(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County (Iowa) 4-H’ers and their families, volunteers and supporters gathered on Sunday, November 10^th to celebrate the 2023-2024 4-H year at the 2024 County Convention. Officials report 4-H leaders reaching milestones, were recognized for their service. Receiving five-year recognition were Diane Brahms of Union Leaders, Terri Hansen of Grant Guys & Gals Clover Kids, Carrie Ohms of Grant Guys & Gals Clover Kids, Toni Rieck of Grant Guys & Gals, and Laura Robinson of Washington GEM.

The 4-H Alumni Award, given to 4-H alumni that have stayed active in supporting the local 4-H program, was presented to Dale and Vickie Retallic. Dale and Vickie have been active in many parts of the Cass County Fair in all ways possible. Exhibitor, Parent, Superintendent, Volunteer, Cook, Assistant Superintendent, Grandparents are some titles they have had on the fairgrounds. They have raised two sons that are current fair department superintendents and have grandchildren now exhibiting on the grounds too. Dale and Vickie have created a deep-rooted tradition of being involved with Cass County 4-H at the county fair and continue to support youth in the program through many avenues.

Natalie Bierbaum recognized as Cass County’s newest Honorary 4-H Member. This is awarded to a member of the community who was not a 4-H member themselves but supports and assists the local 4-H program. Natalie has made photo backgrounds for youth to take photos of their awards out during fair, takes photos of many shows and award ceremonies at fair. Natalie was instrumental in the creation of our 75th Exhibitor T-shirts we got to show in this year and her help with the 75th Fair Celebration committee preparations. The Distinguished Service Award was presented to Lindeman Tractor. The team at Lindeman’s works with many of our 4-H families each month through their regular business. They stated how appreciative they are to see the next generation of our 4-H youth getting involved in the agriculture field.

They have been involved in Cass County 4-H and the county fair as far back as 1959 in multiple ways including, an entertainment sponsor, a livestock sale supporter, and a trophy donor. Behind the scenes, they provide equipment, storage, and trucking before, during, and after our Fair. During Fair week, Bob, Norma Jean, and their Lindeman’s family are often sharing meals at the food stand multiple times a day. Members and leaders of all 4-H clubs in Cass County were recognized for club activities, and project awards completed throughout the year. Intermediate and Junior 4-H members who completed a record book received project awards based on leaders’ recommendation. Record books are rated on organization, appearance, goals and learning, spelling, and grammar.

High school members turn in their record book at the club level, then leaders nominate records to be reviewed again at the county level. These project records should be well organized, neat, and show evidence of solid Citizenship, Communication, and Leadership activities. Points received determine if platinum, gold, silver, or bronze awards are given.

A ink to photos and a document that has names listed for each photo is available at: https://iastate.box.com/s/7m44pxq3an1c4m3hus4wg3epqi2ozf3q. Photos courtesy of Captured by Ashley Photography.

Awards given by clubs are as follows:

Bear Grove Blazers:

Club Awards: Top Historian Book, Top Treasurer Book, Youth Council Club Challenge Participant, Silent Auction Item

Record Book/Project Awards:

Catherine DeBord: Home Improvement, Clothing & Fashion, Star Intermediate Record Book

Alyson Dreager: Swine (platinum), Dog (platinum), Goat (platinum), Home Improvement (platinum), Photography (gold), Sheep (gold), Gold Senior Record Book

Dylen Dreager: Swine (bronze), Silver Senior Record Book

Keagen Dreager: Home Improvement

Walker Gary: Poultry (platinum), Platinum Senior Record Book

Jamie Jacobsen: Citizenship, Health

Maggie Jacobsen: Citizenship

Hunter Kardell: Swine, Visual Arts, Star Junior Record Book

Lynsie Kardell: Photography, Star Intermediate Record Book

Macie Kloewer: Rabbits

Maggie Kloewer: Food & Nutrition, Rabbits

Mia Kloewer: Bronze Senior Record Book

David Retallic: Swine (gold), Platinum Senior Record Book

Sophia Retallic: Swine, Food & Nutrition, Sewing & Needle Art, Visual Arts, Rabbits, Photography, Star Junior Record Book

Nolan Sunderman: Self-Determined

Carter Witzman: Swine (gold), Silver Senior Record Book

Benton Franklin:

Club Awards: 4-Her’s for 4-H, Youth Council Club Challenge Finisher, Silent Auction Item

Record Book/Project Awards:

Brock Henderson: Breeding beef (gold), Gold Senior Record Book

Zander Pieken: Rabbits (silver), Gold Senior Record Book

Blayre Steffen: Swine, Beef, Star Junior Record Book

Brookelyn Steffen: Self-Determined (silver), Gold Senior Record Book

Brylee Steffen: Home Improvement, Swine, Beef, Star Intermediate Record Book

C&M Champions:

Club Awards: 4-Her’s for 4-H, Endowment Donation, Silent Auction Item

Cowpokes:

Club Awards: 4-Her’s for 4-H, Youth Council Club Challenge Participant, Silent Auction Item

Record Book/Project Awards:

AJ Barber: Beef, Horse, Welding

Shelby Hansen: Dog, Star Junior Record Book

Kayedance Sturm: Horse (bronze), Silver Senior Record Book

Grant Guys and Gals:

Club Awards: 4-Her’s for 4-H, Endowment Donation, Top Window Display National 4-H Week, Rabbit Herdsmanship, Swine Herdsmanship, Youth Council Club Challenge Participant, Silent Auction Item

Record Book/Project Awards:

Macy Burg: Gold Senior Record Book

Brayden Dawson: Beef

Colby Euken: Clothing & Fashion, Photography, Vet Science, Woodworking, Swine, Agronomy, Star Junior Record Book

Ada Hansen: Communications (platinum), Platinum Senior Record Book

Isaac Hansen: Swine, Beef, Food & Nutrition, Woodworking, Clothing & Fashion, Star Junior Record Book

Mack Hansen: Food & Nutrition, Swine, Animal Science, Visual Arts, Beef, Home Improvement

Kambry Langfelt: Beef

Kylee Wessling: Food & Nutrition, Rabbits

Griswold Clubsters:

Club Awards: Beef Herdsmanship, Silent Auction Item

Record Book/Project Awards:

Raylea Amos: Beef, Star Junior Record Book

Blaine Buffington: Swine

Bristol Chambers: Beef, Star Junior Record Book

Josephine Millikan: Consumer Management (gold), Clothing & Fashion (silver), Sewing & Needle Art (platinum), Food & Nutrition (gold), Gold Senior Record Book

Grove H.O.T.:

Club Awards: 4-Her’s for 4-H, 2024 Banner Club, Silent Auction Item

Record Book/Project Awards:

Hudson Brock: Communications, Star Intermediate Record Book

Parker Brock: Silver Senior Record Book

Conner Johnson: Poultry (platinum), Shooting Sports (gold), Woodworking (gold), Platinum Senior Record Book

Lily Johnson: Communications (gold), Citizenship (platinum), Clothing & Fashion (platinum), Dairy Goats (platinum), Food & Nutrition (platinum), Leadership (platinum), Photography (platinum), Poultry (platinum), Platinum Senior Record Book

Madeline Richter: Gold Senior Record Book

Claire Schroder: Rabbits (platinum), Sheep (platinum), Gold Senior Record Book

Independent Members:

Record Book/Project Awards: Grant Petty: Sheep (platinum), Swine (platinum), Platinum Senior Record Book

Pleasant Noble United:

Club Awards: 4-Her’s for 4-H, Overall Herdsmanship, Youth Council Club Challenge Participant, Silent Auction Item, Highest club attendance at convention.

Record Book/Project Awards:

Conlan Amos: Poultry, Star Intermediate Record Book

Zoey Amos: Gold Senior Record Book

Emma Ritter: Dog

Gage Ritter: Ag & Natural Resources

Kailey Swain: Visual Arts (platinum), Goats (platinum), Poultry (platinum), Rabbits (platinum), Platinum Senior Record Book

Pymosa:

Club Awards: 4-Her’s for 4-H, Top Secretary Book, YC Club Challenge Winner, Silent Auction Item, Highest 4-H member recruitment.

Record Book/Project Awards:

Olivia Olson: Platinum Senior Record Book

Claire Pellett: Food & Nutrition (platinum), Beef (gold), Dog (gold), Health (gold), Platinum Senior Record Book

Oakley Skow: Food & Nutrition, Dog, Poultry, Photography, Star Junior Record Book

Miraylie Stuart: Beef (platinum), Platinum Senior Record Book

Union Leaders:

Club Awards: 4-Her’s for 4-H, Endowment Donation, Top Community Service Award, Sheep Herdsmanship, Silent Auction Item

Record Book/Project Awards:

Oliver Becker: Sewing & Needle Art

Tristan Becker: Beef (gold), Silver Senior Record Book

Bay Erickson: Rabbits, Visual Arts, Food & Nutrition, Photography, Clothing & Fashion, Star Junior Record Book

Gage Erickson: Visual Arts, Food & Nutrition, Clothing & Fashion

Avery Lee: Woodworking, Visual Arts, Photography, Food & Nutrition, Clothing & Fashion

Bryson Lee: Woodworking, Food & Nutrition

Eden Ohms: Clothing & Fashion, Sheep, Beef, Poultry, Food & Nutrition, Child Development, Visual Arts, Sewing & Needle Art, Star Junior Record Book

Leah Ohms: Food & Nutrition (platinum), Sewing & Needle Art (platinum), Beef (platinum), Sheep (platinum), Visual Arts (platinum), Photography (gold), Platinum Senior Record Book

Washington GEM:

Club Awards: 4-Her’s for 4-H, Goat Herdsmanship, Poultry Herdsmanship, Youth Council Club Challenge Finisher

Record Book/Project Awards:

Colton Anderson: Sheep, Star Intermediate Record Book

Maddy Anderson: Swine (gold), Platinum Senior Record Book

Natalie Boose: Visual Arts, Rabbits

Bentley Bruck: Photography (gold), Beef (gold), Platinum Senior Record Book

Jacquelyn Freund: Sewing & Needle Art (platinum), Gold Senior Record Book

Macy Freund: Home Improvement, Food & Nutrition, Sewing, Clothing & Fashion

Morgan Kirchner: Sewing & Needle Art, Poultry, Visual Arts, Clothing & Fashion, Star Junior Record Book

Quincy Robinson: Swine

Gentry Waters: Clothing

Paxton Wickard: Woodworking, Welding, Swine, Star Junior Record Book

Zach Zellmer: Swine, Rabbits, Star Intermediate Record Book

High School youth members can also apply for county level awards to show highlight the experiences they have demonstrating their leadership, communication and civic engagement through multiple project areas through their 4-H experiences.

The Merit award went to Ada Hansen of Grant Guys and Gals – She is well-rounded with her 4-H projects and leadership, citizenship, and communication capacities.

Achievement was awarded to Olivia Olson of Pymosa – Olivia has shown outstanding personal growth through participation in a variety of 4-H projects and programs.

Citizenship award going to Lily Johnson of Grove H.O.T. – Lily has learned the meaning of citizenship and has demonstrated that understanding through good practices.

Leadership this year goes to Maddy Anderson of Washington GEM – Maddy has acquired and demonstrated leadership beyond the local club level. Leadership is helping a group attain its goals.

Learning through Livestock award this year goes to Claire Pellett of Pymosa – Claire has made noteworthy progress toward maturity and leadership thorough her service as local club, county, area, and state livestock events.

There were seventeen third graders that are eligible to graduate into the 4-H program for the 2024-2025 program year. Youth who graduated from Cass County Clover Kids included: Ethan Retallic of Bear Grove Blazers Clover Kids, Parker Walter of Bear Grove Blazers Clover Kids, Bentlee Caceres of Cass County Creators, Calon Huddleson of Cass County Creators, Emma Kay of Cass County Creators, Lana Leyh of Cass County Creators, McKinley Sandbothe of Cass County Creators, Callen Waters of Cass County Creators, Olivia Weirich of Cass County Creators, Cade Wickard of Cass County Creators, Jase Ohms of Grant Guys & Gals Clover Kids, Brielle Wessling of Grant Guys & Gals Clover Kids, Breken Amos of Griswold Clubsters Clover Kids, Laena Amos of Griswold Clubsters Clover Kids, Adalyn Buffington of Griswold Clubsters Clover Kids, Natalyn Smith of Griswold Clubsters Clover Kids, Elsie Starlin of Griswold Clubsters Clover Kids

The afternoon concluded with the installation of thirteen senior level 4-H’ers onto the 2024-2025 County 4-H Youth Council. Members are Hudson Brock of Grove H.O.T., Alyson Dreager of Bear Grove Blazers, Jacquelyn Freund of Washington GEM, Ada Hansen of Grant Guys & Gals, Conner Johnson of Grove H.O.T., Lily Johnson of Grove H.O.T., Josephine Millikan of Griswold Clubsters, Leah Ohms of Union Leaders, Olivia Olson of Pymosa, Claire Schroder of Grove H.O.T., Miraylie Stuart of Pymosa, Kayedance Sturm of Cowpokes, and Kailey Swain of Pleasant Noble United.

For more information about joining the Cass County 4-H program as a 4-H member or adult volunteer, visit www.extension.iastate.edu/cass, call 712-243-1132, or email kbateman@iastate.edu to contact the Cass County Extension office.

(Iowa Capital Dispatch) – Corn harvest in Iowa is four days ahead of last year’s harvest and nearly two weeks ahead of the average harvest schedule, according to the Iowa crop progress and condition report. The report for Nov. 4 through Nov. 10 shows south central Iowa lags behind the rest of the state with more than 15% of its corn still in the field. Overall, 95% of Iowa’s corn harvested for grain has now been harvested.

Iowa’s harvest is comparable with the other top corn-producing states in the country — two of which, Texas and North Carolina, have completed their harvests for the season.Iowa has had a rapid harvest season due to a warm and dry September and October. The above-average amounts of rain the past two weeks, however, have slowed down harvesting and resulted in just three days last week that were suitable for field work.

Justin Glisan, the State Climatologist, said in his report for the same period that average rainfall in Iowa was 1.14 inches, more than double the normal of 0.52 inches. Rain over the past two weeks has helped alleviate some of Iowa’s drought conditions according to the U.S. Drought Monitor’s Thursday report, which showed a 37% decline in the percentage of the state in severe drought conditions. Now, 6% of the state has no observed drought conditions.

Soil moisture conditions similarly improved with 50% of topsoil moisture rated as adequate for the week. Glisan also reported the state’s average temperature was 8.9 degrees above normal, a trend that has persisted through harvest season.

According to an Iowa State University Extension and Outreach newsletter, soil temperature and moisture conditions are nearing suitable levels for fall nitrogen application. The ISU mesonet shows soil temperatures across the state in the upper 40s and lower 50s. Other field activities for the week included fall tillage and baling stalks.

• Cass County: Corn $4.05 Beans $9.74
• Adair County: Corn $4.02 Beans $9.77
• Adams County: Corn $4.02 Beans $9.73
• Audubon County: Corn $4.04 Beans $9.76
• East Pottawattamie County: Corn $4.08 Beans $9.74
• Guthrie County: Corn $4.07 Beans $9.78
• Montgomery County: Corn $4.07 Beans $9.76
• Shelby County: Corn $4.08 Beans $9.74

Oats: $2.53 (same in all counties)

(Radio Iowa) – The visitors center at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Prairie City will remain closed indefinitely due to heavy damage from summer storms. Nancy Corona, the visitors services manager at the center, says heavy hail and flooding last July left extensive damage to the ceiling, drywall, rugs and exhibits, including the seed lab. She says the center will not be assessed for long-term repairs until next year.

“First phase was clean up, and second phase was just getting us back in the office and getting us up and running again,” Corona says. “And now third phase will be getting that engineering information and costs and the scope of the work, and then we can give a projection at that point.”

Corona says the visitors center will remain closed to the public for at least several months. The outdoor refuge, including the surrounding trails and hunting grounds, remains open to the public.

(Iowa News Service) – Some Iowa farmers are putting a new spin on an age-old animal behavior. They’re using goats to remove weeds, overgrown brush, and non-native grasses – while helping some landowners restore native habitat to their acres at the same time. Goats are pretty well known for producing milk and cheese. They’re even used to help practice yoga these days.

Matt Vermeersch is a member of Practical Farmers of Iowa who farms about 170 acres near Red Oak – near the Nebraska state line – and operates Goats-On-The-Go, a side business stocked with herds of goats hungry for woody vegetation. “A lot of really what we refer to as weeds, or pain-in-the-butt plants,” said Vermeersch. “Things that they love are things like poison ivy, nettles, wild berry species with their thorns – then more woody species like Honeysuckle or buckthorn.”

Vermeersch estimated his three Goats-On-The-Go herds cleared about 120 acres of various vegetation this year, and could have done more had it not been for Iowa’s severe spring and summer weather. There are ecological benefits to the practice, too. People hire Vermeersch’s goats to clear land where native species once grew, and where farmers want it to return.

Goats on the go clear brush and other unwanted vegetation, including poison ivy, often to restore native grasses to Iowa farm & grasslands. (Matt Vermeersch/photo)

Vermeersch said while Iowa landowners are often trying to clear overgrown brush and reintroduce native species, sometimes they just need stands of troublesome weeds and brambles removed. At which, Vermeersch said, the goats have no equal. “It almost looks like a wildfire went through there the day after you take the goats off,” said Vermeersch. “We refer to it as a grazing line – and pretty much anything under 6 feet tall all that will be left are sticks and stems. All of the leafy material underneath that is usually consumed.”

Vermeersch said the goats are used for different reasons across the country. In western states, for example, they are dispatched to clear brush that can serve as wildfire fuel, reducing the chances that a fire can become catastrophic by keeping the underbrush down.

Chris Parks, Asa Lucas, Christian Adams, and Matt Mullenix take a look at 8 area high school football games each week throughout the season. We try to provide some insight into the match-ups while competing for top prognosticator and the Whosman Trophy.

Congratulations to our 2024 winner Christian Adams! Thanks for listening all season and thanks again to Rush CPA & Associates and Fareway for helping us bring you the show this season again.

Last Week:

Chris Parks 5-3

Matt Mullenix 4-4
Asa Lucas 1-7
Christian Adams 7-1

Final Overall 2024 Standings:

Chris Parks 63-17

Matt Mullenix 63-17
Asa Lucas 55-25
Christian Adams 68-12

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa D-N-R is in its second year of a pilot study on the gray fox. D-N-R wildlife biologist Vince Evelsizer says the animal’s numbers have been dropping.
“The reason for doing pilot gray fox research is because we’re concerned about their population decline statewide, and that is occurring in other Midwest states too,” he says. Evelsizer says they are asking trappers who catch a gray fox in a live trap to give the D-N-R a call. “We are hoping to catch live foxes and put collars on them for tracking purposes,” Evelsizer says.

He says they want to find out where the gray foxes are living and hunting. “The objective with that is to better understand the habitat use within the state and causes for their what’s causes of mortality, what’s leading to their decline population level wise,” Evelsizer says. Evelsizer says there is a 400-dollar reward provided by the Iowa Wildlife Federation for anyone who catches a gray fox that can be used for this study. He says the fox will be released on the site where it was caught.

Small Gray Fox

The D-N-R is also working with Iowa State University on a pilot project this winter in northeast Iowa, using cameras to track gray foxes to determine what areas these species occupy. He says other regions may be surveyed in the future, depending on how this study goes.

(Radio Iowa) – Voters in Story and Johnson counties approved conservation bonds to help fund new trails, support wildlife and improve water quality. The 25 million dollar Story County Water and Land Legacy Bond passed with nearly 80 percent of the vote. Jim Pease is chair of the Story County Conservation Board.

“It says, I think to us, how important parks and wild places and wild things are to the people of Story County and to people in general,” Pease says. He says the new funding will support more than one dozen projects in the next two decades and shows that people want more opportunities to recreate outside and that they value wild places in Iowa.

“Iowa is one of the most altered states in the union. The prairies, woodlands and wetlands that were once here have been tremendously altered to make a very strong agricultural state and a very altered state from the nature that was here,” he says.

Nearly 80 percent of the voters in Johnson County approved a 30 million dollar conservation bond. Residents passed a similar measure in 2008. Polk County passed conservation bonds in 2012 and in 2021.

(Radio Iowa) – Donald Trump has said his first act after he’s sworn in on January 20 will be appointing a task force to plan for the country’s 250th anniversary in 2026 — and he picked Iowa as the spot for a major exposition. “The Great American State Fair will showcase the glory of every state in the union, promote pride in our history,” Trump said, “and promote innovative visions for America’s future.”

A video Trump posted on social media back in May of 2023 is recirculating online after X owner Elon Musk commented on it. Trump said he’d work with all the nation’s governors to create pavilions for each state that will be set up on the Iowa State Fairgrounds — for a year-long expo.

111,591 people attended the Iowa State Fair on August 16, 2024. (RI photo)

“My hope is that the amazing people of Iowa will work with my administration to open up the legendary Iowa State Fairgrounds to host the Great American State Fair and welcome millions and millions of visitors from around the world to the heartland of America for this special one-time festival,” Trump said. “Together we will built it and they will come.”

Governor Kim Reynolds, in a post on social media today, said Iowans “know the Iowa State Fair is the best fair in the country!…We stand ready to host the Great American State Fair.” Reynolds was at Trump’s Election Night party in Florida Tuesday night.

Jeremy Parsons, the manager and CEO of the Iowa State Fair, issued a written statement. “We know the world’s greatest state fair is in Iowa, but no formal request or inquiry has been made for use of the Iowa State Fairgrounds at this time,” Parsons said.

Trump has visited the Iowa State Fair twice. He also held a rally on the fairgrounds in October of 2021 and in 2016 Trump spoke at a fundraiser for Senator Joni Ernst that was held in the livestock pavilion. Trump’s first State Fair visit was in 2015. He flew his helicopter over the fairgrounds, then walked through the throngs of fairgoers on the same day Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders were at the fair. In 2023, Trump visited the State Fair on the same day as Republican rival Ron DeSantis. Trump stopped at the Iowa Pork Producers’ grill, walked down the fair’s Grand Concourse and spoke to supporters who’d gathered inside a beer hall.