Hall of Fame Agribusiness Person of the Year

Judi Wright (left) accepting her Hall of Fame Agribusiness Person of the Year plaque from Lucas County Farm Bureau President, Danielle Van Ryswyk (right).

Judi had worked for LCFB for 40+ years as administrative assistant before retiring in the fall of 2011.  She and her husband Jim live on 300 acres in Russell.  She credits much of her success at Farm Bureau due to the love and support of her husband. 

Judi and Jim both are long time LCFB members, Jim joining in 1954 and Judi as soon as they married in 1958.  While having not actually farmed for several years, they still enjoy putting in a large garden and mowing their huge yard.

Congratulations and welcome to the Lucas County Farm Bureau Hall of Fame!

Evans Garden In 2012 Garden Tour

Marilyn and Butch Evans' residence was one of five places featured on this year's Master Gardeners and Friends Garden Tour, which was held Saturday, June 23.  All of the plants in this yard compliment the large white house with blue shutters.  The lawn is immaculately maintained and is completely weed free.  You feel very welcome as you drive up to this home along the driveway lined with spiraea shrubs, some pink, some red, and a couple of white.  Marilyn started gardening when Butch was working nights and she needed something to do.  Her garden kept expanding and eventually wrapped around the house until she ended up with the garden you can see on this tour. 

Cross and Andrews Gardens

The Andrews and Cross residence is one of the five on this years Garden Tour.  These sisters use the many shades of green hostas' to create a mood in their gardens that is cool and refreshng, at the same time warm and cheerful.  They have placed their many kinds of hostas with contrasting sizes next to each other to make them look bigger or smaller.  They have used flower color from other perennial plants like purple cone flowers, deep orange tiger lilies, red border lilies, day lilies and even an Easter lily to contrast with the hosta leaves to create visual appeal for their entire hosta landscape.  The trees around the yard are big so they have a lot of shade, which is perfect for hostas.  They don't require a lot of work showing that old people can still have a yard and be able to take care of it with just a little time in the early mornings or late afternoons.

Steve and Patty Smith Welcome Garden Tourists

Steve's garden is very secluded behind tall bushes that offer only a very small opening to see through.  You might have mistaken the three "people" standing in the garden as the Smith's, but in reality they are the garden's "scarecrows" (as some people call them).

Steve and Patty's property takes up half a city block plus another six surrounding acres of mostly natural habitat, with the exception of a few paths for Patty to walk the dogs.  The yard, flower and vegetable gardens, and resident home, surrounded by the tall hedges and woods, provide for an exceptionally tranquil atmosphere.  The vegetable gardens, planted from seeds nurtured in the small greenhouse, are well tilled.  The flower gardens are planted all around the property and are converstation pieces in themselves.

Steve has a clever way of watering some of the flowers with terra cotta colored pots that are stacked in a way that water only needs to be placed in the top one and the water trickles on down through the other pots and thus water is used over and over on its way down.

He has a turtle enclosure and a pond for colorful koi that Steve keeps heated in the winter so the water stays warm enough if the pond is iced over.  The koi are kept company by small artificial alligators, snakes, frogs and turtles.  There is a rock garden nearby. 

The next time you travel down Smith street, at the big white house (used to be a funeral parlor years ago), peek through the tall bushes and wave at the three characters standing in the beautiful garden.

Farm Bureau News June 15, 2012

LCFB Board members ready to serve the evening's meal during the county annual meeting.  Pictured L-R:  Dan Harrison, Carl DeJong and Brian Beaty.

Jimmie and Donna Narber Celebrated their 50th Anniversary

Donna Reynolds and Jimmie Dean Narber celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on June 16, 2012.  They were married at the Russell Methodist Church in Russell, Iowa.  Please join their children Conn and Karen Narber, Shannon and Vicki Narber, Heidi and Kent Richter, Tiffany and Todd Johnson and 12 grandchildren in celebrating with a card shower.  Cards may be sent to Jim and Donna Narber at 1524 Stagecoach Road, Grand Island, Neb.  68801.

Chariton Municipal Airport Ribbon Cutting

This nearly completed fabric art by Russell resident, Meg Prange, will be completed and one of the items unveiled after the Chamber of Commerce sponsored ribbon cutting set for 7:45 a.m. at the terminal building at the Chariton Municipal Airport Saturday morning, June 16, just prior to the pancake breakfast and other scheduled events.

Community 1st Anniversary Celebration

SCICF Grants Awarded

Paul and Clarice Smith Celebrated 60th Wedding Anniversary

Paul and Clarice (Dixon) Smith were united in marriage 60 years ago at the First Baptist Church in Russell, Iowa. Greetings and congratulations may be sent to 3167 Highway S56, Promise City, Iowa  52583.

Lucas County Area Council of Beta Sigma Phi Awards Two Checks