Black Dirt (Grundy Center: home, transfer, buying)

[WonderingWhere]

I lived and worked in Iowa for 6 months. Transferred from Southern Calif. My supervisor was from Iowa, and our branch was going there.

He kept talking about this black dirt in Iowa. (for those who don't know, Iowa is some of the finest farming land in the world, and I guess this black dirt is part of it. I should probably mention the beef and pork, too, so I will).

The moment I woke up the morning after arriving in Grundy Center, I asked to see this famous black dirt. I am originally from Pa coal region, so my idea of black dirt is something else.

He took me to farmland right outside town, parked, and said to scoop up some dirt and check it out. It was black all right, real black. You think a lot of dirt is black, but it's not like this. This was Black.

So I scooped it up in my hands. It was so soft and fluffy. Then I smelled it. Oh...smelled like earth, nature, goodness, clean.... Now I Knew.

As for the beef and pork....he kept telling me hamburger in Iowa is better than Filet Mignon anywhere else. Ok.

Only thing is, you couldn't buy this in the local markets. They exported this wonderful "prime" meat to fancy, expensive restaurants and other similar venues throughout the world. You could only get this great meat by buying a quarter of a cow or a half of a pig or something like that, and having it butchered, wrapped and frozen for future use. They have what they call "lockers" for public use to store this meat. Then you can take it home if you have a big enough freezer.

Well, all I can say is...this meat from Iowa is like the Grand Canyon. You have to be there to understand. He was right. The best.

I have spent the last years asking for this type of meat elsewhere. Forget it. Not happening. Not in any local market anytime soon.

That's all for now. I have seen a thread here about Iowa being flat. I have something to say about that, too. As well as a lot else about Iowa. This really is a beautiful state, gorgeous, with good people, good food...I could go on. I liked Iowa a lot.