Early Spring Wildflowers and Foraging

We are excited to announce that Environmental Educator Chelsea Ewen Rowcliffe will be the guest expert for a Spring Wildflower and Foraging event at Iowisota on April 27th, 2024. The Saturday program will run 9:00-4:00 and includes lunch. An immersive overnight option is available from Friday night through Sunday brunch (limited availability).

Programming Cost:  $50/person for the Saturday. Lunch is included. There is no charge for children under 12 who attend with a paying adult.

Location: on-site at “Iowisota”, 2472 IA-26, Lansing, Iowa.

About the lunch: locally catered gourmet sandwiches, chips, salad, cookie/brownie and beverage. You might even find some of your own salad additions along the trail!

What to expect for the Saturday event: We will start with a short overview of the site history and habitats, what plants we might expect to find, and tips on responsible foraging. We will take morning and afternoon guided hikes, learning to identify many of the plants we encounter along the way. There is a rich variety of plants on site. Expect to hike up to two miles.

Overnight “B&B” immersive stay:  Additional $150/person (own bedroom) for two nights or $200/room for two nights for multiple family members in the same room. If you are interested in this option, email to iowisota@gmail.com.  This would be a great family activity!  We have limited space for overnight guests, so get your request for this in early! 

      -- Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner and Sunday brunch provided. Coffee/tea/hot chocolate available throughout the day.

      -- Stay in one of our 6 guest bedrooms, with all the modern amenities. See the accomodations webpage (on this Iowisota.org website) for a description and pictures of the rooms. 

What to expect from an immersive stay: The setting of Iowisota includes nearly 200 acres of private forest and many trails to hike and explore. The sleeping rooms are a delightful blend of historic, rustic, and modern. The “gathering room” with its stone fireplace, expansive windows, and comfortable seating provides a place to hang out and chat with the hosts, guest speaker, and other guests. We have a large collection of reference books, and you can spend additional time exploring some of the edible plants in greater depth.

About your hosts: Linda and Dennis Haugen both recently retired from careers as forest health specialists with the US Forest Service. Linda grew up on the Iowisota property, moving here with her parents in 1968. Linda and Dennis built the new residence/retreat center and moved back to northeast Iowa in 2023. They have a wealth of knowledge about natural resources in general, and about the Iowisota property specifically.

About the speaker/guest expert: Chelsea Ewen Rowcliffe is an environmental educator. One of Chelsea’s particular interests is wild foods and foraging. She currently works as the Naturalist for Mitchell County Conservation Board in northeast Iowa. Chelsea is an engaging teacher, with a broad knowledge of northeast Iowa’s bounty of plants.