♪♪ Daniel: The farm is my full-time job.

The beef and the pork are from our farm.

We have a number of different crops, as well, and it's all certified organic.

All of the eggs, any egg dish you have, is either from our farm or if our chickens can't keep up, some other local farms.

Ellen: We collect eggs and wash eggs every day.

I sIt's Daniel.

we.

I bring them to town.

And then they immediately go to the line and we're serving them.

You can't get any more fresh than that.

This is literally farm to table.

Kohlsdorf: When Ellen Walsh-Rosmann and her husband, Daniel, decided to open a farm- to-table café in Harlan in 2015, they were hopeful that a locally sourced menu would be welcomed in their community.

[ Ding ] Their restaurant, Milk & Honey, was such a hit that in 2023 the couple relocated to a larger space to accommodate more diners.

Ellen: An opportunity came up to purchase this building.

It was an opportunity that we couldn't pass.

Daniel: It was originally the Booth implement building, so it was an implement dealer, which became a Ford dealership.

Ellen: Yeah.

The first Ford car in Iowa was sold in this building.

That, like, gives me goosebumps -- how cool.

Daniel: Now it's Milk & Honey.

Calkins: It's a unique place.

There's not many small-town cafés left.

It's all organic, free-range.

You know, it's supporting Iowa farms.

We're hog farmers.

And so anything bacon, ham, anyo those things I'm all for.

to promote eating Kohlsdorf: And when your supply chain is this local, your menu is filled with familiar favorites.

It's all in what sounds good that day, you know.

Is it pancakes?

Is it something sweet, French toast?

Or is it a skillet, a burrito, something salty and savory?

Nielsen: I had a BLT.

Reinig: Yeah.

It's reaI had the club sandwich.

ItI would order it again.

I would bring my husband here.

He would like this.

Ellen: Hey, how's it going?

Good to see you.

You know, just taking pause to look around at our neighbors, farmers, whomever, eating a local hamburger that was raised, the beef was raised four miles outside of town.

I mean, how awesome is that?

Kohlsdorf: At Milk & Honey, the food is fresh, and the diners are like family.

But word has gotten out.

Daniel: Our goal was also to get people from Omaha and Des Moines to come out here and, you know, all over the state instead of the other way around, having, you know, people from our town going to the city for a good meal.

And we're seeing a lot of that.

Yeah, the charm of this restaurant comes from it being in a rural community.

I mean, you go a mile out of town, and you're in farming country.

Ellen: Yeah.

You can't replicate this.

Come off the highway and just go explore the towns that are off the byway.

You might be surprised.

♪♪