Farm-Fresh Christmas Hams: Our VIP Farms Holiday Preorder Is Open!
Order your Holiday Ham products from VIP Farms Iowa
The Christmas season is full of traditions — kids helping decorate the tree, Christmas movie marathons, and favorite recipes that make the whole house smell like the holidays. For our family, one of those traditions is sharing good food with the people we care about. That’s why we’re excited to offer our VIP Farms Christmas Hams this year!
If you’re planning your holiday meals, we’d love to help make your table delicious, local, and full of Iowa farm flavor. We have three holiday ham options available, all raised right here on our family farm:
Bone-In Hams
The classic centerpiece for Christmas dinner. Tender, flavorful, and perfect for feeding a crowd.
Ham Steak Roasts
A great option for smaller gatherings or weeknight holiday meals. Just pop them in the crockpot or oven and you’re set.
Ground Ham/Pork Mix
Ideal for everyone’s favorite holiday ham balls (a must at our house!).
Preordering is easy! Simply contact us at vplagge@gmail.com or 515-230-2463 to reserve your Christmas hams. Let us know what cuts you’d like and how many. Pickup will be the week before Christmas at Latimer Grocery, making it easy to grab everything you need for your holiday celebrations.
November 7, 2025 Farm Update - Last Day of Harvest
2025 Harvest Recap
After seven weeks of running full steam, we wrapped up harvest today — combining our last field of corn and officially closing the books on this year’s crop.
This fall, we kept a steady pace, managed only a few minor breakdowns, and even made sure to take a little time off each week to rest and recharge. It didn’t necessarily feel longer than usual, but by the end, we can definitely feel the miles (and bushels) behind us. The kind of tired that only comes from long days, dusty boots, and watching the sun rise and set from the same tractor cab.
Now that the combine is parked, it’s time to shift gears into fall field work and start prepping for next year’s crop. With a snowy weekend forecast ahead, we’re looking forward to a slower pace — and maybe a little extra time indoors to catch our breath.
We’re so grateful for the great crew that helps us out each fall. Their hard work and dedication keep things running smoothly and make it possible for us to make steady progress from start to finish. Harvest truly takes a team, and we couldn’t do it without ours.
October 17, 2025 Farm Update - First Month of Harvest
A look at the first month of harvest — wrapping up soybeans, making steady progress on corn, and feeling thankful for good weather, a hardworking crew, and prayers for a safe, bountiful harvest ahead.
The first month of harvest is in the books, and we’re feeling thankful for the progress we’ve made so far. Our soybeans are nearly all out, and we’ve been busy working through our corn acres, nearing the halfway point of harvest.
For the most part, we’ve had favorable weather that’s allowed us to keep moving right along each week. This past week brought the most days out of the field so far — a stretch of dreary, damp weather — but we’re thankful to be back at it again today.
Harvest is definitely a team effort, and we’re so grateful for everyone who’s part of our crew. From early mornings to late nights, it takes a lot of hands (and equipment!) to get everything done. Each person plays a big role in helping us make the most of every good weather day.
Looking ahead, the forecast seems to be in our favor, and we’re hopeful for another productive stretch. We continue to pray for a safe and bountiful harvest — not just for our family, but for all farm families working hard this fall.
Reflections on My First Farmers Market Season with VIP Pork
A look back at my first season selling VIP Pork at the farmers market — what I learned, what customers loved, and how this small but meaningful part of our farm connects us directly to our community.
As our first farmers market season comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on what a rewarding experience it has been. While this side of our pork production is just a small percent of what we do on the farm, it has been so meaningful to connect with our community in a new way — by offering VIP Pork directly to customers.
Read more about what I learned, what customers loved, and how this small but meaningful part of our farm connects us directly to our community here: Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids: Reflections on My First Farmers Market Season with VIP Pork
Knee High by the 4th of July
The old saying goes that corn should be Knee High by the 4th of July. Well, as you can see, our corn is well past that this year…
The old saying goes that corn should be Knee High by the 4th of July. Well, as you can see, our corn is well past that this year — it’s already towering over us, and we’re even starting to spot some tassels popping up! It never ceases to amaze us how quickly the crop takes off once we get some warm weather and timely rains.
Snapping a Knee High by the 4th of July photo has become a fun family tradition — a way to see how much both our corn and our kids have grown from year to year.
Hope your summer is off to a wonderful start and that you’re enjoying a great Independence Day!
June 24, 2025 Farmers Market Season Underway
Get your VIP Pork at the Hampton Farmers Market or Latimer Farmers Market this summer!
Since the end of May, between ball games and farm work, we’ve been enjoying our first season at the Hampton Farmers Market. The market runs every Tuesday and Friday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Hwy 3 next to Hardee’s in Hampton. It’s been a lot of fun visiting with customers and getting to know the other vendors.
We’re also excited to introduce a new product—smoked pig ears for your dog! These will be available starting at the next market on June 27th, along with our full lineup of pork products.
In addition, we’re looking forward to joining the brand-new Latimer Farmers Market. Its very first market will be Thursday, July 3rd from 4 to 6 p.m. on the west side of City Hall in Latimer. We love supporting our community and hope you’ll come out to see all the local vendors.
Beyond the farmers markets, you can always find our pork at the Latimer Grocery Store and at Purple Ribbon Beef outside of Britt. You can also conveniently order our VIP Pork online through Purple Ribbon Beef.
We’d love to see you at our next market! Be sure to follow our Facebook page to stay up-to-date on where we’ll be and what’s on the menu each week.
May 23, 2025 Farm Update - Rain, Weeds & Our First Farmers Market!
Time has been flying since we wrapped up spring planting the day before Mother’s Day on May 10th. We were thankful for a great stretch of weather in early May that allowed us to get everything in the ground — including half of our sweet corn patch.
This week has brought quite a bit of rain — we recorded about 4.5” at our place — but it’s already soaking in fast. As soon as things dry up, we’ll be back at it: finishing up our sweet corn planting and tackling weed management in the fields.
With the corn and soybeans coming up strong, weeds are starting to show up too. We'll be spraying soon to help our young crops grow without competition.
In other exciting news, we’re making our debut as a vendor at the Hampton Farmers Market today! Join us from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Hwy 3 next to Hardee’s. Stock up for your Memorial Day Weekend grilling, and place your order for our Father’s Day Pork Bundle, featuring:
Iowa Chops
Boneless Pork Chops
Brat Patties
Your choice of flavored Brats
Bacon!
We’d love to see you there!
April 23, 2025 Farm Update - Rain After a Good Start to Spring Planting
Rain After a Good Start to Spring Planting
We started fieldwork to prep for spring planting on April 7th and planted our first field on April 9th. After a solid week and a half of great progress planting both soybeans and corn, we welcomed a much-needed rain. It not only gave our freshly planted seeds a good drink but also gave all of us a chance to rest and recharge.
Since then, we've been getting nice rains about every other day. The timing has been just right—giving us a chance to catch up on repairs, spend quality time with family over Easter weekend, and move a few loads of pigs.
We’re looking forward to getting back in the field once conditions are ready. Until then, we're reminding ourselves to be thankful for the rain, which is helping refill the soil’s reserves. Now, we’ll be watching for some sunshine and warmer temps to help our corn and soybeans start emerging.
April 4, 2025 Farm Update - Getting Ready for Spring Planting
Getting ready for spring planting
April has arrived, and we're all chomping at the bit to get into the field. But with a mix of cloudy skies, rain, and even some snow over the past week, the field conditions just aren’t ready quite yet.
In the meantime, we’ve been busy double-checking equipment, making sure all of our inputs are in, and tidying up the shop — which is getting pretty full! We’re eager to free up some space and more importantly, to enjoy the rhythm of spring days out in the field.
Whenever planting does begin, we’re praying for ideal conditions, plenty of sunshine, and timely rains to follow. Most of all, we’re praying for a safe season with minimal breakdowns and smooth progress from start to finish.