7 minute read
What Makes Country Cool?
What Makes Country Cool?
The lifestyle brand that connects consumers to their rural roots
By April Pearson
Kimberly and Mark Rogers’ roots run deep, with family farming going back for generations. They grew up only 20 miles apart in rural Iowa but didn’t meet until their late 20s through a mutual friend. Kimberly only agreed to meet Mark because she knew he was a farmer, which she admired. Mark was immediately smitten with Kimberly, and she eventually returned his interest. They were married in 2014. Together, they’re growing corn and soybeans in four counties and raising six rambunctious farm kids.
Kimberly and Mark’s shared life often involves long phone calls while Mark drives — whether looking at potential land or burning the midnight oil during harvest — and lengthy discussions of their hopes, dreams and plans for their family and farm. A few years ago, Mark pitched one of his more outlandish ideas to Kimberly: launching an apparel and lifestyle brand called Country Cool. Kimberly thought he was crazy. “We’re farmers,” she told him. “We don’t know a thing about the clothing industry.” But Mark had planted the seed, and it was only a matter of time before it took root.
After the two attended an agriculture conference in February 2022, Kimberly had a change of heart.
“My No. 1 takeaway from the conference was how the younger generations feel so far removed from the farm,” says Kimberly. “They feel no connection to the land; they have no idea where their food comes from; they think they have no part in agriculture. So,
I thought, ‘Maybe Country Cool is a way for us to bridge that gap.’”
From Seed to Style
The Rogers knew they had work to do — not just for themselves but for their kids, grandkids and great-grandkids. There was too much at stake. Along with increasingly severe weather events, fluctuating commodity prices and loss of biodiversity, farmers were also dealing with consumers who lacked awareness and involvement in agriculture.
“As farmers, you’re always looking to diversify because it’s challenging,” says Mark.
“With the grain markets going up and down and so many variables affecting outcomes — most farmers choose to diversify. Country Cool is very different from what’s been done before. Considering that it signifies everything we celebrate, we thought it could be something one of our kids might manage someday.”
In May 2022, Kimberly and Mark founded Country Cool to help people learn where their food comes from, connect the generation that’s once removed back to the farm, grow the expansive network of roots between the country and the city, and plant good seeds in the community. With the same purpose and passion Mark and Kimberly dedicate to caring for their farm, Country Cool is committed to strengthening the bond between growers and consumers, upholding a heritage of hometown values and honoring those who honor the land.
CountryCool.com offers a range of chic and comfortable apparel and accessories that showcase the essence of rural living. From graphic tees and hats to soft sweatpants and hoodies, from cozy vests and jackets to unique gear and merch — Country Cool has something for everyone.
It truly is a labor of love for Kimberly and Mark, one that goes beyond a simple lifestyle brand.
Even the name “Country Cool” has its own meaningful origin story: After the couple moved back to Mark’s family farm, they were at the creek, watching their son play. “It struck me that he was standing in the same place I had stood so many years before,” says Mark. “Even though everything was constantly changing, the country didn’t change. The farm and the land remained intact and as beautiful as ever. I thought, ‘That is what’s so cool about the country. Now my family is back, and that’s what makes my family country cool.’”
On the Horizon
Always on the lookout for creative opportunities to diversify their business and engage with consumers, Kimberly and Mark are cultivating their next venture: Country Cool Cottages.
“We have this large property that was a Tyden farm originally,” says Kimberly. “Emil Tyden was a Swedish immigrant and an American innovator. He bought land in North Central Iowa and built eight different farms. Over the years, they had cattle and hogs and all kinds of animals. They had liveon staff, and it was an active, large farm. Now we own this property, and the land is just so beautiful. We asked ourselves, ‘How can we bring this back to life and make it a vibrant, modernday farm people would want to experience?’
And that’s how we came up with the idea of the Country Cool Cottages.”
Kimberly and Mark want to offer vacationers the opportunity to unplug from the world and enjoy the beauty of nature. Planning is still in the early stages, but Country
Cool Cottages will be situated on the Rogers farm, near their family home. It will include a quaint cabin, horse stable, chicken coop, restored antique tractor for hayrides, fire pits, and kayaks and canoes for spending time in the creek — everything you need to enjoy rural life.
“As more people leave the country, more people want to vacation in the country,” says Kimberly. “I think it’s important for families to have the opportunity to say, ‘You know what? We want to unplug, relax and play in the creek.’”
Matched in Their Mission
Country Cool and the Iowa Food & Family Project (Iowa FFP) share several of the same qualities: They celebrate farm families, unite rural and urban communities, and take pride in Iowa’s homegrown foods and hometown values. Through Iowa FFP’s many food and agricultural outreach events, interactive engagement programs and publications, Iowa FFP gives consumers the information they need to make informed food choices.
Country Cool is partnering with Iowa FFP for one simple reason: Kimberly and Mark want to give back to an organization as passionate about educating consumers as they are. “We want to show people what agriculture is really like, not the stereotypes,” says Kimberly.
The connection between consumers and producers was the idea behind Country Cool’s “Know Farmers. Know Food.” campaign. To “Know Farmers” is to appreciate hardworking farm families that put food on the table, and to “Know Food” is to recognize the importance of understanding where our food comes from. In a clever turn, the phrase also sounds like “no farmers, no food,” which is also relevant: Without farmers, there’d be no food.
Country Cool donated 7% of sales from the coproduced “Know Farmers. Know Food.” shirt to Iowa FFP this fall and gives back 1.3% of all other purchases to likeminded organizations on an ongoing basis. Why? Because on-the-farm jobs account for 7% of all Iowa employment and 1.3% of all U.S. employment, according to the USDA Economic Research Service. It’s Country Cool’s way of supporting those who work hard to provide the food we eat and products we use every day.
A Brand with a Purpose
“When you’re passionate about what you do, it’s only natural that you want to share that passion with others,” says Kimberly. “Not only do we care about running our farm, conserving the land and providing food for others — we also care about engaging with consumers.”
Producing food for their family, friends, neighbors and people worldwide is more than a way of making a living for Kimberly and Mark Rogers — it’s a way of life. One they’re passing down through generations.
“Many people have roots in rural ag,” says Kimberly. “Maybe their grandparents were on the farm, and they remember visiting and taking a combine ride. Thinking about our kids — we want them to realize that there’s pride in having roots in the country; there’s celebration in where they come from.”
