June 1:

• Elinor Ehrman of Anita (winner)

June 2:

• Jan Steffen of Cumberland (winner)
• Beth White of Atlantic
• Steph Holste of Atlantic

June 3:

• Tim Ropkins of Atlantic (winner)
• Amy Marie Waters of Surprise, Az

June 4:

• Linda South of Lewis (winner)
• Evan Smith of Atlantic

June 5:

• Kyson James Andersen of Exira (winner)
• Judi Nelson of Exira
• Kayle Waters of Surprise, AZ

June 6:

• Grayson Thomas Williams of Atlantic (winner)
• Lori Wolfe of Exira

June 7:

• Dave Hansen of Brayton (winner)
• Scott Nelson of Atlantic
• Lucas Mosier of Atlantic

June 8:

• Deb Freund of Lewis (winner)

June 9:

• Josie Fiebelkorn of Exira (winner)
• Joyce Struble of Exira
• Heather Chambers Of Audubon

June 10:

• Doyle Kneisel of Griswold (winner)
• Nate Hagedorn of Audubon
• Cody Kent of Sac City

June 11:

• Tony Phippen of Exira (winner)
• Joe Zeiger of Audubon
• Grant Powers of Exira
• Lydia Kretzinger of Troy, KS
• Kristi Euken of Atlantic

June 12:

• JoBeth Jensen of Atlantic (winner)
• Desiree Martens of Sac City

June 13:

• Travis Meyer of Atlantic (winner)
• Sarah Kretzinger of Troy, KS
• Paulette Cambridge of Atlantic
• Chris Knudsen of Marne

June 14:

• Ryleigh Anthofer 0f Exira (winner)

June 15:

• Kris Ford of Bridgewater (winner)
• Robert Nymand of Brayton
• Robert Nelson of Exira

June 16:

• Diane Petersen of Audubon (winner)

June 17:

• Ruth Ann Bock of Hamlin (winner)
• Lincoln Thomas of Atlantic
• Sandy Stetzel Hayes of Atlantic
• Christy Cunningham of Lewis
• Mike Huegerich of Exira

June 18:

• Quinten Steffens of Atlantic (winner)

June 19:

• Hallie Ann Wedemeyer of Adair (winner)

June 20:

• Megan Burg of Atlantic (winner)
• Sue Brownlee of Atlantic
• Tim Feltner of Stuart

June 21:

• Caitlin Embree of Massena (winner)
• Kaden Dreyer of Atlantic
• Dave Steffen of Cumberland
• Jeannie McMullen of Atlantic
• Tim Templeman

June 22:

• Taryn Nelsen of Exira (winner)

June 23:

• Dianna Hilpripre of Brayton (winner)
• Joey Teegerstrom of Elk Hoen
• Cindy “True Red” West of Atlantic
• Marissa Hanika of Nebraska City, NE
• Payton Burg of Atlantic
• Grayson Hogberg of Elk Horn
• Justin Templeman of Atlantic

June 24:

• Jason Lamp of Atlantic (winner)
• Tom Paulsen of Exira
• Gail Butler of Atlantic
• Tayler Burg of Atlantic
• Shirley Weideman of Atlantic
• Adaline Paulsen of Anita
• Nick Andersen of Exira

June 25:

• No birthdays submitted

June 26:

• Shelly Brown of Atlantic (Winner)
• Dean Weber of Audubon
• Gaylord Schelling of Atlantic
• Angie Redler of Marne

June 27:

• Stephanie Petersen of Exira (Winner)
• Janice N. Petersen of Atlantic
• Amos LaRuth McCoy of Avoca

June 28:

• Barb Rabe of Audubon (Winner)
• Craig Smith of Walnut
• Jeanie Bastin of Atlantic
• Linda Madison of Adair
• Victor Perlacia-Monzon of Villisca

June 29:

• Rosalie Jensen of Hamlin (Winner)
• Lavon Sager of Atlantic

June 30:

• Jayden Jensen of Exira (Winner)
• Ella Mathisen of Lewis
• Elaine Martens of Atlantic
• Mason Loving of Atlantic
• Blakely Andersen of Council Bluffs

• 3/4 to 1 pound sliced bacon
• 6 cups frozen shredded has brown potatoes
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 jar (4.5 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

Place bacon on a microwave-safe plate lined with paper towels.  Cover with another paper towel; microwave on high for 5-7 minutes or until crisp.  Cool; crumble and set aside.

In a 2.5 quart microwave-safe dish, combine the potatoes, onion, green pepper, mushrooms and butter.  Cover and microwave on high for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring once.

Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, basil and pepper; stir into vegetable mixture.  Cover and cook at 70% power for 4-6 minutes or until eggs are almost set, stirring every 2 minutes.

Sprinkle with cheese and bacon.  Cook, uncovered on high for 30-60 seconds or until cheese is melted.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

YIELD:  6-8 servings

This recipe was tested in a 1,100-watt microwave.

(Radio Iowa) – With the unofficial first weekend of summer behind us, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources is reminding Iowans about the multitude of state and county parks that offer camping options. D-N-R wildlife biologist Matt Dollison says the more prominent and popular campsites often fill up quickly, so he recommends checking out the local spots, too. “You might consider looking at some less-used county facilities,” Dollison suggested. “For instance, the Fremont County Conservation Board has eight campsites for plug-in here at the golf course in Fremont County. That might be a nice emergency spot to go. There’s plenty of spots out there like that across southwest Iowa. Just look for those ‘off the beaten path,’ less-traveled places to find a hookup.”

Dollison says tent camping sites are typically more readily available and are on a first-come, first-serve basis. However, he adds there are a couple of tent-camping-specific tips to keep in mind.  “If you’re tent camping for the first time ever, try to plan for some shade in the morning,” he said. “If it’s shady at night when you’re setting it up, that might not be shady in the morning. If you set that tent up in the sun, it’s going to be unbearably hot in there generally by about 8 a.m.” Dollison also recommends having supplies readily available, including bug and sun protection.

“There’s plenty of ticks out there at this time of year, and mosquitoes aren’t going to be too bad in most of our area with how dry it’s been, but bug spray is definitely something to consider having, and sunblock if you’re going to be out in the sun,” said Dollison.” Learn more about Iowa’s state parks at iowadnr.gov.

• 7 miles NNE of Atlantic  .15″
• Exira Post Office  1.95″
• 2 miles west of Exira  2.25″
• Anita  .03″
• Corning  .02″
• Villisca  .11″
• Carroll  .09″
• Clarinda  .1″

Jim Field visits with Cass County Extension Director Kate Olson about the Cass County Master Gardeners Bus Tour on June 7 to the Lincoln, NE area.  The deadline to register for the day-long trip on Thursday, June 1.  For more information or to register, CLICK HERE!

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w/Kate Olson.

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(Radio Iowa) – The planting season is down to just a few more trips across the field. The U-S-D-A crop report shows 98 percent of the corn crop is planted, eight days ahead of last year and 11 days ahead of the five-year average. Eighty-five percent of the corn crop has emerged — with 77 percent reported in good to excellent condition. Ninety-four percent of soybeans had been planted by Sunday, more than one week ahead of last year and 15 days ahead of normal. Sixty-seven percent of soybeans have emerged and the first condition report shows 71 percent are rated in good to excellent condition.

(Radio Iowa) – U-S-D-A meteorologist Brad Rippey says abnormally dry conditions are likely to persist in Iowa through the summer.  “As we move each day with this dry weather and suddenly warm weather, we’re seeing short term dryness just exploding across the Midwest,” Rippey says. The most recent U-S-D-A Drought Monitor indicates 57 percent of Iowa is either abnormally dry or is experiencing some level of drought. “Dryness that developed last year mid to late summer has lasted through the winter and now we’ve got short term dryness redeveloping over that, so you have not only subsoil moisture depletion, but topsoil moisture depletion as well,” Rippey says. “In those most driest areas, it is starting to have an impact on crops and pastures.”

Areas of severe or extreme drought stretches through four northwest Iowa counties and three counties in southeast Iowa. “We’ve seen these deficits that have built up in terms of rainfall and precipitation starting last year and then lasting through the winter where we had relatively little snowfall to replenish topsoil moisture,” Rippey says, “and now that it’s warmed up we’ve really seen these issues start to compound.”

The definition of “exceptional” drought that’s happening in northwest and southeast Iowa is something that is experienced once every 20 to 50 years according to Rippey. He is not expecting Iowa to have the kind of decades long drought that California has experienced, though.

(Iowa DNR News) – Governor Kim Reynolds recently proclaimed June as Invasive Species Awareness Month in Iowa. Invasive species, like emerald ash borer, Asian longhorned beetle, spongy moth and oriental bittersweet threaten Iowa’s ecosystem by competing with and destroying native trees and disrupting the natural complex habitat system. Iowa woodlands, wildlands and waterways draw hundreds of thousands of tourists and recreational users each year. Much of the spread of Invasive species comes from people simply enjoying nature. Uninvited guests can hitch a ride on outdoor gear, shoes and clothes, traveling hundreds of miles in a single day.

Take these easy steps to stop the spread of invasive species in your community:

• Verify that the plants you buy for your yard or garden are not invasive. Many non-native plants can become invasive. Find quick ID photos and common management techniques to control 19 invasive trees, shrubs and plants on the DNR webpage at iowadnr.gov/Conservation/Forestry/Forest-Health/Invasive-Plants
• Look for spongy moth egg masses on all outdoor equipment when traveling from a spongy moth quarantined area.
• Clean your boots before and after you hike in a new area to avoid spreading seeds. This is a common way garlic mustard and other plants are spread.
• Do not buy or sell firewood from outside your county. Firewood can contain emerald ash borer, Sirex woodwasp, Asian longhorned beetle, oak wilt and many more pests. Plenty of firewood is available locally near state and county parks. Make sure to burn all of the firewood at the campsite and not leave it or transport to a new area.
• Work with your private lands district forester for plans to make your forests more resilient to invasive species. Find contact information and forest landowner assistance resources online at iowadnr.gov/Conservation/Forestry/Forestry-Landowner-Assistance.

Learn more about forest invasive species on the DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov/invasives.

Jim Field visits with Amelia Juhl, Communications Specialist at the Museum of Danish America in Elk Horn about the 40th anniversary celebration.

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