Fremont Farms

Fremont Farms of Iowa and Egg Nutrition

Fremont Farms — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 10:27:00 -0500

Fremont Farms of Iowa and Egg Nutrition

Fremont Farms of Iowa produces liquid egg used in a wide variety of foods. For many years there has been a debate as to whether or not eggs can be a regular part of a heart healthy diet. The American Heart Association has long recommended no more than 3-4 whole eggs per week; however recent studies suggest that an egg a day does not adversely affect a healthy individual’s cholesterol. In fact, eggs can be part of a nutrient dense diet. A single egg supplies less than 4% of the total calories that a normal person consumes based on a 2000 calorie per day diet.

Eggs are packed with many vital nutrients and minerals, making it one of the most nutrient dense foods available per calorie. Eggs also contain the most complete source of protein known to man. The protein in eggs contains some essential amino acids that the human body is unable to synthesize on its own. Research has also shown that a diet rich in protein and low in carbohydrates can stabilize blood sugar. This leads to less snacking in between meals and therefore leads to weight loss. It is believes that eating protein satiates your appetite longer than some high carb foods, also resulting in less snacking.

An average sized egg contains 5 grams of fat or less, the majority of which is unsaturated. Studies have shown that eggs can help you maintain or increase your “good” (HDL) cholesterol level. Also, eggs contain no trans-fatty acids which have been shown to contribute to certain health related problems. The fat that eggs do supply has been shown to increase the absorption of certain vitamins like A, D, E, and K.

Along with all of the other benefits of including eggs in your diet, recent studies have shown that eggs contain a relatively high level of choline. Choline was recently identified as being a nutrient that is essential to human health. It is required for normal functioning of brain tissue, memory, and plays a role in preventing heart disease. Also, lutein and zeaxanthin are two other very important ingredients in eggs. Both of these nutrients are known as carotenoids and have been shown to play a role in promoting vision and preventing some common causes of blindness.

All in all, eggs provide an excellent source of nutrition at an incredibly low price. Fremont Farms of Iowa is proud to offer a quality egg product that is used in many of the packaged foods that you find in your grocery store today.

Fremont Farms of Iowa wishes to thank the Egg Nutrition Center for providing most of the information in this article and for permission to reprint this material. For further information on egg nutrition, please contact the Egg Nutrition Center at 202-833-8850. The Egg Nutrition Center publishes numerous articles and information can be reached at http://www.enc-online.org

Area Farmers do business with Fremont Farms of Iowa

Fremont Farms — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 10:25:00 -0500

Area Farmers do business with Fremont Farms of Iowa

The following is an article that Fremont Farms of Iowa LLP has been given permission to publish by Larry Sears and the Pennysaver. Fremont Farms of Iowa purchases corn from Marty and Dustin Cummings, and in turn they purchase soil conditioner from Fremont Farms.

Soybeans remain an important crop for Marty and Dustin Cummings

By Larry Sears

Marty Cummings started farming in 1980 and went to a full partnership with his father, the late Marvin (Mike) Cummings, in 1983. They farmed the land (now a Century Farm) that had been owned by Mike’s father, Scott Cummings. Mike had purchased the farm across the road from the original farm in 1965 and that has become the headquarters for the operation.

Marty’s son, Dustin is now farming, too. He has purchased the house and Marty and wife Joy have moved to a house between Malcom and Brooklyn. Joy is employed at Verizon in Grinnell. Their daughter, Courtney, is a student at Marshalltown Community College.

Dustin has been farming since graduating from high school in 2002. He rents some land and has purchased machinery. He is dating Katie Lidtka, a registered nurse.

The headquarters farm is rented from Marty’s mother, Marilyn, who also has a house on the farm. Marty said, “She’s (his mother) our noon meal person. She brings meals to the field for us.”

Last fall additional grain storage was added and the grain drying system was updated. That allowed them to store about 80 percent of the corn crop. Soybeans and the remaining 20 percent of the corn were delivered to Heartland Co-op in Malcom.

Corn from storage is delivered with their own semi-tractor and trailer to Fremont Farms for use as chicken feed.

Yield prospects

“Compared to last year, I would say it’s going to be 20 bushels, maybe 30 bushels short on corn,” Marty said. “I look for beans to be the same, if not better. We’ve been out in the fields and yields are ranging from 160 to 185 on corn. Beans – nobody can tell you that. I have more pods this year than a year ago.

“There is quite a bit of disease showing up. Sudden death syndrome and cyst nematodes are showing up on bottom ground.”

On one of Dustin’s farms they had some rootworm damage in corn following beans. Even though aphids were below threshold levels, beans were sprayed to eliminate corn rootworms as well as aphids.

Concerning soybean marketing, Marty said, “We’re 50 percent sold already, up to our federal crop yield. We usually start in January, sometimes in December.”

Chicken manure is used as fertilizer. “That way we can cut back on nitrogen use,” Marty said. “It goes on bean stubble in the fall. We try to work it in lightly. Some fields we can’t on account of cover. It’s pretty good stuff. There is a lot of organic matter. Any natural fertilizer is better than commercial.

“Virtually all of our farms are grid sampled. Fremont doesn’t have a set-up to put fertilizer on that way. When the elevator (Heartland) spreads fertilizer for us, it’s all put on where it needs it.”

Soybeans are planted in 15-inch rows with a Kinze planter. Half of the soybeans are no-tilled and the other half is minimum tilled. All of the soybeans are Roundup Ready. Usually they are sprayed once preplant and once post.

“This year we got by on most of ours with just one pass on ground that we had tilled. We hit it once with the field cultivator and planter and that took care of that weed flush and then sprayed them later on. That took care of them.

Brazilian beans

“As everyone knows, they are going to be number one,” Marty said, speaking of the Brazilian market. “My broker says it’s tough for farmers there to get capital. They can hardly pay last year’s bills. Prices are down and crop yields were down. They are paying 30 percent interest.”

Though Marty has looked into alternatives to corn and soybeans, 100 acres of hay is the only other crop that is grown as a cash crop. “We try to seed down some of our rougher ground and give it a rest. The last two years it has been profitable,” he said.

Marty believes that soybean genetics are lagging behind corn in development of plants resistant to disease. That should be the major focus of seed producers in the near future.

Cost of nitrogen, which Marty said has more than doubled in two years, is a major concern. Escalating fuel prices will boost the cost of many inputs in addition to the fuel used for planting, harvesting and drying. He predicts that cost per acre of inputs will increase by $50 to $75.

“I feel sorry for the guys in eastern Iowa and Illinois,” Marty said. “They not only are contending with low prices, they are contending with hardly any yield.”

When Marty started farming they were feeding 600 to 700 head of beef, but now feed only 40 head per year. On the concrete slab where silage was once stored, a new machine shed is being built. “I just hated to see that cement go to waste,” he said.

Fremont Farms of Iowa used this story from permission from the Pennysaver published in Poweshiek County, Iowa.

Fremont Farms of Iowa Stimulates Local Farming Economy

Fremont Farms — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 10:22:00 -0500

Fremont Farms of Iowa Stimulates Local Farming Economy

In 2003, Fremont Farms of Iowa LLP began purchasing corn directly from farmers in Poweshiek and surrounding counties. Prior to that time, Fremont Farms purchased corn through local elevators rather than directly from farmers.

Millions of bushels of corn are purchased every year which has stimulated the local farming economy. It is estimated that since Fremont Farms of Iowa began buying corn from local farmers, the price of local corn has gone up at 3 to 5 cents compared to what it would have been otherwise. This is a significant economic boost to farmers in the region. In addition, tens of thousands of tons of soybean meal are purchased every year. This adds to the growing demand in Iowa for soybeans.

Fremont Farms purchases no. 2 yellow corn including GMO corn. Additionally, there is usually no wait to unload at the feedmill with one bay dedicated to corn unloading. Fremont Farms of Iowa also offers a variety of contracts to meet the marketing needs of our producers. These include cash grain bids contracts, basis contracts, deferred payment, and multi-month delivery contracts. The company is also open to discussing creative contractual arrangements that are beneficial to both parties involved.

Fremont Farms of Iowa Fun Egg Facts

Fremont Farms — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 10:14:00 -0500

Fremont Farms of Iowa LLP
Fun Facts About Eggs

- Eggs age more in one day at room temperature than they do in a week if refrigerated.

- To make easy to peel hard boiled eggs, allow the fresh eggs to age for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator before boiling.

- The average hen will lay about 245 eggs per year.

- The older a hen gets, the larger her eggs become.

- About 240 million laying hens produce approximately 5.5 billion dozens of eggs per year in the United States.

- Egg yolks are one of the few foods that naturally contain vitamin D, which is essential for building strong bones (it helps the body absorb calcium).

- A hen requires 24-26 hours to produce an egg.

- Hens with white feathers and earlobes produce white eggs, and hens with red feathers and earlobes produce brown eggs.

- If you poke a small hole in the shell of an egg before boiling, the egg will expand inside the shell so that your cooked hard boiled egg does not have a flat bottom.

- It is said that an egg can be stood on its narrow end during the spring equinox. Although some people have experienced success, this theory has never been proven because it might just be a peculiarity of that particular egg.

- To see if an egg is raw or hard boiled, spin it. A raw egg will wobble and a cooked egg will spin freely.

- If you accidentally break an egg on the floor or a counter top, sprinkle it heavily with salt for easy clean-up.