Silos and Smokestacks

Telling the story of American agriculture for 20 years

SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2016

2 | Sunday, June 26, 2016

SILOS & SMOKESTACKS

Silos & Smokestacks turning 20 Agriculture comes alive at heritage locations

not just the planting of the fields, but in continuous improvements ‌Who better to tell the story in the science and technology of how the world is fed than Io- of the agriculture industry, in wans? the safety of its animals, in the Iowans have been involved, health of the people who grow the food and those who buy the food. It’s a fascinating story dating back decades.

Following the farm crisis of the 1980’s, some Cedar Valley residents were concerned about the future of Iowa farming and the empty storefronts in downtown Waterloo. What could they do to revitalize the downtown area and boost the economy?

They determined the best way was to tell the story of agriculture and preserve the sites where it all happens.

Silos & Smokestacks was born.

This year, Silos & Smokestacks is celebrating its 20th anniversary. There is no building or location of its own, but it covers 115 sites in 37 northeast Iowa counties and includes farms, museums, conservation areas and nature centers, recreation areas, vineyards and tractor tours.

This National Heritage Area is recognized by the U.S. Congress for its unique qualities and NANCY JUSTIS newsroom@wcfcourier.com ‌

Open a door to history.

resources, and is affiliated with the National Park Service, which is celebrating its Centennial this year. It is the only Heritage Area in Iowa, and the only Heritage Area from among 49 others in the entire country telling the story of agriculture.

“Silos has always been about preserving the story,” said President Cara Miller. “The Heritage Areas across the nation are all about telling a story. There is ‘Rivers of Steel’ in Pennsylvania.

Ohio has the story of the Erie Canal. Here we are all about the agri-industry and agriculture.

The preservation and telling of the story manifests itself in our 115 partner sites. And we are adding more every year.”

When the idea began to percolate in 1991, no one involved had an inkling the plans would become a National Heritage Area.

It was so designated by Congress in 1996. The ensuing years were taken up by planning with the National Park Service. Federal funding wasn’t received until 1999, just short of $200,000.

Monies received grew steadily to where in the last several years federal funding has amounted to

about $700,000.

Silos’ staff and board members serve as helping hands to the emerging sites, which go through a rigorous planning process of their own.

“We provide the technical assistance and support for the sites to become what they need to be,” Miller said. “We make sure they are ready to welcome visitors in terms of things like ‘is there a place to park, are there restrooms, is the site user friendly?’

“Sites have to meet standards, all need to have a quality story to tell and all are good places to visit. People know they can leave a site understanding a piece of the history of agriculture.”

Candy Streed, Silos director of partnershipsm recalls, “We started out with just a handful of sites in 2001. In 2002, we had a huge growth.”

The first partnerships recognized as part of the Silos & Smokestacks Heritage Area included Hartman Reserve Nature Center and the University of Please see Silos, Page 3

Explore more than a century of stories at Montauk, the home of former Gov. William Larrabee in Clermont, and the other State Historic Sites of Iowa. Your adventure starts at iowaculture.gov.

The State Historic Sites are proud partners of Silos and Smokestacks.

iowaculture.gov “Tyden #6 Sunrise Shadows” photo by Phil Pitzenberger. Photo taken in Dougherty, Iowa.

4

| SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2016

SILOS & SMOKESTACKS

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An overhead view of the “It Takes An Iowan” exhibit at the Iowa State Fair.

Exhibit reaches a broad audience NANCY JUSTIS newsroom@wcfcourier.com

With the world’s population predicted to reach an astounding nine billion people by the year 2050, it’s going to take more than a village to feed all those people.

It’s going to take an Iowan.

As leaders in agriculture and education, the world looks to Iowans and will continue to look to Iowans, to get that overwhelming job done. As part of the Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area mission, the “It Takes An Iowan” exhibit is helping to educate consumers and to become mindful stewards of the land and innovative producers in order to make a difference.

The 36-foot-by-32-foot traveling exhibit explores the evolving roles Iowans have played and continue to play in feeding not just the nation, but the world.

It includes interviews and commentaries from Iowa farmers, educators, inventors and agriculture leaders.

“The exhibit is an interpretive display that travels to our partner sites to share today’s agriculture story,” Laura Elfers, Silos’ edu-

cational engagement director, explained. “Our partner sites do an excellent job of telling the past. We were looking for a way to share today’s story. As it developed it began to have a much bigger message than first thought.”

Barely a year old, the exhibit debuted at last year’s Iowa State Fair. It was so successful that it will be on display in the Agriculture Building again this year.

Booked for display through November, look for it at historical centers outside of the 37-county Heritage Area, such as shopping malls and city halls, and empty storefronts. Iowa’s Dairy Center in Calmar has reserved the exhibit for the entire month of June. Find the exhibit’s location schedule at www. ittakesaniowan.com.

It is designed so separate panels can be displayed in a square or in linear form. The center circle provides a quieter and more private space where teachers can gather their students for a purposeful discussion away from the crowds.

In partnership with the Grout Museum, which has produced

its own interactive exhibits, “It Takes An Iowan” includes three touch-screen kiosks. Each kiosk shows six different interviews with farmers, store owners, authors —showcasing careers that the public probably does not realize are connected to agriculture, such as natural resources and soil and water conservation.

“The interviews show how far-reaching agriculture can be,” Elfers said. “It’s just not about farming.”

Land O’Lakes, AgVentures Alliance, John Deere and the National Park Service provided monetary assistance for the development of the exhibit. The Grout Museum District, University of Northern Iowa Public History Program and Iowa State University Special Collections assisted with images and historical content. Casey’s sponsors the Featherlite trailer for storage and transport.

“It Takes An Iowan” has its own web site at www.ittakesaniowan.com. Included is a curriculum for educators and suggestions for pre- or post-visiting activities done on site.

Sunday, June 26, 2016 | 5

SILOS & SMOKESTACKS

Two new sites join partnership NANCY JUSTIS newsroom@wcfcourier.com ‌

‌The breadth of the Silos & Smokestacks experience continues to widen, not just in numbers of partner sites, but also in the variety of agricultural lessons available.

Visitors can leave their cars and leisurely stroll through scenic landscapes, imagine how life used to be at restored sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, begin to understand the meaning of farm fresh and learn about regional heritage at museums and galleries. They can return to nature at parks and nature centers, enjoy entertainment and mouth-watering food at various fairs, unwind at hospitable bed & breakfasts, and learn how the agriculture industry has changed and improved by viewing historic and new farm machinery.

One of the first sites designated a partner site in 2001 is the Fossil & Prairie Park Preserve & Center in Rockford.

The Rockford Brick and Tile Co., was located within what is now the preserve, and produced sought-after drainage tiles. The quarry area where they dug the clay was found to contain the Devonian fossils today’s visitors can pick up easily.

Visitors also can roam through the native prairie, see the beehive kilns where the tiles were made and learn how the company helped expand agriculture.

“Fossil & Prairie epitomizes what Silos & Smokestacks is all about,” said Candy Streed, director of partnerships. “It explains how we drained the land and changed the landscapes.

It’s a very important part of our story.

“And why fossils? The story explains how land was once covered by shallow seas, how we then got the soil and prairies, then how European settlers farmed the land. How it changed with the tiling and how that business went away

One-room schoolhouse at Norman Borlaug Boyhood Home and Birthplace Farms

“Fossil & Prairie epitomizes what Silos & Smokestacks is all about. It explains how we drained the land and changed the landscapes. It’s a very important part of our story.

GMDistrict.orG/voices-of-iowa

Candy Streed and how tiling is done differently today.”

Two of the newest sites designated just this year include the Norman Borlaug Boyhood Home and Birthplace Farms in Cresco, and the Kinze Innovation Center in Williamsburg.

Borlaug has been called the “Father of the Green Revolution.” Visitors can take a walking tour or guided tour of his boyhood home with the assistance of interpretive signs. This

homestead is where he learned the lessons leading to the revolutionary changes he engineered not just for Iowa, but the world as well through his innovative approaches in agriculture. His one-room schoolhouse, his bedroom, farm buildings and fields are accessible. Visitors can learn about his scientific and humanitarian work that resulted in saving a billion lives.

voices of iowa ProJect Telling & Preserving the Stories of Iowa’s Farmers & Veterans.

Please see Partnership, Page 9

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SILOS & SMOKESTACKS

s National Heritage Area

This map is for representational purposes only. Sites are keyed to nearest town and may not represent the actual location of the site.

Please reference a local/IDOT map for navigation or place the desired site address into your GPS device.

Northwood

4

15

40

Other National Park Service Sites

Cresco 42 43

Osage A

B

Effigy Mounds National Monument 151 Highway 76 Harpers Ferry (Map E-4) 563-873-3491

Clear Lake

30 29

95

Charles City

Dougherty

MISS

Belmond 31

32

68B

3

80 79

19 18

Ackley

Cedar Falls

81

Grundy Center

Iowa Falls Eldora

58

66

20 103

Story City

97

113

Hudson

6 5

96

Ames Nevada

82

1

101

45

51

A

70

Johnston 94 Urbandale Des Moines Prairie City 46

Traer

State Center

Boone 14

47

B

91

Manchester Independence

83

Grinnell

21

25

22 23 24

85

86

87

9

Maquoketa 36

Amana Colonies

Clinton

4

Tipton 38 37

112

39

Oxford Williamsburg Coralville 84

Baldwin

Cedar Rapids

93

Newton Lynnville

Anamosa

Toddville 28 27 26

Andrew 7

99

Marshalltown Toledo Haverhill

92

53 54 55

Cascade

Monticello

Center Point

102

Belle Plaine Marengo

Dubuque

17

Vinton

57

56

52

Hopkinton

La Porte City

Dysart

100

Dyersville

72

76

73 89

Morrison

2

74 75

Waterloo

51

Hazleton

71

104 109 105 108 106 107

171 miles 173 miles 157 miles 297 miles 210 miles 135 miles

R

2 1

Webster City

Chicago to Dubuque Milwaukee to Dubuque Minneapolis to Decorah St. Louis to Cedar Rapids Kansas City to Des Moines Omaha to Des Moines

VE

67

Dows

50

Allison

Hampton

68A

Clarion

69

Calmar Fort Postville65 Atkinson 88 90 New Clermont Froelich Hampton 35 3428 Marquette 111 63 64 Elgin West Fredericksburg 61 Union 59 60 Elkader IS Guttenberg SIPP I R Strawberry Oelwein Waverly I 9822 Point 8 Aurora 10 Bankston

12

11

A Waukon Harpers Ferry

62

Rockford

49

114

Decorah 44

16

Mason City

33

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site West Branch (Map E-1) 319-643-2541

3

Distance From Major Midwest Cities

Burr Oak

Montezuma

Iowa City 77 78

110 B

Donahue

48

Bettendorf

West Branch

13

Davenport 41

C

D

E

F

52

FESTIVALS, FAIRS, SHOWS & MORE FESTIVALS •฀Maple฀Syrup฀Festival,฀1st฀weekend฀in฀March฀ •฀Hartman฀Reserve฀Nature฀Center,฀Cedar฀Falls •฀Hoover’s฀Hometown฀Days฀ •฀Herbert฀Hoover฀Presidential฀Museum,฀West฀Branch •฀Oktoberfest,฀1st฀weekend฀in฀฀October,฀Amana FAIRS •฀฀Franklin฀County฀Fair,฀3rd฀week฀in฀July •฀฀Hampton฀Iowa฀State฀Fair,฀11฀days฀in฀August,฀ “A Farmer’s Heaven” photo by Michael Stark ฀ Des฀Moines •฀฀National฀Cattle฀Congress฀Fair,฀2nd฀or฀3rd฀weekend฀ ฀ in฀September

SHOWS •฀฀Heartland฀Acres฀Tractor฀Ride,฀2nd฀weekend฀in฀June฀ •฀฀Heartland฀Acres฀Agribition฀Center,฀Independence฀ •฀฀Prairie฀Homestead฀Antique฀Power฀&฀Country฀Craft฀฀ ฀ ฀ Show,฀3rd฀weekend฀in฀August฀ •฀฀Belmond฀National฀Farm฀Toy฀Show,฀1st฀weekend฀in฀฀ ฀ ฀ November,฀Dyersville & MORE •฀Breakfast฀on฀the฀Farm,฀3rd฀weekend฀in฀June •฀ Iowa’s฀Dairy฀Center •฀ Calmar฀Living฀History฀Farms฀Off฀Road฀Race฀ •฀ Urbandale฀Norwegian฀Christmas,฀1st฀weekend฀in฀฀ ฀ December฀

฀

Sunday, June 26, 2016 | 7

SILOS & SMOKESTACKS

50

Day Trip Planner

1 B-3

Ackley Heritage Center

Ackley

2 B-3

Carson Art Gallery

Ackley

3 B-3

Prairie Bridges Park

Ackley

4 D-1

Amana Heritage Society Museums Amana Colonies

5 A-2

Reiman Gardens - Iowa State University Ames

6 A-2

Special Collections Department, Iowa State University

Ames

40 C-4 41 F-1

Site Map Number Location

Norman Borlaug Boyhood & Birthplace Farms

Cresco

Putnam Museum & Giant Screen Theater

Davenport

42 D-4

Seed Savers Exchange

43 D-4

Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum

Decorah

Winneshiek County Historical Society-Locust School Museum

Decorah

44 D-4

Decorah

7 F-2

Historic Limestone Insane Asylum

Andrew

8 D-3

Richardson-Jakway Historic Site

Aurora

46 A-1

State Historical Building

Des Moines

Baldwin

47 A-1

The Wallace Centers of Iowa

Des Moines

Bankston

48 E-1

Miss Effie’s Country Flowers & Garden Stuff

Donahue

Tyden Farm No. 6 Tours

Dougherty

9 E-2

Tabor Home Vineyards & Winery

10 E-3

Park Farm Winery

11 A-3

Belmond Historical Society Museum Belmond

12 A-3

Jenison Meacham Memorial Art Museum & Farm

49 B-3 50 B-3

Dows Historic District

Bettendorf

51 E-2

Dubuque Museum of Art

Family Museum

14 A-2

Mamie Doud Eisenhower Birthplace

15 D-4

Laura Ingalls Wilder Park & Museum Burr Oak Iowa’s Dairy Center

17 E-2

Cascade Historic Limestone Silo

18 C-3

Cedar Falls Historical Society

Iowa State Fair

Belmond

13 F-1

16 D-4

45 A-1

Boone

Includes Site Number and Map Coordinates, Listed Alphabetically

by Community

77 D-1

Plum Grove Historic Home

Iowa City

78 D-1

University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

Iowa City

79 B-2

Calkins Nature Area

Iowa Falls

80 B-2

Eagle City Winery

Iowa Falls

81 B-2

Scenic City Empress Boat Club

Iowa Falls

82 A-1

Iowa Gold Star Military Museum

83 C-2

La Porte City FFA Historical & Ag Museum

84 C-1

Wagaman Mill & Museum

Des Moines

Johnston La Porte City Lynnville

85 E-2

Hurstville Interpretive Center

Maquoketa

86 E-2

Hurstville Lime Kilns

Maquoketa

87 F-2

Jackson County Historical Society Museum

Maquoketa

Dows

88 E-3

Eagles Landing Vineyard & Winery Marquette

Dubuque

89 C-2

Grundy County Heritage Museum

90 C-4

Carnegie Cultural Center

Morrison

New Hampton

52 E-2

Four Mounds Inn & Conference Center

Dubuque

91 B-1

Jasper County Historical Museum

Newton

Calmar

53 E-2

Mathias Ham House Historic Site

Dubuque

92 B-1

Cascade

54 E-2

Mines of Spain Recreation Area

Dubuque

Sugar Grove Vineyards & Gathering Place

Newton

93 D-1

F. W. Kent Park

Oxford

94 B-1

Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge

Cedar Falls

National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium

Dubuque

56 E-3

National Farm Toy Museum

Dyersville

55 E-2

19 C-3

Hartman Reserve Nature Center

Cedar Falls

20 C-3

University of Northern Iowa Marshall Center School

Cedar Falls

57 C-2

Dysart Historical Center

Dysart

21 D-2

African American Museum of Iowa Cedar Rapids

58 B-2

Hardin County Farm Museum

Eldora

22 D-2

Brucemore

59 D-3

Gilbertson Conservation Education Area Elgin

60 D-3

George Maier Rural Heritage Center of Clayton County

Elkader

61 D-3

Motor Mill Historic Site

Elkader

Cedar Rapids

Prairie City

95 B-3

Fossil & Prairie Park Preserve & Center

96 B-2

Watson’s Grocery Store Museum State Center

97 A-2

Museums of Story City

98 D-3

Strawberry Hill Farm & Garden

99 D-2

Wickiup Hill Learning Center & Area Toddville

Rockford Story City

Carl & Mary Koehler History Center

Cedar Rapids

24 D-2

Cedar Rapids Museum of Art

Cedar Rapids

25 D-2

Indian Creek Nature Center

Cedar Rapids

62 D-4

Fort Atkinson State Preserve

100 C-2

Iowa Masonic Library & Museum Cedar Rapids

Farm House B&B/Engelbrecht Family Winery Fredericksburg

Traer Historical Museum

26 D-2

63 C-3

101 A-1

Living History Farms

27 D-2

National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library

Hawkeye Buffalo Ranch

102 D-2

Vinton Railroad Depot

103 C-3

Bennington No. 4 School

Waterloo

104 C-3

Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens

Waterloo

105 C-3

Grout Museum District

Waterloo

106 C-3

Hawkeye Community College Farm Laboratory

Waterloo

23 D-2

28 D-2

Ushers Ferry Historic Village

29 C-4

Carrie Lane Chapman Catt Girlhood Home

30 C-4

Floyd County Historical Society Museum

Cedar Rapids

64 C-3

Fort Atkinson

Fredericksburg

Cedar Rapids

65 D-3

Froelich General Store & Tractor Museum

Charles City

66 C-2

Barn Quilts of Grundy County Grundy Center

67 B-3

Charles City

31 A-3

4-H Schoolhouse Museum

Clarion

32 A-3

Heartland Museum

Clarion

33 B-4

Kinney Pioneer Museum

34 D-3

Montauk Historic Site

Clermont

35 D-3

Riegel Blacksmith Shop

Clermont

36 F-1

Clinton County Historical Society Museum

Clear Lake

Froelich

Franklin County Fair & Grandpa’s Farm

Hampton

68A B-3 68B B-3

Franklin Co. Historical Society Museum Franklin Co. REA Power Plant Museum Hampton

69 E-4

Ion Exchange, Inc.

70 B-2

Matthew Edel Blacksmith Shop

Strawberry Point Traer Urbandale Vinton

107 C-3

John Deere Waterloo - Tractor Cab & Assembly Operations (TCAO) Waterloo

Haverhill

108 C-3

National Cattle Congress

Waterloo

Waterloo Center for the Arts

Waterloo

Harpers Ferry

71 D-3

Fontana Interpretive Nature Center

Hazleton

109 C-3

72 E-2

Delaware County Historical Museum Hopkinton

110 E-1

Clinton

73 C-2

Hansen’s Farm Fresh Dairy/J&J Dairy Hudson

Herbert Hoover Presidential Museum

111 D-3

Fayette County Historical Center

112 D-1

Kinze Innovation Center

Independence

113 B-2

Iowa River Greenbelt Scenic Drive

See Map

Independence

114 A-3

Northern Iowa River Greenbelt Scenic Drive

See Map

37 D-1

1876 Coralville Schoolhouse

Coralville

74 D-2

Cedar Rock the Walter House Independence

38 D-1

Iowa River Gazebo

Coralville

75 D-2

Heartland Acres Agribition Center

39 D-1

Johnson County Historical Society Museum

Coralville

76 D-2

Wapsipinicon Mill Museum

West Branch West Union Williamsburg

Fold-Out Map, Next Page *

Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage ‌Silos & Smokestacks Area is proud toArea be an National Heritage is Afiliated of the proud to beArea an Afiliated National Service, Area of thePark National Park U.S. Department of Service, U.S. Department the of theInterior.

Interior.

The National Park The National Park Service is celebrating its Service is celebrating 100th anniversary this its 100th anniversary year. A National Heritage this year. A National area is a region that Heritage area is a has been recognized by region that has been the U.S. Congress for recognized by the U.S. its unique qualities and Congress for its unique resources. To find out qualities and resources. more about National To ind out more about Heritage Areas or the 49 National Heritage Areas designated regions, visit or the 49 designated NationalHeritageAreas. regions, visit National com.

Heritage Areas.com.

The Silos & Smokestacks National The Silos & Heritage Area isNational located Smokestacks in 37 IowaArea counties.

The Heritage is located area in the in 37participates Iowa counties.

National Services’s The areaPark participates Passport Cancellation in the National Park Stamp Services’s Passport Program. Your Cancellation Stamp passport can be Program.

Your passport stamped at any ofatthe can be stamped any 16 participating of the 16 participating Partner in the Partner SitesSites in the Silos Silos & Smokestacks area & Smokestacks area listed below: listed below: Amana Heritage Amana Heritage Society Society Museums; Cedar Museums, Amana RapidsRapids Museum of Art; Cedar Museum Family Museum, of Art Family Museum, Bettendorf; Fossil Fossil && Bettendorf Prairie Park Park Preserve Prairie Preserve and Center, Center, Rockford; and Rockford Gilbertson Conservation Gilbertson Conservation Education Area, Education Area,Elgin; Elgin Grout Museum Museum District, Grout District, Waterloo; Hartman Waterloo Hartman Reserve Nature Nature Center, Reserve Center, Cedar Falls; Indian Creek Cedar Falls Indian NatureNature Center,Center, Cedar Creek Rapids; Dairy CenCedarIowa’s Rapids Iowa’s ter, Calmar; Living History Dairy Center, Calmar Farms, Mines LivingUrbandale; History Farms, of Spain Recreational Urbandale Mines of Area, Dubuque; National Spain Recreational Area, Czech & Slovak Museum Dubuque National & Library, CedarMuseum Rapids; Czech & Slovak & Library, Cedar Rapids National Mississippi River National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, Museum & Aquarium, Dubuque; Putnam Dubuque Putnam Museum & Giant Screen Museum Giant Screen Theater,& Davenport; Theater, Davenport State Historical Building, State Historical Building, Des Moines; Vesterheim Des Moines Vesterheim Norwegian-American Norwegian-American Museum, Decorah Museum, Decorah

8 | Sunday, June 26, 2016

SILOS & SMOKESTACKS

COURTESY PHOTO‌

Megan Kregel at Iowa’s Dairy Center.

‌W

hether you want to speculate or participate, there is an agricultural experience to fit your timeframe and personal preference Silios & Smokestacks National Heritage Area is “Where the Story of American Agriculture Comes to Life.”

“Bobbing Fun at Applefest” photo by Dave Austin

“Farm Tree Swing” photo by Dave Austin

“Tending the Geraniums” photo by Barbara Briggs

“Iowa Prairie” photo by Terry Dermody

Sunday, June 26, 2016 | 9

Silos & Smokestacks

“Silos & Smokestacks provides many resources to help us improve our storytelling which is still in its infancy.”

Claire Voss

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teractive displays, it showcases the many agricultural innovations from Kinze’s rich heritage and highlights the technology that shapes farming today and into the future “Kinze took a lot of equipment ... and modified it so that it could be more efficient,” said Miller.

“He created a 24-row planter.

Because he knew how to weld, how to tinker, he could create things. He was a real pioneer.”

The Kinze site includes an interpretive center and museum.

“Silos & Smokestacks provides many resources to help us improve our storytelling which is still in its infancy,” said the Center’s Claire Voss.

Streed visited the location in late summer of 2014. Silos

hosted its Annual Golden Silos Awards luncheon at the Center in April of 2015. The application for partnership status began that fall and by the end of 2015, Kinze submitted its full application. The on-site visit by Silos was scheduled this January and in April it was announced as a partner site.

The relationship between a partner site and the Silos staff continues after the designation.

“We continue to stay in touch and re-evaluate,” Streed said.

“What are they needing now?

What can we do to help? The partnership continues for as long as the site maintains the standards which allowed it to become a part of the National Heritage Area.”

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“The Norman Borlaug experience tells the story of how agriculture changes over time,” said Silos President Cara Miller.

“It tells about what people learn and how they can make a difference and an impact. Dr. Borlaug developed many hybrids and had an impact on feeding the world — creating crops that could be sustainable.”

The Borlaug farm has been in existence, of course, for decades but its story needed interpretation. That’s where the Silos staff comes into play.

“We worked for years to bring our site up to the level it needed to be. The application process was done over a year’s time,” said Barb Schwamman, board president.

The Kinze Innovation Center, on the other hand, tells a more modern story, preserving the many innovations that Jon Kinzenbaw and Kinze Manufacturing have made over the past 50 years. It describes the inspiration, imagination and hard work by one man and generations of dedicated, hard-working people (employees, partners, family and friends). Through hands-on, in-

10 | Sunday, June 26, 2016

SILOS & SMOKESTACKS

Families roll on summer road trip seem a newer, fresher and less Celebrating its 100th ancomplicated place through the niversary, the National Park Service, along with President Sometimes, the world can eyes of a child. ‌ Barack Obama, have created an initiative called “Every Kid In A Park.” It’s designed to give every fourth grader the opportunity to experience a living classroom of America’s national parks and historic sites.

In conjunction with the National Park Service program, Silos & Smokestacks has developed an initiative to celebrate its own 20th anniversary — the Summer Road Trip.

“We invited four Cedar Valley fourth-grade students and their immediate family members to visit up to six Silos partner sites free of charge this summer,” said Jori WadeBooth, Silos marketing and Tickets, call 641-456-2049 or at www.franklincountyfair.com communications director.

“After their visit, the children will blog about what they thought, what they saw, what they learned. It’s sort of a travel review through the eyes of a child.”

The blogs will be featured on the Silos website and additional social media sites.

Participating families are being provided a travel schedule and questionnaire prior to each visit to assist in the blog writing.

One family is from La Porte City, two are from Waterloo and one is from the Waverly-Shell Rock area. WadeBooth hopes the program can be expanded in the future if this initial event is successful.

Participating children said they are interested in animals and learning how they contribute to agriculture, some are

NANCY JUSTIS newsroom@wcfcourier.com‌

16 large and small models made entirely of wooden matchsticks!

Open April 1-Nov 30, 7 days a week, 1-5 pm 319 2nd St., Gladbrook, IA 50635

www.matchstickmarvels.com

Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum interested in the farm industry and the tractors and combines.

One wants to learn about where her food comes from.

Fourth-grader Maddie Leary attends Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School and is one of the four children participating.

“I wanted to participate because there are a lot of machines I don’t know about, and I want to learn about them,” she said. “I like to travel, and I think it will be fun to learn about places in Iowa.”

Maddie’s mother, Christa, said, “I think it’s a great idea to get out and be tourists in our own state. Both my kids are intrigued by farms and agriculture — the machinery, the animals, the vegetation. This is the perfect opportunity to

show them the history and the impact agriculture has on our country and the world.”

Maddie says she also is excited to learn about Laura Ingalls Wilder after receiving the “Little House on the Prairie” books. She loves to write.

“I was able to go to the Wartburg Writers Conference for two years,” she said. “It helped me work on my writing skills, and I thought it was fun. I like informational writing to help teach people things.”

Casey’s General Store is helping to sponsor the Summer Road Trip. Each participating family receive gift cards which will pay for travel expenses.

Every Kid in a Park, visit everykidinapark.gov.

“I wanted to participate because there are a lot of machines I don’t know about, and I want to learn about them. I like to travel, and I think it will be fun to learn about places in Iowa.”

Maddie Leary

Sunday, June 26, 2016 | 11

SILOS & SMOKESTACKS

Goal is for growing grant funding NANCY JUSTIS newsroom@wcfcourier.com ‌

‌Growing and maintaining a National Heritage Area such as Silos & Smokestacks which is spread out over 37 counties in northeast Iowa takes more than just $700,000 in federal funds. It takes the work of all 115 educational and tourism sites in becoming self-sufficient, and the effort of Silos staff in applying for grants to help match the federal funds, a requirement for a National Heritage Area.

“We used to be one of the lowest funded Heritage Areas,” said Candy Streed, Silos Director of Partnerships, said, “We have given out just shy of $2 million in our general grants pool. We give out annual grants to site partnerships for projects which help them tell their unique story about the history of agriculture.

“This money helps them with permanent or temporary exhibits, educational programs, audio-visual tours, murals, interpretive signage. Sometimes we are one of their key funders.”

Site funding from Silos in the early years helped with infrastructure, perhaps as much as $50,000. More recently, funding averages around $5,000 to $10,000 and is less infrastructure based. Some sites are run totally by volunteers, some sites charge admission. But they all must also do their own research for grant funding.

Other grants are used for the bus and intern programs which began in 2007. Laura Elfers, Educational Engagement Director, says she distributes $10,000 annually among school districts within the 37-county area, making it possible for student field trips to any of the partner sites.

“We will pay up to 75 percent of the transportation costs to get kids from school to the sites and back,” she explained. “Teachers must show what about agriculture their

With the help of a Silos Bus Grant, students from Gladbrook visit Hansen’s Dairy. students will be learning by taking the field trip. That’s the only stipulation.

“For instance, if they want to visit the Mississippi River Museum, they have to tell me how they are going to tie an agriculture lesson into the visit, such as talking about water conservation or clean water.

“Between 2007-2015, we awarded 296 bus grants that led to nearly 17,000 kids learning about agriculture,” she noted.

Although the Silos home office in downtown Waterloo currently employs two student interns, the intern grants are specifically for the partner sites.

“This is our way to help educate college students,” Elfers said. “To get them on-the-job training and skills. To help them build their resumes. But it also helps our partner sites in telling their story and with projects they may not have the staff to complete on their own. We usually have enough money to fund five interns.”

Elfers told the story of a Luther College student who worked one summer at a site learning about pollination techniques and raising pollinators.

She was an art history major who needed a summer job. She was so pleased with her experience she wanted to return the next summer.

Streed noted that federal

funds never can be relied upon to last forever.

“We need to get individuals involved who care about history and preservation,” President Cara Miller said.

“Because of the quality of our

work and the integrity and process of our work, we get a lot of accolades for the partnerships we have,” she said. “We don’t want to compete with our partners for funding. We want to grow the pot.”

Experience the Heart of America Farms, museums, vineyards, fairs and historic sites

319.234.4567

silosandsmokestacks.org

Bed & Breakfast farm to taBle dinner small ConferenCe Center CHallenge ropes Course riverview Hiking trails HistoriC gentleman’s farm Camps & YoutH programming

4900 Peru Road, Dubuque 563-557-7292 www.fourmounds.org Preserve – Educate – Serve

Thank you for helping Silos celebrate its 20th anniversary!

The Historic Four Mounds Estate

Congratulations to the

Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area on its 20th anniversary!

T

he Iowa Pork Producers Association proudly supports the heritage area and partners with Silos and Smokestacks to preserve and share America’s farm story and the rich heritage of Iowa agriculture.

Pig farming is an essential part of the state’s and the nation’s agricultural heritage and generations of Iowa pig farmers have helped make Iowa the number one pork producing state in the U.S. Pigs eat corn and soybeans and lots of them and it’s the abundance of those crops grown in Iowa that makes pork production a thriving and successful industry.

Thousands of Iowans are involved in hog farming and they devote their lives to producing safe, affordable food in a way that protects and promotes animal well-being, safeguards our natural resources and protects public health.

Farmers have led industry-wide efforts to achieve tremendous improvements in all areas of modern pig farming. Although we have always sought to practice agriculture in an ethical manner, momentum grew, starting in the mid-1980s, to scientifically evaluate and improve farming methods and strongly promote nationwide adoption of best farming practices through education programs.

Today, modern pig farms combine the best of traditional farming practices with the benefits of modern technology and agriculture science.

The Iowa Pork Producers Association and its members salute Silos and Smokestacks on 20 years!