Category Archives: Feature

National Egg Month: Van Gorps raise chickens for fresh farm eggs

Try them scrambled, fried, poached, hard boiled, or even polka dotted if you are still in Easter mode. We are talking about the incredible edible egg™, the nutrient-dense food that packs a punch without excess calories. May is National Egg Month, and what better way to celebrate than with eggs...morning, noon, and night! Start your day...
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The Wooden Spoon by Shelly Rankin – May 1

Oh, my, this week comes with thee most delicious recipe for this warm, yet a nip in the air, dreary weather we’ve had this week and thee most random thoughts. Well, more like random pictures. Most of them speak for themselves, but I hope you enjoy them as much as we do. I stumbled across...
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The Wooden Spoon by Shelly Rankin – Apr. 24

I tell you, if this household eats one more piece of candy wrapped in foil, we might implode. Candy is never around in this house, unless it’s Easter, and then you soon realize there’s no fury like Easter bunny fury, and your keester suffers the consequences at Easter. French fries are a close second. Those...
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Jansen marks two decades with second heart

It’s been 20 years since Roger Jansen received a new heart. Twenty years since he was given a second chance at life. In 1994, the then-50-year-old had been on a waiting list for a heart transplant for about a year and a half. He’d been called to Mercy Hospital Medical Center in Des Moines a couple...
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The Wooden Spoon by Shelly Rankin – Apr. 17

This weekend brings us Good Friday and Easter! Last weekend brought 86 degrees one day to a monsoon the next to cars in the ditches from snow the next. It’s officially spring in Iowa, and through all its imperfections, I still love Iowa. The golden colors and bright blue skies will soon turn to bright...
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Remember When – Apr. 17

35 years ago (1979) Receiving the top awards at the annual FFA Parent-Member Banquet were Kent Vander Leest, Star Green Hand; Robert Dunsbergen and Don Jansen, Honorary Chapter Farmers; and Anson Veenstra, Star Chapter Farmer. Rodney Rozendaal announced the scholarship awards given to the FFA member who was the highest in his class scholastically: Marc Van...
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The Wooden Spoon by Shelly Rankin – Apr. 10

We need to go get groceries, again. I feel like we need groceries all of the time. Anybody else relate? First, though, we need to eat breakfast. Second, while eating breakfast, add these ingredients to your list if you do not have them in your cupboards. This week, make this be your breakfast. I mean,...
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