Winter 1999
|
In this issue Iowa Institute for Public Leadership brings state officials together Extension strengthens low-resource families Modern Johnny Appleseed sows technology Kids dig in the dirt and grow in the garden
|
Modern Johnny Appleseed sows technology Talk to people in southeastern Iowa who have manufacturing enterprises on their family farms, and you get the feeling that Johnny Appleseed has an Iowa State University Extension counterpart planting seeds of computer technology in that corner of the state.
From customized golf cart fabrication on Kevin Flander's farm southeast of New Sharon, to David Coontz's capos factory in Wayne County, to metal fabrication on the DeJong family farm north of New Sharon &emdash; fruitful enterprises are rising out of the southern Iowa soil in Dan Meyer's territory. Meyer, CIRAS business and industry field specialist for ISU Extension, travels around a 10-county area, helping aspiring farm manufacturers explore their options, putting them in touch with suppliers, helping them comply with federal regulations and, generally, encouraging them in their efforts. CIRAS is the Center for Industrial Research and Service, and is part of ISU Extension. In an area of the state where row cropping and livestock production have never been incredibly profitable, traditional farmers are exploring other means of staying on the family farm. A partnership between Indian Hills Community College, CIRAS and the Iowa Manufacturing Technology Center (IMTC) is giving them the tools, knowledge and contacts to make that a reality. Chuck and Cindy Derby's rural Albia business used Chuck's carpentry skills and his wife's marketing instincts to start a patio furniture company, Family Tree, in 1988. The business has grown from its simple beginnings in a two-car garage to the large-scale manufacture of deacon benches and wall clocks in a 40-by-80-foot pole barn. "We use native wood in our production and Dan is always helping us get the best supplies for our buck," said Cindy Derby. "He has a knack for seeing our faults and then helping us solve the problems. He helped us set up an effective assembly line to mass produce our benches and helped us with time studies to improve our efficiency." Chuck Derby said that Meyer's regular visits are always welcome, because he not only encourages them with each visit, he always has some advice for them, often times a new contact for them to make or a lead to follow up on. Their benches feature Chuck's carvings and have been featured in many country magazines, giving them national exposure. HCM Plastics, north of Fairfield, grew out of Jim Hammes' concerns that his hog operation and the city limits were growing ever closer with the expansion of the community. As he contemplated beginning a plastic parts manufacturing business on his farm, he worked with Meyer and the Iowa Plastics Technology Center to explore the feasibility of such an operation. Today, this Iowa farmer owns a successful business with the capabilities of molding a variety of plastic materials, and is part of a net-sourcing group. "I started by taking a course at Indian Hills for new business start-ups, and Dan has been my moral support the last four years," said Hammes. "He recently helped us set up a net-sourcing, where eight of us from different manufacturing areas work together to market and sell our products." Hammes said that some potential customers are hesitant to
order through a factory located in the rural area, until
they come to visit his plant. Every prospective customer who
has made the trip has placed orders with him, he said. |
