News
Golden Hills' blog. To sign up for our newsletter, visit goldenhillsrcd.org/newsletters
|
Golden Hills Project Coordinator Shaun Ahern recently finished the test plot portions of the Midwest Cover Crop Council’s Cover Crops Essentials course. The test plots consisted of two different cover crop mixes he created that each had two 3 feet x 3 feet test plots. The first mix consisted of red clover, sorghum sudangrass, and buckwheat. The second mix included crimson clover, oats, and mustard. He chose these mixes to see how the combination of different functional groups led to the mixes’ performance. For the first plot of each, all three species were broadcast seeded at a 100% seeding rate. For the second plot of each, the two colver species were broadcast seeded at a 100% seeding rate while all others were seeded at a 50% seeding rate. He finished up by taking biomass samples and measuring other ecosystem services indicators. The graphics below include a table of the measurements for 7 ecosystem service indicators and a spider plot of their axis scores to visualize how each mixture performed among those indicators.    Photos below include the test plots before samples were removed, including each of the species present, and the amount of each sample after they were removed. The total biomass collected of each species is as follows:
 oats  buckwheat  sorghum sudangrass  crimson clover  red clover  all four test plots  collected samples of all species that emerged These test plots allowed Shaun to get hands-on experience with cover crop research. Overall, the Cover Crops Essentials course allowed him to gain a better understanding of all the various factors to consider and that come into play with designing cover crop mixtures, planting, establishing, managing, and terminating cover crops. This should be helpful to Golden Hills staff with future projects that involve cover crops. Cover crops are an important in-field conservation and soil health practice that can provide a multitude of benefits, including the ecosystem service indicators in the graphics above and other benefits such as nitrogen scavenging, pest predation, and possible forage for livestock.
0 Comments
Cottonwood Hill Farms in McClelland, owned & operated by John & Gina Springhower, recently opened an on-farm store in McClelland. Customers must purchase a membership to shop at Cottonwood Hill Market. Memberships are $50 for one year, and annual renewals are only $25 every year thereafter. The market has a freezer stocked with their beef, pork and chicken, all raised with no antibiotics or vaccines. Their beef is 100% grass-fed and the chickens are free range, organic and soy-free. They also have soy-free eggs, rendered pork lard, and rendered beef tallow. Soaps, body washes and lotions made by a neighbor with natural ingredients are also available. Cottonwood Hill Market Hours: Mon: Closed Tues: 11am - 1pm Wed: 11am - 1pm Thurs: Closed Fri: 5pm - 7pm Sat: 11am - 1pm Sund: 11am - 1pm Learn more by visiting their website, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.       photo from Cottonwood Hill Farms Facebook page. Golden Hills is excited to announce that Charlie Schilling has been hired as our new Trails Coordinator! Charlie will primarily be developing recreational trails in Pottawattamie County, in partnership with Pottawattamie County Trails Association and Pottawattamie Conservation. Charlie is energized to be the first-ever Trails Coordinator for Golden Hills. He has had past success bringing people, stakeholders and organizations together for a common cause and for the good of the overall community while leading some high-profile public projects. He also produces Tour de Nebraska, one of the premier bicycle tours in the Midwest. Charlie has fostered many industry, professional and personal relationships that have been established based on earned trust over three decades. This standard will continue while building relationships and trails throughout western Iowa. Join us in welcoming Charlie to the team!  Fall is one of the most beautiful times of the year to go for a drive in western Iowa, but several factors can increase safety risk for drivers. Rowcrop harvest is underway, and many farm vehicles are large and slow-moving. Plan for extra time if you're driving on rural highways, and expect delays if you get caught behind a tractor, combine, or semi. Learn more in this post from Iowa State Extension.  photo from ISU Extension (https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/drive-safely-iowa-roads-harvest-season) Most roads in Iowa follow the cardinal directions, and the sunrises and sunsets are almost directly east and west near the autumnal equinox. This can cause visibility issues, particularly on east-west roads around sunrise and sunset times  photo from Iowa Environmental Mesonet (https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/onsite/features/cat.php?day=2025-09-22) Earlier sunset times and later sunrises also coincide with morning and evening commuting rush hours during the fall, especially near metro areas. They also align with deer mating season when more deer are on the move and crossing roads at dawn and dusk. The end of Daylight Saving Time also causes an increase in traffic incidents, particularly vehicle-deer collisions. Other wildlife are also moving more with migration or to prepare for the winter season.  photo from Iowa Homeland Security Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/IowaHSEM/posts/pfbid02gCXDyyNFgT3mpQSgsWVWXMTjBnRoNbQbrGLL8dh5rhN2HEeso3My8caVNuYTH23gl) Other things to be aware of this time of year are people who are out for a slow, scenic drive to view the fall colors, especially along our beautiful scenic byways. Nice weather also means many people are out bicycling, walking, hiking, and running, which sometimes include on roadways or at least crossing roadways. Be extra cautious and plan for slower drive times this fall to keep yourself and others safe!   Golden Hills 2024 Annual Report is now available! Click the image below to download.  This post was originally published on July 11, 2025, and was updated on July 24 and July 30, 2025. In March 2024, a massive fertilizer spill in Red Oak caused significant ecological damage to the East Nishnabotna River, impacting more than 60 miles downstream and killing at least 800,000 fish of 20+ species. We wrote about it at the time here.  Map of affected area. Source: Nishnabotna Fertilizer Spill NRDAR Preassessment Screen and Determination Since then, state and federal agencies have been working together to determine the severity of the spill's impacts on the river and restore aquatic wildlife. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Nebraska Department of Environment & Energy, and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service are the designated natural resource Trustees for this spill. The Trustees initiated a natural resource damage assessment and restoration (NRDAR) to evaluate the impact of the spill on natural resources and ultimately to restore the injured resources. "Based on the damage assessment, the Trustees will seek compensation from NEW Cooperative Inc. for activities to restore or replace natural resources injured by the fertilizer spill." (Source: USFWS Nishnabotna Fertilizer Spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Preassessment Screen & Determination) USFWS' Nishnabotna Fertilizer Spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment & Restoration: 1 Year Later flyer explains the NRDAR process: The Trustees began Pre-Assessment Activities in March 2024, and then initiated a NRDAR for the Nishnabotna River in November 2024 .The NRDAR process generally follows these steps:  Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Nishnabotna Fertilizer Spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration 1 Year Later When the Trustees reach step 5, they go through a process known as restoration planning to develop a Restoration Plan:  Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Nishnabotna Fertilizer Spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration 1 Year Later On July 30, 2025, the Iowa Attorney General's office announced a settlement had been reached: "Under the settlement, NEW Co-op will pay a $50,000 penalty, pay $50,000 toward a supplemental environmental project with the Montgomery County Conservation Board, and agree to a three-year statewide injunction prohibiting future violations of Iowa’s water-quality laws." Additionally, Iowa DNR's Contaminated Sites Section is involved with this spill. Per DNR staff: "sometimes when a release is reported, and after the emergency is stabilized, the field office will transfer the site to the DNR's Contaminated Sites Section. In turn, the Contaminated Sites Section will determine whether additional assessment is required in response to the release. In this case, the Contaminated Sites Section did require a site assessment be conducted and submitted to the DNR. The enforcement case is related to the release itself and any violations related to the release. The site assessment is to address potential contamination related to the release and work through any remedial action needed. The DNR's OpenText website is a database that can be searched for public records. Within the database, you will find the DNR's Contaminated Sites Section request for a work plan to complete a site assessment, the work plan, the site assessment, and further documentation. You can find important documents about this spill on the USFWS NRDAR website. As the coordinator of the East Nishnabotna River Watershed Coalition, Golden Hills will share any additional updates as they become publicly available. We look forward to working collaboratively to help restore the East Nish's water quality and habitat. For questions related to the Nishnabotna Fertilizer Spill, contact U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Midwest Region 3 at the info below: Edward Karecki Illinois and Iowa Field Office 847-366-2349 / [email protected] or Leslie Lueckenhoff Missouri Field Office Phone: 573/234 2132 Email: [email protected]  East Nishnabotna River. photo by Lance Brisbois Guest blog by Emily Jensen When you think about wedding planning, a few things likely come to mind. First, the stress and effort associated with orchestrating a major event – perhaps the largest event you’ll ever host. Next may come the overwhelming task of creating and sticking to a budget, prioritizing how to spend your money strategically while also creating a beautiful day to remember. Not to mention creating (and narrowing down) a guest list, selecting vendors, travel… the list can seem endless. It’s for these reasons a growing number of couples are opting for smaller, more intimate weddings days. More couples than before in recent history are choosing to trim guest lists, book cozier venues, and plan simpler wedding days. This can go by different names – smaller weddings, microweddings, or elopements – but the focus on simple and meaningful is the same. This was the position my now-husband, John, and I were in when we began to plan our wedding. As we talked about what we wanted our day to look like, we aimed for a quiet, intimate event that focused on things that mattered to us. Deciding we wanted a microwedding was easy… the harder part was selecting where to get married!  Katie Decker Photography John and I spent lots of time early in our relationship driving around to various sites in Iowa. Both our families’ farms are just a few miles off the Western Skies Scenic Byway, so scenic drives in Iowa hold an extra special place in our hearts. We’re both western Iowa natives and love history and the outdoors, so the Loess Hills area is one of our favorite destinations in Iowa. As we considered destinations near and far for our wedding, we kept coming back to the Loess Hills as the canvas for our special day. Our wedding eve was marked with ice cream from Dairy Sweet in Dunlap and a scenic drive around the Preparation Canyon scenic loop (one of our favorites!). For my family, at least, Dairy Sweet has long been a staple. Though we didn’t have time to grab an award-winning tenderloin, we did get some ice cream for the road before taking in the sights of Preparation Canyon. We made a reservation at County Road Cabins near Moorhead to stay in the night before our wedding. The accommodations were wonderful and serene, and it made the perfect setting for relaxing the night before the event. John and I enjoyed sitting on the deck and listening to the turkeys in the area chatter. The morning of our wedding, it also made for a great spot for a few photos. We enjoyed our stay and hope to return for a hunting trip in the future.  Katie Decker Photography  Katie Decker Photography The weather on our wedding day was amazing. After getting ready and checking out of the cabin, we headed off to start our day. Since we planned a mid-morning ceremony, we took some early morning photos at the Loess Hills Scenic Overlook and near the campsites at Preparation Canyon State Park. We’ve both hiked these areas, so it felt a little out of character to stomp around the trails all dressed up! Thankfully, both areas are well-maintained, so it was the perfect location for some scenic photos.  Katie Decker Photography
 Katie Decker Photography Even for a small wedding, having nice floral arrangements can make the biggest difference in photos, and having beautiful florals that matched the “vibe” of the day was important to me. Exira Flower Supply created my bouquet and other arrangements for the day and everything looked amazing!  Katie Decker Photography We chose to have our ceremony at the Ingemann Danish Lutheran Church near Moorhead. John and I both have Danish heritage in our family lineage (our families originate from the Danish Villages near Elk Horn and Kimballton) so having our wedding at the Danish church felt fitting. We were the first couple to be married in the church in around 10 years, but the church grounds are open daily for people to visit and explore. The church was built in 1884 and features beautiful hand-built pews, artwork, and amazing history.  Katie Decker Photography  Katie Decker Photography After the ceremony, we further channeled our heritage with a Dane-inspired luncheon. We enjoyed smørrebrød (Danish open-faced sandwiches) with Havarti cheese and Rullepølse (cold cut made from rolled pork belly) on Danish rye bread, all from the Atlantic Locker. We also had Kransekage (traditional Danish wedding cake), aquavit (a spiced Nordic spirit, courtesy of a collaboration by the Museum of Danish America), and of course Danish beer!
We capped off our day by heading into Onawa for ice cream and coffee at Downtown Coffee & Cream. I love this place and was excited to include it as part of my wedding day. They had so many fun ice cream flavors and, of course, coffee. The ice cream they “import” from Wisconsin is well worth a trip, and they offer so many fun flavors and toppings. It was the perfect space to relax and hang out that afternoon!  Katie Decker Photography John and I set out to plan a wedding day that was equally as meaningful as it was unique. This task was easily accomplished by choosing the communities adjacent to the Loess Hills as the setting for our best day ever. Whether for a work trip, a weekend, or a wedding, the beauty and character of the loess hills are sure to please! Writer’s note: John and I again want to thank our wonderful vendors, especially those in the loess hills region as mentioned in this blog post. We also want to give a special shoutout to our photo vendor, Katie Decker Photography, who provided us with the beautiful images you see here. The 2025 LoHi Trek traversed portions of Harrison, Pottawattamie, and Mills counties from April 23-27. This was the fifth annual LoHi Trek, which has now included sections of all seven Iowa Loess Hills counties. The event was inspired by Kelly Madigan’s 2020 hike through Iowa’s Loess Hills. LoHi is short for Lo(ess) Hi(lls). In addition to hiking, the event includes educational programs about conservation, history, geology, and other aspects of the unique landform. About 40 Trekkers camped at Crescent Hill at Hitchcock Nature Center from Wednesday evening through Sunday. Trekkers came from 8 states and 30 zip codes, including as far as Minnesota, Wisconsin, Colorado, Ohio, and Washington. On Wednesday evening, dinner was provided by Juggs BBQ of Onawa. Chad Graeve with Pottawattamie Conservation gave a brief talk about the history and land stewardship of Hitchcock, then led the group to a scenic off-trail ridge not typically explored by the public. (photos by Lance Brisbois, Golden Hills RC&D, unless otherwise noted)    Thursday morning, hikers did an 8-mile loop through Hitchcock Nature Center. The route included parts of the following trails before lunch: Crescent Ridge, Westridge, Ironwood, Wildwoods, Heritage, Bluestem Meander, Angel’s Dead End, Fox Run Ridge, Hohneke, Oak Avenue, and Moonseed.            Block 16 catered lunch at the new Heartwood Pavilion.  After lunch, the hike continued on the Lodge, Badger Ridge, and Lotus Loop trails back to camp. The weather was gray, but trekkers were all finished and back at camp before severe storms developed in the area later in the afternoon.        A severe thunderstorm warning, tornado warning, and flash flood warning all hit the area, and the group sheltered in the basement of the Crescent Hill Lodge. This happened while some Trekkers were doing a yoga session. This was the first LoHi with severe weather, and we were fortunate to have a safe shelter available. We are grateful to Pottawattamie County Emergency Management for keeping us updated on the weather and ensuring our safety! We lucked out and avoided the worst weather, but heavy rains lasted through the evening. Thursday evening dinner was provided by Iowa Western Culinary Arts program. Nic Salick with The Nature Conservancy gave a presentation about TNC, and discussed birding in the Loess Hills.  Friday morning, Nic returned to lead a group birding walk at Hitchcock.  After lunch (also catered by Iowa Western), the group shuttled to Old Town Conservation Area in Harrison County and hiked a 5-mile loop that included stretches of the Buffalo Run, Stagecoach Loop, Bendy Oak, Bird Dog, and Blazing Star trails.          Friday evening dinner was catered by Rotisserie Urban Bistro of Omaha. Trekkers were treated to an interactive improv session by Big Canvas Comedy.  Saturday morning, the group shuttled to Council Bluffs for a day of urban hiking. Glenn Pollock and Tabitha Panas discussed the history and stewardship work at Vincent Bluff State Preserve before the group hiked through it. Tabitha also discussed a remnant prairie located in Fairview Cemetery, which the trekkers passed by that day. The route included a piece of private land with special, pre-arranged permission, then some city streets and sidewalks through residential neighborhoods to the trails of Fairmount Park.        From Fairmount, the trek went through downtown Council Bluffs, where hikers had lunch at various restaurants. Some of the group stopped for a tour of the Historic General Dodge House.      The last mile was uphill to the historic Black Angel Statue, then ending at the Lincoln Monument.   Saturday evening dinner was held at the Loess Hills Lodge at Hitchcock Nature Center. Malvern artist Anna Stoysich led a printmaking activity, and trekkers each made their own 2025-LoHi-branded bandana as a souvenir. Block 16 provided dinner on Saturday.   An important feature of the LoHi is a processing circle during which hikers share ways they have been impacted, both big and small, by the experience. It is often emotional, because for many the LoHi Trek is more than a hike— it is a life-changing event unlike anything they’ve experienced.  Sunday morning, the group shuttled to Folsom Point Preserve for their final hike. The route included a loop at Folsom Point, managed by The Nature Conservancy, and a portion of Green Hill Wildlife Management Area.             Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s Trek a success, including:
Golden Hills Resource Conservation & Development is pleased to announce the appointment of Angie Remington as its permanent Executive Director. Angie officially began her role on January 24, 2025, bringing with her a wealth of experience in nonprofit leadership and a passion for conservation. Angie joins Golden Hills with two decades of nonprofit experience, including her most recent role as the Director of Strategy and Development for the Nebraska Civic Engagement Table. She is also the former board chair of the Earth Day Omaha Coalition, now part of the Green Omaha Coalition. With a strong background in nonprofit management, fund development and organizational culture, she is poised to strengthen Golden Hills’s impact in Southwest Iowa and further its mission to protect and preserve the region’s unique natural landscapes. "We are thrilled to welcome Angie to our team," said Susan Miller, board member of Golden Hills. "Her leadership and passion for conservation will be instrumental as we continue to grow our efforts in land stewardship, water resources, local foods, and outdoor recreation and tourism throughout Southwest Iowa." As Executive Director, Angie will oversee the organization’s daily operations, guide strategic planning, lead fundraising initiatives, and work closely with local communities, stakeholders, and partners to advance conservation goals. The new Executive Director will also be a key figure in securing funding for ongoing and future projects, ensuring the long-term sustainability of Golden Hill’s work. "As an Iowa native myself, I am excited to join Golden Hills and to collaborate with the team, the community, and all our supporters," said Remington. "Together, we will continue to protect the unique biodiversity of Southwest Iowa, create meaningful environmental opportunities, and build a more sustainable future for generations to come." Welcome, Angie!  Scenic byways are routes that encourage travelers to leave the busy highways and explore more scenic routes showcasing natural and cultural resources. In this series, Golden Hills suggests ideas of things to notice while you're exploring Western Skies Scenic Byway. See other posts in our 'reading the landscape along WSSB:
Town development & layout: While many railroads in the region are no longer active, their development facilitated the growth of most rural communities in western Iowa. Rail lines tended to follow the lay of the land, often along river valleys. When hills were unavoidable, cuts were made into the hills, and the rails were built on an embankment to reduce the slopes. Even railroads that have been abandoned for decades can still be seen from the ground and in aerial & LIDAR imagery due to the amount of earthwork required for their construction. Town streets and county roads, on the other hand, are commonly aligned at right angles with cardinal directions. Most small-towns have a main street that has historically been the center of commerce and civic activities. In many railroad towns, the “T-town” style is common, where the business district extends perpendicularly from the railroad where the train depot was once located. Buildings on the Main Streets fill the block, although some gaps my exist where decrepit buildings have been razed. The Main Street buildings are usually one or two stories tall, with the occasional third story, especially in larger communities. These areas often have wide sidewalks and are great walkable areas for shopping, dining, and other business.  Railroad town layouts. From John C. Hudson's "Town's of the Western Railroads." Click image for source link.  Panama is an example of a railroad "T-town." Main Street (highlighted red) runs perpendicular to the railroad (in yellow). According to John Hudson's Plains Country Towns, a Standard Railroad block was 300 feet square, 140-foot deep lot with 20 foot alley, divided into six 50-foot wide residential or 12 25-foot business lots. County seats, often the largest town in the county, were frequently laid out with a business district surrounding the county courthouse. As you drive through the towns along Western Skies Scenic Byway, see if you can figure out how each town was laid out and where the railroad was. As is the case across America, following World War II, development has shifted to a more suburban-style model both among housing, commerce, and industry. Today, even in small towns, significant growth has occurred along highways on the edge of town, decentralizing the business districts. New housing developments also follow more suburban patterns with larger homes on larger lots, spaced farther apart than residential neighborhoods in town. The city of Harlan's growth pattern reflects these trends. The historic downtown square in the northeastern part of town is surrounded by a tightly-organized, walkable street grid system. Newer development along highways 44 & 59 is more spread out and designed primarily for automobile use.  Satellite image & map of Harlan, showing changing development patterns over the years. The types of business vary across communities as well. All businesses have a threshold population that depends on factors such as proximity to the nearest similar business. In general, larger communities have a greater variety of businesses, including stores and restaurants. Small communities often have a bar/restaurant, gas station, bank, church, and farm co-op, but the smallest communities may not even have those. Incorporated communities have a city hall and post office, which are usually located on the Main Street. Most communities in this part of Iowa peaked in population around or before 1930, and have had fluctuating or declining populations since then. Exceptions include those with easiest access to the metro areas, where people can live in a small town and easily commute to their metro jobs. Commuting has also led to an increase in people building new homes on acreages, which in some cases has led to rural population growth even while the nearest city populations decline. At one point in time, the number of children on farmstead necessitated one-room schoolhouses on nearly every one-mile section. The old adage about ‘walking uphill both ways’ harkens back to this layout! Over time, these schools consolidated, primarily into the nearby small towns. Although many schoolhouses are long gone, some have been maintained as historic structures.  Existing one-room schoolhouses along WSSB. Click image to view source map. In recent decades, further consolidation has required multiple towns to have shared school systems, in some cases covering large parts of multiple counties. Sometimes these school districts have built new school campuses out in the country to serve multiple towns. Many small, rural Iowa communities also have public libraries. Iowa, in fact, has among the highest public library visits per capita of all states! While you’re driving the Byway, stop in and check out the local libraries. They often have rare and hard-to-find books and documents about local history to help you learn about the local area.  Iowa's public libraries. Click image to view source. Churches are another a dominant feature along the Western Skies corridor. Most towns have at least one, usually multiple, churches, and many churches also exist out in the country. The Western Skies corridor was settled primarily by German and Danish immigrants, and many churches reflect this heritage. The German colonies in Shelby County each have a Catholic church. The area around Elk Horn and Kimballton has Danish Lutheran churches. As long as people have lived in the region, people have also died in the region. Native burial sites are typically difficult to see anymore, and many have been plowed under crop fields. Since European colonization, designated cemeteries have been the main form of human burials. Most towns and churches have their own cemeteries nearby. Some early pioneer cemeteries still contain small remnant prairies. Notice how many cemeteries you see while crossing the western Iowa countryside. Although the entire Byway corridor would be considered rural by most people, it is technically anchored by the two largest metropolitan populations in Iowa. Harrison County is part of the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), with a population of nearly one million people. Guthrie County is part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines MSA, with almost 700,000 residents. At their closest point, between northeastern Pottawattamie and southwestern Guthrie counties, the two metro areas are less than 25 miles apart. Harrison and Guthrie are rural counties, but economic and social ties to the metro areas have led government agencies to include them as part of the greater metro areas. Shelby and Audubon counties are considered more rural.  Rural-urban continuum codes for Iowa counties. Click image to view source. Natural & Agricultural landscapes: Although most of western Iowa was prairie, scattered woodlands did exist, particularly along river valleys. Nearly all of these trees were cut for railroad, farmstead, and town construction as settlement began. Few of the trees you see today are pre-settlement, and those that are were likely cut at some point and grew back with two or more trunks. As you cross the landscape, note that there are often more trees and woody vegetation on north- and east-facing slopes. These areas have less sunlight and are slightly cooler and wetter, on average, compared to south- and west-facing hillsides. There are often more trees on the eastern sides of river valleys, due to the fact waterways provided an obstacle to prairie fires driven by prevailing westerly winds. Farmsteads often have windbreaks of coniferous trees along the north and west sides to buffer the cold winter winds. Within the agricultural landscape, corn and soybean fields are the dominant crops. Many of the steepest slopes, particularly in the Loess Hills of Harrison County and the rolling hills of southern Audubon and Guthrie counties, still have significant areas of pasture land. Iowa’s once-diversified small farms have largely been consolidated and converted to few crops. Livestock that were once commonly seed throughout the rural landscape are now mostly raised indoors in confined feeding operations and out of sight. Barbed-wire fencing is the most common physical divider between farms and paddocks. With fewer livestock on the land and increased mechanization of rowcrop farming, many fences have been removed in recent decades. On farms, common buildings include corn cribs, silos, and livestock feeder barns. Modern machine sheds are typically metal structures used for storing machinery. The Hausbarn is a unique historic site in Manning demonstrating a type of farm structure that combined the farmers’ home with a livestock barn. Barn quilts are a common sight, especially in Shelby County. The Poplar Rural District in eastern Shelby and western Audubon county exemplifies the settlement patterns laid out by local Danish farmers. This district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The nearby communities of Elk Horn and Kimballton make up the largest rural Danish settlement in the U.S. Tractors, combines, sprayers, other modern farm equipment are common along Western Skies, especially during the spring planting and fall harvest seasons. At certain times of year, you’ll see haybales dotting the pasture lands. Aerial application of seed and chemicals has become more common, and you may see airplanes flying low over the fields. Municipal airports are still fairly common in rural areas, such as those near Missouri Valley, Harlan, Audubon, and Guthrie Center.  Iowa aviation map. Click image to view source. Vineyards were once much more common in western Iowa, but today you can see a couple along Western Skies, including near Elk Horn and Stuart. You’ll still see the occasional old farm windmill, like the one included in Western Skies Scenic Byway logo and signage. Today, modern wind turbines are much larger and wind farms cover many square miles.  Nearly every small town has at least one city park, with larger communities tending to have multiple parks in different neighborhoods. County and state parks and wildlife areas also dot the landscape, particularly in areas that are less suitable for farming. Another thing you may notice while driving Western Skies Scenic Byway are county fairgrounds. Each county has their own—often, but not always, located in the county seat. Harrison County’s is located in Missouri Valley, Shelby County’s is in Harlan, Audubon County’s in Audubon, and Guthrie County’s fairgrounds are in Guthrie Center. Infrastructure:
Today many of the bridges on state highways have been upgraded to modern standards, but if you venture off onto gravel and dirt roads you may see many other styles that were historically used. Iowa DOT has an historic bridges webpage identifies some of the types of bridges to look for as you drive Western Skies Scenic Byway. Look for other types of infrastructure while your driving the Byway. Notice how some small towns still have more historic styles of street lighting while the highway lighting is more modern. Other common types of infrastructure and utilities are visible across the rural landscape. Power lines follow most roads. Larger transmission lines connect larger cities. Cellphone towers have gone up in strategic spots throughout rural Iowa. Tornado sirens warn residents and visitors of severe storms. Some towns still have a noon and/or 6pm ‘bell’ where the sirens sound daily. On the edge of most towns you’ll find a sewage wasterwater treatment facility. Sourcewater well fields provide drinking water to communities, and Regional Water systems have become more common. Still, many farms and rural homesteads have their own well systems. Counties typically have their own landfills, and usually recycling bins in town. Rock quarries exist in several places across the Byway. Some have been filled with water and now provide recreational opportunities. Mining is generally not common, except for fill dirt. Guthrie County at one time had numerous coal mines. One site at Whiterock Conservancy in Guthrie County still has visible coal slag. Water towers and grain elevators are often the most dominant feature while approaching a small town. Some very small towns are unincorporated, meaning they lack a city government. Most towns, though, have a city council and mayor. Each six-by-six mile township has its own board of trustees too. Each county is governed by an elected Board of Supervisors. The city halls and county courthouses are where councils and boards meet to make decisions. Each county has an engineer and county road system, and strategically-located ‘county sheds,’ where machinery like snowplows are housed. Iowa DOT has similar ‘state sheds’ across the state. This post is intended to help you to see and understand the landscape you see while traveling Western Skies Scenic Byway. Take time to try and read the landscape while you're exploring western Iowa, and let us know what you notice! |
Archives
November 2025
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed