The perfect date night brought to you by Iowa farmers

Candles lit? Check. Table set? Check. A date night dinner brought to you by Iowa farmers? You betcha. This Valentine’s Day, whether you plan to cook it yourself, carry out, or sit down at a fancy restaurant, your perfect date night meal started on a farm.

The perfect table setting

As floriculture continues to bloom in Iowa, bouquets for a beautiful centerpiece are easily in reach. Peonies, tulips, or daffodils – Iowans don’t have to go far for local freshly cut flowers. Pair those petals with a soy-based candle for a natural long-lasting burn that will make sparks fly.

The perfect main course

The heart of this dinner is steak, corn and potatoes, representing farms from all corners of Iowa agriculture.

You can’t help falling in love with Iowa-raised USDA Prime beef, the highest quality of beef available. And since Iowa ranks fourth nationally in raising beef cattle, you can enjoy sirloins, ribeyes and T-bones to your heart’s content!

It’s probably not a big shock that Iowa is the nation’s number one producer of corn, growing nearly 2.5 billion bushels annually. And while the vast majority of Iowa corn is “field corn” used in livestock feed and ethanol, there’s more than enough Iowa-grown sweet corn for you and your sweetheart.

Corn’s not the only side dish Iowa farmers have “peelings” for. You won’t mistake Iowa for Idaho (unless, perhaps, you live on the coast), but a surprising number of Iowa farmers grow potatoes too.

And that’s just for starters. The most recent U.S. Census of Agriculture shows that nearly 2,500 Iowa farms sell their products directly to consumers, and according to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa has nearly 200 farmers markets providing shoppers with fresh, locally produced produce and a variety of other products, ranging from eggs and meat to wine and cheese.   

Speaking of wine, as you toast your Valentine this year, you’ll be “grapeful” to know that Iowa has more than 250 commercial vineyards and nearly 100 licensed wineries.

The perfect dessert

The cherry on top of your perfect Valentine’s Day dinner? Ice cream, of course! Nothing melts your heart like a scoop (or two) of ice cream made from milk produced right here in Iowa. With creameries across the state, there’s a flavor to satisfy every sweet tooth. In fact, Iowa is home to the “Ice Cream Capitol of the World,” a place that churns out 150 million gallons of ice cream each year!  

There you have it! From start to finish, a dinner to impress your Valentine, brought to you by Iowa’s farmers.

Is this Heaven? No, but thanks to the surprising diversity of Iowa agriculture, it’s the perfect place for a date night!