DES MOINES, Iowa – Burning a cleaner fire in wood stoves or fireplaces over the winter months is helpful to the health of Iowans, and also to the state’s climate, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Alison Davis, a senior adviser in the EPA’s Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, says a good way to burn the hottest and most efficient fire is to use only dry, seasoned wood.

“The reason this is important is that dry wood burns more completely, and that benefits you in two ways,” she explains. “One, you get more energy out of the firewood, because it burns more of the actual wood itself. And the other is, the fire then produces less smoke.”

It’s also suggested that to maintain proper airflow and efficiency, regularly remove the ashes from your wood burning stove or fireplace. Davis adds that wood smoke produces fine particle pollution, which can be harmful to human health.

“When you breathe in air that has fine particles in it, it can penetrate deep into the lungs where it can harm the heart, the blood vessels and the lungs,” she stresses. “Fine particles are linked to heart attacks, strokes.” In addition to particle pollution, there’s also the danger of smoke filled with toxins or harmful chemicals if certain materials end up in the fire.

So, the EPA advises never burning such items as plastics, foam and other garbage, or wood that’s been coated, painted, or pressure treated.

(Iowa News Service)

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is encouraging Iowans who are looking for a post-holiday getaway to consider a weekend in a state park cabin. The DNR’s Jim Lawson says there are nine state parks and one state-owned resort that have cabins available for use in the winter. “The amenities range anywhere from our camping cabins, which are heated and use alternate restroom facilities, to the more modern cabins at Honey Creek Resort, which has an indoor water park nearby,” Lawson said.

Sherburne House at Springbrook State Park near Guthrie Center.

The four cabins available for rent at Pine Lake State Park in Eldora include built-in fireplaces and two have attached bedrooms. There’s a large house available at Springbrook State Park near Guthrie Center, while other cabins scattered around the state are small and don’t include much more than an electric heater and a futon. “Prices vary quite a bit according to the area, but they can range from several hundred dollars a night at the resort…to just 35-dollars a night for our camping cabins,” Lawson said.

“We try to have a certain percentage, in some cases just one cabin in an area available, that will accept pets,” Lawson said. Many of the state park cabins are available for reservation just a few weeks in advance. In the summer, those same cabins are often fully booked many months ahead of time.

(Radio Iowa)

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – People who want to become experts in managing and training horses can now take an online course from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Iowa State University. The master equine manager program offers comprehensive training for people involved in the horse industry.

UNL Extension specialist Kathy Anderson says the program focuses on quality horse care and responsible horse ownership. The course costs $325 for adults or $250 for youths. More details are available online at www.extension.iastate.edu/masterequine .

MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa (AP) — DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge is reopening all public roads to allow ice fishing access on DeSoto Lake. When conditions permit, DeSoto Lake is open to ice fishing from Jan. 2 through the end of February each year – the time period between the fall and spring bird migrations. Anglers must determine for themselves whether the surface ice is thick enough for safe fishing. A general guideline is a minimum of 4 inches of clear and solid ice for foot travel and ice fishing.

If there are waterfowl using the lake in January and February, ice fishing may be barred from small areas of the lake. DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge sits 25 miles north of Omaha, Nebraska, on U.S. Highway 30, between Missouri Valley, Iowa, and Blair, Nebraska.

Officials with the Cass County Conservation Service said Friday (today), there has been a change of venue for Saturday’s  “Soiree with the Swans.” The event, which was to have been held at the Schildberg Quarry Recreation Area, will instead take place at the Atlantic Public Library.

You’re invited to join Cass County Naturalist Lora Kanning for the Soiree with the Swans event in Atlantic, on Saturday, January 3rd. Lora will be giving ten-minute presentations regarding the Trumpeter Swans at the Atlantic Public Library from 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. with a light lunch available.

Hot chocolate, cookies, Sandwiches, and other snacks will be provided free of charge with donations being accepted (for swan care).The event is being sponsored by the Cass County Conservation Board, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the Atlantic Public Library.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is describing 2014 as a year of big challenges, big issues and big accomplishments for farming. The former Iowa governor says one of the biggest challenges for farmers and ranchers was the effect of supply and demand on markets and prices. A smaller supply of pork and beef led to higher prices and some consumers turning to other food choices.  “And a bumper crop of other commodities brought the prices from fairly high levels down to levels that could potentially trigger some of the safety net programs at USDA in terms of the Farm Bill,” Vilsack said.

Those other commodities that dropped in price included two of the biggest crops in Iowa — corn and soybeans. One of the bigger accomplishments and challenges of 2014 was implementing the new Farm Bill. Vilsack believes the USDA did a remarkable job of instituting so many of the complex provisions of the new law.  “Starting with the Disaster Assistance Program….now 465,000 producers receiving over 4.2 billion dollars of assistance. The development of the dairy margin protection program. The new safety net programs. The agricultural risk coverage program. New crop insurance opportunities for specialty crops,” Vilsack said.

One of the good things about the Farm Bill, according to Vilsack, was the way it got passed. “It underscores what can happen when people are willing to compromise, when people are willing to find middle ground as we were able to work with Republicans and Democrats on both sides in the House and in the Senate to try to ultimately get this bill done and the President signed the bill in February of 2014,” Vilsack said.

The Ag Secretary believes President Obama’s executive action on immigration this past November could help farmers keep the workers they need. Vilsack estimates it will impact up to 400 thousand individuals who are working in agriculture. As for 2015, Vilsack says trade will be critically important for creating new and expanded opportunities for U.S. agriculture and rural America. Those opportunities include, Vilsack says, gaining access to huge, growing and lucrative Asian markets that represent one third of all world trade.

(Radio Iowa)

The Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources reports a one-day workshop focusing on nutrient reduction strategies to improve local drinking water supplies will be held Wednesday, Jan. 14 at the Oakland Community Building, 614 Dr. Van Zee Road beginning with registration starting at 8:30 a.m.

The day-long session, targeted primarily for landowners and those involved with supplying drinking water, will focus on strategies that can be used to manage nutrients and improve soil health that meet both agricultural and water quality goals as well as what members of local communities can do to protect drinking water supplies and public health through collaboration with the agricultural sector.

Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey will be the keynote speaker at a free lunch which is being provided. Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP to the Golden Hills RC&D before Jan.
7, by calling 712-482-3029 or by emailing michelle@goldenhillsrcd.org

The event is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Heartland Co-op, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Iowa State University Extension, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Soybean Association, the Farm Services Agency, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa American Water Works Association and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

For more information, contact Rebecca Ohrtman at Iowa DNR, 515-725-8332.

w/ Kate Olson

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Cass County: Corn $3.66, Beans $9.79
Adair County: Corn $3.63, Beans $9.82
Adams County: Corn $3.63, Beans $9.78
Audubon County: Corn $3.65, Beans $9.81
East Pottawattamie County: Corn $3.69, Beans $9.79
Guthrie County: Corn $3.68, Beans $9.83
Montgomery County: Corn $3.68, Beans $9.81
Shelby County: Corn $3.69, Beans $9.79
Oats $2.75 (always the same in all counties)

The Cass County Extension is offering Farm Bill Computer Lab workshops to help local residents get the most out of online decision-making tools using current farm data and price projections to help guide their decision making regarding programs and options available through the new Farm Bill. Officials say participants in the workshops will be asked to bring certain farm data, enter that data into online decision tools, choose anticipated price scenarios and evaluate possible outcomes based on program choices. Participants should be able to increase their confidence when making choices regarding base reallocation, yield update and farm bill program selection for farms.

Workshops in Atlantic are scheduled for Thursday, January 8th and will be held at Iowa Western Community College in Atlantic. Classes will meet in the computer lab, and computers will be supplied for all participants. Currently, there are two available workshop times on the 8th- an afternoon session from 1-4 PM, and an evening session from 6-9 PM. Tim Eggers, ISU Extension Field Agricultural
Economist, will be on hand to explain the decision tools and walk participants through the data entry and price selection options. Workshops are scheduled for three hour time slots, but some participants may need less time than this, depending on the number of farms entered and the number of scenarios run.

Pre-Registration is required at least 2 days in advance by calling 712-243-1132. Registration is limited to the number of computer workspaces available, so please register early to save your seat. There is a $5 fee required for registration to offset program costs. Please call the Cass County Extension Office or email keolson@iastate.edu<mailto:keolson@iastate.edu> with any program questions.

Additional Farm Bill Computer Lab workshops in Southwest Iowa are scheduled at Southwestern Community College in Creston on Wednesday, January 7th or at Southwestern Community College in Red Oak on either Wednesday, January 14 or Wednesday, January 28. For more information, or to register for these sites, please call 877-596-7243.