Davis County Receives State Recreation Trails Grant Funding

We are thrilled to share that our partners in Davis County have been given the final funding necessary to complete Phase 3 of the Davis County Trail. Pathfinders wrote the project’s application to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s State Recreational Trails Grant. There were 39 project applications and Davis County & Davis County Trails Council was one of only 5 projects approved, receiving a $230,000 grant.

Another regional project to receive funds was Keokuk County for their Belva Deer Trail. Be sure to visit these multi-use trails next time you are in the area!

Jefferson County Hunger Dialogue at the Iowa Hunger Summit

Pathfinder’s Executive Director, Anna Bruen and Jefferson County Supervisor, Dee Sandquist presented a breakout session at the 2018 Iowa Hunger Summit on behalf of the Jefferson County Hunger Dialogue. The Summit was held in Des Moines this month with speakers from across the world and participants from across the state.

Since 2016, the Jefferson County Hunger Dialogue has been working to address food insecurity in the county. Meetings are open for anyone interested in alleviating hunger in Jefferson County, and are usually held on the 4th Thursday of every month from noon – 1:00p.m. at the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center, however November’s meeting will be on the 29th because of Thanksgiving.

Interested in starting a Hunger Dialogue in your community? Contact us: 641-472-6177

Visit https://pathfindersrcd.org/what-we-do/hunger-dialogue/ to learn more. November 20, Ottumwa: Cover Crops and Grazing Cover Crops Field Day

Iowa Learning Farms invites you to join them at Swanson Farm in Ottumwa for a Cover Crops & Grazing Cover Crops Field Day on Tuesday, November 20th from 10:30am -12:30pm. The event is free, open to the public and includes a complimentary meal.

RSVP by November 15th at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu

The event is also sponsored by the Cedar Creek Partnership Project and the Wapello County Soil and Water Conservation District and will feature speakers from both groups, as well as the hosting farmer, Don Swanson, ISU Extension Beef Specialist, Patrick Wall, and Iowa Learning Farms’ Liz Juchems.
  Grass-fed Beef Project Comes to a Close

Last quarter, Pathfinders completed its 4-year Grass-fed Beef Project. In 2014, we received a Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), to encourage grass-fed beef market expansion.

During the four years of the project, Pathfinders worked on individual marketing projects with 3 local producers, as well as several region-wide projects. To learn about the project’s accomplishments and why producing (and eating!) grass-fed beef is related to natural resource conservation, see our website: https://pathfindersrcd.org/what-we-do/grass-fed-beef/
 

Catch the Fall Foliage at 3 Stops  Along the Historic Hills Scenic Byway

This is a great time of year to explore and enjoy the scenic beauty in southeast Iowa. There are several beautiful state parks along the Historic Hills Scenic Byway, and three are featured in the latest issue of Iowa Outdoors!

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has featured Honey Creek Resort, Lake Wapello State Park, and Shimek State Forest in its magazine of conservation and recreation. Check out the stunning pictures and ideas for planning your own outting at https://www.flipsnack.com/57DFFEEC5A8/io-fall-issue-2018.html