Sharing Our Family Farm's Iowa Heritage
Delivered from our farm to your home-Iowa Bloody Butcher heritage seed
our Iowa farming legacy
A Family Tradition
Our family grew up on the land of Stout Heritage Farms. We are proud to grow food that feeds your families. Rachel and Vince are siblings who rent their family farm ground from their grandparents, Richard and JoAnn in rural Washington County, Iowa.
Several generations of Stout's have farmed in the United States of America.
We are the seventh generation to cultivate this ground since it was settled by the 'Renegade' John Stout family in 1820 - before Iowa was even known as a state.
About Stout Siblings - Rachel and Vince
The oldest of five children. We grew up in Brighton, Iowa, choring this land. Walking through the pastures to bring in the Hereford and crossbred Angus fat cattle, cow calf pairs nightly. Wet springs made for a muddy mess. The hottest days of July were saved for small square bales of hay and straw. It didn't matter the weather conditions, the cattle were chored daily. Dropping hay down the barn chutes was always the fun part-the last step of daily chores were coming to the end.
Rachel and Vince rent their family farm ground from their grandparents, Richard and JoAnn. They are the thirteenth generation of Stout's to farm in the United States of America. We are the seventh generation to cultivate this ground since it was settled by the Stout family in 1820.
Meet Rachel
Rachel has resided in Washington, Iowa, for twenty one years with her four children. Marketing and selling post frame and livestock buildings by day. Taking pictures in the evenings and weekends for fun. Rachel farmed this ground for seventeen years, recently forming a partnership with her brother, Vince. She has been active in Washington County Farm Bureau serving as Vice President, President and Voting Delegate for her community. Rachel has also served on Iowa Farm Bureau's State Young Farmers Committee, Iowa Farm Bureau's State Resolutions Committee and was selected to represent the state as Iowa Voting Delegate for American Farm Bureau in January 2019 in New Orleans. Rachel has a passion for being a voice for farmers of all types. She's a fifteen year 4H Leader in Washington County and enjoys volunteering her time with the local chamber as Ag Day Instructor and in the Washington Community Schools.
Meet Vinny
Vince was born and raised in the quaint area of Brighton, Iowa, surrounded by four sisters. On this southeast farm, he learned the lessons of hard work and determination to create the products of the soil. These skills we’re honed in his development in agricultural engineering at Iowa State and execution in the world of food manufacturing. Vince believes that coupling his heritage to innovative science can create products that link people to their heritage in growing corn.
His family resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, but makes frequent trips to Iowa for his engagement in the family farm.
Bloody Butcher Heirloom Corn Seed Now Available
We know that food grown on healthy land with healthy farming is healthy food. We act as stewards of this land, caring for its health to support yours. We have the unique opportunity to stumble across seed varieties our ancestors planted in the very same fields we farm together here in Washington County, Iowa. Rachel and Vince are growing bloody butcher heirloom seed to help continue on seed savers ultimate goal... keeping a variety alive that our ancestors grew generations ago. Bloody Butcher corn is becoming very popular with specialty food groups and on the bourbon trail.
You can order our bloody butcher heirloom ornamental corn by emailing us at stoutheritagefarms@gmail.com
Stout Family Favorite Recipes
From the threshing days through modern Iowa harvests to family holidays and gatherings, the Stout family has many recipes passed thru the generations. We have many food favorite staples that are expected at special occasions! Enjoy some of our Iowa Farm meal recipe favorites in our blog!
Great Great Great Grandpa Ben's Farming Diaries
Our grandparents have done a wonderful job of preserving our family heritage. We are fortunate enough to enjoy reading our Great Great Grandpa Ben's farming diaries thru the years.
Our History
Our ancestors settled in rural Washington County, Iowa in 1820. Before Iowa was a state. Before Washington County had its boundaries. You might know Iowa as a "fly over state,' or home to the one and only Iowa State Fair. But have you ever looked into the history of Iowa family farms? We are grateful for the family historians who have documented and saved the stories. The pictures. The diaries of our ancestors who walked the same ground before us.
Lafe Stout had a committed plan to making an abundance for his home and children utilizing Iowa's farmland to the best of his ability. The road became known as 'Stout Avenue' to locals as addresses in rural areas were written. This Brighton area was known as 'Rural Route 2' to the Stout Family and local postmasters.
As the years passed and his children married, Lafe aquired adjoining farms that over looked the Skunk River area to continue his ambitions to future generations. As a son was married, the next parcel was purchased where the family built the same version barn for each newlywed couple. We are now generation seven. One of the last actively farmed parcels of row crop along the old, "Stout Avenue." Going through family diaries, our Great, Great Grandpa Ben (Lafe's son) planted Bloody Butcher Corn to feed to his hogs. Why? The high fat content was beneficial to finishing out his feeder pigs. Now this variety of corn is known as a heritage seed. 'Antique' seed of sorts. Used in flours, bourbons and seed stock to continue the legacy of this heirloom variety. Selling our heritage seed online from our family to yours to continue your family heirloom garden or farm parcel.