This article is from the Extension Connection newsletter, Summer 2006.
This is the summer to experience Iowa’s agri-tourism — rural enterprises that bring commercial tourism components to working farm environments. Iowa State University Extension often has lent a hand in these entrepreneurial endeavors.
Iowa’s 106 county and regional fairs, highlighting 4-H and FFA youth projects and accomplishments, last year had a total attendance of more than 2.3 million people — making them perhaps the most obvious agri-tourism efforts with county ISU Extension involvement. But they aren’t the only ones.
Numerous vineyard tours and wine festivals integrate farm and tourism. Behind the steadily increasing Iowa numbers — 321 commercial vineyards and 60 wineries — is ISU Extension support.
“I came back to the farm to grow a few grapes in my retirement,” said Richard Black, Farnhamville. “With Extension’s help, I have been very successful. It’s rewarding to work with county Extension to share what I have learned with others.”
In Grundy and Sac counties, maps and bits of history make barn quilt tours a picturesque learning experience. ISU Extension introduced the barn quilt concept in 2003 to Grundy County; now a steady flow of tourists travel the country roadways to see 25 colorful quilts painted on rural barns. The Sac County barn quilt project was initiated as a 4-H leadership project. Now the barn quilt fever is spreading to Pocahontas, Greene, Fayette and Humboldt counties, with county ISU Extension personnel assuming a variety of roles in local development.
One of the grandest examples of ISU Extension collaborating at the county level with local community leaders and developers is in Buchanan County. Heartland Acres Agribition Center in Independence is still under construction, but already is drawing a lot of interest.
“We want visitors to have a life-changing experience when they come here,” said Bruce Neeley, Heartland Acres Agribition Center executive director. “We want them to know all about Iowa agriculture — how it developed and how it is leading changes worldwide. We want them to leave here knowing about the area’s dairy industry, having ‘milked’ a fiberglass cow and purchased products in our gift store that were made at our local creamery.”
The Agribition Center is billed as an interactive salute to agriculture and an interactive celebration of its heritage and future. On land donated by local philanthropists Jim and Judy Blin, Neeley is overseeing the construction of a geothermal heated and cooled circa 1800 barn that will house the ISU Extension Buchanan County office, an interactive hands-on center, a small theater area and a wing for live animals.
The Heartland complex plans include a machine shed for displaying machinery; a modern events center building for year-round life sciences displays; three meeting rooms and a classic car collection. It also will include a wind generator and the state’s largest test plot — 66 acres comparing up to 28 varieties of corn and soybeans from each of six leading seed companies.
“We have counted on Extension to help write the educational, interpretive plan for the center and look forward to them moving into the building this summer,” Neeley said. “Our purpose for the center is to educate, entertain and develop tourism.”
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