Written for Iowa Legendary Rye on Sept. 5, 2020.
What does Labor Day mean to you? For many, Labor Day signifies the end of summer and a chance to unwind during a long weekend. From relaxing by the pool to hosting a family barbecue, this extra day off gives us an opportunity to finally catch that breath of fresh air we’ve been needing. However, did you know that there is so much more to Labor Day than just having good times with amazing people?
The history of Labor Day began during the Industrial Revolution when oppressive working environments were prevalent across the nation. At the time, honest workers endured harsh conditions like 16-hour workdays and incredibly low wages. Fortunately, since then, laws have been put in place to protect workers from similar mistreatment.
Today, Labor Day stands as a symbol of that history and a reminder to honor the hard-working people in our community. From your local postman to your own family members, celebrating Labor Day means celebrating Labors of Love.
Now what exactly is a Labor of Love? Well, that depends on you. A Labor of Love could be as simple as helping your neighbor cross the street or as thought-out as enlisting in the Army to serve your country. Regardless of what you do, any efforts made out of love is a Labor of Love.
Although there is so much nuance in the term, you know exactly what it is when you see it or feel it. That’s the beauty of it all!
With everything going on in the world, this year especially is the best time to thank our community members for their unconditional labors of love. Over the past few months, we not only lost jobs and loved ones, but we also lost the sense of normalcy we once knew.
However, because of our essential workers, we have been able to stay strong throughout this pandemic. The people who keep our grocery stores running and the people who work countless hours behind hospital doors—we cannot thank them enough for their Labors of Love. As the world continues to make sense of everything, these people keep us safe while we do our best to stay sane. They make it possible for our community to continue seeing our loved ones and continue putting food on the table. Because of these truly Legendary people, we can smile and enjoy life.
At Iowa Legendary Rye, we strongly believe that essential workers are vital parts of our community. Their genuine Labors of Love remind us of the Labor of Love that went into the creation of our Legendary rye spirits.
The story of our rye all started with a woman named Lorine Sextro who lived on a family farm in Carroll County, Iowa during the prohibition era of the 1930s. With America on the cusp of one of the greatest financial depressions in history, needless to say that times were tough.
Determined to make ends meet, Lorine Sextro and her husband Frank decided to begin housing a local bootlegger in the attic of their farmhouse for extra money. However, in the process, Lorine developed a genuine passion for the bootlegging operation and took the opportunity to become a part of it herself.
Regardless of what the law said, Lorine Sextro was determined to transform bootlegging into her Labor of Love. From learning everything about the craft to distilling and creating her own recipe, Lorine made it her mission to keep her family afloat. And, to this day, we still follow that same legendary recipe that Lorine created all those years ago.
Iowa Legendary Rye is dedicated to immortalizing Lorine Sextro’s Labor of Love in every batch of rye whiskey we produce right here in Carroll County. To keep Lorine’s Labor of Love alive, we are intent on remaining genuine in every sense of the word. Not only are we family-owned and operated, but we also grow our own rye in Carroll County, so we can guarantee that our rye spirits will always be 100% natural. This way, we maintain the same perfection and quality that Lorine Sextro intended.
Today, we distill our rye in small batches with 26-gallon pot stills—not commercial industrial cookers that fit hundreds of gallons. Through this small batch process, we can pay close attention to the details of our rye spirits so that you can taste our Labor of Love.
If you try our Unaged White Label, you will be pleasantly surprised at how pure the flavors of coconut, vanilla and caramel are. Similarly, if you try our Double Distilled Purple Patriot Label, you won’t forget how full the flavors of honey, vanilla and caramel are.
At Iowa Legendary Rye, we guarantee that the making of our rye spirits is always a Labor of Love. This Labor Day, and every day that follows, we honor Lorine Sextro’s original Labor of Love in every batch of rye we produce.
Regardless of who you are or what you do, do not forget the history of your community and the Labors of Love that pave the way for your future. As you celebrate this Labor Day, remember to thank your community members for their Labors of Love and make sure to toast with some Iowa Legendary Rye!
Cassie Valdez 
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