Agricultural Science

Roadblocks coming down on rec trail progress (09/23/08)
The completion of the 9-mile recreation trail around Le Mars is on the horizon after being pushed back more than a year. The walking and biking trail, which stretches from the south near Wells' Dairy's corporate campus north beyond the little league ball diamonds, then east around the golf course, still has a segment to be completed...

Students use five senses on area farm tour (09/23/08)
They came by the busload. Students from area schools experienced fun on the farm last week during the annual Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Tour. Children from Le Mars Community, Gehlen Catholic, Remsen-Union and Remsen St. Mary's had a chance to visit four farms to learn about agriculture in Plymouth County. The students were from the third or fourth grades, depending on which school they attend. They were divided into four groups that traveled from one farm to the next...

Hinton School Board steps closer to using eminent domain (09/22/08)
Last week Hinton School Board members moved forward to possibly try to obtain agricultural land through eminent domain by scheduling a public hearing in November. "It's a necessary step before we would be able to actually pursue the possible use of eminent domain," said Robert Held, Hinton School Board president...

Le Mars native to speak on behalf of National Education Association (09/19/08)
A Le Mars native who is now president of the National Education Association will be speaking in West Des Moines at the end of this month. Dennis Van Roekel, who was elected to the position in July, will be talking at an IowaPolitics.com forum about the November election and answering questions educational issues...

Trail paves the way for recreation (08/08/08)
Delores Lancaster regularly walks on a recreation trail looping around Le Mars. And she's not the only one. People jogging, walking, biking, exercising dogs, in-line skating -- all use the trail. Even though it isn't complete yet, officials are working to finish its final section, which will complete the nearly 9-mile circuit...

Cloudy weather may affect Perseid meteor shower show (08/08/08)
Weather conditions in the area may not be ideal when the Perseid meteor shower makes its big show during the evening and early morning hours of Aug. 11 and 12 in the local area. A look to the northeast sky on the late evening of Monday, Aug. 11 and the early hours of Tuesday, Aug. 12 will give area residents the best time to view the famous Perseid meteor shower at its peak. After the moon sets around 2 a.m., meteors should be more easily visible until dawn...

Livestock numbers steady in fair entries (07/21/08)
There will be a lot of hooves, paws and bird feet on the Plymouth County Fairgrounds for the 2008 fair which opens Wednesday. "Our numbers are steady and a couple of areas are up," said Carol Schneider, ISU Extension Education Director and fair board member...

Plymouth County Fair is 'The Best Five Days of Summer' (07/21/08)
The 2008 Plymouth County Fair, billed this year as "The Best 5 Days of Summer" opens Wednesday with a full slate of activities and shows than runs through Sunday evening. "You hear all summer long about the price of gas going up," said Terry Reuter, fair board president. "We hope people will plan the Plymouth County Fair as their main destination this summer."...

Farrer says fair is five best days of summer (07/16/08)
When you think of livestock at the Plymouth County Fair, rabbits and poultry may not be the steer or swine you were imagining. Thirteen-year-old Grady Farrer would disagree. The owner of rabbits, chickens and pheasants, Farrer believes that poultry and rabbits are where the real livestock shows occur...

Feller's hard work yields promising future (06/05/08)
This is the third story in a series looking at what plans and dreams local members of the graduating class of 2008 hope to pursue. At 6:30 in the morning, most high school graduates are only concerned with one thing -- sleep. While they study the inside of their eyelids, Brandon Feller is hitting his alarm clock and getting dressed for a full day of work on the farm. ...

Teacher's actions credited with saving student's life (05/28/08)
Vicki Borchers saved 7-year-old Andrew Cummings life. That's what Andrew's parents, Colleen and Gary Cummings believe. When the Le Mars boy was admitted to St. Luke's Hospital in Sioux City May 19, Andrew's blood sugar had spiked into the 500s -- normal blood sugar levels are between 75 and 110...

LCS middle school principal hired (05/16/08)
The Le Mars Community Schools board of education approved the hiring of a new middle school assistant principal for the 2008-09 school year. Christopher Schmit, a middle school instructor at Waterloo, was recommended from the candidates interviewed for the position. He will replace Amy Johnson, who resigned the position this spring...

High-tech eye image machine way of keeping 4-H'ers honest (04/29/08)
A new retinal image machine that takes a picture of an animal's eye made identifying lambs easier as 4-H'ers prepared for this year's Plymouth County Fair. On Saturday about 46 4-H exhibitors brought their lambs to the fairgrounds to be identified, weighed and tagged...