Suzan Erem

Suzan Erem is a fruit and nut farmer, working writer and community organizer in rural Cedar County, Iowa. Her Substack is Postcards from the Heartland. Her farm can be found at DracoHill.org.

Latest articles

page 1 of 2

July 1, 2026

The Music of Progressive Patriotism

When social movements need to march in beat, Dick Flacks gives them a song

June 20, 2026

Chris Jones Leads Fearless Campaign Against Big Ag

Will Iowa’s cancer crisis finally tip the political scale?

June 5, 2026

Jess Piper’s Blueprint for a Progressive Heartland

Don’t neglect down-ballot races

June 5, 2026

2026 Midterms: Why Rural America Matters

Not every story has a happy ending—but it will have something to take with you

May 11, 2026

Which Democrat Can Win Iowa’s Senate Seat?

Here’s how the two candidates running for the party’s nomination stack up

January 1, 2026

Robotics: The Last Nail in Rural America’s Coffin?

Farms without farmers are likely coming to a county near you

1
2
>

img:is([sizes=auto i],[sizes^="auto," i]){contain-intrinsic-size:3000px 1500px}img.wp-smiley,img.emoji{display:inline !important;border:none !important;box-shadow:none !important;height:1em !important;width:1em !important;margin:0 .07em !important;vertical-align:-.1em !important;background:none !important;padding:0 !important}.wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none}:root{--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--square:1;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--4-3:4/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-4:3/4;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-2:3/2;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--2-3:2/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--16-9:16/9;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--9-16:9/16;--wp--preset--color--black:#000;--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray:#abb8c3;--wp--preset--color--white:#fff;--wp--preset--color--pale-pink:#f78da7;--wp--preset--color--vivid-red:#cf2e2e;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange:#ff6900;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber:#fcb900;--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan:#7bdcb5;--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan:#00d084;--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue:#8ed1fc;--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue:#0693e3;--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple:#9b51e0;--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple:linear-gradient(135deg,#0693e3 0%,#9b51e0 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan:linear-gradient(135deg,#7adcb4 0%,#00d082 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange:linear-gradient(135deg,#fcb900 0%,#ff6900 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red:linear-gradient(135deg,#ff6900 0%,#cf2e2e 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray:linear-gradient(135deg,#eee 0%,#a9b8c3 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum:linear-gradient(135deg,#4aeadc 0%,#9778d1 20%,#cf2aba 40%,#ee2c82 60%,#fb6962 80%,#fef84c 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple:linear-gradient(135deg,#ffceec 0%,#9896f0 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux:linear-gradient(135deg,#fecda5 0%,#fe2d2d 50%,#6b003e 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk:linear-gradient(135deg,#ffcb70 0%,#c751c0 50%,#4158d0 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean:linear-gradient(135deg,#fff5cb 0%,#b6e3d4 50%,#33a7b5 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass:linear-gradient(135deg,#caf880 0%,#71ce7e 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--midnight:linear-gradient(135deg,#020381 0%,#2874fc 100%);--wp--preset--font-size--small:13px;--wp--preset--font-size--medium:20px;--wp--preset--font-size--large:36px;--wp--preset--font-size--x-large:42px;--wp--preset--spacing--20:.44rem;--wp--preset--spacing--30:.67rem;--wp--preset--spacing--40:1rem;--wp--preset--spacing--50:1.5rem;--wp--preset--spacing--60:2.25rem;--wp--preset--spacing--70:3.38rem;--wp--preset--spacing--80:5.06rem;--wp--preset--shadow--natural:6px 6px 9px rgba(0,0,0,.2);--wp--preset--shadow--deep:12px 12px 50px rgba(0,0,0,.4);--wp--preset--shadow--sharp:6px 6px 0px rgba(0,0,0,.2);--wp--preset--shadow--outlined:6px 6px 0px -3px #fff,6px 6px #000;--wp--preset--shadow--crisp:6px 6px 0px #000}:where(body){margin:0}:where(.is-layout-flex){gap:.5em}:where(.is-layout-grid){gap:.5em}body .is-layout-flex{display:flex}.is-layout-flex{flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center}.is-layout-flex>:is(*, div){margin:0}body .is-layout-grid{display:grid}.is-layout-grid>:is(*, div){margin:0}body{padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px}:root :where(.wp-element-button, .wp-block-button__link){background-color:#32373c;border-width:0;color:#fff;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;letter-spacing:inherit;line-height:inherit;padding-top:calc(.667em + 2px);padding-right:calc(1.333em + 2px);padding-bottom:calc(.667em + 2px);padding-left:calc(1.333em + 2px);text-decoration:none;text-transform:inherit}.has-black-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important}.has-white-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important}.has-pale-pink-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important}.has-vivid-red-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important}.has-light-green-cyan-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important}.has-vivid-green-cyan-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important}.has-pale-cyan-blue-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important}.has-vivid-purple-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important}.has-black-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important}.has-white-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important}.has-pale-pink-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important}.has-vivid-red-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important}.has-light-green-cyan-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important}.has-vivid-green-cyan-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important}.has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important}.has-vivid-purple-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important}.has-black-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important}.has-white-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important}.has-pale-pink-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important}.has-vivid-red-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important}.has-light-green-cyan-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important}.has-vivid-green-cyan-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important}.has-pale-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important}.has-vivid-purple-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple) !important}.has-light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan) !important}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange) !important}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red) !important}.has-very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray) !important}.has-cool-to-warm-spectrum-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum) !important}.has-blush-light-purple-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple) !important}.has-blush-bordeaux-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux) !important}.has-luminous-dusk-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk) !important}.has-pale-ocean-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean) !important}.has-electric-grass-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass) !important}.has-midnight-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--midnight) !important}.has-small-font-size{font-size:var(--wp--preset--font-size--small) !important}.has-medium-font-size{font-size:var(--wp--preset--font-size--medium) !important}.has-large-font-size{font-size:var(--wp--preset--font-size--large) !important}.has-x-large-font-size{font-size:var(--wp--preset--font-size--x-large) !important}.molongui-disabled-link{border-bottom:none !important;text-decoration:none !important;color:inherit !important;cursor:inherit !important}.molongui-disabled-link:hover,.molongui-disabled-link:hover span{border-bottom:none !important;text-decoration:none !important;color:inherit !important;cursor:inherit !important}.single-post .article-body:not(.dropcap-none,.dropcap-second-paragraph)>p:first-child:first-letter,.dropcap{line-height:100%}figcaption{width:min-content;min-width:100%}@media (min-width: 1060px){.lg\:grid-cols-2{grid-template-columns:repeat(2,minmax(0,1fr))}}.flex-col-reverse{flex-direction:column-reverse}.p-8{padding:2rem}@media (min-width: 720px){.md\:flex-row{flex-direction:row !important}}