DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) – Preliminary discussions have begun over a proposal to bring a hydroponic, vertical farming operation along the Davenport riverfront. The Quad-City Times reports that Friday’s Fresh Market operation is in a 40-foot, insulated shipping container. Local farm owner and manufacturing consultant Andrew Freitag says the container is one of the models his company uses to promote sustainable farming practices.

The company and the Davenport Levee Commission are discussing the proposal. Commission executive director Steve Ahrens says there are many details to be worked out before any plan could come to fruition. According to Freitag, the shipping container uses an LED lighting system as well as 90 percent less water and 50 percent less nutrients than traditional farming methods. Freitag says the operations could be a year-round source for the Food Hub and farmers market.

A Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) director says the auto industry’s path to improved fuel economy will include higher blends of ethanol. Randall Doyal, CEO of Al-Corn Clean Fuel in southeast Minnesota, says the ethanol industry is keeping up with advancements in automobile technology. “We’re trying to get a higher and higher fuel economy, and the auto industry is saying that the way to get there is through higher compression, smaller and lighter engines that produce more horsepower from less, but require higher-octane fuels. And they are looking at somewhere around 30 percent ethanol,” Doyal says.

Iowa is the nation’s top ethanol producer. Doyal says the RFA is hitting some roadblocks as the organization works to educate consumers on the benefits of E-15 and higher blends of ethanol. “It’s always been a frustration to me that, in the U.S., we’ve listened to oil folks and others who’ve said that you can’t even use 10 percent blend…yet, you can drive any car that we make in the U.S. down to Brazil and you’re going to be running on 27 percent ethanol and your car will do just fine,” Doyal said.

Doyal, who recently completed his term as RFA chairman, says more infrastructure is needed to facilitate higher ethanol blends and provide additional choices at the pump. According to the Iowa Corn Grower’s Association, around 47 percent (1.3 billion bushels) of the corn grown in Iowa is used to create nearly 30 percent of all American ethanol.

(Radio Iowa/Mark Dorenkamp, Brownfield Ag News)

Officials with the Iowa DNR said Tuesday a Denison man suffered a self inflicted gunshot wound to his thigh from a pistol he was carrying in his waistband shortly after he began walking to the field to hunt deer with his muzzleloader.  The injury occurred around 5 p.m. Monday,, in southern Crawford County. 54-year old Daniel Gehling was taken to Denison hospital and then flown by helicopter to Omaha medical center for surgery. He is currently in stable condition.

Gehling was heading to the field with his wife Carolyn. He adjusted the gun in his waistband when it discharged. Carolyn called for help and then applied pressure on the wound until rescue personnel arrived.

It is common for hunters who have a permit to carry, to carry a pistol with them while hunting. It is illegal to have a pistol in possession while archery hunting.

Iowa’s pheasant hunting tradition will begin another chapter on October 29, when nearly 60,000 hunters will pursue ringnecks during the season opening weekend in fields across the state. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources annual August roadside survey predicts Iowa pheasant hunters can expect to have good hunting this fall, and likely more company in the field. The optimistic mood is a natural outcome of five consecutive years of higher population surveys and hunter harvests.

The survey found an average of 21 pheasants per 30 mile route statewide, with higher counts coming from counties crossing the state diagonally from northwest to southeast. The statewide average in 2015 was 24 pheasants per route.

“At this point, it appears much of our corn and beans will be out of the fields by the opener, which will concentrate birds to grass areas and make hunters happy. If we have good weather, I think we could see a bump in hunter numbers and birds harvested,” said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife biologist for the Iowa DNR.

Bogenschutz said he has noticed more birds near field edges and along the roads as the crops have been coming out. “I’ve been seeing some birds around on my way in to the office and have been getting a few phone calls from around the state from people also seeing birds,” he said. ““The birds are here, we need hunters to return.”

Iowa’s pheasant population could sustain a harvest of 500,000 roosters, but it will not reach that level until there are 90,000 hunters afield. In 2015, some 55,000 hunters harvested 270,000 Iowa roosters. Hunters can read the August roadside survey, review hunting regulations, buy a license and find a place to hunt online at www.iowadnr.gov/hunting .

The Natural Resource Commission for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources approved two Resource Enhancement and Protection Public Private Cost-share grant requests from the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation at its October meeting. The projects were awarded more than $510,000.

Public private grants are used for land acquisition with 75 percent of the acquisition costs come from REAP and the remaining 25 percent coming from private contributions.

REAP Private Public Grants:

Fremont County, Botna Bottoms Acquisition, $135,750 – The project will combine two EWP/WRP properties into one 179-acre tract bordering the East Nishnabotna River. Botna Bottoms contains quality wildlife habitat, including: grassland, riparian woodland, wet prairie, sedge meadow and wetland. Funds received for this project will transfer the property to the IDNR – Nishnabotna Wildlife Unit. Major benefits of this acquisition include public hunting, wildlife and plant habitat and improved water quality.

Fremont County, Biscuitroot Bluff, $378,972 – The goal of this project is to protect and restore property in Fremont County along the Loess Hills Scenic Byway that contains rare Loess Hills remnant prairie and oak woodlands. Funds received for this project would be used for acquisition of 173.2 acres. Future use includes wildlife and native plant habitat, public hunting and scenic views.

Members of the Atlantic Parks and Rec Board, Monday, heard a request from Deb Smith, with regard to a property she owns at 6th and Oak Streets, that she would like to have turned into a park, if feasible.

Deb Smith presents her proposal to the Parks & Rec Board. (Director Seth Staashelm is on the left)

The land was the former site of the old Hockenberry/Mullen Funeral Home, which was destroyed in an arson fire in May, 2012. Smith wants to sell the slightly more than one-half acre of land to the City for at or a little than less than the amount it costs in taxes, or about $9,968. It’s valued at around $17,900.

The land proposed is in the upper left part of this image. (Click to enlarge)

Smith’s father was the Rev. Chuck Smith, who served as Mayor of Atlantic many years ago, and who died last March. Deb Smith said her father had hoped to turn the land into a park. Deb Smith, who now lives in Panama, said before her dad died she had contacted the Iowa West Foundation and inquired about grant funding for a park. She also spoke recently with Parks and Rec Director Seth Staashelm.

The land is currently zoned commercial. Staashelm said he would need to contact the City Attorney and then get a recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission before the Parks and Rec Board makes its recommendation and presents her offer to the City Council. Staashelm said also, the Parks and Rec Departments funds are currently spoken for about the next two or three years, as part of its five-year plan, but there is an opportunity to apply for grants. Smith said she would be happy to help write any grant applications.

Park and Rec Board Member Charlene Beane suggested the area would be a great spot for another skate board park, but Board member Jolene Smith suggested a splash pad might be an idea, since there is already a water hookup on the property. If the City approves the purchase of the land, Staashelm said the property would need a retaining wall to help with drainage and to solve erosion problems, which the Parks and Rec Department could install, and a new sidewalk, which the Street Department might be able to install.

Staashelm said he would begin to seeking legal advice and P&Z approval, as the next steps in the process.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Farmers have made further progress harvesting corn and soybeans in Iowa and Nebraska but rain in Iowa and heavy dew in Nebraska has slowed the process. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says Iowa farmers reported waiting for crops to dry in the field before harvesting. Nebraska also saw last week freezing temperatures across a wide area.

About a third of the Iowa corn crop is harvested, about a week behind the five-year average and 62 percent of soybeans are out of the field. The five-year average at this point in the year is 74 percent. In Nebraska 34 percent of corn is harvested, behind the average of 40 percent and 62 percent of soybeans are completed behind the average of 74 percent.

Food pantries in the state have been able to supply those in need with some vegetables this season there were grown by expert gardeners. Iowa State University’s Susan DeBlieck, says the Extension Department’s Master Gardener program partnered with the research farms to create donation gardens. “We partnered with our SNAP education staff to make funding available. Some of the funding available supported these donation gardens that were planted at seven of the Iowa State University research farms,” DeBlieck explains.

SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and DeBlieck says the Extension Education and Outreach Program provides education for low income families on how to prepare produce. The gardens were tended throughout the summer by Master Gardener volunteers who harvested seven-thousand pounds of vegetables. “All of those pounds of produce have been donated to nearby food pantries and food banks,” according to DeBlieck “And these demonstration farms are located all across the state and are really helping to build food security in particularly in rural areas.”

The gardens are located in Rock Rapids, Lewis, Kanawha, Ames, Nashua, Fruitland and Crawfordsville. The Iowa State Extension program has a long history of using demonstration gardens to help educate, and DeBlieck says this program fits in well with that tradition. “I believe that those started in the 1970’s and since that time we’ve been demonstrating different types of crops and different types of growing methods,” DeBlieck explains. “And so we chose crops that are wanted by food pantries. They are foods that store well, are easy to grow in Iowa, and look good on a food pantry shelf.” She says many of the vegetable you probably grew in your own garden.

They are green beans, sweet potatoes, cabbage, green peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, potatoes, zucchini, beets, cantaloupe, garlic and carrots. The food banks and pantries are expected to benefit from the educational demonstrations at the gardens. She says people who came out to the research farms got to learn about the things they could grow to donate to the local food pantry. You can find out more information about the demonstration programs and how you can become a Master Gardener online at: www.extension.iastate.edu/mastergardener.

(Radio Iowa)

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency says the field and grassland Fire Danger category will remain HIGH until at least Thursday (Oct. 20th), when the rating may be upgraded to EXTREME. In the mean time, authorities are asking anyone who plans to conduct controlled burns to contact their local fire chief, first. Be sure and call 755-2124 also, with the location of your burn, so dispatchers can gather logistical data. 

If conditions continue to deteriorate and an EXTREME Fire Danger Warning is issued, absolutely no outdoor burning would be permitted unless you have a signed permit from the local Fire Chief. Fires on Extreme days can grow rapidly and pose a risk to the Health and Safety of the Community. If you have any questions please call 712-755-2124.