Fall Farm SEPTEMBER 2016 | A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO
THE HAMPTON CHRONICLE
Goats take over McIntosh Woods to help solve weed problem
Showalter travels abroad to put soybean production into perspective
An East Coast suburbanite makes sense of an industry, lifestyle and culture
Grow fresh produce for donation to Iowa food pantries
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2016 Fall
2 Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Farm
Hampton Chronicle • Special Section
WEED EATIN’ McIntosh Woods welcomes goats to solve weed problem
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BY ZACH CLEMENS or over a month after Labor Day, visitors to McIntosh Woods State Park are in for a surprise; as they drive, bike or hike around the park, they might notice a herd of goats roaming the grounds. These goats are the resident weed eaters. They are leased out by a company based in Ames called Goats on the Go, co-owned by Aaron Steele. “[My family and I] started raising goats on our small acreage that were going to be sold,” Steele said. “But we enjoyed the goats so much we decided to raise more.”
Steele started using the goats on some weedy areas on his property and realized there was an opportunity for a small business with the animal. Steele and his business partner, Chad Steenhoek, launched Goats on the Go in 2012 and it has since been a success. “We started out with 20 goats, just gathering information and data on the market,” Steele said. “Before we knew it, we were already getting calls.” McIntosh, located in Ventura, has had a big problem with non-native invasive plants, and decided to take the step of hiring goats out to do the work. Continued on page 3
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The goats at McIntosh will eat about three to five acres of weeds a day, and around 200 acres during their stay. ZACH CLEMENS PHOTO
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Goats will be able to cover a lot more ground faster and cheaper than the State Park crews would, with no negative impact on the environment. ZACH CLEMENS PHOTO
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There is a herd of 40 to 45 goats at McIntosh Woods State Park. They will be there for six weeks. ZACH CLEMENS PHOTO
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2016 Fall
Hampton Chronicle • Special Section
Farm
Wednesday, September 28, 2016 3
From page 2
Goats prefer brush plants, weeds, and broad leafed plants. Many of our biggest nuisance plants are at the top of the goats’ list. — Aaron Steele
“My staff and I have been cutting and treating invasive species for several years and not getting ahead of the problem,” said Tammy Domonoske, in a press release. Domonoske is the McIntosh Woods State Park Manager, and hired Steele to bring up a herd of around 45 goats to be in the park for about six weeks. Steele said his company has trained the staff and volunteers at the State Park on how to manage the goats during their stay. The goats are rotated from area to area, which is typically two acres in size, and fences are moved to keep them corralled. They are often seen just grazing, whether they are standing, sitting or lying. “Goats prefer brush plants, weeds, and broad leafed plants,” Steele said. “Many of our biggest nuisance plants are at the top of the goats’ list.” The goats are primarily chowing down on honeysuckle and buckthorn, but they will eat multifora rose and poison ivy without any herbicides or machinery. The goats can go through an amazing amount of land; the herd at McIntosh is going through 3 to 5 acres per day, totaling anywhere between 125 to 210 acres in six weeks.
CHALLENGES FACING FARMERS TODAY AND TOMORROW
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hough farming was once big business in the United States, by 2012 less than 1 percent of Americans were professional farmers. Many challenges face today’s farmers, many of which are largely unknown to the general public. Many people have an outdated view of a farm as a small, family-owned and operated parcel of land where livestock is raised in open pens and crops are handharvested when ripe. The reality is that modern-day farms have had to overhaul operations to meet demand and remain competitively priced while adapting to the ever-changing ways technology infiltrates all parts of life. Each of these factors present obstacles for today’s farmers.
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TECHNOLOGY Rural farming communities are expected to make an effort to integrate modern technology into an industry that has been around for centuries. But such a transition in rural areas, where communications systems may not be as up-to-date as those in urban areas, is not always so easy. According to the Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council, a shift from a resource-based to an information-based economy, compounded by the rapid introduction and expansion of new technology in the workplace, has altered farm operation and the skills in demand. Older workers who have been schooled in one way of agriculture may have a significant impact on labor supply and the vitality of farming as a career. Younger adults who are knowledgeable in technology may no longer seek out agricultural careers.
Greater public awareness of agricultural challenges could help the industry in the future.
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DECREASE IN FARMING AS AN OCCUPATION The United States Environmental Protection Agency says that only about 960,000 Americans claim farming as their principal occupation. As that figure has dwindled, the average age of farmers continues to rise, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that roughly 40 percent of the farmers in this country are 55 years old or older. This has led to concerns about the long-term health of family farms throughout the United States.
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Goats on the Go owner Aaron Steele said that goats like to eat brushy and woody plants, many of which are non-native invasive plants that can stifle native species. ZACH CLEMENS PHOTO
“Our woods are sick and they need a prescription of grazing to regenerate a high quality woodland forest and vegetation,
Domonske said. “The goats can accomplish acres by eating 24/7 vs. manually, we could only cover a few hundred feet for similar
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FINANCIAL FALL-OUT The ongoing recession of the last half-decade has also affected farmers. In November of 2012, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that the unemployment rate within the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industries was at 13.6 percent, far higher than the national unemployment rate. As a result, many farm families have found themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place, as rising costs for equipment and technology are being coupled with decreasing profits and rising unemployment. Further complicating matters is competition from corporations and international food producers who have made it difficult for family farmers to turn a significant profit. Many family farmers rely on loans and lines of credit to survive, but thanks to changes in the financial sector that saw banks become less willing to extend lines of credit, some farmers are facing bankruptcy. Though it can be easy for those who do not work in the agricultural industry to overlook the struggles facing today’s agricultural professionals, a greater understanding of those struggles and the challenges that lay ahead can benefit the industry and its employees down the road.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS Many farmers have come under scrutiny for how farming impacts the environment. A growing emphasis on sustainability and conservation has led many people to protest certain farming practices. Protesters claim that certain practices, such as raising livestock, can pollute water, while the use of fertilizers and chemical pesticides is bad for the environment. Many farmers, however, have altered their methods to be more environmentally friendly and self-sustainable in the process. Climate change is another environmental issue farmers must deal with. Strong storms and severe droughts have made farming even more challenging.
money.” Steele echoed this and added that invasive plant species are a huge problem.
“The need for goats is huge, and they aren’t running out of weeds to eat,” Steele said. ■
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2016 Fall
4 Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Farm
Hampton Chronicle • Special Section
WHERE THE TALL CORN GROWS An East Coast suburbanite makes sense of an industry, lifestyle and culture BY ETHAN STOETZER T his article is written in first person and is an extended opinion piece about life in rural Iowa. The thoughts and opinions expressed do not reflect the opinions of the Chronicle staff. Jay Van Wert says the simplest way urban folk can understand farming is through matrimony and children. s he looks out into the labyrinth of 10-feet tall corn, now the color of shore sand with leaves dried to a crisp, he continues his analogy. It’s the thrill of speculation; to have a child is to speculate about his or her future. A farmer’s life is speculation, done for three-four months out of the year. Once over, it’s time to plan for the next season, the next birth — more speculation. To a Northeasterner, that’s having one child every year, if that’s even possible — but his metaphor is understood. A 22-year-old suburbanite from the Garden State, now rural Iowa, Van Wert gives me something to hold onto as I wander through this unfamiliar culture, like a toddler in a corn maze — no pun intended. There are two regions of New Jersey, each one culturally different from the other. I grew up in the South, the real “garden” in the “Garden State.” Down there, as soon as you passed two acres of corn, you knew you were in farm
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country. If you passed by someone in an F-150, you assumed the driver was a farmer and blasting Lynard Skynard on his radio. In my small college town of Glassboro, having to pass five miles of cornfields was the bane of existence. If you saw more than two fast food restaurants there, you knew you were pretty much secure in your wants. The Van Wert farm is located about two miles North of Highway 3. The gravel road is surrounded by 360 degrees of corn and soybean fields. Five miles of cornfields were nothing. My main concern now to not blow a tire on my small Saturn Ion, and my secondary concern is to not get lost; also, I should probably invest in a four-wheel automobile if I stand any chance out here. The house is glorious, something I expected to see back in Jersey, except here, the door is open and Van Wert is waiting for me. They don’t do that where I’m from, unless you’re late. Van Wert is in his 80s and has owned his farm for 52 years, but the land has been in his family for generations, to his mother before him. Beneath an overcast sky, Van Wert ushers me into his red pickup and we’re off down the road. “I’m not sure what you’re looking for, so I guess I’ll just talk and hopefully that’ll give you enough,” he said. I don’t know what I’m look-
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The Van Wert’s combine is a mammoth machine that stands almost 20 feet tall. PHOTO BY ETHAN STOETZER
ing for either. I venture through the outskirts of a portion of the field in American Eagle jeans and Nike running shoes. I’m not dressed for the occasion. Trying not to break a stalk in half or trip and fall, I get whipped in the face by hanging leaves, and I get the tingling sensation of bugs in my hair. I can sense him watching me, wondering what’s taking me so long to walk 10 feet. Like working a vending machine, Van Wert pushes an ear down and twists it off the stalk. He shucks it in approximately 10 seconds — about 60 seconds faster than a Jersey boy can. Corn’s planted in April as soon as the temperature reaches 55 degrees Fahrenheit, and corn must be in the ground by May 5. Every day after the fifth, results in the loss of almost a bushel per acre. The fi rst frost in the season for North Iowa comes over the land by Oct. 5. Van Wert continues on about “the magic of maize.” One ear of corn summarizes the entire growing season. Too much corn on the ear means more seed could have been planted; too little corn on the ear means you planted too much. But then again, there’s the weather to take into account. Too much rain starves the plant of oxygen. “It’s like holding a baby underwater in a bathtub,” Van Wert says.
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Likewise, too little water and the stalks shrivel up, leaving no crop. However, just like parents, hindsight is 20/20. The events happening early on in the life of a living thing determine its future. While children can correct mistakes made during upbringing, this is one way that parenting is final for farmers. The events between the plants’ height of 12-16 inches dictates how much corn will be produced at the beginning of Sept., and often times, farmers won’t know of the problems until it’s time to harvest. Van Wert says that the growth period is everything. If a plant is under stress from the weather, nitrogen access, pH, etc., there will be fewer rows of corn on an ear. Fewer rows mean fewer kernels, which means fewer bushels. And while a stalk’s leaves can express to farmers that it is under duress, by that point, Van Wert says, it’s too late. He pulls out a calculator and starts counting kernels. All of his numbers come from one ear — one offspring of a plant whose fate is left up to chance, once a farmer puts it in the ground. Parents get 18 years or more on average. A farmer gets a couple months. While a grown child is accountable for his or herself pretty much, a failure to produce a mature crop doesn’t mean hard times for the corn — it means catastrophic times for farmers. Even then, whether it is during the months of preparation or in circumstances of emergency intervention, finances dictate a farmer’s method of action. Tissue samples of leaves, soil testing, fertilizer, time spent fertilizing — everything done on a farm costs money. And when working with profit margins in the cents range, every penny spent makes a difference. Van Wert narrates his mathe-
matical formulas as he calculates them. Being a journalism major in college, I wasn’t very good at math. Needless to say, the corn, plus the formula, is blowing a hole through my mind. The number of rows on an ear of corn, multiplied by the kernels per row, divided by an x factor of 80 (to which is some constant in growing corn that I will probably never understand), gives the ballpark estimate of bushels per acre.
COMBINE Van Wert’s grandson Jason takes me out into the fields. Though not quite ready to harvest upon my arrival, Jason has the combine out and cleaned, ready to show me what the hell this elephant like machine is capable of. Much to my surprise, the name “Combine” is fairly simple. It does a “combination” of things — a modern marvel for agricultural engineering. Continued on page 5
The combine computer system simultaneously tracks acres harvested, bushels retained, crop moisture and tracks progress through GPS, all while the machine chops down stalks, shucks corn, strips the kernels and spits out the waste. PHOTO BY ETHAN STOETZER
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Hampton Chronicle • Special Section
2016 Fall
Farm
Wednesday, September 28, 2016 5
From page 4
The 20-feet-tall machine makes me feel small; small in the sense that I can feel its mammoth weight crushing me as I fall through the Earth, and I haven’t touched it yet. My tour of the machine reveals that the vehicle can do the following: chop down stalks, shuck the ears, strip them of their kernels, spit out the waste, drop the kernels in a holding bin and all while keeping track of the moisture of the corn, the amount of acres combined, the number of bushels and averaging out the bushels per acre. It can do much more, but Jason hasn’t shown me the full book. Its creator is brilliant, and should be hailed a pioneer in the brave new farming world. Jason is in his 30s. He’s 10 years older than me but close enough in age that we can understand each other’s perspectives. Coming to Iowa, I knew there were farmers. But what keeps these farmers going? Who makes the decision to come back to farm? There are a million things to do in the world; why choose farming? In order for me to truly understand and appreciate the culture here, figuring out the why, in such an unpredictable, often volatile industry was imperative. Jason is the fourth generation to come back and continue the family tradition of farming. In high school, he took machine shop and went to college for mechanics. He graduated and decided to come back to farming and has been doing so over the last seven years. He said he wouldn’t want to do anything else. “It’s fun and I wouldn’t do anything else. I can’t sit in an office job,” Jason says. “But it’s hard not to turn down an offer at times.” Jason says that the consistency of a 40-hour workweek, with guaranteed pay and time to see his family is very appealing, especially considering the state of corn prices. At the time of our visit, the price was around $2.80 per bushel. He regrets not selling more of corn earlier in the summer when the speculators had the price around $4. The farm was where Jason always was. He never really left it. During the falls and summer, while in high school, Jason would be out with his father farming. He remembers being 13 years old and driving a tractor on the road, hoping that the cars that passed him were not the police. While in college, Jason and others like him, would leave school on a Friday and spend the weekend harvesting and be back by Sunday night. “It totally resets the brain, being in a tractor,” Jason says. Jason prefers night combining. The lack of sunlight means you can’t see your progress, allowing you to turn your mind off and just
It totally resets the brain, being in a tractor. — Jason Van Wert
go. It’s at this point he observes the animals and the moon, feeling one with the wild surrounding him. Often times reflecting on being a young boy, sleeping in the combine with his father while he drove. “Mom’s would always say ‘hey we’re going up to Minneapolis to go shopping,’ and the thrill was saying ‘no, I want to go farming with dad. I want to be with dad,” Jason says. He takes me into a cornfield to examine the moisture of corn. He says we have to go deeper than the outskirts, which means I, in my nice jeans and sneakers, venture back into the cornfield, stalks hitting me in the face. Jason talks the while, explaining how consistent years of dropping corn prices are forcing farmers out of the industry. It’s impossible to make a living off growing corn alone, unless a farmer has a wealth of acreage. In terms of genetically modified corn seeds, Jason says that the economy and public demand don’t leave farmers much choice. Choosing a crop that grows faster, grows in harsher conditions and needs less food is imperative for the economy to continue. Again, it comes down to costs. Even harvesting comes at a cost to farmers when profit margins are so narrow. Corn moisture should be around 23 percent before harvest, to limit the cost of drying. Jason explains that before his father left on vacation last week, it was at 27, and that the rains probably didn’t help in bringing down the moisture. He dumps the corn in his contraption that measures the weight of corn and miraculously comes up with the moisture content without even breaking a kernel. It reads 23.4 percent. Just about that time, Van Wert pulls up in his pickup and the two share a silent glance. “It’s 23.4,” Jason tells Van Wert. I watch in anticipation for what feels like four long seconds. “It’s time to start combining,”
This fork-like contraption is affixed to the combine to harvest a crop. PHOTO BY ETHAN STOETZER
Van Wert says. And so, another growing season comes to a close, with a new season buried in the back of the minds of thousands of farmers across the Midwest, germinating. What it will hold is anyone’s guess, but still they keep digging. This attitude shared by many, the determination to stick to a process even though its result is unpredictable and often negative, is not only the essence of farming, it’s what the Midwest is built around. Farming is life here. It’s a familial bond that can’t be broken, and links generations together, and is strengthened by technological advancements, and also strangled. The invention of the Combine and soil testing and the hundreds of other improvements, makes controlling an outcome that much more imperative and much harder. Those who don’t farm appear to enjoy the simplicity of the lives lived by farmers. With hours spent in the fields and making plans, there’s no need for big cities or department stores, or pizza shops or an artery of highways. If you don’t farm but don’t want the apprehension that comes with having too many choices, this is the place for you. What separates the Northeast from the Midwest is an industry. In New Jersey, the family business is usually a doctor or a lawyer. The “industry” of the Northeast is pharmaceuticals and small facto-
ries. In Iowa, it’s all farming. Farming is an independence. It’s working on one’s own terms, and relishing in what you are able to produce on your own. There can be no mistakes, and if there are, next to the weather, only you can hold yourself accountable. I can understand now the ideology of some tightly held political beliefs, about being responsible for what you can control. The conviction that farming is the ultimate freedom from everyone and everything, that isn’t enjoyed by all. For Van Wert, farming is a rush, just like in gambling. Most folks say he should retire, but he continues on, drawing cards and rolling dice, setting up for the best possible scenario, and watching. Being a writer, I understand the power of a clear mind, and the serenity of being truly alone with the world. I also understand that it’s a tough, grueling job that as a Northeaster, took for granted. You forget some times how much of your diet contains corn. I understand that now, as corn prices are hitting lows and values of acres here are dropping because of it, the hardship that most farmers experience. But how do you give up something that has been your life? In America, it is the widely held belief that we are what our careers are. Our jobs provide us with the feeling of self worth. When all you know is farming,
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2016 Fall
6 Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Farm
Hampton Chronicle • Special Section
GARDENING FOR FOOD PANTRIES START WITH AN IDEA: Grow fresh produce for donation to Iowa food pantries IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION AND OUTREACH
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s they planned for the 2016 growing season, Christine Hradek, an ISU Extension and Outreach human sciences specialist, and Susan DeBlieck, Master Gardener program assistant, combined their connections and resources into a powerful partnership between Iowa State University and local food pantries throughout the state. Their recipe created an entrée for a greater goal: reducing food insecurity in Iowa. Food insecurity is an issue in Iowa. People who are food insecure don’t have access to enough food to make up a healthy diet, Hradek said. “Food insecurity is a s u r p r i si ngly diff icult problem in Iowa, considering how Christine Hradek prosperous much of our state is. About one in eight Iowans is food insecure at some point in any given year. That’s about 12 percent of the population of the state of Iowa, and in some communities it is even a little bit higher,” she said. Choosing fresh fruits and veg-
Master Gardeners share their gardening knowledge and skill as they give back to their communities.
etables is an important habit for a healthy diet, Hradek noted, “yet for many Iowans who are food insecure, fresh fruits and vegetables are out of reach. Either they cost too much or they’re not available in many locations in their community. Working more fruits and vegetables into the food pantry environment through a project like this allows families to access fresh fruits and vegetables who may not otherwise be able to afford them.” SNAP-Ed, Master Gardeners, ISU Research and Demonstration Farms work together Hradek coordinates Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education, a USDA program known as SNAP-Ed, for ISU Extension and Outreach. The program offers education on nutrition, cook-
PLANTING AND DIVIDING LILIES IN FALL IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION AND OUTREACH
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ilies make an excellent addition to a spring and summer garden landscape. However, fall is the right time to plant, dig and divide lilies for optimal performance in spring. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach horticulturists explain what to do now to help lilies reach their full potential. • What is a good planting site? Most lilies perform best in well-drained, slightly acidic soils in full sun. However, Martagon lilies prefer partial shade and neutral to slightly alkaline soils. Good soil drainage is imperative as bulbs may rot in poorly drained, wet soils. Raised beds are a good planting option in poorly drained locations.
• When is the best time to plant? Early fall is an excellent time to plant Asiatic, Oriental and other garden lilies. Plant lily bulbs at a depth equal to three times their diameter. Container-grown lilies also can be planted in spring and summer. Plant container grown lilies at the same depth as in the pot.
• When would be a good time to dig and divide lilies? Early fall is an excellent time to dig and divide Asiatic, Oriental and other garden lilies. Carefully dig up the clump and separate the bulbs. Replant the bulbs immediately. If planting must be delayed, place the bulbs in a plastic bag containing lightly moistened sphagnum peat moss and place the bag in the refrigerator. Plant the bulbs as soon as possible. • Can I plant tiger lilies near Asiatic, Oriental or other garden lilies? Many lily enthusiasts don’t grow tiger lilies (Lilium tigrinum) because they are often infected with lily mosaic virus. Lily mosaic virus causes little harm to tiger lilies. Often, you can’t tell that they have the disease. However, aphids and other sap-feeding insects may carry the virus from tiger lilies to other types. Many hybrid lilies infected with lily mosaic virus produce distorted foliage that is streaked or mottled. Also, infected plants produce fewer flowers and those flowers that do form are often deformed. Lilies exhibiting lily mosaic virus symptoms should be promptly dug up and discarded.
ing and food budget management to Iowans with low income. Iowa State University receives the funds to do SNAP-Ed work through the Iowa Department of Human Services. DeBlieck facilitates the efforts of 2,400 volunteers who have been trained through ISU Extension and Outreach’s Master Gardener program. Master Gardeners share their gardening knowledge and skill as they give back to their communities. To this partnership Hradek brought SNAP-Ed funding and connections to Iowa’s emergency food system. DeBlieck brought the Master Gardener volunteer force. The ISU Research and Demonstration farms supplied the model gardens, which are providing community education and
outreach as well as fresh produce for donation to Iowans in need. Donation gardens are different. “From the beginning you’ve got the end recipient in mind as you plan a donation garden,” Hradek explained. She contacted food pantries to find out what kinds of produce their clients wanted. The pantries helped the gardeners “choose what should be planted, so that the items that are harvested are really what the pantry can use, what the clients enjoy, what they are able to store and distribute,” she said. “One of our jobs in SNAP Education is to make healthy choices easier for Iowans who are experiencing poverty,” Hradek said. “This project allowed us to make use of a great resource, the Master Gardeners, to grow produce for the purpose of donating to food pantries, which would allow those families to access fruits and vegetables and really carry out what they’ve learned in nutrition education.” Initially Master Gardeners helped research and demonstration farm staff plant and weed the donation gardens, DeBlieck said. As the growing season has progressed, they have been harvesting and weighing the produce and delivering it to local food pantries. “Food pantries aren’t open every day of the week and they also might not have storage. So
Master Gardener volunteers are helping to make sure that the produce is being harvested at a time when it can be brought to a food pantry and served directly to customers fresh.
it’s really helpful that we’ve got Master Gardener volunteers who are helping to make sure that the produce is being harvested at a time when it can be brought to a food pantry and served directly to customers fresh,” DeBlieck said. “Home demonstration gardens have been located at seven Iowa State University research farms. These home demonstration gardens were started as a way of showing homeowners what could be grown in their yard,” DeBlieck said. “With this added element of donating to food pantries, we’re hoping that we inspire more people to donate to their local food banks and show that, really, if they only plant a couple extra zucchini plants, they could be
harvesting pounds of food…for people in need,” DeBlieck said. Hradek added, “It has been fantastic to see the energy that Master Gardeners have for helping their neighbors who can benefit from fruits and vegetables that they grow, and the excitement that it’s generated around the state for donation gardening and neighbors helping neighbors in Iowa.” DeBlieck agreed, noting that Master Gardeners are using their gardening skills to help their community and reduce food insecurity. “What better way to be a volunteer in your community than to become a Master Gardener and grow food for your community,” DeBlieck said. ■
MAXIMIZE YOUR FARMER’S MARKET TRIP
C
ommunity-based farmer’s markets can introduce shoppers to an array of foods they may otherwise never experience. Farmer’s markets are great places to find fresh, locally grown foods, and many market customers are happy to know they’re benefitting both the environment and local businessess
• TAKE TIME TO EXPLORE: Farmer’s markets tend to have many of the same fruits and vegetables you can find at the local chain grocery store, but farmer’s markets also are known for offering more than what you may find in the produce aisle. Take time to explore the market and you may just find foods you typically only find at your favorite restaurant. Exploring also may introduce you to new foods you may otherwise never have tried. • CONSIDER THE TIMING OF YOUR VISIT: The popularity of farmer’s markets has increased dramatically as more and more people embrace the concept of buying locally grown foods. While that’s great news for the planet and local farmers, shoppers should keep that in mind when planning their visits. If you love trying new foods, arrive early to the farmer’s market before the more unique offerings have been snapped up. Foods that have small yet devoted followings may not be available in abundance, and you may end up leaving emptyhanded if you arrive late. If it’s a bargain you want, then visit later in the day when farmers with substantial remaining inventory may be more inclined to lower their prices.
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with every dime they spend. Farmer’s markets can range from the very large to the relatively small, and first-time visitors may not know where to begin. The following are a handful of ways to maximize your visit to farmer’s markets of all sizes.
• KNOW YOUR SEASONS: Some fruits and vegetables are better at certain times of the year than others. Freshness draws many people to farmer’s markets, and foods that are in-season are more likely to have that unforgettable freshness than those that are out of season or nearing the end of their season. Knowing the seasons is important for budget-conscious shoppers as well. If you’re shopping on a budget, purchasing foods while they’re in-season may save you some money, and you can always stock up on your other favorites later on when it’s their turn to be in-season. • SPEAK WITH THE SELLERS: First-time farmer’s market shoppers may feel like they’re lost in the woods while everyone else seems to know exactly what they want and where to get it. If you find the farmer’s market somewhat intimidating, speak with the sellers. Shopping at the local farmer’s market tends to be more intimate than shopping at the chain grocery store, and many sellers would be happy to offer you some tips and make some suggestions based on the meals you like.
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Hampton Chronicle • Special Section
2016 Fall
Farm
Wednesday, September 28, 2016 7
AGRICULTURAL CAREER OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND
SHOWALTER TRAVELS ABROAD TO “SEE FOR HIMSELF” Travels to Costa Rica and Panama help put American soybean production in perspective
While it’s common to envision overalls and tractors when imagining careers in agriculture, the opportunities to work in the agriculture industry stretch beyond the farm and into the corporate world. The following are a few of the paths men and women with a passion for agriculture can pursue. • Business: Farmers and producers of agricultural products need someone to draft contracts for their agreements with the large corporations who distribute those products. In addition, purchasing agents and agricultural financiers are just two of the many career opportunities that enable men and women to work on the business side of agriculture. • Social service: The agricultural industry also has positions of social service. In addition to food inspector, who ensures agricultural products are
safe for human consumption, social service positions within the agricultural industry include environmental consultant and conservation officer. Also, developing programs that encourage youngsters to pursue careers in the agricultural industry. • Production: Of course, the agricultural industry has a host of careers for those who want to get their hands dirty. Farms need to be plowed, seeds must be planted and fertilized and farms need to be well-maintained to continue operating efficiently and effectively. • Education: Those who want to share their love of agriculture with others can put their skills to work in the classroom. Agricultural instructors can train the next generation of agriculture professionals at the university or high school level, ensuring today’s farms are left in good hands tomorrow.
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Sam Showalter, 24, Hampton, visited the Panama Canal as part of the See for Yourself program, sponsored by the US Soybean Board. Soybeans are the largest US agricultural good to travel through the recently increased canal. SUBMITTED PHOTO
S
BY ETHAN STOETZER am Showalter, 24, Hampton, has been farming corn and soybeans on his family farm with his dad, uncle and cousins for three years. In that time, he’s been through three seasons of planting his crop, sowing it and reaping the benefits of fruitful harvests, all to move on in preparation for the next season. But the life of a harvest continues onward after that, sometimes spanning across oceans and continents. While it could be entertaining to watch how many people one’s harvest impacts, not many are granted the opportunity to do so. This past Aug. however, Showalter was able to see for himself exactly where his crops go once sold. As a participant of the 2016 See For Yourself program, sponsored by the US Soybean Board, Showalter was one of 10 farmers from the Midwestern United States to travel to Costa Rica and Panama, some of the largest buyers of US soybean crops. From Aug. 4-12, Showalter spent time in St. Louis, Missouri, Panama and Costa Rica with farmers of all ages. As a soybean grower, Showalter pays “check-off dollars” to the board. The See For Yourself program allows farmers like Showalter to see how the board is promoting soybeans with the dollars paid annually.
The experience was great. It was enlightening to see how US soy goes on to help the economies of other nations.
— Sam Showalter
For instance, the stop at Panama was centered around a trip to the Panama Canal. Currently, 44 percent of US soybeans are moved through the canal. A recent expansion of the canal was completed, which has made soybeans that number one US agricultural commodity using the canal. For his final six days of the eight-day-trip, Showalter spent his time in Costa Rica. Here, Showalter visited an aqua culture facility that held Red Snapper cages in the ocean, eight miles off the coast. Approximately 18 percent of US soy ends up as meal for the fish in these farms. Showalter also visited a dairy in Costa Rica, which the board has recently partnered with to increase soy usage as a source of protein for cows. Showalter said that the experience was great, and that it was enlightening to see how US soy goes on to help the economies of other nations, that also ship food back to the US, from the crop. ■
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8 Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Farm
Hampton Chronicle • Special Section
ORGANIC CLAIMS NOT ALWAYS ACCURATE
I
n an effort to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle, consumers have embraced organic foods in record numbers. They stand behind the idea that organic products are not only better for them, but also better for the planet. But the claims that organic food is safer, healthier and more ecofriendly may be more hype than fact. Some organic foods are not all that they seem to be, and when you dig for the dirt on “organic,” you might be surprised at what you find. The variety of organic products available at specialty food
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stores and more traditional supermarkets has increased considerably. Food purists and environmentalists support this growing trend. Certified organic foods are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms or ionizing radiation. Organically produced meats are from animals that do not take antibiotics or growth hormones to produce heartier cuts. The USDA National Organic Program sees to it that organic foods meet these stringent requirements and also that any companies that handle or process organic food before it
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gets to the supermarket or restaurant are certified as well. However, consumers who embrace organic products might not be getting what they think they are. The term “organic” conjures up images of local produce stands and farmers diligently caring for their crops. However, as organic foods have grown in popularity and the organic food industry has become a multi-billion dollar industry, the methods of bringing these foods to a store near you have changed. While consumers may believe that organic broccoli was trucked in from a farm down the road, it actually may have traveled thousands of miles -- negating many environmental benefits in the process. Many smaller organic businesses have felt the pressure to keep up with mainstream foods and have joined the ranks of commercial food production. In fact, some smaller companies have actually been bought out by large food giants. Organic Cow, a Vermont milk producer, now operates under the auspices of Horizon, a company based in Colorado. Cascadian Farm, which produces organic frozen dinners among other items, is a subsidiary of General Mills. Many mainstream food companies have their own organic alter egos, which would no doubt surprise consumers who support the organic food movement. Even tr ue organic foods shipped from small farms over short distances may not be able to meet the hype of the organic moniker. Plant physiologist and biologist Alex Avery’s 2007 book
There are many consumers that would like to believe that organic foods are healthier and better for the environment. But some research indicates that these claims may not be justified.
titled “The Truth About Organic Foods” talks about origins of organic food and dispels some of the myths that prevail. Avery notes that organic foods are not pesticide-free because all vegetables contain about five percent of their weight in natural pesticides, some of which may be just as potent as manmade varieties. Avery also notes that more than 95 percent of conventional meat and dairy products in the United States are totally free of antibiotics and 99.5 percent of it is free of synthetic hormones. Only one sample in 400 violates the antibiotic limits set by the FDA. Avery also states that there are no
nutritional differences between organic and conventionally produced foods, which debunks the myth that organic foods are more nutritionally sound. Organic foods also may contribute to a higher carbon footprint. Instead of using chemical fertilizers to feed produce, the use of animal manure may mean clearing out land for grazing and creating its own problems in offgassing and water contamination that has been associated with raising livestock. Furthermore, the U.K. Department of Environment and Rural Affairs states, “A shift towards a local food system, and away from a supermarket-
based food system with its central distribution depots, lean supply chains and big, full trucks, might actually increase the number of food-vehicle miles being traveled locally, because things would move around in a larger number of smaller, less efficiently packed vehicles.” Champions of organic foods are sure to stand by the claims that organic foods are better. Many organic foods are nutritionally sound and rely on more natural growing methods. Yet consumers should keep an open mind about both organic foods and their commercially produced counterparts. ■
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ees flitting from one newly sprouted flower to another as they collect pollen is one of the more common sights of the spring. Honeybees are content to buzz between plants for hours. But in recent years the honeybee population has declined considerably, and scientists and environmentalists continue to study and debate why bees seem to be dying out. Although bees are best known for their honey production, their symbiotic relationship with nature goes much further. Honeybees are instrumental in transferring pollen from plant to plant, which helps to foster new life for many agricultural species. In addition to wild flowers and other plants, bees pollinate many of the crops that end up as food on dinner tables across the globe. Bees help pollinate more than 90 commercially grown field crops, citrus and other fruit crops, vegetables and nut crops. Without these insects, crop yields would decrease dramatically, and some foods may cease to exist. Without bees, food production would diminish and the prices of produce would skyrocket. Commercial beekeepers in
the United States have reported deaths of tens of thousands of honeybee colonies. Ninety percent of wild bee populations in the United States have disappeared, according to Target Health, Inc. In the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, bee species have declined considerably, and some have even become extinct. Since 2006, millions of honeybees have died off due to a phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD. CCD refers to the absence of adult honeybees in a colony with few or no adults remaining. Worker bees simply disappear, leaving behind the queen and vulnerable developing young. Bees are not usually known to leave the hive unguarded. While similar disappearances have been documented in the last 100 years, those incidences have grown considerably in recent years. Officials in the United States Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency have not been able to determine why the honeybee population has undergone such a steep decline, though some believe that a complex combination of factors, including parasites, lack of
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genetic diversity, poor nutrition, and pesticides, could be responsible. Examination of dead bees has found residues of more than 100 chemicals, insecticides and pesticides, including some used to control parasites, in bee hives. Other factors that come into play involve climate changes that affect wildf lower production. Without wildflowers, bees have no sources of food. Rainy, wet or overly dry weather can wreak havoc on the landscape, resulting
in fewer flowers and, as a result, a smaller bee population. Scientists are still studying the situation and working toward a solution to restore the honeybee population. Individuals can do their part by keeping plenty of blooming flowers in their yards and never killing honeybees found on their property. Disturbing an established hive can result in the bees abandoning their work, leading to even greater losses. ■
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Honeybees pollinate many of the world’s plants. But their numbers are on the decline, and the environmental impact of that decline is significant.
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