Category: The Driftless Region

The Northeast Iowa Greenhouse Tour features over 40,000 flowers, plants, garden art, and more. The annual tour includes stops at local meat lockers.

Visiting greenhouses is on my list of must-do activities every spring. Confession time! I enjoy visiting greenhouses year-round, especially at Christmas time.

In 2019, my tour buddy, Tony, and I headed out mid-morning and were only able to visit a few of the greenhouses because we got a late start and spent so much time at each stop; plus, we only went out one day and did not take into consideration travel time. Every stop was worth visiting, and we could not wait to check out different businesses this year. The plan for 2021 is to see a few on Saturday and spend all day Sunday traipsing around NE Iowa. Planning is key!

A few tips for a successful and memorable weekend!

* Download the tour guide at www.visitiowa.org. Plan out your route so you are not going back and forth from one County to another.

* Double check the times the businesses are open as the times vary, and not all are open on Sunday.

* Make sure to have cash on hand as not all the stores accept debit and credit cards.

* Stock up on snacks and water, so you do not have to spend valuable time stopping for lunch during open hours. Make plans to stop for dinner at one of the area’s restaurants.

* Do not forget to take selfies among the colorful flowers and plants.

* Check out their website before heading out. Do not forget to become Facebook friends for ideas and up-to-date information throughout the year.

Below are the greenhouses we visited in 2019, and we recommend including them on your 2021 tour. The list is alphabetically organized.

Buchanan County

In the Country Garden & Gifts, 2587 Quasqueton Diagonal Blvd., Independence. Open Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Have questions about Hostas? Ask Josh and Sue Spece. They carry the largest selection of Hostas; thus, their marketing tagline is spot on, Hosta County. www.inthecountrygardenandgifts.com

Clayton County

Outdoor Creations Garden Center, 205 West Spruce St., Monona – Open Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Offers vegetable plants, annuals, perennials, hanging baskets & flowers, trees, shrubs, fountains, and garden art. Strolling through the outdoor center looking at the plants and trees was like walking through a park. So many choices! www.outdoorcreationsmonona.com

Fayette County

Corner Market & Greenhouse, 5851 Palace Rd., Oelwein – Open Saturday 9:00 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The owners invite you to stop in for your flower fix. Rows and rows of colorful flowers greet you as you enter the greenhouses. They also carry a wide assortment of fruit-bearing plants. www.cornermarketgreenhouse.com

K&K Gardens, 108 E. Wilbur St., Hawkeye – Open Saturday and Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. – This is a destination garden center. They have everything an experienced or amateur gardener could want. www.kkgardens.com

Howard County

Plantpeddler, 530 2^nd Ave. SW, Cresco – Open Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. – A Northeast Iowa gem. www.plantpeddler.com

Winneshiek County

Decorah Greenhouses, 701 Mound St., Decorah – Open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed Sunday. – Drop off your cemetery urns and have Decorah Greenhouse fill them with healthy, beautiful geraniums and ornamental grasses. They will be ready to pick them up in time for Memorial Day. The flowers look beautiful all summer long. www.decorahgreenhouses.com

Henzler’s Garden Shop, 1812 Highway 9 East, Decorah Open Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. – Looking for a hot-air balloon to hang on your desk or a dragon sculpture for your garden this is the place to go. No website.

Ladybug Landscape and Decorah Floral, 906 South Mechanic St., Decorah, Open Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. – You will find what you are looking for here. www.ladybugdecorah.com

Pinter’s Gardens and Pumpkins, 2475 State Hwy. 9, Decorah – Open Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – In addition to a large selection of plants and garden art, you will want to save room for homemade fudge. Delicious! www.pintersgardensandpumpkins.com

Seed Savers Exchange, 3074 North Winn Rd., Decorah – Open Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Seed Savers is known for their heirloom seeds, but did you know that they carry a collection of gardening books for adults and children? If you have never visited Seeds Savers, you need to if just to see their vistas! Have an Iowa finishing license, bring along a pole? www.seedsavers.org

Drive the Driftless Area Scenic Byway, a 144-mile route of stunning vistas that runs through Allamakee and Winneshiek counties in Northeast Iowa. The Byway rides the high ridges of the Driftless region, 1200’ to 1400’ above sea level, through sculptured fields, and dips down through ancient river valleys and forests to the Mighty Mississippi River. The Byway meanders alongside the Mississippi River going through river towns and back through farms and towns dependent on agriculture. Farming is an important economic development driver in both counties.

Wineries and Breweries

Visitors on the Byway can enjoy locally produced wine at Empty Nest Winery located minutes outside of Waukon, 1352 Apple Road, or at Winneshiek Wildberry Winery located north of Decorah, 337^th Street, on the 150-year-old family farm. The Winneshiek Wildberry Winery is known for its award-winning fruit and Midwestern grape table wine. Empty Nest Winery specializes in small-batch winemaking. If you keep a wine tasting journal, make sure to note that the winemakers at both wineries are female.

Are you looking for micro-brews? Check out Toppling Goliath, located off State Hwy. 9 in Decorah and Pulpit Rock located on College Drive in Decorah. The breweries also serve tasty ciders that will waken up your taste buds.

Orchards/Pick-Your-Own

Up the road from the Winery is Peake’s Orchard, open late summer early fall, where you can purchase perfect formed delicious tasting apples for snacking on and homemade pies and applesauce. Apples are available at local Farmers’ Markets and grocery stores. They are also available during the fall celebration on the family farm. In addition to purchasing apples, visitors can board a hayrack to ride out to beautifully maintained apple orchards and visit with the farm animal, followed by my favorite sliced apples covered with caramel topped with whipped cream a maraschino cherry on top. Oh, so good!

Located 15 minutes east of Decorah on Highway 9 is Pinter Pumpkin Patch. Pinter’s is the place to pick your pumpkin while having a fun time playing on the farm’s playground and enjoying the family’s ‘kids.’

Wold Strawberries is a well-known pick-your-own strawberry patch on the Iowa Minnesota state line, minutes off the Driftless Scenic Byway on the Locust highway. It is a must-visit attraction guaranteed to forge new life-long family memories. Be ready to pick sweet red juicy strawberries in the first part of June because they go fast. Groves of pickers show up at 7:00 a.m. to pick trays of strawberries. Watch their Facebook page for up-to-date information on when they are open. Make this a family tradition.

Farmers’ Markets

Farmer’s Markets are held throughout the summer and fall during the week and on Saturday in Harpers Ferry, Lansing, New Albin, and Waukon. Farmers’ Markets are more than the place to go to buy fresh farm veggies from local farmers. These locally organized events are the place to go for catching up with friends, listening to the sounds of talented musicians, sample palate-pleasing wines, and home-baked goods. Shoppers will also find a wide selection of fresh flowers to purchase.

Barn Quilts

As you drive the Byway, keep a lookout for colorful hand-painted barn quilts. The quilts are painted on a 4′ X 4′ or 8′ X 8′ board hung on the front of barns or sheds. The design is an actual quilt pattern and is selected because it has a connection to the family or the farm. For example, if the farm is known for raising corn and beans, the family might select the green and yellow quilt pattern appropriately named corn and beans.

Shopping

The smell of earthy feed and hay, leather, and baby chicks conjure up the best childhood memories of going with my dad to the feed and hardware stores. Some hardware stores offer free fresh salty popcorn, also appealing to the senses. Hardware stores are also the best place to purchase farm-themed toys, chic farm boots, and garden tools.

Events

The first weekend of May, the NE Iowa Tourism Organization hosts the annual NE Iowa Greenhouse Tour featuring over 40 greenhouses. In September, the group hosts the Northeast Iowa Farm Crawl.

A staple of the Iowa farming communities that goes back generations is county fairs. Allamakee County boasts the Big 4 Fair every June in Postville. The Allamakee County Fair is held every July in Waukon, and the Winneshiek County fair is held every July in Decorah. Other agricultural events in the Driftless Region include Dairy Days in June, Lansing Fish Days in August, and Waukon Corn Days in August.

Eateries

Skinny Dip in Lansing for ice cream and WW Homestead Dairy in Waukon for cheese curds, ice cream, and cottage cheese made from fresh milk produced by the family’s cows. These cows have some of the best views that I have ever seen. Take some home with you if it does not get eaten before you get home. When in Waukon, do as the locals do and stop at WW Homestead Dairy for fresh squeaky cheese curds, or a bowl of ice cream made from milk produced on the family farm located just outside of Waukon.

Finding undiscovered, unexpected, and unusual experiences is a passion of mine. The Amish Haystack Supper is one such palatable experience. Due to COVID-19, the suppers are dine-in or carryout until further notice. The suppers are held on the third Tuesday from March to November. Serving time 3:30-7:30 p.m. or until gone and are held at the Waukon Banquet Center. The menu includes meat, potatoes, salad, homemade ice cream, and more. Money raised from the suppers and the baked goods benefits the Amish Schools.

Livestock auctions are a weekly occurrence, and they are known for having a café. If you have never been to a livestock action, check them out and enjoy some downhome comfort food. Both Decorah and Waukon have weekly auctions.

Oneota Food Cooperative – According to their website and radio ads, the Co-op defines local as any product grown, produced, roasted, processed, or packages within approximately a 100-mile radius of the Co-op. The Deli manager emphasized that they strive for 90% locally grown products in their tasty dishes.

La Rana is a quaint small restaurant with an attitude located on a side street in downtown Decorah. La Rana prides themselves on serving locally sourced food and offering their customers an impressive wine list. The food is five stars, the wine list and customer service, and the ambiance of the historic building.

Tuesday night ribs at Chase the Adventure – Follow their Facebook page for up-to-date information. Reservations are required by 3:00 p.m. Monday. Serving starts at 6:30 p.m., and the menu includes ribs, baked potato, veggies, dinner roll, and ice cream. Folk music is also on the menu. This is a BYOB event.

Art

Waukon is home to local artist Valeria Miller. Valeria is responsible for painting 25 feet murals of cows on the sides of stores and barns. There is one in downtown Waukon and one on the side of WW Homestead Dairy. Check out her studio in Waukon. You will recognize her charming designs on greeting cards, signs, and shirts in area gift shops.

Always on the lookout for murals, I happened upon one on the Driftless Scenic Byway outside of Harpers Ferry. I learned that the artist who painted it is resident, Mary Willie, winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for photograph while employed at the Des Moines Register. The majestic Bald Eagle soars high over the bluffs and Mississippi on the side of the blue metal shed located at the intersection of State Forest Road and Lansing Harpers Road/X42.

Lodging

What is a better way to experience Iowa farm life than spend the night or two in an authentic Iowa farmhouse? The Bakke Family Farmhouse offers visitors just that. The farm is a 5^th-generation family-owned operation and is home to goats, sheep, horses, and cattle.

Our Tara Inn Bed & Breakfast (B&B) is a renovated 1896 Diary Barn on a family farm. A full country breakfast is included. The B&B is located on Highway 9 between Waukon and Lansing.

The 1800 sq. ft Bluff Country Farmhouse is a renovated farmhouse built-in 1900. It is located 7.8 miles from downtown Decorah.

Now Go Out and Drive the Driftless Scenic Byway

It is time to go out and experience the undiscovered, unexpected, and unusual treasures that brings the Driftless Scenic Byway alive.

The snow is almost gone. The sun is shining, and the first day of Spring is just days away. Criteria required for the first Sunday drive of 2021. With so many choices in the Driftless Region, the question became, where do we go?

A post on the Prairie du Chien Facebook page caught my try eye. Dennis Kirshbaum reported that on the morning of March 6, he saw 33 Bald Eagles congregating on the Mississippi River at the Campion Boat Landing southwest of Prairie du Chein, WI

.

Kirshbaum stated, “The Bald Eagles have started migrating.

Visions of eagles surveying the situation from the top of trees to the eagles soaring through the air and swooping down to grab a fish out of the river, and a single bird proudly sitting on the remaining ice motivated me to want to head to Prairie du Chein for the day.

Our destination for the day was decided.

According to Google maps, Prairie du Chein

is located 43 miles or 52 minutes south of Decorah, Iowa, along the mighty Mississippi River.

Decorah Fish Hatchery

The first eagle we saw flew right in front of us, causing me to blink as we came into Decorah on the Locust Road. I assumed he was headed toward the Upper Iowa River because he was flying so low. My first thought was dang it, I missed a great picture. Second thought now I am not going to see along the river.

Guess it should not come as a surprise that we saw an eagle in Decorah, home of the infamous Decorah Eagle. We did not stop, but if you have time, check out the Decorah Fish Hatchery. It is a beautiful place to eagle watch and feed their dinner, fresh trout. The Hatchery is located at 2321 Siewers Spring Rd, 5 minutes west of Walmart on Trout Run Road. Eager to get to the river, we did not stop.

Northeast Iowa Vistas

My favorite route is to take State Hwy. 9 to Waukon and then follow Hwy. 76 to the Mississippi River. This route follows the ridge, offering a portfolio of stunning views and opportunities for award-winning photos and selfies. We passed by Effigy Mounds National Monument as we headed down into the valley toward Marquette, located next to the Mississippi River.  

Pike Peaks State Park

As we were driving around looking for the Campion Boat Landing on the Iowa side of the river, realizing later was the river’s wrong side, I noticed a sign for Pikes Peak State Park. Having always wanted to visit, we followed the signs to Pikes Peak State Park. I have always hesitated to visit NE Iowa’s landmark because I fear heights, but I decided we would go check it out as I swore a couple of years ago, I would not let fear get in my way. It is a paved two-lane road wide enough for RVs. There are not many drop-offs on either side of the road, which made the drive pleasant. There is excellent directional signage, so there is no fear of getting lost or parking in the wrong parking lot. Since Tony is disabled, I was happy to see that there are designated parking areas for disabled visitors and plenty of parking for RVs.

I could not wait to see the Mississippi from this height. Pikes Peak State Park is a beautiful park, and the overlook provides a stunning view of the river. Why we were there, we could hear the train passing down below.

We did see a couple of eagles flying overhead while we were at Pikes Peaks State Park. If I were not in such a hurry to see 33 eagles, we could have stayed longer. It is the perfect place to hike and have a picnic. There is also a playground for children.  

Prairie du Chien

We headed over the river to Prairie du Chien, WI, to find the Campion Boat Landing. I had visited Villa Louis in the past with tourism colleagues and drove around the park. Seeing one eagle perched in a tree, I continued driving until I saw sitting on the ice in the middle of the backwaters. I was right. I walked out on the barge and snapped picture after picture of this picturesque bird until he got bored and flew away. Getting a good image of an eagle in flight is difficult with my camera setup. I sure want a bigger lens.

I saw another eagle in the Main Channel of the river, so I parked and strolled up to the edge and was able to lean on the wall to take photos of this majestic bird, the symbol of democracy. He stood out there a long time so that I could practice shooting.

Campion Boat Landing

We thought about stopping for a late lunch. I was determined to see an aerie of Bald Eagles that I convinced Tony that we would pick up a few snacks when we stopped for gas. Poor guy! Tony wanted a meal.

It dawned on me where to go, and after filling up the gas tank, we headed out of town

toward the city-owned Campion Boat Landing, 400 W. Lockwood St.

We arrived and parked. I leaned on the truck to steady myself as it was windy, and I had trouble holding my camera still. About ten Bald Eagles, maybe 15, were sitting in the trees and flying over the river, providing me with plenty of opportunities to take photos.

The day was a relaxing trip, and even though I did not see 33 eagles, the trip was a success. The next time I head out to look for eagles, I am going to leave early in the morning in hopes of seeing 33 Bald Eagles.