One week from today (Friday), the Iowa D-N-R’s State Forest Nursery in Ames will open its phone lines and website for taking seedling orders — both for this fall and next spring. Nursery manager Pat Griffin says they’re preparing now to handle what will most certainly be a deluge of requests for the tiny trees and shrubs.

If you do the math, that’s about 600-thousand seedlings that were sent out last season, though some years, it’s as many as a million. The tree varieties include 23 species of native hardwoods, along with eight evergreen species and 15 smaller trees and shrubs.

Varieties include hickory, maple and walnut as well as red oak, river birch and black cherry, and dozens more. While orders can be made starting September 1st, the seedlings won’t start shipping out until November 1st. Griffin says November is an ideal time to launch into landscaping.

Situated on 98 acres south of Highway 30 in Ames, the nursery was created by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, and has run continuously ever since. The nursery had to raise its seedling prices last season, but Griffin says it didn’t impact sales.

Prices range from 80-cents to a-dollar-20 per seedling. They’re sold in three age classifications, and range in size from 10 to 30 inches, depending on the species. Sales run through May. Orders can be placed starting September 1st at 1-800-865-2477 or online at http://nursery.iowadnr.gov/.

Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson is pushing back at critics who say her plan to override California’s law on pork production will derail up to a thousand laws in other states. California’s law requires that bacon and other uncooked pork that’s sold in California must come from operations that have 24 square foot pens for sows.

Hinson, a Republican from Marion, says liberal activists in California should not be able to tell Iowa pork producers how to run their operations.

The National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau say it will cost 350 million dollars to retrofit U-S hog confinements to meet California’s rules, but the U-S Supreme Court upheld California’s law in May. A coalition of groups lobbying against Hinson’s proposal say it would open the floodgates to China’s take-over of American agriculture.

A bipartisan group of 150 House members also have warned adding Hinson’s so-called “EATS Act” to the Farm Bill would kill the Farm Bill’s chance for passage this year. The lawmakers say Hinson’s proposal would harm pork producers who’ve complied with California’s rules and would overturn other state laws about invasive pests, livestock diseases and puppy mills. California’s new standards for pork are set to go into effect January 1st. California’s space requirements for ag operations that produce veal and eggs went into effect nearly a year ago.

According to an I-S-U alert, as many classes as possible were moved online Thursday.  All I-S-U classes will be online Friday.  University officials are encouraging students living in the dorms to go home for the weekend if they can.  I-S-U’s main library has been closed and isn’t scheduled to reopen until Monday.  Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine on the south side of Ames is not affected by the outage.

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says she’s been focusing on small businesses as she travels across the state. Ernst has been naming a small business of the week and also introduced the “Prove It Act” she says will protect those businesses from federal government overreach.

The Republican from Red Oak is the ranking member of the Senate Small Business Committee.

Ernst says as she travels throughout the state she continues to hear about the challenges entrepreneurs are facing due to inlfation and a lack of affordable childcare options. She hopes to expand access to Small Business Administration Loans to bring more childcare slots to communities.

Ernst says she’s just finished visiting all 99 Iowa counties for the ninth year in a row.

After four straight days of sweltering heat statewide, forecasters say a cool front is approaching and, hallelujah, highs may only be in the 70s by next week. Meteorologist Alexis Jimenez (hah-MEN-ez), at the National Weather Service, says we should start seeing a change for the cooler within a matter of several hours.

She says the long-range forecast indicates the extreme heat isn’t returning anytime soon, and high temperatures will be much closer to normal.

Several more records were broken on Wednesday.

The Excessive Heat Warning is scheduled to expire at 7 o’clock this evening. It was issued on Monday morning.

State officials have significantly raised Iowa Medicaid’s reimbursement rate for substance abuse counseling.

The 2023 Iowa legislature approved a 13 million dollar increase in Iowa’s Medicaid program for both substance abuse and mental health services. Three million dollars of that is being used to nearly double Medicaid’s reimbursement rate for substance abuse counseling. Seven million dollars is being used to provide a more than 18 percent increase in what Medicaid will cover for a counseling session with a mental health professional. The other three million dollars is being spent to raise the daily Medicaid reimbursement for in-patient psychiatric care for children.

Ames, Iowa – Graduates of Iowa State University’s Master Conservationist Program are invited to gather in the Loess Hills this September for the first-ever statewide meetup.

“The goal for this event is to get graduates together to explore different parts of Iowa while providing space for socializing and learning,” said Kaycie Waters-Brocka, natural resources field specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and co-director of the Master Conservationist Program.

The event will begin with a dinner and social at the Desoto National Wildlife Refuge on Sept. 29, followed by a day of field trips around the Loess Hills on Sept. 30. Graduates will get the opportunity to meet conservation professionals in western Iowa and learn about how management in the Loess Hills differs from other places in Iowa. Saturday’s tour will begin at the new Willow Lake Nature Center, where participants will learn about various water quality conservation practices happening in the area. Participants will then get to hike around a few scenic places in the Loess Hills while learning from County Conservation Board and Department of Natural Resources biologists. Lunch will be provided, and during lunch attendees will learn about the unique fire management that happens in the Loess Hills.

The Master Conservationist Program started in Iowa in the 1990s but was redesigned and reinvigorated in 2017. Since then, over 700 people have completed the curriculum that combines online lectures about statewide efforts for conservation and land stewardship with in-person lessons led by local natural resources professionals in over half of Iowa’s counties. Graduates are encouraged to volunteer in their communities and continue to stay engaged with one another and local instructors. This statewide meeting will be the first of its kind. The program’s goal since its inception has been to “Plant the seeds of conservation in Iowa.”

Adam Janke, program co-director and extension wildlife specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, said he hopes graduate engagement efforts such as this will help those seeds flourish.

This year’s event is hosted by ISU Extension and Outreach Harrison County. Future graduate meetups will be hosted in other areas of the state, with the goal of giving graduates more opportunities to network and learn from one another, while also explore more of Iowa’s unique natural resources.

Graduates of any Master Conservationist Program offering from any year are invited to attend the event. The registration for this event is $35 and payment in the form of cash or check will be accepted at the event. Dinner on Friday evening and lunch on Saturday will be provided. Pre-registration is required, and registration closes on Monday, Sept. 18. Registration can be found at this web link: https://go.iastate.edu/BWODOE.

Lodging is not provided. Those traveling can explore surrounding areas for overnight accommodations: Missouri Valley, Onawa, Denison, Harlan and Council Bluffs, Iowa, or Blair, Nebraska.

This event is only open to those who have previously completed the Master Conservationist Program. For more information, contact Kaycie Waters-Brocka at 515-294-5820 or kwaters@iastate.edu; or reach Adam Janke at 515-294-7429 or ajanke@iastate.edu

Atlantic Municipal Utilities is asking customers to conserve energy today during this heat wave to help reduce demand on the power grid.  This request comes from the Mid-continent Independent System Operator (MISO), which operates the energy market and controls electrical reliability for our region.  MISO has issued a Level 2 Energy Emergency through 9:00 p.m. today.  Please turn up your thermostat, delay the use of large appliances and shut off all unnecessary lights and equipment.

SHELBY – 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,

An event for all ages, Carstens Farm Days showcases a variety of tractors and implements each day during a parade. The 41ST Annual Farm Days show is September 9 & 10, 2023.

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

What may be the largest collection of Iowa insects ever assembled was at risk of being dumped in a dumpster, but it’s being rescued and preserved by the University of Iowa. Cindy Opitz, director of research collections at the U-I Pentacrest Museums, says the Iowa City institution has acquired an extensive natural history collection from the former Iowa Wesleyan University in Mount Pleasant, which closed earlier this year.

She says it’s a priceless collection as it provides a valuable assortment of specimens that offer insights into Iowa’s rich ecological legacy.

The insect collection is housed in about 600 separate drawers and represents 22 orders and 462 families of insects, essentially, an entomologist’s dream.

The collection was the result of what was called the Iowa Insect Survey, which set out over several decades to discover all insect varieties in all 99 Iowa counties. Opitz says the U-I is applying for a grant from the National Science Foundation in order to upgrade how the massive collection is being housed.

The U-I did not have to pay anything for the collection, according to Opitz, but only had to pay for the cost of transporting it to Iowa City from Mount Pleasant. She says there’s a plan to create an insect exhibit that will offer Pentacrest museum visitors an immersive and educational experience. Had the U-I not stepped in, she says it’s possible this broad viewpoint of Iowa history would have been hauled to the landfill.