(Shelby, Iowa)  – The Carstens 1880 Farmstead, Inc. will hold its annual meeting on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at the Shelby Community Hall in Shelby at 7:30 pm. Board President Charlie Leaders, of Minden, says “We encourage everyone to come out and hear about what’s happening at the farm.” Members of Carstens Farm will be voting for four positions on the board of directors. The following board members’ terms are ending as of the date of the meeting:  Charlie Leaders and Ben Ausdemore of Minden, Stanley Kern of Shelby and Rick Newland of Portsmouth. All four are running for another term.

Continuing board members are Gerald McCool and David Dittmer of Minden, Dale Schroder of Avoca, Bill Johnson and Doug Martin of Shelby, Harvey Ferris of Missouri Valley and Terry Torneten of Harlan. Results of the election will be announced following the meeting.

Leaders said “We are listing ideas for projects in 2023. We want to continue our focus on building upkeep and repair.” Reports will be given on the 2022 Carstens Farm Days show. Leaders said also, “I hope to see many members as well as the general public at the meeting because we want to continue to grow our membership.”

Carstens 1880 Farmstead, Inc. members as well as members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend.  Those attending will have the opportunity to renew their memberships or to purchase new memberships.  Memberships are important for sustaining the farm’s operations. New or renewing members should note that membership rates remain the same as last year: $25 for family; $15 for an individual. Visit the farm’s website for membership information.

Carstens 1880 Farmstead, Inc., a non-profit group of local volunteers, oversees this working farmstead museum exhibit located south of Shelby, Iowa.  The farmstead hosts several thousand people annually during Carstens Farm Days which is held the first weekend after Labor Day.  For more information visit www.carstensfarm.com

w/Kate Olson.

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MISSOURI VALLEY – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will treat Nobles Lake with a low concentration of rotenone to eliminate rough fish. Nobles Lake, 95-acre cutoff oxbow lake located in Harrison and Pottawatomie counties on the Missouri River floodplain, was inundated and infested with numerous invasive and river fish species during the floods of 2011 and 2019.

The dryer than normal conditions and historic low flows in the Missouri River has nearly drained Nobles Lake, providing ideal conditions to remove rough fish. Invasive species like silver carp, bighead carp, shortnose gar and common carp have a negative impact on water quality and wildlife habitat by suppressing aquatic plants. “The most effective method to eliminate the remaining fish population is to apply rotenone under the ice this winter,” said Bryan Hayes, fisheries management biologist with the Iowa DNR.

Rotenone is used world-wide and has been since the 1930s.  It is a common tool that fisheries managers use for fish removal. Rotenone is a naturally occurring compound that comes from the roots of a tropical plant in the bean family. The Iowa DNR commonly uses the commercially available formulation, five percent Prenfish, which has been approved for fisheries management by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Nobles Lake is part of a larger 236-acre Iowa DNR Wildlife Management Area primarily used by waterfowl hunters and bird watchers.

Jim Field visit with Kendra Meyer, Executive Secretary of the Iowa Specialty Crop Growers Association, about the Iowa Specialty Producers Conference February 22-23 in Ankeny.  Visit www.iowaspecialtyproducers.com/registernow.

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• KJAN, Atlantic  .78″
• 7 miles NNE of Atlantic  .96″
• Massena  1.42″
• Corning  1.74″
• Audubon  .5″
• Oakland  .72″
• Guthrie Center  1.35″
• Manning  .58″
• Neola  .09″
• Logan  .71″
• Underwood  .58″
• Carroll .25″
• Red Oak  .74″
• Clarinda  1″
• Creston  .48″

(Radio Iowa) – Some Iowa Christmas tree growers are concerned damage done by the drought could limit their supply in the next few years. Country Pines Farm owner, Justin Pritts, says last year’s lack of snow led to a loss of 100 fully grown Christmas trees at his operation in Marcus — and he also lost around one third of the saplings this year to drought.  “My big concern is going to be six or seven years down the road, if these little ones don’t start taking off or we lose more over the wintertime, I mean, we’re going to be in trouble down the road,” Pitts says.

Pritts says it takes around seven years for his trees to mature. He says the farm may have to rely more on getting trees from places like Michigan and Wisconsin where drought isn’t as pervasive. Robin Miller operates T&S Christmas Tree Farm near Hawarden in northwest Iowa. She says they usually lose around 25 percent of trees planted — but the drought pushed that number is up to 90 percent. ” I’ve been losing trees, I would say, it’s been all of three years. So that puts me at, you know, four years from now, I’m not going to have any of those trees. And there’s really no way to make up that time,” Miller says.

Miller says she’s especially worried about the supply of fir trees, which have taken the biggest hit. She fears she won’t be able to stock that popular tree type in the furture following the drought losses.

(reporting by Kendall Crawford, Iowa Public Radio)

January 1:

• Daryl Schrier of Cumberland (winner)
• Fred Berge of Atlantic
• Jeff Fancher of Exira
• Shirley Jensen of Atlantic

January 2:

• Jo Westphalen of Atlantic (winner)

January 3:

• Bonnie Starlin of Atlantic (winner)
• Sharon Elmquist of Atlantic

January 4:

• Margene Hill of Atlantic (winner)
• Tammy Keithley of Atlantic

January 5:

• Kash Paulsen of Anita (winner)
• Mick Sager of Atlantic
• Elaine Jensen of Atlatic
• Rick Daughenbaugh of Atlantic

January 6:

• Mary Nelsen of Anita (winner)
• Jazlyn Waters of Griswold
• Travis Sandbothe of Atlantic
• Ryleigh Gilner of Atlantic

January 7:

• Tiffany Hardisty of Cumberland (winner)

January 8:

• Eddie Jensen of Atlantic (winner)
• Alan Zellmer of Atlantic

January 9:

• Sheri Conn of Lewis (winner)

January 10:

• Lois Schramm of Atlantic (winner)
• Merv Templeman of Atlantic
• Jeff Knight of Atlantic
• Sonya Clausen of Atlantic

January 11:

• Gus Warne of Atlantic (winner)

January 12:

• Joyce Goff of Lewis (winner)
• Richard Parks of Glenwood

January 13:

• Charlie Ehen of Atlantic (winner)

January 14:

• Kathi Kirchhoff of Atlantic (winner)
• Joe Bateman of Atlantic
• Pat Marshall of Atlantic
• Becky Bonney of Atlantic

January 15:

• Linda Kauffman of Audubon (winner)
• Kathy Hayes of Atlantic
• Carson Parks of Atlantic

January 16:

• Zach Mathisen of Atlantic (winner)
• Brett Parks of Glenwood

January 17:

• Mike Freund of Lewis (winner)

January 18:

• Justin Retallic of Atlantic (winner)
• Alan Gochanour of Atlantic

January 19:

• Barb Drogo of Atlantic (winner)

January 20:

• Kathy Nelson of Atlantic (winner)
• Travis Waters of Atlantic
• Kay Nosekabel of Atlantic

January 21:

• Will Wedemeyer of Adair (winner)
• Melissa Nantz of Atantic
• Anna Stork of Atlantic
• Patte Testa of Atlantic

January 23:

• Krosby Well of Anita (winner)
• Don Murphy of Atlantic
• Evan Reisgaard of Brayton
• Grace Mosier of Atlantic

January 24:

• Becky Reisgaard of Brayton (winner)
• Lorinda Patchin of Adair
• Mike Westphalin of Anita
• John Finnell of Atlantic

January 25:

• Donna Jean Cooper of Cumberland (winner)
• Ben Riesgaard of Brayton
• Beverly Henningsen of Atlantic
• Kennedy Waters of Long Beach, CA

January 26:

• Linda Jensen of Exira (winner)

January 28:

• Lettie Benton of Exira (winner)
• Mikal Buskirk of Atlantic

January 29:

• Tammy Waters of Marne (winner)
• Blake Asberry of Exira
• Delbert Sheeder of Adair
• Pat Swanson of Atlantic
• Chuck Goff of Lewis

January 30:

• Jenny McCunn Hoakison of Massena (Winner)
• Angel Garcia of Atlantic

January 31:

• Jane Mathisen of Atlantic (Winner)
• Dawn Brown of Fontanelle
• David Wallace of Griswold

(Radio Iowa) – Some Iowa families have a tradition of taking down the Christmas tree tomorrow (Saturday), on the last day of the year, in order to start the new year out fresh on Sunday. Horticulturist and extension educator John Fech says don’t just toss the tree to the curb, but find a way to repurpose it. “Recycling it, reusing it, thinking of it again as a resource or an asset,” Fech says. If you’re crafty, trim the branches to make a fragrant sachet, wreath, or garland to enjoy in the weeks ahead. You could also cut up pieces of the evergreen to toss in a nearby lake or pond to provide a habitat for fish. Fech says mulching is another option.

“Do that yourself with a hatchet or you could have it run through a chipper,” Fech says. “Many of the cities do that for their parks and then they use that for trail cover around city parks and hospitals and places like that.” Another idea is to return the tree to the great outdoors for wildlife to use as shelter. He likes to call it tree-cycling. “Also, it could just be songbird habitat,” Fech says. “Set it near the bird feeder so birds have a place to get out of the wind and have a little bit of refuge from predator birds.”

If mulching the entire tree is too much work, just using the needles can be an effective mulch on perennial plants, in your garden, and to keep weeds in check.

Jim Field visits with Madeline Schultz, Farm Management Team Women in Ag Program Manager, about local farm management courses for women.  Annie’s Project courses will be offered in Atlantic, Harlan and Creston.  An Advanced Grain Marketing course will be offered in Red Oak.  Visit Iowa State University Extension and Outreach for more details and to register.

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(Massena, Iowa) – The Cass County Conservation Board (CCCB) will host an “Intro to Ice Fishing” program, on January 14, 2023 at 10-a.m.. The event takes place at the Outdoor Classroom shelter, located at 76977 Tucson Rd, near Massena. The program will focus on ice fishing basics; what is needed to get out on the ice and enjoy the outdoors. We will go over ice safety and the necessary equipment needed to be safe.

Conservation Director Micah Lee says “We will also go over rods, reels, lines, augers, and bait as well as many extras such as shelters, electronics, clothing. CCCB staff will have examples on hand to show you how it works and the best ways to use it.” 

In addition, Lee says there will be “A drawing for those that attend, at the end of the event for a chance to win an ice fishing package to get you out on the ice and fishing. Depending on weather and ice conditions, following the program there will be a chance to go fishing as well. The CCCB will have ice rods, bait, and augers available for those that don’t have them.”

For further information please contact Conservation Director Micah Lee at 712-769-2372.