Foodie Field Trip- Early Morning Harvest

Tucked away in the countryside of Panora in Guthrie County, Iowa, is a very unique and special kind of -farm- Early Morning Harvest. This family-owned farm is an aquaponics farm, not your typical Iowa farm at all!! They are much more than just an aquaponics farm too.

What do they grow there? Lots of things! Fresh vegetables of all kinds is just the beginning. Certified organic grains and grain products such as flour, cereals and even granola, are offered for sale year round. Free range chickens provide eggs, and grass fed beef offer a better alternative to store-bought eggs and beef. They also have honey, fresh herbs, and tilapia- sold live. It's a very unique way to buy local and organic.

Every week the farm sends out an email containing a list of what's available that week and how much is available. What a great way to serve their customers! I think it's vitally important to our local communities and small businesses to support them by buying local and buying fresh. That's especially important in an area like I live in- rural communities that are far from any huge supermarkets. We need good choices, fresh foods, and supporting a sustainable local business is something I can really get behind. They also sell products at local farmers markets and from the farm.

You can also learn more about Early Morning Harvest by reading this recent article from Seedstock. And if you visit their website, you will find loads of pictures of the aquaponics equipment, the free range chickens, and much more. Check it out, and believe me, it's worth the drive to Panora.

Small Town Surprise!

I set out on a qwest for vegetable soup. My destination was a teeny tiny small town (and I mean SMALL town) market. What I got was NOT what I'd bargained for!

Just a normal Friday evening for us, as The Chef has some time off right now and we are taking advantage of the evenings together, we decided, well actually I begged and he relented, to take a drive on this beautiful spring evening to the little town of Fontanelle, in Adair County, Iowa. I am planning a product review and blog post for a product that can only be found at their little store, so off we went.

Pulling in the parking area it just seemed like a smallish grocery market, nothing special. Walked in the door and right there in a special rack was the soup I came after. We decided to browse a little, and as I turned around, I became amazed at what I was seeing. 

Organic foods lined the shelves. Grains such as quinoa, hemp and chia seeds, specialty flours and grain products of many many kinds filled shelf after shelf. Brands I know- like Bob's Red Mill!! 

Gourmet sauces and condiments, Tomolives even! A nice selection of hot sauces- one of our favorite things to sample. 

Unique pastas such as Amish-made kluski and gluten free quinoa spaghetti. A small but fresh and well stocked affordable produce section. The old fashioned meat counter filled with beautiful cuts of fresh meat. 

But the best was yet to come. We love sushi. LOVE it. I've been looking around for a sushi making class so we could make our own- and here, nestled among Asian food items I had never seen even in the huge city supermarkets, were sheets of nori and a sushi rolling mat kit. Heaven !!!

I think it goes without saying, we did not leave that store with just the 2 quarts of locally made soup and I also think most of you know by now, this will not be a one-time visit.