Moving Up Monday

Hopefully we're nearing the end of Moving Up Monday updates!  Our initial goal was to be in the house by the end of July and now our goal is the end of August.  We will be in the house by the end of the month - no if, ands or buts about it!   I think by the last week of the month, the house really will be ready to move into.

Since the last report only three rooms have had any improvements made to them - the upstairs half bath, the downstairs main bath, and the mudroom/laundry room/office.  Here is a look at how those rooms have changed:

Upstairs Half Bath

The upstairs half bath now has had its toilet, sink and many of the fixtures installed in it!  The electricity and plumbing hasn't been officially turned on yet, but we almost have a functioning bathroom in the house now!

Here is our toilet in the upstairs half bath
(Photo taken August 5, 2013)

View of the bathroom from inside doorway
Left to right - sink, toilet, built in storage
(Photo taken August 11, 2013)

Above the sink is the access to the attic
and above the toilet is a sensor light and fan
(Photo taken August 11, 2013)

Medicine cabinet, pedestal sink and toilet
(Photo taken August 11, 2013)

Downstairs Main Bathroom

The Downstairs Bathroom is moving along nicely.  We've had a few set backs including a cracked bath tub and realizing we never ordered a vanity counter top after changing our plans for the counter top at the beginning of the summer...  But like I said, things are coming along nicely.

One of our plumbers working on the bath tub
(Photo taken July 30, 2013)

Bathroom walls mudded
(Photo taken July 30, 2013)

Bath tub installed and with other materials for bathroom being stored in it
(Photo taken August 11, 2013)

Bathroom walls are painted and the vanity is installed
(Photo taken August 11, 2013)

Mudroom/Laundry Room/Office

I love how this space has changed the flow and function of the house!  I'm happy we turned the original laundry hallway that led no where and had lots of stuff just dumped off in it and the small bedroom with very little space into this large entry area with lots of storage!

Cabinets getting ready to be installed
(Photo taken July 30, 2013)

New walls being finished
(Photo taken July 30, 2013)

Our general contractor installing some of the office cabinets
(Photo taken August 5, 2013)

Walls are painted and everything is set for the washing machine and dryer
to be installed along south wall
(Photo taken August 11, 2013)

Built in entry closet is finished
(Photo taken August 11, 2013)

Office cabinet installed.  The open space is where a desk will be placed.
(Photo taken August 11, 2013)

Mudroom sink in entry way
(Photo taken August 11, 2013)

Other updates

I just had to share a few other photos from the last two weeks!

The heating and air guys working on the new vent system
for our central air/heat.
(Photo taken July 30, 2013)

Looks like someone is tired during a shopping trip after church
the other week - we had a cart full!
(Photo taken July 21, 2013)

Someone else was tired too as we got more paint and painting supplies
(Photo taken July 21, 2013)

We took an old tractor tire and put it in our side yard for a sandbox
(Photo taken August 5, 2013)

The sand will sift down over time...
(Photo taken August 5, 2013)

So there it is!  Hopefully the next time I give an update in a couple of weeks the house will have all the flooring installed and work will have been done in the kitchen!

Check out how far we've come on our home remodel by checking out past "Moving Up Monday" reports:

• July 29, 2013
• July 15, 2013
• June 17, 2013
• May 13, 2013

Wordless Wednesday

Field of Dreams

Iowa State Fair Food Guide

The Iowa State Fair is in one week and I can't wait!  I have enjoyed going to the Iowa State Fair since I was a kid, and really fell in love when I was in high school after I started working for the 4-H livestock department.  For many years I have literally lived at the fair for all ten days.  This year will be different though, with MP only being two months old and with everything going on with the house and hopefully the soon to be move, I will not be volunteering or working anywhere and we don't even have a date set yet to visit (but don't worry, we'll make it at least for one day).

One aspect of any fair that I think everyone loves is fair food!  Lets just say I've been around the block, or should I say up and down Grand and Rock Island Avenues, a time or two, and have tried many fair foods on the state fairgrounds.  Through my years of living at the State Fair I have came up with a must-eat fair food list that I'd like to share with all of you.  It was really easy to make it through my list when I was there for ten days but will be challenging (not to mention gut wrenching) to accomplish in one day...

• Pork Chop on a Stick (Iowa Pork Chop Shop)
• Chocolate Milk Shake (Dairy Barn)
• Turkey Tenderloin Sandwich (Iowa Turkey Grill)
• Mark & Gary Burger (Iowa Cattlemen's Beef Quarters) - and I'm looking forward to trying a new menu item of their's - Deep Fried Bull Fries - that's right people, you can get Rocky Mountain Oysters at this year's fair!
• Pulled BBQ Pork Sandwich Meal - includes baked beans and chips (Iowa Pork Tent)
• Lamb Burger (Iowa Sheep Industry trailer)
• Fried Pickle Dawg (Dawg House)
• Cheese Curds (Brad & Harry's) - and new this year they have a Cajun flavored cheese curd that I'll have to try
• Cookies in a Cup (Barksdale)
• Fried Vegetables - Cauliflower, Pickles, Jalapeno Poppers, etc. (Veggie-Table)
• Pork Tenderloin Sandwich (Xtreme Tenderloins)
• Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich (The Best Around)
• Gyro (Greek Garden)
• Strawberry Shortcake (Iowa Fruit and Veggie Stand)

Ok, wow, after looking over this list I realize that this is in no way possible in one or two days!  Can you tell I use to be at the fair for all ten days?!?  I realize now that I need to share a must eat one day list.  So, drumroll please...

• Pork Chop on a Stick (Main Meal)
• Fried Pickle Dawg (Snack)
• Chocolate Milk Shake (Dairy Barn)
• Deep Fried Bull Fries (New Food)

Did you know that at the 2012 Iowa State Fair the Iowa Pork Producer's
sold more than 60,000 Chops on a Stick!
Here is a photo of My Farmer (on the left) and two of our friends
working at the Chop Shop last year

What are you hungry for?  What is your favorite fair food?  Have fun at the fair - after all "Nothing Compares"!

Wordless Wednesday & Apple Pie Recipe

Sweet as Apple Pie

Mom's Pie Crust (Bev Krumm)

For 9" pie crust (double for apple pie)

1/3 cup Lard

1 cup Flour

1/3 tsp. Salt

2-3 Tbsp.  Cold Water

Cut lard with flour and salt into pea-sized dough, add 1 Tbsp. water at a time till form ball.  Flatten and roll on floured surface.

Mother's Old-Fashioned Apple Pie (Ideals Farmhouse Cookbook by Clarice L Moon, Copyright 1978)

4 to 5 cups Peeled and Sliced Tart Apples

1 1/2 cups Sugar

1/3 cup Flour

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 cup Water

1 Tbsp Butter

Prepare pie crust.  Roll out half and line pan.  Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon in a bowl; stir in water.  Add apples, mixing to coat thoroughly.  Pour into unbaked pie crust and dot with butter.  Roll out top crust; cut a design in the center to allow steam to escape.  Place top crust on pie, pressing around the edge to seal.  Brush pie crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake in a 350 degree oven 45 to 60 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is browned.

Taking an Inside Look at Animal Agriculture

I don't know why all of a sudden, but in the last week I have been alerted to a few articles, campaigns and TV shows that are raising questions about America's animal agriculture sector.  It all started last week when Dairy Carrie alerted me about Panera Bread Company's new EZ Chicken campaign.

This fear campaign sadly portrays farmers who use antibiotics as lazy.  My Farmer puts in long, hard days 24/7/365 to ensure the best environment for our pigs.  We conduct proper antibiotics use in our hogs to keep our livestock healthy.  Afterall, healthy animals provide healthy food.  Antibiotics help prevent and control disease.  And did you know, the FDA doesn't allow meat to be sold with traces of antibiotics above strict safety limits.  FDA and the US Food Safety and Inspection Service have regulations that requires specific withdrawl times, or a set number of days that must pass between the last antibiotic treatment and the animal entering the food supply.  This ensures the drugs have sufficiently cleared an animal's system.  The Panera Bread campaign, along with many others, tout being antibiotic free.  The thing is, no meat in the US food system has antibiotics in it - so technically, all meat is antibiotic free.

Then this week a friend of mine alerted to me about the New York Times article, "Can We See Our Hypocrisy to Animals?" by Nicholas Kristof.  Mr. Kristof believes our descendants will be "mystified" by how we, people of the 21st century, could have been "so oblivious to the unethical treatment of animals."  The well being of the pigs on our farm is a very high priority of ours.  My Farmer and I are constantly exploring new ways to raise our animals in the best way that ensures our hogs to be healthy and content.  The housing we raise our pigs in is well ventilated, the perfect temperature, well lit, clean and scientifically designed to meet the needs for temperature, light, water and food for our animals.

My Farmer doing his daily hog chores
He is standing next to the "food court" that our pigs eat at

And now, I have been made aware of a National Geographic episode of Inside: Secret America titled:  Animal Undercover that will be airing tomorrow night at 9 p.m. CST.  I don't know too much, since it hasn't aired yet, but what I do know from the overview given on National Geographic's Inside: Secret America website is this:  National Geographic meets with two covert animal activists (their words, not mine) who lead hidden camera exposes in slaughterhouses, farms and research labs who are pushing for stricter enforcement of animal cruelty laws.  I'm not sure what National Geographic's view will be on what these animal activists share with them, but I can only imagine...

I for one am proud to be a 5th generation farmer who, like the name of my blog says, raises corn, soybeans, pigs and kids on My Farmer's and my North Central Iowa farm.  We work hard everyday to ensure the best well being for our livestock.  Join me and share your voice in the discussion with these campaigns, articles and stories.  I'm proud to report that due to feedback already from Panera's EZ Chicken campaign, some aspects of the campaign have already been taken down or cancelled.  But we still need to share the "inside" story of animal agriculture with them, the New York Times and tomorrow night with National Geographic!

Moving Up Monday

It is time for a new Moving Up Monday update.  Work keeps moving along on the house and hopefully in the next couple of weeks work will not only ramp up but maybe even wrap up!

The biggest news is that the upstairs is almost done!  Every room has been painted, along with every closet, the hallway and the stairwell thanks to My Mom, My Farmer and My Father-in-Law.  Work that still needs to be done in the upstairs includes carpet being installed in the nursery and the master bedroom, as well as the half bath needs to be installed.  Good news is that I think all of those items will be finished this week!  Here is a look at how the upstairs has came along since the last update:

Master Bedroom paint - Glidden's Partridge Gray GLD808
(Photo taken July 17, 2013)

Master Bedroom new sliding closet doors
(Photo taken July 23, 2013)

LP's Bedroom paint - Glidden's Open Sesame #10362
(Photo taken July 23, 2013)

LP's Bedroom finished
Carpet, Paint, Windows, Ceiling fan/light, Wood Work
(Photo taken July 27, 2013)

LP's Bedroom Closet
(Photo taken July 27, 2013)

LP loves his newly finished bedroom!

MP's Bedroom paint - Glidden's Homemade Custard #10412
(Photo taken July 23, 2013)

All the wood work has been cleaned-up in one way or another
throughout the house.  Here is the hallway door that opens
into the huge closet that also has access into MP's room.
(Photo taken July 23, 2013)

Half bath paint - Glidden's Partridge Gray GLD808
Built in storage unit installed
(Photo taken July 17, 2013)

Built in storage getting final coats of paint
Sink and toilet ready to be installed
(Photo taken July 23, 2013)

Work is moving along a lot more downstairs lately in the Mudroom/Laundry Room/Office and Bathroom.  All the new walls are up now and mudding is being completed.  It sounds like the Bathroom's tub/shower will be installed this week if not also the toilet, vanity and sink.  And after all the new walls are done being mudded in the Mudroom and Bathroom all the walls and ceilings in the downstairs are going to get texturized so painting can begin in the downstairs.  Here is a look at how the downstairs has came along since the last update:

A look at our general contractor putting up drywall
in the Mudroom/Laundry Room/Office
(Photo taken July 23, 2013)

Mudroom drywall installed and mudding being done
A look at the built in closet
(Photo taken July 27, 2013)

Mudroom walls being mudded
(Photo taken July 27, 2013)

Drywall being installed in the Bathroom
(Photo taken July 27, 2013)

A look at a new vent in the back of the Bathroom closet
The heating and cooling guys are finishing their work on the vents
for the new central air/heat system
(Photo taken July 27, 2013)

I can't wait for all the work to be finished and for us to move in!  We are actually thinking of starting to move all of our bedrooms over to the new house once the carpet is installed.  We'll either sleep over there (remember, we're only moving 3/4 miles away so this is feasible), or still sleep over here on an air mattress, couches, etc., or maybe we'll go camping in our current house's yard.  I'm not sure what we'll do but we'd like to start moving things over as soon as we can.  I think moving rooms as they're ready will be nice to not only get both the new house done and organized, but to also get our old house cleaned up for the new tenants.

Hopefully there is enough progress this week that there will be a new Moving Up Monday update next week!

Check out how far we've come on our home remodel by checking out past "Moving Up Monday" reports:

• July 15, 2013
• June 17, 2013
• May 13, 2013

What is a Corn Tassel?

What does it mean when corn is tasseling?  Corn has started to tassel in our area over the last couple of weeks, which is a few weeks behind a "normal" year.  Tasseling is an important milestone in corn plant's growth.  Corn's growth scale is divided between two different sets - vegetative (designated as V-stages) and reproductive (designated as R-stages).  The transitional stage between the V and R stages is VT - also known as tasseling.  This stage is also important for another reason, because corn plants have reached their final height, or close to it, by the time tasseling begins.  Tasseling is a very vulnerable stage for both drought (which we have been pretty dry the last couple of weeks) and hail (which we had earlier this week...)

What is a tassel?
Simply put, the tassel is the top most part of a corn plant.  Here is a picture that shows a corn plant with the tassel fully opened or out.

The corn tassel is the part of the plant where the pollen comes from.  The pollen pollinates the ear of corn, which causes the ear of corn to grow.  Pollination occurs when pollen falls off the tassel and then blows through the wind and eventually comes in contact with the silk on the top of the ear of corn.  Ears of corn start growing silk at the beginning of the R stages.  When the silks dry and turn brown, the pollination process is done and the ear of corn will continue to grow.

What is detasseling?
You may have heard of high schoolers having the summer job of detasseling - so what exactly is it?  Seed companies hire detasselers to help them create specific cross pollination of corn plants.  The work done by detasselers will eventually result in new corn hybrids that farmers will want to plant.  To produce this specific cross pollination, seed companies designate male and female rows of corn.  All female rows have their tassels pulled by hand.  Male rows are left alone so their pollen in their tassels will cross pollinate in the neighboring female rows.  Cross pollinating is when you have pollen from one variety of corn fertilize or pollinate the silk of another and different variety of corn.

So now when somebody is talking about corn tasseling or you see those "yellow tops" on the corn, you'll know what tassels are and the importance of this corn growth stage!