Food And Drink

Clay County collector, retrofitter farms with 'working antiques' (10/03/08)
When Lindell "Pete" Petersen began combining Monday night, he was excited to also initiate the process of familiarizing himself with a new implement. The Clay County farmer, who had traded his combine in two months ago, was recently told his former piece of equipment is now harvesting crops in Mexico...

Ambassadors visit JT Toads (10/02/08)
Jim and Loretta Schooley welcomed the Spencer Ambassadors to their new business, JT Toads at 521 Grand Ave. Jim said the business has a goal to provide the best coffee beans that Iowa has to offer. The business is a micro-roaster, importing beans from around the world, using all organic beans, free from flavoring or chemicals. ...

Competitive markets group to host fair event (09/11/08)
A shrinking number of seed companies has some lawmakers and industry groups concerned about escalating costs in the seed industry. State Rep. Marcie Frevert of Emmetsburg is one of the hosts for an event titled "Taking it Back: Bringing Fairness and Competition Back to the Seed Industry for Our Farmers."...

ISU Extension Connections at the Clay County Fair (09/05/08)
The public is invited to make an ISU Extension Connection during the 2008 Clay County Fair, Sept. 6-14. Visit the Ag Learning Center (Stub's Stable Building) just west of the small animal barn and connect with ISU Extension staff from northwest Iowa. ISU Extension Field Specialist and County Directors will be on hand to share information, answer questions, and visit with you about what ISU Extension can do for you...

BatschStein Salsa to add zest to fair (09/04/08)
Iowa's "fine home-made" BatschStein Salsa is now a limited liability corporation. Company founders Ethan Batschelet, 18, and Tyler Steinkamp, 20, began making their Clay County-based concoction when they amassed an extra-bountiful harvest of vegetables in 2006. Today's fine-tuned BatschStein Salsa recipe comes in mild, medium, hot and "super nova" varieties. The duo estimate they've prepared 600 pint jars of salsa between this spring and late summer...

Farm expo planned at Iowa Lakes Community College Farm Lab (09/04/08)
The Farm Lab of Iowa Lakes Community College will host its annual Farm Field Day and Expo on Thursday, Sept. 4. All area residents, as well as past alumni of Iowa Lakes, are invited to tour the Palo Alto Corn and Soybean Growers Association plot, various agricultural exhibits and the Farm Laboratory starting at 4:30 p.m...

4-H non-livestock projects displayed at the State Fair (09/03/08)
The following Clay County 4-H members had non-livestock projects selected to represent the county at the Iowa State Fair. The exhibits were judged in Des Moines and exhibited throughout the run of the event. They will also be on display at the 4-H Exhibit Building at the Clay County Fairgrounds during the Clay County Fair...

ISU Extension Connections at the Clay County Fair (09/02/08)
The public is invited to make an ISU Extension Connection during the 2008 Clay County Fair, Sept. 6-14. Visit the Ag Learning Center (Stub's Stable Building) just west of the small animal barn and connect with ISU Extension staff from northwest Iowa. ISU Extension Field Specialist and County Directors will be on hand to share information, answer questions, and visit with you about what ISU Extension can do for you...

OCM to host event at Clay County Fair (08/29/08)
LINCOLN, Neb. -- The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) is sponsoring a major event to raise awareness about concentration of market power in the seed industry and the impacts on rural Iowa. The event, "Taking It Back: Bringing Fairness and Competition Back to the Seed Industry for Our Farmers," will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11, in the 4H building at the Clay County fairgrounds in Spencer...

Briefs 8-29-08 (08/29/08)
A retirement coffee for Elmer Williams, city of Spencer street superintendent, will take place from 2-4 p.m. today in council chambers at City Hall. --- The Photography Department will be accepting entries from 12-7 p.m. today and from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30. The photography department is now located just east of the Pork Producers Chop Shop and directly south of the outdoor horse arena. Pre-registration is encouraged...

Cookies for camp (08/29/08)
Members of the T.T.T. Society, Chapter BP -- including, from left, Fae Lykke, Lorraine Lamport, Audrey Thiessen, Bonnie Foust, Gayle Simons, Carol Hansen and Marla Woelber -- gathered in the kitchen of Sacred Heart Church recently to bake 22 dozen monster cookies. ...

Clay County Growers annual field day (08/29/08)
Following a steak dinner, the 2008 Clay County Growers' "field day" featured Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey, Iowa State University College of Agriculture Dean Dr. Wendy Wintersteen, Dr. Palle Pedersen, an ISU soybean specialist, plot manager Dave Hessman and Paul Kassel, an ISU Extension area agronomist, as speakers Thursday evening in the Clay County Regional Events Center. ...

National Anthem tryouts for Corbin Bleu concert (08/27/08)
Friday, Sept. 12, National Anthem tryouts for area high school students will be held in the 4-H Auditorium during the Clay County Fair. The winner of the competition will perform the National Anthem before the Corbin Bleu and Drew Seeley concert on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m...

Briefs 8-19-08 (08/19/08)
The Iowa Great Lakes Region Antique Automobile Club will be on display through Sunday, Aug. 24 at the Southpark Mall in south Spencer. Car enthusiasts and history buffs will enjoy this display. On Aug. 24 The Hands of Harmony Swinging Seniors will be entertaining us at 2:30 p.m. Come enjoy the display and entertainment...

Briefs 8-13-08 (08/13/08)
St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Hartley, is sponsoring a community-wide benefit for the family of Jan Hall to help defray medical bills incurred during Jan's battle with illness. The free-will dinner and auction will be held at the Hartley Community Center on Thursday, Aug. ...

Briefs 8-12-08 (08/12/08)
Losing a loved one is indescribable to someone who has not felt the loss of death. Hospice of Northwest Iowa's professional team understands the tragedy of losing a loved one and they identify with the difficult decisions and emotions that the person left behind faces. To help people cope with the death of a loved one, Hospice of Northwest Iowa is offering an 8-week Understanding Grief Support Group. The group will meet each Wednesday evening through Sept. 24 from 6:30-8 p.m...

Harkin in Spencer Thursday (08/06/08)
U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa has included Spencer in a series of stops in northwest Iowa during the August recess. The Cumm-ing Democrat will host a "Moving Iowa Forward-Cafe Stop" at 8:15 a.m., Thursday at Family Table restaurant in Spencer. The public is invited to attend...

Briefs 8-06-08 (08/06/08)
Losing a loved one is indescribable to someone who has not felt the loss of death. Hospice of Northwest Iowa's professional team understands the tragedy of losing a loved one and they identify with the difficult decisions and emotions that the person left behind faces. To help people cope with the death of a loved one, Hospice of Northwest Iowa is offering an 8-week Understanding Grief Support Group. The group will meet each Wednesday evening through Sept. 24 from 6:30-8 p.m...

Soybean producers invited to Everly event (08/05/08)
Interested farmers from Crop District 1 in northwest Iowa are invited to hear from two Iowa State University (ISU) experts at a special event sponsored by the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) and the Iowa Pork Producers Association on August 19. The event, which is part of ISA's All in a Day's Work program, will feature ISU Climatologist Elwynn Taylor talking about crop weather in 2008 and beyond and Professor of Economics Dermot Hayes on balancing food and fuel and the prospects for pork exports...

Jack and the Beanstalk opens July 8 (07/09/08)
In this age-old story, Jack and his mother are struggling as prices and taxes rise. During Jack's search for help he climbs an enormous beanstalk and discovers a giant's world! Jack must rescue the singing harp and goose that lays golden eggs before the giant discovers him...

Local church sees impact of Angel Food Ministry (07/01/08)
First Christian Church Spencer impacts over 230 different families in the second month of the Angel Food Ministry. Each month people have the opportunity to buy a box of groceries for $30, groceries which would ordinarily cost more than double that amount at the store. ...

Briefs 06-21 (06/21/08)
Farmer's Market Wednesdays and Saturdays The Spencer Area Farmer's Market will be held every Wednesday and Saturday, from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., in the Southpark Mall parking lot. Come see the homegrown, fresh produce for sale. Mercy Me to headline northwest Iowa's RiseFest...

Meet Your Neighbor: Chef Overbeck 'can't foresee doing anything else' (06/06/08)
Josh Overbeck answers to "Josh," "Joshua" if his mother says it, and "Chef." The 25-year-old has spent more than half his lifetime working in kitchens, fine-tuning his culinary skills. "I've been in kitchens pretty much all of my life," said the Northwood native who moved to Dickinson County four years ago. "I started as a dishwasher, moved up to a fry cook, then to a line cook, and have been running my own kitchen."...

Gabrielle Louise Trio to appear in Spencer (06/04/08)
The Gabrielle Louise Trio, a Colorado-based Americana band featuring award-winning songstress Gabrielle Louise, will close the season's Spencer House Concert Series beginning at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 15. The concert will take place at the home of Martin Arthur, 323 E. Fourth St., Spencer...

Living History Day to highlight Father's Day events at Parker (06/03/08)
Bring the family to Parker Museum from 1-4 p.m., on Father's Day, June 15 for an afternoon of family fun at Living History Day. The afternoon will feature displays and hands on activities about the Amazing Grain--Corn. Admission to the museum grounds will be $5 for adults and $3 for children 5-12 years, 4 and under are free or a family admission of $15...

2008 Clay County Pork Producers scholarships awarded (05/30/08)
The Clay County Pork Producers recently awarded eight high school seniors with scholarships totaling $4,200. These scholarships, which are awarded at the beginning of the second semester of college, were awarded to: Heather Clark, the daughter of Steve and Jolene Clark of Hartley. She is a graduate of Clay Central/Everly (CCE) High School and plans to attend the University of Northern Iowa and major in biology...

Clay County teens tantalize taste buds with BatschStein Salsa (05/29/08)
Don't even try to get Tyler Steinkamp and Ethan Batschelet to tell you what the secret ingredient in their salsa is. The two 18-year-old Clay County residents won't disclose the special ingredient that gives their Batschstein Salsa (a combination of their Swiss and German names) its special taste...

First Christian Church impacts 146 families with food ministry (05/29/08)
Just a short while ago the congregation of First Christian Church realized their need to make a better effort to offer outreach and evangelism in their community. After watching food prices dramatically increase, and after learning from their local school district that as many as 42 percent of students were on free and reduced lunches, they decided that Angel Food Ministries was right for them...

Chamber tops in beef eating (05/22/08)
The Spencer Chamber of Commerce team, made up of Chamber president Craig Wampler and Dan Heissel took top honors in the Clay County Cattlemen's Beef Eating Contest, held Tuesday at the Clay County Regional Events Center, in conjunction with the Business After Hours event hosted by the Cattlemen and Cabernet Catering. ...

Helpful tips on how you can lose weight and keep it off (05/20/08)
Losing weight seems to be everybody's goal. We all want to look better, feel healthier and ward off illness. However, for most people losing weight is a huge struggle and keeping it off is an even bigger problem. Research shows that almost 95 percent of repeat dieters fail and ultimately regain any weight they initially lost...

Briefs 05-17 (05/17/08)
Kid's Fish Day The Upper Great Plains Muskie Club and Spirit Lake Kiwanis will be hosting a Kid's Fish Day from 1-3 p.m., today at the Spirit Lake Hatchery. The event is open to all kids, ages 6 and over. Kids 6-12 need adult supervision. A free afternoon meal of hot dogs, chips and pop is included. Free t-shirts to the first 100 kids registered by 2 p.m. Teaching stations will be set up on the hatchery grounds to present a wide range of fishing principles by area anglers...

County Growers Field planted (05/15/08)
One hundred corn hybrids were planted in the Clay County Growers Field earlier this month. This marks the 21st year for the corn plot. Projects other than the Corn Hybrid evaluation are a Planting Population study and the use of Fungicide on corn. The corn is on land owned by David and Jan Hopkins and farmed by Al Patten...

Carriers gather food for the UDMO pantry (05/14/08)
Spencer postal worker Ron Hanson loads his vehicle with food items collected Saturday as part of the community's annual Postal Carriers Food Drive. This year, the Spencer and rural carriers collected over 3,000 pounds of non-perishable food items and home products in rainy conditions. ...

Briefs 5-10-09 (05/12/08)
Johnson Elementary School and the Spencer Middle School are collecting pop cans to help defray medical costs for Beth Snow-Ketchum, a teacher at Johnson Elementary School. She has recently been diagnosed with cancer. Her husband, Mick is a wrestling coach and English teacher at Spencer Middle School. ...

Retirement coffee scheduled for May 14 (05/09/08)
A retirement recognition coffee recognizing 12 people will be held from 3:45 - 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 14 in conference room B of the Spencer Community School District's central office, 23 E. Seventh St. Those being recognized include: Maggie Nicks, Noreen Meyer, Joe Enderlin, Penny Goedicke, Jan Johnson, Pat Morisch, Betty Brennan, Becky Dettmer, Macrina Tesch, Mick Ketchum, Jo Ann Merrill and Alan Pierce...

Essick proud to join family farming operation (04/29/08)
(Women in Agriculture: Part One of a Four-Part Series) Stephanie "Steph" (Harves) Essick, who ranks among the nation's female farmers, doesn't view herself as an agricultural anomaly. Like many Midwestern youth, Essick and her older sister grew up on their Clay County farm riding the bean bar, cultivating row crops and hauling bales of hay...