|
|
The biggest and the bestThe biggest bull, boar, pumpkin and watermelon all were on display last week at the Iowa State Fair. It was quite an event, with over a century and a half of agrarian heritage as the foundation for a spinning, swirling and over-consumption festival and exposition that comes along in late summer each year. It is an agricultural imperative here to grow the largest of every species and proudly exhibit them in statewide competition. Our farm ancestors were modest folks, with great work ethic and few vices. They didn't brag about the life they lived or complain about the hardships they endured. They did like to compete in all sorts of ways and that seems to have been passed down through the generations. Raising champion livestock or growing big vegetables was admired and praised because it took dedication to do so. It was an outward expression of human qualities and that was deemed to be good. It is also fun, in a utilitarian enterprise like farming or gardening, to try to reach a level that none has attained. I cite, as my example, the community of pumpkin growers here in this fertile land between two rivers. For the past two years, I have been trying to grow a large pumpkin. This year, I had a little more fertility in the garden and encouragement of several growers who provided me with seeds and advice. In May, I planted and, in July, my pumpkin started to grow very rapidly. I contacted Don Young, the man who grew the largest pumpkin ever produced in Iowa (1,662 pounds) and asked if I could come over and get a small amount of insecticide and fertilizer. "Sure, Ken, come on over and I'll show you what I've got growing in the patch!" When I arrived, he inquired of my success with the big pumpkin and I proudly told him it was 20 days old and weighed about 120 pounds. "That's great, I've got one here that's about 30 days and the tape says it weighs 504." There is a certain shrinking of one's ego after a line like that but it was said without any hint of malice or condemnation so I took it as great encouragement. "I don't think I've got one big enough to win the state fair but I'm going for the fall weigh-in and hope this one will go 1,700." (How does he do it? A & L Labs soil test showed organic matter at 35.6 percent and phosphorous and potassium off the chart.) Sure enough, at the state fair weigh-in, the Young family, Don and Julie, greeted all their pumpkin-growing friends and helped to bring each entry to the scale, aided by a forklift. The winner was 1,099 pounds by Martin Schnicker from Mt. Pleasant. "I just like to grow anything jumbo" was his short response. Marty also had the biggest onion (3.2 pounds), kohlrabi (31 pounds) and was in the running for the biggest watermelon (exceeding 160 pounds) at the fair. The ultimate in this competition may have been in 1946 when Don Radda, from Washington, Iowa, set out to grow the tallest corn stalk in history. His daughter said he tied it to the side of the barn and tended it carefully. At fair time, he carefully cut it down and secured it for the 160-mile trip to Des Moines. It was measured at 31 feet. The record stands to this day, as this year's winner was 16 feet. To immortalize the feat, a replica of the stalk was made of steel and erected in the agriculture building. It exceeded the height of the second floor beams to which it was anchored. The stalk will stand permanently at the fairgrounds in Washington, Iowa, for public view and admiration. "Where one goes, others will follow." That seems to be the lesson of agricultural advancement in size or yield. Francis Childs, of Iowa, grew corn in excess of 400 bushels per acre; and Kip Kullers, of Missouri, grew soybeans that yielded over 150 bushels per acre. Both are viewed as super-human accomplishments but the bar was raised and the average grower challenged and encouraged. Overall yields march upward each year that Mother Nature gives us a chance to translate our technology and techniques into a tangible harvest. Records are made to be broken but friends are forever. When Martin Schnicker won the pumpkin contest, he was immediately the most popular guy around. His competitors shook his hand and hugged him with sincere admiration for his feat. He had his 10 days of fame as the monster fruit sat on display for thousands to view. The growers passed out seeds to the dazzled audience and encouraged them to give it a try. "You've got to be careful," I told a little girl as she selected a small packet of giant pumpkin seeds. "You need to get back quickly after you plant them, because they grow really fast!" Editor's Note: This is Ken Root's 35th year as an agricultural reporter. He grew up on a small farm in central Oklahoma and started his career as a vocational agriculture teacher. He worked in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri as a broadcaster and was the original host of AgriTalk. He has also been the executive director of the National AgriChemical Retailers Association in Washington, D.C. and the National Association of Farm Broadcasters in Kansas City. Ken is now the lead farm broadcaster at WHO and WMT Radio based in Des Moines, Iowa. He has been a columnist for HPJ and Midwest Ag Journal for eight years.
1
Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2011. High Plains Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com |
|
