Includes:
Farm Comments
Crop Season Comments
Weather Comment

Rossiter, Lyle T.

English

Includes:
Farm Comments
Crop Season Comments
Weather Comments</p

Rossiter, Lyle

Digital Repository @ Iowa State University (ISU)

Iowa State University, Northwest Research Farm and Allee Demonstration Farm ISRF08-29, 31  Farm and Weather Summary Allee Demonstration Farm  Lyle Rossiter, farm superintendent  Farm Comments Developments. New 6-ft steel rail fencing and 4-in. steel posts set in a 12-in. concrete curb were erected to divide six feedlot pens. A portable cattle headgate, squeeze chute, weight scale, and double alley system were installed inside the cattle barn.  Field Days and Tours. The Allee Memorial Experimental Farm bequest by George M. Allee in 1958 celebrated its 50th Anniversary this year. Dean Wendy Wintersteen presented Recognition Certificates to local businesses for their support of the Allee Farm over the last five decades. One-hundred and eighty guests attended the anniversary field day that included discussions and displays of agriculture crop and livestock research of the past, present, and future. Feature speakers included Dean Wendy Wintersteen, Mark Honeyman, PhD; Kendall Lamkey, PhD; John Lawrence, PhD; JR Tait, PhD; Josh Sievers; and Lyle Rossiter. Iowa State University Extension staff displayed 150 years of success and educational information to the public. The Allee Historic Mansion was open for informative tours of the Allee family history and George Allee’s activities related to improving open pollinated corn varieties and his development of Allee Hybrid Corn.  A corn maze in the shape of the Iowa State University mascot “Cy” was sculptured in five acres of corn for the 50th Anniversary. The Iowa Corn Promotion Board used the corn maze to educate local FFA, 4-H clubs, and school students in the uses of corn in their daily lives while the kids walked through the maze. Non-perishable food items were the cost of admittance on Sundays and donated to the local food pantries.  The Newell National Honor Society hosted a haunted corn maze benefit for a local family with 374 guests attending the event.  The Buena Vista special swine class included 32 participants who gained swine production knowledge, herdsmanship, and showmanship techniques at the Allee Farm. With the experience, each participant purchased, showed, and marketed four market pigs at the county fair in July for a total of 128 pigs. The Allee Farm continues use of the School-to-Work program with the Newell-Fonda Community School District, providing agriculture education from the classroom to practical experiences related to crop, swine, beef, and machinery operations. The local 4-H clubs use the farm for monthly meetings and maintain the Newell Booster 4-H Club apple orchard.  The Allee Farm appreciates the community support and the opportunity to be an educational site for all ages and families. A total of 1,208 guests visited the farm in 2008.   New Projects. The Northwest Iowa Experimental Association, ISU Research and Demonstration Farms, and ISU Extension agreed to expand on-farm research (OFR) this spring into Buena Vista, Sac, Pocahontas, parts of Carroll, Calhoun, Ida, Cherokee, and Clay counties. OFR assisted individual farmers to set up field-length research and gain data for statistical analysis. Extension crop specialists Paul Kassel, Mark Licht, and Allee Farm superintendent Lyle Rossiter assisted seven farmers with 18 field projects.  The Allee cattle operation started to feed and collect research data for bulls, steers, and heifers from the purebred Angus cowherd at the ISU McNay Research Farm, Chariton, IA. Iowa State University, Northwest Research Farm and Allee Demonstration Farm ISRF08-29, 31  Livestock. Custom finishing of 102 steers,  34 bulls, and 101 heifers was completed this year. The swine demonstration operation uses artificial insemination and farrows in January and July. Feed rations are mixed on the farm and all swine are sold as antibiotic-free to Niman Ranch (148 market hogs).  Crop Season Comments Corn planting started May 6 and was completed May 13. Harvest began October 17 and was completed November 9 with average yields of 187 bushels/acre.  Soybean planting started May 27 and was completed May 28. Low areas were replanted three times. Five acres were drowned out for the season. Harvest began October 2 and was completed October 9 with average yields of  38 bushels/acre.  Weather Comments Winter. January had eleven days of sub-zero temperatures and a total of 10.25 in. of snow. The warmest day was 41oF, and we received a ½ in. of rain on January 28. February had three days of sub-zero temperatures, 11 in. of snow, and six days of foggy/rainy conditions.  Spring. March was cooler than normal. Six inches of snow fell. The ground was frozen throughout March. The high temperature was 55oF on March 26. April was wetter than normal with 3.7 in. of rain and a late snow fell on April 25. May was cool with eleven days of moisture, and a total of 6.7 in. of rain.   Summer. June was cool with 13 nights of temperatures below 55oF and the high temperature was 88oF. Two rain storms with more than 2 in., caused field ponding  (total 5.7 in.). Persistent rain during July 1–7 accumulated 6.3 in. of water, causing crop loss and soybean replants in drowned out areas. Cool nights and rain the rest of July slowed crop growth (total rainfall of 8.1 in.). August had warm days and cool nights with no rain for the first two weeks.  Fall. September rains totaled 3.2 in. Cool weather allowed crops to reach yield potential. Hail on September 29 did not damage late maturing soybean plants. October was cool. November was very wet with 6.4 in. of rain. Little fall tillage was accomplished before the soil froze on December 2.  Acknowledgements The farm would like to thank the Practical Farmers of Iowa, the Newell-Fonda  School-to-Work program, the On-Farm Research Staff, the Newell Cooperative, ISU Extension, First Community Bank, Citizen First National Bank in Storm Lake, and the  4-H Boosters for their support of the Allee Farm and the farm’s 50th Anniversary field day and events.  

Farm and Weather Summary Allee Demonstration Farm

Iowa State University Computer Science Technical Reports

Iowa State University, Northwest Research Farms and Allee Demonstration Farm ISRF06-29, 31 Farm and Weather Summary Allee Demonstration Farm  Lyle Rossiter, farm superintendent  Farm Comments Developments. An open front cattle shed (30 ft × 80 ft) was remodeled for swine AI (artificial insemination). Two deep-bedded pens were connected with a feed alley and 34 feeding stalls. A flex auger feeding system is used to deliver feed into a cart and sows are hand fed and individually separated for breeding.  Field Days and Tours. Local youth of the Newell-Fonda school-to-work program and FFA chapter awarded the Allee Farm and staff with an “Honorary Chapter FFA Degree.” Each year, the students choose a business or person in the community who has encouraged positive work ethics and an educational venue for them to increase their knowledge of daily agricultural crop and livestock production. The Booster’s 4-H Club learned shop skills including proper electrical techniques of a simple switch to turn on a light bulb, safety, and tool management. The Booster’s sold $970 of frozen pie filling from the 84 apple tree orchard located on the Allee Farm. The Buena Vista special swine class held three production swine classes at the farm, practicing proper herdsmanship and showmanship of market swine. Thirty-seven PFI members participated in an AI swine class held in September. The Allee Farm staff would like to thank the community for their support and all 288 guests who visited the farm.  New Projects. Evaluated corn rootworm traits with genetically enhanced CRW vs. conventional/insecticide vs. conventional seed plots on 17 acres. The corn-on-corn yield data is reported with the studies of on-farm research in northwest Iowa (http://ofr.ag.iastate.edu). USDA livestock tag evaluation study.  Livestock. The cattle operation continues to grow, marketing 40 heifers, 224 steers, and background 260 steers. Niman Ranch swine sales included 322 market hogs.  Crop Season Comments Corn planting started April 25 and was completed April 26. Harvest began October 19 and was completed October 23 with average yields of 128 bushels/acre.  Weather Comments Winter. January was mild with a new 120-year record temperature of 30 days above 32oF. February was mild with a two-day snowfall accumulation of 8 in. March had 8 in. of snow and 1.1 in. of rain.  Spring. There was 3.6 in. of rain in April. May was cool the first half, which slowed seed emergence and growth. Warmer temperatures occurred the last two weeks (80-90s). Total May moisture was less than one inch.  Summer. June and July temperatures were seasonal and dry weather was persistent. June total moisture was 1.0 in. July was the driest month (.2 in.). August total rain was 4.6 in., which rejuvenated soybean plant growth and pod development.  Fall 2004. September rains (2.9 in.) assisted soybean pod fill and increased seed size. Light frost occurred on September 20. October 15–18 harvest was slowed due to drizzle, rain, and snow. First heavy frost was October 22. Total rain for October was .2 in.  Acknowledgments The farm would like to thank the Practical Farmers of Iowa, the USDA, the Newell-Fonda School-to-Work program, the on-farm research staff, and the Newell Cooperative. 

https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1600&amp;context=farms_reports

Farm and Weather Summary Allee Demonstration Farm

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