This is a Blog site created by Bob Reed (in Florida) for folks who live--or used to live--in Marcus, Iowa. Its purpose is to exchange notes, news, remembrances, and thoughts about life in and about Marcus, or news about one's family, friends or acquaintances.
I have always loved pop song titles that tell a succinct story. Like the country western ditty, “How Can I Miss You If You Won’t Go Away?”
And in researching a new show, I ran across a bunch of tuneful titles, written during the last century, that mirror the times in our town. Here are a few of them:
• Way Down in Iowa, I’m Going to Hide Away (1916) (Written by some Easterner with a bad sense of direction)
• Keep Down Your Skirts Mary Ann (1925) (Was this about Mary Ann Culhane, one of the town’s supposed flapper during the roaring ‘20s?)
• She Lived Next Door to the Firehouse (1931) (Who could that have been?)
• I Like Bananas Because They Have No Bones (1936) (Johnny Clarkson is said to have used this sales pitch at the grocery store during the depression)
• The Waiter, the Butler, and the Upstairs Maid (1941) (Supposedly about Mrs. Mable Edmonds’ domestic staff)
• I Said My Pajamas and Put on My Prayers (1950) (Allegedly written in honor of a night out at Flanagan’s Tavern in that year)
And the good citizens of Marcus reached back to past tunes to express their sentiments in the singing of these songs in later years:
• A Woman Is Only a Woman, But a Good Cigar Is a Smoke (1905) (Brought back and sung at church gatherings and antifeminist rallies at the Municipal Building in the ’60s )
• If Money Talks, It Ain’t on Speaking Terms with Me (1902) (Resurrected and warbled at a meeting of the patrons of the Farmers State Bank in 2008)
and finally
• My Home Town Is a One-Horse Town, But It’s Big Enough for Me! (1919) (Revived and sung at a recent meeting of the Town Council)
Gray Matters: All good things Margaret Dorr Wednesday, June 10, 2009
According to a familiar saying, one with which we would often like to disagree, "All good things must come to an end." We are experiencing such a situation here in western Cherokee County right now. Things are changing at Sand Seed Service, a long-standing institution in our business community. Oh don't misunderstand, this many-faceted company will continue to be one of our major industries.
What is "coming to an end" is having a member of the Sand family as manager of the organization, for it has recently been announced that Stan Remington from Palco, Kansas, has been hired to take over their active general management.
Frank Sand, son of Luxembourg immigrants, came to the area in 1881. John, his eldest, was the founder of the company. He raised his first commercial seed corn in 1936, while working for the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture as a federal corn loan inspector.
He was also one of the men responsible for bringing soybean seed into the county. John had opened a small seed store on Main Street in 1934, from which today's company grew.
In 1946, with sons, Merle, Bob, Ray, Paul and son-in-law Bill Horstmann, the seed service was established at its present site. Although the seed business has been the backbone of the organization, it has expanded over the years to include many other agricultural services.
Following John's death in 1956, his son Merle became manager. He presided over their vast expansion and development for thirty years. When he elected to step down in 1983, his son Chuck took over as general manager, and his daughter, Kathy Sand Ogren, became comptroller. Their brothers, Ed and John, along with several long term employees have assisted in the business operations and management over the years.
The company's progress was not without set-backs. Devastation hit on April6, 1984, when fire destroyed their newly-remodeled seed-conditioning tower, the office, bulk storage bins, and part of the bag-storage warehouse. In keeping with the indomitable spirit that characterized it, the company decided to rebuild. With the help of the entire community, area fellow seed dealers and countless hours of extra effort by their dedicated employees, they were back in full swing within ten months' time.
There have been many changes, both in construction and operation, since that time. Through it all, members of the Sand Family have remained as leaders.
Now, though they will continue to be actively involved, none is actually the manager. We are certain that, set on its firm foundation, Sand Seed Service will continue to serve the agriculture needs of an ever-widening area.
Still, the fact that, after three generations, a member of the family is no longer the manager will take a bit of getting used to for many of us. Proof once again, I suppose, that all good things do, indeed, finally come to an end.
Wish I heard those cattle on the north side of town now like we did growing up back in the day. Those calves sure were loud when they brought new ones into the Sand cattle lots but it was always fun to hear them on the edge of town
To add to Bob's tunes list: If you've ever been to a Marioke, you've heard of this famous take on Jimmy Buffet's infamous anthem ... "(Wastin' Away in) Marcus, Iowa."
Yeah, we're still searching for that last shaker of salt ...
"All good things must come to an end." Sand Seed Services will be in good hands. Mr. Remington was an outstanding citizen in Palco, Kansas for many years. Not only did he run the local elevator, he was also the president of our school board. This is a man that takes great pride in his boys, job and community. He is one that all in the community will come to respect and know that he is always there to talk to in any event. So, when you say "All good things must come to an end" you are so right. The Remingtons left town bright and early this morning to head north. And a very good thing has come to an end in our community as well. Take care of them and treat them well.
Can they play basketball?? You bet they can! As for track, well... You will have to ask them to give up their love of Rodeo in order to run track. These fine young men that Stan is raising have followed in their fathers footsteps to chase a bigger love of Rodeo. They are some amazing team ropers. And don't cross them off the list just yet, for not being PRCA. Give them a few years under their belts and they will surely be headed to Las Vegas for the Nationals. And the older three boys are only setting fine examples for their little brother. As for others in the community wishing to head your way, well, we lost a lot of students this past week due to moves, and being a little 1A school, we cant afford to send any more of our fine citizens your way. They alone will show you what a fine community they have come from, and their father will show you what a great father does with his sons.
Awesome news that the Remington boys can play basketball. We have a nice/good new coach and we need some talent. Hopefully they will help our community get back to the glory days of basketball and we can go win the conference again real soon.
TODAY'S Sioux City Journal....BOB JONES.........what a GREAT GUY! Verdetta Peterson's son-in-law. Julie's husband if I recall correctly. If you want to see an amazing site stop by Sloan and see his birds and the bird's HOME. Amazing to see what he has done for his birds!
Post A Comment EmailPrintType Size:SmallLargeRacing pigeons a hobby for Northwest Iowa folks StoryPost A Comment1 comment(s)By Joanne Fox | Posted: Sunday, June 21, 2009 SLOAN, Iowa -- They aren't the pigeons you find roosting on statues, calmly cooing at passersby, and/or dirtying an area with their droppings.
Homing pigeons are fondly referred to as the Race Horses of the Sky.
Under normal conditions, racing pigeons have averaged speeds of 40 miles per hour, but some have reached beyond 60. These speedsters are coached, exercised and trained as much as any professional who competes against others for a win.
Robert "Bob" Jones Jr. of Sloan, became interested in pigeons when he was 10, growing up in the small town of Gilman, Iowa.
"A guy had birds in the back of his filling station and I was intrigued with them," he reminisced. "My mom encouraged me to take a greater interest in them, probably figuring it would keep me out of trouble."
Quentin Ellensohn, who lives six miles southeast of Le Mars, Iowa, struck up a conversation in 1975 at the Plymouth County Fair with a man about his pigeons. The fascination was immediate. Ellensohn began building a flock.
Lynette Howell of Sioux City -- a self-proclaimed farm girl -- said her first recollection of pigeons was of ones that "pooped" all over the place. That changed over the years, to the point she and husband David became so enamored of their racing pigeons, they scheduled their 2001 wedding around clocking in the birds returning from a race.
Ready, set, go
A pigeon race differs from a dog or horse race because there is no course or track. The birds are released from a certain point and each flies back to its residence or loft. But prior to that, there's a lot of preparation.
A racing bird will receive a leg band when it's five days old that has a number and ID, which includes the year it was hatched, the letters AU for "American Racing Pigeon Union," the letters of the club with which it's associated and a computer chip.
When a bird will be raced, that band on its leg is scanned into a computer module that records its data and the time. Most races are from 100 to 600 air miles. A race starts when all the birds are transported to a specific site and released together.
When the pigeon returns and enters the door of its loft, the band on its leg will trip a clock timer with a chip that records the bird's identity number and exact time/date. That information will indicate the distance covered and flight time can be calculated from those figures.
Birds must be released at sunrise to give them the opportunity to fly during the day, Jones said.
"The pigeons won't fly in the dark," he explained. "They'll roost somewhere to sleep at night."
Several things drive the pigeons, both male and female, back to the loft, Jones said.
"They want to return to their babies in the nest or to their eggs or to their mate," he said. "Once their home is imprinted into them, they know it's the place they want to be."
Winners tend to be pigeons who are the fastest out of the chute with dispositions that drive them to their home, Jones said.
"It's all about stamina and muscles," he explained.
It's also about practice. Jones and Ellensohn will release their birds close to their homes to get them accustomed to returning to their lofts.
"Then, I'll extend the miles, driving to Whiting and releasing them, then doing the same in Onawa or Missouri Valley," Jones explained.
Pigeons tend to "flock" so Jones will do this exercise in groups of five or 10.
"Babies and younger birds get nervous by themselves," he explained. "Until they get confident, it's best to keep them in a group."
Like athletes, these birds need specific diets, Jones said.
"I fed the birds a base mix of milo, millet, Canadian peas, maple peas and wheat," he said. "I'll add safflower, corn, popcorn sometimes."
With any racers, there's some collateral damage, Jones acknowledged.
"You lose some young birds," he confessed. "Babies can contract a disease called canker and of course, sometimes, they fly off and don't return."
Racing pigeons can live and race for 10 to 15 years. Like any hobby, you can invest as much or as little as you chose, Jones said.
"You can spend as little as $5 on a pigeon or there's pricey ones for thousands of dollars," he said. "It's the same for the coops or the feed."
"It's often called the poor man's race horse," Ellensohn added. "Because the birds live so long, you can have quite the investment in them."
Local participation
The Siouxland Racing Pigeon Club has its headquarters in Sloan, located in a modest building east of the intersection of Highway 75 and Highway 141. Jones serves as president; Ellensohn, vice president and Lynette Howell is secretary and treasurer. The club does not participate in races that have cash rewards. It's just for the fun and a certificate, Jones said.
The club has dues of $100 per year, which goes to expenses associated with the building (which the club owns and pays taxes on) and other activities. Another $25 goes to the American Racing Pigeon Union. If you race, bands will cost you 35 cents for each bird. Participating in all of the races will cost $300. That takes care of expenses associated with transporting the birds to the places they will be released, Jones said. For example, birds were recently driven to Wichita, Kan., to compete in a race.
"It may sound like a lot, but we just break even," he said.
Like the joy expressed by the father when the prodigal son returns home, Jones said there is nothing more exciting than seeing birds return.
"You think about maybe they've traveled 650 miles and now they're back," he said. "That's the appeal of doing this for me."
"Dave and I have two passions, working outdoors and the pigeons," Howell agreed. "We love the thrill of being outside and seeing the pigeons return from a race. There's nothing like it."
Want to know more? Call Robert Jones at (712) 428-3148 or e-mail him at bj0046@longlines.com for local details. The American Racing Pigeon Union has information at pigeon.org.
Hello Bloggers! My name is Vangie Cowen and I'm the Marcus for Progres/Main Street Program Director. I enjoy readnig the blog and decided today was the day that I would say "Hello". I love learing the history of our town through your comments and commentary. I have been working on updating the information on the Marcus web site and would like to ask that everone check it out. Please let me know what you think and if there are some corrections that need to be made. Suggestions are welcome too. The current goal to to get the web site accurate, then work on design and style. My email addresss is marcusmainst@midlands.net. I became the Director when Rod Ogren resigned his position last September. Please feel free to stop by my office in City Hall. My scheduled office hours are Monday and Wednesday afternoons, 1-430pm. Otherwise send me an email or give me a call. Phone number is 712-376-2680. Can't wait to hear from you! Vangie
I think the person that thinks someone should organize a street dance during the Marcus Fair should go ahead and volunteer to organize, coordinate, recruit help, allocate finances, hire the band, buy insurance, meet with the City to barracade streets, and help work that event. That would be a wonderful thing. Oh yea, don't forget that you'll need to be a designated driver for several people that shouldn't drive afterward(hopefully they won't throw up in your car) and you'll need to tear down and pickup trash after everyone else is home and fast asleep. If your up for it...just volunteer. A street dance does sound like a lot of fun.
Make sure to tell the Remington boys that if they want to play basketball at the city park to go the bathroom before they leave home because the bathrooms are still locked up in the city park. What a shame, all the hours the jaycees volunteered to that project and no one can use them.
If only parents would parent rather than complain endlessly maybe the Marcus facilities could operate normally. The destruction of the parks entities is beyond belief, the city employees are constantly repairing damage done by space aliens because it wouldn't be "My little Johnny" doing it. Little Johnny plugs all the stools with what ever he can find, soaks all the toilet paper and hand towels into balls and plasters them all over the walls and ceilings, goes #2 in the sinks and the urinals, when he's done he digs in his behind and smears his fesses all over the walls and urinates in the waste cans, and if that's not enough - he also tries to burn them down! This isn't a one time event but rather ongoing till the only solution is to lock them till a special occasion arises, via Marcus Fair etc. Thanks to "Little Johnny" instead of having three functioning bathrooms in the park they are down to the one by the ballpark concession stand and that one has to be locked by the police dept. after dark and reopened the next morning. I forgot to mention that after a rain Johnny plasters the insides with mud! Any volunteers for cleaning restrooms at the park?
Gotta love our the local paper. Come on folks why do you make it so hard to read the paper.
You gave us such wonderful details about the high school baseball team and their games against the likes of Granville, Le Mars, and such but you blew it again!
After reading the nice piece I just sat there and wondered, "Who won the games?"
SCORES to go with the article would have been nice and by the way can you put a NAME with every picture in the paper so we can tell who is who when you include wonderful pictures?
I hear a deterant is in order for "Little Johnny"...
Just a lil something to think about. Since you seem to have a town newspaper. Why not? Place a very nice article in the newspaper thanking a very generous annonymous individual for the "donation" of the cameras for the local park, to catch the individuals that are in charge of the destruction... ha ha ha..
Something tells me they are dumb enough to listen to people talking about it and then you wont have to actually spend the money on the equipment. The power of suggestion sometimes works wonders on a teenagers mind.
And if all else fails, you need to have set up a sting on "Little Johnny" and catch him in the act! Set some individuals out that are acting like they are just enjoying themselves for the day or night and join together to take back your community from the little mongrels. Kind of like the air marshals that are on your flights that blend in.
This is a crying shame that the "good kids" in this community have to suffer at the hands of the "bad ones"
I read the blog and it is time I have to give my two cents. For those people complaining about the Marcus News and them not doing a good job. Step up and do the job yourself if you think it so easy to do!!! I commend the people for at least trying to get the news out. They may not do it the way you like it reported. Then it is time you do something about it instead of complaining.
I thought this was the Marcus blog not the Dorr blog? Phil Dorr if you want to have a street dance in Marcus during the fair. You line it up! It is not an easy job. Step up and do the job yourself if you think it so easy to do!!!
The public and any and all interested antique tractor enthusiasts are invited to ride in the second annual Marcus Antique Tractor Ride on Saturday July 25. Watch the Marcus News for details or contact Tom or Mike as directed in the article.
Invitation: This Thursday, July 9th at 7:00pm, at the Marcus Library, there will be an informational creative floral arrangement class. Elaine Klingensmith from Kingsley will be the guest speaker. She is very knowledgable in floral arrangements.
Elaine will bring an arrangement, but also is encouraging us to bring one as well. She will then discuss each arrangement and give us pointers.
We are doing this class to promote floral entries for the Marcus Fair. The Marcus Fair has 5 categories for floral arrangements:
"A Day at the Beach" (fresh or dried, using driftwood, shells, etc.),
A Tisket a Tasket" (fresh or dried, using a basket),
and the Charades are going to showcase their talent during the fair this year up on Main Street. This is going to be a really special fair from the looks of it. Great job fair board and don't think we don't appreciate all you do to keep the fair spectacular year after year.
The Community Center will be having an Open House during the fair for the people to see what has all happened to the Community Center in the past few years. I hear that the Charades will be at the Community Center the 15th of August from 9 to 1. Thanks to the memebers of the Community Center Board for all of the hard work put towards improving the Community Center. Make plans to see the new and improved Marcus Community Center!
We are mailing the Marcus Historical Society News letter and need addresses for the following people. They are listed as members of the Marcus Historical Society but we don't have addresses. Thank You. e-mail me at aeh1026@gmail.com Arlene Hollenbeck
Mrs. Roger(Pat) Rea Collette Kraft Tina Gray Betty Freking Patti Puttman Jean Booth Corrine Alesch
Oh my. I found this blog accidentally. I lived many years in Marcus and considered them to be among some of the best of my life. My father and grand-father operated the IGA grocery store on main street during the 60's and early 70's when Dad sold out and went to work for Hy-Vee. It's been many years since I've been back, but the memories are as vivid today as they were 35 years ago. Running to the train tracks by Sand Seed to watch the train go by, listening to Martin's rooster crow every early am, riding my bike with my best friend all summer long. The library, the post office (with it's small metal boxes), Dad's store, Jack Shea's barber shop, Sand Seed, Holy Name Catholic School, Fr. O'Reilly, Catholic School with the good sisters, swimming at the pool every day wondering about life and the Vietnam War......so many, many memories. Thanks for the blog, it's been fun reading and remembering.
Hi everyone! I am looking on moving to the Marcus area and am in need of a rental house. Any help would be appreciated. Let me know if anyone knows of anything in the area. Kind of looking for something in the Marcus-Cherokee area. Thanks in advance!!
Good idea, Julie! Of course we should mark the five-year anniversary in some way.
How about this? During the month of November 2009, each person who signs on to the Blog should post a comment. Simple is okay: name, when you lived in Marcus, where you live now.
More news is better.
Then all of us would know who has been reading about your home town these past five years!
Yes, Max, that's a great idea. Maybe even a some kind of Marcus, Iowa BlogTag. In other words all of us who come here would "tag" someone else they know who grew up in Marcus and cajole them into sharing some memories about growing up there on this site. That person would then "tag" someone else so that the comments would balloon exponentially.(Whew!)Yes, our goal in November should be to reach out and rev up the engines here. We might also ask members of the Historical Society to add some of their stories & memories.
For example, I just finished re-reading The Grapes of Wrath. I'm wondering what Marcus farmers/residents experienced. Did anyone leave and move West during those hard years? Did any huge dust storms roll through this area?
from Bob Reed
ReplyDeleteTUNES OF HISTORY
I have always loved pop song titles that tell a succinct story. Like the country western ditty, “How Can I Miss You If You Won’t Go Away?”
And in researching a new show, I ran across a bunch of tuneful titles, written during the last century, that mirror the times in our town. Here are a few of them:
• Way Down in Iowa, I’m Going to Hide Away (1916)
(Written by some Easterner with a bad sense of direction)
• Keep Down Your Skirts Mary Ann (1925)
(Was this about Mary Ann Culhane, one of the town’s supposed flapper during the roaring ‘20s?)
• She Lived Next Door to the Firehouse (1931)
(Who could that have been?)
• I Like Bananas Because They Have No Bones (1936)
(Johnny Clarkson is said to have used this sales pitch at the grocery store during the depression)
• The Waiter, the Butler, and the Upstairs Maid (1941)
(Supposedly about Mrs. Mable Edmonds’ domestic staff)
• I Said My Pajamas and Put on My Prayers (1950)
(Allegedly written in honor of a night out at Flanagan’s Tavern in that year)
And the good citizens of Marcus reached back to past tunes to express their sentiments in the singing of these songs in later years:
• A Woman Is Only a Woman, But a Good Cigar Is a Smoke (1905)
(Brought back and sung at church gatherings and antifeminist rallies at the Municipal Building in the ’60s )
• If Money Talks, It Ain’t on Speaking Terms with Me (1902)
(Resurrected and warbled at a meeting of the patrons of the Farmers State Bank in 2008)
and finally
• My Home Town Is a One-Horse Town, But It’s Big Enough for Me! (1919)
(Revived and sung at a recent meeting of the Town Council)
SING AWAY!
All Together, Now
(a one ana two)
Bob Reed
Gray Matters: All good things
ReplyDeleteMargaret Dorr
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
According to a familiar saying, one with which we would often like to disagree, "All good things must come to an end." We are experiencing such a situation here in western Cherokee County right now.
Things are changing at Sand Seed Service, a long-standing institution in our business community. Oh don't misunderstand, this many-faceted company will continue to be one of our major industries.
What is "coming to an end" is having a member of the Sand family as manager of the organization, for it has recently been announced that Stan Remington from Palco, Kansas, has been hired to take over their active general management.
Frank Sand, son of Luxembourg immigrants, came to the area in 1881. John, his eldest, was the founder of the company. He raised his first commercial seed corn in 1936, while working for the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture as a federal corn loan inspector.
He was also one of the men responsible for bringing soybean seed into the county. John had opened a small seed store on Main Street in 1934, from which today's company grew.
In 1946, with sons, Merle, Bob, Ray, Paul and son-in-law Bill Horstmann, the seed service was established at its present site. Although the seed business has been the backbone of the organization, it has expanded over the years to include many other agricultural services.
Following John's death in 1956, his son Merle became manager. He presided over their vast expansion and development for thirty years. When he elected to step down in 1983, his son Chuck took over as general manager, and his daughter, Kathy Sand Ogren, became comptroller. Their brothers, Ed and John, along with several long term employees have assisted in the business operations and management over the years.
The company's progress was not without set-backs. Devastation hit on April6, 1984, when fire destroyed their newly-remodeled seed-conditioning tower, the office, bulk storage bins, and part of the bag-storage warehouse. In keeping with the indomitable spirit that characterized it, the company decided to rebuild. With the help of the entire community, area fellow seed dealers and countless hours of extra effort by their dedicated employees, they were back in full swing within ten months' time.
There have been many changes, both in construction and operation, since that time. Through it all, members of the Sand Family have remained as leaders.
Now, though they will continue to be actively involved, none is actually the manager. We are certain that, set on its firm foundation, Sand Seed Service will continue to serve the agriculture needs of an ever-widening area.
Still, the fact that, after three generations, a member of the family is no longer the manager will take a bit of getting used to for many of us. Proof once again, I suppose, that all good things do, indeed, finally come to an end.
Wish I heard those cattle on the north side of town now like we did growing up back in the day. Those calves sure were loud when they brought new ones into the Sand cattle lots but it was always fun to hear them on the edge of town
ReplyDeleteTo add to Bob's tunes list: If you've ever been to a Marioke, you've heard of this famous take on Jimmy Buffet's infamous anthem ... "(Wastin' Away in) Marcus, Iowa."
ReplyDeleteYeah, we're still searching for that last shaker of salt ...
I mean lost...
ReplyDeleteMaybe you should vacate that "Marioke" bar and try the new Karaoke place across the street. Better, and more positive, music!
ReplyDeleteMaybe you should vacate all bars and do something more productive.
ReplyDelete"All good things must come to an end."
ReplyDeleteSand Seed Services will be in good hands. Mr. Remington was an outstanding citizen in Palco, Kansas for many years. Not only did he run the local elevator, he was also the president of our school board.
This is a man that takes great pride in his boys, job and community. He is one that all in the community will come to respect and know that he is always there to talk to in any event.
So, when you say "All good things must come to an end" you are so right. The Remingtons left town bright and early this morning to head north. And a very good thing has come to an end in our community as well.
Take care of them and treat them well.
What a wonderful note about the Remington family and welcome to our site.
ReplyDeleteAcross the street ... the Senior Center?
ReplyDeleteIf there are more folks like the Remington family in your town feel free to send them our way. Hearing his sons are pretty stout athletes.
ReplyDeleteCan they play basketball and run track?
Can they play basketball?? You bet they can! As for track, well... You will have to ask them to give up their love of Rodeo in order to run track. These fine young men that Stan is raising have followed in their fathers footsteps to chase a bigger love of Rodeo.
ReplyDeleteThey are some amazing team ropers. And don't cross them off the list just yet, for not being PRCA. Give them a few years under their belts and they will surely be headed to Las Vegas for the Nationals. And the older three boys are only setting fine examples for their little brother.
As for others in the community wishing to head your way, well, we lost a lot of students this past week due to moves, and being a little 1A school, we cant afford to send any more of our fine citizens your way.
They alone will show you what a fine community they have come from, and their father will show you what a great father does with his sons.
Sounds like Marcus is in for some good people. Thanks for sharing with us re the Remington family.
ReplyDeleteAwesome news that the Remington boys can play basketball. We have a nice/good new coach and we need some talent. Hopefully they will help our community get back to the glory days of basketball and we can go win the conference again real soon.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Fern and Jack Clarkson on their 50th wedding anniversary!
ReplyDeleteTODAY'S Sioux City Journal....BOB JONES.........what a GREAT GUY! Verdetta Peterson's son-in-law. Julie's husband if I recall correctly. If you want to see an amazing site stop by Sloan and see his birds and the bird's HOME. Amazing to see what he has done for his birds!
ReplyDeletePost A Comment EmailPrintType Size:SmallLargeRacing pigeons a hobby for Northwest Iowa folks
ReplyDeleteStoryPost A Comment1 comment(s)By Joanne Fox | Posted: Sunday, June 21, 2009
SLOAN, Iowa -- They aren't the pigeons you find roosting on statues, calmly cooing at passersby, and/or dirtying an area with their droppings.
Homing pigeons are fondly referred to as the Race Horses of the Sky.
Under normal conditions, racing pigeons have averaged speeds of 40 miles per hour, but some have reached beyond 60. These speedsters are coached, exercised and trained as much as any professional who competes against others for a win.
Robert "Bob" Jones Jr. of Sloan, became interested in pigeons when he was 10, growing up in the small town of Gilman, Iowa.
"A guy had birds in the back of his filling station and I was intrigued with them," he reminisced. "My mom encouraged me to take a greater interest in them, probably figuring it would keep me out of trouble."
Quentin Ellensohn, who lives six miles southeast of Le Mars, Iowa, struck up a conversation in 1975 at the Plymouth County Fair with a man about his pigeons. The fascination was immediate. Ellensohn began building a flock.
Lynette Howell of Sioux City -- a self-proclaimed farm girl -- said her first recollection of pigeons was of ones that "pooped" all over the place. That changed over the years, to the point she and husband David became so enamored of their racing pigeons, they scheduled their 2001 wedding around clocking in the birds returning from a race.
Ready, set, go
A pigeon race differs from a dog or horse race because there is no course or track. The birds are released from a certain point and each flies back to its residence or loft. But prior to that, there's a lot of preparation.
A racing bird will receive a leg band when it's five days old that has a number and ID, which includes the year it was hatched, the letters AU for "American Racing Pigeon Union," the letters of the club with which it's associated and a computer chip.
When a bird will be raced, that band on its leg is scanned into a computer module that records its data and the time. Most races are from 100 to 600 air miles. A race starts when all the birds are transported to a specific site and released together.
When the pigeon returns and enters the door of its loft, the band on its leg will trip a clock timer with a chip that records the bird's identity number and exact time/date. That information will indicate the distance covered and flight time can be calculated from those figures.
Birds must be released at sunrise to give them the opportunity to fly during the day, Jones said.
"The pigeons won't fly in the dark," he explained. "They'll roost somewhere to sleep at night."
Several things drive the pigeons, both male and female, back to the loft, Jones said.
"They want to return to their babies in the nest or to their eggs or to their mate," he said. "Once their home is imprinted into them, they know it's the place they want to be."
Making a winner
ReplyDeleteWinners tend to be pigeons who are the fastest out of the chute with dispositions that drive them to their home, Jones said.
"It's all about stamina and muscles," he explained.
It's also about practice. Jones and Ellensohn will release their birds close to their homes to get them accustomed to returning to their lofts.
"Then, I'll extend the miles, driving to Whiting and releasing them, then doing the same in Onawa or Missouri Valley," Jones explained.
Pigeons tend to "flock" so Jones will do this exercise in groups of five or 10.
"Babies and younger birds get nervous by themselves," he explained. "Until they get confident, it's best to keep them in a group."
Like athletes, these birds need specific diets, Jones said.
"I fed the birds a base mix of milo, millet, Canadian peas, maple peas and wheat," he said. "I'll add safflower, corn, popcorn sometimes."
With any racers, there's some collateral damage, Jones acknowledged.
"You lose some young birds," he confessed. "Babies can contract a disease called canker and of course, sometimes, they fly off and don't return."
Racing pigeons can live and race for 10 to 15 years. Like any hobby, you can invest as much or as little as you chose, Jones said.
"You can spend as little as $5 on a pigeon or there's pricey ones for thousands of dollars," he said. "It's the same for the coops or the feed."
"It's often called the poor man's race horse," Ellensohn added. "Because the birds live so long, you can have quite the investment in them."
Local participation
The Siouxland Racing Pigeon Club has its headquarters in Sloan, located in a modest building east of the intersection of Highway 75 and Highway 141. Jones serves as president; Ellensohn, vice president and Lynette Howell is secretary and treasurer. The club does not participate in races that have cash rewards. It's just for the fun and a certificate, Jones said.
The club has dues of $100 per year, which goes to expenses associated with the building (which the club owns and pays taxes on) and other activities. Another $25 goes to the American Racing Pigeon Union. If you race, bands will cost you 35 cents for each bird. Participating in all of the races will cost $300. That takes care of expenses associated with transporting the birds to the places they will be released, Jones said. For example, birds were recently driven to Wichita, Kan., to compete in a race.
"It may sound like a lot, but we just break even," he said.
Like the joy expressed by the father when the prodigal son returns home, Jones said there is nothing more exciting than seeing birds return.
"You think about maybe they've traveled 650 miles and now they're back," he said. "That's the appeal of doing this for me."
"Dave and I have two passions, working outdoors and the pigeons," Howell agreed. "We love the thrill of being outside and seeing the pigeons return from a race. There's nothing like it."
Want to know more?
Call Robert Jones at (712) 428-3148 or e-mail him at bj0046@longlines.com for local details.
The American Racing Pigeon Union has information at pigeon.org.
I think someone should organize a street dance during the Marcus Fair
ReplyDeleteHello Bloggers! My name is Vangie Cowen and I'm the Marcus for Progres/Main Street Program Director. I enjoy readnig the blog and decided today was the day that I would say "Hello". I love learing the history of our town through your comments and commentary. I have been working on updating the information on the Marcus web site and would like to ask that everone check it out. Please let me know what you think and if there are some corrections that need to be made. Suggestions are welcome too. The current goal to to get the web site accurate, then work on design and style. My email addresss is marcusmainst@midlands.net. I became the Director when Rod Ogren resigned his position last September. Please feel free to stop by my office in City Hall. My scheduled office hours are Monday and Wednesday afternoons, 1-430pm. Otherwise send me an email or give me a call. Phone number is 712-376-2680. Can't wait to hear from you! Vangie
ReplyDeleteThere is a link to the Marcus website right here on this blog. It's the first one on the green sidebar. Max Reed
ReplyDeleteI think the person that thinks someone should organize a street dance during the Marcus Fair should go ahead and volunteer to organize, coordinate, recruit help, allocate finances, hire the band, buy insurance, meet with the City to barracade streets, and help work that event. That would be a wonderful thing.
ReplyDeleteOh yea, don't forget that you'll need to be a designated driver for several people that shouldn't drive afterward(hopefully they won't throw up in your car) and you'll need to tear down and pickup trash after everyone else is home and fast asleep.
If your up for it...just volunteer. A street dance does sound like a lot of fun.
Make sure to tell the Remington boys that if they want to play basketball at the city park to go the bathroom before they leave home because the bathrooms are still locked up in the city park. What a shame, all the hours the jaycees volunteered to that project and no one can use them.
ReplyDeleteIf only parents would parent rather than complain endlessly maybe the Marcus facilities could operate normally.
ReplyDeleteThe destruction of the parks entities is beyond belief, the city employees are constantly repairing damage done by space aliens because it wouldn't be "My little Johnny" doing it. Little Johnny plugs all the stools with what ever he can find, soaks all the toilet paper and hand towels into balls and plasters them all over the walls and ceilings, goes #2 in the sinks and the urinals, when he's done he digs in his behind and smears his fesses all over the walls and urinates in the waste cans, and if that's not enough - he also tries to burn them down! This isn't a one time event but rather ongoing till the only solution is to lock them till a special occasion arises, via Marcus Fair etc. Thanks to "Little Johnny" instead of having three functioning bathrooms in the park they are down to the one by the ballpark concession stand and that one has to be locked by the police dept. after dark and reopened the next morning. I forgot to mention that after a rain Johnny plasters the insides with mud! Any volunteers for cleaning restrooms at the park?
Little Johnny should have his butt whipped.
ReplyDelete"Little Johnny" needs to be sent over to Cherokee and made to live at the facility on the hill for a while!
ReplyDeleteWhy not put cameras up at the entrance to the facilities? Bet that would make Little Johnny think twice!
ReplyDeleteBTW, if the Remington boys are playing basketball over there bet Little Johnny will think twice about being a jerk.
Gotta love our the local paper.
ReplyDeleteCome on folks why do you make it so hard to read the paper.
You gave us such wonderful details about the high school baseball team and their games against the likes of Granville, Le Mars, and such but you blew it again!
After reading the nice piece I just sat there and wondered, "Who won the games?"
SCORES to go with the article would have been nice and by the way can you put a NAME with every picture in the paper so we can tell who is who when you include wonderful pictures?
I hear a deterant is in order for "Little Johnny"...
ReplyDeleteJust a lil something to think about. Since you seem to have a town newspaper. Why not? Place a very nice article in the newspaper thanking a very generous annonymous individual for the "donation" of the cameras for the local park, to catch the individuals that are in charge of the destruction... ha ha ha..
Something tells me they are dumb enough to listen to people talking about it and then you wont have to actually spend the money on the equipment. The power of suggestion sometimes works wonders on a teenagers mind.
And if all else fails, you need to have set up a sting on "Little Johnny" and catch him in the act! Set some individuals out that are acting like they are just enjoying themselves for the day or night and join together to take back your community from the little mongrels. Kind of like the air marshals that are on your flights that blend in.
This is a crying shame that the "good kids" in this community have to suffer at the hands of the "bad ones"
This is only a thought~
I read the blog and it is time I have to give my two cents.
ReplyDeleteFor those people complaining about the Marcus News and them not doing a good job. Step up and do the job yourself if you think it so easy to do!!! I commend the people for at least trying to get the news out. They may not do it the way you like it reported. Then it is time you do something about it instead of complaining.
I thought this was the Marcus blog not the Dorr blog? Phil Dorr if you want to have a street dance in Marcus during the fair. You line it up! It is not an easy job. Step up and do the job yourself if you think it so easy to do!!!
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/Iowa-Born-Soviet-Trained.html
ReplyDeleteNever heard this story about a Soviet Atomic Spy born in Sioux City, Iowa before. Maybe other have but I never have. Fascinating stuff.
The public and any and all interested antique tractor enthusiasts are invited to ride in the second annual Marcus Antique Tractor Ride on Saturday July 25. Watch the Marcus News for details or contact Tom or Mike as directed in the article.
ReplyDeleteInvitation:
ReplyDeleteThis Thursday, July 9th at 7:00pm, at the Marcus Library, there will be an informational creative floral arrangement class. Elaine Klingensmith from Kingsley will be the guest speaker. She is very knowledgable in floral arrangements.
Elaine will bring an arrangement, but also is encouraging us to bring one as well. She will then discuss each arrangement and give us pointers.
We are doing this class to promote floral entries for the Marcus Fair. The Marcus Fair has 5 categories for floral arrangements:
"A Day at the Beach" (fresh or dried, using driftwood, shells, etc.),
A Tisket a Tasket" (fresh or dried, using a basket),
Jewels of Color",(fresh)
"Cool, Cool Green" (fresh all green),
"Small Wonder" (fresh 6"x6").
What better way to practice !!
Kim Ames
Garden Club Chairman
What a great idea, Kim! Maybe I'll pass it on to our local library.
ReplyDeleteA few of the new things for the 2009 Marcus Fair:
ReplyDeleteA talented new wood carver named Lynn Anderson
Ice Cream/Strawberry Social at the Mt. Pleasant Church
Tug-O-War
Balloonist and Magician Mr. Nick
Kids Against Hunger Presentation
See the full fair schedule at www.marcusiowa.com
Look for more entertainment information in the Marcus News
Thanks-Paul Wilkens
It's nice to see people sign their name while writing on the blog. Thank you.
ReplyDeletePat Ducommun
and the Charades are going to showcase their talent during the fair this year up on Main Street. This is going to be a really special fair from the looks of it.
ReplyDeleteGreat job fair board and don't think we don't appreciate all you do to keep the fair spectacular year after year.
It's great to hear the Charades will be back! (Please share more information such as date,time, and location.)
ReplyDeleteMaybe we need an appreciation day for all who do volunteer work in Marcus! You do a great job!
ReplyDeleteThanks Phil.
ReplyDeleteThe Community Center will be having an Open House during the fair for the people to see what has all happened to the Community Center in the past few years. I hear that the Charades will be at the Community Center the 15th of August from 9 to 1.
ReplyDeleteThanks to the memebers of the Community Center Board for all of the hard work put towards improving the Community Center.
Make plans to see the new and improved Marcus Community Center!
We are mailing the Marcus Historical Society News letter and need addresses for the following people. They are listed as members of the Marcus Historical Society but we don't have addresses.
ReplyDeleteThank You.
e-mail me at aeh1026@gmail.com
Arlene Hollenbeck
Mrs. Roger(Pat) Rea
Collette Kraft
Tina Gray
Betty Freking
Patti Puttman
Jean Booth
Corrine Alesch
Marcus Fun Night was A LOT of fun! Thanks Marcus!!!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.icrrhistorical.org/icrr.history.html
ReplyDeleteIf you like history and trains check out the link about the Illinois Central RR
Oh my. I found this blog accidentally. I lived many years in Marcus and considered them to be among some of the best of my life. My father and grand-father operated the IGA grocery store on main street during the 60's and early 70's when Dad sold out and went to work for Hy-Vee. It's been many years since I've been back, but the memories are as vivid today as they were 35 years ago. Running to the train tracks by Sand Seed to watch the train go by, listening to Martin's rooster crow every early am, riding my bike with my best friend all summer long. The library, the post office (with it's small metal boxes), Dad's store, Jack Shea's barber shop, Sand Seed, Holy Name Catholic School, Fr. O'Reilly, Catholic School with the good sisters, swimming at the pool every day wondering about life and the Vietnam War......so many, many memories. Thanks for the blog, it's been fun reading and remembering.
ReplyDeleteIt's great when someone dips in to the well here and offers their little surprises. I'd love to know more about jbmckillup!
ReplyDeleteIn November this blog will be FIVE years old, thanks to Bob Reed's initial efforts. We should plan a little online celebration! Anyone have any ideas?
Party @ Snyder's Tap during the fair weekend.
ReplyDeleteHi everyone! I am looking on moving to the Marcus area and am in need of a rental house. Any help would be appreciated. Let me know if anyone knows of anything in the area. Kind of looking for something in the Marcus-Cherokee area. Thanks in advance!!
ReplyDeletesnorris23 email me and I might be able to help you out.
ReplyDeletesgettner@midlands.net
from Max Reed
ReplyDeleteGood idea, Julie! Of course we should mark the five-year anniversary in some way.
How about this? During the month of November 2009, each person who signs on to the Blog should post a comment. Simple is okay: name, when you lived in Marcus, where you live now.
More news is better.
Then all of us would know who has been reading about your home town these past five years!
What do you think?
Yes, Max, that's a great idea. Maybe even a some kind of Marcus, Iowa BlogTag. In other words all of us who come here would "tag" someone else they know who grew up in Marcus and cajole them into sharing some memories about growing up there on this site. That person would then "tag" someone else so that the comments would balloon exponentially.(Whew!)Yes, our goal in November should be to reach out and rev up the engines here. We might also ask members of the Historical Society to add some of their stories & memories.
ReplyDeleteFor example, I just finished re-reading The Grapes of Wrath. I'm wondering what Marcus farmers/residents experienced. Did anyone leave and move West during those hard years? Did any huge dust storms roll through this area?