by JoAnn Alumbaugh
Kerri Bell of Keota, Iowa, has a deep commitment to agriculture, community involvement and educational leadership. With more than 31 years in the classroom, she understands how important it is that education and agriculture go hand in hand.
Just as her husband, Lance, plans for each season of crops, so does Kerri with her students.
“I have to prepare and plant my crop of students to grow, learn and be ready for harvest at the end of the school year,” she says. This symbiotic relationship makes Bell's life a seamless blend of service, stewardship and advocacy.
Bell makes every effort to incorporate agriculture in her teaching plans through programs like Ag in the Classroom, the Iowa Food and Family Project, and the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation. She has received countless awards and recognition for her efforts. Her latest is as a 2025 Iowa Master Farm Homemaker.
Community outreach
This active farm woman is a driving force behind several community outreach efforts. In 2020, she joined CommonGround, a program supported by the Iowa Corn Growers Association and the Iowa Soybean Association. As a passionate volunteer, she participates in annual trainings and national conferences to educate consumers and help dispel myths about modern agriculture.
Each February, Bell helps to coordinate the Washington County “Field and Friends Party,” working alongside a friend with the county cattlemen’s association. She also hosted the 2022 “Ladies Night Out” on their farm, an event that brought together about 50 women — many of whom were not from a farm — to have thoughtful conversations about agriculture.
“We do projects based on the needs of our community,” Bell explains. “And if we don’t tell our story, who will?”
Bell was deeply involved in 4-H and FFA when she was younger, reaching the pinnacle of the American FFA Degree.
“4-H and FFA allowed me to share my passion for agriculture and gain more confidence in myself,” she says. “Those experiences helped make me who I am today.”
Her leadership continues on the local, county and state level, as she serves in numerous capacities with commodity groups, the West Chester Lions Club and within her church. She balances her time between school and farm responsibilities, helping Lance as much as possible with their corn, soybean and cover-crop operation and cow-calf herd.
Family-focused
Family remains at the core of everything Bell does. She and Lance raised twins, Ellie and Sophie, who followed in their dad’s and grandfather’s footsteps by attending Iowa State University. They both have full-time jobs in agriculture but are vested owners of the farm with their parents. Ellie is the marketing manager for Farmers Coop/Vision Ag, and Sophie is an insurance officer with Farm Credit Services of America.
They started farming their own ground in 2016 with help from their grandparents and continued to be involved while in college, gradually taking on more responsibility over time. Ellie and Sophie also co-own the cow-calf herd with their parents. They finish out steers and sell them to local consumers.
Kerri and Lance are thrilled their daughters love the land as much as they do. “They’ve learned new practices, taken risks and are growing with changes in agriculture,” Kerri says. “The skills they’ve learned have elevated the family operation. We’re proud that they want to continue the legacy that began with our ancestors.”
Planting seeds
“Farming isn’t just a job — it’s our livelihood,” Kerri says. “We’re proud to be growing crops and raising livestock that provide the necessary food, fuel, feed and fiber to consumers. It is the best place to raise a family, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
This 2025 Iowa Master Farm Homemaker is a devoted steward of Iowa’s agricultural legacy and is a valued mentor to future generations through her work as a recognized leader and teacher.
Alumbaugh is a freelance writer from Monroe, Iowa, and president of the Iowa Master Farm Homemakers Guild.