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 — 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

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

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

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.