Erica Grell understands that some people might be surprised to see that she owns a roofing company. “It can be a little complicated sometimes,” Grell said from the office of Grell Roofing, 2125 Lainson Ave. “People see me in a male dominated field and judge and maybe assume I don’t ...
RODMAN — Many will never understand the relationship between a farmer and his land. The sweat, blood, and hard work a farmer and his family put into making a living off the land and passing a legacy on from generation to generation. Five generations have lived and worked on the farm. ...
DES MOINES — Nothing compares to the Iowa State Fair, where larger-than-life attractions capture fairgoers’ imagination. The enchantment extended to the Youth Inn this year, where fairgoers could watch a new documentary film recalling how a 520-acre “card” planted in a northern Iowa ...
Just inside the door at I a Shoppe in downtown Fort Dodge is an antique telephone that was made in Fort Dodge by Monarch Telephone MFG Co. Further into the building are other items made in Iowa, ranging from flower arrangements and jewelry to candles and jams. It’s all part of Laura ...
STORM LAKE — The Lenhart family’s farm continues to add more generations to occupy the land, 108 years after it was purchased. It all started on March 2, 1911 when Frank and Sarah Lenhart purchased 160 acres near Storm Lake. The current owners of the farm, Pat Lenhart and his brother ...
Hopes for a more positive World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE) report from the USDA were crushed on Monday when the planted corn acres estimate wasn’t lowered to expectation. “This has been a long awaited report from USDA ever since the acreage estimate for corn at 91.7 ...
Chris Staley, of Webster City, has always had a love for design. “I have been doing something in the art field my whole life,” Staley said. “I have been drawing since I could pick up a pencil.” He added, “I literally took every art class available through school.” And ...
The Messenger has donated $5,000 to the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance. The money came from proceeds of the All About Greater Fort Dodge publication sales. All About Greater Fort Dodge features information on businesses, industry, housing, schools, health care and other elements of the ...
LAKE CITY — It probably seemed like more of a nuisance than a serious threat when Charles Acklin scratched his skin on barbed wire one day early in 1927. But after this Lake City-area farmer contracted a tetanus infection from his injury and passed away at age 44 on March 18, 1927, nothing ...
Whether you are a landowner looking to rent your ground or a farmer looking to expand your operation, the land leasing process could get a little easier with help from a new company that has recently expanded its services into Iowa. Started in 2017, Tillable is an online marketplace that ...
Helping customers find shoes that fit perfectly and meet their unique requirements has been the mission of Brown’s Shoe Fit, 210 S. 25th St, since the enterprise opened for business locally in July 1996. Craig Jarrard, the Fort Dodge store’s owner-manager, said being focused ...
AUBURN — More than 40 years ago, Jeff Frank faced one of the most pivotal decisions of his life. This 1977 Lake View-Auburn High School graduate had an extraordinary opportunity to play college basketball, but there was something else — something big—influencing his choice. ...
ELLSWORTH — “This is just like a feedlot underwater,” said Paul Skartvedt, as he gestured toward rows of huge fish tanks that are inside a new aquaculture facility on the edge of Ellsworth near Interstate 35. What looks like a long row of greenhouses is four acres under roof. The two ...
Over the past several years, the emerald ash borer has been wreaking havoc among ash trees in not only Fort Dodge, but across the state of Iowa. An invasive pest originally from Asia, the emerald ash borer burrows into ash trees, where it can eventually lead to the tree’s death. But ...
HUMBOLDT — When the history of a farm is being discussed, it doesn’t take very long before the discussion will shift to family history as the history of farms and families are very much entwined. The history is usually recollections of distant memories. Ron Collins farms the land owned ...
DALLAS CENTER — The old question of which came first—the chicken or the egg—has a novel answer in the form the new Dr. Henry A. Wallace Farm, which opened recently near Dallas Center. This state-of-the-art poultry facility reflects a significant investment by Hy-Line International ...
The revitalization of historic downtown buildings in Fort Dodge has continued along Central Avenue, near City Square Park. Lifestyles Furnishings, owned by Dave Madsen and managed by Aaron Tighe, has undergone extensive renovations to its arched facade on the north side of the structure, ...
WEST BEND — Michael Bonnstetter arrived in Kossuth County in 1865, according to his great-grandson Larry Bonnstetter, of West Bend, who lives on the Heritage Farm with his wife Donna. In itself, his arrival is not very unusual. It is the route he took getting there that is ...
DES MOINES—It seems like a typical neighborhood in a city. Cars zipping busy on a busy thoroughfare. The aroma of burgers wafting from backyard grills at nearby homes. But there in the middle of all that activity is an oasis, a greenspace filled with row after row of vegetables. Welcome ...
It’s common for some workers in the Fort Dodge area get about 30 minutes for a lunch break, according to Brandon Farrand, part owner of The Grub Hub. And Farrand, who knows firsthand, said oftentimes those workers don’t have that many different food options available to them. “I ...