Leanne Harrison – program manager for Heartland Acres Agribiton Center in Independence, IA recently hosted a class of international students from Upper Iowa University in Fayette, IA as part of their English class. The students came from South America, Mongolia, China, Japan and Eastern Europe.
The students were given the opportunity to take a break from their English studies and learn something about Iowa agriculture. The variety of vintage tractors caught their interest. But what seemed to draw their interest the most was the antique car collection. Of special interest was the 1929 Packard 645 Deluxe Eight, Dual Cowl Phaeton. The car stood out mostly due to the exceptional pearl white color and the beautiful condition which lead it to winning an Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) award. More information about AACA can be found at www.aaca.org
In 1929 as the Packard 645 was being built, America was about to begin its financial struggles which temporarily reduced the demand for cars of this caliber. Packard made it through the depression and went on to design many more unique cars with innovative features and were always known to have powerful motors. Unfortunately, Packard automobile production ended completely in 1964 as financial losses from 1963 totaled $16.9 million. Packard could not make it through financial losses of this magnitude.
Today the 1929 645 Packard is on display at Heartland Acers Agribition Center in the Classic Car museum to be enjoyed by visitors from around the world.
“Visitors to Heartland Acres Agribiton Center in Independence, IA have helped make us Attraction of the Year” stated Leanne Harrison – Program Manger. “We have been working hard since we first opened our doors for business in May of 2007 to build Heartland Acres into a great destination and attraction for Independence and all of Iowa. This award tells us we are on the right track and now we need to keep going to build on our progress.
Harrison also serves as President for the Buchanan County History Board and knows of many other worthwhile attractions in and around Independence and felt it was a great compliment to Heartland and the community for the recognition from Iowa Tourism to be voted Attraction of the Year. Even with the award Harrison stated “we’re grateful to be recognized and have even more in store in the coming months and years to help us continue to be an award winning attraction in Iowa.
Newly elected board member to Heartland Acres, Lloyd Welter from Monticello, Iowa also recognizes the value of a great attraction and stated “for smaller communities in Iowa to be involved in promoting their area in the $6 Billion annual agricultural tourism industry is a plus. Iowa is a great starting point for any visitor to learn about agriculture and Heartland Acres is a great destination for any tour.”
Iowa Tourism employs more than 63,000 people statewide and generates more than $312 million in state taxes. The Iowa Tourism Office is part of the Iowa Department of Economic Development. For more information about Iowa tourism, visit www.traveliowa.com, call 800.345.IOWA or stop at any Iowa Welcome Center.
Heartland Acres Agribiton Center is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization with a volunteer Board of Directors. Heartland Acres operates on admissions, donations, grants, rental fees and gift shop sales to sustain ongoing operations. Heartland Acres preserves, protects, educates and entertains visitors with displays and activities which continue telling the story of our agricultural heritage. Heartland Acres is located at 2600 Swan Lake Blvd., Independence, IA 50644 and can be found at www.heartlandacresusa.com Phone (319) 332.0123
Visitors to Heartland Acres Agribiton Center in Independence, IA will have an additional hands – on activity waiting for them upon their next visit to the facility which recently won an Iowa Tourism Award for 2010. A newly donated penny press machine will now offer guests an opportunity to see how gears, cranks and dies work together to press a penny in to one of four designs to be pressed in to their penny.
Leanne Harrison, Education and Program Manager at Heartland Acres indicated many visitors have been busy pressing their pennies to take back home to keep as a memory of their visit to Heartland Acres. She also noted in several cases guest have been seen pressing all four of the unique designs to add to their collection.
The idea of the penny press machine as a donation to Heartland Acres stemmed from prior discussions with the Hoglan family as a way to increase hands on activities as well as a way to help raise funds for Heartland Acres through the coin operated machine. All funds collected from the new penny press machine will be used towards operations and ongoing care of the facility and displays at the Heartland Acres facility.
Hoglan Family donates new hand crank Penny Press machine to Heartland Acres Agribition Center in Independence, IA.
Heartland Acres Executive Director, Craig Johnson expressed great appreciation for the generosity the Hoglan family has extended to Heartland Acres. Johnson stated, “Donations and support like this are what help Heartland Acres survive and thrive. It is through the generosity of people like the Hoglan family, which will help us continue telling the story of our agricultural heritage.”
Heartland Acres Agribiton Center is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization with a volunteer Board of Directors. Heartland Acres operates on admissions, donations, grants, rental fees and gift shop sales to sustain ongoing operations. Heartland Acres preserves, protects, educates and entertains visitors with displays and activities which continue telling the story of our agricultural heritage. Heartland Acres is located at 2600 Swan Lake Blvd., Independence, IA 50644 and can be found at www.heartlandacresusa.com Phone (319) 332.0123
The Iowa Tourism Office and Iowa Travel Federation of Iowa presented 21 awards to industry members during the 2010 Iowa Tourism Conference in Burlington. Heartland Acres in Independence, IA was presented with the ”Attraction of the Year (population up to 10,000). “These organizations and individuals are incredible ambassadors for Iowa’s tourism industry,” said Iowa Tourism Office Manager Shawna Lode. “It is great to see them receive acknowledgement for their efforts.”
The annual three-day conference, sponsored by the Iowa Tourism Office and Travel Federation of Iowa, brings together more than 200 industry representatives from across the state to network, attend educational sessions and discuss emerging industry trends.
Folks traveling along the main streets in Independence may have wondered who the guy was that was filming our local attractions.
Joe Mischka from Rural Heritage Productions was in town last week taping additional footage for an upcoming segment of The American Rancher on RFD-TV. Earlier in September, Heartland Acres Agribition Center was introduced to a national audience on the program. Based on viewer feedback, an expanded version of that segment was ordered up.
According to Heartland Acres Executive Director, Craig Johnson the exposure to the RFD-TV audience has been very positive. “ We have received calls and email inquiries from throughout the country requesting additional information for individuals and group tours” Johnson said. “ The expanded segment allows us to highlight more of what Heartland Acres and the local area have to offer as a destination”
In addition to the feature on Heartland Acres, the latest expanded segment of the program will promote other area attractions including the Wapsipinicon Mill, Train Depot, Cedar Rock and the Amish Settlement as agri tourism venues.
Big Bud, the World’s largest tractor, has returned to the Heartland campus as well as an ever changing display of unique tractors, implements and vintage autos. Heartland Acres currently has over 25 hands on activities for the entire family.
The American Rancher program can be seen on RFD-TV in primetime Monday, September 27th at 8 p.m.; at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, September 28th and Sunday, October 3rd at 11 a.m. RFD-TV is America’s rural network and has over 40 million viewers. RFD-TV is available on channel 65 for Indytel and East Buchanan cable subscribers. On DishNetwork use channel 231 and for DirecTV, use channel 345. For additional updates on current activities at Heartland Acres Agribition Center go to their website heartlandacresusa.com. The entire The American Rancher segment on Heartland Acres will be available for viewing on the Heartland website after October 15th.
