Iowa Hall of Pride netINS, Inc. Butler House on Grand B&B Sam's Barber Shop Douglas T. Bates III, Attorney KMA Radio's ''Chuck & Don Show'' Barack Obama story & coloring book The Monks of New Melleray Abbey RELATED LINKS About Offenburger.com Biographies Want to Reprint? Want Updates? ARCHIVES Chuck Offenburger's columns Christie Vilsack's columns Carla Offenburger's columns Carla's book reviews Jared Strong's columns Guest Columns The Simple Serenity Farm columns Farm Photos, 2006 - 2008 Our Iowa News Digest Along Our Way  What’s the deal with the black & white saddle shoes?  Click here for the story of our farm in Greene County, Iowa. Here's looking at life at Simple Serenity Farm  We Offenburgers spent Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and a weather-enforced extra night at the home of Carla's sister Chris Woods and her family in Des Moines. It was a fun gathering that featured nine-month-old Arianna, the Woods' granddaughter, in the starring role! Click here for larger format Earlier photos in this series 
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 Here are a dozen great things to do and see in Greene County in addition to our new barn quilts By CARLA OFFENBURGER May 22, 2006 COOPER, IOWA My work on the “Barn Quilts of Greene County” project has put me neck-deep into the lore of this county in west central Iowa. And recently I was drawing on my knowledge of it while I was putting together an itinerary for a May 24 bus tour of our barn quilts by a group of folks from Newton.  Between my response to Jackie, and my preparations for the narration on that bus tour, I thought I could share with you readers what those unique things are. Then if you request one, I’ll send each of you a brochure and map for the Barn Quilts of Greene County, and you can plan your own day to spend here around the county that we say is the “Home of the Horn of Plenty.” For my husband Chuck Offenburger's earlier story on the barn quilts project, click here. Now, besides seeing all the barn quilts – and the tour of them will take you through every community in Greene County – there are some specific things not to miss here, and following are my favorite 12: Tuesday’s CoffeeHouse & GiftShop, Churdan: There are not many towns the size of Churdan (pop. 418) that can brag of having such a fine coffeehouse. Tuesday’s has been decorated by owner Renee McLaughlin in the neatest antique, old chic – right down to the license plates on the floor put there to “cover bad spots in an otherwise pretty decent wooden floor,” Renee told me once. Tuesday’s stays true to the heritage of Churdan by selling a lot of Irish gifts and collectibles, but it also has wonderful more general gift items for all occasions, and now there’s also quite a collection of fun antiques. In fact, I bought the old farmhouse tablecloth now used at Simple Serenity Farm there – for $5! I like Tuesday’s so much that when I had the opportunity, I changed where I get my hair cut – now First State Salon in a former bank building in Churdan – just so I’d have an opportunity to get to Tuesday’s a bit more. Mary Ann’s Dress Shop, on the square in Jefferson: This seems to be a hidden treasure that many from out of town know all about – and too many in Jefferson seem to ignore. Sigh. Owner Jean Fountain has some high quality clothing here. And while the store’s exterior front and the layout inside have that “old small town department store feel,” don’t be fooled. Most of the clothes are first-rate styles for today. It was my sister Chris Woods, from Des Moines, who asked me one day, “Do you know Mary Ann’s carries Austen Reed?” I had no clue, but then I’m not the Austen Reed suit type, like my sister and her corporate friends are. I gravitate toward the more casual Woolrich and other funky brands that Mary Ann’s also carries – the same ones I also see in Von Maur in West Des Moines on my occasional trips there. Why not be buying them here in Jefferson? Ben Franklin, on the square in Jefferson: You simply can’t miss this! This store is perhaps my favorite thing about Jefferson. It’s fun to find everything you didn’t know you needed on the shelves here. It’s also small-town friendly to be called by name when you enter – by everyone who works there! Owners Lori and Bob Smith make every experience in Ben Franklin a good one. Radio Shack, with a walkway right into Ben Franklin and also owned by the Smiths, on the square in Jefferson: This store has been a real bonus for Greene County residents, for all of our “electronic needs.” The sales help there is knowledgeable and helpful for those of us who are struggling to understand all the new electronic options available to us. Somehow I don’t think the big electronic stores in bigger cities would be nearly as friendly. And I know none of them offer me gourmet coffee. When I can’t get to Tuesday’s in Churdan, I can also stop at the small coffee bar in our Radio Shack in Jefferson. Deal’s Orchard, just west of Jefferson: Deal’s Orchard is fun even when it’s not apple season. Everyone in the county knows and loves owners Cindy and Jerald Deal. Our first summer living here, I volunteered to work at their Fall Festival and literally saw thousands of people come from all over Iowa to pick pumpkins, buy apples, enjoy the entertainment and take hayrack rides. They also eat the fabulous apple pies and apple dumplings. But Deal’s is more than just apples – it is also home-grown summer produce, Christmas trees and a gift shop with gourmet foods and kitchen gadgets. Printer’s Box, on the square in Jefferson: This gift shop has the best gifts anywhere – very unique. Owners Jean and Don Feldmann make every trip inside a wonderful experience. They are friendly and helpful. And you can’t buy a gift there without having the best gift-wrapping service included free of charge. Why buy a gift anywhere else? Recipients of gifts from the Printer’s Box know right away they’ve just received a funky, fun gift – because the gift wrap gives them away every time. Feldmans recently ordered “town signs” for every Greene County community – and all of us in Cooper got one. They also carry my favorite lotions and potions – Burt’s Bees. Chuck and I have wonderful, colorful every-day dishes I got at the Printer’s Box. And almost everyone I know has received one of the wonderfully-wrapped packages from the store. Having the Printer’s Box in town only makes me wish I had more gifts to give. Angie’s Tea Garden, on the square in Jefferson: This is a fabulous, first-class tea room with wonderful food. The daily specials are posted on the chalkboard out front on the sidewalk, and the lace curtains on all the windows give you a clue what the atmosphere is going to be when you walk inside Angie Petersen's business. It’s a special place to visit for lunch with special friends, and it’s one you’ll want to come back to again and again. You won’t want to pass on the little sweet roll that is served with nearly every meal. The Gallup House, at 703 South Chestnut Street in Jefferson: We have an often-overlooked gem in our midst – the boyhood home of George Gallup Jr. The famous American pollster was born and raised in Jefferson, living on his family’s 20-acre dairy farm, which was then on the edge of town, until he graduated from Jefferson High School. The farmhouse, built by his father George Gallup, is a uniquely designed octagonal home. Now owned by one of the companies that George Gallup Jr. founded, Gallup & Robinson, of Pennington, New Jersey, the house is currently being renovated. Gallup & Robinson president Scott Purvis has hired me to oversee the construction work done by Jefferson brothers Russ and Tim Gettler, of Gettler Construction. (The same men did our Offenburger farmhouse in 2004.) I estimate that when all is said and done, this will be more than a quarter-million-dollar project – and that’s a big project for Jefferson. Plans for the home include having it open for the public, most likely with bed & breakfast-type rooms upstairs, with meeting or reception rooms on the first floor, and of course a display room on the life and career of George Gallup Jr. Right now, the house is closed to the public, but it’s worth the drive down Chestnut to see the elegant octagon shape of what will re-emerge as a stately home, once the exterior and interior work is completed. And eventually, when the big construction vehicles are off the property for good, there will be some major landscaping happening as well. Peony Chinese Restaurant, on the square in Jefferson: Before we moved to Greene County, Chuck and I fell in love with the Peony. We like Chinese food and have also settled in to this restaurant as our regular dining-out spot. The Peony had no trouble living up to our expectations. Owners Tong and Chantalle Long run a first-class place and the food is very good. I just wish we ate out more often – because it would almost always be here. Don’s Hardware, on the square in Jefferson: Nothing is better than walking the aisles of a good small-town hardware store. They are jam-packed with everything. And at one time or another, you’ll need something that can only be found on one of the shelves at Don’s Hardware. Owner Don Orris and his staff are friendly and helpful, and only occasionally have they laughed at my strange “new to rural living” questions or requests. Most of the painting done at Simple Serenity Farm was done with paint that Teresa Humpel mixed up for me there at Don’s. She let me name each color before she put them “on file” under our Offenburger name. She puts color samples under a little microscope-like machine and can match anything – including a piece of metal siding I recently brought in for a barn quilt pattern we were painting. And I like how I can walk in, say “charge it,” and walk out – knowing in a few weeks a bill will come to our home and we’ll gladly pay it, happy that we have the small town courtesy and friendliness of the folks at Don’s Hardware. The Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower, on the square in Jefferson: Nearly everyone knows that Jefferson has the “Bell Tower,” as most call it around here. It is most often promoted as something you can travel up 168 feet, by elevator, with the huge windows at the top giving you a spectacular view over the countryside, as well as a vantage point from where you can see all the communities in Greene County. And that’s all true. But the real joy for me comes when every 15 minutes, the carillon bells chime, and every half hour, they play songs that are mostly patriotic or religious, with a few movie theme songs thrown in.  Soon after we moved to Greene County, I made myself a promise that I’ve pretty well kept – when I’m downtown and carillon begins to play, I stop and listen. I mean really stop. And I listen to the whole song, smiling all the time. I think if everyone in Greene County did that, we’d all be a bit happier – and more relaxed! In your visit, you really have to stay long enough on the square to at least hum along with a few numbers. The Phone Museum, just south of the square in Jefferson: This is another often-overlooked gem, at the Jefferson Telephone Company. In the company’s basement, the Daubendiek family, owners of Jefferson Telephone, has put together the finest little museum of telephone history I’ve ever seen. Come to think of it, this is the only telephone museum I’ve ever seen. And it’s worth making the trip during regular office hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) when the museum is open, and one of the telephone company staff will show you the way. It’s amazing to see, in such a small space, how our phone system has changed over the past 100-plus years. It’s a walk back in time – and a fun one at that. And I can’t leave out one of the main reasons Chuck and I moved to Greene County. The Raccoon River Valley Trail, starting in Jefferson and going south through the little town of Cooper and farther south into Guthrie and Dallas Counties. Most people think this is a trail for bicyclists, and it is. But it’s also a trail for everyone’s enjoyment. I see many people walking on it and enjoying it with their families. I wish I saw several more. When trail users leave Jefferson at the restored Milwaukee Depot and head south, they will see in the first four miles some of the best scenery the entire 56-mile trail has to offer. First the gardens and yards of those Jefferson residents living along the trail are spectacular. Then you dip down into the North Raccoon River valley where you ultimately end up at the 600-foot-long trestle bridge spanning the river. Spectacular, indeed. After you cross the bridge, you gracefully go up out of the valley and then experience the sight of some of Greene County’s finest farmland – all before you arrive in our little town of Cooper. It’s a mere eight miles from Jefferson to Cooper, and I’d like to think that nearly anyone could do that on a bike. But I do know anyone could get out and walk at least a small stretch of the trail, and you’d quickly realize why trails are so popular in Iowa. People using them are always friendly – and the natural surroundings are a real gift to experience. Of course, there’s a whole lot more to do and see in Greene County. And I bet if you asked a dozen folks around here, you’d get a dozen different answers. The important thing is to get out and experience all that is available to us in our small communities. And then be pro-active in sharing them with friends and visitors! Send your comments to carla@Offenburger.com
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