Any time is a good time to remember what you’re grateful for, but fall leaves + Thanksgiving makes this a truly perfect time for a Gratitude Garland. Download and print these leaves here, then decorate for the season with this super easy paper project!
Supplies: Paper leaves / acorn (download here and print on cardstock) Scissors Glue or glue stick String Marker or Pen
Download and print the leaves & acorn (designed by our awesome summer 2021 intern, Claire Sanderman). I used different colored cardstock for our project – you can decide how you want your Gratitude Garland to look. You could print on white cardstock, or just one color, or do a variety like I did here.
Cut out the leaves.
Ask your family and friends to write things they’re grateful for on the leaves and acorn. You could do this throughout the entire fall, or the month of November if you’re planning to have this as a decoration for Thanksgiving. Or you could do it during your actual Thanksgiving party, as an activity for all in attendance! Here I was getting a preview of how it might look hanging up.
Once at least one of the leaves is filled out, you can put it on your string! Cut the string to your desired length, and then hang it up where you plan to display the garland (over a window, above a fireplace, in an entryway…).
Then take a glue stick and glue the top part of the leaf/acorn stem.
Fold over the string and hold for a few seconds to ensure the glue is sticking (also who DOESN’T love cake and presents?!?)!
Adjust on the string to wherever you’d like that leaf to be, and enjoy putting this gratitude garland together! Happy fall! – Aryn
Volunteers work in the background at the Decorah Community Prairie / Photo by Benji Nichols
On Decorah’s west side, below rugged Pulpit Rock and the bluffs of Phelps Park, a horseshoe-shaped meadow arcs along the Upper Iowa River. Two giant bur oaks stretch toward the sky, providing shade on sunny afternoons. Deer amble along grass paths. Birds, butterflies, and bees buzz around clusters of wildflowers. This is the Decorah Community Prairie and Butterfly Garden.
Roxie Nichols sits under a giant oak tree at the Decorah Community Prairie fall of 2020 / Photo by Aryn Henning Nichols
“Iowa used to be covered in prairie. If you had come here 200 years ago, you would find prairie plants growing along this same river,” Decorah Park-Rec Director Andy Nimrod says.
And if you had come here 20 years ago, even, things would have looked different than today. The 35-acre public park will celebrate its 20th birthday – or seed-day – in the coming year.
“What we have now is more of a cultivated prairie, but in a sense, we’ve circled back to the way things were,” Andy says.
The Decorah City Council first discussed converting this floodplain to parkland in the fall of 2001. Guided by Terry Haindfield, a wildlife biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, organizers drafted plans for an 11-acre grass filter strip bordered by 24 acres of native plants. The first seeds were scattered in spring 2002.
More than 100 community volunteers joined Andy and his Park-Rec colleagues to plant the prairie that spring. Newspaper coverage of those early efforts shows a mix of local businesspeople, Luther employees, Master Gardeners and area families – including Andy’s daughter, who was a toddler at the time. This fall, she’ll be a senior in college.
“We all met down there on a couple of different Saturday mornings and got the plants going. At first, we just threw the seeds out there to see what would grow, and then we went in with little potted plants called ‘plugs.’ We spent a lot of time planting plugs and mulching them after we had seeded everything down,” he says.
That initial seed mix included 73 species of diverse prairie flowers and grasses. For the designated butterfly garden area, planners chose plants that would nurture caterpillars and provide nectar sources for adult butterflies. Over the years, volunteers have added an educational element to the butterfly garden by installing signs that identify various plant species.
The colors at the Prairie change over the seasons. This photo from fall of 2020 highlights the golden glow of autumn. / Photo by Aryn Henning Nichols
Turning the city-owned land from farm field to prairie was a way to prevent soil erosion, provide pollinator habitat and promote biodiversity. The prairie also presented a new place for hikers, runners, bikers, dogwalkers, skiers, snowshoers, and nature lovers to play. Teams from Decorah Parks and Recreation groom the prairie’s cross-country ski tracks in the winter, and they help maintain plants, trees, and trails throughout the year. Approximately two miles of mowed-grass paths weave through the park, while paved and mulched loops in the butterfly garden accommodate wheelchairs and strollers.
Those trails are a big draw, says Andy, and so is the park’s simplicity. Rather than play structures and sports fields, visitors enjoy seasonal flowers and scenic views of the surrounding river valley.
“A lot of people love going down there year-round. It’s an important part of their daily activities, whether that’s from an exercise standpoint or as stress-relief or just getting out to walk the dog,” he says.
Local plant enthusiasts build personal bonds in the park, too. Jerri Osenga started volunteering at the prairie’s butterfly garden, located near the park entrance, when she moved to Decorah in 2011. She and some friends she met at that spring’s volunteer kickoff meeting still tend to the butterfly garden on Tuesday mornings each summer, a decade later.
Community members like Jerri Osenga (left), Annette Lechensky (right), and many others are an important part of the butterfly garden’s success. / Photo by Benji Nichols
“Working with these people is rewarding. Sharing my knowledge is rewarding. It’s a refuge. I tend to go over there no matter what, because the gardening is rather good for my soul,” Jerri says.
Ellen Cutting served on the Decorah City Council as initial prairie plans came together. She remembers strong support for the project from the start. Today, Ellen meets friends for summer walks in the park and sometimes skis groomed trails there when the snow flies.
“It’s by the river. It’s a quiet, isolated part of town. The prairie itself is beautiful, and there’s a nice sense of community there,” she says.
A free, self-guided tour map, available at the garden and on the Decorah Community Prairie website, spotlights more than 60 plants that thrive in the park. That list includes everything from prairie rose and pale purple coneflower to showy goldenrod, wild bergamot and foxglove beardtongue. Some perennials, like the towering compass plant, have roots that can reach more than 15 feet into the soil. Blue-eyed grass, on the other hand, might top out at six inches tall. At the height of summer, white wild indigo tends to dominate the landscape. In the fall, at least a dozen different species typically bloom in vibrant shades of yellow.
The Upper Iowa River sometimes washes logs and sand into the prairie, and heavy rains can rearrange the terrain. After floodwaters receded in 2008, for example, Jerri and her fellow volunteers spent several years supporting plants that reestablished themselves in the butterfly garden. Decorah Park-Rec crews regularly weed out cottonwoods, locusts and other invasive trees, as well.
Through their combined efforts, garden caretakers aim to keep the Decorah Community Prairie a welcoming place for native plants, pollinators, and people for many years to come.
“It’s difficult to decide whether you want it to be well-known or not, because it’s such a secluded, peaceful spot,” Jerri says. “An oasis in the city.”
Renee Brincks (www.reneebrincks.com) writes about travel, parks, and small producers. Her favorite plant in Decorah’s prairie is the smooth blue aster.
If You Go
To reach the Decorah Community Prairie and Butterfly Garden, take 5th Avenue to Ohio Street and head south toward the Upper Iowa River. Near the Aase Haugen property, follow the narrow drive that crosses over the dike. Parking is available in the lot near the butterfly garden.
Volunteers gather at the Decorah Community Prairie and Butterfly Garden from 9 to 11 am, each Tuesday between May and October. Whether you’re new to wildflowers or have years of gardening experience, you can help weed, water, mulch, and maintain the native plants that pollinators depend on. Volunteers can also take part in the prairie’s Adopt-A-Plant program, caring for a particular species throughout the growing season.
To learn more, contact the Decorah Parks and Recreation office at 563-382-4158 or parkrec@decorahia.org.
Farming in the Midwest is a deep-rooted tradition. Grounded in a history of agriculture, cultivating the foods that end up on our tables has long been the legacy of the region, particularly in the Driftless. But for the black community, the same isn’t true.
This striking reality presented itself loud-and-clear to Adrian Lipscombe, owner of Uptown Cafe in La Crosse, Wisconsin, earlier this year, and it eventually led her to launch a black farming initiative, 40 Acres and a Mule. But as passionate as she’s been about supporting the black farmer, it’s surprising to learn that she became involved in the cause almost serendipitously.
After the events surrounding George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis the summer of 2020, Adrian received a check in the mail. Confused, she thought maybe she had forgotten to collect from a catering job. But then came the requests for Venmo payments. Adrian, a black woman and small business owner, couldn’t figure out what it was for, so she finally asked. Turns out, people just wanted to support her during this moment of racial inequality and unrest.
Adrian went to bed puzzled. Should she take the money? What would she do with it?
A good night’s rest was all the inspiration she needed. Adrian woke and immediately knew, “I’m going to buy black land and I’m going to concentrate on black farmers,” she says, thinking back to that pivotal moment. As an entrepreneur and former city planner, Adrian immediately kicked it into high gear, reaching out to contacts on the East Coast – this epiphany happened early in the morning and she needed resources that were awake. “I was asking them, does this exist? And I learned that this is a real need. So I launched 40 Acres and a Mule within 24 hours,” she says.
40 Acres and a Mule strives to provide resources and connections for black farmers. The name comes from a term derived from Union General William T. Sherman in his 1865 Special Field Order No. 15. This reparations movement promised to pay restitution to African Americans for their enslavement.
This seemed fitting to Adrian as she began digging into the history of black farming. Reaching out to different organizations, she started to see that her community was a perfect example of where black farming could thrive, but hasn’t. “Wisconsin is a homogeneous farming community. But where is the black farmer today?” she found herself asking.
The fact that she asks these questions, launches initiatives within 24 hours, and is the first person people think of when they have extra money to support a business, is why Adrian is the epitome of a community builder. With roots in the South, she’s not a La Crosse native, but the city has welcomed her, and her leadership, with open arms. “La Crosse is such a great community. It’s the smallest city I’ve ever lived in,” she says. “People here are really sincere in wanting to help make it a better place, a diverse place, an equitable place.” Though she was surprised by the monetary outreach this summer, she wasn’t surprised that her community wanted to help. “They come out when there is a need – they get behind that and they support that. It’s difficult to do in a large city with a large population,” she says, joking that she wishes she could keep her beloved community the well-kept secret it is. “They all care and they’re all so genuine. It’s magical.”
What better place for Adrian to kick off 40 Acres and a Mule than a place “surrounded by organic farmers and great people”? Though her cause has garnered a wide following, media attention, and donations from across the country, it’s the day-to-day in La Crosse that Adrian credits with providing the support to press on, and to continue to be a black business owner in America. “Our restaurant’s relationship to the community has gotten stronger. Especially during a time like this. For people to come by and check on us. Just to wave at us in the window to make sure we’re okay. Here in La Crosse you have those opportunities to take deeper breaths, to understand what is happening in your community and the world around you,” she says.
When she’s not out researching, speaking with farmers, meeting with the media, raising awareness, and just generally spearheading the project, Adrian still has responsibilities at her restaurant. Like many small businesses during the pandemic, there has been so much pivoting that “my hips hurt” she laughs. Uptown Cafe has added outdoor dining and has made space to accommodate more bakery items. “We have to adapt,” she says. “It’s an unprecedented time, we are able to chart the way. There’s going to be some mistakes but we’re going to find the good, too.”
That’s how she’s approaching 40 Acres and Mule, too. She admits, “What I thought was a gap is really like a canyon.” Black farming, black foodways, agricultural disparities, lack of education, lack of profitability, and lack of black mentorship in the industry are just the tip of the iceberg and Adrian knows it. Though she wishes she could do it all, “we’re focusing on what we can realistically do,” she says, adding, “We don’t want to reinvent the wheel, we want the wheel to go faster.”
There are lots of avenues Adrian sees for increasing the speed of the wheel. At first, she thought it needed to be specifically just land for black farmers. But land is expensive, and though she still has her sights set on this, she has pivoted again (sore, sore hips) to address other issues for black farmers. She’s learned that many are over the age of 55 and have no one to whom they can pass down their legacy. Others are young and interested, but have no place to turn to for education and mentorship. She also acknowledges that historically, black farming has been tumultuous and violent. She wants to help control and shape this narrative going forward – to give it some positivity, to point black communities in the right direction, to make lifelong connections between black business and farmers. Adrian sees the Driftless as a great case study for change. She’s currently working to understand community needs, working directly with both black and white farmers to learn more about their work and the economics of farming.
Her short-term goal is to serve as a conduit between black farmers and available resources. She knows there are trustworthy organizations and systems that can help them, but the connection isn’t there. “It’s difficult for black farmers to find the aid that they need. It’s really huge that that is missing,” she explains. And ultimately, her long-term goal is to produce more black farmers in America. To help provide that education and open up that pathway to “give black people the chance to be farmers if they want to,” Adrian says.
As a chef, Adrian knows full-well the importance of supporting farmers of all ethnicities, so restaurants like hers can continue to bring quality dishes to the tables of patrons. “Understanding agriculture and understanding how food is produced is important to my job and my restaurant. I’m getting the chance to understand from the ground to the plate. Being involved in that process, to me that’s so joyful to know where my food comes from,” she says. “It’s like putting my hands in the soil.”
Adrian continues to build this community with the support of donors far and wide. 40 Acres and a Mule’s GoFundMe page has already raised over $131,000 as of printing. And locally, in the Driftless, people continue to do what they do best – provide support. “Farmers are mentoring me, both black and white. To have the opportunity to talk to them about where their food goes is an honor. It’s a rare opportunity.”
Sara Walters is a freelance writer and mom living in La Crescent, Minnesota. She is the daughter and granddaughter of lifelong farmers.
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