Sights in Beautiful Agricultural Iowa

May 1, 2010
We found Iowa to be very like the area of New York State where we lived for many years but a bit more agricultural. The rolling hills, fields of corn stubble, puffy white clouds, plowed fields and green all around make us feel right at home.


Many grain elevators were in evidence.


An educational display pertinent to the hard work and production of the American Farmer was at a rest area we visited.

The quotes on this plaque relate to the importance of their contribution.

"The greatness of this country was rooted to the fact that a single farmer could produce an abundance of food the likes of which the world had never seen or imagined and so free the energies of countless other to do other things. So much of recorded history is about the struggle of individuals and families to feed themselves. That changed dramatically in this country."

These pillars demonstrated the soil composition over the years. The black stripe near the middle of each pillar shows the average depth of the topsoil over the years from 1850 to 2000 where it has been reduced from 14" to about 5" through the actions of over-cultivation, wind and erosion thus reducing the ability to grow crops on the land.
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A slight side trip brought us to the town of Tipton which is Harry's middle name through the Rapelje family - his grandmother's maiden name. It was a peaceful country town with a BIG water tower proclaiming their name.