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Folk School Farm Stay

Come enjoy the natural beauty of a working farm!  In our transition to agroforestry, wetland restoration and perennial ag, you'll find some great spaces to walk your dog, let your children run and learn about ecological conservation. The farm is also home to a flower cutting garden, a food forest garden, and a folk school.  Guests are welcome to cut flowers for a donation, and enjoy the sheep, chickens and resident cat.  The setting is also great for taking in sunrises, sunsets and star gazing. 

Come explore the landscape, book a farm tour or enjoy some studio space at Land Alliance Folk School.

Kalona

Lake Darling State Park

Palisades-Kepler State Park

Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area

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East Grove Farms Winery and Vineyard

Located in Southeast Iowa, East Grove Farms Winery and Vineyard specializes in honey wine (also known as mead) made from various fruits like Elderberries. Our headquarters is the O.A. and Emma Garretson House, which has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The farm itself is the oldest continuously-settled farm in Iowa, and was established in 1837.   The farm served as a station on the Underground RR and farm founder Joel C Garretson was the stationmaster.

All are welcome to visit during our open hours on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 6 pm (or by appointment) for free wine and mead tastings. During the summer we offer wagon rides, and in the winter (weather permitting) we offer sleigh rides. East Grove Farms focuses on sustainable agricultural practices, and strives to be pesticide-free whenever possible. Feel free to wander through the fields, go hiking through the timber, fish for dinner in our pond.

Learn more about this land:

East Grove Farms invites you to pitch your tent in the former hazelnut thicket that our ancestors and the East Grove community safely hid freedom seekers from Missouri in the 1840's.   It is located 1/4 m north of the winery near the vineyard and tree line and you can usually drive to the camp on a grass path thru the elderberry patch.  It offers complete privacy and has a fire ring, picnic table, a prep table, and shade.  Firewood is available if you ask.  

PLEASE TAKE NOTE THERE ARE NO ELECTRICAL HOOKUPS, WATER, OR TOILET AND SHOWER FACILITIES.  WE NO LONGER HAVE A PORTA JON AT CAMP! TOTALLY PRIMITIVE CAMPING.  

There is a pond for fishing and some trails, and of course all campers are welcome to visit our headquarters for a free tasting of our wine and mead!  Wagon rides can be arranged and on occasion there is live music at the meadery on weekends.  For those interested in the underground RR, there is an excellent museum in nearby Salem, the Lewelling Quaker Museum, a National Park Service noted site for abolitionist activity.

This is what the campsite looks like.  We have a picnic table and a food prep table in the shade.  We have two small fire rings and grates for cooking.  We hope to add a larger fire ring.

You can park your vehicle at the main headquarters or in most cases you can drive directly to the site from June through October when the path is dry.

This is East Grove's headquarters, the historic O.A. & Emma Garretson house.  It is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been completely restored to its near original condition.

When the area was settled in 1837, this was a hazelnut thicket, later offering safe passage on the Underground RR.  It is now one of the areas we grow our elderberries, aronia berries, and grapes.  The camp site is behind the vineyard along the tree line.  

There is ample parking and space to pitch a tent in the open grassy area or in the shade.

This is the main entrance to East Grove Farms.  The stone pillars were built in 1937 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the farm.

This is the way you will drive to hip camp.  Drive thru the elderberries and follow the path between the aronia berries and pond.  It is hidden from view from 335th St which offers privacy.

Hawkeye will greet you at the farm.  He's very friendly but will bark when you arrive,

Walking Stick Adventures Tipi Camp

We offer one private site on four acres, including a small pond*, beach, treehouse, trails and peace and quiet. In addition to the tipi, there are kayaks, canoe, fire ring, wood supply, cooking equipment, dutch ovens, hammock, and tables and chairs. Campers will need to bring sleeping bags and food.  Dogs are welcome. There is a rustic restroom (outhouse), with an outdoor shower. Water and electricity are available at the restroom and campsite. 

In addition, Navigation Play-Williamsburg, provides outdoor play opportunities at the farm on a seasonal basis. If interested, find her on her facebook page or find her link on my website www.walkingstickadventurescom.com   

Our dream was to restore an old farmstead to prairie and woods,  grow our own food, make some wine and create a wonderland for grandchildren. The tipi and pond campsite is our way of sharing our place. We love meeting new people, especially those that are looking for a new camping experience.  

*A short note as of January 2024- we have been experiencing a drought. Our pond is the highlight of activity during the summer. Presently it is half it's size, about 1/2 acre. This may affect how campers will use our site, ie kayaking, fishing, swimming, etc. Hopefully, we will have a rainy spring!

Kayaking the pond is great for all ages. 

A place to relax after a long day in the sun! 

a small fire pit is allowed instead the tipi; can be removed for more room

Nothing better than a dip in the pond on a hot summer day!

Our pond includes a sandy beach and fishing jetty. Swimming, kayaking, canoeing are all encouraged. We have kayaks, a canoe and rowboat to play with as well as pfd's of various sizes. 

Draco Hill Nature Farm

A convenient 7 miles north of Interstate 80 but feels like an oasis away from it all.  ln Spring the orchards are blooming and Spring ephemeral flowers are popping up in the woods. Terns, eagles and hawks are swooping toward the river and the fish are jumping. The prairie we burned and mowed is now greening up beautifully and the trees are starting to flush with green.

This year, Draco Hill Nature Farm is hosting free events you can join in on when you camp! May 18 join the Bird Walk with the Iowa City Bird Club, June 21 the Solstice Potluck on the Prairie and more throughout the year. See Dracohill.org/events for details. Make it part of your camping experience!

Enjoy nature in a private, wooded river valley setting. Go to sleep under the stars to the sound of frogs, cicadas, coyotes, deer and the rustling wind through the tallgrass prairie. Wake to an amazing sunrise over the river. Enjoy a hike through our 4 miles of trails on 75 acres of rolling woodlands and prairie, picking berries, finding mushrooms, scaring up a turkey or pheasant in the brush or listening to the birds. (Pull out your Merlin app to see who's singing!) Play in the river or upland pond, cut cattails and prairie grasses for souvenirs and enjoy being unplugged for a while. Your hosts are here if you need us, but we leave you to enjoy this beautiful place at your own pace.

The prairie is full of flowers once summer is in full swing! A wildlife photographer's paradise. 

Blueberry Hill

Welcome to our idyllic 10-acre historic farmstead in rural Johnson County, Iowa (about 8 miles west of Iowa City). We are a bookish, quiet couple with a 6-year-old daughter, 2 llamas, 12 chickens, 3 housecats, and 5-10 barn cats. In June and July, we open our farm to the public for U-pick organic blueberries. We're looking for Hipcampers who are respectful and clean.

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