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Matt & Jocelyn Vermeersch operate Mud Ridge Ranch on a hilltop overlooking Mud Hollow north of Council Bluffs. Matt didn’t grow up farming but was raised in a rural western Iowa community and was always interested in agriculture. After living in several different states, a job brought him back to this area. They bought a house with about 5 acres in 2019, and their first livestock was a small goat herd. After goats, they got into Scottish Highland cattle, then sheep. They currently have 30 highland cattle. They raise registered cows with the American Highland Cattle Association and the Heartland Highland Cattle Association as well as a handful of unregistered highlands.       They also raise chickens and ducks. Eggs are primarily sold locally by word of mouth, so contact the farm directly if you would like to buy their eggs. They are considering raising meat birds in the future.  Last year, they started directly selling meat. The meat is processed in Guthrie Center at a state certified facility that opened in 2023. Like the eggs, the best way to buy their meat products is to contact them directly. In 2022 they became an affiliate of Goats on the Go. Private landowners and conservation agencies are increasingly using goats for brush management and invasive species removal. They have two goat herds totaling around 200 animals. They operate a large herd of 150 goats and sheep for larger projects that are bigger than 10 acres. The smaller herd of about 40 goats tackles smaller projects and still has openings yet this year, so contact them if you’re interested. In addition to their own land, Mud Ridge Ranch lease more than 100 acres from nearby neighbors. This year, for the first time, they are hiring an intern to help manage the farm.    Goats are a great tool for vegetation management. They can help reduce invasive and non-desirable woody species.  Matt recommends people look into Goats on the Go, and encourages beginning farmers to get involved with Practical Farmers of Iowa to learn more about farming, and to network with other farmers. To buy their meat or eggs, contact them directly through their website, Facebook, or by email or phone (712-292-1230).
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There are numerous prairies along western Iowa's scenic byways that are open to public exploration, While most have no maintained trails, the prairies are open to off-trail hiking, birdwatching, wildflower walks, and other types of low-impact recreation. Below is a selection of public prairies along the scenic byways of western Iowa.
 Waterman Prairie in O'Brien County T.H. Steele Prairie State Preserve consists of 200 acres of native tallgrass prairie in two tracts, both of which are located northwest of Larrabee, Iowa. Steele Prairie is classified as a biological and geological state preserve due to the diversity of tallgrass prairie plants and wildlife present, as well as the undisturbed nature of its rolling terrain, shaped by glaciers 20,000 to 30,000 years ago. Browns’ Prairie is an important tract in one of the largest areas of native grassland left in the state. Located within more then 3,000 contiguous acres of prairie in the Little Sioux Valley region, the property provides habitat for wildflowers, butterflies and grassland nesting birds. This particular tract of land was historically pastured, but much of the native grass has survived. A special feature of the tract is a small, crystal-clear, spring-fed steam that meanders through it. Browns' Prairie is level to steeply rolling. Care should be exercised by the elderly and children. This area is extremely hot in the summer and cold in the winter without trees to break the wind or sun. Cattle grazing is used to manage native grasses so please exercise caution when visiting the area. Bertram Reservation is a 240-acre wildlife area with oak savannah prairie that has hiking trails as well as equestrian trails.  Bertram Reservation in Clay County (photo by Lynn Graesing)
The 964-acre Five Ridge Prairie State Preserve exemplifies the northern loess bluffs of western Iowa with a mixture of oak timbered valleys, native prairie ridge tops and west facing slopes. This unique loess landform site is home to several state threatened and endangered plant and animal species. It was also the site of the original wild turkey restoration stocking for Plymouth County. The public is invited to hike and enjoy Five Ridge year round. Sioux City Prairie is one of the nation’s largest native prairie tracts found in an urban setting. An area uniquely and delicately balanced between the city and the wild, Sioux City Prairie is a TNC-owned 150-acre tallgrass prairie preserve. The prairie and wooded valleys of this well-drained, high-relief landscape support a variety of plants and animals typically found further west in the Great Plains. The preserve also supports a diverse population of birds and it provides critical habitat for many species of prairie butterflies. Mount Talbot State Preserve is a 90-acre area featuring a rugged Loess Hills landscape with forested slopes and prairie-capped ridges. It is located in the northern part of Stone State Park, in Plymouth and Woodbury counties. The preserve contains about 35 acres of prairie on narrow ridge tops adjoining a large tract of oak woodland in the deep ravines. It supports a rich prairie flora of over seventy-five native plants. The site is very scenic with panoramic views of the Loess Hills landscape. Sylvan Runkel State Preserve is a 330-acre preserve containing an outstanding example of Iowa’s Loess Hills landscape, with extensive native prairie covering steep hills. The preserve lies along the western edge of the Loess Hills landform region, overlooking the broad Missouri River valley. The preserve supports a variety of prairie, forest, and brush vegetation. A total of over 200 plant species can be found. The main feature of the preserve is a prominent ridge with over 100 acres of high-quality native prairie. Turin Loess Hills State Preserve is a 220-acre area featuring a rugged Loess Hills landscape with an abrupt west-facing ridge. It is located in the southern unit of the 3,000-acre Loess Hills Wildlife Area, 2 miles north of Turin and 7.5 miles east of Onawa in Monona County. In 1978, the area was dedicated as a biological and geological state preserve and became part of a National Natural Landmark in 1986. Folsom Point Preserve features spectacular landscapes, with open prairie ridges rising dramatically out of the Missouri River floodplain. This preserve not only has high-quality prairie on the ridges; it also has a rare example of mesic prairie in one of the valleys. These high-quality habitats support a high diversity of prairie plants, birds and butterflies. The terrain is quite rugged with steep slopes. Folsom Point Prairie protects one of the largest remaining contiguous prairie remnants in the southern Loess Hills. Purchased in 1999, the prairie provides a valuable habitat for grassland animals, particularly in an area where the prairie community has largely disappeared. John Wanamaker chose the name for Eli Slusher Wildlife Management to honor the original homesteader on the property, who received his first land grant from President Franklin Pierce in 1853. The wildlife area contains 411 acres in the Loess Hills with high quality remnant prairie, oak savanna, woodland, scenic vistas, and retired hay land.
Greenwood Cemetery Prairie sits next to one of the older cemeteries (1860s) in Guthrie County. Bundt Prairie is a rare gem located where a 1-room country school originally sat. A variety of native prairie grasses and forbs inhabit both sites. Bring your identification book and your camera to capture the beauty of this remarkable ecosystem. While you hike the area, keep in mind that what you see of the prairie plants is typically only 1/3 of the plant's height. Some plants have root systems that stretch over 15 feet into the ground. Friendly reminder: Please don't pick any wildflowers and be respectful of cemetery rules. Sheeder Prairie State Preserve is a 25-acre tallgrass prairie. It is located five miles west of Guthrie Center in Guthrie County. The property was purchased in 1961 by the Iowa Conservation Commission from Oscar and Clara Sheeder, the son and daughter-in-law of the original homesteader. It was dedicated as a biological state preserve in 1968. This preserve lies within the Southern Iowa Drift Plain, a landform region of gently rolling terrain. Over 200 plant species are found in this preserve, including thirty grasses.  Pony Creek Lake If you are interested in becoming an angler, the first weekend in June is the perfect opportunity to explore fishing in western Iowa. Iowa residents can try fishing without buying a license on June 2, 3 and 4, as part of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) free fishing weekend. All other regulations remain in place. Fun, hands-on fishing events will be offered across Iowa to help families new to fishing get started. Check the general fishing calendar on the DNR website at for a list of free fishing events. Get tips for taking kids fishing and catching crappie and bluegills on the DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov/Fishing/Ready-to-Fish. If there isn't an event near you, or if you want to explore another area, check out our list below of 15 fishing spots in western Iowa. The list includes one spot in each county on western Iowa's scenic byways.
Fish year-round at Scharnberg Park! The 15-acre pond has bass, bluegill and channel catfish. The pond is stocked yearly by the Urban Trout Stocking program which stocks 1,500 Rainbow trout in October or November and January or February of each year. With 2 rock fishing jetties and 1 handicap accessible fishing pier, accessibility to the pond is excellent.
Willow Lake Recreation Area has a 27-acre lake with largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish, and black crappie. The legal size limit of bass is 15 inches or more; anything under must be released immediately. There is a boat ramp and parking lot; electric motors only. Fishing jetties and a pier also provide access to deeper waters without the need for a boat. Gilbert Pond at Big Lake Park. Paved trails, picnic area, playground and restrooms. Catch largemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish. Rainbow Trout stocked each fall and winter. Pony Creek Lake has approximately 1,300 feet of shoreline access for anglers and canoers on an 82-acre lake. Anglers will most likely encounter: largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, channel catfish, carp and yellow bass. The lake access area is well groomed and has a gravel-parking lot which handles overflow crowds from Pony Creek Park. It is located approximately 3/4 mile north of Pony Creek Park (56235 Deacon Road) on Deacon Road. Pinky's Glenn is a roadside park just west of Tabor, slightly off the beaten path and featuring solitude and scenery. The park shelter, picnic tables and restrooms are all located conveniently near the main road. Visitors can take a circular path around the grounds and discover varieties of birds and wildlife. Tucked away at the back of the park is a beautiful pond suitable for fishing.
The 70-acre lake at Littlefield Recreation Area is a popular fishing spot. It contains channel catfish, crappies, bluegill, largemouth bass, and carp. The lake is also popular for swimming with its 400 foot long beach. Whiterock Conservancy offer access to 12 fishing ponds around the property, free of charge. The Garst Family invited local residents to fish on these ponds in the 1950s and Whiterock is proud to continue this tradition. Pond 5 on the map, locally known as Anthofer Pond, is closed due to low water levels. A map of all the ponds can be downloaded here. Resources & PrizesIf you catch the fishing bug during free fishing weekend, purchase a fishing license with the DNR Go Outdoors Iowa online licensing system Find a list of stocked lakes and ponds that are easily accessible in parks and along trails on the Iowa DNR’s interactive Iowa Community Fisheries Atlas.
 Iowa DNR is partnering for a second year with MyCatch by Angler’s Atlas to conduct a statewide walleye fishing challenge starting May 1 through June 30.' Anglers will have the chance to win numerous local prizes, worth over $6,000, in addition to $5,000 in statewide weekly prizes. Register for the Iowa Walleye Challenge today. There is a $25 fee to enter the tournament; only paid participants qualify for prizes. Photo of Bertram Reservation by Lynn Graesing Our last post in the Hiking the Byways series takes us to Clay County on the Glacial Trail Scenic Byway. There are multiple areas open to hiking in the county, some with maintained trails like Bertram Reservation. If you are looking for off-trail exploration, there are 15 wildlife management areas and numerous county properties to explore native prairie, bottomland timber, and the Little Sioux River.  Bertram Reservation
Oneota Park
Other Areas in Clay CountyWanata Park - Wanata Park is a 144-acre park situated along the Little Sioux River next to the town of Peterson. Come enjoy the trails as you hike along the flood plains or hills of the Little Sioux River. Bob Howe Thunder Bridge Wildlife Refuge - 29.5 Acre wildlife refuge with the Little Sioux River flowing through it. Bike and hiking trail. Home to historic Thunder Bridge, a through truss bridge built in 1905. Donahoo Wildlife Area - 171 acre wildlife area located in both Clay and Buena Vista counties. It is located in the Little Sioux flood plain with prairie uplands and Oak Savannah prairie remnants. Kindlespire Complex - 310-acre wildlife area located along the Little Sioux River with hiking trails. Mori Prairie - 40 acres of open prairie. Ideal for pheasant hunting using non-toxic shot and bird watching. Outstanding for those who are interested in native plant ecology. One of the very few pristine native prairies in Clay County. Riverton Wildlife Area - 160-acre wildlife area along the Ocheyedan River open to hiking. Schmerse Wildlife Area - Hiking trail around the pond. Stouffer Memorial Wildlife Preserve - 20 acre wildlife reserve located along the Little Sioux River off of Highway 18. Summit Wildlife Area - Summit Wildlife Area is approximately 132 acres of re-constructed prairie area located on the Little Sioux River. Wildlife Management AreasThere are 15 wildlife management areas in Clay County. These areas are managed by the Iowa DNR and are open to hunting. There are no maintained trails, however, some may have maintenance tracks that can be used for hiking. Off-trail hiking is permitted, but take caution during hunting season to not disturb wildlife or hunters. Go to the Iowa DNR's website to search for WMAs in Clay County. Hiking the Byways is a regular series by Golden Hills RC&D that features publicly accessible lands open to hiking on the three scenic byways in western Iowa that Golden Hills RC&D coordinates: Glacial Trail Scenic Byway, Loess Hills National Scenic Byway, and Western Skies Scenic Byway. Each Friday a blog post covers hiking areas in one county on one of the aforementioned byways. For questions about hiking on the byways, contact Seth Brooks (seth.brooks@goldenhillsrcd.org). Aqua Archer Farms is a small aquaponics farm in Missouri Valley. While working for UPS, owner Chris Archer delivered an aquaponics system and was intrigued. After learning more about it, he decided to give it a try. In 2018, Chris visited an aquaponics farm in Colorado, and the Nelson Pade facilities in Wisconsin. He took a 3-day mastery class with Nelson Pade, who is one of the premier companies in the aquaponics business. The farm consists of a series of tanks and plant beds where greens are grown on water instead of soil. Aqua Archer Farms have a “Family Plus System” consisting of four 100-gallon tanks with fish, and two 55-gallon clarifying tanks. Ammonia comes from fish urine, but the fish solid waste does not come anywhere near the food production. The ammonia that is produced by the fish is broken down organically by bacteria, similar to how it does in soil, producing nitrate that is beneficial to the plants. From the fish tanks, water goes into a degassing tank. Water is then put into beds where greens are floating on raft beds. Their roots go directly into the water.  They use tilapia, which are considered a highly invasive species by Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The farm is required to have a DNR permit, an annual aquaculture permit, and the facilities are inspected by DNR to ensure they are following all environmental regulations. Although the fish are edible, selling them would require another expensive permit so they do not sell the fish. The fish are all males, which reduces the chance of unchecked population growth. They arrive as 1-5 gram fingerlings.  As they grow, the size of the food pellets they eat also grows. Nelson Pade has their own meal formula, which does not include any bloodmeal. The fish are fed 3-5 times per day depending on their size. Because tilapia like to jump and can easily jump out of the tanks, the tanks are covered with nets. The fish live about 7 months. A general rule is to have 1 pound of fish per 2-3 gallons of water. A ¼ horsepower pump is all that’s needed to recirculate water through the system, in addition to using gravity as much as possible. It is an enclosed loop system which conserves water and improves efficiency. The plants take 30 to 55 days to grow to a harvestable size. They require temperatures between 65-85 degree F to thrive. Fans are needed to help circulate air. Grow lights are used in the greenhouse to help increase the light spectrum for the plants’ growth cycles, and generate small amount of heat. A “purge tank” system is used when they are harvesting the fish at the grow out stage of 1.5-2 pounds. They are taken from the 100 gallon tank once at weight and are not fed, to clean out their system. Salt is added as a calming agent and to help clean out the fish from any remaining waste, to produce a cleaner meat and taste when harvested. They add DTPA Iron, magnesium and calcium to the water. The iron is not readily available for the plants in this form of iron so they add the calcium and magnesium for the iron to attach to so the plants can uptake the nutrients. They have several biosecurity measures in place to reduce the risk of contamination and pests. They do weekly chemical testing of the water to make sure pH, nitrite, dissolved oxygen, and other qualities are adequate. Tanks are cleaned monthly (or as needed) depending on the fish stocking density. The Archers do not use any pesticides or other chemicals.  Archer Aqua farms started growing produce about a year ago. To harvest the greens, they lift up the floating beds and snip off the roots. They are currently selling 9 types of greens, and plan to add berries and tomatoes in the future. Customers often comment on the great flavor of their greens compared to store-bought counterparts.  They are planning to start producing Microgreens in the next month or so, using a ZipGrow Microgreens Station. The Archers are currently participating in Upstart University, where they’re learning more tools and tips of the trade. You can find Archer Aqua Farm’s greens at the Blair Farmers Market in the summer, and at S&S Pumping in Blair in the off-season of the farmers market on Saturday mornings. One Farm Market in Logan also regularly sells them. They have at times sold to the Pink Poodle in Crescent. They will have anywhere from 70-90 heads of greens available each week. You can also contact them through their Facebook page to place an order. For a small fee, you can get a tour of their facilities.   Penstemon grandiflorus at Hitchcock Nature Center (photo by Seth Brooks)
Penstemon species are commonly called beardtongue because of an interesting adaptation to attract pollinators. "One of the five stamens is sterile and does not produce pollen. It is often modified into a hairy or bearded tongue and probably attracts insects," as noted in the field guide Wildflowers of Iowa Woodlands by Sylvan Runkel and Alvin Bull. Penstemon grandiflorus is common on Loess Hills prairies in western Iowa but very infrequent elsewhere on dry, sandy prairies and stabilized sand dunes. Its purple flowers bloom from late May to mid-June.
 Penstemon grandiflorus  Locoweed on Badger Ridge at Hitchcock Nature Center (photo by Seth Brooks)
Locoweed flowers from late May to mid-June. Oxytropis lambertii plant is one of the locoweeds most frequently implicated in livestock poisoning. Locoweed is a common name in North America for any plant that produces swainsonine, a phytotoxin harmful to livestock.
 Whiterock Conservancy (photo by Lance Brisbois)
Explore over 40+ miles of hiking, mountain biking, equestrian, and UTV trails; set up camp in our RV or tent camping areas; or enjoy the comforts of home in one of our vacation rentals. A Whiterock Conservancy trail pass is required for all visitors mountain biking and horseback riding on the trails. A trail pass is not required for walking or hiking, however a suggested donation of $2 is appreciated. The annual pass is good for the calendar year and the daily pass is good for the day of purchase. Trail fees help cover the cost of maintenance, as well as preserve the landscape. Self-serve kiosks are located with payment envelopes throughout Whiterock Conservancy and can be found at the campgrounds, trailheads, Bur Oak Visitor's Center, and the Historic Garst Farmstead. (text source: Whiterock Conservancy)  Source: Whiterock Conservancy Springbrook State Park
Springbrook State Park is a quiet retreat in Guthrie County, encompassing 930 acres of rolling hills and mature timber. Many of the park’s structures were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s, creating a nostalgic setting for park visitors. A multifamily cabin called the Sherburne House is perfect for large families or groups, and the lake is a popular destination for swimming and kayaking. Hike or bike 12 miles of trails at Springbrook, offering leisurely routes through timber and prairie areas or more challenging paths for the seasoned hiker or biker. Trails also lead to small ponds, the Middle Raccoon River, and the park’s 17-acre lake. Snowmobiling is allowed on four miles of designated trails in the winter. (text source: Iowa DNR) Sheeder Prairie State Preserve
This preserve lies within the Southern Iowa Drift Plain, a landform region of gently rolling terrain. Over 200 plant species are found in this preserve, including thirty grasses. The prairie hilltops and slopes contain big bluestem, little bluestem, porcupine grass, and prairie dropseed along with leadplant, rosinweed, prairie willow, and redroot. Prairie phlox, golden alexanders, flowering spurge, rattlesnake master, purple coneflower, and gray-headed coneflower are also common. The wooded ravines are dominated by box elder, wild plum, and black willow. In the spring, prairie false dandelion, bird’s-foot violet, prairie violet, lousewort, and hoary puccoon are among the first plants to begin blooming. By May, ground plum, indigo bush, blue-eyed grass, prairie ragwort, tall green milkweed, prairie larkspur, and yellow stargrass join the display. Prairie loosestrife, butterfly weed, purple prairie clover, compass plant, ironweed, wild bergamot, rough blazing star, and prairie blazing star can be found in June and July. Nodding ladies’-tresses, white sage, silky aster, sky-blue aster, showy goldenrod, Canada goldenrod, smooth goldenrod, and downy gentian bloom during the fall months. A total of sixty-nine species of birds can be found here, with twenty-five nesting on a regular basis. Nearly three-fourths of the nesting species are woodland species. Two grassland species, the bobolink and grasshopper sparrow, nest sporadically. Several preferring the woodland edge habitat found here include gray catbird, eastern kingbird, brown thrasher, rosebreasted grosbeak, red-headed woodpecker, downy woodpecker, blackcapped chickadee, Baltimore oriole, northern cardinal, house wren, and American goldfinch. The Conservation Education Center, located at Springbrook State Park north of Guthrie Center, sponsors workshops and interpretive events that often include field trips to Sheeder Prairie. (text source: Iowa DNR state preserves guide)  Nations Bridge Park
Nations Bridge Park offers a variety of recreational opportunities to the public and is a favorite spot for many. The park has a total of 81 acres that can be used for camping, picnicking, kayaking, hiking, bird watching fishing, disc golf, and horse shoes. Wildlife is abundant at Nations Bridge Park. Deer, turkeys, squirrels, rabbits, quail, raccoons, coyotes, and a variety of songbirds can be seen at the park. Nature trails can be found throughout the park and a self-guided nature trail is located on the east side of the park, County Highway P28. (text source: Guthrie County Conservation)  Sutcliffe Woodland
Sutcliffe Woodland is a beautiful, 55-acre oak-hickory area designated as a wildlife refuge. It offers a 31-post, self-guided interpretive nature trail, as well as picnicking, hiking, and pond fishing. (text source: Guthrie County Conservation)  Raccoon River Valley Trail
The trail winds its way through the Middle and North Raccoon River corridors with areas of prairie and canopies of timber that remind us of what Iowa was like in the 1870's. Common uses for the multi-recreational trail are hiking, biking, walking, in-line skating, jogging, bird watching , or cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling in the winter. Trailheads in Guthrie County:
(text source: Guthrie County Conservation) The following Guthrie County Conservation properties are open to hiking but have no maintained trails: Hiking the Byways is a regular series by Golden Hills RC&D that features publicly accessible lands open to hiking on the three scenic byways in western Iowa that Golden Hills RC&D coordinates: Glacial Trail Scenic Byway, Loess Hills National Scenic Byway, and Western Skies Scenic Byway. Each Friday a blog post covers hiking areas in one county on one of the aforementioned byways. For questions about hiking on the byways, contact Seth Brooks (seth.brooks@goldenhillsrcd.org).
Loess Hills Scenic Overlook (© 2016 Kenneth West)
Aalfs Family Preserve
Land status - Broken Kettle Grasslands Overlook location - Butcher Rd south of Westfield Access - via a kissing gate on Butcher Rd Notes - Bench and interpretive panel overlooking the bison enclosure Five Ridge Prairie Cabin Land status - Five Ridge Prairie State Preserve Overlook location - 26616 IA-12, Westfield, IA 51062 Access - Requires a hike up a steep trail Notes - Cabin is perched on the ridge overlooking the Bix Sioux River and the Missouri River floodplain Elk Point Overlook Land status - Stone State Park Overlook location - Stone State Park Dr, Sioux City, IA 51109 Access - Parking area on the park road Notes - Overlooks the southern section of the state park Dakota Point Overlook Land status - Stone State Park Overlook location - Dakota Point Rd, Sioux City, IA 51109 Access - Parking area on the park road Notes - Overlooks the Big Sioux River and South Dakota Kestrel Point Land status - Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center Overlook location - Bluestem Trail Access - Requires hiking the nature center trails Notes - Overlooks the nature center Mount Lucia Land status - Stone State Park Overlook location - Mt. Lucia Trail Access - Requires hiking the state park trails Notes - Views of Sioux City War Eagle Park Land status - War Eagle Park Overlook location - Sioux City, IA 51103 Access - Ample parking lot Notes - Overlooking I-29, the Missouri River, and Nebraska Sergeant Floyd Monument Land status - Sergeant Floyd Monument Overlook location - 2601 S Lewis Blvd, Sioux City, IA 51103 Access - Ample parking lot Notes - Views of I-29, Sioux City, Missouri River, and Nebraska Loess Hills Scenic Overlook Land status - Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit Overlook location - Oak Ave, Moorhead, IA 51558 Access - Wood platform that is wheelchair and stroller accessible Notes - Interpretive panels and views of prairie ridges and state forest Preparation Canyon State Park Viewpoint Land status - Preparation Canyon State Park Overlook location - Moorhead, IA 51558 Access - Via hiking trail; quickest access via the overnight camping parking lot off Highway 183 Notes - Bench atop a prairie ridge with views of the state park and Soldier River Valley Murray Hill Scenic Overlook Land status - Harrison County Conservation Overlook location - 1634 Co Rd F20, Little Sioux, IA 51545 Access - Requires a short hike from the parking lot Notes - Interpretive panels, picnic table, bench, and views of the Missouri River floodplain Little Sioux Viewpoint Land status - Loess Hills State Forest - Little Sioux Unit Overlook location - 41.773667, -96.004111 Access - Requires hiking up a steep trail from the parking lot on 165th Trail Notes - Bench overlooking the junction of the Soldier River Valley and Missouri River floodplain, and views of the Mondamin unit of the state forest Mondamin Viewpoint Land status - Loess Hills State Forest - Mondamin Unit Overlook location - 41.721694, -95.964556 Access - Requires hiking the state forest trails, including a steep section from the south trailhead on Highway 127 Notes - Bench atop a steep ridge with views west of the Missouri River floodplain Lincoln Highway Overlook Land status - Harrison County Iowa Welcome Center Overlook location - 2931 Monroe Ave, Missouri Valley, IA 51555 Access - Requires walking a paved path from the welcome center Notes - Overlooking the Lincoln Highway Loveland Scenic Overlook Tower Land status - I-880 rest area Overlook location - 16614 I-880, Honey Creek, IA 51542 Access - Stairs to top of the overlook tower Notes - Overlooking I-880 and the surrounding Loess Hills Loess Hills Lodge & HawkWatch Tower Land status - Hitchcock Nature Center Overlook location - 27792 Ski Hill Loop, Honey Creek, IA 51542 Access - HawkWatch Tower requires climbing up stairs, while there is a viewing platform around the Lodge Notes - Views of the nature center Badger Ridge Viewpoint Land status - Hitchcock Nature Center Overlook location - Badger Ridge Trail Access - Requires hiking one-half mile from the Badger Ridge Trailhead Notes - Views of the southern section of the nature center and the Simon Run valley Lewis & Clark Monument Overlook Land status - Lewis and Clark Monument Park Overlook location - 19962 Monument Rd, Council Bluffs, IA 51503 Access - Accessible for wheelchairs and strollers Notes - Views of planes landing and taking off from Eppley Airfield and the Omaha skyline Lookout Point Land status - Fairmount Park Overlook location - End of Park Rd Access - Small parking area at the end of Park Rd Notes - Views west of Council Bluffs and downtown Omaha West Oak Forest Viewpoint Land status - West Oak Forest Overlook location - 41.0742, -95.81053 Access - Requires a steep hike from the parking lot to the ridge, then additional hiking along the ridge Notes - Views of the Missouri River floodplain Pony Creek Park Overlook Tower Land status - Pony Creek Park Overlook location - 41.06962, -95.78753 Access - Requires hiking the park's trails Notes - Views of Pony Creek Mile Hill Lake Scenic Overlook Land status - Mile Hill Lake Overlook location - 21193 US, Mile Hill Lake Park, US-34, Pacific Junction, IA 51561 Access - Viewing platform at the parking lot Notes - Overlooking Mile Hill Lake Riverton Wildlife Overlook Land status - Riverton Wildlife Management Area Overlook location - 40.7181, -95.5658 Access - Wood platform Notes - Overlooking the northern section of the wildlife area Waubonsie State Park Scenic Overlook Land status - Waubonsie State Park Overlook location - 40.67549, -95.69093 Access - Near the parking lot near the park office Notes - Benches and interpretive panels overlooking the state park Sunset Ridge Viewpoint Land status - Waubonsie State Park Overlook location - 40.67206, -95.70318 Access - Requires hiking Sunset Ridge Trail Notes - Interpretive panel and view overlooking the Missouri River floodplain Flavor Country Farms, located in the Loess Hills near Honey Creek, is a small farm specializing in mushrooms and microgreens. They started at the current site in September 2018, but owner Kevin Novak had been growing in his Omaha basement before the move. Prior to that, Kevin spent several years in the restaurant industry in Chicago before returning to his hometown. While studying at Metro Community College, he became interested in fungi and tried growing mushrooms for the first time. Kevin is primarily self-taught, though he did attend a two-day training with world-renowned fungi expert Paul Stamets. Most of his expertise comes from years of experience and experimentation to figure out what works and what doesn’t. In January 2022, fire destroyed a building that was primarily being used for storage. The structure is currently being rebuilt as a packing house. Once completed, it will increase their capacity for production and storage. They plan to incorporate more value-added products like lion’s mane jerky, powder & capsules, and more.  Flavor Country is a “chef-inspired” farm – Kevin asks the restaurant chefs what they want and caters to their needs. They currently sell to 40-50 markets per week, totaling about 700 pounds of product. The mushrooms grown by Flavor Country are called primary decomposers, and commonly are found in the wild growing on trees. The “big 4” – lion’s mane, oyster, chestnut & black pearl—are most popular for restaurants. Each variety has their own unique flavor and preferred recipes. Lion’s mane crab cakes, for example, are popular with many chefs. Oyster mushrooms grow the quickest are the least likely to be contaminated as they have the most aggressive mycelium to fight against contamination. Oysters are a great mushroom for an entry-level or hobbyist grower. Used mushrooms blocks are used to create mushroom compost for their vegetables. The mushroom process starts with clones or spores, then agar or liquid culture. From there is Generation 1 spawn, followed by Gen 2 and Gen 3. Next, it goes into a fruiting substrate, into incubation, then the grow room, and finally packing. The fuiting chamber requires very specific temperature, humidity, CO levels, and fresh air. An intricate geoair thermal battery was built into the ground beneath the grow room to help regulate the environmental conditions for optimal mushroom growth. October to March seems to be the best time to grow mushrooms, as they are not fans of the heat. Bugs like fungus gnats are more likely to cause problems in warmer weather.        Besides mushrooms, Flavor Country’s microgreens are popular with restaurants. They currently sell 30 varieties of microgreens, but Kevin has developed at least 50 varieties over the years.   They also grow garlic and several types of herbs. Squash blossoms are a popular seasonal treat that restaurants enjoy. For a while in the spring they even sell locally-harvested morel mushrooms.   Flavor Country Farms' mushrooms, microgreens, garlic, and herbs can be found at numerous restaurants in the Omaha metro, as well as 712 in Council Bluffs and Pink Poodle in Crescent. In addition to restaurants (their primary customer), several Omaha grocery stores carry their products, including: Hy-Vees at 90th & Center, 180th & Pacific, and 96th & Q in Omaha; Exist Green in Dundee; and Berreras Farms at 194th & F. Additionally, you can find their products at Berreras Farms’ CSA, Iowana Farms’ CSA, and No More Empty Pots. They sometimes have a farm stand at the Casey’s in Crescent on Friday evenings.
They are also considering some on-farm events and are hosting a PFI Field Day this fall, so stay tuned! Follow Flavor Country Farms on Facebook, Instagram, and their website. |
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