This is an installment in a multi-part series.
When most people think of farm animals, they imagine pigs or cows. They do not picture 8-foot-tall, 300-pound birds with DNA more closely related to dinosaurs than chickens. Among the homemade jam tables and the rows of fresh sweet corn, Iowa City Farmers Market shoppers often do a double-take upon seeing a sign proudly sporting the words “Ostrich meat.”
Upon walking up to the booth, you are sure to be warmly greeted by Marion and Marj Striegel, owners of Striegel Acres Farms and Striegel Honey Farm in Oscaloosa, Iowa. The table sitting in front of them displays an array of ostrich products, including filets, steaks, ground meat, jerky, feathers, and even blown egg shells.
After 32 years of ostrich farming, Marion and Marj can tell you anything you want to know and more about the birds and their meat. Established in 1993, shortly after they got married, the Striegels stepped into the ostrich business and began raising and handling their own birds.
Raising the largest bird in the world is, unsurprisingly, no easy feat. According to the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, although flightless, these enormous animals can run up to 45 mph, faster than any other bird on land. They can also puncture holes through galvanized steel with one strong kick — not exactly your typical farm animal.
“[Marion’s] really good at handling them, and he has to be,” Marj said, interlocking her hand with Marion’s.
Although the birds themselves provide a challenge, the state of Iowa surprisingly doesn’t do much to affect their typical warm-weathered upbringing, Marj said. According to Explore Open Sanctuary, ostriches can endure extreme temperature fluctuations, useful for easily braving the blustering Iowa winters.
Alongside selling at a variety of other places, such as flea markets and through their online site, Marion and Marj have been setting up shop at the Iowa City Farmers Market for four years.
And the stall doesn’t fail to catch eyes; the novelty of the product is exactly what pulls people in.
“I’ve never seen ostrich eggs just sitting out… I don’t think I’ve ever even seen ostrich meat for sale, honestly,” Iowa City local Matthew Pellainen said.
Pellainen, visiting the market with his wife Gaby Pellainen, couldn’t resist purchasing two sticks of jerky upon seeing the unfamiliar, intriguing food — one of the farm’s best-selling products, along with their steaks and fillets.
With a similar flavor and texture to beef, ostrich meat is incredibly lean and healthy.
According to the American Heart Association, the meat is 97 percent fat-free, making it rich in protein and iron, yet lower in fat, calories, and cholesterol than skinless chicken or turkey.
Yet this macro-friendly meat isn’t the only outstanding ostrich product — just one egg is equivalent to 20 to 24 chicken eggs. Striegel Acres also offers bags of freeze-dried egg yolk pieces, which can serve as a unique, health-boosting snack for pets.
“For the cat, we hit this freeze-dried ostrich egg yolk, and it’s definitely a favorite,” Victor Janey, a regular customer at the market, said.
Janey has been purchasing from Striegel Acres for three years. After walking up to the stall, he promptly bought 10 filets — a quantity not uncommon for purchase from the business.
“I’ll put [the fillets] in a deep freeze and eat them in the winter because I can just sear them in butter. Or you grill them, but you gotta be quick with that,” Janey said.
A large chunk of business for Striegel Acres comes from their regulars; once customers give it a try, they’re hooked on the lean, tasty meat.
What began as a bold experiment more than three decades ago has since grown into a successful, novel business — demonstrating that even in the corn-renowned, cattle-dense state of Iowa, there’s always room for something unexpected.