A giant pig, raised by a group of Iowa State University graduates in honor of a fallen friend, is the winner of the Iowa State Fair’s Big Boar contest. “Peabody” weighed in at 1,273 pounds. Peabody was also the nickname for Brad Peyton, who recently died of pancreatic cancer. He was 57. His friend, David Schaefer, said Peyton grew up showing pigs at the State Fair and longed to win the Big Boar contest.

“Peabody”

“Two years ago, we had another boar that was presented and finished second to a boar from Indiana,” Schaefer said. Peyton’s pig in 2012 was named “Fred Hoiboar” and was presented by Iowa State men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg. The team that raised Peabody sold T-shirts, raising $3,000 for the Shining City Foundation, a nonprofit organization that Peyton helped found that builds medical clinics and other projects in remote, underserved areas of China, Africa, and other countries.

“He was an incredible guy,” Schaefer said of Peyton.”He had a lot of passion for people who don’t have a lot.” Peabody will be on display for the remainder of the Iowa State Fair, which ends on August 17. The five-year-old boar beat out “Big Mac” who weighed in at 1,142 pounds. This year’s winner of the State Fair’s “Super Bull” contest (that’s B-U-L-L) is “Big Daddy.”

The bull, raised on Stalcup Farms in Prescott, tipped the scales at 3,012 pounds.

(Radio Iowa)

“Big Daddy”

Anyone interested in attending 40 hours of training to become a Master Gardener is encouraged to contact the Cass County Extension Office for information on classes forming this fall. The registration deadline for fall Master Gardener classes is Wednesday, September 3. The regular fee for the classes is $195; after September 3 a $50 late fee will be assessed. Currently 29 sites across Iowa are planning to offer training this fall, including a site in Cass County. This will be the only training class for the 2014-2015 academic year.

Fall trainees will receive the newly revised Resource Guide for Iowa Master Gardeners with hundreds of new photos to enhance the text. Adobe Connect sessions begin Sept. 16 and run through Nov. 5. Class-on-campus dates will be October 18 and October 25. Let your local coordinator know if you need to make up the class-on-campus session so that you can be assigned to attend on one of those dates.

For more information on the Summer Garden Webinar Series, to sign up for the 2014 Master Gardener Classes, or for other resources and information on gardening, call the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132, email keolson@iastate.edu, or stop by the Extension Office at 805 W. 10th St in Atlantic.

The Iowa Master Gardener program is once again offering a series of summer webinars free to all local residents with an interest in gardening. The theme for the 2014 Summer Webinar Series is “Totally Trees.” As the Emerald Ash Borer marches across the state, homeowners need to be prepared to recognize signs of damage, know what control options are available, and consider alternatives for replacement trees. All sessions will be held from 6:30-8:00 p.m. The Cass County Extension Office is a local host site.

On Thursday August 14th, ISU Extension Entomologist, Mark Shour, will speak on Tree Pests, with a focus on recent pests of trees such as the Emerald Ash Borer and the impact of these pests on the Iowa landscape. On Thursday September 4th, Jeff Iles, Extension Nursery and Landscape Specialist, will speak on Ash Alternatives, providing ideas of other species of trees to consider planting in the home landscape.

Local participants will watch the presentation live from campus, projected onto a large screen, and have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the topic live with the presenter. There is no charge to attend the classes, and no requirements to attend previous sessions. Anyone with an interest in the topic is welcome to attend and learn.