Pride in our agriculture systems
Our agriculture is our main export. There are 7 pigs to every human in our state. That being said, I think that we take great pride in providing the rest of the country, nay, the WORLD with our supreme topsoil and farming experience. Most farms are and have been family run for generations now, and that’s something that has been passed down through those same families.
I have many friends who farm, and I know the hard work it takes. It’s year-round work, with hard stress on the body. We appreciate our farmers because we ARE farmers, and what it takes is a lot.
The “Iowa Nice”
One of the bigger reasons on this list is being “Iowa Nice.” What is it? Well, it essentially is the attitude of helping someone out or being nice and tolerant. In my experience as a midwesterner, people from Iowa whom I do not know often treat me quite kindly or are willing to help. It’s not a concrete thing, which makes it hard to explain or quantify. However, those in Iowa know that they indentify with this type of mentality.
Hard Work
A true hard worker is someone that is becoming harder and harder to find as time goes on. However, with the average Iowan I would argue this couldn’t be further from the truth. We as Iowans take immense pride in doing hard work, and that’s definitely worth something. Lots of the people here are farmers or come from agriculture, and that rubs off on the rest of the state.
I think about how Iowan athletes reflect hard work. Whenever Iowa or Iowa State plays other schools, you can just tell that the “Iowa hard work” is at play when they go to compete.
Small Towns
Small towns make the world go round. In this case, it makes Iowa go round. Our sense of community in small settings create strong bonds that have kept our communities together through decades. Regardless of financial, environmental, or other changes, you can always depend on an Iowan small town.
I remember in 2020 when a large storm hit the city of city of Cedar Rapids and the surrounding area, crippling resources vital to those there. My family and I went and helped with the storm cleanup, and there were many others like us that banded together to help those in need.
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