MM Winter2015

Beat theWinter Blues!

Page 2

Muscatine’sAg Program

Page 12

Eagles on the River

Page 14

FREETAKE ONE!

Jan/Feb/March 2015

In the hands of farmers, better seeds can help meet the needs of our rapidly growing population, while protecting the earth’s natural resources. So people have the food, clothing and fuel they need today, and our world has the land, water and energy it needs for tomorrow.

That’s improving agriculture. That’s improving lives. And that’s what Monsanto is all about.

improving

improving lives

Monsanto and Vine Design® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. ©2011 Monsanto Company.

Muscatine Magazine • Winter 2015 1

Editor’s CornerWinter Activities . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Indoor Cycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Business Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Big Brothers/Sisters . . . . . . . . 6

Art Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Musser Public Library . . . . . . 9

Know Your Neighbor . . . . . .10

Ronda Button Co . . . . . . . . . .11

Muscatine’s Ag Center . . . .12

Eagles on the River . . . . . . . .14

Grow Muscatine . . . . . . . . . .16

City Map . . . Inside back cover

On the coverIce skating on the Weed Park Lagoon by local artist Carol Steinmetz .

In this issue

M uscatine Magazine is embarking on our sixth year of publishing this quarterly, one-of-a kind, local magazine celebrating our community . Since its inception,

Muscatine Magazine has continued to grow in one way or another:

1 . Distribution has always been through our advertisers and supporting busi-nesses . In the last two years, it has been made available in the I-80 Wilton Visitor Center and all four of the Quad Cities Visitor Centers in addition to online (all 16 issues are available at www.issuu.com/muscatinemag);

2 . Editorial content has continued to expand which has resulted in adding more substantive articles while retaining the human interest stories that makes it unique; and

3 . Utilizing more local resources including more contributing local writers, more contributing local photographers, changing to an in-town printer (OP Printing) and gaining the support of area business resource, Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GMCCI), as publisher .

Bringing this publication under the GMCCI umbrella will be a tremendous benefit to both entities . I am excited for this development to further enhance the success of Muscatine Magazine .

Read MuscatineMagazine

online!(Past issues, too!)

www.issuu.com/muscatinemag

— Janet Morrow Editor

In the hands of farmers, better seeds can help meet the needs of our rapidly growing population, while protecting the earth’s natural resources. So people have the food, clothing and fuel they need today, and our world has the land, water and energy it needs for tomorrow.

That’s improving agriculture. That’s improving lives. And that’s what Monsanto is all about.

improving

improving lives

Monsanto and Vine Design® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. ©2011 Monsanto Company.

Orthopedic Rehabilitation • Sports Physical TherapyAquatic Therapy • Industrial Rehab • Ergonomic Analysis

(563) 264-8638 2008 Cedar Plaza Drive Muscatine, IA www.riverrehabpt.com

When you’re recovering from an injury, River Rehab knows

that you just want to get on with life. We’ll evaluate your

needs and develop a quality program specifically for you –

designed to help you get back in action faster.Aaron Eversmeyer

PT, CEAS

Feel Better. Move Forward.

2 Muscatine Magazine • Winter 2015

By Amber Schulte

Winter blues got you down? Don’t worry! There is plenty to do in Muscatine all winter long. Check out these activities to keep you busy this winter.

Go ice skating The riverfront park will offer ice skating on the basket-

ball courts during park hours. You must bring your own ice skates. Contact the Muscatine Park &

Recreation department at 563-263-0241 or at www.muscatineiowa.gov.

Learn, or practice archery

Shooting Stars Gun Range has many different targets available as well

as an indoor gun range. Visit their website at www.shootingstarsgunrange.com or call 563-263-0704

Donate bloodSchedule a time to donate blood at Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center. Call 563-264-2967 for more information.

Attend a high school sporting event There are many high school sports going on during the winter, includ-ing basketball, wrestling, swimming, bowling and more. Check out the Muscatine High

School calendar for activities, dates and times www.muscatine.k12.ia.us/mhs/calendar/

Attend MHS Symphonic Band Winter Concert The Muscatine High School Symphonic Band Winter Concert on March 3rd at 7pm at the high school.

Tour Muscatine Art Center’s latest exhibitVisit the Muscatine Art Center’s website www.muscatineartcenter.org or call 563-263-8282 for more information.

Check out the MuscatineHistory and Industry CenterLearn about the history of Muscatine as well as the industries that help support our community.

www.muscatinehistory.org or call 563-263-1052

Go on a winter photoscavenger huntTake a camera and try to take a photo of

as many items as you can find: a pinecone, berries, a frozen leaf, a snowman, rosy red cheeks,

a snowdrift, icicles, a bird, pine needles, a leaf still on a tree, animal tracks, your breath, boot prints, a

leafless tree, frost, snow stuck on tree bark, an acorn, an insect, a bird nest, a feather, and a rock .

Take a continuing education class

Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, including Muscatine Community College, offers many

classes ranging from computing to cooking, learning a foreign langue to photography. Check out

www.eicc.edu/continuing-education/index.aspx

Fill out a NCAA basketball tourna-ment bracket for March MadnessStart a bracket challenge with your friends and family or get involved with one at local restaurants or organizations.

Help those in need Contact the United Way of Muscatine to find out how you can make a difference with an organization in our community. unitedwaymuscatine.org or 563-263-5963

Join the Muscatine Walking ClubBe part of the million miles walked in Muscatine by joining the Muscatine Walking Club. Anyone can be a member by walking at the Muscatine Mall, outside or

Beat the Winter Blues!

By Chris Steinbach

Greg Harper worked his way through the gears of the Trek Domane 6 .5 with a click, click, click, click, click .

“Oh, boy,” he muttered . “Five percent grade . Down shifting .”

Harper, 55, did this on a chilly evening in December as he virtually rode in the mountains of Colorado . And he never left Harper’s Cycling & Fitness, the bike shop at 1106 Grandview Ave . that his family has owned for 48 years .

He was able to do it, thanks to the CycleOps virtual trainer he has started selling this year . The virtual trainer – which can be

Ride the Tour De France

— Continued on page 18Greg Harper, Harper’s Cycling & Fitness.


Muscatine’snewest, nicestbanking facility!

Park Avenue Banking Center1521 Park Avenue on Muscatine’s North Side • (563) 263-3144www.centralstate.com • Member FDIC

anywhere else. Record your miles walked at the kiosk in the center of the mall to be eligible to win weekly prizes. Contact the Muscatine Park & Recreation department at 563-263-0241 or at www.muscatineiowa.gov.

Attend the kids Snowpile Treasure Hunt on January 24th at 1pm at Muni Golf CourseKids age pre-k to 5th grade can search for golf balls in the snow to win prizes. Contact the Muscatine Park & Recreation department at 563-263-0241 or at www.muscatineiowa.gov.

Discover local birds and animals Get in touch with nature this winter at one of Muscatine’s local parks. Visit the Muscatine Park and Recreation website or the Muscatine County Conservation website for more information about our local parks. www.muscatineiowa.gov or www.muscatinecountyconservation.com.

Make snow paintJust add food coloring to water in a spray bottle and paint a picture in the snow.

Play TennisGreat River Tennis Association offers classes Monday – Thursday as well as private tennis lessons. Call Josh Baldridge at 563-639-1560 or check out their website greatrivertennisassociation.weebly.com.

Go ice fishingSummer is not the only time for fishing. Saulsbury Bridge Recreation Area offers ice fishing.

Contact the Muscatine County Conservation at 563-264-5922 or www.muscatine-countyconservation.com.

Try cross country skiing or snowshoeing

Many local parks offer great spaces for cross country skiing or snowshoeing. Get your gear and head to Discovery Park,

Saulsbury Bridge Recreation Center or Wildcat Den.

Practice Baseball or SoftballHome Run Hitters is an indoor baseball and softball training facility that offers batting cages, a practice area and private lessons. Contact them at 563-506-0283 or check out their website www.hrhitters.com.

Play GolfYou can play golf all winter

without flying South with Muscatine Municipal Golf Course’s golf simulator. Make a reservation, join a

league or schedule a private lesson by calling the clubhouse at 563-263-4735

or www.muscatineiowa.gov.

Go to the YCheck out all the Muscatine YMCA has to offer, including their winter program guide, at their website www.muscatiney.org or call 653-263-9996.

PO

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ER WATER

DIG

ITAL TV IN

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3205 Cedar Street, Muscatine 563-263-2631• mpw.org

Providing reliable services

for over 100 years

By Chris Steinbach

Skills Jeff Sorensen learned as a boy in Deadwood, S .D ., became the basis for the Muscatine business he started in 2006 .

It was in a junior high industrial arts class where Sorensen, 55, began learning about

woodworking . “I got hooked back then,” said Sorensen, president of Pearl

City Wood Products at 1103 Musser St .

Jeff never quit working with wood and building furniture even after he began his career as a state employee in information technology in the capital of Pierre, S .D .

Eventually, the Sorensen family settled in Muscatine where he began working for Bandag, later working in Des Moines for Titan Tire Inc ., before returning to Muscatine and a position at Allsteel . By the time he left the corporate world to start his business, Sorensen had earned his MBA at Saint Ambrose University in Davenport . He had also spent much of his time traveling to properties that had been acquired by his employer .

“I was tired of traveling,” Sorensen said of his decision to start his own business . And he had filled two shops with his woodworking tools

Business Profile

Custom kitchen work by Pearl City Wood Products.

If It’s Made Out of Wood, They Can Do It!

Rocking chair by Ron Schrader of Pearl City Wood Products.


At Kent Corporation strong family values guide us. We are deeply committed to the health, safety, and well-being of our employees and Muscatine citizens who share this community we call home.

A passion for innovation continues to drive success at the Kent Corporation companies;

Grain Processing CorporationKent Nutrition Group, Inc.

Kent Pet Group, Inc.Kent Precision Foods Group, Inc.

kentww.com/newsKent Worldwide

and equipment . “I was a hobbyist out of control, you might say .”

Today, Pearl City Wood Products has four full-time and six part-time employ-ees . The employees include Sorensen’s wife, Nancy, and their son, Blake, along with Travis Hugunin, who is a partner in the business and runs its wood shop .

Pearl City Wood Products will finish 2014 with a nice increase in sales, Sorensen said, but the increased busi-ness also means more expenses . And, the increased business meant almost too much work and overtime over the summer for the small staff .

Keeping those employees sometimes can be a challenge for a small business that can’t afford to compete with the wages and benefits offered by bigger companies . Because it can’t afford to lose good employees, Pearl City Wood Products tries to compete by offering a flexible work environment and a family atmosphere .

Sorensen said about 90 percent of the company’s business comes from helping build and remodel kitchens, but com-mercial work is a growing segment of business for Pearl City Wood Products, which did work for the new Central State Bank office at 1521 Park Ave . and is also working on the new Community Bank being finished at 2609 Second Ave .

“If it’s made out of wood, we can do it,” Jeff Sorensen said . “We don’t do anything twice . Everything is unique,” Sorensen said of the company’s custom-made products and the skills required to make them . “It’s got to be done right the first time .” n

Taco Tuesday™

Taco John’s®

Muscatine

Non-Profit Focus

By Amber Schulte

Beth & Justin Johnson have been a Big Couple with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Muscatine County for over four years . As a Big Couple, the Johnson’s partici-pated in the community based program where they get to meet with their Little once a week outside of school .

They were both interested in volun-teering but due to Beth’s hours at work and Justin’s teaching schedule, as well as commanding an Army Reserve Unit, they weren’t sure if they would have time individually . They were excited when they heard about the opportunity to become a Big Couple and participate together .

They are able to meet with their Little together or individually which gives them a lot more flexibility now that they have an 11-month-old son at home . “It is really fun,” said Beth . “I am glad we went that (Big Couple) route,” said Beth . “For us and our situation it works really well .”

Beth believes it is good for their little to have a strong male role model in his life . “Justin is able to do boy things with him and I am able to do more art things,” said Beth . “We each are able to bring different things to the match .”

As a match they enjoy the activities Big Brothers Big Sisters puts on and the community support the program has . Recently they were able to go behind the scenes at the movie theater; an event which was enjoyed by both the couple and their Little . “We really enjoy hanging out with Dakota our Little, he is a great kid,” said Beth . “He is a great big brother in sorts to our son .”

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Muscatine County is making a BIG difference in the lives of children throughout Muscatine County . Last year the program served over 200 kids in our community .

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a volunteer and donor supported mentoring program . The program in Muscatine County is unique compared to other Big Brother Big Sister programs in part because they are a program of the Muscatine Community YMCA, as is Special Olympics .

Currently Big Brothers Big Sisters has close to 30 kids, or Littles, waiting to be matched with an adult mentor, or Big . “We always have a need for men,” said Krista Regennitter, former Big Brothers Big Sister Program Director . “Boys tend to wait longer for a match .”

When volunteers and youth come to Big Brothers Big Sisters, staff make matches based on similar interests and personalities . Volunteers are asked to meet with their Little for a minimum of one hour a week for at least one year . Each match has an assigned staff person who offers guidance and support to the relationship .

In February of 2014 Big Brothers Big Sisters and Muscatine County 4-H received a grant through the Iowa State University Extension to plan monthly match events for the Bigs and Littles to attend . “It has been a great partnership,” said Regennitter . “Hopefully the grant will be renewed and we can continue next year .” 4-H plans a match event once a month and a quarterly family event where the Little’s family is invited to attend .

For more information contact the YMCA at 563-263-9996 or check out the Big Brothers Big Sisters website at www.BBBSMuscatine.org and like their Facebook page www.facebook.com/BBBSMuscatine . n

BIG Things Going On


Beth & Justin Johnson have been a Big Couple with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Muscatine County for over four years.

Help support Big Brothers Big Sisters by getting a team together for this year’s Bowl for Kids’ Sake

March 28 & 29, 2015Team information will be available on February 3rd . Stop by the Muscatine Community YMCA or visit www.MuscatineBFKS.org to find out

Bowl for Kids’ sake is a great fun way to get involved and help children in the community!

100% of the money raised stays in the community!


The program only takes an hour a week to make big impact in a child’s life . And there are many ways to get involved!

Community Based – A community based match meets outside of the school day, either at night or on the weekends. Bigs and Littles are able to do things in the community, go to the YMCA, go out to dinner play in the park, go to the movies or any other activity they may enjoy.

School Based – A school based match meets at the Little’s school during school hours. Bigs and Littles are able to utilize the playground, gym or the school library. Big Brothers Big Sisters provides a “Buddy Box” with games, coloring books and other activities.

Big Couple – A community based couple who mentors a Little together. They can meet with the Little together or individually.

Match Event – Another way to get involved is to plan or sponsor a match event for the Bigs and Littles to attend. This Fall an alumni Big Brother and Big Sister hosted a cookout and horseback riding event.

Advisory Committee – Big Brothers Big Sister’s Advisory Committee meets once a month and provides strategic leadership, governance and oversight and development of financial resources.

Bowl for Kids’ Sake – Bowl for Kids’ Sake is Big Brothers Big

Sisters’ most important annual fundraiser that raises over 45% of their annual budget.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Corporate Volunteer Partners:

• HON

• HNI

• Allsteel

• Musco Sports Lighting

• Kent Corp

• Bridgestone

• First National Bank

• Central State Bank

• Members Community Credit Union

Corporate Volunteer Partners with Big Brothers Big Sisters provide the oppor-tunity for employees to volunteer in the community during their work day . 98% of Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteers report that being a mentor improves their attitude towards work and life in general .

Little Effort Yields Big Impact

Learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters Muscatine at

www.BBBSMuscatine.org

The Muscatine Art Center is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Thursday from10 a.m. - 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is FREE.

On View in the Stanley Gallery, March 8 – May 24, 2015

Artist Pamela Houser has traveled the United States and finds people experiencing homelessness wherever she goes . These individuals are cold, lonely and hungry . They are “Someone’s Family”, a brother, sister, parent, child, and they need help . Ms . Houser’s hope is that her work will help the viewer find a deeper sense of consciousness and empathy concerning the needs of the homeless . She depicts their lives through the use of black and white photography . Candid or photojournalist photos catch them in their struggle trying to find the most basic necessities .

Consistent throughout the work is their obvious lack of food and housing .

Ms . Houser explains, “On recent travels I have met some wonderful people who agreed to collaborate with my project concerning people experiencing

homelessness as a way to help create social awareness .”

“I met a middle-aged lady named Patty whose struggle with mental illness led her to the streets, lost to those who

loved and tried to help her . Max was a gentleman sleeping on the streets of New York City . Some kind stranger had left him breakfast on his bed of cardboard; how nice of them .”

“A fellow named Ray was on the corner in Seattle asking for money for shelter and food . He explained that he only needed $5 per day to survive; enough for food and a bed in the shelter . I met many of our nations’ veterans struggling and experiencing homelessness right in our nation’s capitol .”

Visitors to the exhibition, “Someone’s Family”, are encouraged to drop off canned goods which will be donated to local food pantries . Photographs by Ms . Houser may be purchased with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Muscatine Center for Social Action . n

Someone’s Family: Photography by Pamela A. Houser

On View in the Laura Musser Mansion Gallery, January 22 - March 22, 2015

The second series of music box exhibits from the private collection of Brian Walter highlights the history and chronology of “Cylinder” & “Disc” music boxes from the 1870-1900 era . The cylinder music box was at the height of production from 1870 to 1890 . The cylinder music box provided live music without performers and the sound produced was very much like a group of harpists or a hand bell choir . Extensively inlaid cases and mul-tiple cylinders (which included ‘shifting’ and ‘removable’ cylinders) mark this

era as the most technically challenging period for cylinder type manufacturing .

The development of the first inter-changeable disc music boxes in 1886, made it even easier and less expensive to add tunes . These “Symphonion”

boxes were originally made in Leipzig, Germany and were destined to become some of the greatest music boxes ever known . Even this innovative design which accepted individual tune discs (allowing one music box to play mul-tiple tunes), could not save

the cylinder music box companies, as many were forced out of business due to increased sales and aggressive marketing of the new disc music boxes . n

Disc & Cylinder Music Boxes of the Late 19th Century

Disc & Cylinder Music Boxes Presentation by Brian WalterFebruary 12, 2015 at 5:15 p.m.FREE ADMISSION

Artist Reception March 15, 2015 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.FREE ADMISSION – Donations of canned goods are encouraged.


Cruise along with Musser Public Library on a Hawaiian Adventure - January 9 & 10, 2015!During the darkest, dreariest days of winter, Musser Library will transform itself into a tropical paradise for your family’s Pacific Isles vacation pleasure. Pick up your FREE ticket

to attend this dazzling, warm, educational event featuring “visits” to the Galapagos, Easter Island, the white sands of a lost atoll, and of course, Hawaii.

Expect to speak with a botanist on the shores of the Galapagos, view the southern constellations in the shadows of the Easter Island statues, dig your feet into the sand

while searching for seashells, smell the freshness of real orchid leis, taste just-sliced pineapple, and watch – or even try out – the beautiful gestures of traditional

hula dancing.

With the help of local expertise, including the Muscatine Art Center, and professionals from further away, such as “Aloha Wind Hula,”

a little imagination and creativity, along with just enough of the real thing, bring this Hawaiian Adventure to life! Sponsored and funded by the

Friends of Musser Library.

Your Hawaiian Adventure lasts one hour from the ticketed time. While many of the activities target children, all ages are welcome and encouraged to attend.

For more info, call the Musser Library at 263-3065, or visit www.musserpubliclibrary.org.

Stop by the Library for

FREE TICKETS!

Know Your Neighbors!

Muscatine Melon Patchers Quilt GuildThe Muscatine Melon Patchers Quilt Guild, a nonprofit organization, was started 28 years ago by Nyla Morrison and currently has over 80 members . Once a month, before the evening meeting, many of the members gather for an all-day session of charity sewing called “Comfort Quilts” . In 2014, guild members made and distributed over 100 bed-sized quilts to charities in the community such as the domestic abuse center, MCSA, and fire departments throughout the county . The group also makes placemats for Meals on Wheels and nursing homes as well as book bags and pillow cases for other organizations .

Every three years the guild holds a quilt show . In the past, the show has dis-played as many as 400+ member-made items . Proceeds from this event fund the Comfort Quilts and other charity activities as well as expenses for guest speakers at the monthly meetings .

The next quilt show is scheduled for March 27-28, 2015 . The theme of the show is “River of Pearls” depicting the Mississippi River and our historic pearl button industry .

In addition to Guild members providing a variety of quilted items for sale, multi-ple vendors will be on site with fabrics and quilting supplies for purchase as well . The Quilter’s Attic, a huge yard sale of quilting-related items, will be in attendance as well as the newly added table of Treasures to Own .

A special treat at this show will be the inclusion of the “Messippi Threads” Exhibit . The exhibit includes

60 small art quilts created by quilt artists in and around the Quad Cities area depicting different scenes along our area of the Mississippi .

The ladies of the First Baptist Church, hostesses of the event, will again be providing a delicious array of food and beverages for purchase as a fundraiser for their church .

The mission of the guild is to promote and educate members and the com-munity about the tradition and art of quilting . If you are interested in joining the Guild, they meet on the fourth Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm at the Mulford Evangelical Free Church on Hershey Avenue from January through October and for a Christmas party meeting in December .

The meetings usually consist of a program presented by guild members as well as guest speakers in the quilting community, both state and nation-wide . The highlight of the evening is “Show and Tell” where members bring and show items they have completed during the previous month and receive compliments and encouragement from the group .

There are numerous activities in which the members can participate during the year such as bus trips to quilt shops, instructional workshops, and retreats .

Members may also organize small in- home gatherings called “sit and sew groups” that meet once or twice a month for fellowship and sewing together .

You do not have to be an experienced quilter to join the group . This is the best place to learn . n

Contact:Chris Clark: [email protected] 563-260-2772 Pam Brown: [email protected] 563-260-1477



THERonda Button

CompanyBy Anna Counter

Muscatine’s claim to fame as the “Pearl Button Capital of the world” has been well earned . From the first realization that the river held a lucrative treasure it soon became a major industry just as lumbering was winding down in the area .

It began with John Boepple, an immigrant who was looking for a way to get along in his new country . He brought his skills from Germany, designed his own button cutting tools and began a career that was to put Muscatine on the map .

From the beginning many button companies have come and gone and one of the foremost of these was the Ronda Button Company . The building is over 100 years old and is still located at 109 Pine Street . Although it has undergone many renovations through

the years the five-story building still keeps its vintage turn of the century look . Its unusual name is a combination of the names of its owner’s two son’s Ronald and David Schmarje .

Claus Schmarje emigrated from Germany in the early 1900s and be-came an owner of Muscatine Pearl Works . His son, Clarence Schmarje, returned to Muscatine to join his father, bringing with him a concept of cemented tungsten carbide steel . In the 1940s he began manufactur-ing tungsten carbide cutters out of his basement, but soon moved to a former grain mill where the button building is still located today . He hired a crew, bought machinery and began manufacturing the innovative cutters .

The company began producing pearl buttons in 1942 using the new cutting machines invented, de-signed and developed by Clarence Schmarje . This new method was a huge improvement over the old cutters . With his new process

the cutters could be used for much longer periods of time without wearing out .

By 1948 the company employed up to 50 workers to operate the 30 new cutting machines . Up until the 1950s the company produced only blanks to be used by other com-panies, cutting two million blanks per week and using 1500-2000 tons of shells a year . Then, when every other company in town went to plastic, Ronda began producing its own buttons and pearl novelties . It was closed in the 60s and became a tool shop manufacturing tungsten carbide tools for the government and private clients . Later it became Schmarje machine shop .

That last day, in 1966, the employ-ees left their gloves right where they were working, and they are still there, a mute reminder of a bygone time . When the machines were shut down leaving uncut shells on the belts, the final closing of the door left the building eerily silent with only memories of its glory days . n

At left, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Schmarje, Claus’ son. From the Musser Public Library’s collection of Oscar Grossheim photos.


By Deidre Pearson

Maybe it’s because horse-play is en-couraged…Maybe it’s because kidding around in class is celebrated…Maybe it’s because they get to hang out with their friends until the cows come home . . .Or maybe it’s because they’re doing things they love and learning valuable lessons while they do it . Either way, approx-imately 400 Muscatine High School students, 150 Muscatine middle school students, and 65 Louisa-Muscatine High School students are currently enrolled in the District’s Agriculture Program – a program that might just be the envy of schools all over Iowa .

Ag teacher Sam Paul and his colleagues, Dave Tometich, Adam Crews, and Ashley Wiebe, are proud to be a part of one of Iowa’s strongest High School Ag programs . While the next biggest program in the state has two teachers – and most only have one – Muscatine’s program has four . All but Wiebe are

former students in the Muscatine program themselves, and Wiebe was a student teacher in the program a couple of years ago .

One of the biggest factors in the success of Muscatine’s Ag program is the Agriculture Learning Center at 3200 Lucas Street – the vision of retired Muscatine Ag teacher Dave Fowler – where students learn lessons that can’t be taught in a traditional classroom .

Paul said the Learning Center was established in 2009 through an agreement between the Friends of the Muscatine Future Farmers of America (FFA), the Muscatine School District, and Muscatine Community College – whose Veterinary Technician classes are held at the Center .

“We have our own independent board that runs the facility . It’s made up of representatives of those three groups, as well as some businesses in town and

some at-large members . The Ag teach-ers help with the day-to-day operations and running the facility, and we have some students that are employed out here,” Paul explained . “This place is an amazing teaching tool . A lot of people have inquired about building some-thing like this for their own program . We’re very fortunate to have this facility .”

MHS sophomore Ag student Alyssa Scholz said the facility is self-sustaining and revenue from events that are held at the facility, such as dances, banquets, dog shows, horse shows and cattle sales, and rental fees from people who board their horses in the facility’s stalls, help pay the bills .

The temperature controlled facility boasts an 85’x115’ indoor arena, nine animal pens on “the cattle side,” 25 stalls on “the horse side,” and two classrooms . On the property surrounding the build-ing there are 60 acres where students plant and harvest crops such as corn, alfalfa and soybeans, and about four acres of garden space where they grow everything from tomatoes and peppers, to pumpkins and sweetcorn, some of which the students picked, husked and distributed to local schools – where it

Learning by DoingMuscatine has one of Iowa’s strongest High School Agriculture programs


was served to students for lunch – or sold at area grocery stores .

“We spend half our time in the class-room and half our time in the lab . We talk about animals, talk about agri-culture, and then we’re able to come out here and the students get to do hands-on projects with it,” Paul said . “I don’t even know if they realize they’re learning . They’re learning by doing . They really develop problem solving skills . We talk about the humane treatment of animals, protecting our environment, and protecting our soil .”

One of the most important life-skills that the students learn is responsibility . Tiffany Tomlin, 17, is a junior in the Ag program . She has to go to the facility every day to feed, water, and clean up after her Quarter horse, Revel .

“A good thing about this place is it gives town kids the opportunity to have that hands-on experience with livestock,” Tomlin said . “It’s a lot of hard work . In class we (handle a lot of animals) that aren’t broke yet, and that takes a lot of time and dedication . When you first start working with horses, they won’t do what you want, and after time they start to do what you want and that’s really

rewarding – to know that you’ve made that horse listen to you . It helps that we have four teachers who are so dedicated and they want to see us succeed .”

Scholz started as an eighth grader in the Ag program and has worked with horses, pigs, and cattle, and has recently started learning more about caring for sheep .

“I just fell in love with this place . I spent pretty much my whole summer out here . If you talk to my parents they’ll say I live out here instead of at home,” Scholz said with a laugh . “This is an amazing place . People have sheep here that are lambing or goats that are kidding and they’ll put them in a stall and we have a camera hooked up to a

computer that captures the birth and then we can view that in our classrooms . Last year I was in class and a boy was yelling ‘come over here a goat is kidding’ and we all got to watch the live birth and our teacher explained it . I had never gotten to see something like that .”

Area farmers also support the program by allowing the students to care for their calves, teaching the students about proper animal nutrition and the process of weaning them . Scholz said they separated the calves from their mothers every day and the students had to figure out how much feed to give them and how many nutrients they needed to consume as they were being weaned .

Learning by Doing

— Continued on page 18

Far left: Muscatine’s Ag Learning Center. Top: Ryan Calvert feeding cattle. Bottom left: Tori Richardson taking care of a goat. Bottom right: Tiffany Tomlin and horse, Revel.


By Chris Steinbach

Hundreds – if not thousands – of bald eagles soar over the Mississippi River at Muscatine each winter .

And for 21 years, they have helped lure visitors for the Eagles & Ivories Ragtime Weekend, which will be held Jan . 23-25, 2015 . Sponsored by the Muscatine County Arts Council and the Muscatine Art Center, the weekend events give fans a chance to watch the majestic birds and listen to a genre of distinctly American music known for its syncopat-ed rhythms .

The music, which peaked in popularity in the early 20th century, is cool . But the eagles may be even cooler because, if for no other reason, they help prove that even a great leader – a Founding Father, no less – isn’t always right .

With the hindsight of more than two centuries, it’s difficult to agree with Benjamin Franklin’s belief, written from France in a 1784 letter to this daughter, “For my own part, I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen the representative of our country . He is a bird of bad moral character .” (So maybe the eagles and the early ragtime musicians have more in common than first meets the eye .)

Regardless, we watch in awe as bald eagles soar majestically over Muscatine . They return each winter to nest and rear their young mostly along the Mississippi

and Cedar rivers . They are simultaneous-ly as common – and as spectacular – as the fireworks set off each July Fourth over the Mississippi to celebrate our independence .

Yes, Ben Franklin was wrong about the bald eagle, the only eagle that is unique to North America, because they are sur-vivors whose resilience well represents the American spirit .

There were an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 bald eagles in the U .S . in the 1700s, according to Defenders of Wildlife, a nonprofit organization based in Washington that has been working since 1947 to protect wildlife .

By the 1970s, those numbers had dropped to as low as 500 nesting pairs in the continental United States . Until

2007, bald eagles were included on the U .S . Fish and Wildlife Service’s threat-ened and endangered species list . They are still federally protected – it’s illegal to kill a bald eagle, collect its feathers or disturb its nest . But they have rebounded to where there are an esti-mated 70,000 bald eagles in all of North America . That includes an estimated 5,000 nesting pairs in the United States .

In Iowa, the Department of Natural Resources this year identified 349 nesting territories statewide . A territory is defined as an area of up to one mile in radius where a male and female may build more than one nest . The birds are known to have nested in 96 of Iowa’s 99 counties .

David Bakke, a naturalist for 26 years with the Muscatine County

Celebrating A National Emblem With Boogie-woogie

“Ivory & Gold” – Jeff and Anne Barhart. Photo by Paul Brooks.

A Winter Treat:

Conservation Board, says there are a few hundred to a few thousand bald eagles that arrive here each winter . The birds have migrated from southern Canada and northern Minnesota, where snow and ice have covered their sources for food – primarily fish, carrion, smaller birds and rodents .

“They tend to go as far as they need to (in order) to find open water,” Bakke said . This is a good area for them, he said, because much of the Cedar River typically remains open for most of the winter and there is usually some open water on the Mississippi River beneath Lock and Dam No . 16 .

Bald eagles can live 15 to 20 years and may sometimes live even longer . They are believed to mate for life and they do return to the same nesting areas .

The DNR has mapped up to 75 eagle nests in Muscatine County, however, that does not necessarily mean there are 75 nesting pairs . “Some eagles maintain several nests in the same area,” Bakke said . “They’ll build, some of them, for decades .”

A large and visible nest, which was along Iowa Highway 22 near Solomon Avenue east of Muscatine, was destroyed last year in a storm . But it didn’t come close to the largest bald eagle nest on record, which was built in Florida . It was 6 .1 meters deep, 2 .9

meters wide and weighed nearly 3 tons .

Female bald eagles spend more time than their mates building a nest, gathering food and protecting their offspring . But males typically stay with their mates and help with hunting and sitting on eggs .

“Females will almost always be larger than even large males,” Bakke said .

Bald eagles typically mate each year and lay one to three eggs – usually in February or March . The eggs incubate for 35 days and the chicks will hatch over a day or two in the same order their eggs were laid . It takes about three months before the young eagles learn to fly and then even more time to learn to hunt and hone their flying skills . Usually, it’s the firstborn and maybe the second born that survive .

“They grow so fast when they’re small that (the last one hatched) isn’t able to get in there and fight for food,” Bakke said .

To get an idea of how big these birds of prey can get, visit the Environmental Learning Center located in Discovery Park off of Cedar Street . Once you pass through the building’s double doors, you are welcomed by a life-sized display of the majestic birds .

To get a glimpse of the birds on our riv-erfront and hear a presentation by Corps of Engineers Park Rangers and Dave Bakke, come to the Eagle Watch, part of the Eagles & Ivories Ragtime Weekend, at Pearl City Station at 200 West Riverfront . (In Riverfront Park) on Saturday, January 24th from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm . The Eagle Watch is free . n

For more information on the Muscatine County Conservation Board and the Environmental Learning Center, see: • www.muscatinecountyconservation.com/elc_about.php

For more information on the 2015 Eagles & Ivories Ragtime Weekend, see: • www.muscatineartscouncil.org

To see more incredible images of eagles in our area, see local photographer Paul Brooks’ work at these three sites: • www.facebook.com/PBrooksPhotography • https://vando.imagequix.com/galleries.html?id=G9K4D9L • http://paul-brooks.artistwebsites.com

Photo By Paul Brooks


16 Muscatine Magazine • Summer 2014

Muscatine has multiple resources for the hungry.

Rescued Food Helps Feed Muscatine’s HungryBy Kathy Kuhl What is valued at more than $96,000 and comes in weekly waves averaging 4,000 pounds?

It’s food that is rescued from disposal every week from three local grocery stores and one restaurant and transported to food pantries in Muscatine .

Fourteen volunteers have kept the Food Rescue program going, Monday through Friday, two routes a day, said Nichole Sorgenfrey, program manager for United Way .

“We do this with no funds,” she said .

Food is collected from Hy-Vee, Hy-Vee Mainstreet, Fareway and Pizza Ranch . It goes to the Muscatine Community Food Pantry, Pearl City Outreach and the Salvation Army, who can get the food to individuals and other agencies, too . . .

— Read the rest at growmuscatine.com

Over 58K Meals Served to Muscatine’s HungryBy Chris Steinbach Marcia Werner remembers . How could she not? After all, it has only happened once in the past 728 or so Sundays that volunteers at First Presbyterian Church’s Emmaus Cafe didn’t serve a free noon meal to anyone in Muscatine who was hungry .

Werner, who lives in Wilton, remembers that one Sunday because a winter blizzard kept her from reaching the church and the five or six volunteers she and her fellow crew chief, Virginia Barrick, lead in preparing and serving meals every two or three months .

With the exception of that one snowy day, Werner, Barrick and dozens of other volunteers have typically served 60 to 100 meals from noon to 1 p .m . on Sundays for the past 14 years . In their first 30 minutes on a recent Sunday, they served about two dozen people . . .


Children Feeding ChildrenBy Chris Steinbach A group of Muscatine students and other volunteers operate a weekly assembly line of goodwill at Madison Elementary School .

The assembly line is the result of Bag of Blessings, a mission program started four years ago by middle school students who attend Faith United Church of Christ . After hearing a presentation by church member Jan Collinson, who is director of special programs in the Muscatine Community School District, the students wanted to help feed their peers who often had noth-ing to eat on weekends when breakfasts and lunches aren’t served at school .

The first year, after holding a telethon and a cake auction at the church to raise money, the students who helped start Bag of Blessings fed 43 children in Muscatine elementary schools . . .


Food Rescue volunteers Barb Bohling (left) and Tim Stelzner (center) make one of their weekly deliveries.

Marcia Werner serves up breakfast casserole at First Presbyterian Church’s Emmaus Café.

Tammy Ales, the Faith UCC member who oversees Bag of Blessings, in front of the organization’s small store room.

“Like” the Grow Muscatine Facebook Page!16 Muscatine Magazine • Winter 2015


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No Passport NeededContinued from page 2 —

Ag CenterContinued from page 13 —

The students also learn to prepare animals for shows, washing cattle in the heated “wash rack” and securing them in a chute so they can dry them with a big blow dryer – something that Scholz said shouldn’t be done outside in cold weather .

All that hands-on experience paid off for several students this October, when Paul and his colleagues took four teams of Ag students – in Livestock Evaluation, Nursery Landscape, Environmental Science, and Beef Proficiency – to the FFA National Convention in Louisville, KY . But getting there isn’t easy . Paul said you have to win at the state level to qualify .

According to an FFA press release, Muscatine’s Nursery Landscape Career Development Event Team, made up of Shelby Poole, Brady Eversmeyer, Connor Lawhead and Reese Kilburn, placed fourth in the Nation, with Shelby Poole

placing 10th overall . The Agricultural Livestock Evaluation Team, made up of Alyssa Scholz, Sam Burmeister, Cori Bates and Tiffany Tomlin, placed sixth in the nation, and placed third in Written Exam, with Tiffany Tomlin placing third overall and second in written exam . Muscatine’s Environmental Natural Resources Career Development Team, which included Jon Solt, Zach Anderson, Tyler Koch and Haley Holladay, placed eighth in the nation with Tyler Koch as the National Champion individual . And the individual Beef Proficiency Award went to Katie Friederichs the National Champion .

Not bad for a team whose goal was to be in the top ten out of 41 teams .

The week before the FFA National Convention, each Ag teacher took one of the four groups in a different direc-tion, giving the students specialized practice in their chosen area of com-petition . Paul said the livestock group visited livestock farms in Indiana, visited Purdue University to practice livestock

judging, and attended a national con-test . The nursery and landscape team went to North Carolina for plant identifi-cation, and also visited Duke University and North Carolina State University . And the Environmental Science team visited a state park near Louisville to do some work for their contest .

Not only did the side trips help prepare the students for National competition, they also had the chance to meet people who are working in a variety of Ag-related jobs, opening their eyes to career opportunities that may be awaiting them in the future .

“There’s a huge agriculture career need,” Paul said . “We always stress to our kids that somebody’s going to have to feed people as the population rises, so if our kids have an interest in it, why not help them figure out there are good career opportunities out there . Some of those careers are right here in Muscatine, some of them are far away, just depend-ing on what the kids are looking for .” n

used on a tablet, PC or mobile phone – shows digital video of thousands of bike routes around the world (including the Tour De France) and combines them with global positioning system technol-ogy to make rides shown in the videos as realistic as possible .

“It shows the actual speed you are riding, the distance you’ve gone, the distance to the finish, the percent grade of incline,” Harper said . “It can show the amount of power that you’re expending . It can also show your pedaling cadence .”

CycleOps, a Madison, Wisconsin-based company, launched its PowerBeam Pro trainer a few years ago . It allows cyclists to ride indoors in a stationary position . Last year, the company introduced the

training software, which is what utilizes the video and GPS data . www.cycleops.com/virtualtraining/overview

“The store just purchased one for demo purposes, for people to come down and try and then buy,” Harper said of the virtual trainer .

Harper, who has been riding and racing bikes since he was a boy, is sold on the virtual trainer – at least as a way for getting through an Iowa winter, when it is often challenging to ride outside – even on a “fat bike”, which he has .

On Friday nights during winter, the Muscatine bike shop hosts races on rollers, another way cyclists are able to ride indoors . On the first night for roller races this year, Harper rode the CycleOps virtual trainer .

“I rode the Garden of the Gods Course, which is in Colorado . It is a 10-mile course,” he said . “There’s a 14 percent

grade in the Garden of the Gods … It was hard . It was extremely hard .”

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“This is really pretty awesome,” he said . “It’s for someone who really is avid about – and enjoys – riding the bikes and can’t travel around the world and wants to do it in the comfort of their own home .”

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Schools1 Muscatine High School .................................... G-52 West Middle School ...........................................I-43 Central Middle School ........................................I-84 Muscatine Community College See pg 19 .......F-11

Points-of-Interest5 Environmental Learning Center ....................... H-26 Muscatine Art Center See ad pg 8 ..................... H-77 Pearl City Station ..................................Downtown8 Mark Twain Overlook ...................................... J-109 Mississippi Mist Fountain .....................Downtown10 County Courthouse ...............................Downtown11 Musser Public Library See ad pg 9 .........Downtown12 City Hall ................................................Downtown13 Muscatine History & Industry Museum ..... Downtown Hospital .......................................................... H-7 Soccer Complex ...............................................M-4 Weed Park ..................................................... G-11 Municipal Golf Course .......................................B-9

Riverview Park ................................................. J-9 Aquatic Center ............................................... G-12 Kent Stein Ballpark ..........................................M-4 Municipal Airport .............................................S-1

Businesses39 Beckey Insurance See ad pg 19 .............Downtown47 Bosch Pest Control See ad pg 17 ...................... N-557 Central State Bank See ad pg 3 .............Downtown14 Elly’s See ad pg 19 .................................Downtown20 First National Bank See ad pg 20 ..........Downtown49 Flower Gallery See ad pg 17 .................Downtown15 Guadalajara See ad pg 20 .....................Downtown28 Harper’s Cycling & Fitness See ad pg 19 ............O-530 HNI See ad back cover ...........................Downtown32 Hoffman Inc. See pg 19 ....................................S-118 Hy-Vee See pg 19 .......................................... D-1031 Joseph Pack-n-Ship See ad pg 20 ....................D-1034 Kent Corporation See ad pg 5 .........................C-1140 Mississippi Valley Realtors See ad pg 17 ...........E-941 Monsanto See ad inside front cover ...................S-417 Muscatine Power & Water See ad pg 3 .............G-119 Nepple Law See ad pg 17 ......................Downtown52 River Rehabilitation See ad pg 1 ...................... H-363 Sign Pro See ad pg 19 .......................................M-645 Smith Sales & Service See ad pg 19 ......Downtown50 Taco John’s See ad pg 5 ....................................M-646 UI Health Care See ad pg 17 ............................. H-4

Find Your Way!

Advertisers and businesses featured in this issue, along with popular local destinations are located on the map at right.

MuscatineMAGAZINE

Publisher: Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Editor: Janet Morrow

Creative Director: Mike Shield, Shield Design

Contributors: Anna Counter, Kathy Kuhl, Diedre Pearson, Amber Schulte, Chris Steinbach, Muscatine Art Center, Musser Public Library

For advertising info: Contact Janet Morrow at (563) 506-2799 or [email protected]

Muscatine Magazine, 102 Walnut St., Muscatine, IA 52761

[email protected]

Muscatine Magazine is a quarterly publication focused on Muscatine, Iowa, and the surrounding area. The publisher

reserves the right to refuse and/or edit any materials submitted for publication. Published articles and

advertising do not constitute endorsement. ©2015

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