Last week I promised to give you more information about a very unique and important event coming to Winterset on January 26th and 27th. Here we go!
Map of My Kingdom is a play commissioned by Practical Farmers of Iowa, written by Mary Swander, Iowa’s Poet Laureate. It deals with a very important question that affects a lot of land owners in Iowa and Madison County: When the time comes, what will become of the farm? Map of My Kingdom will be presented at The Iowa Theater on Friday, January 26th at 7:00 pm. The performance will be followed by a 20-minute “talk back” facilitated by the playwright. Tickets are $10 per person, and advance tickets are available online at https://www.the-iowa.com.
In the drama, Angela Martin, a lawyer and mediator in land transition disputes, shares stories of how farmers and landowners she has worked with over the years approached their land successions. “Some people literally killed each other over this issue,” Martin says. Others almost came to blows, struggling to resolve the sale or transfer of their land, dissolving relationships. Others found peacefully rational solutions that focused not only on the viability of the family, but also of the land. Map of My Kingdom will resonate with those who have been through or are working through challenging land transfer issues that include division of the land among siblings, to selling out to a neighbor, to attempts to preserve the land’s integrity against urban sprawl.
Today, a vast amount of land in the United States is owned by those over 65 years old. Some have made their wishes clear for the future of their property. Others are courting family upheaval by not planning in concrete ways. An age-old problem, evident in literature from the Bible to King Lear to Willa Cather, land transition asks hard questions: Who really owns the land? And what is the role of the steward of a property? Can “fair” become “unfair” to one’s children?
The drama will inspire the hesitant and the fearful to start the conversation that cannot wait. Therefore, accompanying the play, Mary Swander will lead a Farm Legacy Letter Workshop on Saturday, January 27, from 9:30 am to 11:30 am at the Madison County Historical Complex located at 815 South 2nd Avenue in Winterset. Participants will create a solid draft of a letter that offers basics about their farmland, their strongest memories, and what they want most for their land’s future. The workshop is free, but registration is required as spaces are limited.
Landowners and potential heirs of landowners who need or want to begin the conversation about how their land will change hands, and what uses that land will serve in the future, will benefit from participating in all or part of this experience. City folk will also find it informative as to the ways land and family intertwine and create identity. All participants will experience the synergy that led to the Winterset staging of the play. The numerous organizations and individuals who collaborated to plan and fund this event speak to what matters in the county: Bridges Financial Associates; Farm Bureau Financial Services – Scot and Kim Clark; Farmers and Merchants State Bank; Edward Jones – Karin Holder, AAMS; Flander, Casper & Rosien – Jane Rosien; For Lands Sake!; Jordan, Oliver, Walters & Smith, P.C.; The Iowa Theater; Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in Madison County; Madison County Historical Society; Madison County Soil & Water Conservation District; Madison County Women, Land & Legacy; Midwest Heritage Bank; Nelson, Young & Braland; Mary Terry, JD, DFP, APMA – Ascendant Wealth Management Group, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.; Union State Bank; and the Friends of the Winterset Public Library.
For more information about the play, visit http://www.maryswander.com/2014/09/16/map-of-my-kingdom-information/.
To purchase advance tickets for the play, visit: www.the-iowa.com.
To register for the free Legacy Letter Workshop, call 515-462-1731 or email library@winterset.lib.ia.us.
This Weekend
They might be getting a slow start today due to the weather, but re:home is having a major Sidewalk Sale this weekend, as well as Pine Creek Ltd. and Angel Wings & CT. Many items at re:home will be anywhere from 25% to 75% off, such as selected furniture, florals, home decor, candles, textiles, pillows, jewelry, lamps, jars, vases, birdhouses, caps, art, lighting signs, and more. Sale items are cash or check only! Pine Creek has 50% off all baby, plush, Christmas items and pillows, and Angel Wings has 60% off Christmas items and an additional 20% off of clothing that has already been marked down 25-30%. Brave the cold and check it out!
A new movie opens tonight at The Iowa Theater — and I mean really new! Just released in December of 2017, The Greatest Showman (PG) is an original musical celebrating the birth of show business. It tells the story of P.T. Barnum, a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.
1st Avenue Collective is hosting a Hammered Ring Class this Saturday, January 13th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. Participants will learn to texture, hammer and fuse fine silver wire to create an assortment of rings. You will receive enough wire to create one wrap-around ring and two to four stackable rings, depending on your ring size. This class is a great introduction to torch work. No prior jewelry experience needed, just a desire to create. Use of tools and materials are included in the class fee of $60.00. The instructors are Gina Crow and Sandra Geronimo. Pre-registration is required. If the first date fills up, another opportunity will be added. Call (515)505-4396 or stop by 1st Avenue Collective to register.
An opening reception is planned for the new exhibit at the Iowa Quilt Museum, “Feed Sack Quilts,” this Saturday (January 13th) from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served while guests visit with the museum board members, director, and exhibit curator Linzee Kull McCray. Tickets are $10.00 and can be purchased at IowaQuiltMuseum.com or at the museum in advance or at the door. This may be the museum’s most colorful exhibit to date — not just because of the color in the quilts, but because they’re pushing the envelope of what an exhibit looks like. In addition to quilts, the display includes authentic feed sack clothing, dolls, and other vintage utility items made from feed sacks. It also includes fourteen custom bound volumes of curator Linzee McCray’s book, “Feedsacks: The Colourful History of a Frugal Fabric.” Many of the book bindings feature antique feed sacks and all are stunningly unique. Three quilts in the display are hanging from the ceiling so that visitors can view both the front and the back. Winter hours to view the exhibit are Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 to 4:00 and Sunday from 12:00 to 4:00.
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The annual Taste of Summer Event at Winterset High School is planned for this Saturday afternoon and evening, with food starting at 3:00 pm. Enjoy a taste of summer while cheering on the Huskies Basketball teams vs. Van Meter at 4:00 and 5:30 pm.
Winterset Ballet & Dance Studio is offering a New Years Special! Their next adult class session starts this Sunday, January 14th. You are invited to try a class for free and sign up for a 10-class punch card, with $10 off. For those who have participated in the past, jump back in with your current punch cards and use the opportunity to buy another 10-class punch card for $10 off. This special runs from Sunday, January 14th through Monday, January 22nd. Class options include CIZE, Country Heat, ballet/modern, and PiYo is coming soon. Contact nicole@wintersetdance.
Teddi Yaeger of Teddi Yaeger Photography is offering an Introduction to Photography class at the Winterset Art Center this Sunday, January 14th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Have you ever wanted to learn how to take better photographs? Do you want to learn how to use the camera you bought or received as a gift? During this three hour workshop, Teddi will cover all the basics of what makes a photograph great (subject matter, composition, lighting, etc.) and how to use the equipment you own. This class is recommended for ages 12 and up. The fee is $70 for Winterset Art Center members and $75 for non-members. Also, Teddi will be teaching a Portrait Photography class on January 21st from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. During that two hour class she will share tips and tricks for posing subjects and eliciting genuine facial expressions, as well as the most flattering angles and positions for people. Participants will learn secrets to working with and photographing children of all ages. The fee is $45 for Winterset Art Center members and $50 for non-members. Please email wintersetart2016@gmail.com
Coming Soon
The Winterset Community School District Administration invites the public to attend a Community Open House from 5:00 to 7:00 pm in the Winterset High School Commons on January 17th. Preliminary facility renovation plans will be shared, and feedback will be requested. Contact the WCSD administration office at 515-462-2718 if you have questions in advance.
WPRD News: Registration for the Father Daughter Sweetheart Dance, which is held on February 9th, will be due on January 19th. The event is for kindergarten through 4th grade girls, and the fee is $30 per couple (plus $10 per additional daughter). Fathers and daughters, grandfathers and granddaughters, uncles and nieces are all invited to join the party for an evening of music, dancing and fun. A local photographer will be on hand to take pictures at an additional charge. Space is limited to 150 young ladies. Register early! Click here to register. Note that registration for WPRD’s Adult Co-Ed Volleyball also ends on Friday, January 12th. Also, the Winterset Ice Rink is now open, located at 1201 W. Jefferson St. (next to the city tennis courts). Light are available for night skating.
Check out this Financial Planning Workshop being offered at the Winterset Public Library on Saturday, January 20th from 10:30 am to Noon:
The Madison County Conservation Board is sponsoring a two-day field trip to Burlington, Iowa on Saturday, January 20 and Sunday, January 21 for the purpose of viewing Bald Eagles along the Mississippi River and touring the boy-hood home of renowned Conservationist, Aldo Leopold. Beginning in the early 1900’s, Leopold was at the forefront of the conservation movement. Through his work with the U.S. Forest Service and subsequently as the Chair of the Game Management Program at the University of Wisconsin, he has been internationally acknowledged as the “Father of Wildlife Conservation” in America. Leopold historian, Steve Brower, will provide the tour group with a program about the Leopold legacy and a tour of the Leopold boyhood homes and property. On Sunday morning, the group will venture to Lock & Dam 18 on the Mississippi River, a few miles north of Burlington, to view large gatherings of Bald Eagles and other birds and wildlife. The Conservation Board will provide transportation for up to 20 people. Due to limitation of space, advanced reservations for the trip are required. To ask questions or to register, contact the Conservation Board office at 515-462-3536. All participants will be responsible for their lodging and meal costs.
On January 21st, Robin Paul is hosting a Paperweights in the Hot Shop event from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at Madhaus Gallery. Learn how to make a paperweight from molten glass – a great beginning glassblowing experience. Call Robin at 515-707-4309 to schedule your time, booking in half-hour increments. The cost is $50 per person.
The One Earth Book Discussion Series is starting up again for 2018 on January 23rd with Sylvan T. Runkel:
The Madison County Conservation Board is offering a Community Ice Fishing Day on Saturday, January 27th from 9:00 to noon at Criss Cove. It is open to people of all ages who would like to try their hand at ice fishing, with staff from the Conservation Board and some other experienced anglers on hand to help. A limited number of rods and bait will be available, or you’re welcome to bring your own equipment. A fire and warm beverages will be provided. All participants should come dressed for the weather in multiple layers of warm clothing. This event will be held weather permitting providing the ice meets safety standards. They also have a Full Moon Snowshoe Hike coming up on January 31st at Pammel Park.
Finally…
Madison County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Heather Riley, recently accepted a $500 donation from Winterset Optimist Club members Jean Bosch and Wayne Martens. The donation will be added to the funds to help rebuild Cedar Bridge.
If you represent a non-profit organization in Madison County and have an project that needs help with funding, please note that the 2018 grant applications from the Greater Madison County Community Foundation are now available to download and complete at www.madisoncountyfoundatio
Thank you for reading The Winterset Citizen. All community announcements are provided at no charge, courtesy of the following sponsors:
American State Bank
Anchored Walls
Angel Wings & CT
Blanchard Family Dentistry
Bridges Financial Associates
Covered Bridge Realty
Daniel Evans, Edward Jones
Farmers & Merchants State Bank
Farm Bureau FS, Scot Clark
Groth’s Gardens & Greenhouses
Homefront Real Estate
The Iowa Theater
Johnson Insurance
Lowe Chiropractic Clinic
Madhaus Gallery
Madison County Health Care System
Madison County Historical Society
Madison County ISU Extension & Outreach
McDonald Tree Service
Medicap Pharmacy
Midwest Heritage Bank
Montross Pharmacy
Pine Creek Ltd.
re:home
Rusty Stars Alpacas
State Farm, Charlotte Speer
Union State Bank
Village Bootery
White Lions Bed & Breakfast
Winterset Ballet & Dance Studio
Winterset Optimist Club
Winterset Parks & Recreation Department
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