Welcome to The Farm Table. My name is Aleana Balsley. I am a twenty-five year-old, animal-obsessed, life-loving, Iowa girl. I’m a twin to the neatest sister and have four other siblings who are just as cool. I recently got married in August 2019 to the man of my dreams and we have the cutest Rottweiler pup!
I wasn’t born on a farm, but you could say I was raised on one. You see, I grew up in the small town of Blue Grass, Iowa. My dad is an engineer and my mom is a special education teacher, neither of whom grew up on a farm. Still, with no background in farming or agriculture, my parents somehow ended up with two kids who wanted nothing more than to be “cowboys”. Thanks to that small-town culture, my brother and I were able to get the experience we longed for.
My older brother, Garrett, was my cowboy counterpart. Garrett dressed the part for school every day but, for him, it wasn’t dress-up or pretend; it was just, well, natural. Travis Benner, our elementary school science teacher, noticed Garrett’s attire and knew he didn’t have the farm opportunities at home. Travis graciously invited him over to his own farm. As a jealous farm-loving little sister, I rode along to drop him off and pick him up. The first couple of times I just admired the drive until soon, Travis caught on to me as well. Travis and his wife, Terri, continued to invite us over, helping with all the farm work; cleaning barns and shops, completing yard work, and feeding the animals. We helped with the cows, horses, goats, all kinds of poultry, and even the deer! We loved every second of it. They taught us how to ride horses, tend to the animals, and the value of hard work.
That experience is something to which I attribute so much of my growth. I can honestly say I wouldn’t be who I am today without the Benner’s and the experiences they provided. The opportunities given by the Benners probed me to pursue my passion for agriculture into a career. In 2017 I received my Bachelor’s Degree from Iowa State University in Agricultural Communications. Following Iowa State, I was hired on to Performance Livestock Analytics (PLA) landing what I would consider, both then and now, my “Dream Job”. If you know me personally, I will save you from going on and on about it.
In those few years since college, I met my husband Dustin. Dustin is an entrepreneur and the most hardworking person I’ve ever met. Earlier this year Dustin and I brought the most adorable Rottweiler pup, Cedar, into our home. Dustin, Cedar, and I currently live in Ames, Iowa due to work and look forward to the day when we can move back to his family farm in Osage, Iowa.
One of my own goals in life is to be as self-sustainable as I can. Growing up in Iowa gives us access to so much rich soil and land, so why not? Inspired by my mother, who, after seeing all four of her kids out of the house, embraced sustainable living as her passion. Raising as much of her own fruits and vegetables as possible, she prides herself in beekeeping, canning, growing and preserving herbs, and more, all without living on a farm. This has grown to one of my goals and passions as I got to experience how fun and rewarding growing your own food can be!
Amidst all that is going on in my life, I decided it was important for me to share what I’ve learned along the way. I bring a unique perspective to the agricultural industry because it’s not something I was born into, it was something I pursued by heart. I find it important to know and understand where your food comes from, what is really happening behind the grocery store shelves, and the value of locally sourced products. I hope you find value in my stories and experiences.
Sincerely, Aleana
The Farm Table 