Farm Report

Farm Report: 1.20.19

- Mel
electric cow iowa
Plug it in, plug it in.

nothing to do about corn

I’m so used to agricultural vernacular now that I referred to a power grid substation as an “electrical farm.” Which… is not technically a thing. Wind farms, however, are definitely a thing. And I am endlessly fascinated (and geeked out) over living in a state poised to become a leader in wind energy.

Oh yeah, if you visit here: It’s windy AF.

midwest shenanigans

On New Year’s Day, this year, I learned about the weird-but-amazing Iowa food preference for chili with cinnamon rolls. Yes, I wrote that correctly: CHILI WITH CINNAMON ROLLS. I love learning about regional quirks, like use of the word “kybo” for the portable toilet.

That’s why I was positively gleed (though simultaneously disappointed – thanks, gluten) at finding out that there is an Ames restaurant that has created a chili burger with cinnamon rolls for buns.

Farm Report: 12.14.18

- Mel

is this where I blog?

Ope, this new editor in WordPress is legit awful. For the love of Corn Dogs, please bring me back a text box. 

Editor update: Using the Classic Editor plug-in to fix this pile of cow pies, thank Baby Jesus.

christmas on the farm

Good luck getting this one out of your head. Be happy that I didn’t share the one about palpating cows sung in the tune of Santa Claus is Coming to Town. 😳

 

extra reading: Farm & Dairy’s 12 Days of Christmas

midwest shenanigans

When I had some family visiting Des Moines last week, they asked if we had a town square that is decorated for Christmas. I kinda just figure that Capitol Hill is our “town square” but was otherwise disappointed at its lack of holiday decor. Yes, there’s a tree inside, which… OK, it’s large and decorated and from a farm in Iowa but otherwise is an outlier because nothing else is decorated inside. Is there a section of downtown, outdoors, that gets in the holiday spirit as much as I see in other cities and I have missed in my adventures? Where’s the big OUTDOOR decorated tree? Where are the lighted displays? Where can I see a live manger scene?  Actually, don’t bother on that last one because I saw one in Urbandale last weekend. 😂😂😂

Note: I have been through the housing neighborhoods in Beaverdale, which is just a delight! 

Farm Report: 11.3.18

- Mel

much to do about candy corn

Science tells us why we can’t stop eating all that damn candy. Shut up and give me those mallowcreme pumpkins.

If you’re reading this from outside the metro Des Moines area, did you know that we weirdos celebrate trick-or-treating a day early? The tradition is called Beggar’s Night and historical lore tells us that it was to curb the the not-so-harmless tricks (like vandalism and breaking shit) that occurred the night of Halloween. I’m not sure how that logic works creating a “new” holiday the night before, but the costumed kids are adorable because they tell you jokes.

candy corn and pumpkins halloween candy gimme
Mmmmm… corn syrup.

winter tires are here again

The Changing of the Tires came so fast. Though I am exceptionally happy for my favoritest time of year (besides the fact that my car’s winter tires are seriously fug). I have been tossing around the idea of getting a fat bike this year to continue my biking obsession through winter here in Iowa (I have been riding my bike 4-5 times a week for the last couple months). There is a pretty large bike community in Des Moines – and I’ve seen a few Fat Bikes on the trails here – and, well, I just want to continue playing in the snow in as many ways as possible.

What’s the over/under on accumulation this year?

midwest shenanigans*

*Now with more road trips! Running has already taken me to random points in Iowa and beyond by way of road tripping for races and places to get additional elevation gain. Now with roller derby back in my life, I’m exploring back road towns and B-roads even more (and let me tell you, my performance tires are NOT happy). Last month, I took another trip to Dubuque (that there-and-back and also playing a derby bout was a little painful). Last weekend I was in Vinton. This weekend, I’m off to the Quad Cities. And then the following weekend, I might be playing in a mixer scrimmage in Milwaukee and visiting some of my favorite Brewcity skaters (and definitely going a day early so that I can go to Alt Brew in Madison on the way).

What gluten-free brewery or restaurant suggestions do you got for Milwaukee?

Farm Report: 10.5.18

- Mel

A few years ago, I started making a conscious effort in stopping use of the phrase: I’m so busy. Because, like, we all are. We’re busy with what we choose to prioritize in our lives – and that is OK. It looks different on all of us. There is a negative connotation with explaining to the world and answering “how’s life?” with “BUSY!” And, well, I don’t like that trap. Also, no, I am not the type of person who will answer “I am happily prioritizing all my Life Things this month!”

I’m a work in progress.

There are seasons where prioritizing is difficult and there are more Life Things than usual and something has to give. The beginning of fall requires a LOT of time management (and packing extra clothes and changing in my car) because I am often bouncing from one thing to the next.

If I leave you with anything with this message, it’s: BE KIND TO YOURSELF. The corn will be planted before we know it.

pumpkin spice everything

basic bumpkin

Sweet Corn season is done. In fact, corn season is done completely. The final signal to summer’s end is the mowing down of the corn fields and eating pumpkin spice Cheerios.

Also, you must watch this: Pumpkin Spice Everything with Adam Rippon

There is only a week or two left of Farmer’s Market season. I had to wear fleece while I was coaching this week. The Harvest Moon is waning. This week also starts fall semester of my second week of grad school. Time to light up the fire pits and burn last year’s syllabi. 🤘

midwest shenanigans

A couple weeks ago, my husband and I took our first trip down to Lake Ozark in Missouri. It was so beautiful! And we really lucked out on finding an AirBnB (with a hot tub!) on the lake (though probably a little further from All the Fun than we’d stay again). Last weekend, I took my first trip to Mall of America, and I was so underwhelmed that I just ate lunch in the food court and never left. Like my dad’s favorite joke goes: If you’ve seen one mall, you’ve seen em’all.

(No, seriously, my dad actually told us that joke when I was a kid and I NEVER stop laughing at it when I’m in a mall. I also strongly dislike malls very very much, maybe because of all my retail management years?)

Farm Report: 8.10.17

- Mel

I’m back from two weeks in the land of fires (aka: northern California) and past the seemingly never-ending barrage of stressors from preparing to leave for my internship. While I was staying a couple hours east of one of the major blazes, there was considerable smoke in my area and a few mornings where you could smell things burning. Thankfully my internship “abroad” went quickly, despite being emotionally and mentally exhausting. I’m happy to be home and settling back into my routine. Two weeks away, and the corn viewable from the fields at this stage is obviously not for human consumption, it looks positively BEAT. (And like it needs a haircut.)

I feel you corn. I feel you.

the sweetest corn.

adel sweet corn festival iowa blog events

Adel is my favorite sweet corn in the area (Grimes is 2nd). But NOTHING WILL BEAT OHIO SWEET CORN, DON’T @ ME. That said, I’m bummed to be missing the buttered-down goodness of this Saturday’s Adel Sweet Corn Festival. I mean, I suppose I might be able to get over there before midnight. Cross your kernels that there will be corn available that late.

brb. going to spanish mines. in iowa.

This weekend is the Mines of Spain trail race and my first race of the year. Remember when I used to write a lot about running?! My intent was to be ready for the half, but I’m dropping down to the 7-mile event because I’ve basically done 4 weeks of 6-mile long runs and unable to push myself into any further misery. Real talk: run training just hasn’t been gelling for me lately. So I’m being kind to myself and doing what I can to keep running fun and basically going for a weekend with friends. Also, it will be my first time exploring Spain Dubuque!

midwest shenanigans

I love to love on Iowa. Being around a bunch of east and west coasters the last couple weeks asking “tell me what it’s like” had me enthusiastically swooning over why I enjoy living here. ESPECIALLY after sitting in hours of traffic in California.

What would you tell someone who asked you to describe what’s so great about the Midwest – or Iowa, specifically?

Farm Report: Extreme Chance of Giggles

- Mel

Special edition of the Farm Report to bring you BABY GOATS.

If I had my choice of a therapy animal, it would probably be a baby goat.

Goat Yoga_baby goats farm

Last weekend, as part of my mission to become less of a city girl and more of a suburban wannabe farm girl, I had the pleasure of meeting and hanging with the some of the cutest animals: BABY GOATS. As part of a summer series at Howell’s Farm in Cumming, Iowa, and a collaboration with Illuminate Yoga and the wonderful instructor Lynn Marie Nelson, the “Goat Yoga + Giggle” event was something I was geeking out about FOR WEEKS.

via GIPHY

This is basically how it looked when they unleashed the goats in our enclosed pen for the yoga class. I was basically squeeing in excitement from the moment I unrolled my mat. You cannot be in the presence of baby goats and not be positively impacted. And if you don’t have a smile reach across your face, then we cannot be BFF.

BABY GOATSGoat Yoga_Iowa blog review farm

BABY GOATS CHEW ON EVERYTHING!

Goat Yoga_ baby goat howells farm

BABY GOAT MAWING ON MY TOE

Goat Yoga_iowa goat giggles farm blog

BABY GOAT ON MAH PLANK

Goat Yoga_baby goats on planks iowa

(Special thanks to Howells and Lynn for the most perfect action shots!)

BABY GOATS TAKING SAVASANA WITH ME AND ALSO PERFECT SELFIE PARTNERS

Goat Yoga_savasana baby goats iowa

It surpassed all my expectations and I left feeling so joyous. And yes, I giggled the entire time. There was definitely more goats and giggles than yoga, but that just meant all was balanced with the universe.

And yes, BABY GOATS EATING MY HAIR. 🤣

Goat Yoga_baby goat iowa farm blog

(And then I went to meet and feed some BIGGER GOATS – one of them made that hilarious screamy goat noise, but I was laughing so hard that I couldn’t record fast enough on my phone.)

Goat Yoga_baby goat on my head iowa farm

I’m not sure of the availability of remaining classes, but check out Illuminate’s event page and BOOK IMMEDIATELY if you see an open spot.

Farm Report: 6.3.18

- Mel

Here’s the corn sitch right now:

Iowa Corn - Booneville

Though with this weekend’s rain, it looks like it doubled in size overnight.

summer summer summertime

Sing it, Will Smith.

Not only is it Drive with the Windows Down and the Radio Loud Season, it’s affirmatively GET OUTSIDE weather. Apparently, it’s also Allergy Season (thanks, Iowa!) and Swallow a Lot of Bugs Season and maybe-possibly Is That or Isn’t That Poison Ivy Season. I’ve been riding my bike a lot already this summer, with trips to the High Trestle Trail (twice!), a downtown city journey when my friend was visiting, and a night out with friends to Jasper Winery (which included a very dark, very buggy trail ride home). I have another long ride on the calendar during the Arts Festival weekend (with a visit to the Downtown Farmer’s Market, for sure).

Despite the humidity, the temperatures haven’t felt so oppressive as they did last year. Though I am not actively running outdoors right now to compare. Training starts this month for my fall 50k. I just need to get through this school semester first.

primer for the primaries

Tuesday is Iowa’s primary. Learn more about the candidates.

midwest shenanigans

OMG, when will I remember that Milwaukee is NOT in Minnesota?! It definitely makes a difference when you tell your friend the driving distance to Des Moines. 🤦‍♀️

Farm Report: 4.20.18

- Mel

I waffled (mmmm, breakfast) a bit on importing the posts from my prior blog and decided to do so. If you see anything wonky in the archives, let me know. And if you are at all interested in running and running gear and the running community, well there is a lot of that from the last few years. I don’t want to only write about running, so here’s where I am currently – a transition between a “running blog” and something of a “lifestyle blog.” Which… whatever, I’ll work it out as I go. I no longer have to pretend I have dual identities, which also means that I’ll no longer have to keep two blogs interesting up-to-date.

amaizing corn

really amaizing

I’m sure that I’ll get on SOME kind of list for Googling this, and I only did so because of all the pot references today (*eyeroll*): which grows faster, corn or marijuana? Results are inconclusive. Don’t try this at home. (And definitely not in Iowa, where it is not yet legal.)

moo bitch get out the whey

As part of an on-boarding package purchased at my gym, I completed both my active and resting metabolic assessments. Somehow, this tiny body is supposed to consume 4208 calories a day to properly fuel at its current level of activity (which is considerably reduced because of my Achilles injury) and I have lost all ability to comprehend how bodies work.

FOUR THOUSAND CALORIES.

Mind you, I regularly assume around 2700 calories on my active days, but this assessment is basically telling me that is the minimum my body requires for basic functioning and HOW AM I EVEN ALIVE RIGHT NOW. Also, I guess I can eat an avocado with every meal? Because no clue how I even get 229 grams of fat in my diet every day without eating McDonald’s cheeseburgers. (If I ate 3 avocados a day, I would only get 63 grams of fat. What kind of hell is this?!)

See also: currently looking for a local nutritionist.

midwest shenanigans

Are you new to Des Moines? Check out this welcoming event and RSVP for the reception!

If you’re not new here, you might have heard about the Drake Relays and its accompanying series of road races that start this weekend. Originally, I was supposed to run the half marathon, but since I got injured, I will be volunteering at the Capital Striders water stop. See me for all your Mile 8 motivation!

Farm Report: 3.30.18

- Mel

While we await the return of the starlings…

’tis the season

Tyler (‪@TylerJRoney‬) forgot corn season. Pothole Season is so real right now though.

mooooove along, nothing to see here

Guess I only have a few days left for my husband to surprise me with a farm animal. YES I’M STILL OBSESSED WITH COWS.

midwest shenanigans

Are there any Easter traditions that are specific to Iowa? We have our cultural food customs (ham, pickled eggs, hrutka aka “egg cheese”) that aren’t really homeland specific, but I wonder if there are regional differences in how Iowans celebrate (or eat during) the holiday.

Share your traditions in the comments!