THE LAND ~ August 4, 2017 ~ Northern Edition

“Since 1976, Where Farm and Family Meet” © 2017

August 4, 2017

(800) 657-4665 www.TheLandOnline.com theland@TheLandOnline.com P.O. Box 3169, Mankato, MN 56002

NORTHERN EDITION

When horses ran the farm Renae B. Vander Schaaf visits a museum of horse-drawn equipment and wagons See page 12

ALSO INSIDE:

On the lookout for aphids Organic dairy and the small herd Be ready for your swine industry audit

See America first

THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

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P.O. Box 3169 418 South Second St. Mankato, MN 56002 (800) 657-4665 Vol. XXXVI ❖ No. 16 32 pages, 1 section plus supplements

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Cover photo by Renae B. Vander Schaaf

COLUMNS Opinion Farm and Food File The Bookworm Sez Calendar of Events Table Talk From The Fields Mielke Market Weekly Marketing Swine & U Auctions/Classifieds Advertiser Listing Back Roads

2-5 4 6 6 7 9 18 20-22 23 24-31 31 32

“Where Farm and Family Meet”

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STAFF

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On July 1, our family of five awoke the eastern border of the park, ending early to pile in our mini-van bound for where the majestic peaks of the Northern Glacier National Park, Montana. We Rockies reach for the sky. Meanwhile, the squeezed in amongst duffel bags, sleeping high plains of the reservation are dry and bags, coolers, tents and camping gear. A scrubby. cartop carrier was packed with camp When I was 26, I worked at Lake chairs, sleeping pads and more sleeping McDonald Lodge and St. Mary Lodge in bags.

Glacier and dreamed of bringing my chilWhile we experienced “America the dren here. For me, it was a season where Beautiful” with its “spacious skies,” I lived in God’s playground. Days off were LAND MINDS “amber waves of grain” and “purple mounspent hiking, backpacking and swimming.

By Marie Wood tain majesties,” I was also struck by harsh We had all-night hootenannies and bonrealities of the land and its people. fires.

As we left the green of Minnesota George Bird Grinnell, conservationbehind, we entered drought-stricken ist and explorer, called North Dakota. The federal Glacier the “Crown of the government had just Continent.” Due to his issued emergency advocacy, Glacier grazing on National Park became Conservation Reserve the 10th national park in Program lands in 1910. However, these North and South lands were sacred to the Dakota and Montana.

Blackfeet people. They The landscape was dry called it the “Backbone and brown. I had read of the World.” The lands that cattle producers were used for vision waited in mile-long lines quests, ceremonies, at auction barns. hunting and fishing.

Farmers even harvested The Flathead wheat to feed their cattle.

Reservation, representing the Salish and Our first stop was Kootenai tribes, borTheodore Roosevelt ders the park to the National Park, Medora, west.

N.D., where Roosevelt lived the life of a rancher On this return trip, I realized that my race had from 1883 to 1887. He hunted bison and witnessed taken this land from the Native Americans. the abuse of our natural resources. Roosevelt set Explorers and trappers depleted the resources and aside millions of acres in parks, monuments and the tribes signed treaties that confined them to resforests during his 1901-09 presidency. ervations. I learned that lodges and campgrounds In these North Dakota Badlands, we were up close stood on ancient Native American camps. to bison. We even saw bison pies in our campground.

The Great Northern Railway under St. Paul’s On a short hike, we saw pronghorns in a river valJames J. Hill, and son Louis, built lodges and chalets, ley. Along the road, we saw prairie dog towns. bringing visitors to Glacier as early as 1910. The “See America First” campaign was aimed at wealthy We drove across Montana to Glacier National Americans who were traveling abroad to Europe.

Park taking the lonely northern route along Highway 2. We saw a Burlington Northern Santa With a fuller understanding of the park, I still Fe train pulling cattle cars, another casualty of the love Glacier. I was honored to be back in the drought. At small towns and Indian Reservations, See LAND MINDS, pg. 4 we filled up. The Blackfeet Indian Reservation is on

OPINION

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

7 — Staying on top of Dicamba drift 8 — Ground-breaking unit produces hydroelectricity in shallow water 10 — Growing healthy soybeans in the land of aphids

14 — Soybean agonomist talks about cover crops and genetics 16 — Dairy farmer can stay small producing organic milk 23 — Swine & U: What you need to know about the Common Swine Industry Audit

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THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

TRAILERS • TRUCKS • SPREADERS

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THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

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What I learned in grade school and the Clovis nomination During my first days of Lutheran These setbacks did not set back the grade school, I was surprised to learn President. The same week of his Senate that the world had only 10 rules. Sure, rebuke, Trump nominated Iowan Sam eight of them ordered what I “shalt Clovis, a former campaign official and not” do and just two told me what I radio talk show host, to be USDA’s must do. Still, no Lutheran worth his undersecretary of research, education, catechism ever had a problem with a and economics. negative four-to-one ratio.

It’s not a controversial, rule-bending But then Mrs. Kuring, my teacher, choice.

It’s an outrageous, rule-breaking FARM & FOOD FILE added more rules. No talking in school. choice. By statute, noted the July 24 San

By Alan Guebert No running in the hallway. No biting Jose (Calif.) Mercury-News, this “underyour classmates. secretary is to be chosen from ‘distinguished scientists with specialized or We quickly learned to follow Mrs. significant experience in agricultural Kuring’s rules more diligently than research, education and economics.’ By the commandments because hers were backsidetested. The Big Ten were merely time-tested. Later, contrast ... Clovis has never taken a graduate course in science and is openly skeptical of climate either through fear or faith, we learned to follow both because there would be hell to pay, either now change.” or later, if we didn’t.

Presidents of the United States face the same The Senate should reject the nomtrade-off: you can choose not to follow the rules, but ination. Naming an anti-science it can be a costly choice. blowhard to a job meant for a Donald J. Trump is a rule breaker. That was a key scientist would be like Ford pickreason why the majority of rural voters chose him ing a CEO who rides a horse to over his 2016 challenger. And he has kept his word. work.

Rule-making Washington has never seen, heard, or been hit with a tweeting tornado like The Donald.

— San Jose (Calif.) Mercury-News Much of the President’s rule breaking, however, hasn’t yielded tangible results. In mid-July, the And, it went on, “The Senate should reject the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its nomination. Naming an anti-science blowhard to a 2018 budget for the U.S. Department of Agriculture job meant for a scientist would be like Ford picking which, noted several Capitol Hill policy watchers, a CEO who rides a horse to work.” broadly and soundly rejected the deep cuts Trump Despite that ringing denouncement, 22 of the had proposed for USDA only two months earlier. most powerful, well-funded American farm and The Senate bill also restored the undersecretary commodity groups, representing everything from for rural development that Trump previously had dry beans to soybeans, offered Clovis a ringing ticketed to eliminate.

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OPINION

endorsement in a flowery letter sent to Senate Ag Committee leaders.

“Some have suggested that Dr. Clovis is not qualified for this position due to his lack of hands-on science and research experience. We do not share this point of view,” it explained. After all, USDA “already employs some of the finest and most dedicated scientists in the world. They do not need a peer. They need someone to champion their work…”

Call it the Rick Perry standard: just because you don’t know anything about a federal agency — including its name, or how it operates, doesn’t mean you can’t become its leader.

Three days after posting its “We Love Clovis” letter, Big Ag’s biggest ag groups learned (in a Senate Ag Committee hearing on farm credit and crop insurance, no less) that Clovis had labeled crop insurance, the central pillar of U.S. farm policy, “unconstitutional.”

When told of this Farm Bill heresy, the committee’s crop insurance-loving chairman, Republican Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas, announced to many of the letter-sending farm group leaders in the hearing room, “If there is some nominee coming before this committee who says crop insurance is unconstitutional, they might as well not show up.”

The farm leaders didn’t flinch. Why would they?

The rules, they recently learned, do not apply and the truth is simply what the loudest, most persistent yeller says it is.

Which brings us back to Mrs. Kuring. You don’t have to follow the rules but, sooner or later, there will be hell to pay.

The Farm and Food File is published weekly through the United States and Canada. Past columns, events and contact information are posted at www.farmandfoodfile.com. v

Introducing our children to the park’s wonders

“Where Farm and Family Meet”

LAND MINDS, from pg. 2 embrace of the mountains and to introduce my children to all of its wonders: alpine meadows, hiking on snow fields on the Fourth of July, whitewater rafting, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, waterfalls and glaciers. The park’s glaciers are shrinking.

Accelerated by global warming, only 25 glaciers are left and expected to disappear by 2030. On our hikes, we used trails created by the Civil Conservation Corps of the 1930s. We crossed a suspension bridge and our 10-year-old son hiked farther than he thought he could.

We took a free shuttle bus and also drove the Going-to-the-Sun Road, an engineering marvel completed in 1933. The opening ceremony included a blessing from the Blackfeet Nation, as did the opening of the road in 2017. This 50-mile road drives through the park’s heart and traverses the Continental Divide. The road is marked by sheer drop-offs.

We stayed just outside the park in a KOA (Kampgrounds of America), which has a pool surrounded by wildflowers with mountain views. You had to look past the RVs, but the kids didn’t mind.

Since our stove broke, my husband cooked all our meals over the fire. One evening while the kids swam, we made taco meat over the fire for tacos in a bag — just like the pioneers if only they had Doritos!

My husband’s idea of camping is remote wilderness. The man has serious outdoor skills. So KOA is not his first choice! Surviving five days at a KOA has a very different meaning for my kids and husband. However, the huckleberry ice cream on the last evening of our stay was a treat for all.

Our return trip took us to Little Bighorn Battlefield, the site of Custer’s Last Stand in southern Montana. It was haunting and once again brought to light the struggle over our western lands between the settlers and the American Indians. The

park ranger asked visitors who won. Some replied the Indians, but the ranger said nobody won. n As the summer wanes, Minnesota Farmfest is upon us. Now it’s time to celebrate the agricultural heritage of Minnesota. No event does this better than the University of Minnesota’s Farm Family of the Year event! Many of these families are third, fourth and fifth generation farm families. Their ancestors settled this land. We also thank them for the small towns and churches that dot our countryside. Congratulations to all the farm families honored in 2017!

Marie Wood is the associate editor of The Land.

She may be reached at mwood@TheLandOnline.com. v

To the Editor:

Your hopes. Your dreams.

WE’RE READY.

We’re Compeer Financial.™ Agriculture isn’t just a market we serve.

It’s what we’re founded on. It’s who we are. Whether you have one acre or one thousand, our team members share an unwavering commitment to you and making that hope and dream of yours very, very real.

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Recently, a letter written by Erik Tryggestad appeared in this publication (The Land, July 7, 2017). Mr. Tryggestad criticized Sen. (Amy) Klobuchar’s support of a bill that would increase limits for Farm Service Agency direct and guaranteed loans. He expressed surprise that Sen. Klobuchar would cosponsor a bill that he claims favors big farms and big banks. I disagree.

An increase in the loan limits would help locallyowned community banks fund farm loans to all types of farmers in their communities. In other words, locally-owned banks funding locally-owned farms!

By today’s standards, a 1,000-acre crop farm is not considered a mega farm. In fact, if new farmers are going to have a successful farming operation that is profitable and can support their family, they need access to increasing amounts of capital to create a viable farm business.

If a young farmer buys land in southern Minnesota at $8,000 per acre, it only takes about 175 acres to hit the current guaranteed loan limit.

They will also need to fund operating costs and then add in farm machinery, grain facilities, or any livestock production and the cost of funding their business only grows. So, it should be easy to see how a small, beginning farmer could easily exceed the current loan limits.

The best plan for farmers of any size is the support of FSA funding and the continued support of legislators, like Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who fight for the interests of agriculture in Minnesota.

5 THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

Letter: Loan limit increase helps young farmers

Jim Amundson

President and CEO Independent Community Bankers of Minnesota

Letters to the editor are always welcome.

All letters must be signed and accompanied by a phone number (not for publication) to verify authenticity.

Compeer Financial, ACA is an Equal Credit Opportunity Lender and Equal Opportunity Provider. ©2017

“Where Farm and Family Meet”

Send your letters to: Editor, The Land P.O. Box 3169 Mankato, MN 56002 e-mail: editor@thelandonline.com

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THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

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Modern society faces collapase in apocalyptic Amish novel Your parents taught you to share.

You have enough to give some away.

“When the English Fall” Don’t be stingy or selfish. Be good. Be

by David Williams generous. Be friends. Share nicely but c. 2017 watch, as in the new book “When the English Fall” by David Williams, that it Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill doesn’t bring harm to your family. $24.95 / $37.95 Canada Sadie’s screams cut Jacob to his core.

242 pages He knew she was in pain, but he was THE BOOKWORM helpless. He was her father, and he SEZ should have been able to fix her seiBy Terri Schlichenmeyer zures, but the best he could do was to listen to her nonsensical rants and pray that God spare his eldest child more that winter wasn’t coming. hurt.

What did come was trouble. As English society fell, Jacob was aware that people talked. His neighbors as people hungered, looted, and killed, the Guard gossiped about Sadie’s seizures and visions, and asked the Amish for help. They had food to eat. They they wondered if God was unhappy with Jacob’s fur- had larders and knowledge. But how much did God niture-making business. Even Bishop Schrock came expect them to give? once a month to ask Jacob to stop working with an Start “When the English Fall” and be prepared for English man named Mike, but Mike was a friend. several things.

Though he was coarse, he was a trustworthy bridge between his people and the Plain folk.

You’ll get funny looks. A post-apocalyptic Amish novel?

How does that work? (It works fine. Better Jacob was glad for that. Mike brought news of the than fine. It’s incredible). world when he came to fetch the furniture Jacob had finished, which was how Jacob learned of trouYou’ll be blown away by the juxtaposition of serene ble outside their Pennsylvania community. beauty, mindfulness, prayer, and a dark urgent terriThere were power outages, and utility battles were bleness-to-come. (That works, too. Very much so). intensifying. The National Guard was called out in some bigger cities, and people were running out of food. Still, while it was true that he heard distant gunfire at night and he was glad Mike kept him updated, the fact was that Jacob worried little about worldly affairs.

Visit www.TheLandOnline.com to view our No, more pressing things concerned him — Sadie’s complete calendar & enter your own events, spells, for one. Another: making sure his farm was or send an e-mail with your event’s details to tended, and his family’s needs were met for the winter, even though it seemed, with global warming, editor@thelandonline.com.

Calendar of Events

Come to the 51st Annual Butterfield Threshermen’s

Steam & GaS enGine Show

Saturday, aug. 19 & Sunday, aug. 20 Butterfield, MN • On Hwy. 60 in Southwestern MN Anyone is welcome to bring gas or model engines!

Swap meet Saturday, august 19 gate opens at 6:30 a.m.

• cars • Tractors • Parts •

“Where Farm and Family Meet”

And you’ll want to prepare your chair, because author David Williams has ensured that it’s the only place you’ll want to be. There, and inside this story of friendship, current events, love, and a scenario that isn’t so far-fetched: modern society suddenly collapses everywhere except in places where it’s already not welcome. It’s a gentle, darkly-calm sort of warning wrapped in aching loveliness, one that will leave you wondering what would really happen, if…

Be aware that this is not a zombie book. Also, there are periods of slowness in this book that serve to bolster the whole of the story, and it’s a stunner. You’ll love “When the English Fall” so much, you’ll need to share.

Editor’s note: the Amish refer to residents of modern society as “English.” Thus, if you’re not Amish, you’re English, to them.

Look for the reviewed book at a bookstore or a library near you. You may also find the book at online book retailers.

The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. Terri has been reading since she was 3 years old and never goes anywhere without a book. She lives in Wisconsin with three dogs and 10,000 books. v

• Free Parking • Camping Facilities Available • Shaded Lakeside Site aDmiSSion — Adults, 13 & older: $10 Children: FRee EquipmEnT pArAdE 2:15 p.m. daily

BluegraSS AnTiquE MuSic TracTOr Pull On stage daily in the 5:30 p.m. Friday shade of Voss Park

LocAL music tALent on stAge FridAy night!

Antique Tractors • Classic Cars & Trucks • Pioneer Town Crafts & Antiques • Much, Much More!

Aug. 10 — Kernza Field Day — Madison, Minn. — University of Minnesota presents growing kernza, current research, future of the crop and field tour — Contact carl5114@umn. edu or (612) 709-6790 or visit bit.ly/KernzaFieldDay. Aug. 10 — Grazing Field Day — Starbuck, Minn. — Tours and presentations related to native pastures, fencing systems, a solar well system and cover crops — Contact Bryan Simon at (320) 492-2526 or bsimon@landstewardshipproject.org Aug. 12 — Minnesota Garlic Festival — Hutchinson, Minn. — Event for lovers of garlic, local foods and sustainable farming — Contact Sustainable Farming Association at (844) 9225573 or visit www.sfa-mn.org/garlicfest/

Aug. 15 — Farm Camp Minnesota — St. Cloud, Minn. — Schmitt Dairy Farm Event hosts a camp for youth who want to learn about modern agriculture and how their food is produced — Contact Farmcampmn@outlook.com or visit www.farmcampminnesota.org Aug. 15 — Organic Dairy Day — Morris, Minn. — U of M West Central Research and Outreach Center presents seminars on economics and latest research on organic dairying with tours of a pasture walk featuring kernza, organic silage and calf feeding options — Contact Brad Heins at hein0106@umn.edu or wcroc.cfans.umn.edu or (320) 589-1711 Aug. 26 — Donnelly Threshing Bee — Donnelly, Minn. — Allis Chalmers will be featured at the Threshing Bee Grounds — Contact Harry Kruize at chkruize@runestone.net or (320) 246-3337 or (320) 187-1298.

Farm mothers: Truly mothers of steel with hearts of love

Dicamba drift can harm soybeans

Diers Ag & Trailer Sales, Inc.

See DICAMBA DRIFT, pg. 8

9283 County Road 6 SW, Howard Lake, MN 55349

3 miles south of U.S. Hwy. 12 on Wright Cty. Road 6, or 4 miles North of Winsted

“Where Farm and Family Meet”

By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer WASECA, Minn. — Dicamba, an old product but new this year for genetically modified soybeans, is prone to drifting.

Newly approved dicamba products — Monsanto XtendiMax and BASF Engenia — are designed to be less volatile. Experts warn that labels and regulations must be followed precisely when applying.

On July 20, Minnesota Public Radio reported that the Minnesota Department of Agriculture is investigating about two dozen complaints from farmers regarding dicamba. Used on soybeans that have been genetically modified to tolerate the herbicide, drifting can hurt non-resistant fields.

“It moves. No matter how you cut it, it still moves, so you’ve got to be very aware of your neighbors and potential drift issue. Follow the regulations,” said David Kee, director of research for Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council.

Interviewed at the Agronomy Field Tour at the University of Minnesota Southern Research and Outreach Center in Waseca on June 20, Kee also referenced a research plot using a combination treatment of Engenia and glyphosate.

“Engenia has a different kill rate than Roundup,” Kee said. “The plot here looks extremely clean. Engenia is not a grass killer but combined with other products, it looks terrific. The same for dicamba used

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era never forgot what it was like.

She had to watch her sons learn how to use tractors and implements, and pray that they would be safe once they got going on their own (following a few instructions from Dad). She closed the kitchen curtains on silo-filling day because she couldn’t stand watching my brothers walk around on top of the silo. She went head to head with my brother’s knee that had been torn open by an angry sow. Yes, nerves of steel.

She fed hungry baling and corn shelling crews without so much as a microwave oven or a cake mix. Talk about gutsy.

Now and then, my brothers would brawl it out on the living room floor. Mom would come in with a broom, give them a few good swats with it and holler, “Take your fight outside!” (She didn’t ask them to stop fighting ... she just didn’t want her living room to look like a frat house on Sunday morning.)

And it may have been a subliminal message she sent me once as she fixed my well-loved Raggedy Ann doll which suffered an accidental leg-ectomy.

When I got the doll back, the leg was sewn on backwards. (An extremely busy farm mother, or a subliminal message about possible consequences for my future behaviors? You decide.) The doll is still that way today, reminding me that I always need to keep my toes pointed in the same direction.

Carry on, farm moms everywhere. Your hearts are made of both love … and steel.

Karen Schwaller brings “Table Talk” to The Land with a partner product. We have from her home near Milford, Iowa. She can be some good tools to work with, but reached at kschwaller@evertek.net. v you have to remember that dicamba wants to move on us.”

ABU 14000# GVW TRAILER Kee emphasized reading and following labels is always the starting point when it comes to chemical control of weeds in any crop. The label recommends maintaining a Dave Kee 110-220-foot buffer strip on susceptible crops. Reading the website prior to application is the best procedure. Review options and under- 18’ + 2’, 2-7000# Axles Dovetail From LED lighting stand what is legal and what is not legal, Kee Adjustable coupler Fold up ramps $3,799 Modular Wiring Harness advised.

Goosenecks Drop Yes, it’s a lot more complicated. Kee said each Dual Jacks, Lockable Chain Box, ’N Locks LED Lights, Modular dicamba product has its own website. Each site has a Dovetail, Wiring Harness, & more.

Gooseneck different blend of legal additives and spray tips.

Hitch Are we getting closer to the herbicide mixture that does the job on these new problem weeds — specifiRol-Oyl cally giant ragweed and water hemp?

In Stock Cattle Oilers Pricing Examples: $ “We can do that, but it’s not going to be cheap,” Kee 389 As 25’ (20’ + 5’) 14,000# GVWR explained. “And the applicator’s skill will definitely pictured $1550 $6,420 Easy to Install come into play. If you put it on too early, or too late, 20K# GVWR Duallys 24’ (19’ + 5’) Easy to Haul Without it’s going to show up.” $8,660 $1275 Brush It’s That Simple!

32’ (27’ + 5’) $9,375 Tom Hoverstad, scientist at SROC, said they are very aware of drift issues with dicamba.

“There is a multi-page instruction book with this (320) 543-2861 • www.diersag.com

THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

menu. If you were me, you would be told Whether in town or on the farm, there by your busy mother, “If you don’t like it, is hardly any mistaking the notion that supper’s over.” (And mean it.) mothers have a big job to do. They have held families together since, well, the We all learned to eat what she put in invention of mothers. front of us, and ate it without even sniffing it first.

For some mothers, the job is no big deal.

We see that even out in the barns. Those And when we would ask, “What’s for four-legged moms lie around like it’s just supper?” She would reply, “Whatever you another day, chewing their cud and digfix.”

TABLE TALK ging in the manure. But then, many of That’s how my sisters and I learned to those moms can stand up and have their

By Karen Schwaller cook. babies, turn around to see what just went on back there, sniff them, lick them off, My mother (a city girl all of her growthen wander off to see what there is to eat. ing-up years) had a lot to learn about being a farm wife and mother at first. She had to learn how to I totally get that. clean chickens — a necessary and stinky job that no Farm mothers are truly mothers of steel. They one I know ever enjoyed. I’ll bet she was reading have to be for the kind of lives they live. A mother’s the fine print in her wedding vows pretty hard after life involves many different seasons, not just the she did that job for the first time. usual four, and they all have to do with the work She had to mend blue jeans for a family of nine, that has to be done outside. She can’t plan a thing and I don’t know how she did it without an arm on more than a day or two in advance, and during her sewing machine. Maybe there was a reason why some times of the year that’s too early to plan she needed to spend so much time out in the wash ahead. house when she was doing that job — perhaps seekDarn weather. ing liquid coping skills.

And meals — not only are they served at unlikely She would say to me, “Dad wears his denim shirts times of the day and night, but every now and then so long and they get so thin that you can almost she’ll have a kid that squawks about what’s on the read through them.” Kids of the Great Depression-

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THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

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Portable hydroelectric generator works in shallow water

By Tim King The Land Correspondent MINNEAPOLIS — Verterra Energy aims to bring low-cost electricity to remote locations with its unique modular waterpowered Volturnus V-Pod electrical generator. The idea, according to the company’s founder and Chief Executive Officer Ted Christopher, is to place clusters of the 4-foot high by 10-foot in diameter modules in relatively shallow flowing water in canals, rivers, and ultimately oceanic tidal areas.

“We prefer not to call the modules turbines,” Christopher said. “When people think of a turbine, they think of the Hoover dam or a wind turbine.

Instead, we call it modular hydro power. It is a very different design and approach. Instead of a single large propeller oriented like a windmill, Volturnus can be deployed in arrays like solar panels.”

In June, Verterra Energy was scheduled to test the fourth generation of its scaled-up prototype Volturnus V-Pod. “We tested generation three last year and we’ll be testing generation four in a few weeks,” Christopher said. “That will be dealing with the anchoring system and how we deploy and retrieve each unit. They will be somewhat semi-permanent.”

The V-Pods modules are made from the same epoxy material as speedboat hulls and are deployed in groups of five. Installation doesn’t require any onsite construction and they are deployed so they can be fairly easily retrieved from the water for maintenance or other reasons. They are designed to fit the needs of potential customers in remote areas such as Alaska, Southeast Asia, or Latin America.

Each cluster of five Volturnus modules has a capacity of 50 kilowatts. That’s enough electricity to power a small village, a remote mine, or a logging operation,

Christopher says. As a remote customer’s electricity requirements increase, more Volturnus V-Pods can be added.

The Volturnus is unique in the small scale hydropower business because it is on a vertical axis. Wind turbines, and most large electricity-generating turbines in dams, operate on a horizontal axis. That means that, if they are to operate under water, the water has to be deep.

“That vertical axis is really important because it allows us to have a bigger diameter unit without limiting the depth of the water that we can deploy in,” Christopher said. “But if you had a 10-foot diameter wind turbine and you wanted to put it in the water, you’d need not only the 10 feet of water, but a foot or two of water above and below the blades.

Pretty soon you’re talking about 15 or 20 feet of water. Every time you add a few feet in depth you reduce the number of sites that you can use.”

Hydroelectric generators that require deep water are large, expensive, and usually require a dam, Christopher says. The small and inexpensive V-Pods can be installed in water as shallow as six feet. That puts them in competition with many remote sites around the world that currently rely on diesel electric generators. Cristopher says it costs about a dollar per kilowatt hour to operate a diesel-electric generator in a remote site. That includes the high cost of fuel transportation, he said.

In contrast, Christopher says Verterra Energy has set 10 cents a kilowatt hour as a goal for its V-Pods.

“Not only are we saving the customer money,” he said, “but the cherry on top is that this is zero emission power with almost no noise.”

Christopher says the V-Pods can compliment and compete with solar and wind power as well.

Dicamba application is ‘ticklish’

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DICAMBA DRIFT, from pg. 7 product. Drift will be a concern; tank contamination will be a concern; volatility can be a concern; so this one needs to be watched and used carefully. Dicamba has been widely-used on corn, but is just now coming into our soybean sector. We used dicamba on our corn a month ago; but on our soybeans just this week. So drift is a more ticklish situation because of this later application … especially with temperature inversions which can cause this issue,” he said.

Another weed control technique are split or multiple applications of herbicides.

“We’re to the point where I think both corn and soybeans will be looking at multiple applications. Timing and different action modes will be determiners. If we’re talking tank mix applications, some of these products don’t get along very well in the same tank at

the same time. Also, biology of the weed often tells us timing of one product might not be optimum timing for another. Here at the station, I think several trips across the fields will be our strategy,” said Hoverstad.

Split applications depend upon the weed problems of a particular field. “Every farmer is an individual,” said Kee, “so too is every field an individual.”

“Know what your weed problems were last year,” he said. “You already know your weed issues this year. The issue for some farmers may be when they go into a new field. Unless they have crop history, the unknowns of that particular field need to be investigated.

“One of the things we’ve discovered with all of this ongoing research is that one size fits all poorly,” said Kee. v

Photos submitted

Volturnus V-Pods are used in clusters of five to generate electrical power in shallow water.

“These operate 24/7 because the river doesn’t stop,” he said. “Whereas some days the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow.”

The hydro kinetic energy available in streams world-wide for a device the size of Verterra’s V-Pods is immense, Christopher says.

“There is 120 terrawatt hours available in the U.S. alone, according to the U.S. Department of Energy,” he said. “To give you an idea of what that means, the Hoover dam produces only four terrawatts.” (A terrawatt is four trillion watts and an average lightning strike peaks at one terrawatt.)

Altough Verterra Energy does not plan on competing in the major electrical markets in the United States any time soon, or anywhere else in the developed world, Christopher does imagine a grand future for his invention.

“It’s important that we take this one step at a time,” he said, “but I can imagine a time in the future when these are deployed in the tidal areas on the coasts around the planet. They could help power the world.”

After Verterra Energy perfects its deployment, anchoring, and retrieval system this summer, the next step is a commercial launch project to demonstrate the ruggedness of the system and to prepare for mass production.

“After we finalize the anchoring system, we’ll do an installation in the U.S. with a beta (trial) commercial V-POD to let it run and find out what we don’t know yet. After a decade of design and testing, we’ve found there’s no substitute for getting in the water and testing in the real world,” Christopher said.

The company’s goal is to deploy these modular, zero-emissions power stations that are economically viable without any subsidies.

Visit verterraenergy.com to learn more. v

Corn is tasseled; farmers spray for aphids

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Larry Konsterlie, Pennock, July 31

“We’ve made our second cutting of hay. We are currently hauling the bales off,” said Corey Hanson from his corn, soybean, wheat and alfalfa farm.

Corey Hanson One problem: He’s waiting for carpenters to rebuild a hay shed that blew away in a tornado last August. In the meantime he is piling the bales on the ground outside the shed.

His aphid count reached the University of Minnesota economic threshold of 250 aphids per soybean plant, with rates a little higher in a few hot spots. He sprayed for aphids the week of July 24.

He estimates his soybean crop is about three weeks behind last year’s crops. Soybean and corn

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Out at Bob Roelofs’ corn, bean and pig farm, they got about 2-and-a-half inches of rain in the last 10 days.

Fields sustained a little wind damage in July 9 storms, but the corn Bob Roelofs came right back up. To date, they dodged the worst of the weather in Blue Earth County, with the brunt of summer storms landing just north and south of them. “So we’ve been pretty fortunate,” he said.

As for soybeans: “We got all our spraying done. We don’t see much for aphids yet, so we’re not doing that yet,” said Roelofs.

If they get another shot of rain in the next two weeks, the corn crop will be just about made in his area, he reported.

“Pretty quiet now,” said Roelofs.

On Mark Ditlevson’s corn, soybean and small grain farm, he is getting ready to harvest the oats, winter wheat and cereal rye — if it dries up.

“We will probably tackle our wheat and oats next week, weather permitting,” said Ditlevson.

Mark Ditlevson As a member of the Freeborn Area Soil Health Team, Ditelevson is hosting an onfarm event called “How Healthier Soil Improves Tile Efficiency,” 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Aug. 9. The event features Frank Gibbs, retired Natural Resources Conservation Service soil scientist. He will perform a tile smoke show.

Using smoke bombs and pressurizing tile lines, the “Smoking Tile” demonstration, pushes smoke through the soil toward the surface. The smoke acts as an indicator for water movement through the soil and shows the efficiency of the tile. More smoke means healthier soils. Soils sealed due to compaction will not have smoke rise through the soil to the surface.

“It’s amazing how it works,” said Ditlevson.

The event is at 7068 East Highway 30, Blooming Prairie. Visit Freeborn County Soil and Water Conservation District at www. freebornswcd.org for more details.

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“All the corn is pretty much tasseled, 100 percent,” said Larry Konsterlie from his family corn and bean farm.

His crops picked up a little rain last week and there’s some rain in the forecast for the week of July 31. He is seeing many good looking corn Larry Konsterlie fields with a lot of potential in his area.

“We’ll take any moisture we can now just to get that corn made,” said Konsterlie.

His soybeans are doing well, getting bigger and filling in the rows.

He is spraying for aphids this week with a plan for one application and done.

The third crop of hay is on the ground and needs to be raked up and baled before it rains in the next few days, reported Konsterlie.

The Kandiyohi County Fair is coming up Aug. 9 in Willmar. Konsterlie plans to bring a few of his antique John Deere tractors for display. His 1936 John Deere Model A has been in his family since his great uncle bought it new in 1936. His 1951 John Deere Model G also holds family memories.

Of course, the Konsterlies will bring their four children to the fair.

They enjoy seeing the animals, he said.

THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017



Corey Hanson, Gary, July 31

Compiled by The Land Associate Editor Marie Wood crops are showing moisture stress.

Nate Hultgren, Raymond, July 21 “Beans seem to look better. The yellowing spots “We’re working on the second application of fungicide on have gotten smaller, but they’re still very stunted the sugar beets,” said Nate Hultgren from Hultgren Farms. and very delayed,” he said.

They’ve received about a half inch of rain in the last week, Wheat harvest has begun, especially spring so they’re doing OK. “In July, we could use an inch a week,” he comwheat that was seeded before the spring snows. mented.

Other wheat fields are getting close. Hanson is a “We’ve wrapped up spraying and cultivating all the edible beans. week to 10 days from wheat harvest.

They are starting to flower and will pod in the next week,” said HultAlfalfa has suffered the last three weeks because Nate Hultgren gren.

They grow dark red kidney beans. of lack of rain fall. “The current regrowth is very The third chopping of hay began on July 21. Corn is starting to tassel, slow this time,” he said. except for the corn that got mowed down by wind and hail in June. That corn looks His cattle is doing fine except for a bull about two weeks behind, reported Hultgren. with a sore foot, but a full recovery is In their beet fields, along with many Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar expected. In order to get their aniCooperative fields, migrant workers are pulling waterhemp by hand which mals bred, he bought another bull has become glyphosate resistant. Hultgren noted they haven’t had to do from Mandan, N.D. that since Roundup Ready beets came out in 2007.

Hanson was recently elected treasurer of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association.

Mark Ditlevson,

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10

Expert weighs in on nematodes, aphids, healthy soybeans

By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer LAMBERTON, Minn. — When visiting with Bruce Potter, the conversation usually starts with, “So what’s the outlook for soybean aphids this year?” Potter is the integrated pest management specialist at the University of Minnesota Southwest Research and Outreach Center in Lamberton.

“We’re just starting to build,” Potter said. “A lot of soybean fields got a late start this year. And many aphids came off the buckthorn before soybeans were even off to a good start. Just a few ET (economic threshold) levels in some fields in northwestern and central Minnesota have been sprayed. But they’re spreading out now. We’ll just have to wait and see what the weather does.”

Q: Any location in Minnesota where they might be ready to fire up?

Potter: Yes, a few reports from northwest Minnesota. However, so far little activity here in west central and southern Minnesota. We’re seeing a lot of parasitism in some of these aphids in some fields at SWROC. That’s a good sign.

Q: What’s promoting the parasites?

Potter: What we’re seeing down here is a species that creates little black aphid mummies. The adult wasp lays an egg in the aphid and the larvae feeds inside the aphid, killing the aphid. This species attacks several species of aphids and has been expanding its range. We don’t know much about this particular genus of parasites. George Heimpel’s lab on the St. Paul campus has a very active program in biocontrol of soybean aphids and is documenting the effect of parasitoid wasps on soybean aphid populations across Minnesota.

Q: Could this be an important tool in the ongoing battle with aphids?

Potter: I think it’s already starting to make an impact. Back in 2000-2013 times we did not see very much parasitism of soybean aphids. Now parasites are becoming more common.

Q: What’s the aphid population across the soybean belt? Is Minnesota still leading the list?

Potter: Aphids are all over the Upper Midwest.

They’re now showing up in Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri fields. But those are most likely moving in from up here. Minnesota, eastern South Dakota, southeast North Dakota and northern Iowa have the bigger issues. Unfortunately, we’re still the numberone area for producing soybean aphids.

Q: Why Minnesota?

Potter: I think part of it is our buckthorn prevalence. Buckthorn is the natural over-wintering species for aphids. Plus, some is climate. We’re not as hot and humid. In that kind of weather, there are more fungal parasites which are nature’s way of minimizing aphid populations. In this area, you’ve got canning crops often with soybeans planted after peas. Plus, we’ve always got some late-planted soybeans where aphids can ramp up before they move back to buckthorn.

Getting a new class of insecticide, or fungicide, or herbicide or trait is neither quick nor cheap.

— Bruce Potter Bruce Potter Q: Are airplanes becoming the predominant tool to control pests?

Potter: Where you have canning crops which are all contract-produced, aerial sprays for many growers have become part of their overall crop management strategy. Sugarbeets much the same way, with field specialists working with growers on their entire pest management program. And if there is a substantial explosion of soybean aphids or other outbreaks later into the season, airplanes can help get large acres treated quickly. Also, with some pesticide applications, we’re seeing a better fit with an aerial attack.

Q: Why does it take so long in getting new pesticides introduced into the market?

Potter: It takes time to get clearance on a new product. Lots of hurdles to be cleared. Getting a new class of insecticide, or fungicide, or herbicide or trait is neither quick nor cheap. In integrated pest management, we talk about using threshold levels before spraying to keep these products viable as long as we can. With soybean aphids, we’re in a bind right now because we have only a limited number of products.

Corn rootworm and BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) is much the same predicament. The RNAi trait in SmartStax Pro has received Environmental Protection Agency approval, but not export approval.

So far, there’s only limited usage. So at this stage, I’m not certain how this will fit in. Also, because producers and applicators aren’t used to new products, there can be problems. Examples are drift concerns with dicamba. That happened early on with Roundup.

With these new herbicides and new soybeans to fit these products, we’ve got a new learning curve once again.

Q: Iron deficiency chlorosis seems more prevalent this spring. Why? Potter: Blame the weather. We were wet in many areas this spring, plus very cool. In the Lamberton area, chlorosis is spotty — tending to follow alkali soil rims. But people need to watch for iron chlorsis that disappears and reappears because that is probably nematodes. Iron deficiency is more an earlyseason thing. But if it shows, then disappears, then shows again, it is a good indication of nematode issues.

Q: If that happens, then what?

Potter: First check the variety you planted. Maybe take some soil samples. Check roots. If you have a variety that is supposedly nematode resistant, then check our university variety trial releases to see how

strong that resistance is. We do have fields where soybean cyst nematode have adapted to Pi 88788 and to a lesser extent, Peking resistance sources. Some time you may have to throw in a resistant variety such as Peking. But if you have high nematode populations and iron deficiency chlorosis issues at the same time, you may want to stretch your rotation.

Those nematodes tend to make everything else worse.

Q: Because commodity prices tanked from 2010, are producers adverse to purchasing pesticides?

Potter: Yes, I think so, but that is natural considering how tight break-evens are these days. However, integrated pest management concepts and decisions based on economic thresholds haven’t changed regardless of commodity prices. If you made a mistake when corn was $7, it likely stung a little bit more. By the same token, if you’ve got $7 corn out there, producers get a bit more squeamish if there’s also an insect out there. Insects don’t eat more when the corn price goes up!

Q: Are you surprised Minnesota has more acres of soybeans than corn this year?

Potter: No, not really. Lots of soybeans moved in replacing wheat in western parts of Minnesota. Corn acres are down because of input costs which are considerably more than soybeans. But if economics were a little more friendly for corn, I think we’d see the shift back to more corn acres. However, a potential problem with more soybean acres is more soybean pest issues. Here in southwest Minnesota, getting some of these acres back into corn has really helped lessen some of these disease issues of soybeans. But if we get into a 50-50 ratio between the two crops, soybean aphids and nematodes might become more prevalent.

Q: Are you satisfied with the genetic progress being made in soybeans?

Potter: Soybeans are tougher to breed than corn.

Yields have been consistently going up in both crops.

Sometimes we get so excited about a new product, Roundup for example, that it detracts emphasis in other areas of genetic research. Right now dicamba or 2,4-D-tolerant beans are the focus. These little stair steps tend to sidetrack our genetic research.

We’re still making progress on nematode and disease resistance issues however.

Q: Will 2017 yields match 2016?

Potter: No, that won’t happen. Last year was exceptional any way you measure it. Corn has some thinner stands. It’s later this year. Weather at pollination is the next determiner. But I think the corn crop will look pretty good this year too. Soybeans are late. A lot are fairly short. At this stage, impossible to predict; but my guess is we won’t match last year.

Q: Are cover crops a growing necessity?

Potter: Easier to establish in soybeans is my first comment. Cover crops may help control weeds, but they also complicate herbicide choices. My interest is what cover crops do to insect pests. We definitely need more studies in that area. v

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(to plant), when to seed, how to seed and many additional questions are being asked. We’re at the front end at this stage but there will be lots more results generated from this research center and many others.”

Soybean genetics Work is underway exploring how the genetic structure of the soybean plant can impact its ability to combat weeds.

“We see lots of different leaf architecture in soybeans,” said Hoverstad.

“Depending upon their leaf structure, certain varieties can do a little bit of their own weed control. But the weed species is always the culprit here. A weed like giant ragweed is so competitive that any difference in leafiness from one soybean variety to another like an upright, bushy variety with vigorous growth still isn’t able to overcome the competitiveness of giant ragweed.” v

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move for some. “(Farmers) want specifics for certain weeds and those weeds are giant ragweed, common ragweed, water hemp and lambsquarter. Those are the target weeds for now,” he said.

Cover crops While still in the early stages, evidence is suggesting that a fall seeding of cover crops can be a factor in cleaner water in tile lines. Jeff Vetsch, soil scientist at SROC, said data is encouraging. Comparing cereal rye which was terminated April 17; an annual blend terminated in December and no cover crop, nitrate-N concentration in tile drainage water measured in May was 7.3 milligrams per litre in non-treated tile; 6.8 mg/L in blend and 2.3 mg/L in cereal rye.

“We’re seeing great interest in this strategy for cleaning up tile drainage water,” said Vetsch. “What cover crops

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a forecast yield of 180 bu./acre; a value of $3.25 per bushel; and a gross return of $585 per acre.

Weed control Tom Hoverstad, who has logged in 35 years at the Waseca r e s e a r c h c e n t e r, talked weed control.

One particular soybean plot looked especially clean. The plot sign said “Engenia and glyphosate.”

Could this be a possi- Tom Hoverstad ble solution to giant ragweed, water hemp and horse nettle?

Hoverstad responded, “There’s an old expression of what goes around comes around. When I started here 35 years ago, attempting to find specific products that worked on specific weeds was the challenge. That hasn’t changed, though the challenging weeds have changed. It used to be cocklebur and velvet leaf. Now giant ragweed and water hemp have become a special challenge.”

Hoverstad went on to say. “But seldom is technology a catch-all. We need to manage as best we can, but don’t become reliant on a single product to do everything. This Engenia-glyphosate combo might be a new twist. It gives us a new mode of action.”

He added that growers should consider spring tillage as a weed control measure.

“I’ve been telling growers that tillage was invented as a weed control operation. Old-timers talked about giving the crop and the weeds an even start.

Spring tillage was their strategy.”

This spring, with frequent weather changes impacting planting, tillage just ahead of planting was a necessary

THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer WASECA, Minn. — About 60 farmers and agriculture professionals visited research plots and listened to presentations from scientists and economists at the Agronomy Field Tour on June 20 at the University of Minnesota Southern Research and Outreach Center in Waseca.

Crop outlook pricing The economic outlook for corn and soybeans was the first challenge addressed.

Dave Bau, University of Minnesota Extension educator, said since 2006, input costs for corn Dave Bau have been increasing at a rate of 7.8 percent per year and soybeans 7 percent per year. And don’t count on March-to-July price bumps to bail you out.

At Worthington, the 43-year average is $2.80 for March corn; $2.85 July.

Average five-year (2010-2016) yields for 11 south central Minnesota counties was 182.7 bushels per acre for corn; 52.3 bu./acre for soybeans.

Bau uses FINPACK data which involves about 1,200 southern Minnesota farmers providing cost data on all their inputs. Net return per acre pays the bills, but it’s getting scary. For 2006-2015, the average net was $121.81 per acre. But then in 2015, the average net return was a minus $57.39/acre. 2016 was even worse at minus $72.92 and the 2017 forecast is minus $144. The news is slightly better for soybeans with $3.21 net for 2015; minus 0.36 cents for 2016; and a projected negative 23 cents for 2017.

His 2017 corn budget, based on southern Minnesota FINPACK data is

11

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12

Horse-powered farming is preserved at The Barns

By RENAE B. VANDER SCHAAF wagons. I decided too many good The Land Correspondent wagons were leaving this area, and decided to start saving them.”

MARCUS, Iowa — For over 30 years, Jr Pearson has been In his collection there are on a mission to preserve hisapproximately two dozen wagons, tory — specifically items relatmany in their original paint. The ed to the days when horse manufacturing companies vary. power was the best way to get Wards, John Deere, McCormick work done on the farm and in Deering, Weber, T.G. Mandt, the cities.

Columbus, Herschel, W.C.W. and Studebaker are just a few of the Pearson’s collection is open companies that Pearson has by appointment only in the wagon boxes from. quiet town of Marcus, where at a certain point in history it The box wagon manufacturers was quite a bustling business were plentiful, but so were the center. It had the reputation Photos by Renae B. Vander Schaaf wagon seat and running gear for being one of the largest Jr Pearson has been collecting vintage, companies. shipping points for cattle, horse-drawn farm equipment for over 30 “The one standard they all went hogs, and chickens between years. by was the size,” said Pearson.

Sioux City and Chicago, filling “The boards were 10 feet and 6 as many as 19 livestock train cars in day. inches long, and each wagon was 38 inches wide.

“At one time, I was buying wagons and selling them There were a few wagons that were 42 inches wide, to people in Texas,” said Pearson, age 76. “They with the gears and box being 4 inches wider. The would retrofit the wagons to be used again as chuck wheel trail was 65 inches, so that all trailed the same.”

There was an ongoing debate on the preferred width of the wheels.

Some liked the narrower wheels, which pulled easier. The thicker wheels were said to float better, not sinking into sand or mud as easy.

A wagon would cost around $200, but that depended also on the options the buyer wanted.

Brakes could be added for another $15. Farmers who did most of their travelling on flat land seldom purchased the brakes.

The wagons were identified as Triumph wagons were manufactured by John Deere as an economy double box or triple box — dependmodel. Each John Deere model came with a guarantee. ing on how many of those boards were stacked. The flare boxes became available in the 1930s, still using the same running gear.

Its design held more bushels.

John Deere continued to make horse drawn wagons into the 1950s, so they are still fairly easy to find. They had an economy wagon called Triumph. These wagons came with the John Deere guarantee which was printed on the wagons’ front. Pearson has one of these wagons that was originally sold by C.H. Bisbee of Marshall, Minn.

Sometimes the wagons were completely manufactured from start to finish on location. Pearson This tank wagon was in pretty bad shape when Pearson found it in has an 1894 Studebaker wagon Nebraska. Today it looks like it is ready to go.

The Ice King could cut lake ice into uniformly-shaped blocks. that has its manufactured date and serial number painted on the axle. Another wagon that is special is the Keller wagon, which is completely Keller manufactured in Joplin, Mo., but sold by Geo. E. Pew in nearby Le Mars.

Walking through the building named Wagon Barn, one can envision the days when these wagons were the farmers’ mode of transportation and his way of bringing the harvest to the elevator and transporting livestock to the market.

But before farmers had anything to harvest, they first had to grow and plant the crops. Here again, Pearson is doing an excellent job of pre- This Conestoga wagon serving history. From the jack was a handy tool wagons, the museum when things didn’t go changes to horse drawn smoothly. farm implements.

He has all the equipment needed for planting corn in the check rows, and Pearson believes that much of it is field ready.

He sometimes locates some very unusual pieces of farm equipment that had a short production life, because it was severely flawed. A mechanical corn cutter was only manufactured for two to three years because it just wasn’t built strong enough to get the job done.

Pearson has researched This manual square baler many of the items in his made one bale at a time. museum buildings, so that most displays are highlighted with history See THE BARNS, pg. 13

Visitors can walk through history at The Barns museum

comes from his wife Sue’s suggestion. They wanted it to be related to agriculture; and a lot of work was done in and near the barn on the farm.

The Barns Museum is adjacent to the Marcus Fairgrounds. It is open by appointment only by calling Pearson at (712) 229-4809. During the days of the Marcus Community Fair, the museum will be open from 1 to 4 p.m., Aug. 12 and 13. v

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The Hay Tedder fluffed up cut hay to aid in faster drying.

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about the company, the item’s purpose and where he found it. For example, the Moline Subsoiler Surface Packer has a copy of the advertisement that enticed farmers to have a closer look at what this piece of equipment could do for them.

And when the work was done, there might be time for a buggy ride. In the Carriage Barn, Pearson has a collection of buggies for pleasure and work, carriages and wagons which would have been used for businesses. Some are original, a few he has made.

The hearse is one that he built upon a running gear purchased near Brookings.

“The wood is from walnut trees harvested in this area,” said Pearson. “A local cabinet maker, Loren Schieuer, helped me with the woodwork. Grace Groszkrueger of Pierson did the interior upholstery Pearson said this early corn harvester did not have a work. It has been used a few times.” long manufacturing life because it did not work.

While Pearson likes to find items that are in pristine shape, needing very little repair, he does find items that he sees as a repairable. He then he utilizes many of the skills he learned while farming: welding, woodwork and persistence.

“The Standard Oil tank wagon needed all new wheels, tires and a paint job,” said Pearson. “Gene Polson from Marcus did the lettering, tracing what little was still visiThe carriage building contains a mixture of original carriages and ones made by ble.”

Pearson.

Other unique items include a prairie brush breaker manufactured in Canada; a No. 4 Victor double-huller clover machine manufactured in 1889 by the Newark Machine Co. in Columbus, Ohio; an Orangeville barn thresher he found in Scranton, Penn., about 30 miles from the Orangeville Agriculture Works factory where it was made.

The Barns is a museum filled with one-of-a-kind items which were once found on farms during the horse power days. It is a walk through history and an education on how work was once done.

When winter drives Pearson indoors, he keeps busy making miniatures.

The name The Barns

THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

THE BARNS, from pg. 12

13

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THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

14

Organic farming allows small farmers to stay in business

By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer LAMBERTON, Minn. — When asked which is easier, organic or non-organic, organic farmer Bob Masselink of Edgerton responded, Bob Masselink “It’s easier being nonorganic, but you can make a nice living on a smaller organic farm than on a conventional farm. It’s a way for the small farmer to stay in business.”

Masselink speaks from 19 years of experience. He operates a 270-acre farm in Rock County with corn, soybeans and small grain, usually wheat, but sometimes oats or rye, plus quite often alfalfa.

Masselink says being an old-fashioned farmer made the transition into organic production easier. Certified Organic in 1998, he was never much of a user of chemicals. He admits he wouldn’t have the quack grass issue he has now if he had used Roundup before going organic.

Controlling weeds seems to top the list of challenges for organic producers.

But Masselink feels that thanks to

organic methods, soils are getting healthier. And, of course, healthy soils can grow healthy weeds too.

“Cultivating keeps fields clean, but you can’t get a field clean with a cultivator,” Masselink said. “Crop rotations and a combination of things are all part of the puzzle. Alfalfa works good for cleaning up thistles for example.

But too often, the quack gets bad.

Weeds are just part of the environment for us organic folks.”

Masselink noted that once you do find a system that works well against weeds, invariably you soon have a weed that also thrives under that system too.

So it seems there is no end to the weed challenge.

He entered the organic market with soybeans.

“My soybeans went to Japan for tofu.

That was pretty exciting. Those soybeans brought $25 a bushel when conventional were only about $4. There was no market for anything else, so my organic corn we fed to our pigs,” he said. “Today, the organic corn market is by far the best crop. We figure about twice the price of conventional corn.

Not much of a premium for alfalfa because trucking is so expensive.”

Center in Lamberton on July 12.

“It’s always interesting to come here.

I can’t say I go home with a new idea, or new strategies. But I’m here talking with fellow organic producers. And we’re always sharing thoughts,” he said.

He commended the center’s work with cover crops.

“We’ve always looked on cover crops as a necessary way to maintain your soil fertility and some help in weed control too. This diversity of species is such a big thing in crops these days.

Monoculture is not doing your soil any favors. Weeds actually fill in some of that diversity of species. Sometimes weeds can be as good a cover crop as you can buy,” he said.

So how do you measure soil health?

Laboratory testing for all the various elements is a good read, but Masselink gets to the basics.

“My soil is softer. We’ve got more mellow soil. We’re giving our minimum tillage some credit for our mellow soils too. But I think much of it is the increased biological activity in our soils. If we get a big rain, our soils don’t wash. But once it gets to that saturation point, then it’s bad,” he said. v

Soybean agronomist talks cover crops, genetics

By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer WASECA, Minn. — Seth Naeve is the go-to guy on soybeans. Extension agronomist with the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics at the University of Minnesota, he also travels the country roads talking with soybean producers. At the June 20 Agronomy Field Tour at the University of Minnesota Southern Research and

Outreach Center in Waseca, Naeve’s research plots were on the tour.

Q: Is it inevitable that cover crops will become part of our rowcrop culture here in Minnesota and elsewhere? If so, what crop will emerge as the preferred choice?

Naeve: I think there is a lot of value in cover crops. But we have so much

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Masselink enjoys being an organic farmer in today’s world of high priced inputs and technology rich strategies.

“I like it,” he said. “It’s fun. It’s challenging. It’s a whole different concept of taking care of our land resources.

I’ve never been on the other side, so perhaps I can’t fully compare; but I like very much where I am today. My land likes it too!”

Masselink cautions that organic markets may be getting too good. “I don’t know how they can be sustainable with the money we’re getting right now,” he exclaimed. “If it gets too good, people start importing. Already there is some importing of organic grains from other countries. We got short here a couple years back. That triggered some price increases. That triggered the imports.”

Those imports generally came from the Ukraine, Turkey, India and South America. But Masselink questions whether these imports were genuine organic crops from certified fields, and do they follow the same three-year certification of American organic producers?

Masselink was attending the organic field day at the University of Minnesota Southwest Research and Outreach

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work yet to do. And recognize a lot of risk is involved with many of these systems. Plus, right now it’s at a time when farmers don’t have a lot of room for risk. There’s added cost, plus some risk, so I think it’s a bad time to push a lot of acres into cover crops. It’s probably the future, but that’s not now.

On the other hand, I do a lot of country driving. Each fall and winter I see tens of thousands of acres of soybean stubble that has been chisel plowed; also corn fields that have been moldboard plowed. And I can’t help but think maybe that is our target audience. Instead of talking cover crops with progressive farmers who are already doing minimum tillage and often no-till on their row crops, maybe we need to pull the bottom up a bit and help these guys who are the real problem. We still see too much evidence of producers doing too much tillage. With these folks there’s an opportunity to save money, maintain yields and shut down wind erosion without increasing risk.

Q: You’re talking about big operators. Would they even have the time or the equipment to get into fall seeding of cover crops? Or is aerial seeding the logical route?

Naeve: Those are just the tools to help get us where the agronomy pushes us. We need to know more about crop-cover crop combinations.

What is prime timing of seeding? And then we’ll figure how to get them out there. It’s easy to embrace the technologies around these things and it’s easy to get focused on the “fun sides” of these projects like auto steer and mapping, using drones and now aerial seeding. But the reality is that we need good, sound agronomics to make them work. The risk management could tighten up if we know what the fall and spring weather is going to be.

As you can see, it takes a lot of projects and time to assimilate reliable data.

We’re still in the infancy of cover crop research.

As a soybean specialist, I’m focused See NAEVE, pg. 15

Pads circulate water to provide comfort to sows

15

NAEVE, from pg. 14

buyers. I know we are making progress. There are buyers out there that would not have looked at northern soybeans, but now they are including those soybeans in their buying decisions. We’ve opened up new channels. One-on-one, face-to-face marketing does make a difference, especially in these Asiatic markets. That is why it is so important that we have our own growers on these marketing journeys. When buyers see the genuine commitment that our growers make to provide a quality soybean, it makes a difference. v

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on the soybean as the ideal crop for covers. Both ends of the soybean crop give us such an opportunity for covers. On the front side, soybeans will come up out of heavy covers. We can utilize a heavy cover like rye and plant soybeans into the residue. On the back side, we can get soybeans out of the field early — leaving time for either broadcast or aerial seeding of the cover crop. And, because soybeans are a low-residue crop, cover crop seeding will greatly minimize winter wind erosion across these fields. There’s not enough biomass in soybean residue to provide its own cover to soils. I’m focused on both sides of the soybean crop and ultimately farmers will need to focus on making a good corn crop on the other side.

Q: If you aerial seed, is rain needed to germinate the cover crop?

Naeve: That is the challenge with aerial seeding — not only to get it incorporated but also to maintain it. The soil profile is fairly dry when we have an actively growing crop. Fall rains are unpredictable, yet they are a requirement to make this work.

Q: Will genetic resistance to soybean aphids soon be a reality?

Naeve: We already have good resistance, but the question is how do you deploy these things? Seed companies have good genetic resistance with the Rag 1 gene. But how to market this seems to be the issue.

This is a native resistance source. It’s not a GM (genet-

ically modified) trait, it wasn’t engineered, it wasn’t a trait that they could conveniently market directly. So it’s difficult for them to determine the financial value.

We’ve got good public varieties. The public guys are doing a good job stacking those so they can be more resilient. Hopefully, those will get picked up by some smaller seed companies. This is a very important angle. Eventually, the “big guys” will come up with genetic traits for aphid resistance. But likely that adds another 30 bucks an acre to seed costs.

Q: Do we continue to make the claim that northern-produced soybeans have a better amino acid package than soybeans produced in our southern states?

Naeve: This is the heart of the quality work that I do on soybeans. Yes, I’m biased, but my message has always been that our northern soybeans (meaning Minnesota and the two Dakotas) are a better bean than our international buyers think they are. We have lower protein, but that protein is of higher quality. But having that slightly lower protein content has unfortunately given our northern soybeans a reason to be discriminated against in international trade. We’ve fought back and made good headway on better-quality amino acids in our northern soybeans.

I make trips each year visiting first-hand with many of these international buyers in their home countries — even meeting with end users in several Southeast Asia countries. Talking our high quality protein really does catch on with many of our foreign

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lenge. Johnson explained that in the demonstration barn, pipes are going everywhere with lots of valves in order to control each farrowing stall and each drinker.

“But that’s what research is all about,” Johnston said. “Figure out if the concept makes sense with benefits to both the sow and litter. Coming up with practical solutions is next. And here is where industry steps in. If this is a new way to make a buck, they will pursue it!”

At this stage, Johnston is not making predictions.

“We’re set up to do two or three turns of our farrowing groups. This first time we’re feeling our way to determine that we have stable conditions to measure the sow’s response. Right now we’re basically just doing the tinkering as needed to make certain everything is working.”

Johnston continued, “I’m counting on a hot summer to heat stress these sows. About half the stalls are equipped with video cameras. We want to observe sow behavior and perhaps more importantly, piglet behaviors. Are they using the pad? Is it too hot?

Video cameras let us have eyes monitoring 24/7 to really give us key observations as to comfort levels of both baby pigs and their mamas.”

Lee Johnston was interviewed at the Midwest Farm Energy Conference on June 13 in Morris. v

THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

By DICK HAGEN extracted from the cooling of the water The Land Staff Writer goes into a loop circulating through pads in the creep area that heat the MORRIS, Minn. — After 29 years piglets. In essence, we’re moving heat at the University of Minnesota West from the heat stressed sow into the Central Research Center in Morris, deficit heat area of the piglets.”

Lee Johnston has monitored scads of new technologies in swine production.

In addition, since they are cooling For this professor of swine nutrition the water circulated under each sow, and management, his latest research they are also cooling the water that involves capturing waste heat from goes into the nipple drinker for the nursing sows. sow.

The objective of this energy project is “The idea being, this will cool the to harness solar heat to cool sows. sow on the inside as she drinks this cooler water and cool her from the out“A sow’s best comfort is at 65 F, yet side with the cooler floor pad,” he said. right next to her in the farrowing stall is a new litter that needs 85-90 F temDon’t look for this system to be peratures. So the challenge for hog available tomorrow, Johnston admitproducers is meeting those two differted. “This is certainly not yet ready ent temperatures within a very Photo by Dick Hagen for prime time. But we want to get a restricted environment,” explained Power from solar panels handle on biological responses from Johnston. the sow. That gives us some fundaruns a heat exchanger “We’ve attached solar panels to our which cools water circulated mentals to determine if this is one of those new concepts not worth chasing, farrowing barn,” added Johnston. “We in a closed loop beneath a or if it’s a big benefit and we can figsmall pad under each sow. use the power from the solar panels to ure out how to get it done on a comrun a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger cools water circulated in a closed loop beneath a small pad mercial basis.” under each sow. The idea being that the cool water When Johnston talks to producers about this projwill cool the pad and that will cool the sow. The heat ect, they raise questions about the plumbing chal-

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THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

16

Organic dairy herd is good fit for family operation

By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer LAMBERTON, Minn. — “We hadn’t used antibiotics probably for 10 years before we went organic,” commented Matt Plaetz, a 30-year-old Wabasso Matt Plaetz dairy farmer.

Today, six years into organic farming and three years marketing organic milk, Plaetz is matter-of-fact about dairy farming these days. “If we didn’t do organic, we wouldn’t be milking today,” he said.

Matt is a third generation member of the Plaetz clan, which have always been dairy farmers. With help from his parents, Plaetz is currently milking 75 cows and running a 400-acre farming operation. He has two associate degrees in horticulture from Southeast Technical School in Sioux Falls, S.D. How did the transition into organic milk come about? “Organic Valley talked to us,” said Plaetz. “They told us we’d be allocated so many hundredweight of milk each year. With $30-plus prices, compared with $15 conventional milk, common sense just told us to go organic. That’s how we got started.”

With a 10-year history of being antibiotic-free, Plaetz said they were essentially organic milk producers, but weren’t getting paid for it. It is impor-

tant for Plaetz to pay strict attention to monthly milk production as anything over the monthly allocation earns only conventional milk prices.

Each milking is about a two-hour process. “We have a double six parlor,” Plaetz said, “so two do the milking while the other does the feeding.”

The milk truck stops at the Plaetz farm every other day to empty the 2,000-gallon bulk tank. “With current production of about 25,000 pounds of milk per cow per lactation, and current organic milk prices, I go to the barn each morning happy with what I am doing,” smiled Plaetz.

Like many dairy herds these days, especially those in organic production, genetics is a mixed bag. Swedish Red, Holstein and Montbéliarde are the genetics in the Plaetz herd. This genetic mix results in higher quality milk, richer milk and minimal somatic cell count issues. After four to five lactations, the animal is usually culled.

Because Plaetz’s cows carry more flesh, he generally gets a better price for his cull cows.

Nutrition is also key to his herd’s performance. His feeding rations include high-moisture corn, roasted soybeans, corn silage and alfalfa hay — feeding haylage during the winter.

The Plaetzes have their own soybean roaster. “It gets rid of the oils which aren’t useable to the cow, both nutri-

tionally and in milk quality. Plus, you have better palatability.”

And Plaetz is strict about his grassclover-alfalfa pasture management.

“Cows get two days per paddock. We graze intensively,” he said.

Cover crops are part of the family’s management strategy. “We do as many cover crops as we can each fall,” he said. “We drill seed on both corn and soybean stubble fields. We have a 14-foot drill with 7-inch row spacing. If soils are simply too dry, we may not do a cover crop however.”

Corn stalks aren’t an issue. Most are baled and used for bedding in the dairy’s free stall housing. Plaetz practices deep pack composting. The pack is tilled daily to maintain good composting action, so Plaetz is hauling microbial enriched manure to his fields.

Purchased fertilizer is history! “We did buy chicken pellets for a few years,” Plaetz said, “but our livestock manure is doing the job. Right now nutrient levels are good, especially soil nitrate.”

Intensive grazing Kent Solberg, livestock and grazing specialist with the Sustainable Farming Association, agrees 100 percent with Plaetz’s strategy. “Livestock have become the missing link in soil health,” said Solberg, who told of double cropping with cover crops. After harvest of the soybeans, oats, peas, or even corn, Solberg recommends impregnating that ground with a multi-seeded mixture such as sorghum Sudan.

“You’ll get some good grazing before snow cover — maybe even through the equipment dealers and distributors, winter if is an open season, and good who in turn can provide applications to grazing early the next spring. I refer to qualifying ag producers. this as 50 percent utilization. Your The updated Propane Farm Incentive Program will offer a limited number of incentives, including $300 per liter of fuel displacement for propane-powered ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Board irrigation engines (up to $5,000 total), of Water and Soil Resources recently $30/kW for propane-powered genera- announced two resources for landowntors, $3,000 for propane-powered crop ers working to comply with the state’s dryers, $1,500 for propane-powered buffer law. flame weed control systems, and up to The MBWSR has approved a buffer $2,000 for propane-powered water or cost-share program, allocating almost building heating systems. $5 million to support landowners in For more information about the meeting the requirements of the state Propane Farm Incentive Program and buffer law. for a list of qualifying equipment, visit The funds will be distributed to soil www.propane.com/farmincentive. and water conservation districts and This article was submitted by the are to be used for cost-sharing conPropane Education and Research tracts with landowners or their authoCouncil. v rized agents to implement riparian

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New propane farm incentive WASHINGTON — The Propane Education and Research Council has streamlined the application and qualification processes for its Propane Farm Incentive program, which provides financial incentives to qualifying and selected farmers who purchase propane-powered farm equipment in exchange for real-world performance data.

The program is designed to help farmers experience the benefits of propane technology while helping offset the upfront costs of new agricultural equipment. At the same time, farmers are gathering valuable information for increased efficiency and development of new equipment.

The program’s application process has been updated. Instead of applying online, a limited number of application packets have been made available to

cattle are picking the best and stomping the rest. But that stomping is doing a bunch of good for your soils,” said Solberg.

The higher the livestock density, the better the trampling.

Solberg mentioned a Redwood Falls cattleman who uses up to 14 different species in his cover-crop blend, which is no-tilled after oats or peas. “Just this change in soil biology has a drastic effect on reducing weed pressure,” he noted.

And because more grain farmers are getting concerned about the deterioration of soil health under their intensive crop production strategies, Solberg told of the growing interest in a Minnesota Department of Agriculture program called Cropland Grazing Exchange.

Just as the name suggests, the goal is to connect livestock producers with crop producers who are willing to incorporate livestock on their land for the purpose of increasing biodiversity.

Benefits include improving soil health, reducing tillage and soil erosion, increasing cropland fertility and reducing pressure on pastures.

According to Solberg, soil organic matter has a 58 percent impact on the corn crop. There is between a half to 8 tons of soil microbes per acre. “Yet because much of our conservation acres (even CRP) do not have the benefit of livestock, these grounds are some of the lowest in soil microbial populations,” said Solberg.

Matt Plaetz and Kent Solberg were interviewed at the University of Minnesota Southwest Research and Outreach Center’s annual Organic Field Day, July 12. v

Website helps with buffer law buffers or alternative practices on public waters and public drainage ditches.

Landowners with questions about compliance waivers and other buffer topics can now visit a new website for information and tips to implement the buffer law. The site, mn.gov/buffer-law, is a resource to learn about the law, find answers about alternative practices, and get information about financial and technical assistance and more.

This article was submitted by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources. v

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Chinese imports, weak dollar aid cheese market This column was written for the marular and active schedules however milk keting week ending July 28. availability has decreased.

Americans and exports consumed plenWestern cheese makers say production ty of butter and cheese during June is steady and cheese is generally moving Dairy Month. The U.S. Department of well, but domestic demand outside of curAgriculture’s Cold Storage report shows rent contracts is not spectacular. Buyers U.S. butter stocks stood at 310.1 million are not seeking extra loads and are conpounds on June 30, down 3.5 million tent to wait until consumer demand pounds or 1.1 percent from May and 18 picks up with the start of football season MIELKE MARKET million or 5.8 percent below June 2016, and school. Milk supplies are adequate to WEEKLY third month in a row they were below a plentiful. Cheese inventories, although year ago. Stocks peaked last year in July generally long, are stable.

By Lee Mielke at 332.8 million. n American-type cheese, at 810.3 Cash butter closed the week and million pounds, was down 26.4 milthe month at $2.72 per pound, up lion pounds or 3.3 percent from May 13.5 cents on the week, up 7.5 cents since July 3, but 53.3 million pounds or 7.0 percent above a year and the highest price since Dec. 9, 2015. It is 58.5 ago. May stocks were also revised 10.3 million cents above a year ago when it plummeted 15.75 pounds lower. cents to $2.1350. A whopping 51 cars were sold the The total cheese inventory stood at 1.32 billion final week of July at the CME. pounds, down 13.2 million or 1.0 percent from May, Some Midwest butter producers report current and the second month in a row that stocks declined, sales have improved from last year, both in retail but were 66.5 million pounds or 5.3 percent above and more noticeably food service. Some suggest June 2016. market prices will continue to maintain or increase.

The data added some bullishness to the market.

They propose current conditions, including the globThe 40-pound Chicago Mercantile Exchange chedal milkfat shortage and the positive public health dar closed on the morning of July 28 at $1.7550 per views of butter, will sustain a market price in the pound. This is up 4.75 cents on the week, 23 cents $2.50-$2.70 range. Contacts point out that current above its July 3 perch, the highest level since Feb. butter prices are at or ahead of where they were in 2, and 2.25 cents above a year ago. The 500-pound 2014 and 2015, when the CME price broke the barrels even rolled uphill and narrowed the price $3.00 threshold by late September in both years. spread a bit, closing at $1.5550 per pound. This is Western butter output was unchanged from the up 9.5 cents on the day, 14.5 cents on the week, previous week. Although ice cream producers and 20.25 cents above the July 3 level, but 22 cents other Class II processors are using a lot of cream, below a year ago and still at an unsustainable 20 cream is still available and churning is active. cents below the blocks. Trading saw only one load of However, due to fairly high cream prices, some problock exchange hands on the week at the CME but cessors are opting to sell it instead of churning but36 of barrel as traders anticipate the Aug. 1 Global ter for storage. Others are holding on to their stock Dairy Trade auction. for immediate and year-end holiday needs. Domestic By the way, the record level spread since daily demand continues to be strong. Contacts report that trading began on Sept. 1, 1998, was 32 cents and the international market is showing more interest happened on July 30, 2008, according to FC Stone. in U.S. butter.

FC Stone’s Dave Kurzawski wrote in his July 25 Cash Grade A nonfat dry milk ended the week at Early Morning Update, “The draw down in stocks 86 cents per pound, down 1.25 cents, up 2 cents might be the first indication that demand has been since July 3, and a penny above a year ago on 17 underestimated so far this summer — at least for sales. blocks. We know for certain the Midwest has been n long on milk for an extended time, and parts of Dairy margins have been unchanged to slightly Idaho have been reported to have been dumping weaker since the end of June, with little movement milk. Those two areas cover most of the barrel proin price for either milk or feed, according to the latduction in the United States, and can potentially est Margin Watch from Chicago-based Commodity explain the current spread between block and barand Ingredient Hedging. But, “Margins remain rels.” Kurzawski cites bullish Chinese import data, relatively strong from a historical perspective, near a weak U.S. dollar, and a supportive Cold Storage or above the 70th percentile of the previous 10 report as positives for the market. years through first quarter 2018, and near the 80th Cheese demand reports in the Central region vary, percentile in second quarter. Milk prices have been according to Dairy Market News. Pizza cheese prorather stagnant in the past two weeks, without ducers report upticks in orders and expect to get much movement in the market.” busier in the next few weeks. Cheddar and tradiMargin Watch cited the latest World Agricultural tional producers’ demand varies from mediocre to Supply and Demand Estimates report which lowseasonally appropriate. Cheese production in the Midwest varies, but generally plants remain on reg- ered projected U.S. milk production for 2017 and

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MARKETING

2018. Margin Watch blames slower growth in milk per cow, adding, “Drought conditions and high temperatures in western states, including California, Idaho and the Dakotas, have impacted milk production recently, and this trend may continue through the rest of the summer.”

“Feed prices have been more volatile recently following the June acreage and quarterly stocks reports,” according to the Margin Watch. “While the reports were generally seen as negative, with trend line yield assumptions maintained and higher-thanexpected projected production, recent forecasts returning heat to the Corn Belt have begun to put risk premium back into the market. Both corn and soybeans sold off following the reports at month end, although soybean meal in particular has been quite strong relative to corn due to concerns that the soybean crop could be much more negatively impacted by sustained heat and drought over the next month of pod fill.”

Crop conditions continue to worsen. USDA’s latest Crop Progress report shows 62 percent of the corn was rated good to excellent during the week ending July 23, which is down from 64 percent the previous week and down from 76 percent in 2016. Soybeans are rated 57 percent good to excellent, down from 61 percent the previous week and 71 percent a year ago.

On July 28, FC Stone warned, “The corn market faces the prospects of overall declining crop conditions as the rains of late have skirted some of the more arid regions with the latest weather models are calling for drier conditions in the coming days.”

Kurzawski adds, “Recent rains have benefited the soybean crop while forecasts looking two weeks out are projecting cooler and drier conditions.” n In other news, Western United Dairymen’s July 21 newsletter reported the California Department of Food and Agriculture released its cost of production data for the first quarter of 2017, which showed the lowest cost of production since the second quarter of 2011.

“The average California dairy managed to produce milk at a cost of $17.30 per cwt, down $1.14 per cwt from last year, but still below the current milk price,” the WUD said. “In fact, comparing the income received on the farm with the cost of production shows a loss of 23 cents per cwt. during the first quarter of 2016. It is not good news that California dairies are experiencing a loss, but it is the closest it has been to a positive number since 2014.”

Lower feed costs were the greatest help, according to WUD, as feed costs dropped 10 percent below last year, and were at the lowest level since the beginning of 2010. Replacements also contributed to the decrease costs.

Meanwhile, Dairy Management Incorporated’s latest Dairy Market Report says, “The U.S. average allSee MIELKE, pg. 19

Farmers finding Margin Protection Program not helpful MARKETING

THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017 << www.TheLandOnline.com >> “Where Farm and Family Meet”

consistently turned a blind eye to violations of these standards, thereby encouraging these imitation milk price rose by 20 cents per hundredweight in dairy manufacturers to inappropriately use that May from a month earlier, and the June federal term, as well as other dairy product terms like order class prices were all up over May, by between In calendar year 2015, dairy farm- cheese, yogurt, and ice cream.”

11 cents to $1.40 per hundredweight. These are all “Today’s meeting with FDA allowed us to convey ers paid more than $70 million into strong indications that milk prices have rebounded our concern that in the absence of enforcement of the Margin Protection Program and off their early spring lows for the year. existing clear and consistent regulations, wellreceived payments totaling just “The U.S. dairy trade balance continues to defined product labels lose their meaning,” Mulhern $730,000. In 2016 those figures improve. An additional 1.3 percent of total U.S. milk said. “In the case of imitation milks, these beveragwere $20 million and $13 million. solids production was exported during March es are nothing but a factory-made slurry of groundAs a result, many have become dis- up nuts or seeds combined with water, sugar, emulthrough May over and above exports a year earlier, enchanted with the program and while imports were lower by the equivalent of 0.2 sifiers and thickeners.” participation has dwindled. percent of domestic milk solids production. The NMPF says the FDA is “out of step with its intermonthly Margin Protection Program milk price-feed — Ken Nobis national counterparts, including Canada, the cost margin for May was $8.61 per cwt., just marUnited Kingdom and the European Union. Each n ginally higher than the April monthly margin.” country actively polices improper labeling of imitaIn politics, Ken Nobis, president of the Michigan n tion dairy products; Canada requires U.S.-based Milk Producers Association and first vice-chair of companies to change the wording on their labels to U.S. cheese continues to head overseas. the National Milk Producers Federation, spoke at a comply with the country’s own rules, for example, Cooperatives Working Together accepted five 2018 Farm Bill hearing on July 25. He called on requiring that the product marketed as ‘almond requests for export assistance this week to sell 1.4 lawmakers to “revise the dairy safety net program milk’ in the United States be labeled as ‘almond million pounds of cheddar to customers in Asia, the established in the 2014 Farm Bill to provide farmbeverage.’ Meanwhile, the EU Court of Justice Middle East and Oceania. ers with effective risk management protection that determined last month that products not sourced In other trade news; FC Stone reports that official will increase participation.” from an animal cannot bear the terms milk, cheese Chinese imports were stronger than expected in Nobis testified before the Senate Agriculture and so on.”

June, up 34.6 percent from last year on a milk Committee that while he believes the dairy Margin Lee Mielke is a syndicated columnist who resides equivalent basis. “The only dairy product that didn’t Protection Program remains the right program for in Everson, Wash. His weekly column is featured in see double-digit percentage growth was lactose, the dairy industry, “the changes Congress made to newspapers across the country and he may be which saw a double digit decline,” according to the MPP when writing the last Farm Bill rendered reached at lkmielke@juno.com. v Stone. it ineffective when dairy farmers needed it the most.”

“Is this the start of some super surge in Chinese imports? No, probably not, but Chinese imports A NMPF press release reported, “In calendar year have been doing better than expected. At the start 2015, dairy farmers paid more than $70 million into of the year we were forecasting calendar 2017 the MPP and received payments totaling just imports up 12 percent, but our forecast has now $730,000. In 2016, those figures were $20 million drifted to up 14.4 percent with room to move higher and $13 million, Nobis said, and farmers found that if the current pace holds. Every 1 percent change in the program was not helpful during the two years Chinese imports from the baseline changes the that were particularly detrimental to the dairy price forecast by about 1 percent. So if Chinese industry. As a result, many of them have become imports end up growing at 20 percent for 2017 com- disenchanted with the program, and participation pared to our current forecast of plus 14.4 percent, has dwindled.” then our price forecasts are about 5 percent too And, in a high-level meeting in Maryland July 26, low.”

NMPF officials charged that “the U.S. Food and HighGround Dairy reported that New ZealandDrug Administration’s long absence of enforcement based Fonterra announced an increased forecast of its own food standards has allowed the marketFarmgate milk price for the upcoming 2018 season, ing of hundreds of deceptively labeled dairy imitato $6.75 per kilogram of milksolids. The cooperative tors.” also announced a forecast earnings per share range NMPF food policy staff, led by President and CEO of 45 to 55 cents, making the forecast total available Jim Mulhern, met with key FDA regulators to dispayout to farmers in the 2017-18 season $7.20 to cuss the Federation’s concern over what it called $7.30, before retentions. “the agency’s persistent inaction toward the misFonterra Chairman John Wilson says the revised leading labeling practices of plant-based food manuforecast milk price is a lift of 25 cents on the origifacturers.” nal forecast of $6.50 per kgMS in May 2017 and NMPF charged, “During the last two decades, “reflects the ongoing rebalancing of supply and plant-based ‘milk’ imitators have flooded the mardemand in global dairy markets.” ket, using dairy terminology and imagery to adver“We are seeing growing confidence on-farm across tise their products as suitable replacements for the country and, with global demand for dairy cow’s milk, despite the fact that they are nutritionstrengthening, the signs are for a good start to the ally inferior. While FDA’s own standards of identity season for our farmers and their rural communities clearly stipulate that products labeled as ‘milk’ although following a challenging period of very wet must come from a lactating animal, the agency has conditions for some of our farmers,” Wilson stated.

MIELKE, from pg. 18

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Local Corn and Soybean Price Index

THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

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Cash Grain Markets

corn/change* soybeans/change* St. Cloud $2.98 -.18 $8.93 -.33 Madison $2.93 -.09 $8.84 -.25 Redwood Falls $2.88 -.15 $8.85 -.29 Fergus Falls $2.76 -.14 $8.57 -.21 Morris $2.86 -.19 $8.77 -.31 Tracy $2.94 -.13 $8.88 -.29 Average: $2.89 $8.80 Year Ago Average: $2.83 $8.87

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Grain prices are effective cash close on Aug. 1. The price index chart compares an average of most recently reported local cash prices with the same average for a year ago. *Cash grain price change represents a two-week period.

Grain Outlook Lower corn yields expected

Livestock Angles Market cattle when ready

Grain Angles Cash flow basics: Don’t stress, plan

The following marketing analysis is for the week ending July 28.

CORN — Weekend rains caused corn to gap sharply lower to begin the week. However, weaker crop conditions and changing weather forecasts resulted in a big swing on July 25 and overhead gaps were filled. But a sharp decline followed to post a key reversal lower on the day.

The balance of the week was unpredictable and some traders moved to the sidelines. It’s widely believed the market has already priced in a 165 bushels PHYLLIS NYSTROM per acre yield, and possibly CHS Hedging Inc. lower.

St. Paul The next World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report is due Aug. 10. This report is expected to lower the yield, but what they will do with exports is a toss-up. Export sales have fallen below the average “needed” level in four out of the last five weeks and using a “normal” 90 million bushels of old crop sales carried into new crop, we may be hard-pressed to achieve the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2.225 billion bushels target.

Weekly crop conditions as of July 23 fell 2 percent to 64 percent good/excellent. This was expected by the trade. Corn was 67 percent silked, right at the five-year average. Corn was 8 percent in the dough stage vs. 13 percent on average. Popping up as an area of concern this week was central Iowa. They missed some mid-week rains and the market gleaned support from the non-event. The latest drought

As the calendar eases over from July to August, it appears the livestock markets are in a changing mode. The fundamentals for both the cattle and the hogs are moving toward a more negative supply environment. The question becomes for both, will the demand increase to offset the growing supplies? The answer will be found in the months ahead.

The cattle market has been entrapped in a trading range for the past several weeks as prices have moved back and forth on a week-to-week basis. One week higher, the next week lower, and JOE TEALE so on.

Broker Great Plains Commodity Several things are pointing Afton, Minn. toward the increase in beef production in the weeks ahead.

First, the weights are on the increase which increases the tonnage. Second, the show lists appear to be getting larger as the weeks go by. This, plus the fact the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cattle on Feed report released July 21 indicated a greater number of cattle on feed and the placement of cattle in the feedlots larger than anticipated by the trade.

On the demand side, as the beef cutout has plummeted over the past month, the sale of beef products has begun to increase. However, this is not as great as in past years so far. This now seems to justify to some degree the continual discount the futures market has maintained for months. Because of these discounts, producers who are hedged should take advantage of the positive basis provided and market cattle when ready.

For some farmers, cash flow management consists of paying bills until the checking account is empty, running credit cards up to their limits, then hoping the mail carrier delivers a check or two instead of just more bills.

Tight cash flow can be challenging, even for the most experienced grower. For a beginning farmer, however, a cash flow crunch can quickly become a disaster. Bills are left unpaid, credit cards are maxed out, the credit score starts to slide and — within months — the farmer can PAUL DIETMANN be out of business.

See NYSTROM, pg. 22

See TEALE, pg. 22

Compeer Senior

If handling your farm’s cash Lending Officer flow by the seat of your pants is Prairie du Sac, Wis. stressing you out, cash flow planning and analysis will help to ease your anxiety.

Cash flow projection An annual cash flow projection is a very useful tool for a farm. You plot out on a month-by-month basis when cash income will be received and when cash expenses will need to be paid. The projection will help you anticipate in which months your cash inflow will not meet your needs. Most importantly, you will be able to plan ahead to cover cash shortfalls without tapping credit cards, leaving bills unpaid, and possibly wrecking your credit score.

A cash flow projection is a prediction of all of the cash that is likely to flow into and out of the farm operation during a given period of time. Cash flow planning starts with a month-by-month projection of the cash flow you expect to see in the year ahead. The See DIETMANN, pg. 21

Information in the above columns is the writer’s opinion. It is no way guaranteed and should not be interpreted as buy/sell advice. Futures trading always involves a certain degree of risk.

Options exist for operating during months of low cash flow the payments of some bills or loan payments to more closely match your cash flow. Or, you could set up a line of credit with a lending institution, which can be tapped in lean months and paid off in good months.

It’s awfully tempting to get through a few months of tight cash flow by using the handiest source of short-term credit: credit cards. With their high interest rates, credit cards are the worst way to cover cash shortages unless you diligently pay them to zero every month. If you decide to use short-term credit to bridge your low-cash months, work with a reputable lender and apply for a farm operating loan or line of credit. The terms will be much better than paying credit card interest rates of 18 percent or more.

Over the long run, the farm operation should generate enough positive cash flow from operations to pay all of its operating expenses, make loan payments, pay the farm owner a decent draw, and have enough cash left to replace some capital equipment and put a bit into cash reserves.

If the operation consistently runs negative cash flows, you should undertake a more in-depth financial analysis and consider making structural changes to your farm business. This sort of analysis is done at the end of the year, and looks back at the farm’s actual cash inflows and outflows.

Analyzing cash flow Breaking out the farm’s cash flow will tell you if the farm operation paid its own way or was subsidized by other sources of cash such as off-farm

Minn. small grain harvest begins point from last week.

The spring wheat crop was coloring at 86 percent, five days ahead of average. There were scattered reports of spring wheat being harvested. Spring wheat condition rated 87 percent good to excellent.

Of the oat crop, 90 percent had turned color, with 13 percent of the oat crop harvested. Oat condition was 83 percent good to excellent.

The barley crop was coloring at 92 percent and 9 percent of the crop was harvested. Barley condition rated 86 percent good to excellent. The dry edible bean crop was setting pods at 47 percent. Dry edible bean condition rated 85 percent good to excellent.

Sunflower condition improved to 91 percent good to excellent. Potato condition was rated 96 percent good to excellent. Sugarbeet condition rating improved to 87 percent good to excellent.

The second cutting of alfalfa hay was 92 percent complete. The third cutting was 36 percent complete.

All hay condition rating declined to 77 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition rating also declined to 65 percent good to excellent.

This article was submitted by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. v

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Warm and sunny days had Minnesota farmers out cutting hay and beginning small grain harvest during the 5.9 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending July 30, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. The warm and dry conditions were beneficial for row crop development, though some areas could use some rainfall. Activities for the week included cutting hay, harvesting sweet corn, and isolated aerial spraying of pesticides.

Topsoil moisture supplies rated 3 percent very short, 23 percent short, 72 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 2 percent very short, 18 percent short, 77 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus.

The corn crop was silking at 79 percent, eight days behind last year and three days behind the five-year average. The dough stage was reached by 13 percent of the crop, equal to the average. Corn condition rated 81 percent good to excellent, up 1 percentage point from the previous week.

Regarding soybeans, 86 percent of the soybean crop was blooming, eight days behind last year, but equal to average. The crop was setting pods at 43 percent, two days behind average. Soybean condition rated 73 percent good to excellent, up 1 percentage

income, proceeds from new loans, or with sales of capital assets such as equipment or breeding livestock. To analyze cash flow, break it out into three distinct categories. Cash flow from operations: Cash flow from operations includes all of the dollars that flow in and out of the farm in normal, day-to-day activities. Cash comes in from sales of milk, cattle, grain, vegetables and other products. Cash might also come in from government payments and custom work. Cash flows out as you pay for seed, feed, fertilizer, fuel and other operating expenses. We want cash flow from operations to be positive every year.

Cash flow from investing activities: Cash flow from investing activities refers to capital investments in the farm, not the dividends you received from investments in mutual funds. Cash inflow in this category generally comes from sales of machinery, breeding livestock or land. Cash flows out to pay for purchases of these capital investments.

Cash flow from investing activities, whether positive or negative, can offer clues to other aspects of farm management. For some farms, cash flow from investing activities might be positive because the farm does a great job with heifer calves and always has excess breeding stock to sell. For others, it might be positive because machinery is being sold to cover shortfalls in cash flow from operation and nothing new is being purchased. Cash flow from investing activities might be negative because the farm is using positive cash flow from operations to make capital improvements, which is good.

Cash flow from financing activities: Cash flow from financing activities considers funds provided by lenders as well as funds made available by the farm owner. Cash inflow comes from new loans and from off-farm income. Off-farm income is included because it’s money that could be tapped by the farm if needed.

Cash flows out to make principal and interest payments on loans and to provide for cash withdrawals by the farm owner.

It’s helpful to look for patterns in cash flow from financing activities. Are loan payments being made on time? Are principal balances being paid down faster than new loans are taken out? If the farm has an operating loan, is the balance being paid down or only the interest being paid? Is the owner able to take a regular cash draw out of the farm, or is he or she putting more money into the farm?

The farm operation should generate enough positive cash flow from operations to pay all of its operating expenses and have enough cash left to replace some capital equipment, make loan payments, and pay the farm owner something back for his or her investment in the farm. If cash flow is coming up short, a more detailed cash flow analysis is in order.

Ultimately, positive cash flow is what will keep you farming for years to come.

For more insights from ag experts, visit Compeer Financial’s website at www.compeer.com. v

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Nearly every farm will have months — possibly even years — when cash flow from operations is negative. Oftentimes farm cash flow is poor in the summer. The bills for seed and other crop inputs have been paid, there might be bills for machinery repairs, and there isn’t much to sell until later in the year.

What about a shortfall?

If you develop a cash flow projection and predict that cash flow is going to be short in some months, you have several options to cover the shortage.

Maybe you can build up your cash reserves during good months. Maybe you could change your farm enterprises and add one that brings in cash flow during months you would otherwise fall short. Perhaps you could pick up some off-farm work at key times of the year. You might be able to re-schedule

MARKETING

THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

DIETMANN, from pg. 20 projection can begin on Jan. 1 and follow the calendar year. Or, it can start when something big is expected to happen that will impact the farm’s cash flow such as a purchase of land, construction of a new building, or taking on new debt payments.

Many producers use a simple spread sheet or log to document the money coming in and out of the operation. The cash inflow side includes revenue generated from the sale of farm products, government program payments, machinery and breeding livestock sales, income from off-farm employment, and proceeds from new loans. Cash outflow includes operating expenses, principal and interest payments on loans, funds used for capital purchases, income tax and Social Security payments, and family living draws taken by the farm owner.

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August weather is critical to final soybean yield NYSTROM, from pg. 20 monitor as of July 25 showed the drought had expanded into Iowa and Nebraska. The drought monitor showed 34.7 percent of Iowa was in some degree of drought, up from 22.2 percent in the previous week.

Weekly old crop export sales were the lowest of the marketing year at 3.6 million bushels. Total old crop commitments, with six weeks left in the marketing year, are 2.217 billion bushels. The USDA is carrying exports for this year at 2.225 billion bushels. Normally, there are roughly 90 million bushels of old crop sales rolled into new crop. New crop export sales were good at 19.2 million bushels, bringing total commitments to 157.5 million bushels, and the lowest for this time of year in the last seven years.

Last year, we had 281.8 million bushels on the books for new crop. Buenos Aires Grain Exchange left its Argentine corn production forecast at 39 million metric tons with harvest nearly 63 percent complete vs. 58 percent on average. The USDA is using 41 mmt, and if current yields hold up, the USDA may be the closer to the final production number.

Weekly ethanol production fell 14,000 barrels per day to 1.012 million bpd. Ethanol stocks were down 600,000 barrels to 21.5 million barrels. Crush margins were unchanged at 6 cents per gallon. Brazil is delaying for 30 days making a decision on whether or not to implement a 17 percent import tax on ethanol. The United States provides the majority of their ethanol imports, supplying 270 million gallons in 2016. Brazil’s ethanol imports are up 330 percent this calendar year.

The annual Wheat Quality Council’s spring wheat crop tour in North Dakota was conducted this week.

The average yield for the tour was 38.4 bu./acre for all wheat, the lowest since 2008. The USDA is at 38.0 bu./acre. Last year’s average was 45.5 bu./acre. The breakdown this year was 38.1 bu./acre for hard red spring, durum at 39.7 bu./acre and hard red winter, 46.6 bu./acre. The next question is, how many acres were abandoned?

Outlook: Trading ranges in corn this week were 17.75 cents in the September contract from $3.66 to $3.83.25 per bushel and from $3.79.25 to $3.97.5 (18.25 cents) in the December contract. For the week, both the September and December contracts fell 5.5 cents to

MARKETING settle at $3.74.25 and $3.88 per bushel respectively.

I believe recent weather maps hold something for both the bulls and bears to hang onto. However, in general, traders want perfect weather and without it, they continue to buy breaks. The Aug. 10 crop report will be interesting — maybe not fun, but interesting.

The U.S. dollar index fell to a 13-month low this week and crude oil rallied to a 2-month high, but they didn’t seem to have that much of an effect on ag prices. December corn has found support at $3.74 per bushel with resistance at $4.05 per bushel; but that will change with each weather forecast. Keep an eye peeled for rain across Iowa.

SOYBEANS — November soybeans followed the same early week pattern as corn, gapping lower on July 24, filling the overhead gap and posting a key reversal lower on July 25, then recouping losses into the weekend. In general, it felt like a slow end to the week with some moving to the sidelines to wait to see what the weekend would hold. The market has already incorporated a soybean yield closer to 46 bu./ acre than the USDA’s July number of 47 bu./acre.

Soybean crop ratings as of July 23 fell more than expected, down 4 percent to 57 percent good/excellent.

This was the fifth straight week of declining ratings.

The soybean crop was setting pods at 69 percent vs. 67 percent on average. Setting pods was reported at 29 percent compared to the average of 27 percent.

Weekly export sales were decent at 11.1 million bushels. Total old crop commitments rose to 2.229 billion bushels, staying well above the USDA’s 2.10 billion bushels projection. Assuming we carry over 75 million bushels of old crop sales into the new marketing year, the August WASDE report will likely need to raise old crop exports 40 million bushels. However, there are ideas this year we could see a record 85 million bushels rolled into new crop. New crop sales at 19.6 million bushels were the second-highest of the marketing year and brought total commitments to 221.4 million bushels. This is still the lowest level of new crop sales for this time of year in the last ten years. Last year, we had already booked 361 million bushels of new crop sales. It’s reported that nonChinese buyers are behind on purchasing soybeans,

“Where Farm and Family Meet”

Pork market slows, hog supply grows

TEALE, from pg. 20 The hog market has shown signs over the past few weeks of a market that is tired. Cash prices seemed to have stalled in the lower $90s hundredweight basis lean and the pork cutouts have found resistance as we approach the $105 level.

Another indication is a slowing of pork product sales as we moved over the $100 level in the pork cutout. Packers at the same time seem a little more reluctant to acquire inventory in the past aggressive manner that was present through the spring months. safety plan will receive priority.

The last USDA All Hogs and Pigs report did indicate Grant funds reimburse up to 25 percent of the total that numbers are expanding which is interesting project cost with a maximum award of $200,000 and with the new slaughter plants coming on line in the a minimum of $1,000. Equipment purchases and weeks ahead. The increase in slaughter capacity and facility improvements are eligible. the increase in supply of hogs should set up an interApplications must be received no later than 4 p.m. on esting dilemma in the meat industry. All things conSept. 20. Applications are available at www.mda.state. sidered, the competition between the meats will mn.us/grants/grants/valueaddedgrant.aspx and may determine the ultimate price direction for the pork market. be submitted online, by mail, or in-person.

Producers should stay in tune with market condiThis article was submitted by the Minnesota v Department of Agriculture. v tions and protect inventories as needed.

MDA value added grants available ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Department of Agriculture anticipates awarding up to $1 million through the competitive Value Added Grant program.

The Value Added Grant program seeks to increase sales of Minnesota agricultural products by diversifying markets and increasing market access and food safety of value-added products.

New or established for-profit businesses may apply for funding to purchase equipment or make physical improvements. Applications that have a meat processing or marketing component, or address a food

favoring spot purchases instead.

The courts ruled this week that the Environmental Protection Agency didn’t have the authority to cut Renewable Fuel Standard volumes based on demand or infrastructure. The U.S. Appeals Courts said the EPA had incorrectly interpreted a part of the 2005 Energy Policy Act. Soybeans benefited the most from the ruling. The EPA will not review the decision.

Farmer selling picked up in Argentina as the peso weakened this week. Trade talk is that they may have 20 mmt of beans and 30 mmt of corn stocks on hand! This could keep them competitive with the United States well into our next crop year.

Outlook: For the week, November soybeans were 9.25 cents lower at $10.13 per bushel. November beans have found a short term range of $9.80 to $10.40 per bushel. The calendar flips to August in the coming week and we all know that August weather is critical to the final soybean yield. It may be a matter of sit and wait/trade the range ahead of the Aug. 10 WASDE report. History of the August WASDE bean production estimate: the August soybean production number has been below the average trade guess in 12 out of the last 15 years.

Nystrom’s Notes: Contract changes for the week ending July 28: Minneapolis September wheat plunged 25.25 cents lower, Chicago fell 18.25 cents and Kansas City wheat was down 15 cents. Crude oil finished the week with a $3.94 gain at $49.71, ULSD rallied 12 cents, RBOB jumped 11 cents higher, while natural gas fell 2 cents. The U.S. dollar index was down .520. v

What the swine industry audit means to pork producers number of pigs will be looked at closer for the animal benchmarking measures. The auditor will look at the facility for any needed maintenance, including penning, flooring, feeders, waterers, and load-out areas. Auditors will ask to review the 10 required standard operating procedures. The auditor will ask the people in the barn questions relating to the standard operating procedures. The auditor will also observe any pig handling and other day-to-day work that occurs during the visit.

The auditors conducting the CSIA are certified by the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization. Prior to becoming certified, the auditor must pass a swine proficiency test. Educational and experience qualifications are reviewed.

Auditors then complete hands-on training in a swine barn.

Sarah Schieck is a University of Minnesota Swine Extension Educator.

She can be reached by phone at (320) 235-0726 ext. 2004; and via e-mail at schi0466@umn.edu. v

The Land, a weekly farm and rural life magazine with a circulation of 28,000, has an IMMEDIATE OPENING for an

Outside Sales Representative

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assessments must be conducted at least quarterly on sow farms and semi-annually on nursery and finishing farms.

The pork packer will initiate an audit by contacting the farm and identifying the contact person at that site.

Some packers have auditors on staff to conduct the audits, but many are working with third-party audit companies Validus and FACTA. Once the farm’s contact person has been identified, an individual from the third-party audit company will contact the farm to gather pre-audit information such as exact farm location, type of farm (breeding vs non-breeding), facility layout, housing type (group vs individual), number of animals and biosecurity protocols followed on farm.

All of this information helps the auditor better prepare for the actual audit visit. During the pre-audit call, a date for the audit will be scheduled.

During the audit, a designated person from the farm needs to be available to accompany the auditor. All pigs will be observed, but a pre-determined

THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

For the Southern Minnesota Territory

Candidates should have professional sales skills to service existing clients and develop new businesses in a designated territory. Also essential are strong organizational and communication skills, along with attention to detail.

Interested candidates should email their resume, salary requirements and a cover letter to

Deb Petterson, General Manager at: dpetterson@thelandonline.com Deadline is August 28, 2017

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Many of the major pork these areas during the audit, packers have started thirdproducers will need to show party auditing requirements 10 required standard operatfor hog farms supplying pigs ing procedures, records, and to them. The Common Swine documentation as outlined in Industry Audit is the name the CSIA. This documentation of the audit program packers must be available for an audiare using. The goal of the tor to look over when visiting common audit process is to a farm — either in paper form SWINE & U provide consumers greater or electronically. The auditor

By Sarah Schieck must have access to a computassurance of the care taken by farmers and pork proceser while visiting the farm. sors to improve animal well-being and The 10 required standard operating food safety. procedures include a written euthanaIn 2013, the National Pork Board was sia plan along with practices for anicharged with exploring a credible, mal handling; piglet processing (sow affordable solution to assure on-farm farm only); and feeding and watering animal well-being. As a result, the protocols. Procedures for recording Industry Audit Task Force was created daily observations, caretaker training consisting of producers, veterinarians, and treatment management are also animal scientists, retail and foodservice required; as well as documenting neepersonnel and packer representatives dle usage, rodent control and biosecufrom the major pork processing comparity protocol. nies. The result of their efforts was Records which must be on file development of the Common Swine include routine maintenance of euthaIndustry Audit for pork packers to use. nasia equipment; emergency backup The audit tool builds on the existing equipment testing (minimum of twice Pork Quality Assurance Plus program a year testing); veterinary feed direcand expands it to serve as a single, com- tive records; along with 12 months of mon audit platform for the pork indusdaily observation records, mortality try and to minimize duplication of indi- records, medication and treatment vidual packers having their own audits. records, including vaccinations.

Initially, packer audits varied by packer.

A zero-tolerance policy toward willful The CSIA covers 27 key aspects of acts of abuse must be documented swine care and pre-harvest pork safe- along with the reporting mechanism for ty through all phases of production. instances of abuse. A euthanasia plan The CSIA covers the full life cycle of must be posted along with an emergenthe pig while on the farm, which cy action plan. Annual caretaker trainincludes pig handling and load-out for ing must be documented. A visitor log transportation. All pig farms, regardmust be kept. Each farm must feature less of size or phase of production biosecurity signage or other means to (breeding, farrowing, nursery or grow- restrict access. Valid Veterinary Client finish), will be subject to an audit at Patient Relationship verification must some point. The CSIA is designed to be dated within the past 12 months be independent of housing design, size Pork Quality Assurance Plus certifiof operation or geographical location. cation must be current of all employFour primary areas will be reviewed ees.

New employees must be certified during the audit: records, animals, within 90 days of employment. A PQA facilities, and caretakers.

Plus site assessment must be done Animal benchmarking makes up 50 within six months of operation or percent of the audit. During the audit, a before animals are marketed or sold. representative sample of pigs will be The site assessment must be completed observed at the farm. The auditor will every three years. Transport Quality look at space allowance for the animals; Assurance certification must be curbody condition scores; severe lameness; rent for the most recent transporter deep wounds, abscesses and scratches delivering or loading pigs at site. longer than 12 inches; tail biting lesions; Internal site assessments (facility, prolapses; hernias (non-breeding only); animals, caretakers and procedures) shoulder sores (breeding only); and must be conducted by a production vulva injuries (breeding only). management team made up of superviThe rest of the audit focuses on the sors, site managers, or other internal areas of caretakers, facilities, records, animal welfare auditors. Internal site transport, and food safety. To cover

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THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

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August 4, 2017 ADVERTISING NOTICE: Please check your ad the first week it runs. We make every effort to avoid errors by checking all copy, but sometimes errors are missed. Therefore, we ask that you review your ad for correctness. If you find a mistake, please call (507) 345-4523 immediately so that the error can be corrected. We regret that we cannot be responsible for more than one weekís insertion if the error is not called to our attention. We cannot be liable for an amount greater than the cost of the ad. THE LAND has the right to edit, reject or properly classify any ad. Each classified line ad is separately copyrighted to THE LAND. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

Au c t i o n

Saturday, August 12, 2017 • 10:00 AM << www.TheLandOnline.com >>

AUCTION LOCATION: Benson, MN: 115 20th Ave SE; 1 Mile East on Hwy 12, 1/4 Mile South on 20th Ave SE. Watch for Hughes Auction Signs!

Tractor

Mowers

020

Prime Jackson Co, MN, 159.06 Ac Farm. 93.5 CPI, E ½ SE ¼ & GL 2, 3 & 4, 33104-35 Christiania Twp, Northwestern Farm Mgmt.

Co. Broker,wwwnfmco.com Or 507-532-5120 Sell your land or real estate in 30 days for 0% commission. Call Ray 507-339-1272 Real Estate Wanted

021

WANTED: Land & farms. I have clients looking for dairy, & cash grain operations, as well as bare land parcels from 40-1000 acres.

Both for relocation & investments.

If you have even thought about selling contact: Paul Krueger, Farm & Land Specialist, Edina Realty, SW Suburban Office, 14198 Commerce Ave NE, Prior Lake, MN 55372. paulkrueger@edinarealty.com

(952)447-4700

2008 Kubota L 5240D HST MFWD (serial #50015) W/ LA 854 Quick Attach Joystick Loader (6ft Bucket), 3 SPD H drostatic w/ cruise, Folding ROPS, 340 Hours, Contractor Tires, Auto Throttle Advance, 3PT/540 PTO/1 REM (Excellent Condition)

2007 Kubota ZD 326 Zero-Turn 60” mower (serial #13289) w/Commercial Deck/3 Cyl Diesel/ ROPS/330 hours (NICE) Ariens Riding Mower w/46” deck and Rear Bagger/ Hydrostatic/Automatic 22HP Briggs V Twin Snapper 11 HP Briggs/bagger

2003 Bobcat S300 Turbo Skid Loader S/N 525811048, HD w/Rear Stabilizers, Power “Bob-Tach” Hyd Attach, Cab w/heat and 1091 Hrs - Very nice!

6ft Material/Snow Bucket 5½ft low profile bucket 4ft Pallet Forks Bobcat Mod 44C 4 Blade Tree Spade Misc hand and Power Tools: Wrenches, sockets, crow Bobcat Mod 8811 Backhoe w/24” Bucket bars, hand saws, corded and cordless drills, circular saws, bolt cutters, HD 1/2” Elec Drills, etc.

Aluminum Pipe Wrenches (36”, 2-24”, 2-18”, 14”) Misc. Lawn and Garden Bush Hog 3PT 5FT rotary mower Air Hose, Elec Cords Woods GTC 60 (5ft) 3 PT tiller Chain Saws: Stihl MS 280 gas 18” bar HD Homelite Super 2 16” Misc. Gates/Cattle Panels HD 6ft 3PT Blade gas Remington 3HP 16” 110v Hawkline 3PT Post Hole Digger w/12”x42” 22 Gal Sandborn Port. Air Comp.

Auger – Exc. Cond.

Shop King 8” Bench Grinder 16ft Pull-Type Disc 2 ½ ton floor jack Spike Tooth Drag Sections Schumacher 10/30/200 Amp Battery Charger NI Mod 402 Side-Delivery Rake Excell 2500 PSI Gas Pressure washer w/GCV 160 7 ½ ft x 16 ft Hayrack Honda 5.5HP Steel wheel sickle mower Coleman Powermate 3000/3750 watt generator on wheels – rope start Craftsman Bench top Jig Saw Pro-Tech 10” table saw Rockwell 10” Miter Saw Roto-Zip Rebel (New in Case) Bosch “Bull Dog” ½” Rotary Hammer Log chains, binders, ratchet straps, wire stretcher Lots of misc. Nuts & Bolts, Screws, nails, plumbing hardware Antique Wood Hand Truck

Shop & Tools

JD Gator 2009 John Deere TH 6 x 4 Gator Serial #M06X4HD040017 Electric Dump Box 575 Hours

Pickup/Topper 2001 Dodge 2500 Quad Cab 4x4 Laramie SLT w/5.9L Cummins Dsl 4spd Auto, 8’ box, loaded, 157,679 mi.

8’x69” (apx.) Black Fiberglass Unicover Safari topper w/rear and long side glass windows 5’ Poly Pickup Tool Box 5’ Alum Receiver Hitch Cargo Carrier

Trailers 2006 6 x 12 Royal enclosed, rear ramp door 3500lb axle (Clean) 2004 Towmaster 7 x 21 tandem axle 5th wheel w/beavertail and HD ramps 6 x 9 landscape w/ramp & high sides

“Where Farm and Family Meet”

Skidloader & Attachements

Real Estate

Misc. Equipment

MANY ITEMS TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION!

Jim Grossman Estate Benson, MN

Jesse Hughes • #76-24 • Broker/Auctioneer Phone:320-815-0460 • info@HughesRealEstate.net Matt Anderson #34-61 Justin Larson #34-103

www.HughesRealEstate.net 1222 Atlantic Avenue, Benson, MN 56215

ABSOLUTE FARM RETIREMENT AUCTION

Saturday, August 19, 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ 10:30 am

OWNER: CHUCK KERRINS & GERALD KERRINS TRUST Phn. Chuck Kerrins 507-254-9112 Terms: Cash or good check. Nothing to be removed until settled for. All announcements the day of the sale take precedence over any advertised material.

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HAMILTON AUCTION COMPANY 130 State Hwy 16â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Dexter, MN 55926

<< www.TheLandOnline.com >>

Lunch: Gleasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Concessions â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Not responsible for accidents NO SMALL ITEMS â&#x20AC;&#x201D; BE ON TIME â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ON LINE BIDDING AVAILABLE THRU Proxi Bid For anyone interested in a real nice line of farmer owned equipment that has been shedded and well taken care of be sure and attend this sale.

TRACTORS: John Deere #8130 mfd tractor, power shift, 18.4 46 tires & duals, 3 hydâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, quick hitch, JD active seat, rock box, 1680 hrs., SN# RW8130P023929; John Deere #8770 tractor, 20.8 42 tires & duals, 2450 hrs., 3 hydâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, radar, differential lock, 24 speed transmission second owner, SN# RW8770H004322 COMBINE & HEADS: John Deere #9550 combine, chopper, bin extensions, 1140 separator hours, 1594 engine hours, 18.4 38 tires & duals, second owner, SN# H09550W686068; John Deere #693 corn head, 50 series drives, 1000 on acres, rollers, chains, sprockets, one owner, SN#H00693X671478; John Deere #925F bean head, 3â&#x20AC;? cut, stubble lights, fore-aft reel, SN#H00925F696106; EZ Trail #672 head cart, 25â&#x20AC;&#x2122; PLANTER: Kinze #3200 12 row 30â&#x20AC;? planter, liquid fertilizer, red ball, insecticide boxes, No Till row cleaner combo, Ag Leader row shutoffs, JD rate controller, 600 acres on new seed discs, scrapers, seed tubes, fert. Tubes, corn cups, 2 sets of bean meters, second owner, SN# 607096 FARM EQUIP: DMI 530B disc ripper, new blades & points, one owner; Wilrich #4400 chisel plow, 24â&#x20AC;&#x2122;, walking tandems; John 'HHUH Âś ÂżHOG FXOW Ă&#x20AC;RDWLQJ KLWFK EDU VSLNH WRRWK VKDQNV /RIWQHVV 15â&#x20AC;&#x2122;-6 row stalk shredder, small 1000 pto; 4 section spike tooth drag---UFT rock picker GLOBE & MONITOR: Star Fire 3000 globe, SN#PCGT3TA472777; JD 2600 monitor, SF2, swath control, auto track, SN#PCGU26E145160 WAGONS & HAY RACK: Brent 740 wagon, lights & brakes, 455x22.5 tires; 2â&#x20AC;&#x201D;J & M wagons, 250 bu., 16.1 Ă&#x20AC;RWDWLRQ WLUHV ERXJKW QHZ WRQ UXQQLQJ JHDU KD\ UDFN JHDU - 0 UXQQLQJ JHDU & rack w/500 gal. tank with 12 volt pump SPRAYER & TANKS: TA 1000 sprayer, 60â&#x20AC;&#x2122; front fold, triple nozzle body, foamer, 450 Raven monitor, 4 shut off controls, 13.6x38 tires; 1450 gal. poly elliptical tank---1600 gal. poly tank (like new); 30 gal. inductor---5 hp. transfer pump---5 hp. transfer pump (used 3 times) HAY EQUIPMENT: #269 New +ROODQG VTXDUH EDOHU 2OLYHU VLGH UDNH EDU %HUWL Âś Ă&#x20AC;DLO PRZHU SW pto; MISC. ITEMS: J & M hyd. seed auger; 500 gal. diesel tank & pump; 110 gal. fuel tank, w/12 volt pump; Poly tote---one hayrack of misc. equip. parts TRAILER: 2013 PJ trailer, 28â&#x20AC;&#x2122;, triple dually, pulled 5000 miles, like new.

For any information call Chuck Kerrins at 507 254 9112 or Hamilton Auction Co. DW RIÂżFH KRXUV ,WHPV FDQ EH VHHQ WKH ZHHN EHIRUH WKH VDOH WKUX sale dayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or you can call Hamilton Auction Co. to set up an appointment to see the equipment. Loader available to load sale day & for 3 days following the auction.

Buyers are asked to have all items picked up by one week after the auction. For DQ\ RWKHU LQIRUPDWLRQ IRU ORDGLQJ FDOO +DPLOWRQ $XFWLRQ &R DW RIÂżFH

25 THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

To settle the Gerald Kerrins Trust & the retirement auction of Chuck Kerrins we will sell the following personal property at public auction located: One mile south of Grand Meadow, MN on County Road 8 or 22711 740th Ave., Grand Meadow, MN 55936 (follow auction signs)

3KRQH RIÂżFH ZHE VLWH KDPLOWRQDXFWLRQFRPSDQ\ FRP Auctioneers: Andrew Hamilton #50-86; Bill Hilton #50-24; Dean Eastman #50-57, Lyle Eastman #50-130

WE NEED YOUR SUBSCRIBER CARD! If you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t already sent in your 2017 subscriber card for The Land, please take a minute and do it today. For your convenience we put a copy on page 17 of this issue. Fill it out, add your payment and mail it back.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to sign and date it. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that simple.

You might WIN A FREE Grill Zone 3-Burner Gas Grill!

We sincerely than all The Land subscribers for their support!

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Where Farm and Family Meetâ&#x20AC;?

On August 25th we will draw a winner from all the 2017 subscriber cards that we have received so far this year. No purchase necessary. If you already returned your card youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re automatically entered in the drawing.

Please do not send a second card.

THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

26

Place your auction ad where it will get noticed...

THE LAND!

Hay & Forage Equip

031

Bins & Buildings

034

033

FOR SALE: Can-Sun 8-17-15 continuous flow crop dryer.

Barn roofing Hip or round 2 years on new floor, $6,700. roof barns and other build507-451-4036 ings. Also barn and quonset straightening. Kelling Silo FOR SALE: Wheatheart (SA 1381), 82'x13” swing hopper 1-800-355-2598 w/ hyd lift, used only on FOR SALE: Butler 15'x15' 160,000 bushels, like new, grain storage bin w/ roof $9,800; Harvest Int (Tvents, great condition. 6121032), 10”x32', 10 horse 201-7751 electric motor, like new, $3,900; Westfield 71'x12” SILO DOORS PTO grain auger, $3,900 Wood or steel doors shipped 507-327-6430 promptly to your farm stainless fasteners hardware available.

(800)222-5726 Landwood Sales LLC Stormor Bins & EZ-Drys.

100% financing w/no liens or red tape, call Steve at Fairfax Ag for an appointment. 888-830-7757

Thank you for reading The Land! << www.TheLandOnline.com >>

Grain Handling Equip

Hesston 5585 round baler, FOR SALE: 24x8 ring Stormor Ease dry, used steel makes up to a 5x5 bale, and stainless legs 8” & 11” twine wrap, stored under belts, 10 hole 10” distriburoof, good cond, fine, tor, 16x80' chain conveyor; $4,000. 715-963-4922 16x100' belted conveyor w/ JD336, 337 balers, rebuilt side chuter; 16'x20' overKnotters. 715-556-1400 head 10 cluster bin. 320-8410509

FOR SALE:Used grain bins, floors unload systems, stirators, fans & heaters, aeration fans, buying or selling, try me first and also call for very competitive contract rates!

Office hours 8am-5pm Monday – Friday Saturday 9am - 12 noon or call 507-697-6133 Ask for Gary KINZE 1000 BUSHEL #1040 Row Crop Grain Cart w/ Tarp Etc, Good Augers & Tires, $19,900. Westfield 10x71 MK100 Auger w/ Hopper. Both Good Cond.

319-347-6138 Let It Ring Farm Implements

035

'11 Kuhn VB2190 14 knives, up to a 4x6 bale, 12,400 bales, works good, $19,000.

Hixton, WI. 715-963-4922 4560 JD MFD hub duals, PS, $27,850; 7720 JD Combine 3750 hrs w/ 215 flex & 444 cornhead, $7,500; 9600 JD combine, '90 model, 5200 & 3300 hrs, rebuilt, nice, $15,500; 925 JD Flexhead, pipe reel & poly dividers, $4,895. 715-772-4255 Case IH 600 silage blower, nice, ready for silo filling.

Sold cows. 507-383-8213

“Where Farm and Family Meet”

FOR SALE: 2005 1790 16-32 planter w/ liq. Fert., 500 gal tank, E-set planting unit, Yetter trash whippers, fluted coulters, smartbox insecticide, pneumatic down pressure, inspected annually, & serviced at Kibble Equipment, $55,000/Obo; 2012 JD 520 stalk chopper, lightly used for 2 seasons, 8 row, $18,000/Obo. 507-4563007 FOR SALE: Amity 2700 sugar beet lifter, 12R22” or 8R30” new lifter wheels, newer grab rollers, just been through shop, complete field ready, great machine, $65,000; Wick 9R22” sugar beet topper, $2,000.

701-640-4697 FOR SALE: DMI 470 wagon, very nice cond, straight hitch, rear brakes, lights, nice paint, $4,950/OBO. 507327-2678 FOR SALE: Erickson forklift, beat end gate, automatic, only 1.5 yrs old, complete; Versatile 400, 18' swatter, always shedded.

320-583-2587

Farm Implements

035 Farm Implements

035 Tractors

FOR SALE: Used Parts.

Plow, chisel plow, digger, disc, grain drill, planter, JD CH row units, older JD combine parts. JD 71 & IH 295 row units & more. Call w/ your needs 8am to 5 pm.

507-845-2850

036 Harvesting Equip

037

Classified line ads work!

Call 507-345-4523

27

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FOR SALE: Lilliston Bean FOR SALE: '37 JD A, round Combines;'04 Pickett Onespokes in front rims, one step, 6-30, $16,500; 8R round spoke in rear rims, Speedy cutter, $1,500; Case engine is loose, one valve IH 8350 haybine $3,500; stuck, restoration project.

Super B Dryer, 120 bu, 507-747-2518 Leave message $5,500;'03 915 JD Flex hd w/ AWS Air Bar, has new FOR SALE: 1981 Case IH, Crary gold cut, $15,000; 1086, 7,000 hrs, plus new '65 C80 Chev grain truck w/ tires. 218-566-2133 18' box, $3,500;'73 F900 Ford grain truck, w/ 20' FOR SALE: 1992 JD 4560, PS, cab, air, heat, 3 hyds, box, $7,500. 763-218-2797 Firestones at 70%, factory duals, quick hitch, 8 ft.

FOR SALE: Super A tractor wts., 5,542 hrs, planter & w/ hydraulics & Woods grain cart tractor, excepmower; '84 JD 7720; '82 220 tionally nice & original, flex head; 643 corn head; $43,900. 715-222-1737 212 5 belt grain pick-up. 507426-7429

036 Tractors

FOR SALE: G955 Minneapo- NEW AND USED TRACTOR '95 - 915 flex platform; side lis Moline M Farmall. 320hill drives; long poly diPARTS JD 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 573-2332 viders; ploy skid plates; 55, 50 Series & newer tracmanual fore & aft; 3'' tors, AC-all models, Large FOR SALE: Quad 30”, Cat knife; pipe reel; SS flex Inventory, We ship! Mark MT 14”, JD RT 16” Tracks. pan; multi-point hookup; Heitman Tractor Salvage 320-841-0509 steel auger fingers, SN 715-673-4829 660604. Eau Claire, WI. $4,000. (715)878-9858 JD 2510 gas, syncro, NF, Harvesting Equip 037 runs good, rear tires 80%, $6,250/OBO (715)307-8952 or '03 Case IH 1020 Platform (715)273-6077 30', Crary air reel, SCHsickle, 3" sections, JD 4600 4x4 42hp, low hrs Poly auger fingers, extra (852), HST, exc cond, 73" sickle & some parts, inbucket & 665 tiller (w/only 3 cludes 4 wheel trailer, hours on), $17,500 or best $15,000. (641) 590-1102 offer. (715)641-2140

THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

FOR SALE: CIH 1440 com- FOR SALE: IH #82 combine, $575; #70 IH plow 3-16, $300. bined w/ 4R30” corn head.

952-873-6597 320-760-4536 FOR SALE: Fantini chop- MUCH FOR SALE: Degelman rock picker, $6,000; ping 8R & 12R CH; 70' NH 489 haybine, $2,500; 3 Elmer drag, Merritt alum Steel Kicker hay racks, hopper grain trailers; '89 $2,000; IHC 10' grain drill IH 1680 combine; 24R30” 5100, $4,000; H&S 235 maJD pl on Kinze bar; Big A nure spreader, $3,000; IHC floater; 175 Michigan ldr; 56 blower, $150. Call (715) IH 964 CH; White 706 & 708 645-0015 or (715)468-4593 CH & parts; White plows & leave a message parts; 54' 4300 IH field cultivator; JD 44' field cult; We buy 3300 Hiniker field cult; Salvage Equipment header trailer. 507-380-5324 Parts Available Hammell Equip., Inc. FOR SALE: Hiniker 1700 20' (507)867-4910 stalk chopper, nice, $6,500/Obo; Gray Allied 590 036 loader, 7' bucket Oliver/JD Tractors mounts, $2,450. 507-381-0256 '98 CIH Steiger 9380 4WD, 4802 hrs, Cummins N14, FOR SALE: IH 5288 540-7000 400hp, 24spd trans PTO, 18.4-42 tire, 6800H, w/high-low, differential 2WD, very nice, $24,500. locks, 4 remotes, 20.8-42 320-249-8556 triples, rockbox, air seat, FOR SALE: JD 4 belt, pickOutback auto-steer, up head for grain, good Paint-5, Tires 50%, condition, $1,250. 612-201$61,000 (641) 590-1102 7751

Hydrostatic & Hydraulic Repair Repair-Troubleshooting Sales-Design Custom hydraulic hose-making up to 2” Service calls made.

STOEN'S Hydrostatic Service 16084 State Hwy 29 N Glenwood, MN 56334 320634-4360

“Where Farm and Family Meet”

Retirement Sale: Combines: '97 JD 9600, 2407 sep hrs, RWA; '98 JD 9610, 2397 sep hrs; 912 JD pickup header; (2) JD 930 air reels. Tractors: 180 Allis w/ ldr, Case 2290, '82 JD 4440, '01 JD 8310 w/ triples & guidance system, '94 Case 9270, Case 440 w/ triples.

Trucks: '72 Ford 700, '78 GMC Sierra 6500, '90 Volvo tri-axle, 575 United Farm Tool grain cart.

Other Equip: 72' Summers super harrow, 37' Case IH chisel plow, 33' JD chisel plow, 28' Summers diamond disc, '83 Big Red grain dryer model 4FS12 240 BPH, 8600 30' Int'l air seeder, JD model 7300 12R planter, 90' Ultimate sprayer. 218-437-8120 Well kept up maintenance & shedded. For more info please call.

28

LOADER TRACTORS

THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

‘04 JD 7320 Cab, MFWD, 16 spd., 741 loader, 6316 hrs .........................................................$57,000 ‘13 JD 6170R, Cab, IVT trans, MFWD, 859 hrs., w/H380 loader, 3 pt., 540/1000 PTO, ..........$116,000

‘14 JD 670, 1882 eng./845 sep., Pro Drive, 5 spd., feeder house, chopper, 20.8x42” duals, power bin ext, 4WD .......................................................$165,000 ‘13 JD 660, 4WD, 1598/1066, 2630 display, contourmaster chopper, 520x42” duals ......$153,000

‘09 NH 6070, Bi-directional, 3543 hrs., cab air, w/NH ‘13 JD 670, 1294 eng/647 sep. hrs., premium cab, 84lb loader, 3 pt., 540/1000 PTO...................$59,000 HID lights, Hitorque VSD, chopper, contourmaster, 520x42” duals ..............................................$165,000 ‘12 Kubota M110, Cab, MFWD, 240 hrs., w/Kubota ‘13 JD 660, 1180 eng/892 sep hrs., cm, HID LA1953 loader, 3 pt., 540/1000 PTO .............$55,000 lights, high torque USD chopper, 520x38” duals ....

‘11 Challenger, MT 575 B, MFWD, 2242 hrs., ......................................................................$155,000 ML98 loader ...................................................$72,000 ‘00 JD 9650TS, 3611 eng./2645 sep. hrs., chopper, ‘94 FH 6640 SLE, MFWD, cab, loader ..............$25,000 20.8x38” duals ...............................................$55,000

TRACK TRACTORS

‘02 Challenger MT 765, 4190 hrs., 120” spacing 30” belts, 3pt, 1,000 PTO .....................................$69,000

‘11 CIH 7120, 871 eng./732 sep. hrs., rock trap, chopper, 520x42” duals ...............................$149,000

‘09 NH CR9060, 2400 eng./1800 sep. hrs., tracker, ‘14 CIH 380 MAG row trac cut, 290 hrs., 4 hyd., big chopper, 520x42” duals .................................$72,500 pump, 3 pt., 1000 PTO, 24” tracks, completely auto ‘04 NH CR970, 3138 eng./2186 sep. hrs., tracker, guidence equipped, suspended front, 24” belts ...... chopper, chaff spreader, 520x42” duals........$52,000 ......................................................................$195,000 ‘11 Claas Lexior, 740, 1466 eng/899 sep hrs., 4x4 ‘13 CIH, 380 MAG Row Trac 1178 hrs., luxury cab, full 520x42” duals ..............................................$109,000 guidance, suspended front, 24” tracks, 120 inch spacing 3 pt., 4 hyd. Hiflow, PTO ................$180,000

FLEX HEADS

‘14 CIH, 340 MAG Row Trac 287 hrs., luxury cab, ‘02 Case IH 1020 30’ flex, fore & aft, set up suspended frt axle, 18” tracks, 76” spacing, 6 hyd for tracker .........................................................$6,900 remotes, 3 pt., 1000 PTO, full guidance......$195,000 ‘07 Case IH 2020 35’ flex, fore & aft, full finger auger ....................................................$12,000 ‘12 JD 9410R, 1411 hrs., 1000 PTO, 4 hyd., HID lights, ‘97 JD 930 30’ flex head, full finger auger .....................

520x46” tires & duals ...................................$169,000 ..........................................................................$6,900 ‘10 JD 9330 1239 hrs., 1000 PTO, 4hyd powershift w/ diff lock, 480x50” tires & duals, 85% .............$155,00 ‘13 Draggo N6TR, Fits JD, 6 row 30” Chopping with ‘11 NH T9.390, 905 hrs., powershift, diff lock, HID stalk stompers, low auger .............................$32,000 lights 480x50” tires & duals .........................$128,000 ‘14 Drago N8, Fits JD 8 row 30” non chopping, ‘09 CIH 385, 3071 hrs., 620x 46 tires & duals, 4 hydraulics, powershift ...............................$105,000 unused ...........................................................$38,000

<< www.TheLandOnline.com >>

4WD TRACTORS

CORNHEADS

ROW CROP TRACTORS

Drago N8TR, Fits Case/Ih Chopping 8 row 30” ............. ........................................................................$15,000

‘14 CIH 260, 605 hrs., MFWD luxury cab, 4 hyd, 3 pt hitch, 1000 PTO, 480x50” duals ..................$118,000 ‘13 Drago N6, 6 row 30” non chopping, unused fits Case/IH .........................................................$31,000 ‘12 CIH 260, 1784 hrs., Deluxe cab, 19-spd., PS, ‘05 Drago N6TR, 6 row 30” chopping, fits JD susp. front axle, 3 pt., 4 hyd., Hi-Flow, 1000 PTO, 480x50” duals, MFWD .................................$110,000 combines........................................................$19,000 ‘09 Drago N6TR, 6 row 30” chopping, fits JD ‘13 CIH 260, 577 hrs., PS, 3 pt., 540/1000 PTO, 4 hyd., big pump, 420x46” tires & duals ........$115,000 combine .........................................................$21,000 ‘08 Case IH 3408, 8 row 30” hyd., deck plates .... ....... .

‘13 CIH 290, 1250 hrs., 3 pt., PTO, big pump, 480 front duals, 480x50” .....................................$119,000 ........................................................................$19,000 ‘13 NH 8360, 940 hrs., MFWD, leather seats, 4 hyd., ‘02 Case IH 2208, 8 row 30” hyd., deck plates.. ...........

1000 PTO, auto steer complete, 480x50” rear tires ........................................................................$13,000 & duals .........................................................$119,000 ‘05 Geringhoff, roto disc 830 8 row 30” chopping, fits ‘13 NH T8.300, 801 hrs., MFWD, 4 hyd., 3 pt., JD combine ....................................................$20,000 540/1000 PTO, 480x50” tires & duals .........$105,000

EXCAVATORS

‘11 Versatile 305, MFWD, 690 hrs., 4 hyd., 3 pt., 1000 PTO, HID lights, front wts, fender ..................$99,000 ‘13 JD 290 GLC, 2271 hrs., w/ aux hyd., hyd. Thumb, 50” bkt ..........................................................$145,000

COMBINES

“Where Farm and Family Meet”

‘14 JD 670 812, eng/553 sep hrs, CM Hi torque, VSD Chopper, Hid lights 520x42” duals ..............$179,500

‘15 Komotsu PC, 138 US LC-10, 1038 hrs., 30” bkt, like new machine ..................................................$99,000

LOADER BACKHOES

‘04 JD 9560, STS 4375/2819 sep hrs., 4 wheel drive, ‘14 Volvo BL70B, 724 hrs., cab air, pilot controls, 30.5x32 drive tires, Chopper, deluxe header controls...........................................................$61,000 hydraulic thumb, xhoe ...................................$57,500

LARSON IMPLEMENTS 5 miles east of Cambridge, MN on Hwy. 95 763-689-1179

Look at our Web site for pictures & more listings www.larsonimplements.com

Harvesting Equip

PRE-OWNED EQUIPMENT

’14 JD S660 2-WD, 435 Hrs., 2630 Display, Camera

System, 26’ Auger, Warranty .........................$199,500 ’16 JD S680 PRWD, 372 Hrs., 580/85R42’s w/DIs., Chopper w/PowerCast, 26’ Auger, Warranty .... $319,500

SOLD SOLD

’15 JD 635FD Flex Draper, (Optional Crop Auger), Dual Knife Drive, Short Dividers ....................... $64,500 ’14 JD 608C Non-Chopping Corn Head, HHS or Contour Master, Low Acres! ............................ $42,500

M.S. Diversified monte@ms-diversified.com

Fairfax, MN 800-432-3565 • 320-894-6560 www.ms-diversified.com

037 Harvesting Equip

037

FOR SALE: 13' Gleaner FOR SALE: CAT 485 & 9700 Dummy head to fit L/M, White combines w/ JD new belts, $600/OBO. 651heads & extra parts. 320433-5259 841-0509 FOR SALE: Case IH rock FOR SALE: R60 '91 Gleaner, reverser, bin ext., 3.5-32, trap beater for any 88 seDeutz engine, 4,751 hrs., ries combine, in perfect comes w/ 825 flex head, 25' condition. 651-564-0606 SCH, power take off drive, asking $19,750. 507-847-3622, FOR SALE: Int'l '80 1460 leave message. combine, 820 22 ½' bean head, elec over hyd, new unloader auger, ext w/ bub- JD 12R20 cornhead ble up, new rotor & 6 con12R20”, Clarke Machine caves 5yrs ago & transition poly bi-fold snouts, Headcone, $8,000. 507-412-0215 sight header control, 40 series row units, Oil bath FOR SALE: Kinze used cart end chains, fixed deck sale, 1300 track or Softplates, std rolls, some extred, 1050 Soft-tred or row tra parts & snouts go crop, scales-tarps on most, w/unit. $7,500 (641) 590call Bill at 712-209-4141 or 1102 Jon 515-578-1014 FOR SALE: MF 860 combine JD 920, flexhead, Steel snouts, Tear drop reel, w/ bean platform, 4 & 6 row good poly, $3,400; 2012 EZ 36” corn headers, 1000 gal Trail head mover $2,400. propane tank, 4000 bushel 715-549-6579 holding bin. 507-375-4719 JD 9650 STS combine. PRWD with duals, Contour Master, chopper, single point hookup. 4000 E, 2800 S hours. www.thelandonline.com Well maintained with repair records available. $44,900. Call 507-789-6049

Visit our website:

NEW 2016 #1317 1325 Bushel X-treme Unverferth Grain Cart, Corner Auger FOLDS ACROSS FRONT (BRENT Doesn't Have It!!)

Also Other Sizes, Used Grain Carts 600 – 1000 Bu We Trade /Deliver Dealer Phone 319-347-6282 WANTED: Manifold JD 3300 gas combine. Part #T31215 (320) 275-3524 Tillage Equip

039

FOR SALE: Blu-Jet AT6020 24x30” NH3 & strip till; loaded and many extras.

320-841-0509 Machinery Wanted

040

All kinds of New & Used farm equipment – disc chisels, field cults, planters, soil finishers, cornheads, feed mills, discs, balers, haybines, etc. 507-438-9782 WANTED: Ford tractor, models considered: 2000, 3000, or 4000. 952-322-0736 WANTED: Used tandem grain truck to use from field to farm, can be older but must be field ready & reliable; also 500 bu grain cart. 612-655-1053 Spraying Equip

041

FOR SALE: '13 FS9518T Fast sprayer w/ 120' boom, 20” nozzle spacing, 1800 gal tank, 380/90/R46 tires, Raven Ultra Glide ISO boom height control, Raven ISO rate control, like new.

507-317-5625 FOR SALE: '86 Freightliner Liquid Tender Truck Day cab, black, air ride, Tandem axle, 855 Cummins eng, 10spd trans, 1650 gal HD elliptical tank, good rubber, 30 gal & 60 gal cone tanks, 120 rinse water tank, 2" bottom fill, 5hp x 2" transfer pump, $9,500. (641) 590-1102

29 THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

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Wanted

THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

30

042

Wanted

042

WANTED TO BUY: Some WANTED: FlexCoil Harrow, CVEG ethanol shares from 5/16” or 3/8” tines. 612-360Benson, MN. 320-491-8532 9230 WANTED TO BUY: StationFeed Seed Hay ary TMR. 320-250-1221

050

Feed Seed Hay

050 Cattle

WANTED TO BUY: Damaged corn, soybeans, other grains. Call Schweiger Cattle LLC. 507-236-5181

056

10 Black Angus spring cows, 10 Hereford spring cows, due Aug & Sept, also open heifers. 608-792-9423 or 608788-6258

FOR SALE OR LEASE 053 WANTED: CIH 1020, 15' FOR SALE: 2017 round Poultry REGISTERED BLACK straw bales, 5x5 bales, bean head, in good to excelANGUS Bulls, 2 year old & wheat straw will be from White Muscovy ducklings, $2 lent condition. 612-201-7751 yearlings; bred heifers, conventional combine, no and up. 414-659-9038 calving ease, club calves & rotor straw, net wrapped, WANTED: Fanning mill in balance performance. Al tight firm bales, baling working condition. 651-380sired. In herd improvement 054 about 1,000 acres, Felton, Livestock 6928 program. J.W. Riverview MN. 701-371-3972 Angus Farm Glencoe, MN FOR SALE: 2 Holstein 55336 Conklin Dealer 320springing heifers, ME 864-4625 28,000-32,000, 9 bred 4-6 months, 3 are registered, FOR SALE: 3 yr old Black out of high-testing herd. polled pure breed Simmen952-492-6912 tal bull. (608)575-6276

<< www.TheLandOnline.com >>

FOR SALE: Black Angus FOR SALE: Purebred Angus bulls also Hamp, York, & bulls, 15 months old, good Hamp/Duroc boars & gilts. quality and size, AI sired, 320-598-3790 Miller Angus, Kasson, MN. 507-634-4535 Dairy 055 FOR SALE: Red Angus bulls 1 &1.5 yrs old, $1,300, 20 Spring Holstein heifers, Oehler Red Angus. 507-931due Aug-Sept. Also open 5758.

Holstein Heifers. 608-792FOR SALE: Simmental & 9423 or 608-788-6258 Angus sired bulls, black, polled, good disposition, exFOR SALE: 95 Holstein & 10 cellent quality, long yearJersey Cows, including 20 lings & coming 2 yr old, dry cows. Tie stall, 70pds, backed by over 45 yrs of AI 160 SDC, $1,500/ea or will breeding. Riverside Simsell choice. Mark 715-773mentals, Gerald Polzin, Co2240 cato, MN. 320-286-5805 WANTED TO BUY: Dairy Registered Texas Longhorn breeding stock, cows, heifers and cows. 320-235heifers or roping stock, top 2664 blood lines. 507-235-3467

NEW & USED EQUIP. NEW EQUIPMENT • Sunflower Tillage • Hardi Sprayers • REM Grain Vac • Woods Mowers • J&M Grain Carts • Westfield Augers • Summers Equipment • White Planters

USED EQUIPMENT

“Where Farm and Family Meet”

• Wilrich Tillage • White 8524-22 planter • Alloway 22’ shredder • Tebben land roller, 45’ • J&M 750 grain cart • Brent 1194 grain cart • Kill Bros 1170 grain cart • Sheyenne 1410, 10x70 hopper • Westfield MK 10x71 • Tebben 17 Shank Deep Tull • EZEE-ON 8T00, 30’ Disk • Wishek 862, 26’ disk

• JD 2700 9-24 Ripper • Wilrich Soil Pro 13-24 • DMI 50’ crumbler • Wilrich Quad X2, 60’ F.C., rolling basket • JD 2210, 58-1/2’ F.C. • CIH 200, 55’ F.C., rolling basket • Hardi HC950 60’ • Hardi Nav. 1000, 88’ • Hardi CM 1500 132’ • Red Ball 690, 120’ • ’13 Amity 12-22 • ’12 Amity 12-22 • Amity 8-22, (3) • ’13 Artsway 6812, 12-22 • ’10 Artsway 6812, 12-22 • ’06 Artsway 6812, 8-22 • Amity, 3750 12-22, Topper • Alloway 12-22 folding topper • (2) Alloway 12-22 topper, St. Ft. • REM 2100, Vac

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE ‘14 Nissan Frontier King Cab 4x4 pickup, black, V6, auto, 81,000mi., bought new .................. $15,000 ‘16 JD RSX860I Gator, olive color, power steering, 30 hrs, 320 miles ............................................. $8,500 ‘14 JD 8251 Gator, olive color, canopy, bed lift, 460 hours ........................................................ $7,500 ‘13 Case SR250 skid steer loader, cab with heat and air, 2 speed, susp. seat, E-H controls, 78’ bucket, 289 hours ................................... $31,500 ‘12 Wishek 862NT-30 30’ disc, rotary scrapers ........................................................ $36,000 ‘13 CIH Magnum 235, 320/90R54 duals, 540/1000 PTO, 2235 hours, powertrain warranty till 9-2017 ........................................................... $86,000 ‘11 CIH Magnum 190, powershift, 380/90R54 duals, New 380/80R38 single fronts, 540/1000 PTO, 3450 hours, warranty .................................... $65,000

– AgDirect Financing Available –

Keith Bode Clara City, MN 56222 320-847-3218 www.wearda.com

Fairfax, MN 55332 507-381-1291 www.keithbodeeq.com

Cattle

056 Swine

065 Cars & Pickups

Cars & Pickups

FOR SALE: '05 Ford F150 XLT Extended Cab, Red. 135,000 mi, 8-cyl, automatic trans, 4WD. Good condition, trailer hitch.

Solid work truck, $6,500.

Call (641) 590-1102 Email mthrone@wctatel.net Industrial & Const.

Trucks & Trailers

USED TRACTORS

TILLAGE

‘03 Sunflower, 32’, 5-bar spike ...................... $18,000 Sunflower 4630, 11-shank, Demo ......................... Call DMI Tiger Mate II 40.5 w/ 4 bar ..................... $29,500 DMI 530B ............................................................... Call DMI/NH 775, 7-shank .................................... $23,500 ‘08 JD 2210, 44.5’ w/3-bar harrow ................ $29,500

SKIDSTEERS

‘07 NH 170 w/ cab ......................................... $18,900 NEW NH Skidsteers - On Hand ............................. Call NH 230 w/ cab & air ....................................... $37,900

REINKE IRRIGATION Sales & Service New & Used For your irrigation needs 888-830-7757 or 507-276-2073 WANT MORE READERS TO SEE YOUR AD??

Expand your coverage area!

The Land has teamed up with Farm News, and The Country Today so you can do just that! Place a classified ad in The Land and have the option of placing it in these papers as well.

More readers = better results! Call The Land for more information. 507-3454523 • 800-657-4665

One call does it all!

With one phone call, you can Winpower Sales & Service place your classified ad in Reliable Power Solutions The Land, Farm News, Since 1925 PTO & automatic Emergency Electric AND The Country Today.

Generators. New & Used Call The Land for more Rich Opsata-Distributor info @ 507-345-4523 • 800-657800-343-9376 4665.

White 8222, 12-30 w/liq. fert. ......................... $42,000 ‘11 White 8516 CFS, Loaded ......................... $85,000

COMBINES

NEW Fantini chopping cornhead .......................... Call Fantini Pre-Owned 8-30 chopping cornhead ............................................................. Call ‘02 Gleaner R62 .............................................. $85,500 ‘94 Gleaner R62 .............................................. $38,000 ‘10 Gleaner R76, Loaded ............................. $195,000 ‘01 Gleaner R72 ............................................. $72,500 ‘03 Gleaner R65 ........................................... $105,000 Gleaner 3308 chopping corn heads ..................... Call

HAY TOOLS

New Hesston & NH Hay Tools - ON HAND

MISCELLANEOUS

NEW Salford RTS Units ......................................... Call NEW Salford Plows................................................ Call NEW Unverferth Seed Tenders ............................. Call NEW Westfield Augers .......................................... Call NEW REM 2700 Vac. ............................................. Call NEW Hardi Sprayers.............................................. Call NEW Riteway Rollers ............................................. Call NEW Lorenz Snowblowers .................................... Call NEW Batco Conveyors .......................................... Call NEW Brent Wagons & Grain Carts ........................ Call NEW E-Z Trail Seed Wagons ................................. Call NEW Rock Buckets & Pallet Forks ........................ Call REM 2700, Rental .................................................. Call Pre-Owned Snowblowers, 7’-9’ ............................. Call Pre-Owned Sprayers ............................................. Call

Get Results ! Sell it FAST when you advertise in THE LAND! Call us today at 507-345-4523 or 800-657-4665 or email us at theland@thelandonline.com

ADVERTISER LISTING Citizen Publishing ............................................................6 Compeer Financial ..........................................................5 Courtland Waste Handling ................................................3 David Gass ....................................................................24 Diers Ag Trailer Sales ....................................................7 Doda USA ......................................................................19 Duncan Trailers ..............................................................30 Greenview Metal ............................................................15 Haas Land Brokers ........................................................26 Hamilton Auction Service ..............................................25 Henslin Auction ..................................................24, 25, 28 Holland Auction Company ..............................................26 Hughes Auction Service ..................................................24 K & S Millwrights ....................................................11, 14 Keith Bode ....................................................................30 Larson Implement ....................................................27, 28 Mages Auction Service ..................................................27 Matejcek ........................................................................29 MS Diversified ..............................................................28 Pruess Elevator ..............................................................26 Rush River ....................................................................13 Schweiss Inc ..................................................................27 Smith’s Mill ..................................................................31 Spanier Welding ..............................................................9 Steffes Group ......................................................24, 26, 27 Wearda ..........................................................................30

All Equipment available with Low Rate Financing

SMITHS MILL IMPLEMENT Hwy. 14, 3 miles West of Janesville, MN

Phone (507) 234-5191 or (507) 625-8649 Mon. - Fri. 7:30-5:00 • Sat. 7:30-Noon www.smithsmillimp.com

31

• PO Box 3169 • 418 S 2nd Street • Mankato, MN 56001 • theland@thelandonline.com

“Where Farm and Family Meet”

NEW White Planters .............................................. Call ‘04 Kinze 3600 16-30 ..................................... $42,000 ‘12 White 8186, 16-30 w/liq. fert. ................... $59,000

090

090

PARMA DRAINAGE PUMPS New pumps & parts on hand. Call Minnesota's largest distributor HJ Olson & Company 320974-8990 Cell – 320-212-5336

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NEW Massey GC1705 w/loader ............................ Call NEW Massey 7722 FWA CVT ................................ Call NEW NH T4.75 w/loader ........................................ Call NEW NH T9.645, w/Smart Trac ............................. Call NEW Versatile 310, FWA.............................. $157,900 NH T8.275, 495 hrs ...................................... $155,000 NH 8870, FWA................................................ $49,000 ‘12 NH T9.390, approx. 850 hrs. .................. $180,000 ‘09 NH TD 5050 w/loader, 1300 hrs............... $36,000 ‘08 NH 8010 ................................................. $114,500 ‘05 CIH MX210 1700 hrs ................................ $98,500 ‘06 Buhler 2210 w/ auto steer........................ $92,500 Allis 180 D .........................................................$7,250 ‘12 Challenger MT 665D .............................. $155,000 ‘10 Versatile 435, 1050 hrs .......................... $150,000 Allis 185 w/loader .............................................$9,500 ‘85 White 4-270, nice ..................................... $29,500

PLANTERS

084

FOR SALE: 1977 GMC, 20' wooden box hoist, tag axle, $1,500; 1978 Chevy, 20' steel box & hoist, twin screw, $2,300, both have 366 engines, Windom, MN, BO 507-831-2301

080

'03 Chev Silverado 1500 Reg Cab, Pewter. 100,967 mi, 8-cyl, Auto, 2WD. Nice truck, $6,900. Call (641) 590-1102

Miscellaneous

083

FOR SALE: Cat 225 excavator & extra bucket, $15,000/OBO. 320-841-0509

Miscellaneous

Hampshire 6 Months old.

Fast growth, big loins, all w/EBVs, size between club lamb and frame style. $650+. (651) 894-3466 Don.Drewry@frontier.com

080

THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

WANT TO BUY: Butcher Compart's total program cows, bulls, fats & walkable features superior boars & cripples; also horses, open gilts documented by sheep & goats. 320-235-2664 BLUP technology. Duroc, York, Landrace & F1 lines.

Terminal boars offer leanHorse 057 ness, muscle, growth. Maternal gilts & boars are Percheron yearly stallion productive, lean, durable. and 3 colts for sale. Please All are stress free & PRRS call 715-577-3688 free. Semen also available through Elite Genes A.I. Sheep 060 Make 'em Grow! Comparts Boar Store, INC. Toll Free: FOR SALE: Registered 877-441-2627 Hampshire sheep flock disSALE: Yorkshire, persal, 12 ewes, aged 1-5 FOR & Hampshire, Duroc yrs., raised 200% lamb Hamp/Duroc boars, also crop, ram & ewe lambs, gilts. Excellent selection.

Quam breeding, National Raised outside. Exc herd Champion bloodlines, health. No PRSS. Delivery Wambeam Hampshires. avail. 320-760-0365 Austin, MN. 507-437-1506 or 507-438-8944

THE LAND, AUGUST 4, 2017

32

This week’s Back Roads is the work of The Land Correspondent Tim King. Photo by Jan King.

Mushroom building is fun, not fungus

“Where Farm and Family Meet”

<< www.TheLandOnline.com >>

T

here is nothing quite like Dassel’s mushroom building. Across this big country, there are many examples of quirky 1920s and 1930s gas station architecture.

There’s a filling station in Kansas that looks like a Chinese pagoda. There’s another station in Memphis, Mo., which has that pagoda look, but it has all glass walls from about 4 feet up.

There’s even a run-down octagonal station in Delaware, Ohio.

The structures were called ornamental filling stations and, thanks to the Dassel Area Historical Society, the City of Dassel, and some generous neighbors, Dassel’s little sixsided building is still attractive and ornamental — rather than a decaying curiosity.

“The building is a landmark in Dassel. It is unique and people remember it or notice it if they are traveling through Dassel on Highway 12,” Carolyn Holje of the Dassel Area Historical Society said.

The property the building sits on has a history dating back to the 1880s. But in 1931, the corner lot was leased to White Eagle Oil Company. The owner, Walter Belin, proceeded to build the ornamental service station that locals now refer to as the mushroom building. Across the country these ornamental buildings were generally prefabricated. Puroil, for example, had a line of prefabricated gas stations that looked like English cottages. Mr.

Belin’s White Eagle filling station may or may not have been prefabricated, but its roof, looking like the cap of a mushroom, is unique.

Walter Belin operated the filling station until 1954 at which time the building passed through numerous owners but never served as a gas station again.

During the years that Walter owned the station, most filling stations added mechanical service garages to their business. Walter never did that. According to those who remember, he enjoyed listening to the radio and chatting with the neighbors who dropped by. His Springer Spaniel, Trixie, was always nearby.

Somehow, Walter’s little station was kept intact for the next half a century. Then, in 2001, the Dassel Area Historical Society bought it.

With help from the community, the organization restored the building and landscaped the grounds. For a while there was weekly live music at the mushroom building during the summer.

“This summer there is a new event,” Carolyn Holje said. “On Mondays and Thursdays, a volunteer has set up serving ice cream treats, beverages and popcorn. People come for treats. It is also a gathering place for conversation and bringing people and community together.”

Visitors are welcome to share the treats or to visit the mushroom building at any time. v

Dassel, Minn.