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See that lady in the photo? That's me, Meta Hemenway-Forbes. (The one in blue, in case you're going for a too-easy joke. 😉) I'm the Hansen's Dairy marketing and social media manager, and the writer of this monthly newsletter. And on the evening this photo was taken I had the privilege to be a pseudo obstetrician.
Pictured with me is new mom Batter and her minutes-old calf, Baddie, who took to her first bottle like a champ. I'm smiling in relief and pure joy after helping #FarmerBlake and his team with Baddie's difficult delivery.
"This is the greatest life," Blake Hansen said.
As a self-proclaimed city girl who previously spent 25 years as a journalist, delivering a calf was a first for me. In my 2 1/2 years at Hansen's Dairy, I've experienced a lot of firsts -- driving a tractor, milking cows and regular hangouts with kangaroos.
But it's the simple firsts on the farm that have made an indelible mark on my soul. Exquisite sunsets. Walks through the cow yard hearing nothing but the sounds of my boots in the soil and the curious sniffs of my bovine besties. And not least, the people. I've been embraced by the Hansens in ways foreign in corporate America. (Thank you, Jay, Jeanne, Brent, Brad, Blair, Blake and Jordan.)
When the world is messy, the farm brings peace. And so it was, at 8 p.m. on a Wednesday, as Batter tended to her new baby. Peace. The greatest life, indeed.
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Waterloo
*SUMMER HOURS*
Daily, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
Cedar Falls
Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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Spend $35, get a
free gallon of milk!
Must present coupon at purchase. Use code FREEMILK when shopping online for store pickup!
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It's back to school this month and we know you're gonna need a caffeinated kick! Our Treat of the Month pairs that kick with ice cream and caramel.
The Chronic & Cream features a single scoop of vanilla ice cream plopped in a 12-ounce cup of Fat Cup Chronic Cold Brew and topped with a caramel drizzle.
The start of the school year never tasted so good!!!✏️
Available all month long at both stores for just $3.89.
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Kick off August with our Pizza of the Month! Our Kickin' Chicken Pizza brings the heat, the sweet and the savory for a round-house flavor punch! 🥊
✅ Fresh crust
✅ Barbecue-ranch sauce
✅ Grilled chicken
✅ Bacon
✅ Pineapple
✅ Jalapenos
✅ Mozzarella cheese
Pick up a large 14-inch Kickin' Chicken Pizza all month long at our Cedar Falls store for just $21.99. Stop in or call (319) 266-3044 to order ahead!
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Back-to-School Grab 'n' Go | |
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This month begins the back-to-school hustle of making sure the kids have nutritious breakfasts, snacks and lunches. Stop by our stores for a great selection of grab 'n' go foods, including:
➡️ Yogurt parfaits with Country View yogurt (Hawkeye) and O'Briens Own Granola (Center Point)
➡️ Single-serve Country View Yogurt
➡️ Meat & Cheese Snack Packs featuring Hansen's Wagyu-Holstein Beef Stick bites and cheese curds, and various Wisconsin cheeses
➡️ Hansen's Wagyu-Holstein 3-pack beef sticks in several flavors
➡️ Baker's String Cheese
... and much more!
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Celebrate National Coffee Month with us. We've got a variety of Iowa-roasted coffees, including:
☑️ Cottonwood Canyon, Cedar Falls
☑️ Euphoria Coffee, West Union
☑️ Fat Cup Coffee, Waterloo
☑️ Sidecar Coffee, Waterloo
☑️ Thinkwell Coffee, Waverly
Choose from a variety of flavors and blends (we love a good grogg!) in whole bean, grounds and individual packs and pods. And don't forget to grab a quart of Hansen's Heavy Cream for a rich, flavorful cup.
For a cup o' joe on the go, swing into our Cedar Falls store for fresh-brewed Fat Cup and Sidecar coffees!
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We’re excited to bring you another gourmet dinner experience against the scenic backdrop of our farm’s Tour Center pond.
Save the date for our annual Farm to Table Dinner on Sept. 21. You’ll enjoy an upscale, four-course meal featuring locally sourced foods prepared by Chef Zach Gardner of The Spire.
The sell-out event takes place from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $75 and seating is limited to 50 guests. Bring a date or make it an evening out with friends! Guests must be 21 or older.
Tickets go on sale Sept. 1 at hansendairy.com.
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Down on the Farm Breakfast | |
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Save the date for this year's Down on the Farm Breakfast!
Plan to join our cows for breakfast on Saturday, Sept. 28, at Hansen’s Dairy Tour Center in Hudson. You'll enjoy a bounty of local food and farm activities during this family-friendly and traditionally sold-out event.
Tickets go on sale Sept. 1 at hansendairy.com.
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Keigan Clouse, our August Customer of the Month, regularly hoofs it from his house to our Waterloo store with one thing in mind: a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream in a waffle cone.
"The ice cream is the best, and I live very close so I visit a lot," says the 12-year-old, pictured here with his sister, Ahnalee.
Thanks, Keigan! Customers of the Month receive a $5 gift certificate to use at our stores and two free hands-on tour passes to the farm (a $40 value). You could be chosen by filling out an entry form at our stores or through your comments on our Facebook, Instagram and X pages.
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Cow of the Month (ahem, 'bull') | |
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This guy will beg your pardon if you call him a cow. So to save ourselves from an argument we can't win, this month we're changing things up to honor Brute as our Bull of the Month. Sure, he's our only bull, but do you want to tussle with him? Yeah. We don't either.
Brute turned a year old on July 30, and he has a special job on the farm. He's employed when artificial insemination is unsuccessful on certain cows.
At his young age, Brute is gentle and likes to lick the hands of tourists who pet his thick, beefy head. As he matures, though, Brute will become a lot less friendly.
"He's still a little guy, but someday he'll be mean like all Holstein bulls," notes Herd Manager Blake Hansen.
Bulls become aggressive between the ages of 2 and 3, making them dangerous to the folks who work on the farm. Standard dairy industry practice is to remove a bull from the farm once he shows signs of aggression. Safety first. Always.
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It's sweet corn season in Iowa, and our friends at Midwest Dairy are bringing some sunshine into your kitchen with this recipe for Creamy Sweet Corn Soup. Serve alongside a grilled cheese sandwich, and add it to your growing list of ways to enjoy fresh corn. Click here for a printable recipe. Enjoy! | |
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Cook time: 45 minutes
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Serves: 6
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Ingredients
- 5 ears fresh sweet corn, shucked, kernels cut off, cobs reserved
- 1 quart whole milk*
- 1 large yellow onion, diced**
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces*
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- Parmesan cheese*
- 1/4 cup scallions, diced
* Items that can be purchased at Hansen’s Dairy Stores
** Items that can be purchased seasonally at Hansen’s Dairy Stores
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Directions
- Combine corn cobs and milk in a large saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until milk is infused with corn flavor (about 30 minutes). Do not allow milk to boil.
- Remove from heat and pour mixture through a fine strainer into a bowl. Discard solids and set milk aside.
- Stir together onion and butter in a wide skillet over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly until butter is melted. Stir in corn kernels, salt, pepper, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat.
- Combine onion mixture and 2 cups corn-infused milk in a blender. Process until smooth, adding additional milk as needed to achieve desired consistency. Season to taste with salt. Divide mixture evenly among soup bowls.
- Garnish with Parmesan cheese and scallions.
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Hansen's Dairy Cedar Falls
123 E. 18th St. • 319-266-3044
Monday-Saturday: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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Hansen's Dairy Waterloo
3015 Kimball Ave. • 319-234-3309
Daily, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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Hansen's Dairy Farm, Hudson
8461 Lincoln Rd.
Daily, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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8461 Lincoln Rd
Hudson, IA 50643
(319) 242-1074
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