Pizza Topped with Rustic Charm

Stone Wall Pizza Delights Visitors with Slices of Farm Life

By Ann Thelen | Photos by Joseph L. Murphy

On a country road in the quiet rolling hills of southeast Iowa, a farm turns into a charming, rustic outdoor Friday evening dining destination.

At this picturesque pizzeria on Julia and Mike McNurlen’s farm near Wellman, patrons flock from surrounding communities for brick-oven pizza, entertainment and a slice of country life that’s as magical as the pizza.

Since 2012, outdoor diners have gathered for Stone Wall Pizza’s iconic Pizza on the Farm. Upon arrival, the aroma of hickory wood gently wafts through the air, offering newcomers a taste of what’s to come.

Amid the scenic views of lush corn and soybean fields, visitors are treated to fresh country air, the sounds of birds singing and crickets chirping, and children laughing as they push one another on a swing hanging from a giant oak tree. Nearby, adults relax in their lawn chairs or by sitting on bales of hay adorned with quilts. It’s a setting rooted in Iowa’s enviable rural landscape.

The McNurlens are the fourth generation to own the family farm. It was once Julia’s great grandparents and grandparents, then her parents and now where the couple raises their family. It’s the home, heritage and experiences they treasured and envisioned for their children, now 12 and 5.

WOOD-FIRED CULINARY ART

When Mike and Julia were engaged, they bought a mobile brick oven from California.

“Mike always dreamed of having a brick oven. A mason by trade, he built the oven’s façade using salvaged red bricks,” Julia explains.

Julia McNurlen began Stone Wall Pizza in 2012.

After much trial and error – practicing the wood-cooking technique and experimenting with dough, herbs, sauces and toppings – the duo had created something special. And, Stone Wall Pizza was born.

“Mike’s uncle runs a sawmill, and we use the bark-covered hickory wood the mill can’t use,” Julia explains. “It’s the ideal wood for heating the ovens 700 to 1,000 degrees F, which perfectly cooks a pizza in two minutes.”

Cooking pizza quickly is essential in this lively atmosphere, as they craft 125 to 175 pizzas every Friday night. On the first Friday of each month, live music on the grassy stage beneath white lights strung between trees adds to the rustic ambiance. When live music coincides with Pizza on the Farm, they always have two – and sometimes three – brick ovens fired up.

For the big oven, which sits behind their farmhouse, Julia starts heating it in the morning to be ready for the evening’s crowd. The mobile units heat up in two hours.

When it’s time to cook, the fire is moved to the back of the oven, and each pizza is pushed by hand on peels. A peel is a shovellike tool used by bakers to slide loaves of bread, pizzas, pastries and other baked goods in and out of an oven. Its flat carrying surface holds the pizza and a long handle extends from one side of the surface. The thin edge of the peel allows users to move and turn pizzas with precision.

Guests on the Iowa Food & Family Project's annual Expedition Farm Country tour enjoy the flavors of Pizza on the Farm.

PIZZA’S ROBUST IOWA TIES

While pizza – a quintessential food favorite that spans generations – may have originated in Italy, its ties to Iowa are as robust as the toppings themselves.

From meat toppings, such as beef and pork, to vegetable toppings, including sweet corn and edamame – all covered with cheese, Iowa farmers likely contributed to growing or raising the food.

“We source ingredients from local farms and businesses,” Julia says. “We grate all our own cheese so that it’s always fresh. We go through 50 to 60 pounds of cheese each week for Pizza on the Farm.”

While mozzarella is the clear frontrunner as a topping favorite, they also use smoked gouda, cheddar and parmesan.

Their dough recipe is a secret, with Julia only letting on that a special blend of herbs in the slow-proofed dough creates the amazing flavor.

It’s often a blank canvas for the McNurlens or any of the six to eight people helping on a Friday night to create a savory masterpiece.

“It’s all about creating an experience and having fun,” Julia adds.

If the pizza line starts getting long, it’s not uncommon to find Julia in line amid the pizza lovers, handing out slices while they wait. Her parents live on an adjoining farm and often find themselves rolling up their sleeves to help on a moment’s notice.

GROWING PIZZA FANFARE

The McNurlens have built a popular pizza fanfare. Julia primarily runs the business, since Mike also works in masonry, and as a speech coach and DJ.

They now have two additional mobile ovens and cater 50-60 events, ranging from graduation parties to wedding receptions, each year. One of the ovens is pulled by an old ambulance that a nearby farmer sold to the McNurlens, which adds to the flair Stone Wall Pizza brings to catering events.

“Mike found the retired ambulance and was impressed with its airtight doors and expansive storage,” Julia says.

For catering events, the two most popular pizzas are their margherita and chicken ranch varieties, made with local ingredients and homemade recipes. The margherita is a nod to pizza’s Italian heritage, with red tomatoes, green basil and white mozzarella sourced from a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. The olive oil comes from Pickle Creek Herbs in Fairfield.

Pizza on the Farm is a true Iowa gem, a memorable combination of food, family and community tucked in Iowa’s beautiful country landscape.

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