Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Wordless Wednesday: Why I Farm Roadtrip in Vermont

Each day I'm getting closer to the half way mark (state wise) of the Why I Farm Roadtrip. I've been seen so many breath taking sights. There's no way I could choose a favorite place, but I know Vermont is near the top. During my visit, the weather was gorgeous and I had great hosts. Check out a glimpse of my time in the Green Mountain State in this week's Wordless Wednesday!












Photo credit: Lisa Campion







A return visit to Vermont is definitely on my post road trip bucket list. To meet Vermont farmers and see their Why I Farm stories, head over to the Why I Farm Roadtrip blog. Thanks for reading!

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

7 Little Things To Make Long Distance Suck Less

My experiences on the Why I Farm Roadtrip have impacted every part of my life. I'm thankful this trip has challenged me and grown me in so many ways. That being said, the growing process isn't always fun. After seeing my boyfriend, Ryan, nearly every day for two years at Iowa State, a long distance relationship has certainly been an adjustment. I don't think it will ever become easy to be apart, but here are a few things that have made long distance suck a little less.


1. Skype and screen share - My favorite way to end a day on the road is Skyping Ryan. Whether it's touring his new apartment, showing him some cool photos I took, or just seeing his face as we catch up, video calling has made traveling lots easier. I've spent several evenings in a McDonald's parking lot cuddled with a blanket in the back of my rental van watching movies with Ryan and it's the highlight of my day. It's the little things in life, right?

Here's a quick Skype screen share 101: Unless you have unlimited data, be sure to find somewhere with wifi. If you get a spot close enough to the building, you can still get a strong connection in most McDonald's or Starbucks parking lots, even after they close. Pull up whatever you're wanting to share on your laptop. It can be anything - Netflix, photos, or a DVD. Start the Skype call. Once you're connected, click 'Call' on the menu bar and then 'Share Screens...' in the drop down that appears. Confirm you want to start sharing screens and ta-da! 

2. Learn each other's schedules - When Ryan and I were both at Iowa State, we naturally learned each other's schedules. I don't ever remember making a point to memorize his routine, but it happened. At the beginning of my travels I would call randomly, without much thought to what he might be doing. It seemed I always called at a bad time. Honestly, I took it personally at first. It felt like he didn't want to talk to me. I had to realize, just like I couldn't drop what I was doing every time he called me, life was still happening for him. Once we intentionally shared our schedules with one another, things got a lot easier. He knows I do #AgChat every Tuesday night and I know if I want to call him to say good morning, I better do it before his 8 AM class.

3. Share the little things - I didn't realize how big the little things were until I left. Things that we never talked about when we were in the same place like the weather, slow buses, or free food on campus actually matter. It took me a while to figure out that if I called and Ryan seemed 'mehhhh' it might just be a cloudy, gloomy day back in Iowa. He wasn't upset with me. In the same way, when I call and life at home is perfect without me, that doesn't mean he doesn't miss me. Chances are he just scored some free pizza. When you take two seconds to share the details that were obvious before, it's easier for both of you to see the big picture.

4. Don't forget about snail mail - A few months ago I had to mail Ryan a key for my house. I was really missing him so tucked in a little note with knock knock jokes and silly doodles. He loved it! No one gets fun mail anymore. For less than 50 cents, a postcard or note is a pretty cheap way to brighten someone's day.

5. Remember texts are just text - I took so much for granted when we could talk face to face. So much of what you say is communicated through your facial expressions and tone of voice. When you don't have those clues, it's easy to take 'Why' as 'Why the heck would you do that?' instead of 'Why? (I'm curious, tell me more.)' Don't read into more than what is on the screen. If you're talking about something important, make time for a phone call.

6. Collect (meaningful) souvenirs for them - I love it when I visit a place and find something that reminds me of Ryan. I try to pick up affordable little souvenirs as I travel so he can experience some of what I'm seeing. Don't guilt yourself into buying trinkets like key chains and shot glasses everywhere you go. Hold out for something that's personal and they'll actually use. So far, I've picked up dips and sauces from some of the farms I've visited and couple t-shirts I knew he'd love.

7. Make time to hang out - One of the things I miss the most is just sitting and hanging out. When we were both in Ames, we spent a lot of time doing our own projects in the same room, not even talking. I'd work on my blog, he'd do homework. When we still have our own things to do, I can FaceTime him, prop my phone up on the corner of my laptop and blog away. He can play video games, I can be productive. When I can't figure out how to word a sentence I can run it past him and when he makes an awesome kill, he can tell me all about it. Bonus: He calls me out when I have work to do, but get distracted or sidetracked.

Our relationship is far from perfect and we've still got at least nine months of long distance to go. I'm excited to keep learning about myself and others, even if the lessons aren't always fun. In the mean time, I hope this list helps your long distance relationship suck a little less. Thanks for reading!

Friday, August 26, 2016

Foodie Friday: Why I Farm Roadtrip, May

I confess, I'm that girl that takes a photo of just about every meal and snack I've had so far on the Why I Farm Roadtrip. I love trying the local flavors and I don't want to forget all the unique experiences I've had in each state. Starting from the beginning, here's a look at the tastes of May.


One of the Why I Farm Roadtrip visits I had was with blueberry farmers from Michigan. The Bowerman family has a beautiful farm market full of doughnuts, pies and preserves. They sent this jar with me as a souvenir. I enjoyed it while I was staying with Jennifer Osterholt in Ohio. It was delicious!


Barbara Siemen of The Chick Wire still holds the record as one of the best cooks I've visited so far. When I arrived, she had fresh pastries, banana bread and cookies to share. My stomach is growling just looking at the pictures again! 


I tried to make Barbara's cookies last, but I'm afraid to admit how many I ate before I even left her county. They were the perfect balance of softness and chewiness.


When I visited Fort Wayne, Indiana, the lovely folks at the tourism bureau gave me tickets to "Summer Nights at the Embassy." There was a great band, and unique food and drinks for sale. This Mac & Cheese with pulled pork had a little kick to it and hit the spot after a long day of traveling.


Summer Nights at the Embassy was just the start of great food I had in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The next day, I went to Tolon, a newer restaurant in the area. My burger and homemade chips were fantastic. Advice: If you see something on the menu with bacon jam, order it. You won't be disappointed.


To wrap up a great visit to Fort Wayne, I was able to visit the Joseph Decuis farm and restaurant. This is by far the nicest restaurant I've been to while on the road. It was so fascinating to learn about the veggies, pork, and Wagyu beef that were part of my meal. To top it off, our fantastic waitress let me sample a few beers from a popular local brewery, Sun King. Unfortunately I didn't get a photo, but the Mangalista Cracklins' were great. Treat yourself to an order of those!


Early in the road trip I decided I needed to try a strawberry shake in every state. When I can't find a local place, Chick-fil-A is my go to. You can see the real strawberries and it doesn't taste syrupy. Mmm!

That's it for May's Foodie Friday! Check back next week to see a few of the yummy things I had in June. Thanks for reading!

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Wordless Wednesday: Why I Farm Roadtrip in Maine

I recently visited Maine for the first time as part of the Why I Farm Roadtrip! On top of several great farm visits, there was so much scenery to take in. Here's a glimpse of my time in The Pine Tree State.











Photo credit: Jenni Tilton-Flood, The Deere Milkmaid

To keep up with the Maine farmers I met and to read their Why I Farm stories, head over to the Why I Farm Roadtrip blog. Thanks for reading!

Monday, August 22, 2016

Monday Motivation: Why I Farm Roadtrip Week 15

It's Monday again already, which means another week of the Why I Farm Roadtrip is under my belt! I can't believe I'm starting week 15 today! As I get further into this experience, I get more and more excited to share the stories of the farmers and feed, fuel and clothe us all. Here are a few that have been especially meaningful to me this week.


Nebraska farmer: Shannon Peterson
“My husband and I have been married almost 18 years now. We are in a partnership with his brother and his mom. We the fourth generation on his family’s farm. The kids will hopefully be the fifth. I love the outdoors, I love the animals. Calving season is my ultimate favorite. It’s by far my busiest time of the year, little to no sleep seems like. My kids like to come and help tag, so that’s really fun when they jump on the four wheeler with me and go out and help me check cows. It’s fun to watch over the years, what they’ve grown to learn and know.” – Shannon Peterson of Gothenburg, Nebraska


Nebraska farmer: Chris Niemann
“I was coming home to help for harvest when it really hit me that if I stayed in Oklahoma City, Dad is not getting any younger. When he’s done, it would technically be my turn. But if I don’t want anything to do with it and I’ve never been home to learn anything, then I’m either going to send the fourth-generation farm into the ground or I’m going to sell it. I don’t want to that. Grandpa busted for it, Dad has busted for it. That’s when everything came together. There’s a lot of bullets to be sweat, a lot of tears to be shed, a lot of smiles to be had, and a lot of remotes to be thrown at TVs. Some days, I don’t know why we do it. But I do know I love it. After everything else I’ve done, I wouldn’t do anything else." – Chris Niemann of Dwight, Nebraska


Kentucky farmers: Hayden family
"Why I do this, honestly, is because of my mom and dad. I look at everything we have here and I see these people who worked their butts off. My dad was one of six kids. He grew up poor. And he worked really hard every day, not only to build his electric company but to build this farm. This wasn’t a farm that was handed down from generation to generation. He started it. Dan and I are the second generation on this piece of land. I watched him build it from the ground up. I remember when we had a couple milk cows and tobacco. Seeing everything that he did, that’s why. The passion he has for farming and agriculture, that only made the passion inside of me grow even more." – David Hayden of Hayden Farms in Philpot, KY (Pictured L-R: Martin, Daniel, David and Joan Hayden)


Nebraska farmer: Deb Gangwish
“We take care of our farm because if we don’t treat Mother Nature well, Mother Nature doesn’t take care of us. You have to honor what you have. There may be thousands of acres around here but to us, it’s our backyard. I never think of big fields as big fields; I think of them as pieces of the planet that we have to take care of or it’s not going to be around. Sometimes I think too much, but we’re just part of such a bigger picture.” - Deb Gangwish of PG Farms in Shelton, Nebraska

Click on the photos to read each farmer's original post. I hope their stories inspire you to enjoy the outdoors, step up to responsibility, appreciate your family, and look at the big picture this week. Happy Monday! Thanks for reading!

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Wordless Wednesday: Why I Farm Roadtrip in Boston, Massachusetts

For the month of August, I've been traveling through New England. To start off the month, I flew into Boston for the AAEA Meetings and was reunited with some Iowa State Ag Business friends for a last hurrah of my Quiz Bowl Career. It was so great to spend a few days with familiar faces and take in a bit of our nation's history. Visiting places that had such an important role in the beginning of our country was very exciting. Here is a little glimpse of the interesting things I saw the city of Boston!







Photo credit: DeAnna Hanner




I wish I'd had time to do the whole Freedom Trail, but I enjoyed the parts I was able to see. Now I have a reason to go back! Stay tuned for more pictures and stories from New England. Thanks for reading!