Jim Field visits with Cass County Extension Director Kate Olson about the Cass County Master Gardeners Fall Plant Sale Saturday, September 9, 2023 beginning at 8:00 am in the parking lot of the Cass County Community Center.
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(Radio Iowa) – The annual D-N-R roadside survey showed pheasant numbers were up 15 percent this year thanks to a mild winter and dry spring. Wildlife research biologist, Todd Bogenschutz, says they weren’t the only species that benefited. “Partridge in particular were up quite a bit, significantly just like pheasants, some pretty good numbers we saw up in northwestern or central,” he says. Bogenschutz says quail and cottontail also benefited. He says their numbers this year were basically unchanged from last year. Bogenschutz says quail and cottontail have been seeing declines.
“For quail, they’re down a little bit from the ten year about 23 percent. And cottontails about the same thing — 20 percent,” he says. “So both are kind of just a whisker lower than the ten-year average, but you know pretty close, so should be pretty decent hunting this fall.” He says it seems like cottontails and quail are not so dependent on the dryer springs as pheasants are for their numbers.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – Produce in the Park is a weekly farmers market and community gathering held every Thursday evening from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM in the Atlantic City Park, now – October 12th. Organizers say this week, Sarah Selders will be providing live music and two fan favorite food trucks, Pim’s Thai and Zipp’s Pizza, will be on site from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM. Numerous vendors will be in attendance offering a variety of products including baked goods, produce, sweet treats and crafts.
This week you can look forward to the following vendors:
Aubrey’s Bows: new fall bows
Aubreys Bows
Bridgewater Farms: wide assortment of produce
Brun Ko Farms: radishes, peppers, sweet snacking peppers, 5, 10 & 20 lb boxes of heirloom slicing tomatoes, onions, garlic & jalapenos
Brun Ko Farms produce
Cake’s, Cookies & Confections: assorted pastries & desserts
CJ Treats: baked goods & candles, soaps, body scrubs & oil diffusers
CK3 Farms: wide assortment of produce including watermelon
Harrisdale Farmstead: assortment of produce
Holaday Baking Company: assortment of baked goods & concession items
Imagine Garden Gifts: unique garden gifts including antique, vintage, and repurposed planters.
Kringleman: assorted Danish pastries
Neighborhood Bakehouse: sourdough, baguettes, sandwich bread & mini chocolate baguettes
Noble Provisions: homegrown ribeyes, beef snacks (jerky, summer sausage, beef sticks), beef brats, patties, pork brats, Italian sausage, & ground pork
Piper’s Brae: assorted produce, jams/jellies, syrups & eggs
Sue’s Country Garden: assortment of plants, produce, baked goods & jams/jellies
Ter-Bear Honey: home raised raw packaged honey
The 11th Acre: wide assortment of produce, baked goods, cottage foods & crafts
Featured kids activities include bounce houses, provided by Nishna Valley Family YMCA. Visiting organizations include Zion Recovery, our September Market Sponsor, Cass County Cats and the Atlantic Public Library. Yard games will also be on hand, provided by Atlantic Parks & Recreation.
All vendors accept cash, with many accepting credit cards and Venmo. All qualifying food vendors accept SNAP/EBT (also known as food stamps) with all fresh produce vendors accepting Double Up Food Bucks–coupons given for SNAP/EBT purchases of fresh produce.
For updates and information on Produce in the Park or how to sign up to participate, visit www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com. ‘Like’ or ‘follow’ Produce in the Park on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark) or Instagram (www.instagram.com/produceintheparkatlanticia/).
Produce in the Park is sponsored by: First Whitney Bank & Trust, Cass Health, Nishna Valley Family YMCA, Gregg Young of Atlantic, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Atlantic.
(Radio Iowa) – The northwest Iowa event billed as the world’s largest county fair starts on Saturday. This is Jerome Hertel’s first year as manager of the Clay County Fair in Spencer. “This fair is pretty much similar, I guess, to the Alaska State Fair where I came from,” Hertel says. “It’s a 501c non-profit fair, which is like much like the Alaska State Fair; about the same attendance — 300,000 people; about the same number of buildings.”
Hertel’s first day on the job in Spencer was April 17th. Hertel says once the fair starts this weekend, it will give him a chance to learn about the fair’s culture. “Who are the people that attend this fair? What are those traditions that are here at the Clay County Fair?” Hertel asks. “This fair is a resource for the community. It’s a reflection of the community, so what is it reflecting, you know, in the community and what’s its position in the community?” Hertel says he’s not looking to make any big changes. 
“This fair’s not broke, so if it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” Hertel says. “It’s got a great reputation in the industry as being the world’s greatest county fair, so I just want to continue that tradition.” Hertel says the staff and volunteers are paddling like crazy to get done before opening day.
The Clay County Fair starts this Saturday, the 9th, and ends on Sunday, September 17th. Hertel was general manager of the Alaska State Fair for nine years — and he grew up in Parker, South Dakota, across the street from the oldest county fair in South Dakota.
Shelby, Iowa – Iowa farm history will be showcased September 9 and 10 at Carstens Farm during the 41st Annual Carstens Farm Days. This farm show showcases threshing, sawmill operations, crafters and vendors, a quilt show and of course, tractors. The Farm Days show has something for everyone throughout the weekend.
Horse, steam and gas power: Come see steam engines powering antique threshing machines, antique cars, trucks and machinery, a parade, crafts, and entertainment. Over two hundred restored antique tractors will be on display. The original Carstens farm buildings will be open for tours. The buildings will be alive with demonstrations that will bring back memories for older visitors and teach valuable history lessons to young people.
Food for all: A Friday evening pulled pork sandwich dinner will be hosted by the Friends of the Shelby Stone Arch Trail Committee. Proceeds of the Friday evening dinner will go to the trail committee. The dinner will be served from 5:00 – 7:30 pm. All good days begin with a good breakfast and to start Farm Days off right, a great breakfast is planned at 6:30 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday. Snacks and lunch options provided by the Hodges Smokehouse Catering of Minden will be available. Various non-profit local groups will be offering refreshments and delicious desserts all weekend. Homemade ice cream will be in plentiful supply during Farm Days. Serving Benny’s Ice Cream will be Carstens board member Ben Ausdemore and his wife Katie. This is a treat visitors won’t want to miss!
On Saturday beginning at 5:30 p.m. enjoy Staley’s Chicken for a delicious dinner at the farm. The dinner will be $15 for adults and $10 for kids age 8 and under. Dinner proceeds will go toward on-going maintenance at Carstens 1880 Farmstead.
Farmall Tractors and Equipment To Be Featured: Farmall equipment of all types will be featured during Farm Days. Farmall tractor and implement owners are invited to bring their exhibits to display throughout the weekend. Horsepower-testing, sawmill operations and field demonstrations will occupy tractor exhibitors all day. Over 250 pieces of vintage equipment were on display during the 2022 Farm Days show. Visitors will enjoy watching most of the restored tractors as they go through the parade each afternoon at 2 p.m.
Quilt Show: A colorful display of quilts, wall hangings, wearable art and other types of quilting projects will be featured in the special event building at the farm. Many talented quilters from around the area will allow their works of art to be displayed for all to enjoy. Even if you have never displayed a quilt before, consider joining the fun and bringing a quilt to display. Exhibitors are asked to deliver their quilts on Friday, September 8. For details about the quilt show or to inquire about adding your quilt to the collection, please call Jan Hursey at 712-544-2662.
Crafts, plants and treats galore: In case visitors run out of vintage tractors and other pieces of equipment to look at, there will be over fifty crafters and vendors on hand. A wide array of crafts, plants, vintage and antique items will be available. From unique wooden creations to home raised honey, there will be something for everyone.
A very healthy crop of farm-grown potatoes will also be available for purchase. Proceeds from the sale of potatoes will help make improvements to the farmstead.
Sunday Worship: On Sunday morning a non-denominational worship service will take place at 9:00 a.m. on the lawn in front of the Carstens home. Worship will be led by the United Lutheran Church, Shelby. Everyone is welcome to join in the worship service.
Admission: Admission is $10 per day for everyone nine years and older.
Carstens 1880 Farmstead, Inc., a non-profit group of local volunteers, oversees an 80-acre working farm museum exhibit located between Minden and Shelby, Iowa 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
(Atlantic, Iowa) – Summer gardens are flourishing, and many gardeners are looking to preserve some of their bounty to enjoy later in the year. One preservation method that is growing in popularity is fermenting. Cass County Extension invites you to learn all the basics of small batch fermentation and making sauerkraut at a food preservation workshop on Thursday evening, September 14, 2023, from 6-8 PM. The workshop is offered at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic, and is part of ISU Extension and Outreach’s Preserve the Taste of Summer program. Leah Brooke, a Human Sciences Specialist in Food and Health with ISU Extension and Outreach, will lead the hands-on workshop.
Participants will:
Learn the history of fermentation
Become familiar with a variety of fermented vegetables
Learn how to do small batch fermentation in a mason jar
Learn about potential fermentation problems
Take home and enjoy a jar of sauerkraut to finish fermenting at home
“These workshops are fun and helpful for beginning food preservers as well as experienced individuals who ferment foods,” said Leah Brooke. “We provide the most up-to-date science and guidelines for vegetable fermentation.”
Participants can register for the workshop at: https://go.iastate.edu/H5DPJT
Cost is $20.00 for the two-hour workshop. Need-based scholarships are available during the confidential, online registration process.
To learn more or to ask questions, contact Leah Brooke, Human Sciences Specialist in Food and Health at lbrooke@iastate.edu or (712) 623-2592 or contact Kate Olson at the Cass County Extension Office at keolson@iastate.edu or (712) 243-1132. For more information on food preservation, including recipes and tips on technique, visit the program website at www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/preserve-taste-summer or stop by the Cass County Extension office in Atlantic for printed copies of program resources. Find a program flier and additional details at the Cass County Extension website: www.extension.iastate.edu/cass.
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(Radio Iowa) – The Department of Natural Resources has advised against swimming in 11 lakes across the state again this week. The D-N-R’s Jason Palmer in the Water Quality division says the return of wildlife and agricultural runoff toward the end of the season has created an elevated risk for all types of harmful bacteria. They look first for E-coli.
Palmer says birds in the water around the beaches have elevated the concern of possible bacteria.
The D-N-R held over last week’s advisories as they says the heatwave made it unsafe for workers to take new samples.
Sports, Trojan Preview/Who’s Gonna Win?
Asa Lucas, Chris Parks, Jim Field, 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.
Who’s Gonna Win? is brought to you again in 2023 by Rush CPA & Associates and Fareway.
Last Week:
Matt Mullenix 8-0
Asa Lucas 7-1
Jim Field 6-2
Chris Parks 5-3
Overall 2023 Standings:
Matt Mullenix 8-0
Asa Lucas 7-1
Jim Field 6-2
Chris Parks 5-3
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Sports, Trojan Preview/Who’s Gonna Win?
KJAN Sports Director Asa Lucas’ weekly discussion with Atlantic Head Football Coach Joe Brummer. This week we talk about the Week 1 win against Clarke and look forward to the home opener against Glenwood.
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