Welcome! Thanks for dropping by the farm. Here’s a little about us.

The Farm

The Frieden Farm is a real place, nestled up against the Mississippi River in rural Rock Island County, Illinois — somewhere between the Army Corps of Engineers Lock & Dams 16 and 17 (although, when we are at the Farm, we are not to say even that “D” word. Or play cards.) To the Friedens, though — who are now spread far and wide — the Frieden Farm is more than an old sorghum mill on the side of a hill; it lives somewhere deep inside of us. It’s home.

The Friedens

This site is created & maintained by the descendents of Floyd and Frances Frieden and their eight children who, over the course of many decades, grew up in a converted one room school house on the Frieden Farm out in Illinois City, Illinois. Some people say that we are the descendents of illegitimate horse thieves. We suspect there is some truth to that. But we all grew up certain that we are the precious children of the Almighty God.

Dedications

This site is a gift to my Grandma and her daughters. Grandma, the Internet savvy Mrs. Frances Frieden, raised four of the best cooks you’ll ever know: Doris Frieden, Mary Thompson, Donna Anderson, and Jeanie Beason. These ladies have toiled tirelessly over the years to preserve our family history and recipes (often the two are one and the same). The two previous print editions of the Frieden Family Cookbook sold out many times over and have been used until the pages fell out. Thank you for your tireless efforts, and for trusting us to continue your work. To Grandma, thank you for letting us eat blueberries out of the freezer bag — grubby fingers and all; for hiding our medicine in delicious food; for crying when we had to go back home; for your letters, and letters, and letters; for letting us hang all over you while you cooked; for all of the love you have always surrounded us with. Many of the recipes you will find in the cookbook pages of the site were Grandma’s originally — which is funny because I don’t think she ever wrote a recipe down before Aunt Donna put together the first edition of the cookbook. Grandma taught me the joy of “Farmhouse Elegance” — a place where pots boil on the stove; the table is set with the most delicious meal you’ll ever eat; kids, dogs, and possibly pigs race through the kitchen; Billy Graham plays on the radio; DD bras hang to dry over the sink; and food is not merely “delicious” … it is “Elegant!” The site is also dedicated to the memory of my Grandpa — Floyd Frieden. I miss your stories on the swing. I miss your loving quiet. I miss your sense of justice. And I miss the way you made my Daddy smile, all the way to his toes. I love you Grandpa. This site is a work in progress, but aren’t we all? Please pardon the mess during construction. ~ Andi Frieden