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Newsletter |
November 2008
General Manager's comments
By Alan Doubrava
I announced, at the October 22, 2008 annual meeting, my intentions to retire from The Ellsworth Coop at the end of the fiscal year, April 30, 2009. I have been employed at the coop over thirty-three years and am privileged to have been general manager over twenty-eight years.
The Board of Directors has begun the succession process and will select someone to be the new general manager in a timely, professional manner. The board has been very supportive of me over the years, something I certainly appreciate. I have no doubt they would allow me to stay on longer; however, I feel now is a good time for change. I have the next several months to thank the people I have worked for and with over the many years and share the many changes we have seen over the last thirty plus years.
Thank you and please do your business at The Ellsworth Coop.
2008 Annual Meeting
The 94th Annual Meeting of The Ellsworth Coop was held on October 22, 2008 at the American Legion in Ellsworth. Close to 200 members and guests attended the dinner followed by the business session.
Sales for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2008 were $19,400,000 with earnings of $989,000. The terms of board members Ernest Jezek, Jr. and Gary Kratky expired. Kenneth A. Schepmann of Holyrood and Benjamin Vague of Ellsworth were elected to fill the two positions. Chairman of the board of directors, Alan Pflughoeft, presided over and conducted the meeting. Alan Goldsby, CHS Crop Nutrients, discussed domestic and global fertilizer issues.
AMPRIDE
Your Ellsworth Coop Ampride was recently awarded the Circle of Pride Award as part of the Cenex Retail Excellence Daily Evaluation Program. Ampride was evaluated with high marks for both site appearance and customer service.
The Circle of Pride Award recognizes commitment exceeding retailer and customer expectations with well-managed, professionally presented facilities and service. Congratulations to Store Manager Deb St. Clair and her staff for a job well done. TEC
Farm supplies
By Dave Svaty
Seed —
The test plot results are being finalized. Take time to compare results to determine which varieties might excel. Starting advancements are occurring in seed genetics. Why not take advantage of the information available? With just a small increase in a yield, the correct seed choice becomes significant. Seed costs will be up in 2009 so be ready for the increase.
Wheat —
Take care of seed wheat left on your truck. Remember, integrity starts with you, the grower. Treated kernels of wheat as well as contamination from rodents and birds are totally unacceptable. We are the start of the food chain and we must remain vigilant in all we do.
As the wheat emerges and prepares for winter, please examine your fields for weed pressure. Dow Chemical has a new grass herbicide for wheat called Power Flex. In plots, excellent results were achieved throughout the Wheat Belt. Power Flex enables a more flexible rotation scheme. As with all grass herbicides in wheat, a fall application is preferable. There has been an allocation for Power Flex herbicide since supplies are limited. Currently we have enough Power Flex for 800 acres.
Some important facts about Power Flex are: Never use amines or Dicamba as adverse reactions may occur. Ester and DuPont wheat herbicides like Finesse may be tank mixed. Application rates are 3.5 oz. per acre with an additional 1.5 lbs. of AMS per acre. One to two quarts of surfactant per 100 gallons of solution are required. Up to 30 pounds of nitrogen may be applied with Power Flex. If you use nitrogen, you can eliminate the AMS.
Olympus still remains a viable option for grass problems. A fall application is preferred.
To encourage fall applications, all applications made before the first of January will receive a dollar off the application rate per acre. Please consider your needs and take advantage of this offer.
Many of you are planning on top-dressing your winter wheat. Please keep us informed of your plans and needs so adequate products may be secured.
Soil testing —
Soil testing always makes good sense. Call us before the winter freeze up and get your soil testing done. The results of many of the soil tests done so far show a need for lime. One possible source is Quartzite of Lincoln. The particle size and ECC are variable, but you may feel the freight costs offset the difference in product uniformity.
Fencing supplies —
For your winter fencing projects, we have a good supply of posts and wire. In stock now are 8 X 8 creosote posts and 6 X 10 creosote posts. Come see us for your fencing needs.
Feed mill —
In the feed mill, we have settled on a formula which will deliver a quality product of 20% all-natural protein range cubes. The cubes consist of corn gluten, wheat middlings, sunflower meal, soybean meal, molasses, and vitamin A. These cubes are available in both bulk and bags.
Protein tubs are selling fast and continue to be a good alternative to cubes. They make a nice supplement
to feed cattle grazing milo stalks or native range grass.
20% all-natural protein MLS
$80.00/200 lb. tub
17% all-natural protein Land O'Lakes
$84.00/225 lb. tub
25% all-natural protein Land O'Lakes
$93.00/225 lb. tub
30-13 Land O'Lakes
$88.00/225 lb. tub
New on the floor is an MLS tub for horses. It sells for $65.00 and is especially formulated for horses.
Our pellet mill has been kept busy with making custom cubes. Dry grain is a must for cubes to be made. The quality of grain is also critical. Do not expect excellent cubes from dirt and chaff. Do expect to be billed for increased wear and depreciation of equipment and employees. We continue to make 5/8 inch cubes on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and 3/16 inch pellets on Thursday and Friday of each week.
Pet Food —
The following special prices are good through Christmas:
Bites and Bones Dog Food
$20.50/ bag
Country Acres Cat Food
$21.00/ bag
Country Acres 27% Dog Food
$20.50/ bag
Happy Hound Dog Biscuits
$3.30/ bag
As cooler weather approaches, more of you will consider feeding song birds. Remember, we are an excellent source for all of your bird feeding needs. We hope to bag our own sunflower seeds so call us for a current price.
Thank you for your continued support and may you experience a great Holiday Season. TEC
The Petroleum Department
Winter is on the way and we have begun winterizing diesel fuel at the pumps and for farm deliveries. Again this year we are using a fuel conditioner instead of blending with No. 1 distillate. The high cost of the No. 1 distillate makes the conditioner much more cost effective. Treating with the conditioner proved to be satisfactory last year.
If you carried over some summer grade diesel and plan to use it this winter, be sure to call us and have it winterized before the weather gets cold. Once the fuel gets cold enough to reach the cloud point and gels, it will have to be warmed to dissolve the wax crystals present in all diesel fuels.
The majority of winter fuel problems stem from moisture and contaminants in the fuel rather than from gelling. Moisture or water turns to ice and clogs fuel filters resulting in the same symptoms as fuel gelling. Condensation can be substantially reduced by keeping storage tanks and tanks in vehicles and equipment full of fuel, especially during times when daytime and nighttime temperatures vary. A little preventive maintenance can go a long way toward reducing winter fuel problems.
Filters on storage tanks and engines should be replaced twice a year. Make sure one of those times is in the fall prior to cold weather. Old filters have served their purpose by filtering out water and contaminants from the fuel. Water will cause filter paper to swell reducing the porosity of the filter thus restricting fuel flow during cold weather. Ice crystals and gelling are the number one and number two problems encountered with winter diesel fuels. A fresh filter will allow the winter fuel and additives to work more efficiently.
Know what you are buying! You may think you are buying regular unleaded gasoline when, in fact, you may be getting a product that contains ethanol. Since ethanol costs less, some fuel retailers may be tempted to load up gasoline with ethanol and be able to sell at a lower price, or make a wider margin on each gallon sold. Whether you are buying fuel at one of your Ellsworth Coop's fueling centers or for farm delivery, you can count on getting what you pay for. The stickers on the E-10 pumps tell you that the fuel contains 10% ethanol and you can be sure the regular unleaded pumps contain no ethanol. The choice is yours to make.
Are your vehicles ready for winter?
We suggest having us do a full service of your vehicles before winter sets in. We can check them from bumper to bumper, change the oil, filters, check the fluid levels, test the antifreeze, check the belts and hoses to be sure they are in good condition, etc. We'll also make sure the lights are all working.
The battery is called on for extra duty this time of year. We run heaters, lights, windshield wipers, defrosters, and other electrical equipment more during the winter. With cold, stiff oil in a cold engine more power is required for starting. Let us check the battery in your vehicle and if it is weak, we have quality batteries with a good warranty for just about every possible application.
Tires with good tread are essential during the winter months. The safety of you, your family, and the others with whom you share the highway is at stake. Come in and let us show you the tires we have to offer.
Of course, we have a good line of automotive chemicals such as starter fluid, windshield washer fluid, antifreeze, gas line antifreeze, etc., etc. See us for all your winter supplies. We appreciate your business. TEC
The Ellsworth Co-op
P.O. Box 397, 100 North Kansas
Ellsworth, KS 67439-0397
Officers and Directors
Alan Pflughoeft Chairman
David Weber Secretary/Treasurer
Allan Grothusen Director
Robert Kubick Director
Karl Meyer Director
Kenneth A. Schepmann Director
Benjamin Vague Director
Alan Doubrava President