Moncks Homegrown: A Year in Review
As we look back on this past year at Moncks Homegrown, we’re feeling incredibly grateful and a little amazed at just how much we packed into one year. From big business milestones to busy seasons on the farm and special moments with family, it’s been a year of growth, grit, and gratitude.
Growing Our Farm-to-Freezer Business
One of our biggest milestones this year was officially launching our website, making it easier than ever for customers to shop our beef and pork, stay up to date on specials, and follow along with life on our farm.
We also loved getting out into the community by attending several local markets:
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Dubuque Farmers Market (twice a month)
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Olin Farmers Market
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Monticello – Monti Days Market
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Lubben Vineyards pop-up markets
Meeting customers face-to-face, answering questions, and hearing how you’re using our products at home never gets old!
New Products & Fan Favorites
This year we expanded our product lineup in a big way. Some of our newest and most-loved additions included:
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Ribeye steak sandwiches
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Whole hams
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Whole ribeye roasts
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Italian sausage & breakfast sausage
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Pork cutlets
Along with new cuts, we ran many meat bundles and specials throughout the year, helping families stock their freezers with farm-raised beef and pork they can trust.
We also grew our tallow-based product line, adding:
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Natural deodorant in two scents
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Lip balm in multiple flavors
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Vanilla bean and calendula–infused tallow, which we’re especially excited about
Partnerships We’re Proud Of
Community partnerships mean a lot to us. We continued supplying Boondocks Emproium in Anamosa with ground beef for their smash burgers — if you’ve had one, you know how good they are.
This year we also added an exciting new partnership with Chilled Freezer Meals, supplying multiple beef and pork products for their ready-to-cook freezer meals. Seeing our farm-raised meat used in other local businesses is something we’re truly proud of.
A Moment We Are Incredibly Proud Of
Nicole was honored as the 2025 Iowa Conservation Woman of the Year for her dedication to improving our soil and water through conservation-focused farming practices.
Her passion for stewardship, innovation, and doing things the right way continues to shape our family farm every single day. From cover crops to grazing plans to long-term soil health, this recognition represents countless hours of thoughtful work behind the scenes.
We are so proud of what she brings to our farm, our family, and our future.
Family First
Outside of the business, we welcomed a very special addition to the family. Rhett joined the crew, bringing the grandkid count to nine. Farm life is busy, but moments like these remind us why we do what we do.
A Year Full of Babies
Spring calving season was good but stressful. We assisted with several calf deliveries, welcomed three sets of twins, and dealt with one very protective mama cow who kept us on our toes.
Goat kidding season went smoothly overall, with most babies arriving within just 10 days. A late cold front meant extra hands-on care to keep the last few kids warm and healthy, but everyone pulled through strong.
As August rolled in, so did fall calving season, bringing:
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Four more sets of twins
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A few assisted deliveries
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Treating one mama cow for milk fever after good rains and extra-lush pasture
Busy? Yes. Worth it? Always.
Crops, Chores & Controlled Chaos
Spring and summer were pure farm chaos in the best way. From:
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Planting corn and soybeans
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Drilling cover crops
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Seeding new alfalfa fields
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Rotating cows onto pasture
…to watching summer fly by faster than we expected.
Harvest season kept us moving as we chopped silage into bags for winter feed and combined corn and soybeans into the grain bin all while keeping livestock healthy and cared for.
Growing With Demand
With an increase in pork demand, Jon and Nicole decided to raise an additional batch of pigs over winter. “Our Berkshire pigs are thriving, loving their deep bedding in the barn where they happily burrow in to stay warm.” -Jon
Looking Ahead to 2026
We’re already deep into planning for the year ahead from crop rotations and grazing plans to feedlot schedules and new retail beef and pork ideas. It’s keeping us busy, motivated, and excited for what’s next.
Thank You
Most of all, we want to say thank you. To everyone who supports our family farm, buys our products, shares our story, and cheers us on it truly means the world to us.
We are so excited for the big things coming in 2026, and we’re incredibly thankful you’ll be right there with us for the ride.
—
Shielly
Monck’s Homegrown – Fresh from the Farm
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