>> What does the word "agritourism" mean to you?
To me, it suggests learning about how a crop is grown,
and a chance to try new and interesting foods and
beverages made from those crops.
>> Think of Iowa cropland, and you probably envision
fairly flat fertile fields of corn and soybeans.
But in the western part of the state,
in the Loess Hills, some unique crops are drawing
visitors from near and far.
>>We cannot miss the lavender farm.
>> No!
>> On this day, a busload of more than 40 visitors from
Polk County traveled to various sites in the
Loess Hills, including a stop nine miles north of
Missouri Valley at a lavender farm.
>> It smells so good.
>> This is lavender lemonade.
>> Whether you're traveling with a large group or on
your own, Mary Hamer just might welcome you with a
taste of lavender lemonade, and other treats with
lavender as one of the ingredients.
>> Always they're surprised that you can eat lavender.
You can cook with it.
And then they're pleasantly surprised about the
medicinal properties in it.
Lavender itself is kind of considered the Swiss Army
knife of herbs.
You can cook with it.
You can clean with it.
You can heal with it.
They use it for aroma therapy.
And it's just fun.
It's a plant that you just can't help but just love
when you smell it and see it.
>> Mary's enthusiasm for lavender led her and her
husband to this property in the Loess Hills.
In 2009 they broke ground with 960 lavender plants.
She says the wind-swept soil that created miles of these
hills along much of the Missouri River in western
Iowa is perfect for growing lavender.
>> It's great for lavender.
Lavender does not want to have wet feet.
And so, it percolates a waterway just like sand.
And so, they're very happy in the Loess Hills soil.
>> And that's that unique soil that you find here.
>> Yes, uh huh.
>> In addition to growing the plants,
Mary also makes her own products.
>> What are we going to make today?
>> We're going to make some lavender spritz.
And so to preserve it, I do use vodka.
>> [
>> Yeah.
>> So, vodka actually acts as a preservative here.
>> Yep.
They used the spritz to help them relax and sleep at
night, so if that doesn't work, well,
you could always drink it.
>> Yeah, well now I know why it helps you relax.
>> Since I couldn't be trusted with the
ingredients, Mary did let me help with
some of the packaging.
The products she makes here in her shop kitchen,
including this mixing bowl of lavender balm,
are sold in the adjacent gift shop.
While visitors get the opportunity to shop,
and learn about the farm, many are most eager to
wander through the lavender fields,
pick a few samples to take home,
and maybe harvest a bit of gardening advice, too.
>> Like a tree, it will make it bush out more.
>> Yeah, it bushes out and then falls.
>> Yeah.
>> It is not so much "a job" for Mary and her husband
Tim, but a passion, which is why they designed the farm
for agritourism.
>> I want share with them just what an amazing herb it
is, and so yes, we were planning on the agritourism
part of it.
>> Mary isn't alone in her vision of agritourism in the
Loess Hills.
There are other farms open to visitors,
including this one, called Sawmill Hollow Family Farm.
In the mid 1990s, the Pittz family started growing
aronia berries for use both in food
and health supplements.
Andrew Pittz is part of the sixth generation working
this land.
>> We're the first aronia berry farm in North America.
And I always tell people I was the last generation to
walk beans and the first to pick aronia berries.
We have a 151-acre farm and not all of it's
in production.
Where about 20 acres are in aronia berries.
Aronia berries are a dark- pigmented berry.
It has three times the antioxidants of a blueberry.
It is a really, really high anthocyanin in fruit,
and those are those water-soluble pigments that
give fruits their color.
And that aronia berry has that beautiful purple pigmentation.
And it's just a great, great North American fruit.
My dad saw the aronia berries in a juice drink.
And we looked into it, and turns out the aronia berry
is native to Iowa and Wisconsin.
And we said, let's give it a shot.
So, we started growing it here.
>> What is the flavor of an aronia berry?
>> It's almost like a tart apple.
>> Andrew says the berries can be used alone,
in products like wines and juices.
Or they can be blended with other ingredients in
culinary delights, such as dressings or even chili.
And the recipes for the blended products are
developed by Andrew's father, Vaughn Pittz.
>> I love, I love to cook.
So, the people come and do tours and so forth.
We always try to give them a sample of some of those
products, and they can't believe that we're doing,
making a chili out of some of these berries.
>> These visitors are the same group we ran into at
the lavender farm.
After seeing the fields, they got a taste of aronia
berries in the hors d'oeuvres,
pulled pork sandwiches, chili,
and of course a small sip of the wine.
After watching these folks feast on so many luscious
looking items, I just had to taste for myself.
>> The chili actually has whole aronia berries in it.
Can you see the aronia berry?
Just a great tart flavor that it adds.
It just enhances it to the next level.
>> I've had fun experiencing a few flavors new to me
today, and all I have to say is, yum.