Chris Parks and Cass/Adair County Conservation Officer Grant Gelly talk about all things outdoors. This week they discuss Pheasant hunting over the holidays, a recent waterfowl enforcement effort, donating deer hides to benefit veterans, and more.

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(Radio Iowa) – Iowa State University ag economist Chad Hart says the recent sale of 73 acres of northwest Iowa farmland — for 30-thousand dollars an acre — indicates Iowa farmers are seeing fairly good profit margins. “At the same time, too, though — I would say that we’re also hearing of less land being put on the market because folks are worried that those prices may be weakening,” Hart says.

Higher interest rates are a factor, plus Hart says agland that’s not rated as excellent ground for raising corn isn’t selling for especially high prices. “So there’s a separation that I think’s occurring right now where high quality land is still attracting those dollars,” Hart says, “where maybe the middle and low quality land may be starting to see some erosion in those values as we look forward.”

On November 11th, a tract of farmland near Sheldon appears to have set an Iowa sales record of 30-thousand dollars an acre. It was purchased by a local farmer according to the auctioneer who handled the sale. The value of farmland that’s enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program appears to be holding steady, according to Hart. “There’s a market for it and I think when we look the payments that are being offered for those conservation programs, that’s helping hold that value where it’s at,” Hart says, “but we’re not seeing a run on that market like we are seeing on high-quality cropland.”

There’s a calculation called the “corn suitability rating” for agland and Hart says there’s a limited number of tracts of that highly rated ground for raising corn coming up for sale. “The reason we see sort of northwest Iowa really, if you will, light up when it comes to land values is that you’ve got not only crop producers who are competing for that land, but also the livestock industry,” Hart says. “With strong dairy up there, the cattle industry and even a few hog producers up there, it creates a very strong competition for that land up in northwest Iowa that helps push those land values higher than what we see in the rest of the state.”

Hart is currently the crop market specialist in Iowa State University’s Department of Economics. Hart began his career at Iowa State in 1996 in I-S-U’s Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute.

(Radio Iowa) – Net sales for Deere and Company were up 40 percent in its last quarter. The company’s net income for its fiscal year was over seven-point-one BILLION dollars. C-E-O John May says Deere’s just-concluded fiscal year was unprecedented in several ways. “We started the year in a work stoppage at some of our largest U.S. factories, but we resolved that with a groundbreaking, industry-leading new contract,” May says. “Then supply and logistics hurdles created disruption. At times, deliveries were delayed as demand simply outstripped what the industry could supply.” May says from May through the end of October, Deere had a substantial increase in retail sales AND in production from its factories.

“As I look ahead to Fiscal Year 2023 and beyond, I truly believe our best years are ahead of us,” May says. May says the fundamentals in the farm economy are positive and that’s driving demand for tractors and other implements. North American combine orders were recently filled in two months. “In the near term, order books across our businesses are full into the third quarter,” May says, “and it’s important to note that not only do the order books continue to fill when we open them, but the velocity of orders has remained strong.”

May spoke this (Wednesday) morning during an online presentation to investors. Deere’s stock price has been climbing this year and it went higher this (Wednesday) morning after Deere’s financial report was released.

DES MOINES – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Tuesday, signed an extension of the proclamation relating to the weight limits and transportation of grain, fertilizer, and manure. The proclamation is effective immediately and continues through December 22, 2022. The proclamation allows vehicles transporting corn, soybeans, hay, straw, silage, stover, fertilizer (dry, liquid, and gas), and manure (dry and liquid) to be overweight (not exceeding 90,000 pounds gross weight) without a permit for the duration of this proclamation.

The proclamation applies to loads transported on all highways within Iowa (excluding the interstate system) and those which do not exceed a maximum of 90,000 pounds gross weight, do not exceed the maximum axle weight limit determined under the non-primary highway maximum gross weight table [in Iowa Code 321.463-1](6) (b)], by more than 12.5 percent, do not exceed the legal maximum axle weight limit of 20,000 pounds, and comply with posted limits on roads and bridges.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa bobcat trapping season is underway and D-N-R wildlife biologist, Vince Evelsizer, says trappers should be able to fill their quotas. “Bobcat populations are doing very well across the southern part of Iowa, the extreme western part of Iowa, and they’re continuing to expand northward up through eastern Iowa,” he says. Evelsizer says it’s one of the positive conservation stories. “The bobcats story is a happy one. Their numbers are stable to increasing in almost all counties of Iowa that have ideal habitat, which is typically early successional forest and in fields, natural grass fields, that sort of thing where there’s a good prey abundance,” Evelsizer says.

The limits on bobcat trapping continue based on the populations for each county. “The north-central part of Iowa is still closed to bobcat harvest. And then there’s several counties across central Iowa that are open to one bobcat bag limit for that county,” he says. “And then the three tiers of southern Iowa counties is open to a three bobcat bag limit.” Evelsizer says the trapping helps keep the populations from getting out of control.”They don’t have many natural predators in the Midwest which you know out in the western U-S — or the far north — they would have to watch out for bigger cats such as mountain lions or even gray wolves with their kittens you know that sort of thing,” Evelsizer says.

You can find out more about bobcat trapping on the Iowa D-N-R’s website.

(Radio Iowa) – The U-S-D-A crop report shows the 2022 harvest season is done. The report shows the corn harvest is now 97 percent complete — after being reported as 95 percent complete last week and eight days ahead of schedule. The bean harvest was completed two weeks ago.

The state Ag Secretary Mike Naig says the first statewide snowfall and subsequent melting will help the topsoil moisture improve for next year’s planting season.

AMES, Iowa—Iowa Learning Farms will host a cover crop and no-till field day next week, in Adair County. The free event is open to farmers and landowners and includes a complimentary meal. It takes place on Tuesday, November 29 from 12:00-2:00 p.m. at the Randy Caviness Farm, near Greenfield. Liz Ripley, Iowa Learning Farms conservation and cover crop outreach specialist, will share results from on-farm cover crop demonstration trials and resources available to help farmers and landowners make a successful transition to a cover crop and no-till system. That includes information from Randy Caviness on the success he’s had with the method.

Caviness says “Many people talk about building up their soil, but then they don’t do anything about it. No-till actually does something about it. The more you leave the soil alone, the better it does. Some people think that if they till every four or five years, that they will get the benefits of no-till. No-till should be called never-till.” Ripley says….

Cover crops offer many benefits to farmers and landowners including reduced soil erosion, weed suppression potential, reduced nitrogen and phosphorus loads entering water bodies, and increased organic matter in the soil. When paired with no-tillage additional benefits include increased water infiltration and reduced erosion during heavy rain events. Among the other experts planning on attending the meeting, is Iowa NRCS State Soil Health Specialist Hillary Olsen, and Ruth Blomquist, SW Iowa Soil Health Specialist.

The field day aims to equip attendees with best management practices for establishing and managing cover crops to maintain yields during the transition to a higher residue system of no-tillage and cover crops. The field day will be held at the Caviness Farm, 2476 260th Street, Greenfield, IA 50849 and will be held rain or shine. The event is free and open to farmers and landowners, although they do require reservations, to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP please contact Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu.  Attendees will be entered in a drawing for ISU Prairie Strips honey.

Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops are supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit www.iowalearningfarms.org.

ATLANTIC, IA (November 21, 2022) – Harvest Market 2022 is today, Monday, November 21 from 3-7 PM at the Cass County Community Center (805 W. 10th St. Atlantic, IA 50022). This year, Pim’s Thai Food Truck will be set up outside the Community Center selling Thai food to go. Inside the building, over 25 local food and craft vendors will be selling at today’s market. Just inside the door, new vendor, Spirits of the Faire, will be selling gourmet hot cocoa for shoppers to enjoy while the browse. The market offers lots of late fall produce such as a variety of squashes, sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, spinach, and lettuce, in addition to a great selection of local meat including beef, chicken, lamb, and pork.

Holiday farmers markets offer lots of desserts and sweet treats. Expect to find pastries, cookies, cupcakes, jams, holiday popcorn, sweet breads, freeze-dried candy, caramel apple bites, chocolate covered cherries, and more. Customers looking for pies are encouraged to show up early. Artisan and craft vendors at today’s market will be selling lots of items that prepare your home for the holidays and make for great gifts. There will be lots of seasonal candles, soaps, and beauty products, in addition to jewelry, wood crafts, holiday ornaments, children’s books, potted plants, tie blankets, knitted hats and scarves, and more.

Harvest Market is sponsored by Cass County Tourism, Deter Motor Co., First Whitney Bank and Trust, Cass Health, Cass County Farm Bureau, the Atlantic Community Promotion Commission, and the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce. For the latest information on all Produce in the Park farmers markets, follow Produce in the Park on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark) or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/produceintheparkatlanticia/) or sign up for the Produce in the Park newsletter at www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com.

Harvest Market 2022 Final Vendor Lineup:

Food truck: Pim’s Thai Food; Atlantic Atlas Cinema – Gourmet Popcorn; Bridgewater Farm – Organic Produce, Meat, Eggs; Brun Ko Farm – Pork, Lamb, Chicken, Herb Salts; Claire’s Cinnamon Rolls (preorder only) – Frosted Cinnamon Rolls and Caramel Pecan Rolls; Corn 4 a Cause – Popcorn on the Cob; DezaRae Farm Soaps – Goat Milk Soaps; Donna’s Jewelry – Jewelry and More; Frosting Inc.  – Cupcakes, Cookies, Holiday Treats; Harrisdale Farmstead – Sweet Potatoes; Holaday Baking – Homemade Baked Goods, Jellies, and Holiday Crafts; Hygge Cottage – Children’s books; Imagine at Zellmer Century Farm – Fairy Garden Items, Potted Plants, Holiday Ornaments; JD Crafters – Handcrafted Culinary and Ornamental Products, as well as House/Barn Quilts; Johnna Joy Designs – Jewelry, Prints, and Original Art; Kringle Man – Danish Kringle, Pastries, Letters, Cream Horns, Stroopwaffels, Rye Bread, Krispies; Matilda Dawn Creations – Homemade Greeting Cards, and Customized Wall Scrabble Tiles; Midwest Candles by Brit – Candles, Wax Melts, Bath Salts; Miss NiNi’s Fine Desserts (preorder only) – Handcrafted Cheesecakes, Layer Cakes, Pies, Flourless Chocolate Torte, and Raspberry Danish Butter Cookies; Noble Provisions – Beef, Pork, and More; Piper’s Brae Farm – Aronia berries and Aronia Products; Rolling Acres Farm – Squash including varieties Small Butternut, Acorn, Delecata and Spaghetti; Smudge – Bath and Body Products and Candles; Spirits of the Faire – Gourmet Hot Coca; Sue’s Country Garden – Jams (taste tests!), Sweet Breads, Crisps, Tie Blankets, Potholder/Towel Combo, and More; Sweet Sisters Vegan – Vegan Health and Beauty Products; Unicorn Clouds – Freeze-dried Candies; Viether Creations – Knitted Hats, Dish Clothes, and More; Wud Bi Tek – CNC Router Carvings and Laser Art.

(Radio Iowa) – As we approach Thanksgiving a turkey teaching and research facility that is the first of its kind in the U-S is now operating on the Iowa State University campus. Dawn Koltes in the I-S-U Animal Science Department says it is a joint project with the industry to improve how they operate. “What’s really cool about this building is it came from a need from the producers to understand some basic questions that they had in terms of management practices, even including some of the feed and feed additives that are on the market,” Koltes says. She says producers won’t have to use their own flocks to test various practices, while I-SU does the testing. There’s another benefit of having a turkey lab to show off the process.

“The other thing that is really much a need, as in most of our animals sectors, or even ag sectors, more generally here is the need to increase understanding about where food comes from, as well as finding kind of labor stream or labor pool for that next generation,” she says. Koltes says they’ll do that by encouraging the public and groups to visit and see how things work. “Because we have viewing windows in what’s called our vestibule area, and it’s a public space. So people can come in and right now even go in and see the poults as they are in their environment,” Koltes says. “We have a lovely mural on the wall that Greta Irwin at Iowa Turkey Federation and Morgan Pothoven, also with Iowa Turkey Federation, helped put together to explain what the turkey industry is and what it means to the state of Iowa.” She says they have some things set up to let visitors understand the growing process.

Turkey poults (ISU photo)

“What should we see, when we start looking at these birds? What should we hear when we listen to these birds and what should we be looking for? And so we have kind of those questions so that a stand by the window, you can ask those of yourself,” she says. “And then not only do we have it from the outside, but we also have it on our grower finisher side, which is where those birds after they reach about five or six weeks of age will be moved to.” The research will cover a variety of issues that are facing the industry. “Microbes and diseases that we know a there cause harm to our birds — or even on the human side. So, salmonella would be one that the birds can host, but then don’t necessarily have an immune response to but unfortunately, we do,” Koltes says. They will also look at new technologies such as air handlers, and other things that can impact the health of the turkeys.

“How do we maximize our water vaccination strategies? How do we provide supplements in the feed or the water? So for instance, during bouts of heat stress, people can put electrolytes in,” Koltes says. “So just like when we get hot and sweaty, and you know, we’ve been working out we go have a Gatorade or some other fluid that has electrolytes in it. We’re trying the same types of things to ask, does it really help with the turkey production? So is it worth spending the money to put that into the water lines?” The are classrooms where animal science students can work and study some of these issues. The facility is called the Balloun Turkey Teaching and Research Facility after the main donor, Julia Balloun. It was dedicated in May 2022 and the first set of turkey poults were recently delivered.