Officials with the ISU Extension Service in Cass County have released the schedule for the 2012 Cass County Fair, which runs from July 26th through the 31st. (The complete schedule can be found at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/NR/rdonlyres/FD79263F-7EEC-4FD2-9AAE-9A47B9EACD65/164027/2012Schedule_CassCountyFair.pdf )

Events begin Thursday, July 26th, with the Swine, Rabbit, Horse, Poultry, Dairy and beef entry sign-ins, entry and judging of 4-H static exhibits, and a food sale at the Community Center. Later that same evening, the King and Queen Contest will take place, along with Senior Recognition.

Friday’s activities (July 27th) include: the Rabbit, Horse and Feeder Calf shows; and a bull riding competition. On Saturday, July 28th, there’ll be a Sheep and Pet show, livestock judging, and ATV races.

Events Sunday (July 28th) include: the Swine, Poultry, Dog and Horse Fun shows; Decorator’s showcase; and a Tractor Pull.  Sunday and Monday afternoon, there will also be a “Skid Loader Rodeo.”

The last full day of activities on Monday, July 30th, will include: the Beef, Dairy/Dairy Goat, and Goat shows; Best of Iowa; a watermelon feed; Style show and building awards; and Grand Champion Beef selection. The Fair concludes Tuesday morning, July 31st, with the Livestock Sale. Clean-up activities will occur the following day.

For more information on the 2012 Cass County Fair, call 712-243-1132, or e-mail xcass@iastate.edu. On the web at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass

A custom feedlot owner operator from Adams County told attendees at Sunday afternoon’s Rolling Hills Heifer Project banquet and awards program in Atlantic, that when he purchases feeder cattle, whether it be from auctions or through private sale, he takes a lot of time asking questions about the animals’ health, quality and when, where, and how he will harvest and market the animals. Todd Drake, who owns Nodaway Valley Feeders, in Nodaway, said his decision is ultimately impacted by how healthy the cow is. He says he likes to purchase cattle which come directly from the mother cow, complete with a round-to-modified live vaccine, about three-weeks prior to shipment.

Drake says cattle which are weaned have more value to him, depending on the time of the year. He says he also likes to buy cattle which are on a “non-starch” diet, or those who eat very little corn. He says he doesn’t want the cattle to be “huge” before he buys them. He recommends forage based diets for the animals. As for quality, Drake says the types of animals that bring in the most money at his feedlots, are those with capacity, and spring of rib depth. He says he wants cattle “That can consume a lot of dry matter.” Cattle “With some width between their front legs and plenty of spring of rib,” appear to be their lowest cost of gains or best dry matter conversions.

Drake says it’ important for the animal to have some size. He says they like to have steers that finish out at around 1,350-pounds, and heifers that finish at 1,250-pounds. Drake says he has not preference when it comes to color and breed of the cow, but the bottom-line on closeouts is, that those animals with at least three-quarters English blood in them provide the best closeouts. That would include those animals bred to Charolais, Simmental, and some exotics. The “half-and-half” bloods…such as a Charolais bred to an Angus cow…don’t work as well, he says, when it comes to dry matter conversion.

Drake says he spends a lot of time on marketing the animals he gets into his feedlot, and get them harvested before it gets too hot, or late in the fall. He left the young people at Sunday’s meeting with a phrase to remember when purchasing their own cows in the future. He says great calves to buy should grade about 70% choice and about 70% one and two yield grades. Many of the animals he purchases come from Florida, Montana, the Sand Hills of Nebraska and elsewhere, but the majority comes from northern Missouri and southern Iowa.

A program designed to involve the youth of area communities in agriculture has grown since its inception, and even sparked interest in forming similar programs in other counties around western Iowa.

Chuck Edwards, President/CEO of Rolling Hills Bank & Trust

Chuck Edwards, President and CEO of Rolling Hills Bank and Trust, which is headquartered in Atlantic, told a crowd of young people, their parents, and others in attendance at a banquet at the Cass County Community Center Sunday afternoon, that the “Heifer Project,” which began in 2001 with five heifers each given to two area youth, has grown to four sets of heifers given away this year.

And, he says, the Carroll County Farm Bureau joined in this year, and also gave away five heifers. That makes 25 head of bred heifers given out this year to area youth. So far, 220 head of heifers have given to 45 people. Carroll County, which is in the second year of the program, has given away 10 altogether.

Edwards said when he spoke recently before a gathering of the Shelby County Cattleman’s Association, he said he learned they’re interested in getting a similar program established in that area. Tim Greave, who attended Sunday’s meeting , said their satellite program began this year, with one of their board members placing five heifers.  He says during a recent auction, 70,000 was raised in 15-minutes, to put towards the heifer program, which is still in its infancy and being tweaked in that. He says in the future, there may be a “share-type program,” where a portable loan is paid back at the end, and one or two of the payments are forgiven.

Past and present recipients of heifers from the RHHP 2-26-12

The Rolling Hills heifers are purchased by the bank, to be given to two individuals for a 5 year period. Those persons must be either in 7th or 8th grade, and must be interested in agriculture and willing to accept total responsibility for the daily care of the heifers. The youth can do what they wish with the heifers for the 5 years, either by selling the offspring, building a herd, etc., but at the end of the 5-years, the current cash equivalent value of 5 heifers must be paid to the Rolling Hills Heifer Project. Those funds will be used to purchase heifers for the next year’s recipients. The participants must document the entire process involved with raising the animals, including income and expenditures, and be willing to promote the program to other youth.

This year’s heifer recipients in western Iowa included: Morgan Barkley, from Cumberland; Brooke Newell, from Anita; and Preslyn Grobe, of Hancock. The Carroll County Farm Bureau gave its five heifers to Kourtney Grimm. Chuck

In addition, rewards were given Sunday to those youth participating in the program, who kept the best records while raising their animals. First place, and a cash award of $750, went to Jonathan Triggs, of Mt. Ayr, who received his heifers in 2008. Second place, and a $500 award, went to Paige Kipp, of Yale, who received her heifers in 2008 also. Third place, and a $250 award, went to Delaney Carroll, of Avoca.

To apply for the Rolling Hills Heifer Project Program, individuals must fill out an application describing their interest in agriculture as well as have 3 letters of recommendation from such persons as teachers, club leaders, etc. For more information use this link:

www.rollinghillsbank.com/heifer_project.htm

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Around a dozen Iowans have returned from a week-long agricultural trade mission to Central America. Bill Tentinger, president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association, says there’s currently a 70-percent tariff on U.S. pork imports to Panama. But, that will change soon. “I think by 2014, the tariff will start going away and there’s a possibility that we could be getting product in there tariff free. When you’re paying 70-percent tariff on a product, it really limits how much you’re going to sell,” Tentinger said. The LeMars resident was part of the Iowa delegation that traveled to Panama and Guatemala earlier this month. Tentinger said there is a market for U.S. pork in the two countries, but it’ll take time to develop.

“There is a small amount of pork being moved into those countries and because of that fact, I would say there is no place to go but up,” Tentinger said. Dan Cook, who raises Angus cattle near New Providence, said Panama holds great potential for increased imports of U.S. beef.  “The economy’s growing fast and tourism is going to be a big part of that,” Cook said of Panama. “So, therefore, with more disposable income – people want to eat better and high quality beef is right at the top of the list it looks like.” Cook notes that price is the biggest issue in Guatemala, as 70-percent of their population lives in poverty.

“They’re probably going to take some lower value cuts that we typically don’t enjoy in the U.S.,” Cook said. “That helps raise the whole value of the beef carcass, so that’s still a good thing.” The trade mission, which also included representatives of Iowa’s corn and soybean industries, was coordinated by the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

(Pat Curtis/Radio Iowa)

The price you pay for your kids to participate in some of the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Summer Recreation Programs will be going up, and be prepared for some changes in how some of the programs operate. Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring said at Monday night’s Board meeting, one of the changes affects the Playground Program. He says instead of two sites, there will be just one site: Washington Elementary School. The hours will be from 9:30-until 11:30-a.m., instead of from 1-3pm. Herring says the idea is to incorporate the YMCA lunch program into the Playground Program.

Herring says each day’s activities will be published as the time frame grows closer, but they will involve crafts and exercise. Each session would conclude with lunch at the YMCA. The students will be escorted from the Washington School to the YMCA, where their parents can pick them up after lunch. Herring recommended, and the Park and Rec Board Monday approved, charging parents a fee to enroll their kids in the Playground Program. He says the fee would amount to $1 per day of the 20-session program, which runs from May 29th to June 29th, or $20 altogether. The Board and Herring agreed that no student will be turned down for the program because of an inability to pay. Service clubs may be asked to help defray the costs.

Roger Herring says also, the swimming program would be held once a week, on Tuesday’s, at the Sunnyside swimming pool. No lunch will be served.    The Swim Team, which is held May 29th through July 15th, will practice daily at noon at the Sunnyside Pool, with practice during inclement weather, inside, at the Nishna Valley YMCA. Participants purchase their own team swimsuits, t-shirts and goggles. The price for the t-shirts, according to Herring, will be going up just a bit. He recommended, and the board approved, an increase of $5 in the fee to participate on the swim team, which will now cost $25.

Board Chair Stuart Dusenberry pointed out that’s still much lower than it was years ago, when the Parks Department was still paying to bus students to the various swim meets. Since the policy was changed, parents have been handling that responsibility. The increase in fee also helps to cover the cost of paying a Swim Team Coach, Assistant Coach and Manager, which had previously been a volunteer position. Herring said there were 60 participants in the program last year. He says if there are a similar number this year, it will be a “break even” proposition for the Parks and Rec Department cost-wise.

The adult softball fee is also expected to be “restructured,” but the details have not yet been worked out.

An Atlantic Eagle Scout has embarked on a scouting project to outfit the Schildberg Quarry Recreational Area with park benches. The project is being undertaken by Casey Ihnen, who presented a pine wood prototype of the bench before the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Board during their meeting Monday evening.

Atlantic Eagle Scout Casey Ihnen w/a prototype park bench

Ihnen plans to place at least a dozen benches around both lakes, at locations to be determined, but several are expected to be placed along the walking trail.  The handmade wooden benches will be sunk into pea gravel so they can’t be easily be pulled out. They’ll cost $120 each, or $1,200 altogether. Ihnen will be looking for local sponsors for the benches. He’s already received donations from local businesses, groups and individuals. For more information, you can contact Roger Herring at the Parks and Rec Department in Atlantic.

The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Board of Directors will meet Monday evening, at City Hall. Action items and/or New Business on their agenda includes: an update on the Parks & Rec’s Capital Improvement Projects; discussion with regard to the Summer Recreation Programs, including – the playground, a Special Needs playground, Swim Team, Tennis and Softball programs; a review of the Little League Board meeting; a status report on vandalism perpetrated on Sunnyside park; and much more.

The meeting begins at 5:15-p.m., Monday.