LHF Blog

August 19, 2019 Even in the heat of summer, Iowa farmers were historically preparing for the winter to come. Harvested foods had to be preserved for winter and without reliable refrigeration until the 20th century,…

August 13, 2019 Iowans have enjoyed the produce of their gardens in late summer for hundreds of years. The Ioway farmers looked forward to squash, beans, and sweet green corn. Pioneers enjoyed fresh berries, tomatoes,…

August 5, 2019 For many people, a Midwestern dinner is built around a central dish of meat. It was the main protein source throughout much of the 18th and 19th century. The Ioway culture was…

July 29, 2019 Bread, of some form, was a staple for most Iowa farming families, beginning with Native American cultures. The Ioway made unleavened corn bread baked on hot stones around their open fires. Pioneers…

July 22, 2019 Corn and soybeans are staples of Iowa Agriculture in 2019. The USDA estimated Iowa farmers produced 2.52 billion bushels of corn in 2017 and 564,000 bushels of soybeans in 2018! But the…

July 15, 2019 The food people choose to eat is influenced by many things–what is affordable, what is available, what we find tasty, and what our family and community traditions have taught us is appropriate…

July 8, 2019 Midwesterners love a good party. It can be a dinner party, a picnic, a birthday party, a potluck. This week Living History Farms interpreters take a look at special occasion foods and…

July 3, 2019 The technology of preparing food has drastically changed over the last 300 years in Iowa. Our historical interpreters usually don’t begin working at Living History Farms knowing how to cook over an…

June 25, 2019 Pork is the meat most associated with modern Midwestern culture, but it certainly isn’t the only one! Through Iowa’s history, both fish and poultry have been active meal ingredients. This week Living…

June 18, 2019 In 2019, we tend to be very particular about how much fat and oil is in our daily diet. Some fat is needed for our bodies to provide energy reserves, protect our…