Professional Documents
Culture Documents
U
Michael Streif
West Union
Next Generation
SepIember 25, 2013
C-2 Wednesday, September 25, 2013/The Fayette County Union - FARM
I
ts hard to take the farm out of
the boy, especially when time
spent in the countryside of
northeast Iowa continues to
provide the growing young man
with some of his favorite experi-
ences.
Since he was a toddler, Mi-
chael Streif has enjoyed helping
mix feed or riding a tractor along-
side his father, Todd.
Whether sitting in a combine
or doing other feldwork, I en-
joyed doing anything that allowed
me to be out on the farm, smiled
the now 16-year-old. Actually,
one of my favorite memories was
when my dad was employed with
Bushmans Custom Farming, and
I would be allowed to go see him
packing silage in the Cedar Rap-
ids area. Sometimes I wouldnt see
him for a week, and being able to
go down and spend time with him
was a lot of fun.
Michael said it was around the
time he was in the second or third
grade that he became actively in-
volved with farming alongside his
dad and grandfather Mike Streif.
Tose early duties mainly included
mowing and calf chores.
In later years he would help
merge hay during baling time and
run the grain cart. By eighth grade,
he and his cousin Tyler Nydegger
(now an Iowa State University
freshman) would help milk dairy
cows on weekends at Streif Farms,
located just southeast of West
Union. Currently, the two cousins
Embracing a family tradition
By Mike Van Sickle
mvansickle@thefayettecountyunion.com
FAMILY TRADITION
Continued on C-3
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eentt
Michael Streif
West Union
John & M
egan Schroeder
Castalia
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West Union
With the lifelong support of family members, including (back, l-r) his grandfather Mike Streif, father Todd Streif, great-grandfather Dale Halverson,
and grandfather Kent Halverson, Michael Streif is eagerly anticipating the opportunity to farm full-time. (Mike Van Sickle photo)
Wednesday, September 25, 2013/The Fayette County Union - FARM C-3
are in their second year of farming
their own 18 acres of cropland in
rural Wadena.
Each year I have been given
the opportunity to take on another
job, more responsibilities, said
Michael, explaining that he now
helps at planting, spraying, and
combining time.
Te son of Todd and Heidi
While talking with his great-grandfather Dale Halverson (left) and grandfather Kent Halverson, Michael Streif
sits aboard the Oliver 880 tractor he restored just last year. The Oliver was originally owned by Dale. (Mike
Van Sickle photo)
Among Michael Streifs his rst duties on the Streif Dairy Farm was calf
chores. (Mike Van Sickle photo)
(Halverson) Streif, Michael gives a
great amount of credit to his dad,
grandpa Mike, grandpa Kent Halv-
erson, and great-grandfather Dale
Halverson for instilling a strong
work ethic in him.
Each of my parents and
grandparents have worked very
hard for what they have, and they
have stressed those beliefs in me,
said the grandson with admira-
tion.
Dad has taught me pretty
much everything about crop pro-
duction, including what chemi-
cals and fertilizers to use, he ex-
plained. Grandpa Mike takes a
great amount of pride in how he
maintains the well-kept appear-
ance of the entire farm. He takes
great pride in what he has and
what he works for.
At the same time, Great-
Grandpa Halverson has taught me
that working hard will get you a
long ways in life, Michael added.
And Grandpa Halverson has al-
ways told me to do what you need
to do and that he will always be
proud of me.
Although he is confdent he
will someday become a farmer,
the North Fayette Valley junior
noted that each of his mentors has
stressed his need to go to college,
in case of needing an alternate
career in the future. One thing re-
mains for certain: Te degree he
seeks will defnitely be ag-related.
I like being outdoors, and it
(farming) is defnitely rewarding.
Its especially gratifying when you
work so hard and experience a
good harvest or raise a good live-
stock herd, he explained.
For other young people con-
templating a farming career, Mi-
chael shared, I believe a person
will really have to want to do it in
order to be successful. You have to
be reliable, committed to agricul-
ture, and need to care for it.
You will defnitely need the
support of family and friends, and
FAMILY TRADITION Continued
FAMILY TRADITION
Continued on C-4
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Ph. (563) 422-7733
Clermont, IA
C-4 Wednesday, September 25, 2013/The Fayette County Union - FARM
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if the opportunity is there, take it,
he stressed.
Growing up under the wings
of a supportive family himself, the
aspiring farmer acknowledges an
ever-growing admiration for ag
producers of the past, today, and
the future.
Michael Streif looks forward to following in the footsteps of his father, Todd (right), and grandfather Mike in
becoming an Iowa farmer. (Mike Van Sickle photo)
By the eighth grade, Michael Streif (pictured)
and his cousin Tyler Nydegger would help
milk dairy cows on weekends at Streif Dairy
Farm near West Union. Michael and Tyler
now both farm together approximately 18
acres of cropland in rural Wadena. (Mike Van
Sickle photo)
FAMILY TRADITION Continued
From the driveway of his familys
home, Michael Streif has a close-
up view of his grandfather Mike
Streifs dairy herd and farm just
southeast of West Union. (Mike Van
Sickle photo)
Wednesday, September 25, 2013/The Fayette County Union - FARM C-5
For a safe harvest, be extra careful and
stay alert for hazards. .
Keep an eye out for overhead power
lines and electrical equipment on and
under the ground.
Be especially careful with tall equipment
such as combines and grain augers.
We want you to have a safe & productive harvest.
rst!
Look Up, Look Down, Look Up, Look Down, Look Up, Look Down,
Look O Look Out!
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture
Bill Northey recognized Century
and Heritage Farm families during
a ceremony at the 2013 Iowa State
Fair. To qualify, a Century Farm
family must have owned at least
40 acres for 100 years or more.
Meanwhile, a Heritage Farm fam-
ily must have owned the property
for 150 years or more.
Tis year 365 Century Farms
and 67 Heritage Farms were recog-
nized at the annual ceremonies.
Qualifying Fayette County
farms included Heritage Farm re-
cipients Margaret l. Foxwell, and
Paul D. and Mary A. Foxwell.
Century Farm recipients from
Fayette County were Harold
and Linda Bowman, Dean and
Nancy Franzen, Lenius Country
and Home/Loyce Bunn, Barbara
Oldenburg, Dale Schrader, and
Larry D. Scott.
It is a great pleasure and dis-
tinct honor to help recognize these
farm families that have owned the
same farm for 100 or 150 years. It
is a testament to the values of land
stewardship, hard work, patience,
dedication and perseverance that
are found in Iowas farm families,
said Northey.
Te program acknowledges
the deep roots of Iowa agriculture
and the special bond that exists be-
tween Iowa families and the land
they farm, he added. Te Iowa
State Fair is a celebration of Iowa
and Iowa agriculture, so its a great
place to recognize the Century
Farm and Heritage Farm recipi-
ents.
Te Iowa Department of
Agriculture and Land Stewardship
has partnered with the Iowa Farm
Bureau Federation since 1976 to
2013 Fayette County Heritage/Century Farm recipients
Dean and Nancy Franzen, rural Fort Atkinson Century Farm recipi-
ents (Courtesy photo)
Craig Hill, president
of the Iowa Farm
Bureau Federation,
congratulated Barbara
Oldenburg on her rural
West Union farm be-
ing named a Century
Farm. (Courtesy photo)
recognize families that have owned
and worked a farm for 100 years or
more. Including this years recipi-
ents, 17,851 farms from across the
state have been recognized.
Te Heritage Farm program
was started in 2006, on the 30th
anniversary of the Century Farm
program, and now 650 farms have
been recognized.
Craig Hill, president of the Iowa
Farm Bureau Federation, and Joe
Heinrich, vice president of the
Iowa Farm Bureau Federation,
joined Northey in recognizing this
years award recipients.
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Wednesday, September 25, 2013/The Fayette County Union - FARM D-7
This is one of the many sensors in the greenhouse that let the computer
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Once plants leave the nursery, they are placed into
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D-8 Wednesday, September 25, 2013/The Fayette County Union - FARM
W
hat began as a sim-
ple retirement proj-
ect for Erling Bilden
has become a tasty
treasure the entire community can
enjoy. Afer nearly 10 years of in-
vesting in their backyard, on Sept.
22 Erling and Mary Bilden will be
opening their apple orchard to the
public for the very frst time.
Weve been taking the apples
to the farmers market and selling
them to Valley Schools for the past
few years, but weve never opened
it up like this before, said Bilden.
Erling began the project near-
ly a decade ago, jumping in with
no prior experience, very little
education about how to produce
an apple orchard, and with no ex-
pectations for how his little apple
orchard may one day enhance the
community.
Afer struggling in the begin-
ning, Erling took a class through
Iowa State University on how to
care for the trees.
If I had to do it again not
that I would try again at my age
I would learn a little more before I
jumped in, he chuckled.
Since taking the class, the
trees have produced an abundance
of apples. As we walked through
the orchard, branches flled with
juicy ripe apples sagging toward
Orchard to provide
a taste of autumn
By Shalee Hanson
Contributing Writer
Erling and Mary Bilden
are excited to welcome
the public to the very rst
opening of their apple
orchard on Sept. 22 and
the Barn Board Factory on
Oct. 5 and 6. (Photos by
Shalee Hanson)
the ground surrounded us.
Te apples, however, arent
the only project the Bildens have
been working on. As we toured
the rural Elgin farm, Mary ofered
to show me what she referred to as
the Barn Board Factory. Inside
the various sheds and trailors on
the farm there were mountains
of crafs made out of refurbished
barn boards.
Ive always wanted to live in
an old barn, thats my dream, Mary
admitted. Te couple laughed as
they told me Marys dream barn
house isnt in the cards for them.
It is Ron McCartney that Mary
blames for her new favorite hobby.
Well, I found out he was tear-
ing down an old barn on his land
and told him not to do it, and
then he called me the day before
and said if I wanted to come pick
through the barn before it came
down, I had better get over there.
pple
Bildens
BILDENS APPLE ORCHARD
Continued on D-9
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