Blame it on watching too much Is it Cake or my kids enjoying spending time in the kitchen, but one item on our Summer Bucket List was to hold our very own Family Cake War. We had so much fun doing this that I wanted to share how you can do it with your family!
People have been telling us for years to go check out The Filling Station in Madrid, Iowa and we finally made a trip this summer and it won't be our last! There's something for everyone at this seasonal ice cream shop that serves both hard and soft serve ice cream.
One of my favorite parts of 4-H is that it encourages youth to explore their interests and try new things. My son is in his third year of 4-H and has grown so much through the different projects and events he has participated in. This year one of his projects that will be shown at our county fair next week is his Pizza Food Challenge. He had so much fun going to a pizza workshop and creating his own pizza that I thought I'd share it here on my blog!
The 4th of July is a great time to celebrate our country's independence, show off your patriotism, spend time with family and friends, shoot off fireworks and check crops. It's been tradition for decades that farmers check their crops, especially corn, to see if it is "Knee High by the 4th of July." Now while knee high isn't the benchmark for farmers anymore due to hybridization and improved genetics, it is still a fun tradition for our family to benchmark our corn (and family's) growth every year. In fact, our family has been taking an annual "Knee High" photo for over a decade (see 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013 and 2012).
.JPG "Knee High by the 4th of July - North Iowa Corn")
It's June Dairy Month and our family loves to celebrate by going on an Iowa Ice Cream Road Trip. This year we kicked off our 10th annual road trip by checking out all three locations of The Olde Creamery in North Central Iowa in Garner, Mason City and Clear Lake (the Clear Lake location is now closed but you can get The Olde Creamery ice cream at Charlie's Soda Fountain in Clear Lake).
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| Enjoying The Old Creamery Ice Cream at the Clear Lake, Iowa location |
One of our family's favorite ways to explore the state of Iowa is by visiting the different county Iowa Freedom Rocks. All 99 counties in the state have a uniquely painted mural, showcasing local heroes and stories honoring area veterans painted by Iowa artist Ray "Bubba" Sorensen II. Here is a look at all of the county Freedom Rocks located in Eastern Iowa.
