Festival highlights Jasper County Conservation’s October schedule

When you think of Jasper County Conservation, you probably think about land, featuring trees, flowers, meadows and lakes.

If you attend a scheduled Oct. 3 event, you can begin associating JCC with beans — and perhaps ground meat, tomatoes and sauce.

The conservation agency is hosting a number of educational and fun events including a chili cookoff at its facilities in October. One of those events is a new “Fall Festival,” to be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 3, at the Jacob Krumm Nature Preserve southeast of Kellogg.

The festival will feature a chili cookoff contest.

“We have events happening all 12 months of the year,” JCC Director Keri Van Zante said. “We’re just trying to get people out to some of our best-preserved spots in the county, so that people can enjoy all of the seasons, including fall.”

Any person, group, business or organization can enter the chili cookoff, and the registration form is available at bit.ly/1Ptiktz. Forms are to be turned in at the JCC office in the County Annex/Armory Building, 1030 W. Second. St. S.

The winner of the cookoff — as chosen by event participants — will receive a prize package, containing cooking supplies and gift cards. The event will also feature hay rides, games and a prairie maze for children.

The bluegrass band “Strings & Things” will be on hand to entertain.

The festival is one of many events being hosted by JCC in October.

• A woodcarving presentation will be given by Clark Weaver of Grinnell at 10 a.m. on Oct. 14 at the Annex/Armory Building. Weaver will use the one-hour presentation to discuss how he got started in woodcarving, and how he creates lifelike birds out of wood.

• A free mentored youth hunting outing set for Oct. 17, sponsored by the Jasper County Pheasants Forever chapter, will be held at the Wild Feather Hung Club in Baxter. Hunters ages 12 to 16, who have completed hunter education, can participate, with a maximum group size of 12 students.

The day will include safety and ethics training, a pheasant hunt and lunch. All participants will receive a free youth Pheasants Forever hat and hunting vest; visit www.jaspercountyconservation.com and download an application.

• At 6 p.m. on Oct. 23, Mariposa Recreation Area will be the site for “Jasper Your Friendly Host Presents the Magic of Nature.” Newton Community Theatre actors and JCC staff will help portray various animal characters, and visitors on the “non-scary” tour of Mariposa.

Star-gazing, led by members of Des Moines Astronomical Society, will take place after the hikes.

• Hunters ages 12 to 16, who have completed hunter education, can participate in a trapping basics workshop on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Free traps and a prize drawing are included; the group size is limited to 12 students.

• The Ashton Observatory’s telescopes will be open for public programs through the end every Saturday night of October at 8 p.m. There will be talks given in the observatory, followed by observing through the telescopes.

The telescopes will be operated by the Des Moines Astronomical Society.

Questions about any of the events mentioned in this story can be emailed to conservation@co.jasper.ia.us or called in to the JCC office at 641-792-9780.

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com