One woman’s dream job comes to fruition in the Midwest: establishing a private, homemade, farm-to-table diner that brings people together, uniting the community and reconnecting the guests with nature—including with her farm animals, that are pets, not food.
Hidden among Iowa’s pig and factory farms is a small red barn where Kara Gruppe is cultivating a vegetarian fine-dining experience. Three Pines Farm is nestled two hours northeast of Des Moines in Cedar Falls. It offers a range of unforgettable experiences that will change visitor’s preconceived notions of vegetarian food, fine dining, farm animals, and even Iowa itself.
“We can broaden these definitions and add diversity to what a farm means and looks like,” Gruppe, owner of Three Pines Farm, said. “And how great it is to have such a close connection in coming to a farm, meeting animals, and learning about all those pieces while you enjoy your meal.”
Gruppe, a former scientist at Iowa State University, has always dreamed about taking over her family’s farm. Ten years ago, she finally did. She renovated the barns, preserving their historical integrity and significance while creating a space for glamping (glamorous camping), workshops, private events, and fine dining.
“Everything here is either handed down through my family, I made, or gifts from friends and guests who thought it might look nice here,” Gruppe said.
The Feed and Field Dinner Experience is one of Three Pines Farm’s extraordinary options, creating core memories for everyone involved.
A Sophisticated, Yet Down-to-Earth Dinner
In the center of a long wooden table adorned with a lace tablecloth and fine chinaware, elegantly tall candles set the mood and illuminate the dim dining room. The rest of the room is decorated with floral arrangements against the fully furnished wood panel walls. There are antiques and farm decor—a hodgepodge that feels rustic, yet classy.
The starting dish is pear and thyme focaccia slices with a fennel seed oil dipping sauce. The bread is fluffy and moist. The thyme compliments the pear, and the pine nuts blend it all together for a sweet, savory, and nutty flavor.
The homemade, non-alcoholic, sparkling blueberry and pear drink is refreshing, crisp, and not too sweet.
For the main dish, guests select from a set of rotating options before the visit, such as tomato and cheese lasagna with a dill ranch romaine salad or a lemon-parmesan kale salad with Gruppe’s signature chicken-less pot pie.
“I haven’t made a point of highlighting the dishes as vegetarian as I wanted to avoid people seeing vegetarian and immediately thinking ‘that’s not for me,’” Gruppe said. “Vegetarian dishes can be wonderfully great. And great food is for everyone.”
The lasagna sauce is creamy, full of spices and flavors from locally grown tomatoes and locally made cheese. Even Jordan Wyer, a picky eater who is not a vegetarian and whose favorite food is lasagna, is in awe.
“This is the best lasagna I’ve ever had, ground beef or not,” Wyer said after only two bites.
The acclaimed chicken-less pot pie has two options: a completely vegetarian version or a technically non-vegetarian version because Gruppe uses lard to make the crust.
“One of my first memories is making pie with my grandma and mom, so I have such a strong connection to it,” Gruppe said. “Also, it’s a guilty pleasure of mine. I think lard makes the crust better.”
The flaky and brittle lard crust, mixed with the filling of potatoes, peas, and carrots, warms the body and soul. It’s the feeling of home with the technique of a five-star restaurant.
Sentimental Chocolate
Wyer’s eyes widen at the smell of the three chocolate chip cookies in front of her.
“How did she put nostalgia in a cookie?”
Wyer said, mouth full of the first bite. “Makes me want to tear up.”
The simple, homemade cookie reminds Wyer of the ones her mom made. She passes a cookie to her friend, who almost starts tearing up too.
The other option is the famous ice cream sandwich. The ice cream is so cold it’s almost hard to bite when placed between crunchy, wafer-like cookies. Gruppe rotates a variety of flavors, and s’mores is a standout. The first bite tastes exactly like smokey, toasted marshmallows and melted chocolate. The wafer cookie has a brown sugar and butter taste mimicking a graham cracker. It puts every other s’mores-flavored ice cream to shame.
“Fine dining can feel like home,” Gruppe said. “It can be warm and friendly, cozy and connecting, but still be very beautiful and incredibly special. That is what makes each dinner so special, the nourishing feeling of home.”
The atmosphere, the food, and Gruppe’s gracious hospitality transform this once-hayloft into everything a home should be. Gruppe once witnessed a family spread out across the room and lay down on the floor, talking and laughing after dinner. She said she loved being able to provide that experience for them.
The Farm Tour: Great for History Buffs and Animal Lovers
The pleasant night is interrupted by the stench of manure outside, where people have gathered for a short tour, but Gruppe just smiles.
“The manure smell is heartwarming,” Gruppe said.
This farm has been in Gruppe’s family for five generations, and her love for it is encompassing. She describes the farm’s importance to her family and how it has changed throughout the years. Even the farm’s name holds a bittersweet story. Her ancestors moved to Iowa to start a life as farmers, but while the father was gone on a trip to get pine wood for the barns, his three daughters died from diphtheria. In memory, the father brought back pine tree saplings and planted them on the property. As she describes the history of a 200-year-old wooden barn, it feels personal to the guests too.
“Barns are all that life is,” Gruppe said. “Food and security, life and death, play and work.”
Then, guests have the opportunity to meet the non-human family members. The llama is a sweetheart, pining for food. He is the guardian of the herd. The sheep is cozy and looks like he walked out of a child’s storybook. The two intelligent pigs are sisters and deeply love attention.
Then there are the 17 goats. Some are like four-legged fluffy angels, patiently waiting for chin scratches. Others embody chaos, running full speed from across the field. When reaching the guests, they use their angel-like brother as a stepping stool to get closer, demanding attention with a loving headbutt. Each of these rascals has a different personality, and all of them are adorable.
Gruppe cares for these animals and gives them a loving, long life. Instead of being used for meat, they are a “farm-ily” — a term Gruppe got from one of her friends.
Saying Goodbye
Gruppe effectively originates an experience that combines dining, history, and eccentric animals, allowing her guests to experience farming and food like never before.
“I recognize how busy people are, so when they make a point to come, I know what that means and I’m very appreciative of that,” Gruppe said. “I want them to feel like they are being welcomed and they belong, that I really care. I hope they feel that and it’s special to them too.”
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