by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148
Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• UPDATED: September 1 - December 15: 2018 Margin Protection Program Sign-Up
• May 15 - August 1: Primary Nesting Season
• July 15: 2017 Crop Reports
• August 1: ARC/PLC Sign-up
• August 1: Last day to request a farm/tract reconstitution for 2017 crop year
• August 1: Final date to submit a nomination for the FSA Committee Election
Crop Reporting by July 15
The Allamakee County FSA office reminds all county farmers to come in and report their 2017 crops. Certifying your crops is a requirement for many FSA programs. This includes all spring planted crops and land uses. 100% of the farm must be reported to be eligible for programs. Please report what is planted on your farm by the deadline of July 15.
Farm landowners, now is a great time to consider conservation on farmland that you rent out. We encourage all landowners to be aware of what is written in their NRCS conservation plans, what their renters are implementing for crop rotation/tillage/conservation, and what their own goals are for their land.
You have the right to say how you want your land to be managed. For example, if you would like no-till to be implemented on your ground or if you want to ensure that waterways and headlands are seeded down, you can specify that in your farm lease. You can even revise your NRCS conservation plan to include it in your lease as part of the lease terms. If you do not feel very knowledgeable regarding conservation practices, there are many people who can help you gain a better understanding including the local NRCS office, ISU extension, and local producers.
Small grains planted in Iowa are now a rolling carpet of green that will be ready to harvest in a few short weeks. These crops – barley, cereal rye, oats, triticale and wheat – are increasingly popular with farmers because they are cheap to raise and can be used in a number of different ways. Small grains can be harvested and used as food-grade grain for people, as feed-grade grain for animals, or as seed for planting cover crops or small grains next year. They can also be baled for straw or grazed as livestock feed.
Despite this range of practical uses, marketing small grains crops can be challenging. To help address this issue, Practical Farmers of Iowa created a directory of businesses that buy small grains in Iowa and neighboring counties of other states. The annual directory, first published last year, is updated yearly. The 2017 edition is now available online at practicalfarmers.org/small-grains, under the “PFI Resources” tab.
The Northeast Iowa Food and Farm Network will be holding its July gathering at Kymar Acres between Waukon and Decorah Sunday, July 16, beginning at 4 p.m. The farm is located at 2168 Winnmakee Road, Waukon, and the event will include a farm tour and potluck meal. Attendees are asked to bring a dish to pass and also RSVP in order to help the host facility prepare for visitors. RSVPs can be confirmed by contacting Kayla Koether at 563-382-2949 or at koether@iastate.edu.
Kymar Acres was started by Kyle and Mari Holthaus in 1998, and their children, Teddy and Violet, help on the farm. In 2008, Mari’s sister, Anna, joined the operation. Kymar grows four acres of vegetables and herbs, sold by special order and at four farmers markets.
Allamakee County Fair Queen Candidates... Pictured left to right, MaKayla Manning, Kasinda McKee, Danielle Stock and Carley Sweeney.
Coronation event kicks off 164th Allamakee County Fair Tuesday, July 18
Four Allamakee County young ladies are vying for the title of 2017 Allamakee County Fair Queen. Those four candidates for this year's crown include MaKayla Manning, Kasinda McKee, Danielle Stock and Carley Sweeney.
The crown of Allamakee County Fair Queen and all the honors and responsibilities that accompany it will be bestowed upon one of those four candidates Tuesday evening, July 18 during the Allamakee County Fair Queen Coronation being held at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon to help kick off the 164th Allamakee County Fair.
Lansing RAGBRAI to hold final Town Hall meeting July 13
The final RAGBRAI Lansing Town Hall meeting will take place Thursday, July 13 at the Kerndt Bros. Community Center on the corner of Fourth and Main Streets in Lansing, beginning at 6 p.m. Residents are urged to come and learn everything about RAGBRAI in Lansing, including what is happening July 21 with long-term parking and the Allamakee County RAGBRAI Kickoff Party at the Fire Station. Plans for RAGBRAI's July 29 final destination arrival, including street and road closings, will also be discussed.
Merchants are encouraged to attend for a short meeting after the general meeting to get passes for their out-of-town employees and learn about RAGBRAI issues that pertain just to them. For more information, contact Craig White at director@lansingmatters.com.
Friday, July 28 route for RAGBRAI® riders (highlighted in red) ... Map courtesy of Allamakee County Emergency Management.
Saturday, July 29 route for RAGBRAI® riders (highlighted in red) ... Map courtesy of Allamakee County Emergency Management.
As most residents of Allamakee County know, the Des Moines Register’s RAGBRAI® XLV bike ride is coming to the county Friday, July 28-Saturday, July 29. As you can imagine, with some 10,000-plus bike riders coming to the county along with the support vehicles that follow along, there will be a “slight” travel and safety impact on the roads they will be using and within the towns they will be passing through and staying in.
Therefore, I wanted to address several safety issues related to RAGBRAI, including the bike route and riders, support vehicles, the community impacts and emergency shelter and response plans being prepared for their safety. My focus for this first RAGBRAI article will be the bike route and its impact on our rural roadway network, with the other topics covered in future publications.
Due to the Fourth of July holiday resulting in early printing of The Standard last week, prior to the Monday, July 3 regular meeting of the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors, coverage of that July 3 regular meeting is included in this week's issue, along with the board's Monday, July 10 regular meeting.
MONDAY, JULY 3
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session at the Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library Monday, July 3 as part of the board's effort to meet in various communities throughout the county. The board addressed a full agenda of items, including Manure Management Plan Updates, an appointment to the Veterans Affairs Commission and the consideration of a personnel change of status in the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Department.
Midwest Veterans of America is sponsoring three different contests for the 2017 Waukon Corn Days celebration being planned for mid-August this year. The contests include competitions for the Tallest Corn Stalk, the Longest Ear of Corn, and the Most Innovative Scarecrow.
Judging for all three contests will take place Saturday, August 19 at 1 p.m. at the Waukon Wellness Center, located at 1220 Third Avenue NW in Waukon. Entries must be registered by 12 noon that day.
The top three entries in the Tallest Corn Stalk Contest will receive both plaques and cash prizes, with the top three Longest Ear of Corn entries receiving plaques. Top entries in the Most Innovative Scarecrow Contest will be awarded medals, with judging taking place in both an adult category and a youth category. For additional information about any of the contests call 563-568-5275.
Allamakee County is completing an update to its 2012 Hazard Mitigation Plan. The plan is being developed with the cities of Harpers Ferry, Lansing, New Albin, Postville, Waterville and Waukon, as well as with Allamakee County (representing unincorporated areas), to assess hazard risk and prioritize mitigation actions to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property.
Flooding, severe storms and man-made risks, such as hazardous materials or transportation incidents, are examples of the types of hazards that have been addressed for the area. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department, has supported this planning process by offering grant funds to Allamakee County Emergency Management.
