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Carroll R. Beall, 73, of Waukon died Sunday, November 26, 2017 at St. Vincent's East Hospital in Birmingham, AL. Funeral services were held Sunday, December 3 at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon with Pastor Kim Gates officiating. Burial with military honors was at Rossville Cemetery.

Carroll Ray Beall was born December 12, 1943 in St. Paul, MN, the son of Ray E. Beall and Opal Cecelia (Southwell) Hertrampf Beall. When Carroll was a small child, his family moved to the rural Waukon/Dorchester area. Right after graduating from Waukon High School in 1962, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving in the 2nd Battalion, 44th Artillery until honorably discharged in 1965. He worked with missiles and was stationed in Oklahoma and New Mexico, but was deployed for a while to Florida during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Barbara Ruth Hastings (nee Bray), age 85, left this earthly plane Sunday, November 19, 2017. The cause was a massive stroke.

Barbara's final gift was to donate her body to medical school so the physicians-in-training could learn from it. Her family will have a memorial at the time her ashes are returned in 12-18 months.

Barbara was born April 3, 1932 in Des Moines to Chalmer and Ruth Bray. She spent her 85 years positively impacting many lives. She was a great mother to five children, as well as a devoted military wife who moved her family in service to this nation seven times in 20 years. She was a caring friend and a compassionate, skilled Registered Nurse. Barbara was awarded the Meritorious Service Medical twice during her time in government service at the Fort Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital.

Alice J. Miller, 82, of Waukon, formerly of Dorchester, died Monday, November 27, 2017 at Northgate Care Center in Waukon. A prayer service was held Tuesday, December 5 at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon, with Rev. Lynn G. Groe officiating. Private family burial of ashes will be held at a later date in Iowa River Cemetery in rural Dorchester.

Alice Josephine Miller was born March 19, 1935 in Waukon, the daughter of Henry and Marguerite Gertrude (Blake) Larson. She grew up in the Dorchester and Waukon area, attending Bear Creek and Dutch Hill elementary schools in rural Dorchester and graduating from Waukon High School in 1953.

During high school, Alice worked for the Waukon Greenhouse for her room and board.

Shawn L. Nagel, 46, of Winona, MN, formerly of Waukon, died Thursday, November 30, 2017 at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, WI. A sharing time will be held Monday, December 11 at 5 p.m. at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon. Burial of ashes will be held at a later date in Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may call one hour before the services at the funeral home Monday.

Shawn Leslie Nagel was born March 25, 1971 in Waukon, the son of Raymond and Cheryl (Johnson) Nagel.  He graduated from Waukon High School in 1990 and attended NICC in Calmar for one year. Shawn worked for Waukon Harley-Davidson as parts manager at their locations in Waukon, La Crosse, WI and Winona, MN. He has been a resident of Winona, MN since 2007. Shawn loved spending time in the outdoors especially fishing, hunting and trapping.

Constituents of the Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) have continued to ask questions of the district's board of directors in regard to the board's consideration of the future of Waterville Elementary School. The ACSD Board of Directors is scheduled to ultimately make a decision on the future of the school at its Monday, December 18 regular board meeting.

The board has also scheduled a pair of work sessions prior to that December 18 regular meeting, each of those work sessions being scheduled for other purposes needing to be addressed by the board but also offering the opportunity for board members to further discuss any Waterville Elementary considerations. Those work sessions have been scheduled for this Thursday, November 30 and again Tuesday, December 12, both starting at 7 a.m. and both being held in the board room in the school district's administrative office area accessible through the Waukon Middle School front entrance.

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that “they” say REM sleep is important for health, and REM sleep is determined by whether or not the sleeper dreams. Well, my sleep is often interrupted, but I do dream a lot, and sometimes the dream is more like a nightmare.

Witness Saturday night after Iowa’s disappointing football loss to Purdue. Not only did Iowa lose, Purdue beat them like a drum ... maybe even that big drum the Purdue band features.

Things looked hopeful for Iowa after they defeated THE Ohio State a couple weeks earlier.

Iowa State won again.

And I read a story that noted that Iowa State’s new president heads the state’s largest public university.

So in my nightmare, the school at Ames was being referred to as THE Iowa State University, and the school in Iowa City was simply labeled Iowa University, just as Ohio University is treated in that state.

Purdue was not considered to be a very good team.

by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148

Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• December 4: Last day to return COC election ballots for eligible producers in LAA 2 
• December 15: Report acreages intended to be used for forage and pasture in 2018
• December 15: Sign up for or opt out of the 2018 Margin Protection Program

County Committee Election
Producers in Ludlow, Jefferson, Post, Franklin, Linton, and Fairview Townships should have received their county committee voting ballots last week.  The last day to return completed ballots to the FSA office is December 4.  If you’re an eligible producer in one of these townships, please be on the lookout for your ballot.  Committee members are a critical component of FSA operations.

by Sara Berges,
Allamakee SWCD

The recent cold winds that have been blowing and snow that will soon be flying might get you thinking about the need for a windbreak. Windbreaks not only help to reduce wind speed, but can control snow drifting, provide wildlife habitat and create an aesthetic appeal. Reduced wind speeds can provide monetary benefits by reducing heating costs for homes or confinement buildings.

REAP cost-share is often available through the Soil and Water Conservation District office and will pay 75% cost-share up to $1,500. However, funds are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, so you may not receive funds the same year you apply. Keep in mind that the maintenance length for cost-shared windbreaks is 20 years.

by Sara Berges,
Allamakee SWCD

With fungicide application to any crop, it is important to select opportunities where the probability of economic return is greatest. Iowa State University has conducted six years (2012-2017) of research looking at the economic and yield impact of fungicide application to alfalfa. Harvest schedules followed a four-cut system.  On average, first crop provided a higher percent yield response to a foliar fungicide application than for later crops.   This is because spring usually favors alfalfa diseases due to higher rainfall and there is higher yield potential for first crop than for later crops. In dry years, disease incidence was low and application of fungicide provided little yield response and often resulted in an economic loss. 

Agricultural lenders and suppliers, producers and policymakers grow nervous when commodity prices, input costs, farmland values and lease rates become volatile says Melissa O’Rourke, Farm and Agribusiness Management Specialist for Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach. “Add in weather variables and there is plenty of excitement to manage for the 2018 farming year.”

That’s why O’Rourke recommends that all producers and ag professionals in the region attend a Pro-Ag Outlook Forum December 8 in Decorah.

“Iowa State University agricultural economists cautioned farmers to be prepared for a downturn in commodity values and land,” notes O’Rourke. “Especially in light of these continuing conditions, we’re offering opportunities for producers and ag business professionals to get updated information to help make decisions that need to be made during the post-harvest period,” says O’Rourke.