It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Historic Town Hall of Homestead gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Homestead, IA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting James Archer Smith Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Chefs on the Run Assorted Cuisine or visit Losner Park, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Homestead, IA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Homestead, IA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Homestead, IA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
MOVILLE, Iowa (KTIV)— A family death spurred a Siouxland couple to preserve their longtime homestead, and their effort is about to get some national television exposure as well.Jake and Shawn Anthony call rural Moville, Iowa home.“Homesteading is like in my blood and everything,” said Jake Anthony. The property has been in the family for decades.After Jake’s dad passed away, the couple made this homestead their own, but first, it needed a little TLC.The ‘Homestead Rescue’ show o...
MOVILLE, Iowa (KTIV)— A family death spurred a Siouxland couple to preserve their longtime homestead, and their effort is about to get some national television exposure as well.
Jake and Shawn Anthony call rural Moville, Iowa home.
“Homesteading is like in my blood and everything,” said Jake Anthony. The property has been in the family for decades.
After Jake’s dad passed away, the couple made this homestead their own, but first, it needed a little TLC.
The ‘Homestead Rescue’ show on Discovery helped give the family a boost to make it a functioning property, which will soon be ready for business.
“The opportunity to learn what they taught us and what we already know, combined with our passion for not only, like, the simpler lifestyle, but the outdoors and impacting the community,” said Jake.
Jake’s husband Shawn explained that they moved back from the busy city of Omaha to the small town in Iowa. He said, “Being out in nature and being away from the loud noises and hustle and bustle of the daily life in the city. Connecting with nature and the plants. We utilize those natural resources to benefit your family.”
Building a homestead requires hard work, self-sufficiency, and a passion for sustainable living.
“You don’t have to rely on if the store is going to run out. You get to provide for yourself and it’s it’s rewarding,” said Jake.
Starting Jan. 1, 2025, the Anthonys will have horses, and chickens and launch into the full homestead lifestyle.
Jake added, “At the end of the day because you can raise your own meat from say a chick, all the way up to a chicken. Then you actually get to benefit from something that you put your hard work and blood sweat and tears into.”
The homestead will be home to future fresh organic produce, self-made manure, farm-fresh eggs, and organic body scrubs.
They have a goal to work with local schools, attend farmers’ markets, and make a living off of the land.
Jake’s husband Shawn said, “We also want to eventually start a nonprofit sector that can give back to the community in terms of the Children because they’re the future of our of America.”
Jake added more about what the students are doing in the community right now, “We work with Kingsley-Pearson in their agriculture class and FFA organization. They come out and they’re learning how to help the community.”
The Anthonys say they are off the grid for good. Jake confirmed, “There’s no ifs, and, or buts about it.”
Shawn added they hope to invite the community out to the farm a few days a week in the future to walk through and purchase directly from the homestead, collect their own produce from the garden, and more.
The Anthony’s will be featured on a Discovery Channel program called “Homestead Rescue.”
The episode is called, “Heartland Heartache.” That episode airs Sunday, Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. on the Discovery Channel.
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SIOUX CENTER—Farm-to-table is more than a slogan for Ashley Schuiteman; it has served as the inspiration to begin her own premium beef business on her family’s farm about a mile east of Sioux Center.The 35-year-old embraced the farmer’s life after marrying her husband, Paul, and moving from her hometown of Fredericktown, OH, to the Schuiteman family farm and cattle feedlot at 3921 Hickory Ave. Ever since then, she’s dived headfirst into the beef industry.Like many farmers, they would offer half or quarte...
SIOUX CENTER—Farm-to-table is more than a slogan for Ashley Schuiteman; it has served as the inspiration to begin her own premium beef business on her family’s farm about a mile east of Sioux Center.
The 35-year-old embraced the farmer’s life after marrying her husband, Paul, and moving from her hometown of Fredericktown, OH, to the Schuiteman family farm and cattle feedlot at 3921 Hickory Ave. Ever since then, she’s dived headfirst into the beef industry.
Like many farmers, they would offer half or quarter carcasses to friends and family, but Schuiteman began to dream of extending that reach to more people, sharing with them the goodness of well-raised beef. She obtained her retail license last year so she could begin to sell beef product, with her first batch of beef prepared in February.
“I can sell individual cuts of meat just like a grocery store, or we can go the custom route and you can go the whole half or quarter, fill your freezer, that kind of thing,” she said. “Out of that, ground beef has been my most popular. I don’t know if that’s just because of the economical reasons — it’s cheap and versatile. I’m also proud of our rib-eyes.”
She has even started a line of skin products made from tallow processed from otherwise unwanted beef fat. Those come in scented and unscented varieties.
“That has been way more popular than I could have imagined. Really, this is good for many kinds of skin issues. It’s great even just as a moisturizer. Tallow is good for our skin. The fat profile is almost identical to our own skin, so it absorbs very well,” she said. “I’ve had some people who’ve said this has done wonders for them and has cleared up eczema. There are tons of great uses. It’s a nice, natural, clean product.”
It can be challenging to sell meat in such an ag-heavy area such as Sioux County, but she has found repeat customers in Sioux Center and Orange City.
Because the business is located on the Schuiteman farm, there aren’t regular hours associated with the business. Also making regular hours unnecessary are the different methods of placing an order that are available to customers, by phone at 740-485-2848 or online at hickoryhomestead.farm.
“I don’t ship meat yet. Right now, you can either come pick it up from me or I can deliver it to you if you live fairly locally or we can meet at the mall or someplace like that. Whatever works,” Schuiteman said.
Long term, she’d like to see this business grow into part of a larger ag tourism business for her family, one that would could have guests stay at an Airbnb and offer farm tours and a firsthand farm experience.
“People just don’t know farming anymore. I would love to connect people back to farmers. That would be another passion of mine besides feeding them: educating them,” she said. “But we’ll see.”
Of the approximate 3,500 cattle the family custom feeds, she has bought seven to raise for Hickory Homestead.
“I’ve never owned more than a cat or a dog when I was in Ohio,” she said. “So, buying cattle and finding out how much they cost, I was like, oh my gosh. And I only have seven!”
Her interest in agriculture in part comes from how different agriculture is done in N’West Iowa compared to central Ohio where she came from. At the manufacturing plant a lot of her family worked at, a lot of the workers would do Monday-Thursday shifts and would do farmwork on the weekends.
“In Ohio, I had never seen or heard of a feedlot before. They don’t really exist there. Agriculture is on a much smaller scale there. Everyone wants to be a full-time farmer, but they can’t because there’s not enough land to make that possible,” Schuiteman said. “So, moving here has been culture shock but in a good way. Learning about beef from my husband and his family, I fell in love with the butchering side. I worked at Woudstra Meat Market in Orange City for a while. I worked there at Highland Post on the processing side and loved it.”
She also worked at Van Bruggen & Vande Vegt as an accountant and bookkeeper, skills she’s taken with her into this business venture.
“I think out of my love and respect for farming and the people that do it, that’s why I’m so emotionally attached to this,” she said. “I want others to appreciate that about farming as well. It’s a labor of love for everyone they feed.”
The coalition, launched in April, guided residents on a tour of rural businesses on Sunday to promote business unification.Jessy LaneOn a Sunday morning, Walker Homestead Farm and Winery was brought to life with spout...
The coalition, launched in April, guided residents on a tour of rural businesses on Sunday to promote business unification.
On a Sunday morning, Walker Homestead Farm and Winery was brought to life with spouts of dust on a gravel road beneath the tires of an Express Midwest charter bus.
The bus tour left from Walker Homestead at 11:30 a.m., and traveled to Calix Creek, a lavender farm, before leaving for Cedar Ridge Distillery, and then Colony Acres Family Farm.
Each stop featured alcoholic beverages, snacks, and activities that fit the venue. Colony Acres is a pumpkin patch with a giant slide. Calix Creek had lavender-themed items and the opportunity to tour the treehouses on the site.
Agritourism is a steady, seasonal industry in farming that deviates from traditional commodity ventures. It has been a source of income for farmers in the off-season or when no crops are in the ground and livestock are not ready to be sold. In Johnson County, it has helped farmers double their income in some cases, according to a 2018 report.
The state of Iowa is home to a variety of industries. The population is concentrated in larger cities like Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. College towns like Ames and Iowa City have influxes of student life and culture every fall. It is easy to be caught up in the fast pace of everyday urban life for students in class or professionals working in downtown Des Moines. However, the one undeniable constant in Iowa is its rural communities.
There is something unique about Iowa, and the rest of the Midwest for that matter, and that is the constant existence of industry wherever you turn. When you leave a city, you are often almost immediately met with farm fields and gravel roads to rural communities.
The rate at which a person can go from a tall cityscape to rolling hills is astonishing. What’s more is the shocking proliferation of farms and small industry along these gravel roads and corn rows that sometimes can only be found by looking.
In Johnson County, however, local growers, producers, and entrepreneurs are working to change that fact in ways that bring people and culture from faraway places to rural Iowa.
Greater Iowa City Inc., the local Iowa City area chamber of commerce organization, hosted a bus tour event on Sunday to visit numerous local orchards, vineyards, and farmsteads in Johnson County. This was the first tour and was propagated by the formation of an agritourism brand in Johnson County earlier this year.
Agri-Culture is a coalition of local Johnson County farmsteads and growers who came together to sponsor growth for rural businesses. Greater Iowa City announced the formation in April.
Greater Iowa City Director of Rural Development Sarah Thompson said considerations to unify rural Johnson County businesses began in 2022 when the company hired her as director. Previously, Thompson ran a consulting firm named Rural Revitalization.
“They [the county and Greater Iowa City] wanted to see work in rural communities,” she said. “One of the first things I did was reach out to a list of businesses that are in the county and tried to find as many as I could.”
Thompson met with the businesses in the fall of 2022, and since then, the businesses, which include places such as Wilson’s Apple Orchard and Walker Homestead in Iowa City, have hosted events and provided farm-to-table services to Johnson County families.
Thompson said there is great value in businesses working closely together in this way, which promotes collective problem-solving.
“A lot of the businesses have the same kinds of issues, and if one person solves it, then everyone can know how to solve it,” Thompson said. “Or if no one can solve it, maybe together we can come up with a solution.”
She said Agri-Culture’s goal is to grow steadily while exhibiting the finer aspects of rural Iowa life to Johnson County residents.
“It’s a great way for anyone who doesn’t really understand farming to get a tutorial to find out the kinds of people who like to live in the country or on a farm,” she said. “When you live in Iowa City, sometimes it’s hard to understand why anyone would want to live out in the middle of nowhere.”
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Not only does the brand seek to increase awareness of rural Iowa businesses, but it is bringing elements of other cultures to the area as well.
Bob and Kristy Walker own Walker Homestead, just west of Iowa City on American Legion Road. It is a winery and wedding venue populated by machinery, animals, and dining venues alike. It was from Walker Homestead that the bus tour departed.
The Walkers own the venue, while also teaching at the University of Iowa. The uniqueness of their acquaintance with the rural side of Iowa does not end there; previously, Bob and Kristy Walker lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, where Bob Walker worked in banking. In 2017, the couple bought the land where they now live and operate their business.
Bob Walker said he and his wife took an interest in agritourism, which began as a part of Italian culture, called agri turismos. They traveled to Italy and earned their rural entrepreneurship education certificate. He said Italian scenery inspired the work they do at their homestead.
This vision is no less than realized. Standing outside the main venue, looking out to the west through the vineyard, is reminiscent of classic impressions of the Italian countryside.
Kristy Walker values the work being done for local rural businesses in Johnson County and is glad to contribute.
“We’re doing this to feature the great places that people should go visit as a part of Johnson County,” she said. “Johnson County is full of really great food growers and makers, and we created this collaboration to help and support one another.”
She said the farmstead began as a farm-to-table service. Eventually, business began to ramp up when a chef asked to borrow the farm for an occasion. From there, the Walkers began to expand their fundraising and entertainment pursuits.
Now, they are a member of Agri-Culture and working hard to support their fellow businesses.
As the Walkers and their employees helped prepare for the day with wine mimosas, two long-time Iowa City retirees enjoyed the scenic Italy-inspired view themselves.
John and Sandra Hudson traveled to the homestead to participate in a bus tour. The couple has been married for 67 years and has lived in Iowa City for 26 of them. Previously, they lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
John Hudson said he was interested in seeing the different farms on the tour and appreciates local wines, like what is distilled at Walker Homestead and Cedar Ridge.
At 97, Hudson recalls visiting his grandparents’ farm in the 1930s as a closely held memory.
“I’ve always liked farms,” he said, “especially from that period. I was old enough to observe and remember.”
To the Hudsons, the Walker Homestead and the other stops on the trip remind them, too, of the Italian countryside, citing images of Tuscany when looking at the vineyard and the wine tastings planned throughout the day.
Bob Walker, too, is excited about the work being done with Agriculture.
“Our mission statement is to bring the community agriculture education and business collaboration,” he said. “You bring people out, put your phones down, and talk to each other.”
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