During a quest to find new uses for the milk supplied by his award winning cattle, Maytag learned that researchers at Iowa State University were developing a process to create blue cheese. By 1941, Maytag and the university had settled into an agreement to produce the cheese using the sweet milk Maytag s herd provided. Now under the third generation of Maytag family leaders, the tradition of creating high quality blue cheese continues at the Maytag Dairy Farm. Visitors to the facility are welcome to visit the cheese shop overlooking the cheese plant and farm. A 10-minute informative video illustrates the history of Maytag Blue Cheese and the time consuming process involved in creating it.
Visitors are also welcome to participate in the cheese sampling at the end of each tour.
Helen Janson Hostile spring thunderstorms and snow-laden winters are commonplace in Iowa and affect several aspects of life here. Even in 1907 when Taylor County resident J.E. Cameron set out to construct a barn, he took the state s unpredictable weather into consideration. Using a European design, Cameron erected what is now commonly known as the Lenox Round Barn. Originally built just south of Lenox, this barn is one of the first round barns constructed in Iowa. Cameron believed that the barn s unique shape would allow it to withstand the strong winds and tornadoes that sometimes rip through the state.