Workers harvest cucumbers in Muscatine in July 1959. Photo: State Historical Society of Iowa
Writer: Barbara Dietrich Boose
When you think of the Iowa landscape, chances are you picture cornfields stretching toward the horizon. But the story of American agriculture is about more than crops and combines — and this year, the State of Iowa plans to dig into that story with a program called “America’s Harvest.”
It’s part of this year’s America 250 commemoration, designed to be a “signature event celebrating the role agriculture has played in America’s story,” said Andrew Klumpp, the State Historical Society’s education and outreach team manager.
Starting this January, a series of monthly expert-led webinars will examine how agriculture has shaped 250 years of American history. They’ll explore a number of questions: How has agriculture transformed Iowa? How has farming evolved with technology, immigration and trade? How has it influenced America’s role in the world? And just where does our food come from?
The public is invited to share their experiences in farming and gardening through photos, stories and social media, leading up to a harvest festival in October at the State Capitol grounds or State Historical Museum with entertainment, activities and representatives from all 99 counties.
“This program is close to my heart,” Klumpp said. “I grew up in Sanborn, Iowa, a small town, and there is a place for my parents, neighbors and everyone in this initiative. Even in the most urban county, Polk, we have gardeners and farmers markets. Iowa is the best state in the nation to tell the story of American agriculture.”
Though fewer Americans now work directly on farms, agriculture still powers more than 22 million jobs nationwide. Klumpp hopes the series will remind Iowans how deeply that legacy runs.
“Many of us grew up in small towns or on farms and now live in urban areas. We grew up with agricultural traditions, but now that’s not part of our day-to-day lives,” said Klumpp, who has a doctorate in history. “America’s Harvest will be a yearlong opportunity for everyone to learn about agriculture, share our connections and experiences, and celebrate agriculture’s role in democracy and in our lives.”
For America’s Harvest, the State Historical Society is teaming up with several other organizations, including the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State Fair, and Silos and Smokestacks, a federally designated heritage area that encompasses 37 counties in Northeast Iowa. Its 118 partner sites include museums, nature centers, historic sites, farms and other agricultural businesses to preserve and share the story of American agriculture.
“Agriculture built the wealth of America through better food production and better use of farm products,” said Cara Miller, executive director of Silos and Smokestacks. “Many medical byproducts, such as insulin, came out of animal and crop production. It’s allowed us to have better lives and benefit both directly and indirectly.”
Joseph Anderson, a history professor at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, plans to help kick off the webinar series. The Iowa State graduate and former director of history and interpretation at Living History Farms has written extensively about agricultural history, technology and Midwestern culture. He noted that for many people these days, “dressing a chicken would be like learning Mandarin,” but rural America can teach all of us about community, innovation, immigration, the environment and, of course, where our food comes from. After all, everyone eats.
“If you want to understand the United States, you have to recognize that for most of our history, most of the people in most of the places for most of the time were agricultural and rural,” he said. “The real value of history is understanding who we are today. If we want to understand who we are, we have to understand our agrarian past — what it was like to produce commodities, live by the sun and the moon, and live and labor with family and neighbors.”
Digging Deeper
Two of the first America’s Harvest webinars have already been announced:
Feb. 12: “How Iowa’s Agricultural Experience Tells a National Story,” with Joseph Anderson, Des Moines native and professor of history at Mount Royal University in Calgary.
Feb. 26: “Teaching Agriculture in Iowa’s K-12 Classrooms,” with 2025-2026 Iowa Teacher of the Year Melanie Bloom of Sioux Central Community Schools in Sioux Rapids.
To find details about all of the America 250 events in Iowa, visit governor.iowa.gov/america-250.
Contributor and former farm girl Barbara Dietrich Boose lives in Urbandale and enjoys sharing stories about the people, places and events that make life interesting.
Iowa Stops Hunger is an ongoing Business Publications Corp. initiative to raise awareness about food insecurity and inspire action to combat it.
