Officials with the Carstens 1880 Farmstead, Inc. say their annual meeting will be held on Monday, January 8th, 2013, beginning at 7:00 pm,  at the Shelby Community Building in Shelby. Anyone wanting to re-new or begin a new membership in Carstens 1880 Farmstead, Inc., can download a membership form that’s available on the organization’s web page.

Memberships can be paid on January 8th during the annual meeting or they may be mailed to: Carstens 1880 Farmstead, Inc., PO Box 302, Shelby, IA 51570.  An election for positions on the board of directors will be held.  Proxy voting will be available for those who cannot attend the meeting.  Members may access a Proxy by visiting www.carstensfarm.com.

Carstens’ President Mel Hursey says they will “Discuss what is in store for visitors to the farm in 2013.” In addition, reports will be given on Farm Days 2012 and on-going repair and maintenance projects at the farm.  Immediately following the election, members of the board will vote on officers for 2013.  Hursey says also, they Will review the past year and hold elections for the 2013 officers.” Carstens 1880 Farmstead, Inc. members, as well as the general public, are encouraged to attend.

Carstens 1880 Farmstead, Inc., a non-profit group of local volunteer members, maintains the farm as a working museum exhibit.  It is located between Minden and Shelby, in Pottawattamie County.  The farmstead is the home of Carstens Farm Days, which is held the first weekend after Labor Day each September.  It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  For more information visit the web site: www.carstensfarm.com

ROCK VALLEY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say several hundred pigs have been killed by a fire at a feeding operation in northwest Iowa. The fire was reported around 9:50 p.m. on Saturday at a confinement facility four miles southeast of Rock Valley. The Sioux City Journal says  firefighters reported the hog confinement building was fully engulfed in flames when they arrived. About 650 30-pound pigs were killed.  The cause of the fire is being investigated.

Authorities also are investigating the deaths of an estimated 475 hogs at a confinement facility five miles south of Rock Valley. The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office says someone entered the building and tampered with the climate control system between 3 p.m. Tuesday and 1 p.m. Wednesday. The hogs weighed about 280 pounds each.