As a delightful way of celebrating the heritage of quilting while helping preserve the historical interests of barn architecture in the state, barn quilts add interest and color to the Iowa landscape. The first barn quilts in Iowa were placed in Grundy County, under the leadership of ISU Extension and Outreach. They have also become a source of economic development and tourism for the county.
Other highlights from Butler, Bremer, Grundy, Black Hawk, Buchanan and Tama counties:
- Gilbertville and Hudson Create a Community Vision
The Iowa’s Living Roadways Community Visioning Program is a collaboration involving the Iowa Department of Transportation, the Living Roadway Trust Fund, Iowa State University and Trees Forever. One of the primary objectives of the Community Visioning Program is to help participants create environments that not only meet residents’ basic needs, but also are aesthetically appealing. The Black Hawk County community of Gilbertville received a $3,000 planning grant from the Iowa Living Roadways Program, which was used to create a more welcoming atmosphere in the downtown area and community entrances. The community of Hudson also received funding and is working to extend and enhance the safety of community trails, install better way-finding signage and improve the look of the community’s depot museum. - CIRAS Enhances Business Performance
Power Engineering and Manufacturing, Ltd., specializes in the custom design and manufacturing of heavy duty gear boxes for a wide variety of industries. To help meet goals of increasing sales and production, as well as improve employee training, Power Engineering worked with ISU Extension and Outreach’s Center for Industrial Research and Service on Training Within Industry programs, which focus on teaching essential job skills for people responsible for the work of others. Power Engineering completed the three core programs of Training Within Industry, resulting in a potential impact of $600,000 over three years. The company was also able to retain six positions and anticipated adding another 12 in the near future. - Health and Finances Course
Hazelton’s Horizons Community Betterment Group and ISU Extension and Outreach in Buchanan County offered a four-part interactive course with research-based strategies to help individuals and families learn strategies to improve their health and finances. More than 50 Hazelton citizens learned strategies to eat healthier on limited budgets. ISU’s Spend Smart. Eat Smart., Gain Control of Your Finances, Healthy Food Choices: Aisle by Aisle and Take Charge of Your Credit were all presented by ISU family and consumer science specialists.
- Emerald Ash Borer Workshop
To help communities prepare for the eventual arrival of the emerald ash borer, a series of meetings were organized by ISU Extension and Outreach in Butler County to help municipalities and homeowners plan how they will handle this threat. More than 90 people attended three interactive programs that were held in Butler, Bremer and Black Hawk counties.
- Progressive Agriculture Safety Day
In an effort to bring safety to the forefront and prevent bad habits from forming, ISU Extension and Outreach in Grundy and Butler counties sponsored county-wide Progressive Agriculture Safety Days for students. Youth learned valuable lifelong lessons on how to avoid dangerous situations both on the farm and at home by engaging them in hands-on workshops and demonstrations. - For more information, visit: Butler, Bremer, Grundy, Black Hawk, Buchanan and Tama county webpages