aggie every 2 weeks during the school year, she said. CONTINUED ON 354

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Flat Aggie reports from a pig farm in Muscatine earlier this year. The printed cutout visited 13 farms in 9 states during the 2015-16 school year. CONTINUED FROM 34 Aggie has visited a strawberry production farm in Indiana, a sunflower farm in Canada, a mushroom farm in Oklahoma, an alpaca farm in New York, a goat farm in California, a fish farm in southern Illinois, and even a maple-syrup sugarmaker in the thumb of Michigan, among many other places. She was seen at 13 locations this past school year across 9 states, and 14 farms and ranches the previous year. A 500- to 700-word report is written by host families about Aggie’s experience on their farm. Photos are important, too, Pratt said, and no detail is too small. From sunsets to meals to pickling methods, hosts document as much about the farm life and food growing process as possible, she said, making sure to include agronomic and geographic information, such as soil type (sand or clay?), or whether the land is flat or hilly.

Follow along Find out more about Flat Aggie’s travels or sign up to host at Katie Pratt’s blog at theillinoisfarmgirl.com and click on the Aggie tab at the top. Farmers also can go to talesofakansasfarmmom.blogspot.com to contact Nicole Small, Pratt’s counterpart in Kansas, whom she partners with for the project. “Farmer Math,” which is modeled by Small after the bedtimemath. org blog, adds arithmetic questions to go along with Aggie’s field report, and is a fun supplemental resource for educators. “It’s really fun for us, [and] it’s really exciting,” Pratt said. “It’s exciting to share with students and teachers who only see corn and soybeans.”

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Lessons learned Father’s death provides learning experience for Davis City farmer BY SCOTT VICKER For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

Kevin Hullinger has survived as an upstart farmer in the 1980s when commodity prices were at rock bottom during the farm crisis. He has modified the way he farms to adapt to changing technology. But perhaps the biggest lesson he’s learned in a lifetime of farming was a result of his father’s death two years ago. It’s a lesson that Hullinger, 58, hopes he can pass on to other farmers to ease the burden on other families. CONTINUED ON 37

Kevin Hullinger, 58, stands on a hilllside overlooking 225 acres of land he farms near Davis City. Hullinger farms 2,700 acres of row crops and 125 head of calves. Scott Vicker/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag

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4CONTINUED FROM 36 “Get a plan in place on what you want to happen when you’re gone,” he said. “Dealing with my father’s estate, he did not have a plan in place. I’ve been working on this for two years and still have a long way to go. “While you’re alive, you have the opportunity to get your plan in place, so get it in place and make it a lot easier on your children, and it gives an idea to your children of how you wanted things done.” Since his father’s death, Hullinger’s farming operation has grown to 2,700 acres of row crops and 125 head of calves in the Davis City area. It’s a family operation, with Hullinger’s son, Logan, handling most of the cattle obligations and his son-in-law, Mark Erke, helping with the crops. Hullinger and his wife of 32 years, Jan, also have a daughter, Laci. Farming has always been a family affair for Hullinger, who started his career in agriculture in 1980 by help-

Contributed photo

Pictured is the Hullinger family, (front, from left) Kevin Hullinger, Barrett Erke and Jan Hullinger; and (back, from left) Mark Erke, Laci Erke and Logan Hullinger. Not pictured is Drake Erke, who was not yet born at the time of this photo. ing his father, Doug, farm and by farming a parcel of ground he rented. After initially driving trucks for about four years after graduating from Central Decatur High School in 1977, Hullinger started farming in order to stay close to home. “My family, back to my grandfather and great-grandfather, that’s all they’ve ever done is farm,” Hullinger said.

“I have two sisters and a brother, and there’s not a lot of kids there that are interested in it. I’m the oldest, and I have a son-in-law who is interested in it and likes it. I want to make sure I give him the opportunity, so when I’m gone it can carry on.” Erke said the opportunity to work on the farm with Hullinger couldn’t be passed up.

He’s learned plenty of lessons from Hullinger. “I didn’t have a lot of experience. I went to Iowa State for agronomy, but I didn’t have a lot of hands-on experience until I went to work for Kevin,” Erke said. “It’s been a pretty sharp learning curve for me the past couple of years. One thing with Kevin, he’s ahead of the curve. He’s really into the technology and being up-todate on his practices.” With Hullinger setting Erke up for future success in farming, Erke hopes to do the same for future generations of his family. “It’s one of those once-ina-lifetime things you can’t pass up,” he said. “What really stood out for me is he’s [Hullinger] built a legacy, given his kids something to pass on. “To be included in that, and maybe give that same opportunity to my kids and grandkids down the road is awesome for me. It’s nice to know the long hours and hard work you put in will benefit your family in the long run.”

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AG Mag

Honoring the way Jennetts live Southwest Iowa Ag Mag staff

The Jennett family of Blockton will be recognized as one of six recipients of “The Way We Live Award” at the 2016 Iowa State Fair. The family will be honored in an award ceremony 11:30 a.m. Aug. 17, on the Christensen Farm Stage in the Paul R. Knapp Animal Learning Center. The award recognizes Iowa families for their hard work and love of farming. Each family exemplifies a dedication to animal agriculture and strong farm values. Each entrant was asked to submit a short essay describing how the occupation of farming and living on a farm has shaped their life. Six families were chosen out of 38 entries from a variety of commodities and areas in Iowa. Steve Jennett began farming with his father in 1989 after graduating from Iowa State University. After marrying in 1990, Steve and Chantelle

Contributed photo

Pictured is the Jennett family of Blockton, which will be recognized as one of six recipients of “The Way We Live Award” at the 2016 Iowa State Fair. purchased 280 acres where operation and bookwork for they raise three children. the farm. Their eldest, MagToday, the Jennetts’ farm gie, helps around the farm with chickens and hogs when includes row crops, wean she is home from school. to finish hogs and cusMitchell, their son, helps tom-raised broiler chickens. to load hogs, grind feed for Each family member plays the hog operation and help an important role on the with chicken unloading and farm. Steve plants, harvests general care of the barns. and manages the hog and The youngest, Lindsey, helps chicken operations. Chanwith chicken chores, 4-H telle helps with the chicken

lamb chores and general help around the house. Steve and Chantelle are proud members and supporters of Ringgold County Pork Producers, Taylor County 4-H and many other community organizations. Maggie is a senior at Iowa State University majoring in journalism/mass communications with a minor in agricultural communications. Mitchell is a senior and Lindsey is an eighth-grader at Mount Ayr Community High School. The family credits living on the farm with teaching their children responsibility, perseverance and determination. As a recipient of the Way We Live Award, the Jennett family will receive a prize package of $250, fair admission tickets, free parking, various coupon books, a special recognition in the Paul R. Knapp Animal Learning Center Aug. 17 and video and photo recognition throughout the fair.

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