Between my Father-in-Law’s surgery and harvest season fast approaching, we’ve been spending a lot of our free time out at the farm. Even with us being out there as often as we are, it’s still a beautiful place. So for those who are curious what being on a family farm in Northeast Iowa is like, here’s a few pictures (click the image to enlarge):
Sunflowers – Lyle plans on having these processed for oil and seed. There’s about thirty acres or so that run along the crest of the hills. Weird thing about these – about half face west, the other half face east, no matter where the sun is. A bit on the unusual side.
The soybean harvest. Not sure how many plants we put in the ground but this is what it looks like when they’re harvested. Our haul (on the right) came out to be just under 29 pounds. The In-Laws took 30 pounds. Most of these end up as Edamame for stir-fry, salads, or dips. If you had told me a couple of years ago I’d enjoy these, I’d have laughed in your face.
A Puffball Mushroom that we found on the farm. The thing was huge and according to a knowledgeable friend, this is a small specimen. Some of these things get to over a foot in diameter. Ours was about 8 inches. We cooked it up in some breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and pan-fried it in butter. Tasted like French Toast.
And last, how we unwind after a day at the farm. No, it is not staged. Steph really got those letters. And she STILL beat me! @#$!
Moose and Ink 