Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Countrymen collect food during scavenger hunt: The Clay County Countrymen 4-H Club collected non-perishable food items for the Hope Lutheran Church food pantry last Sunday following their club meeting. After club members filled their bags full of non-perishable food items during a scavenger around town, they enjoyed making gingerbread houses to be displayed at the Everly Festival of Trees slated for Dec. 1-2. The group will also hold its annual bake sale Dec. 1 during the event, which will be held at the Hap Ketelsen Community Center.
AgState financial results up in 2023
AgState's fiscal year ending on Aug. 31, 2023, reflected net earnings up substantially over 2022 year-end results.
Total net income after-tax was $31.3 million in 2023 compared to $21.6 million in 2022. This reflected a 45 percent increase in net income. According to a news release, the AgState board felt it was important to share this success with members for the business they do with AgState.
Total cash paid to members will approach $9 million between the $5 million revolvement paid in September and the cash patronage to be paid in December. Despite the drought conditions in much of the territory, AgState was able to improve performance in a number of key categories. This success also supported the board's decision to approve $14 million to be reinvested into AgState facilities and equipment in fiscal year 2024. Additional information will be shared with members at the AgState annual meeting scheduled in December at the Little Sioux Event Center located in Cherokee. Member invitations are in the process of being mailed.
AgState is a locally owned and controlled cooperative with 425 full- and part-time employees among 35 locations in northwest Iowa, including Hartley and Royal. AgState provides products and services to local producers in grain, agronomy, feed and energy.
2024 Paint Iowa Beautiful grant now open
Keep Iowa Beautiful and Diamond Vogel recently announced the 2024 Paint Iowa Beautiful program is accepting applications. The program provides free paint for a wide variety of community projects throughout Iowa. Diamond Vogel provides the paint, and Keep Iowa Beautiful administers the grants.
In the 21-year partnership with Keep Iowa Beautiful, Diamond Vogel has awarded 12,750 gallons of paint for over 1,400 community projects in Iowa.
Iowans can now complete and submit the online grant application. Applications are due by Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. Access the Paint Iowa Beautiful application at: https://keepiowabeautiful.org/grants-scholarships/grants/paint-iowa-beautiful/
NWI fishing report
Most area water levels are a few inches below crest. Water temperatures were in the mid-to-low 40s last Thursday. Angling for multiple species of fish in the Iowa Great Lakes has been good. Shoreline wader fishing has been good. Some courtesy docks are still in place.
East Okoboji Lake: Black crappie, fair. Use minnows and plastics. Bluegill, fair. Most fish have moved deeper; anglers can find success fishing from docks or shore. Use a small hook and piece of worm. In deeper water, use pilkies with wigglers or a slip bobber setup. Walleye, fair. Yellow perch, fair. Sorting will likely be needed.
Scharnberg Pond: Rainbow trout were stocked Nov. 8. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.
Spirit Lake: Wader and shoreline fishing have been good. Water levels are 9 inches below crest.
Black crappie, good. Use minnows and plastics. Many nice-sized fish have been seen lately. Bluegill, good. Fishing is good from docks; use a small hook and a small piece of worm. In deeper water, use pilkies with wigglers or a slip bobber setup. Walleye, good. Minnows work well. Wader fishing off shore has been good. Yellow perch, good. Good numbers can be found; may need to sort for size.
Manure, pesticide applicator reshow deadlines set
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in Lyon, O'Brien, Osceola and Sioux counties has set the deadline for end-of-year manure and pesticide reshows.
Manure or commercial pesticide applicators needing to schedule a reshow at a local county Extension office must plan ahead this year. The final date of the year to view reshows at the Orange City, Primghar, Rock Rapids or Sibley Extension offices is Thursday, Dec. 21. No reshows will be done after that date.
To schedule a reshow call (712) 957-5045 in O'Brien County or (712) 754-3648 in Osceola County. Questions can also be directed to those numbers.
