ISU graduate departs for yearlong road trip

Earlier this month, Natalina Sents received her degree in agricultural business from Iowa State University - but she isn't quite ready to dip her toes into the workforce.

'I wasn't sure I was ready for whole adult thing,” said Sents, a Columbus Junction native. 'I had dreams I wanted to pursue and knew if I settled into an adult career right away, some of those things might not happen.”

One of those dreams is to visit all 50 states. During the next year, she should hit them all, thanks to a partnership with Beck's Hybrids, with whom she interned last summer in Indiana.

Sents said she approached Beck's with the idea of writing a blog for the company's 'Why I Farm” online campaign, and they agreed to support her travels.

As she crisscrosses the United States in a 'tiny bright green Ford Fiesta,” Sents will write about her visits to farms, wineries, breweries and other places connected with agriculture. In addition to her 'Why I Farm” blog, Sents will post reflections on her personal website, 'My Roots Journey”.

Sents decided to launch her trip May 15 at the Grant Wood Studio in Cedar Rapids - the former home of a painter who once said he got his best ideas while milking a cow. She said she hoped the space would inspire her trip to be 'creative and engaging.”

'Being around Grant Wood is a good combination of art and agriculture,” she said.

After Iowa, she headed to Illinois and Michigan. She said she plans to spend at least two to three days in each state. Larger ones, such as California, will likely require longer stays.

At each stop, she'll leave behind cookbooks supplied by the Iowa Corn Growers Association as thank you gifts. She plans to get a T-shirt from each state and eventually make a quilt out of them.

When she finishes the trip sometime in 2017, she said she would love to write a book, if she's not 'too exhausted.”

'When I first started, I thought I needed to line up a job after I come back. I know I'm going to be broke,” she said, laughing. 'But I finally just decided travel changes you as a person. I'm not sure how that will change me next year, so I won't commit to anything yet.

'We'll see if I come back to Iowa and start life here or end up on a ranch in Montana,” she added. 'I'm just excited about what the possibilities are.”