This March, a group of about 45 student innovators participated in our spring Startup Tour where they had the opportunity to engage with various Iowa entrepreneurs and changemakers across the state. The students began their day early, departing from Iowa State University and traveling to their first destination, The Big Apple Orchard in Mount Vernon, Iowa. The Big Apple Orchard is owned by the Marti family and is home to 2,200 apple trees of over 20 varieties. Brooklyn Botterman, an Iowa State CALS senior in Agricultural Communication who attended the Startup Tour, said, “As an avid apple cider lover, The Big Apple was one of my favorite stops! It was evident how deeply Monte, founder of The Big Apple, is devoted to his orchard, ensuring a delightful experience for families and customers during the fall season.”

(The Big Apple Orchard)

The second stop of the day was Cedar Ridge Winery and Distillery, located in Swisher, Iowa. Here, students were served lunch with a full wine tasting experience. Cedar Ridge Winery and Distillery is owned by the Quint family, who have been farming and distilling their own spirits for generations. It wasn’t until 2005 that Jeff Quint began the Cedar Ridge Distillery. Addison Randall, a senior in Animal Science who also participated in the Startup Tour, said, “This family dug deep into their heritage and passion for our state by using Iowa’s golden grain to produce not only an award-winning bourbon but the first non-Kentucky bourbon to dominate Iowa’s market.” She continues on to say, “Our group enjoyed learning about Cedar Ridge’s growth, development, and distilling process from their master distiller, Murphy Quint. Tastings were definitely an additional highlight for the 21 and over crew!” 

(Cedar Ridge Winery & Distillery)

Students then rode to the Old Capital Food Company in the heart of Iowa City, Iowa. Old Capital Food Company was co-founded by Jake Gratzon and Matthew Mesaros, who held a mutual mission to create amazing tofu from the best local ingredients. They are continuing to expand their menu of both traditional and flavor-infused tofu. Teagon Kasperbauer, a Agricultural Business sophomore who also attended the Startup Tour, said, “Showing up, I wasn’t very familiar with it. However, when I left, I had a little different viewpoint on it, realizing the good it serves for many people,” in reference to Old Capital Food Company’s tofu and tofu productions.

(Old Capital Food Company)

The final destination of the day was Terraplex Ag in Pella, Iowa. Here, students learned about the technological advancements being made in the agricultural industry through drone production. Terraplex is dedicated to delivering efficient and effective aerial crop spraying services to all of Iowa by revolutionizing the agricultural industry with cutting-edge drone technology that enhances the farming process. Addison Randall commented, “A predictable fan favorite for the class full of agriculture students, this new and innovative technology caught the eye of all participants. We enjoyed hearing about how Terraplex is making the future of application accessible for both farmers and beginning business owners.”

(TerraplexAg)

Students ended their journey by returning to Iowa State University with a new outlook on entrepreneurship and innovation. Start Something CALS would like to send a huge thank you to all of the participating businesses for allowing our students to come tour your facilities and broaden their education in their agricultural entrepreneurship journeys.