Hey Pre-Schoolers! Bring your Grown-Up and come to Story Hour at the Grimes Farm!  The 1^st and 3^rd Wednesdays of the month at 10:00 am, we will read nature-based stories and take a walk on the trails at the beautiful Grimes Farm.  Woodlands, wetlands and prairies are all within walking distance for pre-schoolers.

Starting in June, our Story Hour time will change to 11:00 am.  In conjunction with the Marshalltown Public Library, plans are underway to offer a full morning of activity for pre-schoolers.  “Toddlers and Twos” will enjoy stories and play day from 9:30-10:30 at the Public Library.  Programming will continue from 11:00-noon at the Grimes Farm andConservationCenterwith nature-based stories and a short hike for youngsters with a care-taker.  Participants are invited to pack a picnic lunch to enjoy in the shade of the shelter at the Grimes Farm after the hike.

The Grimes Farm Winter/Spring 2012 Story Hour Topics will be as follows:

January 4 ……10am…..Snow!

January 18…..10am..…Stars

February 1……10am..…Groundhogs

February 15….10am..…Foxes

March 7………..10am..…Frogs

March 21………10am..…Wind

April 4……….10am..…Rainy weather

April 18……..10am…..Flowers

May 2………..10am…..Lightning bugs

May 16………10am…..Wetlands

June 6………..11am..…Bees

June 20………11am…..Beavers

This year’s run will take place on Saturday, 9 July. Runner check-in begins at 7:30 a.m., with the Run itself scheduled to begin at 8:00. This year will feature the usual array of cross-country runs:

• 5K — This is the same trail you have known and loved! It includes the killer hill taking you to one of the highest points in the county. You will traverse along Linn Creek through woodlands, cross a wetland, and finish in the prairie in full bloom. Grass with some asphalt trail.
• 8K — The trail includes the entire 5K with a very rustic extension taking you on a deer trail along the undeveloped side of Linn Creek. Grassy/dirt trail.
• 1.6 Mile — This route takes you through a woodland, along Linn Creek and up the Big Hill. You will finish by passing over the covered bridge (yes, we have them in Marshall County, too!) and crossing the finish line at the picnic shelter.
• Kids’ Races — Kids races begin about 9:00 and go about 100 yards. Ribbons for all!
• Teams — Register your group of 3 together. You will still be considered as an individual, too. Overall Males, Overall Females, Male Oldies (50+), Female Oldies (50+), Mixed Buddies, Fastest Family, Fastest Corporate.

Registration is fast and easy at active.com.

All proceeds will go to the Grimes Farm Nature Center Fund.  Any questions?….just leave us a note in the comments.

We hope to see you there!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47200485@N06/sets/72157624633604056/

Women’s 1.6 mile run

1040 0:15:38 Grace Metzger
1126 0:15:38 Andrea Lothe

Women’s 1.6 mile walk

1019 0:21:48 Julie Hitchins
1061 0:24:24 Jodi Smith
1034 0:24:25 Charity Lyon
1035 0:24:30 Erica Lyon
1016 0:25:23 Kristi Hassler

Women’s 5K run

1010 0:22:41 Katie Croker
1037 0:22:45 Lydia Martin
1014 0:23:07 Karen Gale
1052 0:23:51 Toni Proescholdt
1074 0:25:53 Sophie Grimes
1008 0:27:47 Brooklyn Contreras
1021 0:28:30 Gretchen Holm
1036 0:29:32 Maureen Lyons
1122 0:32:24 Kristin Lundgren
1051 0:32:29 Robin Proescholdt
1125 0:33:19 Colette Lothe
1005 0:33:54 Mary Bruce
1015 0:35:07 Amanda C Hart
1042 0:35:41 Kerri Metzger
1032 0:36:08 Amanda Lieberg
1089 0:37:21 Cathy Campbell Currier
1112 0:38:08 Carol Hartman
1121 0:39:56 Bonnie Ohrt
1012 0:41:50 Xoe Etling
1002 0:41:51 Lilyana Baccam
1090 0:49:02 Amy McKenzie

Women’s 5K walk

1030 0:40:24 Joann Kouba
1006 0:41:02 Kathy Buschbom
1028 0:45:28 Rebecca Kinnamon
1127 0:53:49 Tracey Morsek

Women’s 10K run

1066 0:52:14 Carla Stoner
1057 0:54:47 Jessica Savage
1060 0:57:44 Karen Slowiak
1087 0:58:29 Jennifer York

Men’s 1.6 mile run

1113 0:11:52 Christopher Lakey

Men’s 1.6 mile walk

1020 0:21:47 Kevin Hitchins
1004 0:24:31 Duane Bossman
1017 0:25:27 Rodney Hassler
1088 0:25:28 Mark Smith

Men’s 5K run

1054 0:17:03 Julius Rotich
1053 0:17:07 John Rawerts
1059 0:17:24 David Sevcik
1119 0:18:40 Wes Ohrt
1083 0:18:56 Luke Spencer
1115 0:19:06 JJ Grinvalds
1085 0:21:31 Brady Lawler
1120 0:21:33 Jarrett Heil
1047 0:23:30 Ryan Pfantz
1068 0:24:05 Matt Tullis
1073 0:24:41 Walker Grimes
1029 0:24:52 Noah Koech
1041 0:25:45 Joseph Metzger
1118 0:25:48 Ric Anderson
1046 0:25:50 Craig Pfantz
1023 0:26:49 Matt Jensen
1080 0:26:52 Jeremiah Fuller
1124 0:28:36 Luke Johnson
1123 0:28:38 Greg Lundgren
1056 0:28:56 Gary Rubenbauer
1025 0:31:12 Jon Kern
1069 0:32:14 Dain Winterton
1070 0:32:55 David Winterton
1011 0:41:55 Matthew Etling
1091 0:49:04 Greg Lyons

Men’s 5K walk

1086 0:38:55 Joseph Hartman
1013 1:01:05 Richard Franklin

Men’s 10K run

1055 0:35:50 Sammy Rotich
1077 0:36:18 Luke Demmel
1116 0:38:39 Scott Conway
1076 0:42:08 Phillip Grothus
1045 0:44:24 Jared Patterson
1022 0:44:55 Gary Jensen
1048 0:46:13 Jason Plunkett
1033 0:46:42 Andrew Luymes
1084 0:47:10 Clyde Lawler
1128 0:47:38 Barrett Barr
1078 0:47:58 Randy Clarke
1062 0:50:26 David Stanfield
1050 0:54:03 Kim Proescholdt
1058 0:55:19 Eldon Schneider
1071 0:56:13 Colin Witt
1079 0:57:42 Fred Lorenz
1001 0:57:43 James Arthur
1117 0:57:59 Ken Koehler
1027 0:59:04 Eric Kinman
1114 0:59:43 Flint Firestone
1044 1:00:38 Kevin Morsek
1031 1:08:34 Bob Larson
1067 1:08:36 Rick Stover
1038 1:09:16 George M. Maurer
1075 1:19:33 John Goff

Fittingly, those were the words spoken by Marshalltown’s Leonard Grimes at a Saturday morning dedication of the Mildred Hach Grimes Memorial Observation Tower at Marshall County Conservation Board’s GrimesFarm & Conservation Center.

Grimes died in 2006. She was a noted conservationist, educator and environmentalist.

Leonard Grimes, Mildred’s husband of 64 years, read the words from a plaque at the base of the tower which is located on the far west boundary of the property, approximately one-half miles from the Conservation Center.

Mildred's Tower

The plaque, embedded in a large rock, was unveiled by Grimes and State Rep. Mark Smith at the close of the ceremony, which attracted approximately 100 people. Joining them were Leonard and Mildred’s children Carrie Grimes Barr of Marshalltown and Martha Grimes Isaacson of Ames.

Prior to the unveiling, prepared remarks were made by Mike Stegmann, MCCB director, Anita O’Gara of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and Smith.

Stegmann said the initial cost of the tower ($130,000) made the staff and board step back and find methods to construct it at less cost.

He cited Alliant Energy for donating and setting the massive wooden corner columns and Consumers Energy who donated the lifting of support columns and beams during construction.

Other cost-saving means were found.

“All of the construction work was done in house,” Stegmann said. “Marty Malloy, our Operations Superintendent and Jeremiah Manken came to us with extensive construction experience and they put that to good use on the tower.”

Stegmann thanked Wells and Associates of West Des Moines who provided design and engineering services free-of-charge.

The tower was completed at a cost of $30,000 according to Barr.

In her remarks O’Gara said the Grimes family has set a great example for others to follow regarding the stewardship of natural resources.

“We have been so pleased to know the Grimes family since 1990,” O’Gara said. “They are a great, great example of the people we work with statewide who have a deep love for the natural resources in the state and they want to find a way to pass on their enthusiasm and make sure the land they love is available so that future generations may enjoy it. We’ve worked on about 800 projects now in the last 30 years, but they stand out as special, enduring relationships. This (the tower) is definitely one of those projects.”

Smith said it was his great honor to have known Mildred and he noted how many of those present had “wonderful experiences with Mildred” through the years.

“And I see some young people, who may have not had the opportunity to know Mildred yetbut as they become familiar with the Nature Center they will know her,” he said. “Having Mildred’s friendship was one of the great hallmarks of my life and today is a day about friendships, friendships with the earth and the living creatures in it. The soil of Iowa was always very important to Mildred and it was important to Mildred that it stay on the hills and valleys in this land we call Iowa.”

Issacson said the tower was important to the family because her mother “had talked about a tower for years and had brought designs to the Conservation Board, telling them that (visitors) needed to be able to see the land and the tower was an ideal way to do that. So, we remember mom talking about it and that is why we are really pleased with it.”

According to material provided by the MCCB, the three tiered structure sits on the highest elevation point of the GrimesFarm. The main viewing platform stands 30 feet above ground level and can accommodate 12 to 15 people. The view to the east overlooks the 160-acre GrimesFarm, purchased by Leonard and Mildred in 1964, the Marshalltown skyline and the Linn Creek Corridor. Westward, the tower overlooks nearby pasture ground and in the distance is flat landscape typical of central Iowa. A clear day allows viewing miles into Story County. The permanent binoculars allow viewers to see clearly for miles in any direction.

“We like to think of this as the high point to her dedication to the environment,” said MCCB board member Jerry Gaffney of Marshalltown.

Located at 2359233 St., the GrimesFarm is open from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily. Conservation Center hours are MF 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon March through November. Contact the MCCB at 641-752-5490 or co.marshall.ia.us/departments/conservation.

–Mike Donahey

“Grimes Farm Run…A Walk in the Park”

July 10, 2010

10K ~ 5K ~ 1.6M

8:00 am Start

7:30 check in

$100 – 1st Place Male and Female

 **Please bring your used shoes for ONE DAY WITHOUT SHOES

  Registration on the active.com web site or clicking here:

 http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1822617     or   http://grimesfarm.org/RegistrationBlank.doc

April '10 Story Hour

Lots of jolly kids here, and for good reason.  It was a beautiful day and they were off to see the recently opened Mildred’s Tower for some springtime vistas.

It’s a fine destination indeed!