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Grinding your own ear of corn is one way to have fun and learn about our agricultural heritage at Heartland Acres in Independence, IA.

On Monday, May 13th Governor Terry Branstad proclaimed June 9-16, 2013 as Iowa Museum Week. During that week, Iowa’s museums will celebrate their unique contributions to their communities as contributors to community quality of life, economic engines, tourism attractions, and educational partners. Iowa’s ninety-nine counties are home to hundreds of historical societies and museums as well as to major regional collections in art, history, agricultural, botanical and living collections. Iowa’s museums attract visitors to area hotels, restaurants, and recreational areas; provide education and outreach for all ages; drive both incoming tourism revenue and job creation; and contribute to the overall quality of life that makes Iowa’s communities great places to live, work, and raise a family.

With this proclamation Governor Branstad recognizes the importance of Iowa’s museums, stating that Iowa Museum Week will celebrate the crucial role of Iowa’s museums in preserving the historical fabric and memory of our state through preservation of artifacts and archives; in providing educational resources and programs which expand learning opportunities for all ages; in contributing to a vibrant community and state economy through job creation, purchase of goods and services, and by attracting tourism revenue to the community and state; and in their significant role in enhancing community quality of life.

Heartland Acres will celebrate Iowa Museum week by offering $2 adult discount $1.00 children discount off all regular price admission.

Heartland Acres is open Monday –Saturday 9AM – 4:30PM and Sunday noon to 4:30PM and is located at 2600 Swan Lake Blvd., Independence, IA 50644.  Find us on Facebook. Call or stop out and see us.

Iowa’s museums are supported in their missions by the Iowa Museum Association, a statewide association of museums including art centers and art museums, botanical gardens, children’s museums,historic sites, historical societies, living history sites, nature centers, natural history museums, planetariums, science and technology centers, and zoos.

The mission of the Iowa Museum Association is to provide quality training and development to Iowa museum professionals and volunteers, advocate for support of Iowa’s museums, and build a strong community of museums and museum supporters in Iowa.

For more information on Iowa museums or the Iowa Museum Association, please visit www.iowamuseums.org or contact Cynthia Sweet at imasweet@cfu.net.

Kevin and Zachary Jimmerson are pictured in the October 2012 Family Fishing Day on Swan Lake at Heartland Acres campus in Independence, Iowa.

Family Fishing Day is set for the afternoon of Sunday, June 2, 2013 on Swan Lake at the Heartland Acres Campus. Heartland Acres will open Swan Lake for fishing guests as part of their regular paid museum admission. The event will run from Noon to 4:00PM. Wristbands to fish the lake will be available at the admission office in the museum.

Swan Lake is approximately four acres and holds a variety of fish including Catfish, Crappie, Bluegill and Bass. For the event, anglers will be allowed to “catch and keep” all Crappie and Bluegill of appropriate size. All other fish are to be “catch and release”.

Pay admission and go fishin’. Regular museum admission covers the opportunity to fish along with a museum visit. Several new displays are out as well as a baby farm animals.

Fishing will be allowed from the shore only. Anglers are to bring their own gear. Worms will be supplied by The Bait Shoppe. Simple gear including: poles, 1/8 oz. jigs, twister tails, hooks and sinkers will work fine. Anglers are to follow all Iowa fishing laws and regulations and are required to have a valid Iowa Fishing License and be good sportsmen.

Heartland Acres is a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization. For more information about Heartland Acres  call (319) 332.0123 or find us on Facebook.

More than 40 tractor riders participated in the Heartland Acres Tractor Ride in 2012. The 2013 ride is expected to draw riders from around the area again for the 54 mile trip through the northern half of Buchanan County.

The Heartland Acres Tractor Ride is on again for 2013. Mark your calendars for Saturday June 8, 2013. The ride will start at 8:30AM from the Heartland Acres parking lot at 2600 Swan Lake Blvd, in Independence, Iowa.

Entry fee per tractor is $25.00. Entry forms for preregistration are available at Heartland Acres admission office or online here and are due by May 31, 2013.

Tractor Rides in Iowa are one of the best ways to get out and show off your tractor and see the countryside at a slower pace.

For more information about Heartland Acres please  call (319) 332.0123 or visit Heartland Acres on Facebook.

Group of John Deere Service managers from Germany and a group of John Deere Students from the US who recently visited Heartland Acres as part of their stay in Iowa.

As weather in Iowa begins to warm up so do the number of tours to museums and other venues our state has to offer. Heartland Acres recently receive two tour groups who were in Iowa on business for John Deere. As their time allowed in travels between John Deere facilities they were able to come to Heartland Acres Agribition Center and discover the variety of exhibits and learning opportunities available to visitors.

Christoph Fiekers from Germany was on his second visit to Heartland Acres and commented “the displays are interesting and the museum always has something new.”

Students from Fort Scott Community College in Kansas

Lindsey Crawford, a native of Independence was here with her group from Fort Scott Community College in Kansas. It is a 2 year technical program created by John Deere that trains students to become technicians for John Deere dealers. The students will also earn an associates degree. Every student must have a sponsoring John Deere dealership to be accepted into the class and will train at those dealerships during two internship periods. Linsdseys sponsor is Rowley Equipment.

Every year the students that are to graduate in May use their spring break week to tour John Deere factories in Iowa. Their stops included Ankeny, Ottumwa, Moline and Waterloo. The group made time in their day to come by and see Heartland Acres thanks to Lindseys recommendation. Lindsey is the daughter of Mark and Micky Crawford of Independence.

Iowa travel season heats up this time of year. Visitors can find many things to do in Iowa by checking out www.traveliowa.com

Find Heartland Acres on Facebook or call 319.332.0123. Heartland Acres is located at 2600 Swan Lake Blvd, Independence, IA 50644. (Exit 252 on HWY 20)

Pictured left to right: Dan Wardell – IPTV Kids Clubhouse host, Students form SE Polk FFA, and Craig Johnson with Heartland Acres.

For the fifth year in a row Heartland Acres appeared on IPTV with Kids Clubhouse host Dan Wardell. Each year in March, Heartland has been invited to showcase activities and exhibits found at Heartland Acres. This year Heartland worked with SE Polk FFA instructor Matt Eddy and his students to show farm animal on the Kids Clubhouse program.

Special arrangements were made with the IPTV staff prior to the program and the SE Polk FFA chapter stepped up to assist in the delivery, care and showing of the animals. The animals represented the types of animals found at Heartland Acres during the summer season. Farm animals from chickens and goats to calves and pigs are on display from mid-April through September and make for a lively exhibit.

Adults and children visiting Heartland Acres can experience agriculture in many ways throughout the year at Heartland Acres. Exhibits along with hands-on activities are on display to help teach the importance of our agricultural heritage and the future of farming.

Craig Johnson, Executive Director with Heartland Acres said, “It is the help and support of Dan Wardell and the staff at IPTV as well as our new friends at SE Polk FFA that allows Heartland Acres to continue drawing awareness to the importance of our agriculture heritage.”

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Heartland Acres will change from winter hours to summer hours starting April 1. Museum operations will be Monday – Saturday 9 AM – 4:30 PM and Sunday noon – 4:30 PM through November 1.

Find Heartland Acres on Facebook or call 319.332.0123. Heartland Acres is located at 2600 Swan Lake Blvd, Independence, IA 50644. (Exit 252 on HWY 20).