Enjoy Our Blog Stories

Search the blogs below for new recipes, food features and farm stories. If you like the content you’re seeing, be sure to subscribe to our monthly Fresh Pickings email newsletter.

Beyond the Wheel
Farm-Fresh Flavors for Your Holiday Feast
The Farms Behind Thanksgiving: A Journey Across America
The Princess and the Parfait
From Iowa Farms to Dinner Tables Worldwide
Birds Of A Feather
Fairgoers Found Creativity with “Our Iowa Farm Experience”
Iowa Corn Fuels Historic Race to the Finish Line
Purpose in the Pavilion
The Prodigal Chef Returns
“Our Iowa Farm Experience” at the Iowa State Fair
10 Reasons to Celebrate Soybean Month
106 Summer Destinations
Snack Attack
Taste! To Go Achieves Event Excellence
Summertime And The Grilling Is Easy
Perennial Perseverance
Big Iowa BBQ: Bringing a Taste of Iowa to Tokyo
Farm to Town, Life Retold
Rebuilding the Prairie That Built Iowa’s Soil
7 Ultimate BBQ Side Dishes
A Classroom Café and Culinary Competition
I Spy: Spring Planting Edition
Primed For Pruning
Iowa Food & Family Project with Earl May: Food & Gardening Events
Survey Says: Consumers Value Transparency, Care About Food Choices
Cultivating Ag Connections
From Brazil to Iowa: A Culinary Odyssey
Spring Forward with 6 New Recipes to Awaken Your Palate
Women – They Truly are Their Own Breed
From Moo to Me
Delivering a Gift of Hope
Milk & Honey: Harlan’s Sweet Spot for Brunch
Recipes Made with Iowa Love
A Community Nurtured by the Grateful Chef
Lace Up Your Skates
What’s on the Minds of Iowa Consumers?
Heartwarming Bowls
After-Harvest and Christmas Traditions
Elevate Holiday Leftovers
Seasonal Splendor from Quilted Gardens Nursery
Soil’s Comfy Blanket
Sowing Seeds of Hope, One Unit at a Time
A Perfect Pairing
A Match Made in Heaven? No, in Iowa.
Experiencing Ag: Past and Present
Finest Fall Festivals in Iowa
Fuel Your Fall with 7 Flavorful Breakfast Recipes
Iowa Ag Had Its Best Days Ever at the Iowa State Fair
Kernels for Kids
Trivia Night! Hosted by the Iowa Food & Family Project
Agriculture is Iowa's Masterpiece
Beat the Heat
Community of Hope
Healthy Hankerings at the Iowa State Fair
Fresh and Quick Eats
A Fun and Safe Summer for All
Cottage Cheese Comeback
A Farm to Fork Road Trip
To the Rescue
Bring Home the Beef
Children Enjoy the Gift of Agriculture through Art
Flight Bar + Grille Lands “Iowa’s Best Burger”
Savory and Spectacular Salads
Planning and Planting Your Way to a Gorgeous Garden
Agriculture is Iowa’s Slam Dunk
Consumer Q&A: From Corn Uses to Egg Labels to Cooking with Herbs
Garden Tips and How to Start a Salsa Garden
Spring Forward with Bright Recipes
5 Ways Farmers Go Green Every Day
Let’s Read! Top Ag-Inspired Books
Valentine’s Day Recipes to Adore
What to Know and Love About Eggs
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a Breakfast Board
Consumer Q&A: From Beef Cuts to Organic Labels to Dairy Rankings
6 Heart Health Numbers You Should Know
Love Yourself on Valentine’s Day
Holiday Showstopper: Prime Rib ​
Lighting the Way
Making a Difference with Meals that Matter
Retro Rural Toys: Handmade Barns Make Family Heirlooms
Unwrap 12 New Recipes this Holiday Season
Turkey Talk: Preparing the Perfect Feast
A Buffet of Thanksgiving Recipes
Memories and Gratitude fill Holiday Traditions
Simple Tips and Tricks for Potato Perfection
Homegrown Hospitality
A Masterpiece of a State Fair
Immersive Experience: Evolution of the Heartland
Iowans Treasure Comfort Foods
Making Magical Memories at Enchanted Acres
Phenomenal Freezer Meals
Rise and Shine with New Breakfast Recipes
8 Hidden Gems Worth Finding at the Iowa State Fair
Agriculture is Iowa's Masterpiece
Award-Worthy New Fair Foods
Fair Food-Inspired Recipes
On Display: Meet the Iowa Food & Family Project Artists
A Family Legacy in Every Bite
Destination Iowa: Wilbur on the Water
June: What Do Consumers Want to Know?
Let's Grill: Sizzling Good Recipes
School Physicals: Why Scheduling Now is Ideal
Turkey Research Gets Boost at Iowa State University
Always Growing
HoQ Specializes in Farm-to-Table Dining
May Topic: What Do Consumers Want to Know?
May: Let's Garden
Salad Shake-Up: 7 Sensational Recipes
A Common Goal to Connect Around Family and Agriculture
Consumers Weigh in on Agriculture and Food
March Topic: What Do Iowa's Consumers Want to Know?
Step Into Spring with 7 Fresh Recipes
The Luck O' the Environment
A Bouquet of Valentine's Day Recipes
It's True Love
Three Ways to Celebrate National Hot Breakfast Month
What Do Iowa's Consumers Want To Know?
A Renewed Approach to Well-Being
Bringing Function Back to Iowa's Iconic Structures
A Christmas Gift in Algona
Deck the Halls with 12 Holiday Recipes
Holiday Traditions Bring Comfort and Joy
Painting with Lights in Oskaloosa
Feeding Consumers' Curiosity with Hands-On Learning
A Bounty of Thanksgiving Recipes
Celebrating Soy and Bringing it to the Thanksgiving Table
Cook-off Reveals Soy's Versatility
Supply Chains and the Pandemic: Lessons Learned
Gather Around the Table for Family Meals Month
Wake Up to 7 Delicious Breakfast Recipes
Sights, Sounds and Memories of Summer's Biggest Event
Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
7 Recipes to Savor Summer's Flavors
Field of Flowers: PepperHarrow Blossoms in Madison County
It's Showtime: 4-H Program Pairs Mentors with Buddies
Fair Showstoppers Grace the Championship Ring
How Farmers Inspired Me to Do More with My Backyard
Salads of Summer: 7 Spectacular Recipes
Turkey: Food for Everyday Fun and Fuel
A New Face at Iowa FFP: Meet Lydia Zerby
Take the Kitchen Outside with 7 Flavor-Packed Recipes
A Day in the Life of a Soybean and Corn Farmer
Wellness Routine: Embrace Your Surroundings
Embrace Spring In Iowa With Fresh Pickings Magazine!
Spring Forward with 7 Bright, Flavorful Recipes
Create Craveable Cheese Boards
Food Brings Everyone To The Table
Mind And Body Health: Tips From An ISU Dietitian
10 Things to Love About Modern Agriculture
7 Sheet Pan Recipes For Valentine's Day
Staying Active, Fueling Adventures and Quieting the Mind
What's Important to Iowa Grocery Shoppers?
Warm Up With Winter Fresh Pickings Magazine
Twenty For 2020 | The Year That Was
7 Holiday Recipes That Bring Good Cheer
AE Dairy: Celebrating 90 Years of Dairy Delights
Christmas Acres
Bricktown Bakery
Farmer Reflects on Military and Farming Parallels
Soy Shines at the Big Feast
Pie Crusts Made Easy
Gobble Up This Buffet of Recipes
Tips to Enjoy Thanksgiving Without The Guilt
7 Back-to-School Recipes
Bringing the Farm to the Classroom
Fall is "Go Time" for Farmers!
Savor the Season with Slow-Simmered Pork Goulash
Farmers and Grocers Weather August Derecho
7 Recipes Inspired by the Iowa State Fair
Decade of Fair Delights
2020: No Fair, But Still Serving Up Fun!
County Fairs Display Creativity and Care
The Machine Shed Apple Dumplings
7 Summer Recipes To Fill Your Picnic Basket
Pork to Plate
Camping & Conservation
Donnellson Dairy Farm Tour
Sizzling Summertime Grilling
Let's Go Biking!
Egg-citing Ways to Enjoy Eggs
Family Fun with Beef Kabobs
Soybean Planting 101
7 Savory Salads for Spring
AE Dairy Weekly Taste Test
Enjoy More Of Your Garden
Get Moving By Gardening
Planting Season In Farm Fields and Garden Beds
Caring During COVID-19
Container Gardening Tips with Earl May
Wayland Turkey Farm Tour
Customizable Kid-Friendly Lunch Ideas
Explore Food and Farming From Home
Wellness Wins & Challenge Takeaways
Farmers Go Green With Solar
Luck of the Irish: 7 Recipes for St. Patrick's Day
A Dietitian's Tips For Reading Food Labels
Iowans Have Aisle Insights
Fitness, Fish & Friendship
Healthy Habits for Meeting and Planting Season
Is Your Kitchen "Green"?
Staying Strong While Caring for Calves
Pork Chops & Calving Season
Winter Chores & Crock Pot Chicken Tacos
A Heart for Creating Opportunities in Agriculture
7 Date Night Recipes
Fall in Love With the Meat Case
Keep Your Heart Beating Strong
Meal Planning Motivation
Tips to Keep Moo-ving this Winter
Beefing Up Exercise with Chores & Family Meals
Sisters In Cheese
Live Healthy Iowa: Farm Team
2019: Year in Review
A Crowd-Pleasing, Chef-Pampering Breakfast
Farm Life Journal - December 2019
‘Tis The Season For Giving
3 Essential Farm-to-Fork Insights
Strategies for Healthy Holidays
Tips for Thanksgiving Leftovers
Farm Life Journal - November 2019
Picture of the Week: Gold Star Military Museum
Farm Life Journal - October 2019
Selecting Iowa's Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin
The Story of Seeds
7 Comforting Recipes
Table Talke with Mary Shell
Chili, Competition and Community
Hands-On Learning Takes Root With Farm Tour
Take Me Out to the Field
Table Talk with Jessica Dunker
Farm Life Journal - September 2019
Iowa State Fair Fun
Table Talk with Roxi Beck
A Home Run of Summertime Learning
Farm Life Journal - August 2019
Farming is Iowa's Masterpiece!
Iowa Shines at County Fairs
Farm Life Journal - July 2019
Table Talk with Julie Kenney
Protect Your Heart in the Heat
Road Trip: Iowa Style - Part III
Ice Cream Topped with Sweet Memories
Great Iowa Tractor Ride
Green Farmstead Partner Program
"Meat" Me at the Locker
5 Things To Love About Milk
Table Talk With Tina Potthoff
Cracking Eggs and Herding Cattle
Farm Life Journal - June 2019
Farm Life Journal - May 2019
Strong Roots Grow A Century-Old Business
Table Talk With Dr. Ruth Macdonald
Turkey Talk With The Hermansons
Celebrate National Egg Month
Passionate About Pigs
Getting Active as a Family this Spring
Preparing A Perfect Easter Ham
Farm Life Journal - April 2019
Decoding the "Dirty Dozen"
Iowans Helping Iowans
Hotel Pattee: A Destination Unto Itself
How Bacon & Eggs Became America's Breakfast
Farm Life Journal - March 2019
March Madness Over Reuben Meatballs
Farm Life Journal - February 2019
The Sweet Spot of Sustainability
Cattle Comfort in a Polar Vortex
Farm Bill 101
Keep Moving this Winter
Farm Life Journal - January 2019
Food Label Fatigue
(Un)Wrap a Healthy 2019
Farm Life Journal - December 2018
Winter's Green Crops and Turkey Talk!
Woven Together by Tradition
Baird Family Christmas Lights
Mindful Holiday Meals
Sukup Family Recipe for Thankfulness
Roots of Generosity
7 Farm-to-Table Thanksgiving Recipes
Get Cozy with Cover Crops
Farm Life Journal - November 2018
There's 'Soy' Much to be Thankful for the Thanksgiving
Sorghum Harvest
Apples, Pigs, Groceries and Lots of Learning!
Celebrate #Porktober18
Food Labels: Fact vs. Fiction
Autumn Au Gratin Casserole
Farm Life Journal - October 2018
Fall in Love with Fun!
Modern Agriculture Takes Root on Expedition Farm Country
Touchdown Tailgate Recipes
Farm Life Journal - September 2018
Farm to Fair
Iowa State Fair Moments
Table Talk With Chef Dominic Iannarelli
Governor's Charity Steer Show
Food U Goes Behind the Scenes
One Water, One Future
Trade, Tariffs & TV News
Table Talk with Gary Slater
Farm Life Journal - August 2018
Smart Eating at the Fair
Visit Us at the Iowa State Fair!
Angel Food Cake Fit For A 4-H Recipe Challenge
Table Talk with Joni Bell
Table Talk With Kristin Porter
The Scoop on Tariffs
Cooking with Cookies
Iowa Summer Pizza
Scoops and Swirls - It's Ice Cream Month!
Farm Life Journal - July 2018
Making Summer Meals Fun
Table Talk with Scott Siepker
Take Your Dog to Work Day!
Table Talk with Kevin Kolman
Dairy Farm Succeeds With Sustainability
Turkey Recipes for Summer Celebrations
Farm Life Journal - June 2018
Garden Like a Farmer
Road Trip: Iowa Style - Part II
Table Talk With Chris Diebel
Perspective of Pesticides
Take Food Labels with a Grain of Salt
Table Talk With Coach Jennie Baranczyk
Comfort With A Dash Of Nostalgia
Farming is a Family Affair
Beefing Up An "Inside-Out" Omelet
Farm Life Journal - May 2018
Gardening Quiz: How Green Is Your Thumb?
Road Trip: Iowa Style!
Guthrie County Family Finds Their Calling
The Buzz on Bees and Butterflies
Dumpling Darling
Farm Life Journal - April 2018
Fueling Bodies, Nourishing Wellness
Enduring The Grind Of Calving Season
Spring Lambing
A Day in the Life of Veterinarian Katie Lang
Iowa-Inspired Italian Meatballs
A Move for the Ages
Farm Life Journal - March 2018
Auction Reveals More Than Farm Equipment and Deal Seekers
Dairy Does the Body Good at Every Age
High Oleic Cooking Oil Offers 'Soy' Much to Love
Our Noodles – A Family and Farm Legacy
Best Burger Contest
Hot Grease
Order's Up!
Farm Life Journal - February 2018
Myths About Heart Health
Artistry in the Oven
Chocolate Bliss
Sister States Sizzle for Bacon
Three Cheers for Cheese
Batch Cooking Shredded Beef
Soup Up Your Big Game Spread
What's Trending: Eating Real Food!
Farm Life Journal - January 2018
12 Days of Appetizers, Desserts and Beverages
Rising Tide Of Aquaculture
Conventional Wisdom Doesn't 'Checkout'
Farm Life Journal - December 2017
Farm Life Journal - November 2017
Talking Turkey: Your Questions Answered
Thanksgiving Traditions
Keep the Stubble
Eat Together, Eat Better
Farm Life Journal - October 2017
There's No Rushing Quality for Swanson, Lewright Meats
Farm Life Journal - September 2017
Q&A on Plant DNA
Making Magical Memories at Enchanted Acres
A Sampling of Fairgoer Input
Enjoying the Fair After 83 Years
23,000 Balloons: One Amazing Tribute to Iowa Farmers!
Bountiful Garden Harvest - Great Food!
Farm Life Journal - August 2017
Iowa State Fair: By the Numbers
Iowa State “Fare” Cookbook Is Here!
Food Conversation is All About You, the Consumer
Farm Life Journal - July 2017
Get Fired Up With Summer Grilling!
Judging the Static
Take An Ice Cream Road Trip
Breaking the Low-Fat Fad
Farm Life Journal - June 2017
Celebrate June Dairy Month!
Summer Grilling Tips
Farm Life Journal - May 2017
Beef Up Your Recipe Game, It's May Beef Month!
Spring is the Season to Get Moving!
Farm Life Journal - April 2017
Smokey D's
Spring Into Soyfoods Month with Salads and Soy
Farm Life Journal - March 2017
Grit & Compassion: It's Calving Season in Iowa
Life on a Dairy Farm: Meet the Bolin Family
Put Your Best Fork Forward
Meet the Live Healthy Iowa Wellness Challenge Bloggers (Part 2)
Meet the Live Healthy Iowa Wellness Challenge Bloggers (Part 1)
Eating Right for Your Heart's Sake
Farm Life Journal - February 2017
Food Labels: Friend or Foe?
Bake Great Buns: National Sticky Bun Day
Food for the Big Game!
Farm Life Journal - January 2017
Iowa Pork Congress Celebrates Pig Farmers
Kickstart the 10-Week Wellness Challenge with Smart Snacking!
Rich and Hearty Beef & Noodle Sundaes
Celebrating National Milk Day
Get Moving, See a Farm says Live Healthy Iowa's Willcockson
Cheesy Ham Pasta Bake with Edamame
Cherry Red Raspberry Mini Cheesecakes
Comfort For The Livestock Family
Plan for an Unforgettable Family Feast
Iowa Pork Producers Name State's Best Tenderloin
Pork, Pasta Team Up for Savory Month-Long Celebration
Falling Into Comfort Foods
Louise Piper: Iowa's Blue Ribbon Baker and Canner
Sweet Corn: Enjoy the Favorite Mouthwatering Iowa Icon All Year Round
Top 9 Iowa State Fair Food Favorites
Chocolate Milk: The Choice of Champions
Farm Dads & Simple Banana Snack Cake
Smoked at the World Pork Expo
Duo Find Their Niche In Asparagus
Egg-stra Good
Life of an Iowa Farm Mom
Big Red Food Truck is Crowd Pleaser for Hungry Patrons
The New Shepherds on the Block
Temperatures Aside, These Burgers Are Well-Done