News Center newsletter

To the Editor:

Waukon and Allamakee County, I couldn’t be prouder to call this place home!

Early on in the process of RAGBRAI preparations, I heard someone say that “if a town could ruin RAGBRAI, it would be Waukon,” and I’m happy to say that nothing could have been further from the truth. For those 48 hours we worked as a community of kind, caring and compassionate people who fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, sheltered the homeless, welcomed the traveler and showed the state and each other what we are capable of.

Friends from outside the area repeatedly told me how great the community did and they found our warmth, hospitality and organizational skills to be unmatched. Those who came to our medical tent were grateful for the care they received and for the treats we fed them while we patched up their wounds or as we gave them IV fluids.

To the Editor:

My appreciation goes out to all the organizers, volunteers, hosts, churches, businesses, bands, police officers and others who helped to make Waukon a place of hospitality for the riders on RAGBRAI®. At the edge of town, riders were greeted by a crowd of residents and an artistic archway. To satisfy our hunger, there were local churches and restaurants who served an amazing variety of food for affordable prices.

From one end of town to the other, people allowed their lawns to be transformed into campgrounds. Throughout town, there were benches, signs and bicycle-themed art that created a festive atmosphere. In the evening, a local band played fun music for a massive crowd in the middle of downtown.

To the Editor:

Everyone who worked so hard to make RAGBRAI happen, please give yourselves a huge pat on the back and put a big smile on your face. It was a fantastic event and one of the most exciting small town Iowa events I have experienced.

Many thousands of people from all over the country and even outside of the U.S. got to experience Allamakee County and had a great time doing it. Well done, indeed!

Ben Ross
Waukon
 

To the Editor:

A recent writer referred to God as the “Originator of liberty and justice.” I must disagree, as those cherished ideals are also common to many secular cultures.

I am not a religious person, but I am delighted to treat others fairly, and to ensure that their rights and liberties are respected. I do that not because some God or holy book is telling me to, but simply because everyone deserves to be treated that way.

And I might also correct the writer that the Declaration of Independence essentially does “call on a religion” in the fight for independence.  Check out the last paragraph, especially the very eloquent closing sentence.

Mark Brandt
Minneapolis, MN
 

by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148

Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• September 1 - December 15: 2018 Margin Protection Program Sign-Up

Elections for the 2017 County Committee
Elections for USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committees are underway in Allamakee County.

It is important that every eligible producer participate in these elections because FSA county committees are a link between the agricultural community and the USDA. The 2017 election in Allamakee County will be conducted for the representative Local Administrative Area (LAA): Ludlow, Jefferson, Post, Franklin, Linton, and Fairview townships.

County committee election ballots will be mailed to eligible voters Nov. 6, 2017.  The last day to return completed ballots to the Allamakee County USDA service center is Dec. 4, 2017.
Unauthorized Disposition of Grain

Helicopters and planes have become more noticeable over rural Allamakee County with crop dusting in full swing. Pictured above, Will Powell, owner and pilot for Alabama-based Xtreme Aviation, lands a helicopter on top of the truck used for refueling and refilling the water/chemical combination used on fields. Powell is one of several contractors applying fungicide to corn and beans in eastern Iowa. Powell is pictured below applying fungicide at a rural Lansing farm. Standard photos by Joe Moses.
 

The Annual August Field Day at the ISU Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm will run from 1:00 to 4:15 p.m. Friday, August 25. Chad Hart, ISU Economist, will kick-off the program in the Borlaug Learning Center, by providing his insights on the grain markets. Shawn Shouse, ISU Extension Ag Engineer, follows with tips on grain drying and storage for the upcoming harvest. We will then convene outside for the farm wagon tours; Alison Robertson, Extension plant pathologist, will share crop disease research results from the farm and their practical applications, and Bob Hartzler, Extension weed management specialist, will discuss Iowa’s first season with dicamba resistant soybeans and other weed management priorities.

Precision management in calf care is needed as there are many ways to add value to these heifers before they join the milking string. Join these on-farm calf workshops August 31, for a first-hand look at how fellow dairy farmers are housing pre-weaned calves using technology to help manage their calf program. These include automatic calf feeders, pasteurizers, and milk cooling systems. Areas of focus will include basic sanitation for automatic calf feeders, equipment hygiene, and housing and ventilation.

Annual week-long canoe/kayak trip featured record number of 220 river enthusiasts this year
 

by Julie Berg-Raymond (Lansing) and Ann Marie Gallacher-Williams (Harpers Ferry)

For the second consecutive weekend, the Lansing and Harpers Ferry communities welcomed a large group of visitors - this past weekend those visitors arriving by canoes and kayaks via the Mississippi River as part of the annual Great River Rumble after the bicycles of RAGBRAI were welcomed the previous weekend.

The Great River Rumble (GRR) travels a different section of river each year, a portion of that usually on the Mississippi. The trip is put on by Midwest River Expeditions, Inc. a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people enjoy the rivers and promote environmental consciousness.

The public is invited to celebrate the opening of the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center this Saturday, August 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Center is located at 1944 Columbus Road just south of Lansing.

Attendees can tour the property and view the interpretive and dimensional displays housed at the Center, covering topics such as geology, limnology (rivers/streams), archeology, wildlife studies, river town industries and economies, American Indian cultures and more.