Embrace change, don’t fear it; Mother Nature survives on change and adapting … but never forget and respect the old ways.
- Jeff Hafner, Owner of Early Morning Harvest
Our Farm
Jeff Hafner
Owner, Early Morning Harvest
As a recreational thinker, Jeff is always coming up with new and innovative ways to do things, often while operating some kind of farm equipment.
Over the years Early Morning Harvest was always a hobby; however, in late 2021, Jeff decided to move forward and transition into business full-time. When asked, Jeff will tell you his hobby now is “a hot shower and bed.”
When time allows, Jeff reads books. One of his favorites is a book by Colin Powell, It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership.
Jeff also collects quotes that capture his eye or as a recreational thinker, he comes up with his own. Some of his favorites are:
"The healthier the soil is, the healthier the plants—and the livestock and humans that consume them or their products—will be." — Jeff Hafner
“The land and soil are not for us—we borrow it from our kids and their futures.” — Jeff Hafner
“Embrace change, don’t fear it; Mother Nature survives on change and adapting … but never forget and respect the old ways.” – Jeff Hafner
“Believe in people. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Respect all opinions, ideas, cultures, and people, especially if you disagree with them.” – Jeff Hafner
Early Morning Harvest
Early Morning Harvest is nestled on an acreage where Jeff’s grandparents lived and ran a dairy farm. The farm store and office were transformed from the barn where cows were milked and Jeff’s grandma created Grandma Mamie’s Cornbread recipe.
In the early 1980s, Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) bought the farm with the intent to construct a coal-fired electrical plant with railroad turnaround, but the plans were never developed. Instead, Jeff bought the land back and has been farming with his father, Earl, since 1993. The two transitioned their farmland to organic in 2000.
Stone Mill
The stone mill at Early Morning Harvest was purchased and built in 2011. It all began when Earl started making his own cereal using the organic grains grown right here on the farm—buckwheat, rye, corn, and wheat. After a few seasons selling at local farmers’ markets, customers began asking not only for his cereal blends but also for flour made from those same freshly milled grains.
Encouraged by that interest, Earl expanded the operation with the stone mill, allowing us to mill our grains on-site. Today, those same grains have grown into a lineup of more than twenty different freshly milled products.
Aquaponics Greenhouse
In 2010, the aquaponics greenhouse at Early Morning Harvest moved from a simple idea to a working system when the first tilapia arrived. Jeff often says he “designed the greenhouse in his head while cutting hay,” and not long after, he began repurposing existing farm structures to bring the vision to life.
Over the years, the greenhouse has been a place for both experimentation and steady harvests. Projects have included everything from mandarin orange and avocado trees (still a work in progress) to dependable favorites like kale and cherry tomatoes. The aquaponics system continues to evolve as growers work to keep the natural balance between fish, plants, and water. When you visit, you may also notice some of the grains grown on the farm drying or being stored throughout the greenhouse.
Growth
On March 15, 2020, as SARS-CoV-2 began spreading across the world, daily life seemed to pause overnight. Here at the mill, things changed just as quickly. What had been about one order per week suddenly surged to nearly 150. It seemed everyone had discovered the joy—and comfort—of baking bread at home. We adapted as best we could, working long days to keep fresh flour moving out the door.
Change has always been part of life on the farm. In early 2022, Jeff and his wife Shannon expanded the operation by purchasing the distribution company That Iowa Girl and relocating it to the farm in Panora. Today, That Iowa Girl distributes more than 150 mainly Iowa-made products. Delivering to several weekly routes throughout Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri, and South Dakota.
With each passing season, Early Morning Harvest continues to grow. Our stone-milled products are finding their way onto more store shelves across Iowa, throughout the Midwest, and increasingly across the country.