The Farming Families of Plymouth Co. Oct 2020 by AGE Media and Promotion

October 2020 | www.AgeMedia.pub

Faith / Family / Friends / Farming

Meet the

BECKER Family Front: Grace, Jackson and Gene. Back: Alexis, Peg, Doug, David and Steph holding Levi. Story begins on page 18.

of Plymouth County

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of Sioux County PUBLISHERS Garrett and Mindy Gross, AGE Media EDITOR & IOWA MANAGER Bob Fitch, AGE Media Direct advertising inquiries, story submissions and other correspondence to: 712-551-4123 bob@agemedia.pub © The Farming Families, Age Media & Promotion The Farming Families is distributed free exclusively to the farmers, ranchers and producers in rural Sioux, Plymouth and Lyon Counties. All rights reserved. Content in this magazine should not be copied in any way without the written permission of the publisher. The Farming Families assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. Content in articles, editorial and advertisements are not necessarily endorsed by The Farming Families and Age Media & Promotion.

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October 2020 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine

LYON COUNTY FAMILY

Kiah, Landon, Troy and Allison Thiessen.

THE GLASS IS ALWAYS HALF FULL AT THE THIESSEN FARM

by Bob Fitch

Allison Thiessen knows her husband pretty well. When asked how they’ve achieved success, she jumped in and said, “Troy will tell you a positive attitude. Negative people don’t get anywhere. That’s something he says all the time.”

The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | October 2020

Troy concurred. “I always look at life as the glass being half full. Even when you’re on the right track to success, you’re going to get run over if you stop trying to improve. You’ve got to keep looking forward, keep doing new things, and keep looking for a better way to do everything.” Thiessens farm southwest of Rock Rapids. Their children – daughter Kiah and son Landon – are a good reflection of their parents’ positive attitude. Allison described Kiah as the leader in the family and Landon as the do-er. Kiah was president of their local 4-H Club for five years, vice president of FFA for two years, plus served on the 4-H County Council, was in the National Honor Society, was on student council, and served as the Lyon County Beef Queen her junior year in high school. She graduated from Central Lyon this past spring and is now attending Southeast Technical College in Sioux Falls

Landon Thiessen showing a hog at the fair. Photo by Haley Halverson.

where she is studying nursing. Allison said, “She loves kids and her goal is to work in neo-natal pediatrics.” Allison said, “When Landon was little, he would be coming in from doing chores before we even got up in the morning. And he was only eight years old.” Landon said, “My goal was always to be back before Dad came out.” His grandmother, Marilyn Thiessen, said, “I remember a day when Landon was little and was riding with me driving the grain cart. He told me: ‘Grandma, in another year or so, you won’t have to do this anymore because I’ll take over.’” Today, in addition to helping his dad, Landon feeds 63 head of feeder cattle at a neighbor’s place plus farms 80 acres on a share-crop basis near Alvord. “I like being in tractors and seeing all the cows grow; and all the production you can do in such a short time. It’s kind of fun to take risks, whether you hit it hard on the markets or you get your butt kicked,” said Landon, who is a sophomore at Central Lyon High School, where he plays football, basketball and baseball; plus runs track. He is also active in FFA. Allison said, “Landon was living the life this spring when school was out because of Covid. He helped Troy so much. His cousin Chase was here, too. Everything went so smooth.” Troy said, “It was definitely a different spring, having Landon and Chase both home. I don’t know if I ever laughed so hard as having two 16-year-olds working with me. You might have had to shoot Landon and drag him out of the tractor to let anybody else do the tillage this year.”

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In 4-H, Landon shows hogs and steers, while Kiah showed hogs and bred heifers. Both also took part in livestock judging competitions. In addition to participating at the Lyon County Fair, they’ve both shown livestock in Sioux Center, Marcus, Sioux Falls, Spencer and at the Iowa State Fair. “That’s pretty much the whole summer, showing pigs and cows,” Allison said. Kiah said, “I learned a lot about leadership and hard work in 4-H – and how to wake up early.” Landon added, “I think 4-H teaches you how to help each other out and how to work together, how to be committed.” Landon hopes to start raising and selling show pigs. “I’m saving four gilts from the fair and going to try to start up on the money-making end verses the losing end,” he said. After high school, he anticipates going to college to learn about agricultural marketing before he comes back to the farm to help his dad. Troy became a 4-H leader about four years ago. “I really believe that’s what made our kids be good workers – having those projects with their animals. I think that’s why Landon got that land he farms already because the guy sees his work ethic and his love and passion for it. I think Kiah received some of her college scholarships because of the leadership she learned and demonstrated in 4-H.”

Kiah and Landon Thiessen.

Beyond livestock, Troy said local 4-H leaders weren’t satisfied with the type of static exhibits/projects they were seeing. They’ve helped kids upgrade those projects by making connections with local businesses such as a bakery, welding shop, print/vinyl sign shop, flower shop, and woodworker. He praised local businesses for their willingness to step up to support youth. Troy’s agricultural career has evolved over the years. After high school, he attended Northeast Iowa Community College for John Deere’s ag tech program. He then worked at John Deere in Doon for 10 years. He eventually started an equipment servicing business with a partner in a neighbor’s shed until building his own service shed on their acreage. All the while, he was expanding their farming footprint and slowly building a cattle finishing operation. He’s transitioned away from the mechanic business as the farm operation has grown. “I don’t miss the mechanic stuff too much. I like to farm better. I really enjoy feeding cattle. We’ve been fortunate to grow our farm and grow our land base. We’ve been in the right place at the right time.” In addition, two years ago, he took over the Kruger Seed dealership which was started by his father, Ken Thiessen. Troy’s been growing the customer base. Finally, he also owns a hog finishing barn which someone else currently utilizes. “We bought the hog barn looking forward to the day we can integrate Landon into the operation,” Troy said. Allison, who works from home as a physician coder for Sanford Health, said she and Troy probably met when they were four years old during Sunday school in Alvord. “I grew up in Alvord. Both my parents worked off the farm, but they raised cows and farmed land. So I was a ‘town kid,’ but I still did farm stuff.”

Ken and Marilyn Thiessen with their Ford Mustang convertible ready to enter the speed zone.

Troy’s parents have a separate farm operation north and west of them. Both Ken and Marilyn grew up on farms. In fact, Ken and his brother took

The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | October 2020

over all the work on their family operation when they were just 16 and 20 because their father had died of a heart attack. Ken is now 73, but has no plans to quit. “You’ve got to do something, don’t you? I’ve seen too many people retire, move to town and then, two years later, they’re dead.” Marilyn said, “When I was a kid, I said I was never going to marry a farmer. But 50 years later, I don’t regret it. From the day our youngest was in kindergarten and up until a year ago, I was helping in the field, driving tractor, hauling grain, discing. I enjoyed that, especially in the spring, helping to get the fields cleaned up. Now I’m the gopher and make their meals.” Ken said the toughest time farming was in the 1980s when interest rates were so high. “You were just happy to keep on going for another year at that time. It was tough. I hope we don’t see that again.”

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Ribbons, trophies and banners Landon and Kiah Thiessen earned during this summer’s show season.

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FINANCIAL FOCUS

PROVEN BUSINESS STRATEGIES FOR TODAY’S AGRICULTURAL CHALLENGES Article provided by Farm Credit Services of America

For the past several years, agricultural producers have operated in an increasingly complex and volatile business environment. Global markets, trade issues, politics and weather have introduced new risks at every turn. The outbreak of Covid-19 compounded existing economic challenges and added unprecedented disruptions to supply chains, processing and labor. The pandemic will continue to impact agriculture for the foreseeable future. Managing through this period requires both tried-and-true business practices and renewed attention to risk management.

A BUSINESS MINDSET At FCSAmerica, we work with operations of all sizes and types. And whether they are small family farm run by one or two people or an agribusiness with a staff, the successful ones incorporate the thinking of a CEO (the visionary and final decision maker), a chief financial officer (the numbers person who knows where the operation stands financially at any given time) and a chief operations officer (the person with day-to-day responsibility for getting an operation from Point A to B). Increasingly, today’s world also requires the mindset of a chief technology officer who identifies emerging technologies that make an operation better and more efficient. This is a lot of hats to wear and too much expertise for one person to possess. Which brings us to another important factor for managing the complexities of today’s agricultural industry: Focus on what you are good at (which often is what you most enjoy doing) and rely on the expertise of others to fill the remaining gaps. As an agricultural lender, we think it is essential to include advisors who understand your operation and how changes, big or small, impact your finances.

The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | October 2020

CONTROL YOUR CONTROLLABLES Agriculture has never experienced the kind of supply chain and market disruptions of Covid-19, and it is easy to be paralyzed by all the uncertainty. The adage, control what you can control, has never been more relevant. Top producers review and analyze their financials on a regular basis and apply this knowledge to making their operation more competitive. This includes focusing on their cost of production, their financial ratios and the operation’s marketing plan. In fact, they prioritize marketing, proactively selling when the market gives them a profit opportunity. This is a good time to take stock of your marketing plan. If you are working with a marketer, have you provided accurate, up-to-date break-evens? Your financial advisors can help you better understand your all-in break-even to ensure your marketing plan supports your financial goals. Margin Protection (MP), a recent insurance product that can be purchased as stand-alone coverage against an unexpected decrease in operating margin, could be a good tool to add to your marketing plan. Storm Derecho underscored the importance of working with experts who can help you identify the right crop insurance product for your risk needs. Your crop insurance agent should also be knowledgeable about MP and other products that help producers manage risk. The most profitable producers typically spend as much time on finances as they do on production. Today, that means staying on top of the various government programs aimed at supporting agriculture. Don’t leave any money on the table. If necessary, ask your advisors to help you better understand which programs are most applicable to your operation.

A CHALLENGE Step back from the crisis mode that took hold during the first wave of Covid-19 and assess what went right and what could have gone better. This isn’t an exercise best done in isolation. Enlist the help of your advisors and look for the gaps in your operation that might require expanding or altering your advisory team. Then focus on those things you control. They are key to profitability.

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October 2020 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine

SIOUX COUNTY FAMILY

Front: Anna and Mykah De Jong; Ember Van Driessen; Amanda Van Driessen holding Eden; Jason Van Driessen holding Jaxon; Jacob Folkerts; Linsey and Jeremiah Ronsiek. Middle: Jonah, Bo and Lori De Jong; Nola Van Driessen; Kara, Tina, Gavin, and Jenna Folkerts; Rachel Ronsiek holding Mariah; Levi Ronsiek. Back: Brent De Jong; Charlie Van Driessen; Josh Folkerts; and Nate Ronsiek.

VAN DRIESSEN PRIORITIES: FAITH, FAMILY, FRIENDS, FARMING by Bob Fitch

Charlie and Nola Van Driessen are diligent about keeping their priorities straight. “Faith, family, friends, farming – we try to keep them in that order,” said Charlie. “Our faith is very important to us. I don’t see how you can farm without faith. It’s important to us and it’s part of our heritage. Church is important to us.” They are long-time members of nearby Lebanon Christian Reformed Church. 12

The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | October 2020

Their family is also high priority and they feel fortunate that all of the children and grandchildren live close. Daughter Tina and her husband Josh Folkerts have four children and live in Sioux Center. Daughter Lori and her husband Brent De Jong also

have four children and live in Sioux Center. Daughter Rachel and her husband Nate Ronsiek have four children and farm southeast of Hawarden. Charlie and Nola moved to Sioux Center in 2017 to make way for son Jason to take up residence on the farmstead with his wife Amanda and their three children, Ember, Jaxon and Eden. Another child is also on the way in February. In addition to caring for their children, Amanda does the operation’s bookkeeping and payroll. Jason and Amanda met in 2009 and were married in January 2011. She’s a native of Corsica, S.D. They met through mutual friends after she had completed college at Dordt University. Charlie said he and Nola started farming in 1977 on a farm they rented on the same section. “Coming out of four years of drought, I was probably crazy to start, but that’s what I always wanted to do. We farmed there for four years and it got us a good start. When my folks retired, we purchased this farm on contract from them. Dad continued to come out to help for as long he could, for eight or nine years.” Charlie’s parents, Ernest and Anna Van Driessen, got married in 1941. “They started farming by Ireton, the first year with horses. Four or five years later, they moved here and rented this farm. They rented it until the early 1960s when it came up for sale and they were able to buy it. They lived here 35 years and retired in 1980.” The farm is located a few miles northeast of Hawarden and about 14 miles west of Sioux Center. “There are lot of changes going on in farming today, but I think about my dad, when he started, he was farming with horses. When he retired 40 years later, he had a tractor with an air conditioned cab. That just seems astronomical to me. But then when I look at us, farming for 43 years, technology is the driver in change today. It used to be all your bookwork was pen and paper, but now it’s all on your computer. Now there are computers in the tractors and combines; and we’re tracking feed on the iPad.”

Charlie and Nola Van Driessen.

School and later Unity Christian High School. Then he started at Northwest Iowa Community College for diesel mechanics. “But I already had an acreage bought and was renting a little ground on my own, plus I started to get involved in the corporation here. I think it was that year, in fact, we took on more land.” Even though he didn’t complete college, he said at Age Media Qtr Page Color 1-8-20.pdf 1 1/8/2020 11:21:34 AM least he “bought a good set of tools at a pretty good discount. I

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Jason said when he and his sisters were growing up, “Mom worked her tail off. She and Dad did all the work together. Mom still comes out and drives the grain cart in the fall.” Nola said, “I grew up on a farm too, so I enjoyed it. I wouldn’t have been out helping as much as I did if I didn’t enjoy it. Maybe our kids were sometimes neglected. They were in the back of the tractor with their pillow.” Jason replied, “I guess we turned out all right.” “I’m the third generation here, and, who knows, Jaxon or Ember might be the fourth generation.” Speaking to his older daughter, Jason said, “Ember, you said you wanted to be a farmer or an artist.” Ember giggled and simply said, “Artist.” Charlie added, “Well, when you have all the terraces like we have, you can be both a farmer and an artist.” Just like Ember does now, Jason attended Ireton Christian

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October 2020 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine

enjoy doing the mechanic work here.” In addition to corn and soybeans, Van Driessens custom feed cattle as well as finish their own cattle. There is also a nursery on the yard where they raise iso-wean pigs. Charlie said, “We own some cropland and we rent a fair amount of ground. We’ve been blessed over the years with landlords who’ve treated us well.” Jason said, “We’re also fortunate to have a couple of really good guys working for us.” Brad Dekkers has been with them for 23 years and

Todd Van Voorst has been on board for 1½ years. “Brad has been here since I was 10 years old. The last few years, we realized we needed one more guy with me moving into management and that’s when we added Todd. I used to do a good share of the feedlot work and we do some trucking, too. We haul in our own commodities. Depending upon the ration, that can take up a fair amount of time. Todd is the main feedlot guy now. There was no training needed with Todd. He hit the ground running.” Charlie said, “The nice part of all three of you guys, you can all do pretty much everything. Both Brad and Todd are very reliable. Brad hasn’t taken even a half day of sick leave in all the years he’s worked for us.” Jason laughed, “Brad’s immune system is so good that Covid took one look at him and it turned around and said ‘I’ll go pick on someone else.’” It was no laughing matter, though, on Sept. 26, 2019, when Jason was badly injured in a farm accident. They had just finished chopping silage and Jason was moving some equipment with the skid loader. The disc-ripper he was moving wasn’t attached properly and the hitch came unfastened and, on a downhill slope, crashed into the cab of the skid loader.

Amber and Jason Van Driessen with their children, Ember, Jaxon and Eden.

Todd Van Voorst, Brad Dekkers, Jason and Charlie Van Driessen. 14

Charlie said, “Brad, Todd and I were all right there. We had just come back from checking cattle. It was nothing short of a miracle that he survived.” Jason said, “I don’t even remember seeing it coming, but I got bumped out of the way somehow. I didn’t have my seat belt on, which usually is not a wise idea in a skid loader, but, in this instance, if I had been tied in, I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you. The hitch came through and broke every window in the cab. I broke my pelvis because I got squeezed in the cab. I had five

The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | October 2020

fractures in my pelvis and I had a few internal injuries.” He said, “Dad made the 911 call and in a matter of minutes the first responders were there. We’re pretty blessed to have our friends and neighbors who volunteer their time in a life-saving capacity. We shouldn’t take them for granted.” After 1½ weeks in the hospital and another 1½ weeks at a recovery center, he came home using a walker. Right before Christmas, he was able to get back into the pickup for some limited activity. He had more surgery in February and was cleared to resume work in March. “I’ve made a full recovery. I’m back to doing everything I could do before. There’s no doubt about it, God was watching over me. “I hope to continue farming here for many years. I have no intention of going anywhere. We’ll try to keep going with what we’ve got. At the same time, we’ll keep an open mind to the potential of diversifying further. You might have to think more creatively if Covid lingers on or we can’t get a trade deal with China,” Jason said. “Covid has affected everybody, whether it’s on Main Street or on the farm,” Charlie said. There was lot of livestock for sale you couldn’t get a bid on – what do you do with it? There were thousands of hogs euthanized, cattle that got way too big. It’s sad because some people’s lifetime careers went down the tubes.” Jason said, “They got caught on the wrong end of it, most often through no fault of their own.” Going forward, Jason said the primary goal on the Van Driessen farm is to continue to be good stewards. “God gave us the task to care for the land and care for the livestock. That’s something we enjoy doing, and God have given us the skills and ability to do that.”

The Van Driessen farm is located west of Sioux Center and northeast of Hawarden.

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ORIOLE PHOTO BY RODNEY MATZ, ROD MATZ PHOTOGRAPHY. October 2020 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine

PLYMOUTH COUNTY FAMILY

SPECIALISTS AT UPGRADING HIGH MAINTENANCE CATTLE by Bob Fitch

There are days David Becker wonders why they don’t call it quits on cattle and instead just raise crops. But then a year like 2020 hits where crop yields disappoint and grain prices are low. “By keeping diversified, we’re able to handle a lot of issues. We’ve had everything from corn that didn’t pollinate to a lot of other problems where we’d take a heck of loss, but instead we can chop it or something and then feed it through the cattle.” David and his wife, Steph, farm with his parents, Doug and Peg Becker, on the edge of Plymouth County southeast of Hinton. Their specialty is finishing “high maintenance” cattle. In addition to the feedlot, they have a cow-calf herd, corn, soybeans and alfalfa. Doug said Beckers buy cattle from California, Virginia and Oklahoma. “We buy them when they’re nine months old and still on the cow out there along the coast by Sacramento. They leave the cows and calves in the pasture until it starts turning brown. Then they need to ship the calves because they don’t have any feedlots or anything to background them. They wean them off and put them on a truck one morning and by the next night they’re at our place. They come straight through in 30 hours ...” “… still bellering like a 300-pound calf,” added Gene Becker, Doug’s 89-year-old father.

Front: Alexis, Grace, Gene, Steph and Levi. Back: Peg, Doug, Jackson and David. 18

The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | October 2020

The 700-pound California calves require more care. “You’ve got to keep them in the shade because they come off the coast and never had a bad day in their life. It’s always

72 degrees. It’s beautiful, cool country. We have bedding barns and shade for them most of the time. If you throw them out in an open lot in the sun, they just wilt until they get acclimated,” Doug said. David said buying the high maintenance cattle is the right approach for them. The 30 cents a pound or so they’re saving on the acquisition makes the extra management worthwhile. “We get top notch 825-850 pound black steers out of California. They have phenomenal genetics, but they aren’t turnkey cattle. They’re not cattle you just dump off, run the feed wagon by them a couple of times a day and walk off. You’re going to pull some sick ones; you’re going to have to walk those pens two or three more times a day for a month or two. But they’re going to be phenomenal cattle.” They’ve worked closely with veterinarians and other experts to problem-solve vaccination issues. Doug said, “It takes a little more care to get them started, but they’re just as good as any Montana calves you’d buy later on. They come in at a different size and, by February or March, they’ll be fat and gone. You get a little better market then.” Peg said upgrading cattle is something Doug and his dad were doing long before Doug and his son started buying from California and Virginia. She said they used to buy mismanaged cattle at the Sioux City Stockyards and other sale barns and made a profit by upgrading them. Gene said, “We bought what we called ‘last calf heifers.’ As long as they had a good bag and were pregnant and were cheap, we’d buy them. We’d get a calf out of them and sell them the next spring.” Doug said, “When we were first married, Peg and I drove a Dodge straight truck with an 18-foot box on it and pick up loads of feeder cattle at Sioux Center or Sioux City or Dunlap. I’d treat Peg right by taking her out to eat … at Dairy Queen or Bob’s Drive-in.” Peg is a native of Minnesota who recently retired as vice president of operations for a multinational company. Their daughter, Alexis, is a collegiate librarian at Dakota Wesleyan University.

The current 4-generation photo of Becker farmers: David holding Levi, Gene, Doug and Jackson.

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In addition to buying cattle from both coasts and Oklahoma, David said they’re also expanding their own cow-calf herd. “We’re doing more on the seedstock side of things, more replacement quality females.” Doug and David represent the fifth and sixth generations of the Becker family producing quality beef in Plymouth County. Swiss immigrant Fridolin Becker brought the family to Lincoln Township in 1868. Fridolin had been working as a drayman, hauling freight out of Galena, Ill. When the Indians started giving him too many problems on his shipping runs, he sold his mules in Denver and used that money to come to the Hinton area and homestead.

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being conscripted into the FrancoPrussian War in which their father had been killed. Nevertheless, Henry still saw military service – marching with Sherman’s army through Georgia to the sea during the Civil War where mud was his blanket and a rock his pillow.

Four generations of Beckers in the 1960s: Gene, Doug, Joseph and Raymond.

As a drayman, Fridolin’s skill with a whip was impressive. Doug said, “They said Fridolin could snap a fly off a horse’s ear or an oxen’s back with his bull whip.” Gene said, “It’s true. He taught my Grandpa Joe and he could do that with a bullsnake and snap his head right off. I’ve seen him do it. I remember when I was just a little guy and I had to drive the

team when they were filling the hay loader. Grandpa and Dad would be stacking the hay. I remember that because that’s where we’d find bull snakes. Grandpa would grab them and throw them up to me.”

Fridolin’s family lived off prairie chickens and catfish during their first year in Iowa. Their home was a simple shanty for several years and they herded cattle on open grassland. Even arriving in 1868, the Fridolin Becker clan wasn’t their first ancestor in the area. Fridolin’s youngest Combining the strength of a large company son, Joseph, born in 1874, married Christina with the agility of a small company. Schneider “whose mother was a Schmidt, who were one of the first families to settle north of Hinton; in fact, one of the first families to settle the Floyd River Valley. They showed up in the 1850s,” Doug said.

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Christina’s father, Henry Schneider, had moved to the area, along with his brothers and sister, because their mother wanted them to avoid

Gene remembers his father saying that Henry Schneider’s grandchildren would ride along with him in the wagon to town, hoping to get a piece of candy. “But he wouldn’t buy them candy, saying ‘I never spent a nickel foolishly in my life.’ He was the boss of two or three generations. Henry never spent a nickel unless it was on ground.” Henry accumulated more than 1,000 acres of land. Gene’s Grandpa Joe farmed northwest of Merrill. His father, Raymond, and he stayed near the Floyd River for many years. Gene and Grace moved to the original Fridolin Becker homestead in 1965. Gene remembered, “I was 15 when I first started planting. In 1946, Dad got rid of the horse planter and got a new planter to go behind the tractor. He had me drive the tractor and he walked behind to see how it was doing. He said ‘Well, it looks pretty good, you might as well keep going.’ And he never planted after that. I had a 30-day leave before I went to Korea and I even planted the corn that year. “When I got to be 80, I thought about the fact that it had been 65 years since I was 15. I missed planting one year when I was in Korea. So, to get to that full 65 years of planting, they put me on the tractor the year they got the 24-row planter. Doug said, ‘Get on here then, but don’t touch the darn computer.’” David said, “So Grandpa went from a 2-row planter to a 4-row to 8-row and finally to a 24-row planter. He worked all the way from the horse-drawn era up to

when the tractors just about drive themselves.” There were tough times growing up in the 1930s and 1940s, Gene said. After buying groceries, they were down to their last 50 cents in cash at one point. Another time, his father deposited cash after selling the fat cattle – and the next day the bank closed its doors, costing them a whole year’s income. Grace’s dad cut cottonwood lumber for the Beckers which they sold to pay the taxes on their land. But there were good times, too. Gene remembers riding ponies down to the Floyd River after chores were done. There were swarms of blue gills to fish for. In the winter, they’d spear carp when his cousins would visit at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Becker commitment to conservation goes back a long way. Raymond Becker was on the board of the Soil Conservation Service

Four generations of family farmers in the 1930s: Gene and Raymond Becker, Henry Schneider and Joseph Becker. Henry was Joe’s father-in-law.

and Gene was still a teenager in 1950 when his dad put in their first terraces. Doug said, “We’ve had every type of terrace . We’ve got miles of terraces. I may cuss farming around them, but I don’t have all the tile they have in Minnesota. Not long after Peg and I got married, we bought a farm and her folks came down and asked how the drainage was on it. And I said, ‘Real good,

we had to put terraces on it to hold the water.’” Today, they practice conservation tillage, do grid sampling, carefully manage fertility levels, and plant cover crops in the fall after corn chopping is done. Peg said David is also experimenting with improved pasture management. They are rehabbing the pasture, doing more

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Uncle Henry Becker breaking sod with a mule-drawn plow.

intensive rotational grazing, and succeeding in running more pounds of beef per acre. Peg identified two other ways the Becker men have kept the farm going successfully. The first is being cautious about equipment expense. David said, “Equipment like feed wagons and payloaders that we use heavy every day, we might buy new. But tractors and combines, we buy them when they’re 4-5 years old after they’ve taken massive

depreciation. But we can get a lot of years out of them. “Our shop is a multi-use shop. It’s not just a big, fancy shop to put new equipment in. We’ve got a nice shop – and we use it for everything from calving heifers in the back of it to rebuilding our combines and feed wagons and manure spreaders,” he said.

“I think the final one is the boys have all picked really good wives. I think maybe that should be at the top of the list.” Gene agreed, “I was on the elevator board for about 15 years. Those old guys on there would say ‘If they ever nominate a woman, I’m going to quit.’ And I thought to myself, ‘I’ve got two of them at home who are smarter than anyone in here.’”

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KEEPING LOCAL HISTORY ALIVE

HISTORIC QUARTZITE OUTCROPPINGS AND BUILDINGS Photos by Christian Begeman

Dells of the Sioux River

With the extremely dry conditions in the area this year, perhaps your harvest and other fall work is wrapping up early. Maybe this is the year you can find a little time for a tour of the fall scenery. A day trip you might consider is a loop to experience the historic trail of Sioux quartzite through Lyon County, Iowa; Rock and Pipestone County, Minn., and Minnehaha County, S.D. Sioux quartzite was formed from sand, silt, and shells deposited by shifting seas that advanced and

retreated over this land more than a billion and half years ago. Though commonly pink or red, the color varies over a wide range due to the presence of a thin film of iron oxide coating the grains of quartz. Next to diamond, it is the hardest known rock. Because of its durability, the crushed rock is shipped nationwide to be used in road building, as an additive for asphalt and concrete, and railroad track beds. In the late 1890′s and early 1900′s, the rock was used extensively to build ornate buildings.

Within the quartzite deposits are smaller layers of a dark red stone knows as pipestone or Catlinite. For centuries, Native Americans from many different tribes quarried the soft red stone at what it now Pipestone National Monument. They fashioned beautiful pipes and other ceremonial objects. Here’s a possible itinerary for a good loop tour which showcases Sioux quartzite natural outcroppings and historic buildings made of the stone:

A panoramic photo of Palisades State Park 24

The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | October 2020

1. Granite, Iowa: Gitchie Manitou is a 91-acre natural prairie preserve. It is noted for its ancient Native American burial mounds and pre-cambrian Sioux quartzite outcroppings. 2. Eastern Sioux Falls: Arrowhead Park – three historic quarries are now lakes in the park. The area is a haven for bird watching. Be sure to see the restored 1888 barn. 3. Garretson, S.D.: Palisades State Park – Sioux quartzite formations line Split Rock Creek and rise above the water into 50 foot cliffs in some places. Devil’s Gulch is where legend says Jesse James’ horse jumped this chasm. See Devil’s Falls and the Devil’s Stairway. 4. Jasper, Minn.: See the former Jasper High School; Bauman Hall; and John Rowe House.

Split Rock Creek Jesse James jump

5. Pipestone, Minn.: Pipestone National Monument offers an opportunity to explore American Indian culture and the natural resources of the tallgrass prairie. Also see the Pipestone County Museum building; 1884 Syndicate Block Shops; Calumet Inn; and Carnegie Library. 6. Luverne, Minn.: Blue Mounds State Park includes a Sioux quartzite cliff which rises 100 feet from the plains. A bison herd grazes on the prairie. Plant life includes native prairie grasses and flowers and prickly pear cactus. Also see the Lyon County Courthouse in Luverne. If this day-long loop tour is not enough for you, additional historic quartzite-related stops include: •

Central Sioux Falls: Falls Park; Old Courthouse Museum; Washington Pavilion; Pettigrew Home and Museum; former campus of South Dakota School for the Deaf; Carnegie Library; and South Dakota State Penitentiary.

•

Dell Rapids, S.D.: Quartzite formations reach as high as 40 feet above the Big Sioux River. Historic downtown includes a number of quartzite buildings including the 1888 Grand Opera House.

Sources www.visitgarretson.com/city/history/ www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sioux_Quartzite www.siouxquartzite.com/what-is-sioux-quartzite/ www.southeastsouthdakota.com/road-trips1/scenic-quartzite-trail/ www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gitchie_Manitou_State_Preserve www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/park.html?id=spk00121#information www.nationalparks.org/explore-parks/pipestone-national-monument Minnesota Historical Society

Old Courthouse Museum, Sioux Falls, SD

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HEALTH AND WELLNESS

‘PULL YOURSELF UP BY YOUR BOOTSTRAPS’ MENTALITY OFTEN HARMFUL TO FARMERS DURING TIMES LIKE THESE By Bob Fitch

Broken arm? Go to the emergency room. Bad cough and cold? See a family practice physician. Eye strain? See an optometrist or an ophthalmologist. Sinus issues? See an ear nose and throat physician. Good answers. Depressed, stressed, anxious, hopeless? Pull the shades and hide out in front of the TV; or drink an extra beer or two to numb reality; or re-start that tobacco habit you gave up years ago. Wrong answers. “It’s really tragic when drinking alcohol to cope is more acceptable versus coming to our clinic and talking to someone. It’s tragic that that feels safer,” said Hannah Buteyn, LMSW, a licensed master social worker who specializes in counseling for individuals, couples and families. She’s part of the behavior and mental health services team at Sioux Center Health. “People start to abuse substances because they don’t want to acknowledge or make other people aware of their mental health issues. So they start drinking more or taking other things. So they’re trying to treat themselves, but it doesn’t work,” said Jeanne Kleinhesselink, DNP, FNP, a board certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner and a board certified family nurse practitioner at Sioux Center Health. “There were a lot of jokes last spring when Covid started that people were drinking more, but now, if you look at the statistics, 26

Ashley Anderson, Jeanne Kleinhesselink, and Hannah Buteyn

they are drinking more alcohol. I think alcohol is more easily abused in rural areas than anything else because it’s legal.” “Another problem substance that people don’t really recognize is caffeine. When you have people who are tired all the time because they’re depressed, they drink an incredible amount of caffeine,” she said. More abuse of substances and more personal isolation are two of the most common symptoms seen when people are facing additional stress or ongoing depression. Right now, farmers are at great risk of becoming lost in depression or other mental health challenges. “My husband is a farmer and he talks to lots of people who are all experiencing the concerns of low prices and drought. For him, he finds it most helpful if he can have someone else to talk to. But one of the downfalls of farming is that it is a very individual activity,” Kleinhesselink said. “Farmers are very independent. There is a ‘pull yourself up by your bootstraps’ kind of mentality that’s really challenging

The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | October 2020

for us. We can provide resources, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to access them. “If people would reach out and use a positive coping mechanism versus a negative coping mechanism, they’d be better off in the long run,” she said. Buteyn said, “So much in farming is unknown or out of their control with the weather and markets, and that naturally produces stress. The Covid crisis has exacerbated or compounded the stress.” Kleinhesselink said because there are so many environmental things that are not under a farmer’s control, they sometimes try to control or manage other things – like their mental health – for which other people would normally seek professional help. Another member of the Sioux Center Health team, Ashley Anderson, LMSW, said there is an unfortunate perceived stigma of weakness if someone seeks help with issues of depression or anxiety. Buteyn said it’s hard for anyone, regardless of their occupation

or life situation, to take that first step to ask for help. “It is hard to be vulnerable to talk to someone when you’re struggling. But it does becomes easier as you do it. The other thing I keep telling people is, when things are hard or difficult, it doesn’t mean you’re failing or that you’re doing it wrong. It just means, objectively, that you’re going through a very hard time.” How do you convince a very independent-minded farmer that it’s ok to ask for help? Kleinhesselink said it’s always extremely helpful to have support from community organizations or at any public event where people gather. Buteyn said, “If the church can be a place of encouragement reminding folks that we have counselors in our area, coming from the church body that would have great weight. If pastors would say ‘Hey, we in the church think this is

good and we encourage you to seek out support.’ Sometimes mental health support and the church can be seen as opposing each other, but the more and more we can bring that together and integrate, that will help get across the message that this is ok.” As an example, Kleinhesselink praised the Maurice Reformed Church and Seasons Center for Behavioral Health who have sponsored a suicide awareness walk for several years. “I really think that has helped make mental health issues less stigmatized, which is really the answer.” Sioux Center Health was a sponsor of the walk which was Sept. 12 at Children’s Park in Sioux Center. Proceeds benefit Camp Autumn. When Sioux Center Health opened its new hospital and clinic facility, the organization purposely created the same waiting room for all

patients. “So if you’re in our waiting room, no one knows if you’re waiting to see your family practice physician or one of us. So if you come to see us, it’s not like you have big sign on your head saying ‘Oh, I’m here to see mental health people.’ People who are anxious or hurting already feel isolated, and the unfortunate stigma of seeing a mental health professional can make them feel more isolated,” Kleinhesselink said. She said if you suspect a friend or family member is struggling, you should be talking to them and not avoiding them. “If your friend doesn’t want to talk to you and is isolating themselves, that’s a warning sign. That tells me things are not going well. And then maybe you need to talk to their partner in business or their spouse, ‘Hey, I noticed Joe doesn’t want to do these things anymore. How do you think things are going?’” Anderson added

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that a loss of energy or losing interest in activities a person normally enjoys are also warning signs. The Sioux Center Health behavioral and mental health team recommended asking questions such as: How are you doing? Have you thought about hurting yourself? Have you thought about killing yourself? “People are hesitant to ask those questions because they think they might be putting that thought in others’ minds. You’re not going to plant that seed – they may already be thinking it,” Kleinhesselink said. Buteyn said. “Look for physical symptoms. Does it seem like they’re not eating very well or not sleeping very well? That may tell you that this has been going on more than just a bad day or a bad week. Ask good questions and listen. Say ‘me too’ when you can. A connecting conversation like that can have so much impact for someone.” “A lot of times we ask if people are having hopelessness,” Kleinhesselink said. “Hopelessness is really hard to define. I tell my patients it’s like being stuck in a dark place. If you’re stuck, you need to find somebody to help you get out of that place. People sometimes won’t refer to hopelessness, but will say ‘I just feel overwhelmed. When I get home, I just sit down and can’t do anything else the rest of the night.’ Well, that’s being hopeless.”

Taking the first step towards seeking help for mental health is vital. The first step may not be the same for everyone, so here are resource choices the Sioux Center Health Team suggests: • Sioux Center Health Behavioral and Mental Health appointments. 712-722-8222. • Avera / Sioux Center Health Farm and Rural Stress Hotline. 1-800-691-4336. The hotline is a free and confidential service. Trained counselors can help you navigate these difficult times. • ISU Extension and Outreach “Iowa Concern.” Talk to stress counselors over the phone or by email. 1-800-447-1985. caringexpert@iastate.edu. • National Alliance of Mental Illness Northwest Iowa support group meets in Sioux Center on the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at Central Reformed Church. 712-357-5428. namiofnwia@gmail.com. The Sioux Center Health team noted that they’ve had patients attend this group and found it very warm and inviting. • National Alliance of Mental Illness. 1-800-950-NAMI. In a crisis, text “NAMI” TO 741741. • Visit your family physician. At least once per year, most family physicians have their patients complete a PHQ9 form that screens for depression. Anderson said, “Our providers are very analytical looking at the whole picture. They will look at symptoms like anxiety or headaches or stomach problems, and if there’s no medical evidence to back up there’s something physical going on, they will recognize mental illness factors may be at play.” • Iowa Farm Bureau list of resources to cope with farm and rural stress: www.iowafarmbureau.com/Stress-Mental-Health-Resources. • YouTube videos. Search “mindfulness” or “meditation.” • Books to read: – The Body Keeps The Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk – Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Made Simple by Seth J. Gillihan – This Too Shall Pass by Julia Samuel – This is Depression by Dr. Diane McIntosh

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FROM THE KITCHEN

PORK TENDERLOIN

WITH CHIPOTLE-MAPLE MOP In honor of local pork producers and in celebration of National Pork Month, here’s a recipe from www.foodnetwork.com.

INGREDIENTS: Pork: • 2 teaspoons ground coriander • 1 teaspoon garlic powder • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger • 2 pork tenderloins, each about 12 ounces, silver skin removed • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil • Kosher salt • Freshly ground black pepper Sauce: • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar • 2 teaspoons chipotle chile hot sauce • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS: 1. Position a rack closest to the broiler and preheat to high. Combine the coriander, garlic powder, and ginger. Brush the tenderloins with the oil and rub all over with spices. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Lay the pork on a small shallow pan and broil until golden, turning once, about 5 minutes per side. (An instant-read thermometer should register 130 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat.) 2. Meanwhile, for the sauce: Whisk the syrup, vinegar, hot sauce, and salt together in a small bowl. Set about half the sauce aside. Generously brush the tenderloins all over with the remaining sauce. Return to the broiler and cook, turning once, until a deep rich brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set meat aside for 5 minutes to rest before slicing. Serve with reserved sauce for drizzling over the meat. 3. Lay the tenderloin on your work surface and slip a sharp knife under the surface of the silver skin. Keeping your knife flat against the meat, make your first cut by slicing away from you and toward the end of the tenderloin. 4. Lift the unattached portion of the silver skin up and place your knife at the point where the skin meets the tenderloin. Slice to separate. 5. Continue moving down the length of the tenderloin, pulling and slicing until the silver skin is completely removed. Cook’s Note: Be sure to remove the silver skin before cooking the tenderloin; otherwise, the meat will curl. 30

The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | October 2020

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