 Walnut Trees Abound on Fairview Farm
Bill and Susan Slaughter love diversity in their farming operation near Fairfax, Missouri as their 960 acres is filled with corn, soybeans, wheat and walnut trees; yes, walnut trees, thousands of them as a matter of fact. Susan's grandfather bought the farm in the 30's and worked for David Rankin at the old mule barn in Tarkio (before it ever became a theatre!). The Slaughters came back to the farm in 1978 after living and teaching in Egypt for a couple years. The Slaughters have two children and five grandchildren. Bill, who always loved black walnut trees (Tarkio means "black walnut" by the way), began planting them in the late 70's and has been tending and planting them ever since. Within government endorsed buffer strips bill also has planted ash and hickory trees. Some of his bigger trees are now 14" to 16" in diameter with the ideal diameter at 24" for harvest. Sixty trees per acre is ideal. A well-established walnut tree can bring as much as $5000 to $6000 if the wood is of enough quality for veneer, but the Slaughters kid their children and grandchildren may be the ones who ultimately benefit from their tree passion years down the road. Bill says one of his biggest challenges to raising trees is deer, so he is glad for the hunters who come in and try to put a yearly dent in his farm's deer population. Bill has also built hundreds of bluebird houses and enjoys the visits from Missouri's state bird as well. The Slaughters are enjoying a good-looking corn and soybean crop as well this year and are extremely thankful for their many blessings, especially their grandkids!
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 McNees Family Farm History Runs Deep
Joe McNees farms East of New Market, Iowa with his wife, Kim, (far left in photo) son, Preston (not pictured) and daughter, Cassie. Family history runs deep at the McNees place, as Joe and his family reside now on property settled by his great-great grandfather. The McNees operation is extremely diversified, as Joe raises corn and soybeans 100% no-till and implements many terraces and tile-lines. He also raises alfalfa, has a 95-head cow/calf herd and raises hogs farrow-to-finish for Niman Ranch. Kim teaches 5th and 6th grade language arts in the Clarinda school system and is a strong supporter of the family farm. Joe continues to be very active in the New Market community as he’s involved at the New Market Methodist Church, Taylor County Cattlemen and is a member of New Market’s fire department. Joe is also a testicular cancer survivor and is an avid supporter of Relay for Life. Joe is an extremely thankful individual, thankful for his God, his wonderful family, his health, his farm with its rich history and his New Market community of friends.
 Nelson Working in Adams County for 22 Years
Chris Nelson, Adams County Extension Education Director, has been doing what he’s passionate about for 22 years, extending himself and his staff’s expertise to producers, landowners and the community of Adams County, Iowa. Chris is married to Barb, who works for Green Valley AEA. Chris and Barb have two children, Carol Anne, who is a pharmacist in Des Moines and Kathy, who is the fitness program director for the YMCA in Waukee, Iowa. Chris, who is originally from Stanton, still resides and farms in the Stanton area where he’s involved in a row-crop/cow herd operation. Chris raises purebred Black Simmental and Black Angus cattle. Chris has great help in Bonnie Chafa (far left in photo) and Cheryl Walker. (middle in photo) Chris is proud of his years of dedication to the people of Adams County and is looking forward to the Adams County Fair in July.
 No Place Like Home For Irvin
New Page County Farm Service Agency Executive Director, Christine Irvin, (2nd from left in front row) is happy to be back in the community again after serving as FSA Executive Director in Osceola, Iowa for one year. Irvin, who lives on a farm near Bedford with her husband, Mike, has four children and two grandsons. She started as a program technician in Bedford almost 20 years ago and recently decided to go into management training through the County Office Training Program. She's very proud of her Page County staff: Front row in photo: Carol Brown, Christine Irvin, Donna Marriott, Dyanne York 2nd row left to right: Janet Wagoner, Judy Lundgren, Todd Weppler, Gary Armstrong and Jennifer Comer. Irvin is not only glad to have the Bedford to Osceola daily commute behind her, but is looking forward to serving the ag community in the area she calls home.
Carlson Farm A Buzz Of Activity 
There's plenty happening on at the Terry and Lisa Carlson Farm, Northeast of Blanchard IA. The Carlsons farm around 4000 acres of row-crop while maintaining an active grain-trucking operation as well as a successful Dekalb Asgrow Seed business. Lisa Carlson (2nd from left in photo) keeps the books on the trucking side of the business. The Carlsons also have two daughters, Jenna (far left) and Jamie, who when not busy at Northwest Missouri State University help out on the family farm as well. Terry is proud of all his employees, including Curt Sunderman, who is deeply involved with the Dekalb Asgrow seed business.
Terry is also quick to honor his parents, Larry and Esther, who reside north of Blanchard and his grandparents, Edgar and Alice Carlson, who originally settled the home place Northeast of Blanchard in 1947.
FARM NEWS:
CHICAGO (AP) _ Agriculture futures traded mostly lower Tuesday on the Chicago Board of Trade.
Wheat for July delivery rose 1.25 cents to $8.2325 a bushel; July corn fell 23.75 cents to $6.9275 a bushel; July oats declined 8 cents to $4.27 a bushel; July soybeans shed 28 cents to $15.61 abushel.
Beef futures traded mixed and pork futures traded lower on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. June live cattle fell 0.2 cent to $1.021 a pound; August cattle added 0.5 cent to $1.1152 a pound; July lean hogs declined 0.6 cent to 71.8 cents a pound; July pork bellies lost 1.75 cents to 61.3 cents a pound.
COMMUNITY EVENTS:
Mills County Conservation Board will be hosting their "Breakfast with the Birds" program at Mile Hill Lake on July 12th at 7:30am. Mile Hill Lake is located 2 miles west of Glenwood on the eastbound lane of Hwy 34. For more information, please call 712-527-9685.
Page County Soil & Water Conservation District meeting will be at the district office on South 8th Street in Clarinda on Thurs., July 17 at 7:30am. Items on the agenda EQIP, ECP, EWP and State Cost-Share.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency has announced livestock producers have until July 18, 2008 to enroll in the 2005-2007 Livestock Compensation Program (LCP). Signup began on Sept. 10, 2007 for the program that provides aid to livestock producers who have suffered eligible livestock feed losses between March 30, 2007 and April 21, 2007 because of a natural disaster.
Keg Creek Antique Machinery Club will hold the Antique & Garden Tractor Pull on Sat., July 19 at 10am at Glenwood, IA. The field is located one-half mile south of Glenwood on 221st St. (formerly hwy. 275) on the east side of road. Classes will be antique & garden tractors, and powder puff. For more info please call Steve at 712-314-1072 or Doug at 712-527-0245.
Atchison County Fair Antique Tractor Cruise in Rock Port, Mo. will be on July 19th with registration at 9:00am, lineup at 10:30am and Parade at 11:00am. Noon meal immediately following parade, tractors leave for cruise at 1:00pm. The route is approximately 20 miles long. For more information, please call 660-984-5541 or 660-744-6097.
Dollars are available to assist with care of your well. The DNR provides these funds to assist with well testing, closure, & reconstruction. Water test kits and applications are available at your County Public Health Offices.
The Livestock Compensation Program (LCP) provides payments to eligible livestock owners and cash lessees who suffered feed losses or increased feed costs because of a natural disaster. For more information about this program or would like to sign-up, please contact the Taylor County Farm Service Agency at 712-523-2118 or the Page County Office at 712-542-5137.
Hunter Education classes will be held in Adams County on July 23, 24 and 25 with the Wed., class from 5:30 till 9pm, Thurs., from 6 to 9pm in the Okey-Vernon Bank Basement and on Sat., morning from 8 till 11am .at the Corning Gun Club. Participants must be 12 years old before Wed., Oct. 1 and attend all of the classes. Pre-register by calling Judy at 641-322-3111.
High commodity prices are being chased by rising input expenses, but Iowa continues to rank among the leaders in national agriculture production according to the recently released 2008 Facts on Iowa Agriculture booklet. This annual report is generated by Iowa Farm Bureau, in association with Iowa Agricultural Statistics and Iowa State University. The Facts on Iowa Agriculture booklet also provides information on other areas, including national figures, agribusiness, renewable energy and conservation efforts in Iowa. Single copies of the 2008 Facts on Iowa Agriculture booklets are available at no cost from the Iowa Farm Bureau, Marketing and Communications Division, 5400 University Ave., West Des Moines, Iowa 50266. Multiple copies are available for $3 per copy.
Iowa Women in Agriculture's 2nd Annual Conference will be held in Riverside, Iowa at the Riverside Casino and Resort on July 30 and 31, 2008. For more information, please visit www.iowawomeninag.org.
County Soil and Water Conservation Districts wants to remind all landowners that they can sign up for state cost share funds at any time of the year.
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