The Farming Families of Lyon County - Nov 2021

November 2021 | www.AgeMedia.pub

Faith / Family / Friends / Farming

Meet the

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Story on page 20.

of Lyon 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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November 2021 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine

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PLYMOUTH COUNTY FAMILY

40 YEARS OF SERVING FARMERS

By Bob Fitch

Lorriane and Joel De Jong of Le Mars.

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The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | November 2021

Many crop farmers in northwest Iowa might say if you opened up the dictionary to the definition of “Extension field agronomist” you’d see a photo of Joel De Jong.

Joel De Jong just marked his 40th anniversary of working for the Iowa State University Extension Service. “Forty years is a long time, but it doesn’t seem like 40 years. You know, we all have good days and bad days, but the good ones far outnumbere the bad ones,” he said.

Until he was a sophomore in high school, Joel grew up on a diversified farm about three miles east of Maurice. The De Jong farm had a little bit of everything … a few dairy cows, a few sows, and occasionally some cattle to feed; plus corn, soybeans, alfalfa and oats. “My dad was older when I was born, as was my mother. I was the youngest of six kids and I was 20 years younger than my oldest brother, and even seven years younger than my youngest brother.”

His parents sold the farm and retired while he was in high school. All of his older siblings were already off the farm, his oldest brother as a pastor, the other siblings as teachers. “If I wanted to stay in agriculture, I was going to have to find my own niche and that’s what I did.”

Joel graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in ag business. He did a short-term internship at a bank and figured out he didn’t want to be an ag lender. After graduation, he went to work for Farmers Hybrid, but sales wasn’t his calling either.

A friend encouraged him to apply for a position in the Extension Service. He landed the director position at Adair County in southwest Iowa in 1981. He was there about three years, but wanted to be closer to home when his dad’s health began to fail. The family moved to Sergeant Bluff and Joel went to work at ISU’s Woodbury County Extension office.

The license plate on Joel De Jong’s pickup.

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While he was located in Woodbury County, the Extension Service was reorganized in 1992. “That was the best thing that ever happened to me. I was the director in Woodbury County, managing a fairly large staff. I wasn’t finding great joy in managing staff. The reorganization gave me the chance to move into a field agronomist position. That was a way better fit.”

The De Jong family re-located to Le Mars and Joel re-located to the Plymouth County Extension office.

He is the Extension field agronomist for nine counties in northwest Iowa: Cherokee, Ida, Lyon, Monona, O’Brien, Osceola, Plymouth, Sioux and Woodbury.

“It’s been amazing to have the ability to interact with some of the best researchers in Iowa and the country; and even, on occasion, international experts.” As a field agronomist, he brings research-based knowledge and information about crop management to area farmers.

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He enjoys the chance to always be learning.

“There’s always something new. The new pest is soybean gall midge; before that it was soybean aphids. I can remember being on a farm in Sioux County where I first saw corn rootworm Bt resistance. It was the same farm where I first identified common water hemp as resistant to herbicides. The oddest thing is both times it was the farm my mother grew up on. How’s that for a coincidence?”

The farmers Joel serves have faced a plethora of weed problems through the years: water hemp, wooly cup grass, shattercane, velvetleaf, and his childhood nemesis, Jerusalem artichoke. “All the different weeds – we’ve found the answers over time. But we still have a lot of challenges moving forward,” Joel said.

Soil conservation is another area where he’s seen a lot of progress, but where a lot more is still needed. “We’re doing a better job on soil conservation than we did before the 1980s – we don’t have moldboard plows anymore.” However, he said, after a good rainfall, it’s visible that too much erosion is still occurring.

“Our soil is one of the best resources anywhere.

Sometimes we underappreciate how good we’ve got it in this part of the world.” He hopes the “low hanging fruit” of putting more soybean acres into no-till accelerates. “I think we’re maybe 50 percent of the way there in northwest Iowa,” Joel said. He likes seeing the adoption of more cover crops. Balancing short-term profitability with environmental protection will continue to be a challenge.

Joel and Lorriane De Jong and their family on Christmas 2020: Son-in-law Trevor Oetken and daughter Kaitlin with their children Weston, Ty, Kylie and Wyatt; and daughter Mackenzie.

He values the creativity farmers demonstrate. “If there’s a roadblock, there will be a farmer who figures out a way around it in almost all cases. It’s been great to work with some of those people over the years who are willing to think differently and consider practices to reduce our impact on the wonderful resources we have here.”

An important pivot point for northwest Iowa came in the 1990s. “If you want to look at a real positive change, we went from thinking of manure as a waste to valuing it as a nutrient source for the crop. Some of the highest-producing crops we have, manure is a component of the success. I like to think that what Extension did in programs and providing information contributed to at least part of that success.” He remembers the first conference on the topic he helped coordinate with Dordt University almost 30 years ago. Before too long, manure management plans started to become part of legislation.

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The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | November 2021

Hand-in-hand with the advancement of manure management has been the strength of the livestock sector in northwest Iowa, notably, Sioux, Plymouth, Lyon and O’Brien counties.

“You take a look at the life of the communities within those counties, the fact is livestock kept people in the area. The supporting businesses for livestock have given life to a lot of

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communities. They build on each other,” Joel said. Support from lenders, related industry and others to keep the livestock sector alive was vital.

Joel believes being the youngest member of a “stretched-out” generation in his family may give him a different view of the world. “My last grandparent died when I was seven or eight – that was my grandmother who was born in 1876. My dad was born in 1910. You think about the changes since then. His first few years farming, Dad was hand-picking corn. You can see how much the corn hook was used by the sweat stains on it and how it’s stretched out. My mom talked about the Dust Bowl and riding a horse to the country school. People think that’s long past history, but for me it’s a little more real.”

When he’s not consulting over the phone, presenting programs, scouting fields and talking to the media, he spends time with his wife, two daughters and his four grandchildren.

Extension field agronomist Joel De Jong in his office. October marked the anniversary of his 40th year with the ISU Extension Service.

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His wife, Lorraine, retired last May after teaching for 20 years in Le Mars Public Schools, where she was a middle school language arts/literacy teacher. Previously she taught at a preschool and had a before- and after-school care program in Sergeant Bluff. A long-time 4-H leader, she’s currently filling in a part-time Extension position coordinating the Clover Kids program. During the Plymouth County Fair, she’s the co-superintendent of static exhibits.

Lorraine is running for a seat on the Le Mars school board.

“She’s all about the kids and is committed to make sure education is done well,” Joel said. She is one of the co-founders of the Le Mars Education Enhancement Project (LEEP) which raises money to augment the resources available in classrooms.

Joel and Lorriane have two daughters. Kaitlin is married to Trevor Oetken who is a technician with Agri Vision, servicing forage choppers. They live halfway between Craig and Struble.

Kaitlin is a stay-at-home mom for their four children: Kylie, 10; Wyatt, 7; Ty, 5; and Weston, 3. This fall, Kylie will become the fifth generation of the family to participate in Plymouth County 4-H. The kids spend a lot of time with Grandpa and Grandma.

“They’re at our house a lot, especially during Trevor’s busy season and Kaitlin is running the older ones around. They make our house a mess, but it’s wonderful,” Joel said.

Kaitlin is on the board of the Parent Teacher Organization, is the 4-H dog superintendent at the fair, and is very active in youth activities and teaching at their church.

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Joel and Lorraine’s other daughter, Mackenzie, lives in Carroll and is an ISU Extension family life specialist. “She always said she wouldn’t be in agriculture like her dad and wouldn’t teach like her mom.” But her position brings her awfully close.

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Joel and Lorraine have an “aluminum condo” which they enjoy at Lake Okoboji. They’re members of the United Methodist Church in Le Mars where they’ve been active on committees.

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Joel added, “I also have a Harley that I ride to go check crops.

People don’t like to ride with me because I’ll stop and wander through farm fields.” Many years, he goes with friends on an

The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | November 2021

annual fishing trip to Canada where’s no cell phone coverage, so it’s truly a week of vacation.

He’s a member of the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce Agri-Business Committee and has been a member of the Optimist Club for 25 years. “We decided when our kids were young that we weren’t going to pull back. We wanted to be active in order to model that behavior for our kids. And our kids are active in their communities. We need more people to do that.

If you want your kids to be active, you need to model it.”

Furthermore, he said, “The definition of good Extension staff is people who are embedded in the community. It’s not a job, it’s a lifestyle. We’re fortunate over the years we’ve had a lot of our staff members embedded – they’re part of the community texture and structure.

“I had an old Extension crops guy tell me once, ‘Extension agents are just frustrated missionaries who didn’t have the guts to go overseas.’ We want to serve people. We’re not in it for the dollars. I’ve had opportunities to make a lot more money. But, from my perspective, the ability to call-them-asI-see-them based on research gives me a clear conscience every night that I’m doing the best job I can with the information available,” he said.

“The joy of serving clients, the relationships and the response from people is what you get in this game.”

Joel and Lorriane De Jong’s grandchildren: Kylie, Weston, Ty and Wyatt.

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November 2021 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine

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SIOUX COUNTY FAMILY

Oliver, Rachael, Lilly, Dustin and Charlie Houlton – plus farm cat Misty.

A GOOD LIFE:

LOVE, CATTLE, AUCTIONS, AND MANURE SPREADERS FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY

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Doug Houlton is passionate about the cattle business in northwest Iowa. “We have the highest quality beef product of anywhere in the world. It’s second to none.” He’s hopeful smaller feedlots like his will get the bids they deserve when some of the new packing operations come online. “Right now, we’re getting penalized because we’re not big feedlots.”

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The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | November 2021

According to Doug, buying cattle is as good as a furlough from work. “Right after Sue and I got married, I said to her, ‘Let’s take a couple days off.’ She asked, ‘Where are we going?’ I told her Faith, S.D., where they were having a big sale the next day. So we drove up there Sunday afternoon; got a motel room and stayed overnight; and next day went to the sale. About 4:00 in the afternoon, we had three loads full and we headed home. We got home about 1:00 in the morning. She said, ‘Is this what you call a day off?’”

Despite Doug’s unusual ideas about vacations, he and Sue are still going strong after 47 years.

They farm just north of Ireton with their son, Doug, and his wife, Rachael. They feed cattle; grow corn, soybeans and alfalfa; plus do some custom-farming and Dustin does a little custom baling. In addition, father and son are affiliated with Beyer Auction & Realty of Sioux Center. Dustin is in real estate, selling farmland, residential and commercial property.

Doug is an auctioneer, a career he accidentally started almost 40 years ago. He was helping to take bids at a sale when the auctioneer’s throat tightened up and he lost his voice. “I told him to take a break – I said I was used to auctioning off pigs in our barn back when I was in kindergarten. So I can do this.” He successfully finished the sale and was being asked to auction other sales by the time he got to his pickup.

When visiting with the Houlton family, it doesn’t take long for the conversation to turn to the life lessons and wisdom of Doug’s parents, Charles and Helen. Even when work on and off the farm filled the days almost around the clock, Doug knew his tractor had better be parked by midnight on Saturday. “If you were out in the field, you knew you had to come home, because Sunday was a day off,” Doug said. “There was always coffee and fresh rolls here after church. But, if you had been working on Sunday or you didn’t go to church, there weren’t any fresh rolls for you. Mom had a quiet way of telling you what was right and what was wrong.”

One time in the 1980s, Doug decided to clean out the tool shed while his dad was laid up. “I threw a lot of the stuff onto the iron pile. When Dad could get up and around, I took him for a ride in the truck. I drove by the by the tool shed and he said, ‘Just a minute, back up.’ He asked ‘Where’d all that stuff come from?’ I told him I cleaned out the tool shed.”

His dad insisted on going through the pile before the man came to collect the old iron. “He got just about all of it hung back up again because, you know, a piece of iron that long with a hole in either end, you never know when you’re going to need that. That was the people who went through the Depression. You don’t know where your next meal is coming from, so you don’t throw anything away.” Doug started cleaning the shed again this year, but keeps hearing his dad say: “Don’t throw that away.”

Dustin also noted his grandfather’s philosophical side.

“Grandpa Charles used to tell me: ‘It’s not the money that makes you happy, it’s the love. You can live on love.’ That comes from living through the Depression. He would say ‘Grandma and I never had much money, but we always had love.’” Grandma Helen died first and later Grandpa Charles died a day before Helen’s birthday. “He said it was time and this way he could be with Grandma on her birthday,” Dustin remembered.

While Doug and Dustin may toss out a little more scrap iron than Charles did, they’ve kept some important pieces of old iron – Grandpa’s 1949 John Deere A, 1951 Farmall C, and 1953 Farmall Super H. All three are still in working order. Charles

Age Media Qtr Page Color 1-8-20.pdf 1 1/8/2020 11:21:34 AM

Doug and Sue Houlton farm and feed cattle just north of Ireton.

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Dawna is married to Jim Stangel, an airplane pilot for Tyson. They live in the Whispering Creek area of Sioux City. They have five children: Hannah, who is a sophomore at Western Iowa Tech; Chloe, who is a senior at Sergeant Bluff Luton High School; and Matt, Josh and Kate, who all attend Iowa State University.

Twins Matt and Josh are also in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Dustin and Rachael have three kids: Charlie, who turns 15 this month, Oliver, 13, and Lilly, 10. They attend West Sioux Schools. Dustin has kept busy coaching many of his kids’ athletic teams. Rachael and Sue are both elementary-level para-educators for West Sioux schools – Sue at Ireton and Rachael at Hawarden.

Rachael is a graduate of Alcester-Hudson High School and got her hands dirty growing up on their farm east of Alcester. “I walked beans, I drove tractor, I picked rock.

I did a lot of things on the farm growing up.” She’s also helped Sue paint buildings on the Houlton farm and helps cover the silage pit.

Doug and Dustin Houlton.

wanted to buy a tractor prior to 1949, but his dad wanted to keep going with horses.

When Charles bought the John Deere A in 1949, he also bought a loader, a mower-cultivator, a tworow planter, and a weather-brake heat houser. Doug said, “The whole outfit was $2,100. I said that was pretty cheap. But Dad said, ‘Not in ’49. That was a lot of money then.’”

The farm’s original acres were purchased on contract in 1912 by Charles Bruce Houlton Sr. Doug’s father, Charles Jr., was the second generation. Doug’s brother, Charles III, carried the name forward while Doug carried the farm forward into the third generation and Dustin is the fourth. Dustin passed the name of his grandfather and great grandfather forward to his oldest son, who is Charles Douglas Houlton.

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Doug said his dad was a joker. Back when Grandpa Charles sold seed oats, he’d take a customer up to the house for coffee, but toss his hat in first and wait a minute. If the hat didn’t come flying back out, he told his customer, “I guess it’s safe to go in.” Charles had been born on the Fourth of July – the first boy after six sisters. “When he was younger, he thought they shot off fireworks on the Fourth because his dad finally had a boy,” Doug said.

When Doug and Sue were first married, they lived in a trailer house next to his parents’ home. Later, Charles built a second house on the property for himself, and Doug and Sue moved into the main house.

“Our daughter Dawna didn’t want to move out of the trailer because Grandpa Charles and her could play kickball in the hall. Over here, there was no long hall to play kickball in,” Doug said.

The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | November 2021

She met Dustin in front of the Hawarden Post Office on a night of cruising the loop. They started dating soon after, became engaged in high school, and got married soon after she graduated. He was 19, she was 18. They started a family about five years later and lived in Alcester for several years before building a house in Ireton in 2006.

Dustin is a 2000 graduate of West Sioux. He earned an associate’s degree in business administration from Southeast Technical College in Sioux Falls. From fall 2001 to spring 2006, he was a loan officer at First State Bank (now River’s Edge Bank) in Hawarden. He got his real estate license in 2005.

About the time they moved to Ireton, Dustin wanted to get out from behind a desk, so he began his career in real estate and returned to the family farm. “I enjoy being my own boss. With kids, there’s really

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An aerial view of the Houlton farm in 2019.

not a better job you can have. As long as you get your work done, you can set your own hours.” His dad’s health issues also “spurred things along” in his career change.

Rachael and Dustin on their wedding day with his grandparents, Helen and Charles Houlton.

When he was 52, Doug was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.

“I'm run by a pacemaker and a defibrillator. I’ll be on my sixth one this coming year. I either had to give up a lot of things or make some other major changes. If Dustin didn’t want to farm, I was going to have to get a full-time hired man for a while.” Recently, Doug’s doctor told him to cut back on a few things to lower his stress level. “So I told him I’d back off the auctions and just feed more cattle. He said: ‘That’s not my idea of less stress.’”

He has cut back on auctioneering a little bit, focusing primarily now on land sales. He’s also learning to say no to some charity auctions.

Several years ago, he provided free services for 42 charity auctions.

Sue has also had her share of health issues. She’s had surgery to replace her shoulders, her knees and one hip. But life’s challenges haven’t diminished her positive attitude or her willingness to laugh about life on the farm. “I got a manure spreader for my birthday one year,” she said. “It had a ribbon on it!” Doug was quick to add.

Sue is originally from Wisconsin, near Dodgeville and Spring Hill, home to the House On The Rock, a famous tourist attraction. (House on the Rock sits atop a 60 x 70-foot column of rock which stands 200 feet high surrounded by forest. Other buildings include a re-creation of an early 1900s American town; nautical exhibits; a huge collection of automatic music machines; and the world’s largest carousel.) Sue was in seventh grade when her family moved to this area after her dad was transferred by A.O. Harvestore Co.

If you look closely, you’ll see Oliver’s 7th birthday cake includes a manure spreader and chopped up Snickers bars to represent the manure. Dustin learned cake decorating from his mom, and he decorates his children’s birthday cakes.

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The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | November 2021

The future of the Houlton farm looks secure. “There’s no doubt Oliver will farm,” Dustin said. “He told me this morning: ‘Dad, why don’t you go to school for me today and I’ll stay here on the farm.’”

Oliver is an animal lover and has a way with the livestock and they call him the “cow whisperer” on occasion. Older brother Charlie is undecided on what he wants to do, but does show interest in the grain side of the farming operation.

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DOWN THE MIDDLE. PHOTO BY BRETT DAVELAAR, BD PHOTOGRAPHY. November 2021 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine

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LYON COUNTY FAMILY

Josh, Kristin and Kohen Rockhill.

TEACHING LIFE SKILLS TO LIONS AND WILDCATS

by Bob Fitch

Josh Rockhill teaches agricultural education at Central Lyon High School.

Kristin Rockhill, teaches family and consumer science at West Lyon High School. But Lions and Wildcats live together in peace at the Rockhill home.

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The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | November 2021

Josh and Kristin are both natives of Rock Rapids and graduates of Central Lyon High School. They were married in 2016 and became parents in 2020. Son Kohen is about 19 months old now. Josh said, “So we’re both teachers and we both have student organizations, plus my show cattle on the side. So we’re busy and Kohen’s busy, but it’s all fun.”

Busy is natural when you’ve grown up on a farm.

Josh experienced a little bit of everything exhibiting livestock. “I’ve always been involved in 4-H and FFA.

Josh Rockhill is the ag instructor at Central Lyon High School. He’s pictured here with student Emily.

I took a liking to the show industry. I showed dairy, beef, sheep and swine.” He even showed a rabbit and a chicken.

“Before going to college, my brother, Danny, and I rotated 75 head of bottle calves every six weeks. I’d be nervous to know how many bottle calves I’ve fed in my life. But I’ve had enough for right now – until Kohen decides to join 4-H one day,” Josh said.

He has a small number of show calves which run together with the herd at Van Roekel Cattle Co. “We have two annual sales every fall. Working with friends like them is a really cool opportunity for me, especially since farming is not my full-time career. I would say I’m a pretty good show cattle clipper, so I’m the one who gives them the haircuts and makes them look good and pretty.

“Showing livestock is a passion of mine. Because I know the time and work that goes into it, I really enjoy helping my FFA kids who show livestock.” All the FFA advisers in Lyon County work hand-in-hand with the ISU Extension team to help coordinate activities at the Lyon County Fair. Josh is in charge of the beef show. In addition, Lance and BJ Van Roekel and Josh organize the Lyon County Classic Open Class Beef Show which is usually held the week before or after the fair.

Ag roots run deep at Central Lyon. Josh is working with some students who are part of the fourth or even fifth generation of families involved in the local 4-H and FFA programs. “The kids thrive being part of a program where there’s a connection and relationship with their parents or grandparents.”

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Kristin Rockhill is the family and consumer sciences instructor at West Lyon High School.

Her culinary students are able to work with state-of-the-art, commercial-industrial kitchen appliances and equipment. Photos courtesy Kristin Rockhill.

Josh added, “I’m very fortunate to be where I’m at. I have a lot of great parents and a lot of great community support. It’s so deep a tradition here, whether it’s our homecoming dinner or our fruit sales or helping with contests – really, anything I need, I’m able to call parents and ask for assistance.”

Josh went to Iowa Lakes Community College where he earned an associate’s degree in ag production and technology. He was inspired to pursue a degree in ag education during a summer internship as an Extension Service 4-H assistant. He transferred to South Dakota State University where he also joined the SDSU livestock judging team. After graduation, he taught ag education at George-Little Rock High School for a year before returning to the program he grew up in at Central Lyon.

Just like ag education and FFA have evolved significantly in recent decades, Kristin’s chosen field has changed as much or even more dramatically. Kristin went to SDSU after high school. After college graduation, she landed the family and

22

The young men at West Lyon High School enjoy the culinary class.

consumer science teaching position at West Lyon High School.

The predecessor programs in her field were known as home economics and Future Homemakers of America. “When I started teaching in 2012, there were a lot of misconceptions about family and consumer sciences,” Kristin said. “Home ec” taught life skills and home-making skills. “Family and consumer sciences (FACS) still teaches life skills, but does so through employability skills. The classes I teach depend on what careers have employee shortages. If we can produce quality workers, we know those skills will transfer to everyday life.”

She used the school’s Introduction To Culinary class as an example. In 2018, the West Lyon district remodeled her classroom to include commercial kitchen equipment such as a smoker, charbroiler, flat top grill, gas stove tops, gas convection ovens and microwaves. “I wanted the classroom to simulate a commercial kitchen so students considering jobs in foodservice would not be afraid of the industrial equipment. Both male and females students love the kitchen! The remodel changed my

The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | November 2021

program for the best.”

In addition to the physical classroom enhancements, Kristin said, “Another big change was the human services coursework. We changed the curriculum to be work-based and career-ready focused. Students get to have more hands-on opportunities working with their classmates and professionals, stressing the importance of soft skills and face-to-face interaction.”

The Introduction To Education class is work-based, focusing on human services careers and their application in education. Students spend half their course time in elementary classrooms assisting teachers with lessons. The Introduction To Human Relations course discusses families as the most important unit of society, plus discusses how people interact with others of different backgrounds and ages Food creation and preparation meets business acumen in a class creatively titled “Wildcat Chowdown.” Kristin said the focus is on making food products which will generate income and profit.

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The West Lyon family and consumer sciences program lays the groundwork for students to consider careers in human services, hospitality and tourism, and education and training.

Shari's Food Truck; and the Rock Rapids swimming pool.

“When I am not at school, I enjoy spending time with my close friends and family. I thrive on creativity and love uniqueness!”

Kristin is the adviser for the district’s Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) chapter.

“The organization was once called Future Homemakers of America and there were a lot of stereotypes that went along with the initials FHA. When the name changed to FCCLA, the focus changed to be more on careers and the connection to communities. It is the largest organization with family as its central focus. We believe if the family unit is strong, society will follow suit.”

Josh also likes to spend leisure time with their friends, sometimes barbecuing or smoking meat. But he doesn’t claim any great culinary expertise – “That’s my wife’s area.”

While they’ve only been married for five years, Kristin and Josh started dating in high school and have been a couple for 16 years.

She continued, “The most rewarding part of my job is teaching students new skills they can use in a future career or at home. I also enjoy giving them an opportunity to see the country through competitive events and leadership conferences.”

Kohen Rockhill enjoying time at the farm.

department to create a successful school business. “We also receive requests from community members to make food for them and they pay us in return. Recently, we have started working on creating a ‘meal kit’ business to serve teachers and community members.”

Kristin is on the board of directors of the Iowa FCCLA. She’s also active in the West Lyon Education Association which supports teachers and does community service activities.

In addition to her teaching career, Kristin works at Details (home décor and floral shop in Rock Rapids);

Cattle and culinary aside, Josh and Kristin both say enjoying their first child and seeing to his development is their number one priority right now. Kohen was born March 15, 2020 – right when the world came to a halt because of Covid. While the pandemic had many tragic consequences, the positive for Josh and Kristin is they were both able to be home with Kohen for almost six months after he was born.

Kristin said, “Kohen is extremely active. He loves water, excavators, music and anything farm. We love being outside and it has been fun to see life happen through a one-yearold’s eyes!”

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KEEPING LOCAL HISTORY ALIVE

TAKE A TRIP BACK TO SIOUX COUNTY 1961 Since the 1990s, newspapers in the U.S. have been decimated by the amount of information available on the internet. Billions of dollars in ad revenue has been siphoned off by services such as Craigslist.com and ZipRecruiter.com But northwest Iowa is fortunate to have retained a strong group of quality newspapers.

There are four weeklies and the Le Mars Daily Sentinel in Plymouth County, five weeklies in Lyon County, and an astounding seven weeklies in Sioux County. In addition, the weekly Northwest Iowa Review serves multiple counties with a team of news and sports reporters.

A look back through old newspapers captures a snapshot in time of a community, plus provides perspective on how a town has progressed or regressed over the years. Sioux County residents have a unique free resource at their fingertips: Going back into the 1800s, residents can view the back issues of six weekly newspapers via the websites of several area libraries.

So let’s jump in our way-back machine and travel through time to November 1961. What was happening 60 years ago this month in Sioux County?

COLLEGE BOARD OK’S 5-YEAR EXPANSION PLAN: 4 BUILDINGS, $1,250,000 COST. Authority to implement the five major points of Phase Two of Northwestern’s master development plan during (the next five years) was voted by the executive committee of the College Board of Trustees. Major items in the $1.25 million development include: New men’s dormitory, new library building, faculty expansion, addition to women’s dormitory, new Memorial Chapel. Sioux County Capital, 11-2-61

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200 KIDS TURN OUT FOR ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PARTY AT ALTON TOWN HALL. “Halloween 1961 passed off with the usual “tricks or treats” but not without some mischief making, such as soaping of windows, misplaced property, etc. in Alton.” Alton Democrat, 11-2-61 HOT BEARING STARTS FIRE. “A hot bearing in a pull-type corn picker started a fire at the Kearney Hemmingson farm in a corn field south of Oak Grove State Park last Thursday afternoon. The picker was considerably burned and the blaze spread into the cornfield and started a roadside fire.” Hawarden Independent, 11-2-61

MOVE INTO NEW BUILDING. “Van’s Electronics have completed the move from the former German Farmers Mutual Insurance Co. location to their new building immediately south of Casey’s Bakery and have stocked their new store with allnew merchandise.” Sioux Center News, 11-2-61 HARRIMAN, HATZ AND HOMAN NEW CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. Alton Democrat, 11-9-61 RECORD CORN CROP IS BEING HARVESTED IN AREA. YIELD MAY HIT 80-BUSHEL AVERAGE IN SIOUX COUNTY. BEST

FIELDS RUNNING 120 TO 130 BUSHELS. “Dozens of farmers in the Sioux Center vicinity have informed The News that they rate their 1961 crop ‘the best ever.’”

Sioux Center News, 11-9-61 HOSPITAL BAZAAR AT COUNTY SEAT NOVEMBER 17, 18.

“Final plans for the first annual Bazaar sponsored by the Orange City Municipal Hospital Auxiliary were completed at a board meeting Thursday afternoon.” Alton Democrat, 11-9-61

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TAKE A TRIP BACK TO SIOUX COUNTY 1961 the class rooms and offices. The school will have 21 teaching stations, all in one building, with a center open court.” Hawarden Independent, 11-16-61 PORTER NAMED HEAD OF VALLEY MANOR. “A.L. Porter, local mortician, was elected president of the board of trustees of the Valley Manor retirement home Tuesday night at the annual meeting of that group.”

Rock Valley Bee, 11-16-61 SIOUX CENTER PAYS $23,079 IN SALES TAX TO LEAD SIOUX COUNTY. HAWARDEN, SECOND; ORANGE CITY, THIRD. “Sioux Center’s 87 retail outlets paid $23,079.91 in sales tax for the quarter ending Sept. 30, 1961, according to a report released this week by the Iowa State Tax Commission.” Sioux Center News, 11-23-61

WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS WERE THE FACEBOOK OF YESTERYEAR LANKHORST WINS BY 2 TO 1 MAJORITY. “By a majority of slightly more than two to one, Harry Lankhorst ousted Richard Ball as mayor Tuesday in the largest turnout of Hawarden voters in a city election since 1934.” Hawarden Independent, 11-9-61 JOHN KOOIMA BUYS INTEREST IN DE LUXE. “John Kooima (has) purchased controlling interest in De Luxe Premium Products Inc., of Rock Valley. Young Kooima will be manager of the plant with John Santema, previous manager, devoting full time to his Chevrolet dealership.

Two other partners in the operation are Sam Ver Hoef and Herman Dykstra.” Rock Valley Bee, 11-10-61 PROGRESS REPORT ON HIGH SCHOOL. “The erection of the new high school building on the east edge of Hawarden is continuing with windows and partitions being put in

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The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | November 2021

• “Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Schuller left Monday by train from Omaha for Garden Grove, Cal., where they will attend the dedication of the new Garden Grove Community Reformed Church, of which their son, Rev. Robert Schuller, is pastor. They will also spend some time visiting with their son and family. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale … will be one of the dedication speakers.” Alton Democrat, 11-2-61 • “Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Schroeder attended the Big Bowl at KVTV IN Sioux City on Sunday.” Rock Valley Bee, 11-2-61 • “Evelyn Marlene Evertse (of Hull) was 10 years old Friday. She brought treats to the 4th grade and teacher, Mr. John Troff.” Sioux Center News, 11-2-61

• “The Dorcas ladies aid met Thursday afternoon with

Mrs. John Y. Mulder as hostess.” Rock Valley Bee, 11-2-61

• “The Nu Fu club had a luncheon at the Cottage Café Wednesday and spent the balance of the afternoon playing bridge in the home of Mrs. Harry Dawson.”

Hawarden Independent, 11-2-61 • “Mr. and Mrs. Jake Elbers of Hull visited at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Bomgaars Sunday.” Rock Valley Bee, 11-2-61 • “The George Van Roekel family, with all the children

and grandchildren present, gathered at the Howard Van Roekel home on Sunday afternoon to celebrate the birthdays of Howard and Mr. George Van Roekel.”

Sioux Center News, 11-2-61

• “Mr. Mulder’s Office Practice class has just completed a unit on the different means of travel and travel

services. They now will begin work on filing, Dictaphone, office machines and mimeography.” Sioux Center News, 11-2-61

• “Mr. and Mrs. John A. Peck left Friday noon for Gregory, S.D., where they visited relatives and did some deer hunting.” Hawarden Independent, 11-9-61 • “Kenneth Mouw, son of Mr. and Mrs. Marion Mouw, and Jerry Cose of Maurice have enlisted in the Navy and have left for their basic training at San Diego, Calif.” Sioux Center News, 11-9-61 • “Mr. and Mrs. Pete Kooiker visited Mrs. Nick Kooiker at Boyden Wednesday evening.” Sioux Center News, 11-9-61 • “Mr. and Mrs. John Van Voorst and family were Sunday evening visitors at the John Van Der Keift home.” Rock Valley Bee, 11-16-61 • Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Vander Pol and family were Sunday evening callers in the parental Jake Hofmeyer home in Orange City after church services. Sioux County Capital, 11-16-61 • “Lyle D. Ver Mulm, boilerman third class, USN, son of Mrs. Case Ver Mulm of Rock Valley was promoted Nov. 16 while serving in the western Pacific aboard the attack USSof Ticonderoga.”

Ifcarrier it’s part the farm, acreage Rock Valley Bee, 11-30-61

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Sunday afternoon with their mother, Mrs. Edna Winterfeld.” Rock Valley Bee, 11-30-61

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TAKE A TRIP BACK TO SIOUX COUNTY 1961

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November 2021 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU GO FOR A HEARING TEST?

By Melissa Baker, MA, CCC-A, FAAA Baker Audiology & Hearing Aids

When was the last time you had your hearing tested? While many people know that they need a health check each year and a trip to the dentist a couple of times a year, many people are less sure about how often hearing tests are required.

Your hearing is one of your most vital senses as it performs so many functions. Your hearing can alert you to approaching danger, help you to communicate with others and maintain your awareness of your surroundings. Hearing clearly helps in every aspect of your life, from being at work to socializing with friends to watching the TV or chatting with family members. To ensure that your ability to hear stays at the best level possible, it is crucial to take care of it, and part of taking care of your hearing is through having regular hearing tests.

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Just as you schedule a regular vision test to keep up with changes to your sight, you need to do the same for your hearing. Detecting hearing loss early is essential, as early detection can help to prevent further decline in your ability to hear. Even if you are not experiencing any hearing loss, it is still important to attend regular hearing tests, just as you would for your vision appointments.

Melissa Baker, M.A., CCC-A, FAAA

Typically, adults should schedule themselves a hearing test once every three years, to check on their hearing and to ensure early detection of any hearing-related issues. Older adults, aged 50 years and over, may be advised to visit the audiologist for a hearing test more frequently than this. The reason for more regular screenings for adults over 50 is the fact that older adults are more likely to experience hearing loss.

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GET A REGULAR HEARING TEST

The Farming Families Magazine | www.agemedia.pub | November 2021

Children usually have a hearing test carried out shortly after birth as part of their newborn health screening. The infant health screening includes several different checks, with the hearing test being just one part of this. As children get older and start school, they usually have their hearing tested at various points during their time in education.

For many, school is the last time that their hearing was tested.

It is vital to get your hearing checked again after leaving school instead of waiting until you notice a decline in your hearing. Even if you are not experiencing any type of hearing loss, a test can help provide a baseline for your hearing. The results of any subsequent hearing tests can then be compared to this baseline to detect any changes that have occurred.

NOTICING CHANGES TO YOUR HEARING Getting a regular hearing test performed by a qualified audiologist every few years is vital, but sometimes you may notice a decline in your hearing between scheduled appointments. Maybe you are finding it more difficult to follow conversations, or perhaps you need to turn up the volume higher than usual on the TV. If you have noticed changes in your hearing or are experiencing unfamiliar sensations such as ringing in your ears, it is crucial to schedule an appointment right away, instead of waiting for your next planned visit to the audiologist.

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Acting quickly ensures that the audiologist can test your hearing and identify the causes of the changes that you are experiencing. Based on the results of your hearing test, your audiologist will then be able to make recommendations on the best course of action.

Your hearing is something that should never be taken for granted, and at Baker Audiology & Hearing Aids, we take your hearing seriously. Whether you are due for a regular hearing test or have noticed a loss in your hearing ability, we can help. At Baker Audiology & Hearing Aids, we use the latest diagnostic equipment to provide hearing tests that deliver accurate results. Our family-owned hearing center is passionate about delivering the best service to improve the quality of life for our patients.

We welcome Tyler Faber, D.O. to our family medicine, obstetrics, and emergency medicine team. Dr. Faber is a native of rural Sioux County, and continues to work on his family’s farm while providing medical services for all generations in the region.

If you are looking for an audiologist in Sioux Falls, call Baker Audiology & Hearing Aids today to schedule your appointment and find out more about the audiology and hearing services that we provide. Call us at 605-610-2886, and we will be happy to help.

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November 2021 | www.agemedia.pub | The Farming Families Magazine

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FROM THE KITCHEN

HARVEST STUFFED PORK LOIN From the National Pork Board

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INGREDIENTS: • 1 pkg (6 oz.) Stove Top Stuffing mix for chicken • 2 apples, peeled, chopped • 3 Tbsp. dried cranberries • 1 cup chopped pecans toasted

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Season with salt and pepper.

4. Bake for 45-60 minutes until internal temperature is 145 degrees. Let sit 10 minutes before slicing.

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