We visited the smallest licensed distillery in Iowa and got a personal tour which lasted for several hours, resulting in us buying two bottles of corn whiskey and some lemoncello which as delicious.
The State capitol held their 4th of July celebration on the 3rd, complete with a pops band and fireworks on the capitol grounds. Great fun!
But the highlight of our 4th of July was the Pleasanton (pop. 100) 4th of July parade 
and then the Leon rodeo that night. The parade was complete with every old tractor around, old cars, and horses! We sat next to a man who looked about 25 and had 4 kids. He told us about his little farm and the Fenton goats which he had bought so that his kids could enter the 4H Baby Bottle contest (?) and then proceeded to tell us how the Fenton goat "fainted" one day when he started his truck engine and he ran it over. Only then did I realize that they we not Fenton goats, but FAINTING Goats, (there is a slight southern accent here)designed to faint when agitated (so that they could run with sheep, faint when the coyotes came and get eaten rather than the sheep). Hard to keep a straight face during that story!!!!
and then the Leon rodeo that night. The parade was complete with every old tractor around, old cars, and horses! We sat next to a man who looked about 25 and had 4 kids. He told us about his little farm and the Fenton goats which he had bought so that his kids could enter the 4H Baby Bottle contest (?) and then proceeded to tell us how the Fenton goat "fainted" one day when he started his truck engine and he ran it over. Only then did I realize that they we not Fenton goats, but FAINTING Goats, (there is a slight southern accent here)designed to faint when agitated (so that they could run with sheep, faint when the coyotes came and get eaten rather than the sheep). Hard to keep a straight face during that story!!!!
That night we went to one of the best rodeos we had ever been to. It started with the 5 year olds, which in other rodeos was a joke. In other rodeos they bring out these little kids, put them on a calf, lead then around and everyone applauds. here, the little kids get loaded on a mini, full grown bull (just like the big ors but smaller, right down to the cinch on their gonads), let out of the shoot in perfect position; one hand strapped the other in the air and either stay on for the required time or fly through the air while the clown distracts the little bull. 
This was followed by the wild pony roping in which three 7 year olds get the rope attached to a very wild pony. Two have to hold the pony while the third gets on and rides it Well, one little kid ended up being snow plowed around the arena while the crowd cheered, and another was dragged upside down while he held onto the rope. Not for the faint-ofheart…or fainting goats! 
Then, of course, there were all the adult rodeo stuff….
Then, of course, there were all the adult rodeo stuff….
and intermission
The next day we went to Pella, the home of Pella windows and the tallest windmill in the US, which styled itself as a dutch city.
We also went to a living history farm museum which showed farms from the 1700, 1850 and 1900's.
We saw how brooms were made, visited a blacksmith, pharmacy with leeches!
We also visited the Maytag yes…they also made washing machines) blue chess factory for some American blue cheese which was quite different from any other we tasted.
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