Exploring Blab with the North Iowa Bloggers

Last night the North Iowa Bloggers hosted their second, monthly Blab session.  The first session I participated by filling-in one of the video seats and by commenting through the live chat.  The second session last night I hosted.  Blab has been a fun, new, social media tool that the North Iowa Bloggers have been exploring and I'm looking forward to seeing how this group, as well as I personally can use it in the future.

So, what is Blab?

Blab.im is one of the newest video streaming social media platforms available.  I like to describe it as a live video talk show or conference with up to four people.  The host has control who fills the other three available video seats, but anyone can watch the Blab and participate through the live chat feature.

A screen shot of last night's North Iowa Blogger Blab
In the center shows those participating in Video Seats
and on the right is the Live Chat feature of Blab

Some quick notes about Blab:

• You can access Blab on your desktop (which is what I've done the last two sessions) or through their app.
• Logging into Blab (and setting up an account) is very easy and is connected through your Twitter account.
• There is no time length restrictions for Blab sessions.  The North Iowa Blogger sessions have both been one hour each, which is the average length.
• If you are the host/moderator of the Blab you can record the session and will receive the Blab as mp3 and mp4 recordings following the session via email.
• You can give "props" (a pair of hands) to those participating in one of the Blab's four video seats.  It is a fun way of giving immediate feedback.

How can you or your business use Blab?

If you have explored with video streaming before (or even if you've never done video) I recommend checking out Blab.  I can't say enough how user friendly and simple I have found it, both as a participant and host/moderator.  I feel like other video streaming platforms like Periscope and the new Facebook Live, are a nice way of talking to your audience, but Blab is a great way of having a conversation with your audience.

So how would you like to have a dialogue with your audience or business patrons?  I see Blab as a new way of doing podcasts, a great way to promote events with an panel, share about new products, show transparency with your business by taking questions, interacting, and answering questions from your customers, and bringing in specialists to share their expertise on different subjects to then share and have a conversation with your team or customers.

As a farmer, I see Blab as a great tool to create transparency on our farm.  One audience that is interested in learning more and seeing the farm are schools.  Blab would be a great way to connect with multiple classrooms at one time and have interaction and discussion with them.  Another audience I'd like to show what is happening on our farm with are legislators.  Blab could allow me to show what is happening in our barns or out in the field at the same time as having experts like our veterinarian, agronomist, etc. also apart of the video discussion with multiple legislators through video seats and/or live chat.  Plus the Blab session can be recorded and shared through YouTube, email, etc. with legislators who weren't able to attend the live session.

What's next for the North Iowa Bloggers on Blab?

We are going to continue to do monthly Blab sessions, every third Tuesday of the month at 8pm CST.  Our first session we shared "Who are the North Iowa Bloggers?" and had several of our members share who they are, opportunities they've participated in by being a member of the North Iowa Bloggers and what the group means to them.  Last night's second session we focused on "Developing YOU as a Brand."  This Blab was inspired by a presentation that several of the North Iowa Bloggers heard at the Iowa Blogger Conference in Fort Dodge last month by Deb "Debworks" Brown (who by the way Blabs every Sunday!).  I hosted the session and had Deb join in on the conversation, as well as North Iowa Blogger Sara who has evolved her brand over the last couple of years and North Iowa Blogger Alicia who just changed her focus and brand a few months ago.  Be sure to check out the video recording from last night!

We have future session plans of sharing about our group's travel opportunities, businesses we've worked with, and other topics that will benefit our members.  The Blab sessions are open to everyone and we hope you can join us next time, which by the way will be May 17th!

Have you ever "Blabbed" before?  How would you use Blab video streaming?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Easy as Pie

When the idea came about to have a "pie making day" to support the North Iowa Bloggers and friends cope with the loss of our friend and fellow blogger Amy, it was easy as pie to simply say "When".  I not only wanted to be there for my friends, but I feel that being in the kitchen, and baking in particular, is very therapeutic.  So last week myself and four other friends packed up our pie supplies and headed two hours south to Cristen Clark of Food and Swine's home for a day of laughter, fellowship and pie therapy.

Cristen with her award winning recipes

One of the best parts of our "Pie Day" was all the stories and laughter shared.  Cristen started things off by welcoming us to our home and breaking out her award winning secrets on good ol' notebook pages.  I love how real Cristen is and that she felt like she could just be herself around us.  One of Cristen's best quotes from the day was "At this point in my life, butter is where it's at."  I couldn't agree more!  Who doesn't love butter!

Jeni from Jeni Eats, Jessica from Belong Create,
Cristen from Food and Swine, Mary from A Natural Plus and
Shannon from The Field Position and Enchanted Acres preparing pie crusts

I loved the fellowship we shared around Cristen's kitchen island.  It was fun to exchange our own pie tips and baking stories with each other.  One of the best tips I learned from Cristen was to "perfume" your sugar with lemon zest for fruit pies.  We used the zest from half of a lemon and rubbed it with our sugar for our fillings.  The aroma and taste was amazing.  It gave the pies that added something!  It was also a lot of fun to be apart of both Jessica and Mary's first pie baking experience!

I'm an official Blue Ribbon Baker now!

And at the end of the day the sweet reward was being able to divulge in a little pie therapy.  I chose to make Cristen's two crust pear pie with a lattice top!  When initially talking to Cristen about our "Pie Day" she recommended that everyone choose to make either a berry or a pear pie.  I had never made a pear pie before and was very intrigued!  It is similar to an apple pie but has a slightly different texture and flavor.  Cristen actually may have made me a covert - I think I actually might prefer pear pie over apple!  But now only if I had a pear tree that produced like my apple...

Our finished pies!
Me, Shannon, Mary (with JP), Jeni and Jessica

Our "Pie Day" was a success and was exactly what we all needed.  Now I think we need to head down to Cristen's again for a bread class.  (She says that's what she loves to make the most.)  Do you have any pie tips?  What's your favorite flavor of pie?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Amy's Gift of Friendship

I just don't know where to start, so I'm giving you all a heads up that this post might be a little random and scattered, but I know I need to write something now, because there is so much I want to write.  This past Wednesday was a snowy day, so the kids and I decided to stay at home, rather than doing our normal library and grocery trip.  We were having a great day and that afternoon's quiet time was turning out to be pretty productive for myself until I got "the call."  One of my fellow North Iowa Bloggers, Donna, called me.  I figured she was calling to let me know that our group wasn't going to meet for our supper and local business tour that night anymore because of the weather, but instead I heard a quiver in her voice and I could hear tears in her eyes.  I thought what happened?  She told me that one of our fellow North Iowa Bloggers, Amy of Modern Rural Living, had passed away in a tragic multi-car accident that morning.  I said "What!".  Donna repeated it again, but I knew what she had said, I just couldn't believe it.  So I said "What!" one more time.  Donna knew I was in disbelief, just like she was, and though we were 50 miles apart from each other, she could tell what I was thinking and said, "I know."  We just sat on the phone with each other mumbling disbeliefs back and worth, or even just saying nothing.  But we knew we were there for each other and we knew we were there for the rest of our North Iowa Bloggers, Amy's fiance Spenser and Amy's parents and brother.

One of the Facebook photos I posted of Amy and I.
We were on a social media panel together just last month.

That evening after Amy's name was released publicly, I shared photos of Amy and myself on Facebook.  The support from my Facebook followers was amazing.  Those that didn't even know Amy sent their prayers for her family and friends - AND to the North Iowa Bloggers.  I was astonished that people would be thinking of me during this time, along with the rest of my North Iowa Bloggers community.  My Mom called me that night to make sure I was alright.  She mentioned how lucky I was to have the North Iowa Bloggers.  And that is when I think it really hit me, the North Iowa Bloggers was more than just a group of people that got together to talk social media and support our local community, we were friends.

One of my favorite #NorthIowaBlogger events
Lays Potato Chip Taste Test (which has then spurred more taste tests!)

Living in rural Iowa, let's just say, there are limitations to finding friends.  There isn't a huge population to begin with and then if you look for people that have the same interests as you, that pool gets even smaller.  And I know and appreciate the friends I have, but the North Iowa Bloggers are something different, there is something special there, they're friends.  Does that make sense to anyone else?  They are an unbelievable support system that I am so lucky and fortunate to have, and Amy was such a big part of that.  Amy was always so welcoming to anyone that joined our group, she had such an excitement and zest at every gathering and event we participated in, and her smile - what I can I say about her smile?  Number one, she was always smiling.  Number two, her smile instantly made you feel comfort.  Number three, you could tell what she was thinking by the way she smiled.  So, I guess in the words of Amy, her smile "Rocked".

Amy Elizabeth Hild - September 9, 1987 - February 25, 2015

The North Iowa Bloggers, Spenser, Amy's family and the rest of her friends are going to miss her smile and friendship for awhile.  There are going to be holes in our lives and hearts for awhile.  But the promise of Easter gives me assurance that I will see that smile again.  Scripture always gives me so much fulfillment and I ran across this verse that I think embodies Amy, plus goes well with some of the things My Farmer and I have been praying with each other about this Lent.

What words or songs of support do you turn to in time of loss?  Remember to Comment for a Cause (and be sure to check out next month's Comments for a Cause tomorrow - I'm doing something special for Amy!), and be sure to check out these other great tributes to her.

#NorthIowaBloggers Help Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank this Holiday Season

In November, the North Iowa Bloggers teamed together to gather donations and food to help two local food banks, the Franklin County Food Pantry in Hampton and the Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank in Mason City.  And luckily for me I was able to join a few other North Iowa Bloggers a week and a half ago to drop off those donations.

Beth Ann from It's Just Life, Donna from DonnaHup.com, myself,
Jeni from Jeni Eats and Amy from Modern Rural Living dropping off our donation

Thanks to your comments on my blog and several others, as well as actual food donations, we were able to donate 235 pounds of food off at the Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank in Mason City!

After we got everything finalized with our donation, Ozzie Ohl, volunteer at the Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank, gave us a tour of the new facility and demonstrated how it operated.  The Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank is volunteer ran and currently has around 125 volunteers, making it the largest volunteer ran food bank served by the Food Bank of Iowa.  Ozzie's focus at the Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank is to help tell the facility's story to the general public and to help with special events and campaigns in the community.  In the three short years since he started being a volunteer he has worked in the order filling room, gone on food pickups and assisted people at the counter.

Ozzie Ohl demonstrating how the Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank
works for North Iowa families

The Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank is an emergency food bank, so families can visit the facility once a month, where they will receive the equivalent of a four day ration.  In the picture above you can see Ozzie talking about some of the different food areas.  Above each section is a chart that tells how many items a family with different amount of members can receive.  For example, in the non-edible section that Ozzie is currently pointing to a family of one receives three non-edible items, family of two receives four, family of three receives five items, etc.  

Volunteers stocking fresh produce at Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank

Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank collects food through donations and purchases food and non-essentials through monetary donations.  Currently over 80% of the Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank goes toward food acquisition, while the rest goes towards building costs.  The majority of the food they purchase from the Food Bank of Iowa since they are able to buy it for 14 cents a pound.  They also buy food and non-perishable items from local grocery stores.  Hy-Vee East donates their day old bread and baked good to the food bank, and they partner with Community Kitchen bi-weekly receiving collections from Target and Wal-Mart through their partnership with Feeding America.  In the end, Ozzie told us that the food bank simply couldn't exist without the generosity of North Iowans.  In 2013, Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank served 17,580 people.  At the end of November this year, the total was 19,533 and officials expect to serve at least 1,500 in December, creating a record year in the number of people served.

If you'd like some ideas on how to help your local food bank this holiday season, check out my Food Bank Guide.  How do you help your local food bank during the holidays?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Comments for a Cause - #NorthIowaBloggers Food Drive

It is November 1st which means it is time to talk about Comments for a Cause!  First thing to cover is my donation to the Iowa 4-H Foundation for the month of October.  Thank you for the 235 comments posted during the month, which results in a $117.50 donation.  It was great hearing so many 4-H stories during National 4-H Week, plus interacting with new and veteran readers through my "31 Days from a Tractor Seat" series.  Thank you so much for helping me make such a nice donation to help Iowa 4-Hers.

In the month of November I am excited to be joining up with my fellow bloggers in North Iowa to promote both the Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank and the Franklin County Food Pantry through a Food Drive.  We will be collecting donations of both food goods and donations that will be split between the two facilities.  I will also be donating $0.50 for every comment during the month towards the Food Drive campaign.

Food banks across the nation are in need of assistance all year long and what a better time to give to them then during the month where we remind ourselves what we are thankful for.  I am very thankful for everything I have in my life and I'm proud to help provide healthy, affordable and quality food as a farmer.

So how can you help?  If you would like to join in on the North Iowa Bloggers food drive we'd love have you join us.  You can email me at vplagge@gmail.com or contact Beth Ann at It's Just Life if you'd like to make a donation of any sort and we will follow up with you.  We all think it'd be great if this local food drive went viral!

If you would rather donate to your own local food pantry PLEASE do!  They are all in need of food and what better timing than with the holidays approaching.  Check out my Guide to Help your Local Food Bank for ideas, both traditional and non-traditional, to help you with your donation.

Also, to learn more about the North Iowa Bloggers, check out our new Facebook page!

Have you participated in any food drives in the past?  If you donate this month to your local food bank please let me know.  The North Iowa Bloggers would love to keep track of the amount of food and dollars raised not only for our food drive, but for food banks across the world.  Remember to Comment for a Cause!