Dear Young Iowan:

Sometimes it's important to take stock, to count your blessings or count your chickens, though, of course, not before they hatch.

Having lived in Iowa all my life, I think back to my childhood years from time to time and those thoughts bring a smile to my face. I remember how alfalfa smells just after it's baled and how we worked from sunrise to sunset to get it in the barn before the rain came. Several neighbors came to help, and, when the crop filled the barn to bulging, we left the top door open just a crack to let it "breathe," much the same way you loosen your belt after a Thanksgiving feast. We celebrated our haymaking with a late supper, including lemonade made with real lemons and sugar.

In the middle of summer, small-town celebrations like "Sauerkraut Days," "Sweetcorn Days," and "Beef Days" provided a bit of respite from all the farm chores. They offered a chance to see friends, family, and neighbors—those people who are sometimes overly curious about your life but who are always the first to organize a soup supper or benefit auction if someone is sick and needs money for medical bills. These are the same folks who, in the fall, will harvest the crops of an injured farmer or recent widow before they do their own.

Eating establishments in little towns were and still are often family-owned with a lunch special every day featuring mashed potatoes, some type of meat, and pie for dessert. Coffee there is plain coffee—no special flavorings or foam—and it's less than a dollar a cup with free refills. Just help yourself.