Hay Bales to host playgroup; Corn harvest advances in Iowa

Hay Bales to host playgroup

The Hay Bales 4-H Club meet at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 31 at the Jefferson County ISU Extension Office, with four members present.

Vice president Rachel Shaw led the meeting. Treasurer Ethan Tillis gave the treasury report. Minutes from the last meeting were not available.

The group agreed to host a Parents As Teachers playgroup at 5:45 p.m. Oct. 24 in the Jefferson County Fairgrounds Activity Building. The playgroup will have a fall theme, so members can dress up in bib-overalls and straw hats, but no scary Halloween costumes. The members volunteered to bring pumpkins and cookies to decorate.

The 4-H?ers will be baking the cookies at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 23 at leader Janice Shaw?s house. When the cookies are done, they will have a bonfire and roast hot dogs and marshmallows. Members should bring snack foods to share.

Aaron Shaw will give a presentation while the club is baking cookies. Ethan Tillis, Carrigan Haile will give presentations during the September meeting set for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the extension office.

The leader reminded members that their record books are due Wednesday. Anyone who does not turn in a record book will not be eligible to win prize money from events at the 2012 county fair. She also reminded everyone that award forms were due.

The leader also told members to bring photos, newspaper clippings and other items to work on the club?s history/scrapbook in October.

The group sold hot drinks and 50/50 raffle tickets at the Collector Cars Unlimited car show Sunday.

Corn harvest advances in Iowa

DES MOINES (AP) ? The corn harvest in Iowa is under way with farmers focusing on getting storm damaged crops out of the fields first.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey released his weekly crop report Monday, saying this week?s sunshine will help dry the corn and let the harvest move forward.

He says some scattered soybean fields have been harvested but the harvest is a week away for most soybean farmers.

Sixty percent of the corn crop is mature, about one week behind last year but four days ahead of normal. Fifty-five percent of the corn crop is in good or excellent condition with just 16 percent being poor or very poor.

Sixty-two percent of the soybean crop is in good or excellent condition with just 12 percent being poor or very poor.