celebrating iowa life
A MOO-VIN' DESTINATION IOWA'S CINNAMON RIDGE DAIRY WELCOMES VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD PAGE 4
Host a food-safe summer cookout page 7
Le Mars art project beautifies downtown alleys page 8
Lake City supports local drive-in after May tornado page 9
JUNE 2015
from the editor
BY DIRCK STEIMEL
COOL IOWA DESTINATIONS FOR HOT SUMMER DAYS Regular readers of Family Living know that we have a thing for dairy products. Whether it's ice cream, yogurt, cheese or just milk, we can’t get enough of the delicious and nutritious stuff. So with June Dairy Month here, we’ve got a feature that goes to the source: a dairy farm in eastern Iowa that's designed to accommodate visitors. Welcoming guests from the Midwest and around the world has become part of the routine on Cinnamon Ridge Farms near Donahue in Scott County. Over the years, John and Joan Maxwell have hosted visitors of all ages, from all over the world, to their working dairy farm. The tours typically feature a home-cooked meal in the Cinnamon Ridge farmhouse and a look at the farm’s most unusual worker: a robot milker. (Spoiler alert: The milker does not look anything like R2-D2 from Star Wars or Rosie from the Jetsons.) We also look in on a cool project across the state in Le Mars, another dairy and ice
cream center. Local artists have painted the city’s alleyways with historical murals and whimsical art, providing visitors with an enjoyable walk through history. It’s truly a community effort in the northwest Iowa town — with high school sports teams, church groups and others helping with the basic prep work even if, like most of us, they lack artistic skills.
Index®. It shows that Iowa shoppers are watching labels more than they used to, but price and taste remain the big drivers at the grocery store.
In this issue of Family Living, Teresa Bjork looks at the concept of rearranging our eating schedules to consume protein throughout the day, including at breakfast and snacks. The latest research shows that eating protein throughout the day can help with weight loss by boosting metabolism, increasing feelings of fullness and maintaining muscle mass while losing weight.
So whether your travels take you to eastern Iowa, central Iowa or to the west, we’ve got you covered this month. Please let us know when you run across something new and interesting that would make a good feature in Family Living. We are always looking for fun stories and interesting people around the state. Our readers really are the best source of ideas for our articles.
Speaking of a protein boost, check out Darcy’s Meatloaf Burger, a sandwich invented by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby, our freelance writer and the Calhoun County Farm Bureau president. It’s comfort food on a bun that you can find at the Lake City Drive In or make yourself.
You can reach us at (515) 225-5416 or email us at familyliving@ifbf.org. We’d love to hear from you.
This month, we’ve also got the latest from the Iowa Farm Bureau Food & Farm
table of contents Volume 25 Number 6 A publication of the Iowa Farm Bureau for ag-supporting members.
EDITORIAL STAFF Editor Dirck Steimel Senior Features Writer Teresa Bjork Photographer/Writer Gary Fandel IOWA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION Craig Hill, president; Joe Heinrich, vice-president; Denny Presnall, secretary-treasurer and executive director; Edward G. Parker, general counsel. BOARD OF DIRECTORS (District 1) Carlton Kjos, Decorah (2) Charlie Norris, Mason City; (3) Phil Sundblad, Albert City; (4) Doug Gronau, Vail; (5) Mark Buskohl, Grundy Center; (6) Nick Podhajsky, Traer; (7) Andrew Hora, Riverside; (8) Calvin Rozenboom, Oskaloosa; (9) Will Frazee, Emerson. Family Living (ISSN 1941-5486) is published monthly by the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, P.O. Box 670, Iowa Falls, IA 50126. Subscription price of $2 per year for mailing in the continental USA included in the dues of Farm Bureau members in Iowa. Additional subscription fee required for mailing outside of the continental USA. Periodical postage paid at Iowa Falls, Iowa. Please send change of address to your county Farm Bureau office. Postmaster send address changes to Family Living, Spokesman Press, P.O. Box 670, Iowa Falls, IA 50126. Editorial offices for Family Living are located at the Iowa Farm Bureau, 5400 University Ave., West Des Moines, Iowa 50266. Contact Family Living at 515-225-5416. Copyright 2015
Do you have a story idea for Family Living? Please send us an email at familyliving@ifbf.org.
2
family living JUNE 2015
We’ve also got features on keeping food safe for those outdoor summer meals and on the thriving Busy Bee Garden Center in Indianola.
Dirck Steimel Editor
JUNE 2015
Features A moo-vin' destination Cinnamon Ridge Dairy near Donahue welcomes visitors from around the world to see its robotic milkers and buy cheese curds fresh from the farm. page 4 Comfort food to heal a community Lake City residents gathered at the local drive-in restaurant after cleaning up from a tornado that ripped through their town last month. page 9 A blooming business Two young Iowa entrepreneurs open Busy Bee Garden Center in Indianola, offering unique landscape plants and fresh garden produce. page 10 Price, taste drive food choices The Iowa Farm Bureau Food & Farm Index® finds that more Iowa shoppers are paying attention to food labels, but price still remains the most important factor in their food-buying decisions. page 12
Departments Member benefits Take advantage of summertime savings on Polaris and Case IH equipment, in addition to the exclusive discounts for Farm Bureau members in Iowa. page 3 Appetite for Iowa Take the 30 Day Protein Challenge to discover how shifting protein intake throughout the day can help with weight management and boost your energy. page 6
Healthy living Keep food safety in mind when hosting a backyard barbecue this summer. page 7 Iowa travel The alleys behind downtown buildings are as beautiful as the storefronts in Le Mars thanks to the community's art project. page 8 On the cover John and Joan Maxwell stand behind a life-size model of a Jersey cow on their farm near Donahue in eastern Iowa. The Maxwells welcomed more than 3,000 international visitors to Cinnamon Ridge Farms last year. Cinnamon Ridge Farms regularly hosts tours, allowing guests to see the cows up close and learn more about Iowa agriculture. Cover photo by Gary Fandel
member benefits
DISCOVER THE SUMMERTIME SAVINGS FARM BUREAU MEMBERS CAN SAVE ON POLARIS, CASE IH EQUIPMENT Now that summer is here, it’s time for the fun — and the savings — to begin. Polaris and Case IH are offering summertime sales events, in addition to their exclusive discounts for Farm Bureau members in Iowa.
Through June 30, Polaris is offering the “Ride into Summer� sales event, with rebates up to $1,400 or financing as low as 1.99 percent for 36 months on select new 2014-2015 Polaris offroad vehicles.
WIN A 2015 FORD F-150 Iowa Farm Bureau members now have a chance to win a 24-month lease on an all-new 2015 Ford F-150 truck through the “2015 Built Tough F-150� sweepstakes being offered by Ford Motor Co., an exclusive member benefit partner of the Iowa Farm Bureau. To register for a chance to win, members can visit http:// www.fordspecialoffer.com/farmbureau/sweeps now through Oct. 30. Eligible members must be current Iowa Farm Bureau members, be at least 21 years old and have a valid driver’s license. To learn more about the Ford sweepstakes or other benefits exclusive to Iowa Farm Bureau members, visit www.iowafarmbureau.com or call the toll-free member help line at 866-598-3693.
These offers are only available at participating Polaris dealers with the purchase of qualifying Polaris accessories ($3,500 in Ranger accessories, $2,500 in RZR accessories, $1,500 in ACE accessories or $1,000 in ATV accessories). See a participating dealer for complete details and conditions. These savings can be combined with your $200 to $300 Farm Bureau member discount. For the member discount, you must bring a member verification certificate, which you can download from www.fbverify.com/polaris, to your local dealer. A minimum 30-day membership is required for the Polaris benefit. Also through June 30, Case IH is offering zero percent financing for 72 months on Case IH
hay equipment and Farmall utility tractors, in addition to the $300 to $500 discount for Farm Bureau members. See a participating dealer for complete details and conditions. For the member discount,
you must bring a member verification certificate downloaded from www.fbfverify. com/caseih to your local dealer. For more information, call the Iowa Farm Bureau member help line at 866-598-3693.
Morton_IFB_FamilyLiving_6.1.15_Layout 1 5/20/15 4:00 PM Page 1
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JUNE 2015 family living 3
A DAIRY GOOD TOUR EASTERN IOWA DAIRY WELCOMES VISITORS FROM NEAR AND FAR See a robotic milker, snack on cheese curds and enjoy a day in the country at Cinnamon Ridge Farms near Donahue.
A
tour bus of Hungarian business executives traveled across the Midwest from Chicago to Kansas City last month for meetings and a little sightseeing.
STORY BY TERESA BJORK PHOTOS BY GARY FANDEL A group of Hungarian business executives toured Cinnamon Ridge Dairy near Donahue this spring. The dairy welcomed more than 3,000 international visitors last year.
Along the way, their bus took a detour down a gravel road, miles away from any skyscrapers, for a stop at a family-run dairy farm northwest of Davenport. Farm Bureau members John and
Joan Maxwell, who own and operate Cinnamon Ridge Farms in Donahue, greeted the Hungarian visitors and ushered them into their farmhouse for lunch. The group gathered at a long table in the dining room, helping themselves to pulled pork sandwiches and homemade banana bars. HALFWAY THROUGH LUNCH, one of the visitors got up to play a few tunes on the Maxwell’s baby grand piano, while his colleagues snapped photos and clapped along. “You never know what’s going to happen here,” said Joan Maxwell, listening to the music before she
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helped her husband, John, lead the tour. WELCOMING GUESTS from around the world is a routine part of the Maxwells’ day, just like feeding the cows and scouting the crops. Last year, Cinnamon Ridge Farms hosted more than 3,000 international visitors, plus 1,000 grade-school students and 1,000 U.S. visitors. In fact, the dairy farm was built to accommodate tours. The milking parlor is lined with large viewing windows so guests can watch the Jersey cows walk in and out of the robotic milking machines. THAT’S RIGHT: THE COWS are milked by robots. Whenever a cow is ready to be milked, she walks herself up to the robotic milker, where she is treated to a highenergy feed mix sweetened with molasses that the cows love to eat. “I’m actually a dairy farmer who doesn’t milk cows and doesn’t like to milk cows,” John said with a laugh. “But I love figuring (the cows) out. I love seeing them — seeing what makes them tick, how to get more milk from them, how to improve the breeding. That fascinates me, the genetics and everything else," said John, who also has a degree in psychology from the University of Iowa. BACK IN 1998, John received a national outstanding young farmer award, sponsored in part by John Deere, the manufacturer of the green tractors you see rolling in many Iowa fields.
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John Deere’s headquarters is across the Mississippi River in Moline, Ill., and draws visitors from around the world. John Deere contacted John Maxwell soon after he won the award, asking if the company’s visitors could tour his dairy farm and check out the John Deere equipment he uses to grow corn and soybeans. OVER THE YEARS, Cinnamon Ridge Farms has grown into a Midwest agritourism destination. During the Farm Progress Show in late
Continued on page 5
Above: The tour bus stops at the County Cupboard store down the lane from Cinnamon Ridge Dairy. The Country Cupboard sells fresh eggs, pork, beef and the farm's famous cinnamon rolls. Top right: A tour group of farm-equipment dealers from Hungary sat down to lunch in the home of John and Joan Maxwell, who own and operate Cinnamon Ridge Farms near Donahue. Middle right: The Jersey calves are curious and enjoy watching the visitors. Bottom right: John Maxwell converses with the interpreter, Peter Kertil of KITE, an farm-equipment dealership in Hungary. Kertil once worked on a dairy farm in Wisconsin and says robotic milkers are commonly used on European dairy farms.
summer, the Maxwells host up to four tours, and hundreds of guests, each day. AND BECAUSE IT’S a working farm, Joan will often be out in the fields, running the tractor or combine, while John gives the tours. “I have a drive within me that wants to educate others,” John said. “All the tours that we do, education is at the base of what we do. And I actually love it. I love every bit of it.” In addition to giving tours, the Maxwells also treat visitors to lunch inside their home. It’s an opportunity that many international visitors don’t get while they’re in the United States, the Maxwells explained. “IT ALL HAPPENED because they were asking for it,” Joan said. “A lot of (the visitors) wanted to see a house that an American family live in. And then a lot of them were traveling so much, they really wanted a home-cooked meal.” The Maxwells built a commercial kitchen inside their home, with three cooks on staff who prepare meals for guests. To keep the farm cooks busy when they aren’t preparing lunches, the Maxwells opened an on-farm store called the Country Cupboard, down the lane from the dairy barn. THE COUNTRY CUPBOARD is a little cabin stocked with fresh
PLAN A VISIT Cinnamon Ridge Farms is located at 10600 275th St., Donahue, Iowa. Groups in size from one to 140 people are welcome to tour the farm. For more information, or to schedule a tour, visit www.tourmyfarm.com. And for the latest specials at the Country Cupboard on-farm store, check out the store’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ CinnamonRidgeCountry– Cupboard.
baked cookies, bars and the farm’s famous cinnamon rolls. (If you’re wondering, Cinnamon Ridge Dairy is named after the color of the Jersey cows, not the rolls.) The store also offers beef, pork, eggs and cheese — all from the Maxwells' farm. John’s brother, Ed, is a master cheesemaker trained in Wisconsin. He makes the cheese on the farm, in a room next to the milking parlor. ALSO UNIQUE, the Country Cupboard is a self-serve store. Customers can take what they want and place their money in a mail slot to pay. Joan said they’ve never had a problem with customers not paying, although the signs in the store caution that it is monitored by cameras. Visitors often travel from as far as Iowa City to pick up their favorite Cinnamon Ridge Farms products, such as the beef ribeye steaks, the Sriracha cheddar cheese curds and the rhubarb bread, which is popular year-round.
“There is a crowd that wants to know where their food comes from, exactly,” John said. IN ADDITION TO the international guests, the Maxwells said they welcome local visitors to experience a day at the dairy. The farm regularly hosts church groups, school tours, women’s outings, family get-togethers and anyone interested in seeing the dairy cows up close. “It’s like people-watching in the mall,” said John with a laugh, as he looked through the windows to see the cows lounging in the barn and walking back and forth to the robotic milker. “THERE IS A LOT of opportunity to come out and share the agriculture experience, both modern — with the robots — and we also have old tractors and things like that too. So it’s kind of mix of the modern and the historic,” John added. “If you are at all curious, we are for you," he said.
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appetite for iowa
BY TERESA BJORK
TAKE THE PROTEIN CHALLENGE FIGHT THE MID-AFTERNOON MUNCHIES WITH PROTEIN Adding protein to each meal can help with weight management, boost energy and reverse age-related muscle loss. Right now as I’m sitting at my computer, writing this column, my stomach is grumbling, and it’s not even 10 a.m.
Teresa Bjork is a features writer for the Iowa Farm Bureau. In addition to baking and cooking, she also enjoys gardening and eating her way across Iowa.
I know nutrition experts say not to skip breakfast; otherwise, I’ll be tempted to eat junk food the rest of the afternoon at my desk. But I find it difficult to eat much of anything right after I wake up. What I do crave in the morning is sugary cereal, doughnuts and the leftover birthday treats my co-workers bring to the office. Talking to dietitians, I’ve learned that adding protein to my breakfast routine can help me avoid the embarrassment
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That's why the new 30 Day Protein Challenge, launched by the Iowa Beef Industry Council, caught my attention. After all, protein is a huge buzz word in nutrition right now. There are even cereals at my local grocery store claiming to be "high in protein."
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of the Iowa Beef Industry Council.
muscle mass while losing weight.
Surprisingly, even though the Iowa Beef Industry Council is promoting the 30 Day Protein Challenge, it isn’t all about encouraging Iowans to eat beef. The challenge can include whatever highprotein foods you enjoy, whether it's peanut butter, cottage cheese or pork.
“The real challenge, of course, is breakfast for most of us,” says Degner, who also admits that she’s not much of a breakfast-eater herself. “The whole plan is to help you be more aware of how you eat and how the food that you eat can affect your energy, can affect your mood and help control your appetite.”
Protein is especially important for older adults to help prevent age-related muscle loss, which reduces the risk of falls that lead to injury.
The goal of the challenge is to gradually shift your consumption of protein throughout the day, aiming for about 25 to 30 grams of protein three times a day, says Nancy Degner, executive director
The latest research shows that eating protein throughout the day can help with weight management by boosting metabolism, increasing feelings of fullness and maintaining
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To enjoy more protein at breakfast, for example, you could eat a hardboiled or scrambled egg along with your toast. Or if you don’t like to eat first thing in the morning, bring some string cheese, beef jerky, nuts or Greek yogurt to work for snacking later. “For managing your hunger, protein can really help,” Degner says. You can sign up for the 30 Day Protein Challenge online at www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com. From the website, I was surprised to learn that a 3-ounce serving of lean beef has fewer calories, but more protein, than comparable servings of plant-based sources of protein, such as nuts, beans and quinoa. Plus, beef is an excellent source of zinc, iron and vitamins B6 and B12. “One serving contains 10 of the nutrients you need each day,” Degner says.
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Today's beef is also leaner. A total of 29 beef cuts, or about two-thirds of all the beef cuts sold in the grocery store, meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s definition of lean, Degner notes. For a list of lean beef cuts, visit www.beefitswhatsfordinner. com.
healthy living
BY JODY KORTHAUS
KEEP YOUR SUMMER COOKOUTS SAFE DON'T FORGET FOOD SAFETY AT YOUR NEXT BBQ Safe food handling can reduce the risk of foodborne illness at outdoor cookouts. Everyone loves a good picnic or barbecue during the summer, but it is important to keep food safety in mind. Thinking ahead and taking preventative measures when preparing, serving and handling food in warm temperatures can help reduce the risk of food-borne illnesses.
The temperature danger zone is between 41 and 145 degrees Fahrenheit. So keep protein items cold prior to cooking, but make sure they are cooked to the proper endpoint temperature. “It’s hard to know when you’ve reached that temperature just by looking at it or touching it,” said Strohbehn. “To accurately determine the temperature, use a calibrated thermometer.”
“Temperatures of 80 to 100 degrees during the summer months are optimal conditions for bacteria to grow and produce exponentially,” said Catherine Strohbehn, human science specialist in nutrition and wellness for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
Thermometers can get out of whack pretty easily as they get tossed around, so the sensing unit may not always be as accurate. There are different ways to calibrate thermometers, like putting it into an ice bath of water and making sure it reads 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
Strohbehn explains that food items that are high in protein or carbohydrates, have a moderate to high pH level and have a lot of water content are more susceptible to bacteria growth.
Coolers can be used to keep foods cold on a warm day. A refrigerator thermometer can be used in the cooler to make sure it’s keeping things below 41 degrees Fahrenheit. “One strategy is to have a drink
cooler, a cooler for meat or raw items and another cooler for cooked or prepared food,” said Strohbehn. “This allows optimal temperature control for each category.” It’s also a good idea to think about food selection when planning an outside meal during summer. When selecting deli meats, ham may be a better choice since it is cured. The sodium or salt added in the form of nitrates takes away some of the water content, making it less risky than turkey, which has not been cured or smoked. Another safer dish would be a combination of broccoli, water chestnuts, raisins and vinaigrette dressing. This vegetable dish is less risky because the ingredients are not high in protein or carbs and the vinegar dressing makes for a more acidic environment. Dishes that a lot of people don’t realize they need to keep cold are pasta and rice.
“Rice and pasta are food items where a particular pathogen called Bacillus cereus is commonly found,” said Dr. Strohbehn. “If they’re not kept temperature controlled, then that bacteria can grow and reproduce very quickly. It’s one that shows its symptoms in about 30 minutes.” The top four main produce categories to watch for food-borne illnesses are leafy greens such as kale and cabbage, sliced tomatoes, sliced melons and alfalfa sprouts. “Those are items that most people think they don’t have to worry about,” said Strohbehn. Food allergens are also something to take into consideration when
planning a large gathering with lots of food. Cross contamination can be a problem, so identifying allergens in certain dishes may be helpful for people going through the line. “What can be problematic is that even just a trace of cross contact can give someone a serious reaction,” said Strohbehn. Bringing along extra serving utensils, wipes and hand sanitizer is a good idea if there is no running water or hand-washing stations available at the outdoor location. For more information on food safety, visit the Iowa State University Food Safety website at iowafoodsafety. org. Korthaus is a freelance writer from Urbandale.
4 STEPS TO FOOD SAFETY Clean:
Wash hands and surfaces often. Wash your hands with warm, soapy water before handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers and handling pets.
Separate:
Crosscontamination during preparation, grilling and serving food is a prime cause of food-borne illness. Avoid raw meat juices from coming in contact with ready-to-eat food.
Cook: Cook all raw
beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source.
Chill:
Refrigerate promptly. Cold, perishable food like luncheon meats, cooked meats, chicken and potato or pasta salads should be kept in an insulated cooler packed with several inches of ice, ice packs or containers of frozen water.
JUNE 2015 family living 7
Iowa travel
BY VALERIE VAN KOOTEN
ART IN THE ALLEY LE MARS PROJECT CREATES ART IN UNEXPECTED PLACES Art takes a backstage in Le Mars, where locals have painted murals in downtown alleys. The backs of businesses aren’t usually presenting the best that the city has to offer. That wouldn’t be true in Le Mars, however. The alleys in this northwest Iowa city — best known for its Wells Blue Bunny Ice Cream Company — are bursting with historical murals and whimsical art. What started as a way to beautify these side streets is now drawing folks who just want to see what’s being painted. Rich Ziettlow, vice president of the
Main Street Program in Le Mars, says the art project has developed in two stages. First came the historical murals about 10 to 12 years ago that picture street scenes of Le Mars in years gone by, including Teddy Roosevelt’s Whistlestop tour through town in the early 1900s. Three years ago — after seeing what other cities across the country were doing with alley art — Le Mars officials wondered if it would work here. "The last 2-1/2 years we’ve gone from nothing to 28 properties finished," Ziettlow says. Ziettlow’s main responsibility is
Local artists have painted murals in the alley behind downtown buildings in Le Mars. Le Mars
doing the prep work — working with property owners to secure permission, making sure historical renovation guidelines are followed and overseeing the work to get the “blank canvas” ready. This can range from murals that measure 16 by 80 feet, or window inserts that are as small as a few feet square.
Artists come from a large radius around Le Mars; so far, 27 artists’ work has been featured. Jean Weiner, president of the board of directors of Le Mars’ Art Council, says what started with a vision of beautifying a few businesses has spread like wildfire. “For such a small, quaint town, we are very fortunate in that we have a wealth of artists in this area,” she says. The property owners give input to the artists to create artwork that fits the business or organization, Weiner says. For example, a tree of life mural was painted onto the back of The Shepherd’s Closet, a faith-based thrift store. This art project is truly a community effort — high school sports teams, church groups and others can do basic prep work, even if they don’t have artistic skills.
X X X X
8 family living JUNE 2015
Both Ziettlow and Weiner say the artwork is pulling people into the community. Ziettlow adds, “When the artists are out working, it’s almost like performance art — people stop and talk to them. Others come through town and see what’s going on and then stop by weeks later to see the progress.” Le Mars has nine alleys that need artwork; two of them are almost complete. So far, money to finance the work has come from private donations and Paint Iowa Beautiful grants. The project is a finalist for an Artplace America grant, which would provide up to $125,000 — enough to finish the other seven alleys. For more information, go to www.lemarsiowa.com. Van Kooten is a freelance writer from Pella.
SERVING UP A SLICE OF RURAL LIFE DARCY'S MEATLOAF BURGER DEBUTS AT LAKE CITY DRIVE IN Calhoun County Farm Bureau President Darcy Maulsby brings her prized burger to a favorite local restaurant.
banded together to help Lake City recover from the tornado. WHAT A JOY IT WAS to use Darcy’s Meatloaf Burgers to promote Iowa agriculture and a great local business like the Drive In. I’m humbled
W
hen was the last time you were truly inspired by comfort food? Little did I know my quest for my own meatloaf masterpiece would help connect my community and promote agriculture at the same time. Great meatloaf brings a lot to the table, Maulsby from exceptional flavor to fond childhood memories. While this cafeteria staple can be predictable and even a bit staid, I view it as the perfect way to unleash my culinary creativity and refine the perfect meatloaf recipe.
that my quest for the perfect meatloaf recipe provided the ultimate comfort food at a time when it was needed most.
STORY AND PHOTO BY DARCY MAULSBY The Lake City Drive In featured Darcy's meatloaf burger for May Beef Month. Find the recipe for Darcy's meatloaf burger on the Iowa Dish website (http://www.iowafarmbureau.com/public/927/newsroom/the-iowa-dish). mote May Beef Month, Iowa corn and Iowa agriculture.
Lake City
EVERYTHING WAS FINE until the evening of Sunday, May 10, when a vicious EF-1 tornado stuck the west edge of Lake City and the high school just south of the Drive In across Main Street. While the storm narrowly missed the restaurant, it ripped down power lines and cut off electricity to the town.
this would resonate with readers. MY EXPLORATION of “meatloaf-ology” left me craving more, however. The recipes I tried didn’t taste quite right or were just plain bland. I made major progress when I purchased a cookbook containing recipes from caterers who fed the stars and crew of the 1995 film “The Bridges of Madison County.” Each time I made my own version of Brown-Sugar Meatloaf, I’d tweak the ingredients to fine-tune it to my tastes. When the local Graphic-Advocate newspaper called this spring to see if I would be their first Cook of the Month in April, I shared my prized recipe for Darcy’s Brown-Sugar Meatloaf. I had no idea how much
WHEN I STOPPED by the Lake City Drive In, owner Larry Irwin asked if I’d mind if he adapted my recipe to feature Darcy’s Meatloaf Burger as the Burger of the Month. I loved the idea and had only one condition — Darcy’s Meatloaf Burger be featured in May to promote May Beef Month. Larry agreed, and the opportunities didn’t stop there. Through my roles as president of both the Calhoun County Farm Bureau and Calhoun County Corn Growers, Darcy’s Meatloaf Burger inspired a live radio broadcast scheduled for May 13 with Duane Murley of KWMT 540 Radio to pro-
By the next morning, hundreds of volunteers poured into Lake City to help clean up debris. Power crews also worked non-stop and restored electricity by Monday evening. WHEN I ASKED Larry whether he wanted to postpone the radio remote, he said no and proceeded to whip up a batch of Darcy’s Meatloaf Burgers. When the big day arrived on May 13, the Drive In was packed. My fellow Farm Bureau and Calhoun County Corn Growers members relished the opportunity to share all that’s good about small-town and rural Iowa, including the way the community
WATERFRONT RESORT
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JUNE 2015 family living 9
GROWING A BLOOMING BUSINESS YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS KEEP AS BUSY AS A BEE WITH THEIR GARDEN CENTER Busy Bee Gardens continues to grow its landscaping and fresh produce offerings.
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t’s not every day you set up your own business immediately after graduating, but that’s what Chelsey Soder and Tyler Flinn did. The two met while they were both horticulture students at Des Moines Area Community College and bought their first greenhouse together from one of their instructors. Today, the couple has just added their sixth greenhouse and has more than 10,000 square feet of
lawn care service in high school.” Chelsey’s father taught her beekeeping, which gives the business — Busy Bee Garden Center — its name. Indianola
growing space in Indianola. IT SEEMED A NATURAL step for two people who had grown up in the horticulture world. “I had done farmers markets all through high school with my parents,” says Chelsey, who grew up in Fort Dodge, “and Tyler had his own
One of Busy Bee’s goals is to grow plants that thrive in Iowa’s challenging climate. They provide not only plants and flowers but also vegetables, trees and shrubs. Everything except the trees and shrubs are grown on-site. CUSTOMERS CAN FIND almost anything that grows at Busy Bee. Currently, they carry more than 500 varieties of annuals; 100 varieties of tomatoes; 75 varieties of
STORY BY VALERIE VAN KOOTEN Farm Bureau members Tyler Flinn and Chelsey Soder opened Busy Bee Garden Center near Indianola. In addition to growing landscape plants, Busy Bee also offers fresh produce at the Des Moines Farmers Market in the summer. peppers; and 50 different herbs, as well as succulents, patio pots, hanging baskets, perennials, ornamental grasses, fruit trees, ornamental trees and shrubs. Customer Betsy Braesch Sharp of Indianola, loves Busy Bee’s unusual offerings. “They’re really good about giving suggestions on colors or filling a space,” she says.
Chelsey admits she has a “plant obsession.” “Anything that catches my eye or that I think will be interesting to my customers, I plant,” she says. “We go to trade shows and get a lot of ideas there to stay up to date on new stuff.” BUSY BEE GARDEN CENTER also has a presence at the Des Moines Farmers Market. For the past five years, they’ve set up in front of Spaghetti Works on Court Avenue Saturday mornings during the season. “At the beginning of the season, it’s mainly flowers and early-season produce,” Chelsey says. “But as the garden gets going, it’s lots of produce. In the fall, we’re offering pumpkins and gourds.” Busy Bee Growing Center is located just south of the Indianola Middle School on the southeast side of town at 12836 140th Ave. You can contact them at (515) 408-5322 or at www.growbusybee.com. The center is open seven days a week.
FBL'S BRANNEN HONORED Farm Bureau Financial Services CEO James P. Brannen was recently presented with the Iowa Society of CPAs (ISCPA) Outstanding CPA in Business and Industry Award. The award recognizes the Brannen a c h i ev e m e n t s of an Iowa CPA who exemplifies and promotes the CPA designation as the definitive professional credential for financial managers in business, industry, education and government. In his 24 years with the companies, Brannen has held numerous leadership positions in finance and executive management including treasurer, chief administrative officer and CFO. Since being named CEO in August 2012, FBL’s stock price has grown 74 percent, nearly 98 percent with dividends included. FBL has raised its quarterly dividend four times and paid two special dividends during Brannen’s tenure as CEO, for a total of $164 million in dividends paid to shareholders.
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food bites
BY DIRCK STEIMEL
WHAT DRIVES FOOD CHOICES? PRICE, TASTE REMAIN MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS FOR GROCERY SHOPPERS Iowa Farm Bureau Food & Farm Index® finds that farmers and dieticians are most trusted sources for food safety information. More Iowa shoppers are paying attention to food labels than in the past, but price and taste are still driving food-buying decisions at the grocery store, according to the latest Iowa Food & Farm Index® released recently by the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF). The survey, completed earlier this year by Harris Poll, showed that 82 percent of Iowa grocery store shoppers say they pay attention to labels. That compares with 68 percent who said they watched labels in a similar Food & Farm Index survey taken in 2013.
The most recent poll also showed: • Farmers, along with dieticians and nutritionists, continue to be the most trusted sources for information about food safety. Farmers were ranked as one of the top three sources by 45 percent of the grocery shoppers polled, while dieticians/nutritionists were cited in the top three by 43 percent. • With the warmer weather, beef continues to be a star protein on the grill. The Iowa Farm Bureau Food & Farm Index shows that four in five Iowa grocery shoppers say they eat beef at least weekly. While more Iowa grocery shoppers are looking at labels, 78 percent say
that price remains the driving factor for the meat and poultry products they buy. The price factor in buying decisions was followed closely by taste, at 74 percent, and then nutrition at 43 percent. Safety is on the minds of Iowa grocery shoppers who are reading labels, with half thinking a "raised hormone free" or "raised antibiotic free" label means the food choice is safer, while a "raised in the U.S." label seems safer to 44 percent of Iowan grocery shoppers and 37 percent think "raised organically" labels mean a product is safer, the Food & Farm Index showed. To the group of grocery shoppers who are paying attention to labels, price still matters with three in five Iowans saying they would not pay more for
beef products with an "antibiotic free" label if it costs significantly more. In addition, shoppers noted that having additional information on the labels can help alleviate safety concerns. For example, of the grocery shoppers who had concerns about "antibiotic-free labels," 76 percent stated that additional facts would help alleviate their concern about antibiotic use in livestock production.
tential to influence consumer choices in the grocery store,” said Ruth MacDonald, Iowa State University professor and chair of food science and human nutrition and national speaker on food science issues. “For example, 67 percent of those surveyed think a ‘raised naturally’ label ‘means something,’ when in fact, it is not a term recognized or regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),” she said.
“We know information has the poThe survey shows around half (47 percent) of those who expressed concerns about antibiotics say they feel better knowing that meat processed in the U.S. and sold to grocery stores and restaurants is routinely tested by the government agencies, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure no antibiotic residue is present and that antibiotic residue is illegal in meat. Also, learning that any antibiotics used for livestock require FDA approval and must be rigorously tested and proven safe alleviates concerns for 46 percent of those who expressed concern about antibiotics. The index showed that 36 percent of respondents feel better that farmers have to follow FDA rules and adhere to strict withdrawal times when using antibiotics for food chain animals. Finding out that farmers work with veterinarians to administer antibiotics only when livestock need it helps alleviate concerns for 32 percent of Iowa grocery shoppers. Dr. Tom Burkgren, executive director of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, said many layers of safety protocols at livestock processing facilities work together to ensure food safety. “Inspectors at harvesting facilities look at every animal and screen for more than 100 compounds,” he said. Farmers are also a big part in ensuring a safe food supply, Burkgren said. “Every livestock farmer today must work hand-in-hand with veterinarians to ensure that an animal gets the right drug, at the right dosage, for the right duration, and that the drug is withdrawn in sufficient time before harvest,” he said. The Iowa Farm Bureau Food & Farm Index is a semi-annual survey of Iowa grocery shoppers to identify the factors driving their food purchases. The survey included Iowa residents between 20 and 60 years old who have primary or shared responsibility for household grocery shopping; 506 such respondents were interviewed online. 12 family living JUNE 2015