Agritourism is Growing in the Iowa City Area
Lavender Fields, Treehouse Stays, Goat Yoga, and a Taste of Napa, Agritourism is Growing in the Iowa City Area.
Join us at the Johnson County Fair on July 23 on Kids Day to meet farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs bringing creativity, education, entertainment, and events to life on farms and fields near you. We’ll also reveal the exciting new brand behind this grassroots effort, Agri-CULTURE, driven by new and legacy farmers in Iowa City and surrounding areas.
Let’s be honest, the greater Iowa City area and Johnson County have a bounty of riches when it comes to agritourism.
While Iowa City is often known for its hip, urban vibe, the fertile grounds surrounding it, specifically the 24 miles from east to west and roughly 20 miles from north to south in Johnson County are peppered with surprisingly delightful businesses rooted in Iowa’s rich black soil.
A few of these local farmers and ag-based businesses include Starfall Meadow, Land Alliance Folk School and Retreat Center, Berry Basket Farm, BlueYah Farm, Lucky Star Farm, Local Foods, Kalona Supernatural, Colony Acres Family Farm, Cedar Ridge Distillery, Wilson’s Orchard and Farm, Walker Homestead, Calyx Creek Lavender & Lodging, Essential Coffee, and Snaggy Ridge Road Coffee.
Most are small businesses. Some have evolved from existing farms owned by families for nearly a century. Others are native Iowans who moved onto the land because of a passion for sustainability and growing local foods. Still, others want to ensure the simple joy of connecting with nature and the land endures locally.
A Shared Experience
While the experiences these Agri-CULTURE businesses offer are varied, what the owners have in common is that they don’t want to merely live or work on the land. They want to share their experience with others. They want their farms to be destinations accessible to everyone through field trips, farm tours, cultural events, overnight stays, and more.
Here are some of the unique adventures you can enjoy in Johnson County:
- An overnight stay in a milk house or treehouse
- A you-pick-it orchard experience
- Photography classes or bouquet-making in lavender fields
- A modern, farm-to-table culinary sensation on the farm
- A wedding inside or outside, surrounded by an Iowa vineyard
- A goat yoga class alongside chickens and llamas
- Farm-fresh donuts, breads, and artisan pizzas
- A whiskey distillery tour featuring a behind-the-scenes look from grain to glass
As you consider your next adventure, we want to bring to life seven agritourism businesses. Three are in Iowa City, two in Oxford, and one each in North Liberty and Swisher.
- Walker Homestead Iowa City
- Wilson’s Apple Orchard Iowa City
- Lucky Star Farms Iowa City
- Calyx Creek Lavender and Lodging Oxford
- Land Alliance Folk School and Retreat Center Oxford
- Colony Acres North Liberty
- Cedar Ridge Distillery Swisher
Walker Homestead
Left Photo: Bob and Kristy. Credit: Des Moines Register. Right Photo: Walker Homestead. Credit: The Gazette
Kristy and Bob Walker own Walker Homestead in Iowa City. It’s an 85-acre farm that offers what they describe as “a farmer’s table, gardens, orchard, vineyard, and pasture playground.”
Their inspiration came from a visit to Napa Valley more than a decade ago. At the time, they were both teaching at the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business. Today, Bob is a professor of entrepreneurship there and Kristy, who is President of Walker Homestead, also is a lecturer in business analytics. “We looked around on that trip to Napa,” Bob said. “They offered so much. Not just one vineyard but many places we could visit. We looked at each other and said, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we could bring this to Iowa City.”’
Kristy had grown up on a farm and wanted to return to it. Bob was a city kid from Cincinnati who initially told Kristy, “We’re too old to start farming now.”
Fast forward, Walker Homestead, which started as 5 acres and an idea in 2012, grew to 80 acres when it officially opened in 2019. Today it’s a thriving business, producing a variety of foods and wines, raising animals and honey, growing herbs and flowers, and using techniques that protect the environment and help foster the development of healthy living. “Our vision,” Kristy said, “Is a boundless venue for agricultural and culinary delight.”
Lucky Star Farm
Left Photo: Goat Yoga. Credit: Lucky Star Farms Facebook. Middle Photo: Susan Young feeds Rizzo, a young goat Credit: Press Citizen Right Photo: The Milk House Credit: airbnb
Along their journey, the Walkers met other agritourism entrepreneurs in Johnson County such as Rich and Susan Young who started Lucky Star Farms in 2011. Lucky Star, on 20 acres between Iowa City and Kalona, is home to chickens, turkeys, ducks, goats, llamas, farm dogs, and cats. The farm, open by appointment only, is dedicated to sharing local food, education, and lodging. Visitors can tour the farm, buy products, meet the animals, take part in goat yoga seasonally, and stay overnight in the Milk House.
“We have worked our way up from a small operation to a bigger small operation,” Rich said. “We know what it’s like for small farmers to get the word out and grow business and make a livelihood out of farming. Whatever I can do or we can do to promote that — there are dozens of small ag-related operations around Johnson County. We would love to see them all succeed. That’s what is at the heart of all of this.”
The Youngs are Iowa natives who went to the University of Iowa, moved to Chicago, and eventually moved back to Iowa to start a family. They moved to the farm in 2011 and began to raise animals. In 2019, with their four kids grown and out of the home, they remodeled their milking parlor and in 2020 listed it on Airbnb.
“It’s become the focal point for our farm,” Rich said.
In the spring, they offer goat yoga for about six weeks. “We only do this when our goats are two to four weeks old, which is usually at the beginning of April,“ Rich said. “Once they get big enough, you don’t want them climbing on you anymore. They move to their new home on the farm at that point.”
Throughout the year, Lucky Star also provides field trips and bus tours for school groups, senior citizens, and other groups. Susan conducts the tours and talks about sustainable practices, the unique characteristics of the animals, and how the couple runs the farm.
A few years ago they added another distinctive feature: laying ducks. “People love duck eggs,” Rich said. “The Webster restaurant in Iowa City got us into the duck business. They called Susan and wanted to buy some ducks to put on the menu. We said we had no ducks and no duck eggs. They told us if we would raise them they would buy them. They’re still one of our top partners. We also sell eggs to Dandy Lion in downtown Iowa City.’
In addition to the Milk House Airbnb, which has a two-night minimum stay, the Youngs plan to add a rentable camper to a different part of the farm and offer one-night stays. “Between yoga and Airbnb, we have about 500 visitors a year,” Rich said.
A Community with a Shared Vision and Brand
The Walkers and the Youngs agree that being part of this newly emerging agritourism group, which will carry the name Agri-CULTURE, will help raise visibility for everyone. The group has worked with Great Iowa City, Think Iowa City, and the Johnson County Supervisors for more than a year to create a brand they can promote together and individually. The new brand will be revealed at the Johnson County Fair on July 23.
Think Iowa City Vice President of Marketing Monica Nieves said those who attend the event will receive wooden nickels that can be redeemed at any of these designated agritourism businesses.
Sarah Thompson, director of rural development for Greater Iowa City, said the new brand will act as an easy visual identifier for the multitude of experiences visitors can have in Johnson County — much like the Walkers envisioned in Napa Valley. She said their mantra for the Iowa City area to be the Napa Valley of farm-to-table food and drink resonates as a vision for the group.
“As Kristy says, ‘You don’t go to Napa for one experience,”’ she said. “It’s for the whole culture. At the same time, this group wants to be a resource for local farmers who aren’t the biggest ag farms. They have issues that come up throughout the year. If they don’t know the others and can’t talk to one another, they can get isolated.”
The group has become a vital community, offering support, friendship, business ideas, resources, and so much more, particularly as many of the businesses were hit hard during the pandemic. “It’s nice to have a group you can talk things out with,” Kristy said. “ There’s something about that small-town feel and neighbors supporting neighbors.
Thompson and Ilsa DeWald, Johnson County Board of Supervisors Local Food and Farm Manager, agree that what’s unique about the group is they are collaborative and genuinely want to see one another succeed. “That’s the kind of group we want to support.” Thompson said.
Nieves agrees saying it’s important to help the farms thrive and succeed. “We want people who live here and visit here to continue to be able to go to a pumpkin patch and pick a pumpkin instead of picking it from a grocery display case,” she said. “We want people to be able to purchase their apples fresh from the orchard or get married here in a beautiful farm-to-table venue.”
Visit One or Visit Them All
What the group wants people to know is that whether you want a fun day trip or a weekend or week-long getaway, you can find experiences in every size and shape here.
Colony Acres Family Farm
Feast in the Flowers farm dinner
Dean and Katie Colony are third-generation farmers who took over operations of the farm in 2005 on land in North Liberty that their family has owned for nearly a century. The couple started as an honor system pick-your-own pumpkin patch, but quickly learned people wanted on-farm experiences.
“We felt it was a great way to help families not only reconnect with each other, but also to the rich Midwestern soil that feeds America,” Katie said. ” It was also our way to keep the family farm from getting swallowed up by the urban sprawl that was taking over North Liberty. We have been growing right along with North Liberty ever since and really do like to give people a way to enjoy ‘a little country, in the city’.“
The farm is a place of welcome, fun, fellowship, and education for the community. Farm admission prices vary by season and activity. Hint: the $36 Season Pass allows you to visit the farm as many times as you wish during 2024. Visitors can buy seasonal pumpkins, corn stalks, hay bales, Christmas trees/greenery at the gate with no admission charge.
The Colony Market features farm-related items, lotions, sauces, doughnuts, and freshly baked breads. There is also a Sweet Shop to purchase snacks to eat on the farm and a food trailer that offers personal artisan pizzas. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages can be purchased from the beverage shed.
In 2023 the Colony’s opened a new barn that offers half-day or full-day rentals. It’s a climate-controlled space with expanded food offerings and modern amenities. The Barn also has a Creator’s Corner featuring local crafters, artists, and grower products for sale. In 2024, the couple hosted private event rentals for the first half of the year, and plan to expand agritainment activities into other seasons.
The Colony’s also debuted the North Liberty Neighborhood Night Market (the third Thursday of the month through September) where people shop a variety of locally grown produce, crafts, and baked goods and enjoy local music and food trucks. In July, the farm officially opens for the season. The rest of the year the farm offers sunflower, pumpkin, and Christmas tree seasons
“By being involved in agritourism in Iowa,” Katie said. “We can help to make Johnson County a real destination by not only creating a central place where consumers can find us and learn about what we offer, but it will help us collectively create events that will draw people to our businesses. This will give all of us the opportunity to tell our stories, grow our businesses, support one another, and create another reason why Iowa is such a great place to live and visit.
Land Alliance Folk School
Left Photo: Credit: Land Alliance Folk School. Right Photo: Credit Land Alliance Folk School.
Land Alliance Folk School and Retreat Center
Anna Geyer is a lifelong farmer and self-described land-based entrepreneur. “I love connecting with nature and seeing the relationship between the natural world and human creativity,” she said. “It’s a joy to be able to share this space with others and see them witness and interact with these experiences.”
Enterprises Geyer has started over the years range from cut flowers and wedding design, to artisan woodfired bread and pizza, and a folk school and retreat center called Land Alliance.
Land Alliance Farm, Folk School and Retreat Center is located 4 1/2 miles south of Interstate 80, exit 230, about 20 minutes west of Iowa City. Geyer is currently transitioning some acres into restored natural spaces and agroforestry. She’s also offering land-based classes, such as natural dyes, botanical printing, and willow craft, as well as lodging spaces, retreats, and ecological farm tours. The lodging, retreat spaces, and classes are available year-round.
Situated on a diversified farm in Oxford, Land Alliance is family-friendly, great for adults, and offers plenty of room for kids and pets to run and explore. Participants can engage in a variety of experiential education and retreats for all ages. Central to the vision is sharing the experience of agricultural life. “The measured pace of tending the land, learning its skills and celebrating the art forms that have risen from it, helps to preserve the health of our communities,” the website conveys.
From prairie burns and ag construction to the artisan skills of wood-fired baking, nature craft and food preservation, Land Alliance offers a broad set of experiences for guests who visit the farm. In addition to summer classes and open studios, Geyer also offers three weekend-long fall retreats: a botanical printing retreat, a wild indigo retreat, and a willow craft retreat.
“Many people long to step back from the demands of life and reconnect with themselves and each other,” Geyer said. “Land Alliance offers spaces for connection, creativity, and engagement with a natural world.”
Geyer joined the local agritourism group because, “I just love and respect the people who are involved, and always learn a lot by working with them,” she said. “Beyond that, I am keenly aware that many farmers need the support of ag tourism to help create stability in their farming systems. Visitors are a key part in supporting farmers, both in terms of the financial support of purchasing, as well as the needed social capital to support what happens on farms – from volunteers to word-of-mouth marketing, to helping connect farmers to valuable employees.”
Calyx Creek Lavendar and Lodging
Left Photo: Taylor and Stephanie, Calyx Creek. Credit: Corridor Business
Calyx Creek Lavender and Lodging
The Getting family, Taylor, his wife, Stephanie, and their three girls along with their extended family are the firepower behind Calyx Creek in Oxford. In 2022, driven by a passion for cultivating unforgettable farm experiences, they took the leap and acquired a farm just outside Iowa City, near F.W. Kent Park. Drawing inspiration from their family at Getting’s Garden in Northwest Iowa and the enchantment of a lavender farm they discovered during their time in the Pacific Northwest, they embarked on the journey of establishing a lavender farm. Here, they grow plants, create handmade products, farm-grown teas, and offer unique treehouse lodging. Visitors can shop, lodge, take photography, wreath-making, or charcuterie classes, rent the venue, take a tour, and have a you-pick experience.
Wilson’s Orchard
Wilson’s Apple Orchard and Cider House
When Paul Rasch and Sara Goering took ownership in 2009 of Wilson’s Orchard, located just a few miles north of Iowa City, they continued caring for the over 100 varieties that had been planted over the years by Founders Robert (Chug) and Joyce Wilson. The Wilson’s started the orchard in 1980 and five years later opened its gates to the public for u-pick sales, Joyce began making pies and turnovers from any excess fruit. Chug began testing a variety known as Honeycrisp, an apple with superb crunch and sweetness. Knowing that he had a winner, Chug began rapidly grafting and planting Honeycrisp apple trees all over the orchard. Today, it’s one of our most sought-after u-pick varieties, ripening most years in Early September.
Today, Wilson’s continues to offer a pick-your-own fruit and vegetable farm, bakery, and market. At the orchard you can pick-your-own strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, apples, and pumpkins. The Wilson’s Farm Market also offers a selection of locally grown produce, homemade bakery items, and goods from other local makers. The latest addition is farm-to-table pizzas
In 2016, Paul and Sara introduced Wilson’s Ciderhouse and Venue, which occupies two floors of a century-old, gable-roofed barn amongst the apple trees. The restaurant, full bar, and event center offers a wide selection of house-crafted ciders and seasonally-inspired meals made with ingredients sourced locally.
Cedar Ridge Distillery
Nestled on a beautiful hill just outside of Swisher sits Cedar Ridge Distillery and Restaurant. The Quint family has farmed and distilled spirits for generations. In 2005, Jeff Quint founded Cedar Ridge because he believed it was time for Iowa–the number one corn-producing state in the U.S.–to share its homegrown Bourbon Whiskey with the world. Cedar Ridge was the first licensed distillery in Iowa since Prohibition.
After releasing its first batch of whiskey in 2010, Cedar Ridge Distillery quickly became a nationally recognized leader in craft spirits, winning multiple awards such as American Distilling Institute’s “2017 Distillery of the Year” or “Best American Craft Whiskey” at the 2016 New York World Spirits Competition.
Cedar Ridge became Iowa’s first licensed distillery since Prohibition. Award-winning and internationally recognized whiskey is produced on-site at the first winery & distillery in Iowa. Visitors can take a distillery tour where they can see the behind-the-scenes tour of the entire process, from grain to glass, where nature is the ultimate guide. You’ll also learn more about the history of where Cedar Ridge started. Tours include two complimentary samples, a branded tasting glass and $5 off any item in the gift shop to be used on the day of the tour only.
You can also dine inside or outside at Cedar Ridge. The patio overlooks beautiful rolling hills with spectacular views. There is also a large event center, tasting room, and vineyard room.
Join Us at the Fair!
Want to be part of the big reveal for this new group? Join us at the Johnson County Fair on July 23! We’ll share the exciting new brand behind these agritourism businesses, and you can meet people from Walker Homestead, Lucky Star Farms, Colony Acres Family Farm, and more. We can’t wait to see you there!
