The Farming Families IA - March 2024

WORKING HARD AND HAVING FUN AS A FAMILY

By Bob Fitch

Farming comes first at the James and Ruth Ackerman farm, but their family also finds time for fun.

They’ve spent their entire lives farming in Lyon County. James grew up farming with his parents on the Ackerman farm, which is northeast of George. Ruth helped out on her parents’ farm about seven miles north. In addition to the farm, she was the secretary at George Little Rock Schools for 17 years and is a seasonal worker at Cooperative Farmers Elevator in George.

Growing up, the pair didn’t know each other because she went to Little Rock High School and he went to George High School. They met when she was helping her father install a grain bin on the Ackerman farm in the summer of 1979.

While he was shy, James found the nerve to talk to her. He joked about how long ago that was: “I had to climb to the top of the pole to get the phone and then get everyone off the party line to call her.”

James milked cows through high school and continued when they got married, but gave up the dairy in 1991. They also had a farrow-to-finish hog operation until 1998, but left that behind when the market went down to seven cents. Along with corn and soybeans, Ruth said they’ve consistently had stock cows, starting with Herefords, then going to Black Angus and Charolais.

The Ackerman farm family. Adults: Abbie, Bill, James, Ruth, Rachel and Dustin. Kids: Owen, Jake, Cale and Wade.

GROWING THE COW-CALF HERD

When their son, Dustin, came back to the farm after graduating from South Dakota State University, cowcalf pairs were his biggest interest. “So we've grown on that side a little bit,” Dustin said. “Then we switched to using Charolais bulls. Now we run some purebred Charolais and some regular stock cows. With the Charolais, our calves weigh more than they used to. That's more of my personal preference.”

During the past 15 years, they’ve torn down old buildings and built cattle yards. “We do a lot of feeding of our own, plus we buy light feeder calves to background them to about 1,000 pounds,” said Dustin. “The last couple of years, we've been hooked in with a group of guys who have been bringing calves down and we've been custom feeding them. It's been working pretty good for us and I think it's been working pretty good for them, too.” In addition to the cattle, he owns a hog barn, plus helps the parents of his wife, Rachel, with chores and loading at the hog barns they own. Rachel has been on hiatus from hog duties while she’s been pregnant the past nine months.

Over the years, the family has had a game of musical chairs living on

the farm’s two home sites located on the blacktop highway. In 2016, James and Ruth built a home just a short drive west on the nearest gravel road. The site originally belonged to his great grandfather. Their move coincided with Dustin graduating from SDSU and coming back to farm.

James and Ruth’s son, Bill, is an integral part of the farm operation, frequently filling in the gaps by

The home site of James and Ruth Ackerman along the Little Rock River. RiverView Barn is near the center of the photo. The main farm site is nearby on County Road L20.

helping in the field and working the cattle. Bill has worked fulltime at Sudenga Industries in George for 20 years. He manages the shipping department.

FAMILY DOCTORS

James described two of their daughters-in-law as the “family doctors.” Dustin’s wife, Rachel, is a graduate of Morningside College and is a nurse practitioner at Sanford in Sheldon. Her parents are Jason and Karen Van Briesen, who live just a few miles away. Rachel and Dustin have a son, Wade, 2, and are expecting a baby in March.

Bill’s wife, Abbie, graduated from Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon and is a nurse at Avera Hospital in Rock Rapids. She grew up in the western South Dakota town of Winner. Abbie and Bill have three sons, Owen 15, Cale 12, and Jake, 7, all of whom attend George Little Rock Schools. James also noted that it’s “pretty cool” that Abbie has been the Lyon County coroner the last three years. The family likes having a real-life CSI (crime scene investigator) in the family.

Owen and Cale both appreciate the help provided by Uncle Dustin with their 4-H calves. Owen also has an increasing role in the farm work. Abbie was singled out as being the best at rounding up cattle, even though she didn’t grow up on the farm. “I turned farm girl real quick,” she said. Ruth remembered a time when the cattle got out of the pasture when the guys were gone on a fishing trip. She, Abbie and Rachel “ended up down in the river in our swimming suits trying to chase those cattle.”

James and Ruth have two other children. Their son, Jared, and his wife, Jenny, live in Sioux Center. He is the principal of the Intermediate School and director of Little Warrior Preschool in the Sioux Center School District. Jenny is a native of Walnut Grove, Minnesota, and has a managerial role at Staples in Orange City. They have three boys, Bryson and Jaydon, both 9, and Caysen, 6. Their daughter, Jayna, is a dental assistant at East Ridge Dental in Sioux Falls. Her husband, Joe Backus, is in sales at Piedmont Plastics. They have one daughter, Brystal, 5, and two sons, Boston,

Bill and Abbie Ackerman with their sons, Owen, Jake and Cale.

The annual bean bag tournament at RiverView Barn.

The George High School class of 1973 met at RiverView Barn last year.

Rachel and Dustin Ackerman with their son, Wade. Photos by Kim Terhark.

7, and Smith 1½. Jayna and Joe are expecting twins in July.

James said, “Our kids have all got good jobs and we’re quite proud of them.” Ruth added, “All our grandkids love to come and help Grandpa on the farm.”

ADDING FUN TO THE FARM’S DIVERSITY

The barn on the James and Ruth Ackerman farm sits cold and quiet in the winter. But in the summertime, the scene northeast of George can be like a cross between “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight” and “All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down,” two old songs by Hank Williams Jr.

James and Ruth didn’t have a party after their wedding. So, according to Dustin, “When Mom and Dad had their 30th wedding anniversary (in 2011), they had their party. We cleaned out the barn and we built a deck on it. They had a barn dance and a good time was had by all. From there, it piqued other people's interest.” So was born RiverView

Barn, a pub overlooking the Little Rock River and their cattle pasture.

From May to October, Ackermans serve their neighbors a friendly beer.

James joked: “We used to have friends who came out here to drink for free, now we charge them.”

After the remodeling of the barn’s loft and the addition of a deck for the anniversary party, they fixed up the barn’s main floor, installed a bar and restrooms, and added a second deck overlooking the river. Ruth described RiverView Barn as an enhanced diversification of the farm … corn, soybeans, cattle, a bar, weddings, graduations, fundraisers, family and class reunions, a beanbag tournament and birthday parties.

Jayna and Joe were the first couple to get married there. Rachel and Dustin also had their wedding at RiverView. The family welcomes six to nine weddings each summer, plus the aforementioned gatherings of various groups. It’s open as a bar from 6-10 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings beginning in May until the weather gets too

chilly in October. The RiverView Barn Facebook page alerts locals to when it is closed for private events.

Turning a barn into a commercial establishment isn’t a simple thing. Besides the remodeling and deck building, they also had to install permanent bathroom facilities and get a variety of licenses, among many other details. Several years later, when they added a new machine shed for their farm equipment, they decided to use it for events, too. “As soon as the snow melts, Mom is pushing us to get the machinery out of there so she can start getting ready for the other events,” said Dustin. “We like to work hard and we like to have fun. Everything we've done, we've done as a family. There are a lot of crazy ideas, but we help each other make them come true. It’s been just like farming: We started small and continue to grow,” he said.

Rachel said the barn embodies the spirit of Grandpa Jay Ackerman who used to say, “We may not have a lot of money, but we always have a lot of fun!”

The Ackerman family in summer 2023. Far right: Jared and Jenny Ackerman with their three sons, Bryson, Jaydon (standing) and Caysen. Left center: Bill and Abbie Ackerman with their sons, Cale and Jake (standing) and Owen (seated on ground). Center, Ruth and James Ackerman. Right center: Jayna and Joe Backus with their children, Boston (standing next to James), and Smith and Brystal (seated). Jayna and Joe are expecting twins in July. Far right: Rachel and Dustin Ackerman with their son, Wade. They are expecting another child in March. Photo by Kim Terhark.

A LIFE-CHANGING CAMP EXPERIENCE

“Camps are the perfect place for kids to seriously think about their faith. It’s away from everybody they know. A lot of kids accept Christ for the first time at camp. We’re always excited when that happens,” said Pastor Corilee Boer, who serves United Christian Church of Rock Rapids. She and her husband Jason are the long-time volunteer directors of Destiny Youth Ranch. Jason owns Boer Insurance Agency of Alvord. Corilee said working with horses helps to promote healing for kids who have been in difficult situations. Author Kim Meeder, author of Hope Rising, says horses and children can navigate a minefield of a broken child’s soul in a dance of trust that only God can understand.

According to Jason, “Some kids have been bullied while others have experienced a different traumatic situation. But when they get here, the horses will just accept the kids without question. The horse will come right up to a child. The kids just love it. Our volunteer mentors also accept each child without question.”

“The kids come for the horses, but once they’re here we can talk to them about ‘Do you know Jesus?’” he said. Corilee added that the ministry is non-denominational and leaders stay focused on keeping the faith story really basic. “Some of the kids know nothing about Jesus before they come here.”

Camps for youth are held each summer. There are also women’s retreats, mother-daughter retreats and family retreats throughout the year. Typically, a day consists of worship time, teaching and speakers, crafts, games, campfires, and, of course, time with the horse with which they are paired. Four overnight youth camps are planned for summer 2024. Registration fees are extraordinarily less expensive than similar camps. The standard registration fee is $175. If you have a child interested in camping, want to sponsor a camper, volunteer your time, donate hay, or make a donation, see www.destinyyouthranch.com or call 605-553-7422

WOMEN IN AG CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON ‘ENGAGING MINDS, IGNITING CONVERSATIONS’

The Women in Ag Conference, sponsored by Farm Credit Services of America, is in its ninth year. The conference aims to inspire, educate, entertain, and provide opportunities to connect with women from across the region. More than 225 agricultural producers attended in 2023.

The 2024 conference explores the power of communication with family, friends, and communities for improved productivity and happiness in all facets of women’s lives in agriculture.

The conference will be at Grand Falls Casino and Resort in Larchwood, Iowa on Friday, March 22nd from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. New this

Our Agronomists work alongside you to help you get the most from each acre.

year is a post-conference social hour, sponsored by AgDirect, where attendees can spend time networking and building connections. Attendees will enjoy an informative presentation by keynote speaker Elaine Froese, award-winning certified coach and author. Her superpower is helping families find harmony through understanding and her expertise is discussing the Undiscussabull™ – the bull in the middle of the farm family that no one wants to talk about. Froese will be sharing simple, practical, and actionable tools that producers can take back to their operations and start courageous conversations to address conflict.

Additional breakout sessions will include:

• Building Your Annual Financials

• Finding Balance

• Words Matter!

• Igniting Conversations Around Farm and Ranch Financials

• Discovering the Root of your Back Story: Prevention and Understanding of Back Injuries

• Improve Conflict Dynamics for Better Risk Management

Seating is limited for this free event, and registration ends March 15. To view more details and register, visit fcsamerica.com/womeninag

BALD EAGLE AND ITS PREY PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN BEGEMAN

A FARM KID’S LOVE FOR GOING FAST LEADS TO A CAREER IN COLLECTOR CARS

By Bob Fitch

Visiting Larry’s Auto in Merrill is like traveling through time on the roads and highways of America from the 1950s to the 1970s, the post-World War II era when the automobile became king of the country and everyone was on the move.

Larry Molzen grew up on the Akron area farm of his parents, Leonard and Ella Molzen. On top of farming, his dad had a mechanic and welding shop to fix trucks, tractors and equipment for their neighbors. “I just grew up around the repair type of thing,” said Larry. “Buying something new didn’t mean that much to Dad. I don’t think he bought a new car or a new tractor in his life. He liked to make something out of nothing.”

Larry followed in his father’s footsteps, farming and doing repair work. He eventually stepped away

from day-to-day farming to start a repair shop in Le Mars which focused on hot rods, Corvettes and motorcycle repair. He had a love for fast cars and so owned several new muscle cars in the ’60s. He also raced stock cars and sprint cars in the 1960s and ‘70s. Unfortunately, his Le Mars shop burned to the ground in 1969. He briefly returned to farming full-time, but soon opened a shop on the farm focused on repair of trucks and tractors and also hot rods and race cars.

His wife, Sharon, made him give up racing after a particular nasty

Larry and Sharon Molzen with a small portion of Sharon’s Coca-Cola collection at Larry’s Auto in Merrill.

crash put him in intensive care. Larry turned more attention to selling used cars in addition to the mechanic work. In 1981, they sold the service and repair part of their business to Jerry Schlichte, who had been an employee. Then Larry and Sharon re-located and opened a late model used car and truck dealership on busy Highway 75.

TRANSITIONING TO THE COLLECTOR CAR MARKET

Larry’s Auto successfully grew to the point that it was selling 200-300 used cars (wholesale and retail) every year. Their son, Tim, joined them in the business. About 20 years ago, they began spending more time specializing in the buying and selling of “collector cars” or “classic cars.”

Larry and Tim buy collector cars typically from the 1950s to 1990s, and re-sell them to people who are likely looking for that certain special automobile. The internet is an incredible marketing tool for Larry’s Auto as it sells muscle cars, hot rods, Corvettes and other classics nationwide. Older pickup trucks are also selling strong now. They recently built a 6,000-square-foot showroom, plus own two other commercial buildings in Merrill. Besides doing direct sales, they also sell some of their very best cars via two internationallyrecognized collector car auctions: Mecum Auctions of Wisconsin and Barrett Jackson Auction Co. of Scottsdale, Arizona. Larry’s Auto sold four cars at the Barrett Jackson Auction in January.

Monti, Willie and Tim Molzen. In addition to being a showroom for their collector cars, Larry’s Auto is a virtual museum of American memorabilia.

Back in the day when some farmers were still planting corn in a “check” pattern, Leonard Molzen fashioned an attachment for the front of his tractor to use when doing the second crosscultivation. This attachment would knock down the ridge formed by the first cultivation, thus smoothing out the ride when going back over the field at 90 degrees from the first pass.

The company has received several national awards for cars they have built, restored, owned and shown. Most of the custom work or restoration necessary on the vehicles they’re going to sell is done by Jeff Rolling of Classic Auto in Kingsley.

One car Larry was fortunate to purchase and is in no hurry to sell is a 1981 Chevrolet Camaro Z28. The original buyer was restaurant owner Ken Kobold of Harlan, Iowa, who purchased the car to take his wife and kids for rides in the summer. However, “the weather was never nice enough” to drive the car. The Kobolds saved it for their retirement, but Ken’s health declined. From day one, the car was stored in a heated and airconditioned garage. It has 53 actual miles on it, virtually like it just arrived from the factory.

MORE THAN JUST COLLECTOR CARS

All three of their buildings in the Merrill commercial district feature a plethora of memorabilia that would be the envy of many collectors. Larry started collecting business and other commercial signs before they were really valuable. He had so many signs and other “old stuff” at the farm and other places, “We put it up here in the showroom and it’s just evolved from there.” Sometimes he’ll purchase a large collection of memorabilia, pull out of it what he wants and then re-sell the rest on auction.

Here's an abbreviated list of their many antique treasures, classic memorabilia and other collectibles:

• Signs and more signs: Grapette Soda, Hamm’s Beer, Lite Beer, 7UP, D-X gas station, Marlboro cigarettes, a yellow stop sign, neon Bear Wheel Alinement Balancing Service, neon red flying horse from Mobil Oil, Chevy cars, Farmall, and many more.

A sampling of the hubcap wall in the man-cave at Larry’s Auto in Merrill. Larry’s grandson, Willie, spent a good share of the Covid isolation period cleaning out the lower level of the showroom, then polishing the vast collection of hubcaps.

Larry’s dad used to hold an old-style threshing bee at his farm in the summer. This water color was painted by Glenda Drennen and shows Ralph Gable, Ken Frerichs and Leonard Molzen.

712.546.4127

• Vintage gas pumps from brands such as Phillips 66, Texaco, Polly Gas and Red Crown.

• Two Farmall tractors owned by his dad.

• Marilyn Monroe posters.

• Grocery store pony rides for kids.

• Drive-in movie theatre neon sign, car speakers and posters.

• A soapbox derby car reminiscent of the one his sons wrecked when they were kids.

• A 1940s era Whizzer-brand motorized bicycle, pulled from an old man’s junk pile, restored at a steep price and now worth probably double that steep price.

• Anything and everything Coca Cola. Sharon has collected rare antiques and current items and everything in between.

When Covid hit, Tim’s son, Willie, was looking for work. So Grandpa gave him the job of emptying the lower level of their showroom building, which previously was a plumbing shop. The “dungeon” was filled with tons of plumbing parts and other junk. Once the basement was empty, Willie went to work polishing dozens of hubcaps to display in the basement “man cave.”

The Molzen family showcases their extensive collection when the classic car show comes to Merrill in July or August each year, plus have hosted class reunions and other private events.

One of Larry Molzen’s treasures is a 1981 Camaro Z28 with only 53 actual miles on it. It was stored in a climate-controlled garage for years, so it is in pristine condition. In the background is a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396.

THE MOLZEN FAMILY

Larry graduated from Le Mars High School and is a fourth generation member of St. John Lutheran Church of rural Akron. His great grandparents were founding members of the church. Sharon is a native of Hudson, South Dakota. They met in North Sioux City and were married in 1965.

Tim and his wife, Monti, have one son, Willie, who is a sophomore at Lawson Bronton High School. Monti is the information technology manager at Winnebago Comprehensive Health System. Their other son, Mike, is a partner in the firm LattaHarris LLP CPAs and Consultants. His wife, Katie, is a paralegal with the law firm Hayek, Moreland & Bergus LLP. They live in Iowa City.

More scenes from the American roadway … an original drive-in neon sign, car speakers and poster; and a Sinclair dinosaur, oil cans and related memorabilia.

A CHARMED CHILDHOOD GROWING UP IN THE FIFTIES

By Bob Fitch

Life often looks better in the rearview mirror. For Americans who grew up in the 1950s, it’s especially easy to remember their childhood memories through rose-colored glasses. After the Korean War ended, the decade was known for peace and prosperity. The U.S. was the world’s breadbasket and had a rapidly rising industrial sector.

The quality of life enjoyed by many Americans in the ‘50s was multiplied if you lived in a small town. “You could go places and do things without worry,” said Mary Truesdell Johnson, who has lived in Hawarden all but two of her 85 years. “Every Saturday night, the stores were open. Farmers would come into town to buy their groceries and they’d leave them sitting in the store until it closed up for the night. People would go to the movie theatre or just walk around downtown and enjoy a bag of popcorn. The elderly people went down early to find a spot on main street and sit there watching the people.” There used to be a roller rink where Dollar General is now. After that closed, roller skating moved to the old City Hall. In the summertime of the late 1940s and early 1950s, there was an outdoor roller rink under a tent. Trail riding in the summer and The Saddle Club were among Mary’s favorite pastimes.

Mary is one of Hawarden’s resident historians, willing and able to tell stories about the people and events of the past eight decades (plus stories from before her time). She’s the daughter of the late Rex and Elvina Truesdell. Rex sold fuel oil to area farmers, had a full service gas station, transported livestock to the Sioux City Stockyards, and

Rex Truesdell, along with his dog Jenny, delivered fuel to area farms for decades. Truesdell Oil is today owned by his great-grandson, Ryan Noble, and operated by his grandson-in-law, Dean Noble. This year marks the company’s 90th anniversary.

operated the local Ford dealership. Mary frequently rode with her dad, delivering fuel or livestock.

Rex Truesdell purchased Hawarden’s Ford dealership in 1950. Mary remembered, “I figured I had a pretty charmed childhood because my dad was in the Ford business. I was a teenager when the first Thunderbird came out.” She was in her mid-20s when the original Bronco and Mustang were introduced. “I was very lucky to drive classics like those.” (Her everyday car during high school was a 1932 Ford.) In 1954, her father built a new garage and dealership at the site of what is now a bakery. He and his mechanics did much of the construction themselves on the tile structure.

GROWING UP THE HARD WAY

Although Rex was a prominent citizen in Hawarden for much of his life, he grew up the hard way. He didn’t graduate from

high school until he was 21 because he had to take time off from school every spring to work with his father graveling roads in South Dakota. According to Mary, “I always gave Dad credit because he kept coming back to finish school.”

Her maternal grandfather, Stewart Harker, also had a hard-knock life. He was an orphan. When he went to pharmacy school at Drake, he wanted to pass his exams as quickly as possible because money was precious. So he studied at night, hid -

son, worked for his father-in-law at Truesdell Oil. In the mid-1970s, Jules and Mary established the Quick Corner convenience store in place of her father’s previous service station. Civic and community involvement were important values for those who grew up in the 1950s and Jules carried those values forward in his life. He served on the city council and as mayor of Hawarden. He was one of the first members of the Hawarden Ambulance crew and was a volunteer fire fighter, plus participated in many civic organizations.

Mary and Jules sold Quick Corner in 2015. The Truesdell and Johnson families owned the building at the corner of Highway 10 and Avenue I from 1934 to 2015. However, Truesdell Oil is still in the family: Her son-in-law, Dean Noble, handles day-to-day operations, and her grandson, Ryan Noble, owns the corporation. Mary still does the

Alfalfa Seed

Mary Johnson’s uncle, Bill Harker (on the left), and her mother, Elvina Johnson (third woman from the right), operated Harker Drug Store in downtown Hawarden from the mid-1930s until the mid-1950s.

bookkeeping. Her granddaughter-in-law, Ashley Noble, owns Showroom Sweets bakery in the former car dealership building.

QUIRKY SMALL TOWN CHARACTERS

Some things never change. “One thing that’s fun about living in small town is you know the people and you know their quirks. You put up with them if they deserve it; or, if they don't, you ignore them,” said Mary. She remembers a couple of Hawarden locals in the ‘50s who regularly rummaged through the dump. One was spotted walking down the road wearing a worn-out Truesdell Ford uniform that had been thrown away.

In those days, the night cop in Hawarden was Joe McMurray, who rode his horse throughout the town, checking business doors in the town’s back alleys. Rumor had it one couple operating a café downtown would go to the sale barn café to retrieve the used coffee grounds and recycle them back at their own café.

Andy’s Barber Shop was down the steps outside of what is now Booth Drug and there was a hobo camp by the train tracks. The Flynn brothers and other friends played army games up and down Dry Creek all summer long – it was called The Spike Club in honor of their dog. Backyard baseball games were treated like Major League expositions. In the fall, hazing was feared by the freshmen of Hawarden High School. Back in the day, there weren’t 10 snow days. Instead, many farm kids stayed in town with grandparents or other relatives when the weather was threatening.

Mary said her dad thought it was important to get away on a trip every summer. In quintessential 1950’s togetherness, “We always went with a carload. We took the old guy that worked at the station, my grandma and my cousin. My dad always said, ‘No sense driving a car with an empty seat in it.’”

High school sweethearts Jules Johnson and Mary Truesdell in 1955 or 1956.

Hawarden police officer Joe McMurray on the horse he used for the evening patrol.

Mary Truesdell Johnson in her Hawarden home in 2024.

From

baby

in 2024

FROM THE KITCHEN

IRISH BEEF AND BEER STEW

From the Iowa Beef Industry Council

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds beef Chuck Roast, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 onion, diced

1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1-12 ounce can dark beer

1 parsnip, diced

1 turnip, diced

1 pound red-skinned potatoes, diced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

3 cups beef stock

DIRECTIONS:

1. Season beef Chuck Roast cubes with salt and black pepper to taste. Heat oil in a large stockpot over high heat. Sear cubes until brown, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove cubes from pan and set aside.

2. Turn heat down to medium; add onions, mushrooms, and garlic to the pot and cook until lightly browned, about 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Pour beer into the pot and stir, scraping up and dissolving any browned bits of food into the liquid. Stir in tomato paste, thyme, turnips, parsnips, potatoes, salt and pepper. Add back in beef cubes and add enough beef broth to cover all ingredients, about 3 cups.

4. Bring stew to a gentle simmer, stirring to combine; reduce heat to low and cover pot. Simmer stew until beef is fork-tender, about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

5. Remove cover and raise heat to medium-high. Bring stew to a low boil and cook until stew has slightly thickened, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley, if desired.