POSTAL CUSTOMER
Volume IV, Issue 2
PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit #36 OMAHA, NE
February 2010
Sprouting industry Shelby County historical home to 18 seed corn companies by Emma Struve Western Iowa’s seed company boom years were documented in 2004 by an Earling farmer, passionate about area heritage and technological innovations in corn production. It all started with Steve Kenkel’s Oliver Row Crop 66. “The very first thing I did was this tractor, I restored it. It was my grandfather’s,” he stated. Kenkel said that after the tractor was restored, he thought he should have an implement to pull behind it during parades. He then restored a 1935 Oliver two-row, wire-check corn planter that belonged to his father. During the project, Kenkel discovered several old, cloth seed sacks – three of which were from Shelby County seed companies. He was struck by the inspiration to acquire all the seed corn sacks he could from Shelby County. The process included going door-to-door inquiring about the relics on the advice of another seed memorabilia aficionado, Curtis Norskog,
Timeline of hybrid corn pioneers in Shelby County Steve Kenkel knew there were many seed corn companies in Shelby County when he started research for “The Hybrid Corn Pioneers,” a book published in 2004. When he was finished, Kenkel discovered, investigated and documented 18 different companies. Most were started between 1935 and 1940. During his search for information, Kenkel amassed one of the largest collections of cloth seed
corn sacks in the United States, which includes at least one example from each of the Shelby County seed companies. For information about how to purchase “The Hybrid Corn Pioneers” – a publication replete with historical documentation and photographs of
264 ACRES in LAND AUCTIONS on MARCH 1, 2010 167 Acres m/l; HARRISON CO. MONDAY, MARCH 1 - 10 am Anthony (Tony) & Virginia Smith, Owners Sale at Shadow Valley Golf Club, Woodbine, IA
97 Acres m/l; HARRISON CO. MONDAY, MARCH 1 - 10:30 am Thordsen Bro - Richard & Ronald Thorsden, Owners Sale at Shadow Valley Golf Club, Woodbine, IA
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from Willmar, Minnesota who pointed out that most small seed companies distributed their products within a small radius, sometimes within five miles of the original location of the company. While traveling around the county, sometimes accompanied by his kids, he was referred from family to family and eventually amassed enough information, sacks and photographs to put together a book, “The Hybrid Corn Pioneers,” originally printed in 2004. In an effort to preserve the history of seed corn production, Kenkel has purchased or been given and then restored a varied collection of implements and tools, which he presents at an open house field day in August at his farm, at fairs and other venues. Kenkel said about some of the people who have contributed to the collection, “They’re getting to the point in time where they want to get rid of some of it. They see that I’m taking the stuff and not just trying to make a fast buck but I’m sharing it with people and I restore it. They like that.” The collection includes: • Check planters as well as reels of check wire and rope • Hand-drop seed planters • “Single row planters” • More than 900 cloth sacks • Mechanized and hand crank seed corn shellers • Seed sorting and grading devices • Seed drying racks of at least 20 different permutations When Kenkel has finished restoring the machinery it is in working condition and he uses it in small demonstration plots on his farm where he grows and propagates examples from “300 years of Continued on Page 8
Increasing flexibility of ethanol co-product as animal feed is focus of ISU research . . . . . . . . . . .Page 4
Iowa Beef Expo . . . . . . . . . . .Page 9
The Farmer’s Wife . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Futures Market Commentary . .23 Classified Advertising . . . . . . . . .34
PROPERTY FOR SALE ACREAGE: 830 St., F16, Denison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$185,000 ACREAGE: 1572 Pike Trail, Woodbine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$123,900 3 BR HOME: 1107 Court St., Dunlap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$50,900 RANCH STYLE HOME: 903 Court St., Dunlap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$75,500
HOME AUCTION: Sat., March 6 - 10:00 am at 103 3rd St., Persia, IA SMITH LIFE ESTATE Jesse A. & Gaylan B. Smith, owners RANDY PRYOR, Brokers & Auctioneer SWAIN REALTY Cell: (712) 644-7160 Office: 647-2741 428 Walker St., Woodbine, IA 51579 1-IFR(Feb IFR Pryor Auction)PSJ