A LOOK AT IOWA’S BARN TOUR CULTURE I WA LIFE BARNYARD BEAUTIES
SUDOKU
There’s an easy litmus test to find out if a state is proud of its agricultural heritage: Take
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to Google and see if the state has its own historic barn foundation. Iowa, which has been home to the Iowa Barn Foundation (IBF) since 1997, would pass with flying colors. All it takes to understand the need for the IBF is a drive through the Iowa countryside. Barns abound, and, in minutes, you can parse the modern, aluminum-sided ones from the historic, wood and stone variety. The latter are often draped in vines, painted cheerful colors, or expertly crafted in unusual shapes. They’re oases in the midst of corn fields, and a single look at one is enough to make you want to protect it from harm. The IBF provides protection for Iowa’s beloved agricultural structures through grants, which run from a few hundred dollars up to $30,000 per barn. Some of those barns are hundreds of years old, making them curiosity pieces for historians and aesthetes alike. So, years ago, the IBF began hosting free barn tours to give these outbuildings an opportunity to shine. The largest event is the annual All-State Tour, which features close to 100 barns beautifully restored with IBF funds. Friends, families, and couples from Iowa and beyond mark the date on their calendars months in advance and strategize about how to reach the most barns, checking the IBF website (IowaBarnFoundation.org) for photos of the year’s contenders. The smaller Spring Barn Tour takes place in June, featuring barns with unique architecture in just a few neighboring counties. Those barns generally haven’t been restored by the IBF, so their condition varies. Both tours attract locals, historians, tourists, and photographers, who spend days browsing haylofts and stalls. Some farm owners even take the opportunity to display antique tools and family photos to the public or cater to the crowds with homemade sweets. This year’s 19th annual All-State Tour will take place Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 28–29. As one Star Tribute writer put it, between yearnings for the simple country life, “So many barns. So little time.”
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