In little more than a generation, we’ve lost nearly every small, diversified farm in Iowa. Those are the farms that knew how to feed themselves and their neighbors. They made us more resilient. They built our rural community. This is your chance to celebrate one farm doing exactly that and doing it in concert with nature.
Connect with the land and food you love
Give you and yours the gift of slowing down and tasting the sweet fruits Iowa land can grow.
Hosts Suzan and Paul invite you to free, fun and educational events at Draco Hill all year ’round. Enjoy guided farm tours through prairie and trees, forage for berries and taste unusual foods like Asian pears and honeyberries. Join a photography or bird watching walk, take home prairie grasses or seeds, bring a dish to a summer picnic or celebrate the year’s end at the winter solstice bonfire.
Individuals, families and groups welcome. We’ll send out reminders for each event and only ask that you let us know if you’re coming.
Why are we doing this?
Because we’ve lost our connection to the land
Gone are the chickens in the yard and the orchard out back. Children have grown up never seeing a praying mantis in a berry bush or startling an egret into flight. Perhaps you’ve never walked in prairie grasses over your head or picked a pear off a tree. Now’s your chance!
We’ve lost our connection to our food
Growing food naturally is part of Iowa’s heritage. Native Americans and early European settlers understood that working with nature was the most sustainable way to survive and thrive. At Draco Hill Nature Farm, we’re putting that wisdom into practice once again.
And we’ve lost our connection to each other
Located a 15 minutes east of West Branch, IA, (30 from Iowa City), Draco Hill has been transitioning land from steep slopes of chemically-dependent corn and soybeans to natural prairie, orchards and native trees since 1997. Now retired, the owners have focused more intensely on growing table food naturally. We want to share our work-in-progress with you. We’re calling it a Nature Farm and we’re inviting new friends and old to enjoy this beautiful place!
Some of what you can enjoy*
- Sledding and snowshoeing in Winter
- Prairie burns in Spring and Fall
Nature Photography walk April 13- Bird Walk May 18
Mushroom HuntingChainsaw safety workshop March 6- Prairie Walks and Seed Collecting (see calendar)
- Prairie grass arranging workshop in Fall
- Fishing and swimming, Summer
- Farm tours Spring, Summer and Fall
- Milpa harvesting
- Free samples of fresh and freeze-dried treats from the farm
Community
Solar Eclipse Party in the Prairie April 8- Summer Potluck on the Prairie June 20
- Winter Solstice bonfire December 21
- Meteor watch parties August and December
Farm-grown Food
- Purchase pears, chestnuts, berries and farm fresh eggs as available when you visit
- 20% off freeze-dried snacks and fruit based on availability
Help us plan and let us remind you to RSVP!
When you sign up you’ll receive signup requests for each event, reminders and harvest updates. Refer back to this calendar as we add events!
Need to Know
*Draco Hill is NOT a formal event venue. We do everything outside, weather permitting. Bring your own chairs, blankets, water bottles and weather-appropriate clothes. We’ll provide parking space, outhouses and guides.
Freewill donations support the work of the farm including new perennial food plantings, trail maintenance and – planned for 2024 – renovation of our 1-acre pond. We will ask for your input on improvements you’d like to see as well.
Are you an experienced birder, prairie enthusiast or nature photographer? Contact us about leading a walk and talk!
Like to camp?
Check out our Hipcamp sites along the Cedar River!
Scenes from Draco Hill you could enjoy this year!
FAQs
It’s FREE? What’s the catch?
No catch! We work hard to restore prairie and grow food and want to share it with new friends and old. We love to see the wonder on the faces of our guests when they taste an Asian pear freshly picked off a tree or experience a honeyberry burst in their mouths. If you want more than a taste, you’re welcome to bring your own picnic foods or purchase fruit, nuts and eggs when available.
How do we know when events will occur?
Many of our offerings depend on the weather and the seasons. Check the live calendar we’ve posted on this page regularly. We’ll also send you an email or text as soon as we know when fruit and nuts or the ephemeral flowers are ready.
What clothes are appropriate for a nature farm visit?
Draco Hill is a combination of natural perennial food farm, timber, prairie, river and pond. We recommend you wear close-toed shoes, light long pants and sun protection for your upper body. Swim at your own risk in whatever clothes you prefer. We often tuck our pants into our socks and shirts into our pants to limit our exposure to chiggers and ticks.
What is the terrain like?
Visitors who need mobility aids can drive into the north end of the property which is flat bottom land. There you can enjoy much of the prairie and the river. The rest of the property is river valley hills. Be prepared for a little workout as you climb up to various orchards, into the woods or to the pond. Bring a walking stick and take plenty of rests, especially if you haven’t exercised lately or need help with uneven terrain.
More questions? Contact us today. We’ll get back quickly!
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