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Oktoberfest in the Amanas: It’s more than beer

by Jeanie Hau | Sep 30, 2024

Millstream brewery in the Amana Colonies Millstream Facebook page

Millstream Brewing is Iowa’s Oldest Brewery Post-Prohibition and brews the Amana Colonies Official Oktoberfest Brew. Photo courtesy of Millstream on Facebook.

On Oct 4, Iowa’s oldest Annual Bavarian-style Oktoberfest celebration will be kicking off in the heart of the Amana Colonies. There is no other celebration like it in the state of Iowa as the Amana Colonies (located just south and west of Cedar Rapids), is a unique cultural lesson in its very existence. The Community of True Inspiration made the Amanas their home in 1855. They practiced a fully communal lifestyle until 1932. Today, the community keeps the history and traditions alive by hosting celebrations throughout the year. Every October the three-day Oktoberfest event packed full of music, dancing, bratwursts and pretzels, and of course German beer in a massive bierkrug (beer mug) takes over the Amanas.

When the Amana Colonies were first settled in the 1800s they quickly established 5 breweries and numerous vineyards. With prohibition those breweries closed by 1884. It wasn’t until 1989 that the first post-prohibition brewery opened in Iowa, Millstream Brewing Co. As their brewery became successful, the owners decided to add an authentic German Bierhalle to the Amana Colonies. The Millstream Brau Haus opened in 2016 offering one of a kind specialty beers only available in the Amana Colonies. German-style pub food is also available here.

German-style pub food is available at the Brau Haus. Photo by M. Kellner

The Amana Heritage Society Museum maintains a group of museums that display and interpret artifacts from the 1700s to the present with a focus on the communal period of Amana (1855-1932). The historic society has its work cut out for them as they maintain a communal-era kitchen, cooper shop, blacksmith shop, church museum, research library, the working High Amana General Store, and the museum and bookstore making history available to the public.

The Amana Heritage Museum. Where you can find books, information, and is an audio tour stop. Photo by J. Hau

The Amana Community Church in Homestead is managed by the Amana Heritage Society. A recent maintenance overhaul has begun on the building. The church is also a stop on the Iowa Valley Scenic Byway Audio tour.

The exterior and interior of the High Amana Store, which was established back in 1857, remain virtually unchanged today. This working store is managed by the Amana Heritage Society.

Historic map of the 7 Colonies of the Amanas.

There remains much to do in all of the Amana Colonies.

The annual Oktoberfest parade happens Saturday morning at 10 am in Amana. The theme this year is “Famous Frauen,” to highlight amazing women. There will be plenty of activities for the kids to do at the Oktoberfest Kinderplatz (kids area) while the adults are having fun with competitions such as: the keg toss, log sawing, nagelhauen (nail driving), eisenmann (strength), brat eating, or the best yodeler competition! Download the official Oktoberfest brochure.

Parking will be limited so be sure to catch the shuttle!.

Kids activities are also available check out the official brochure at the link above.

The Festhalle Barn is a restored century-old dairy barn that was remodeled to function as an event venue. Annually, the Festhalle Barn hosts the main event of the Oktoberfest celebration and the Tannebaum Forest. It can be rented by the public as well.

While the official Oktoberfest activities happen at Festhalle Barn (admission charge), Millstream Brewing, Hotel Millright, and the Ox Yoke Inn have live music all weekend as well. Demonstrations such as chainsaw carving, chair caning, and tours of the Woolen Mill and the Amana Furniture and Clock Shop are other must-dos.

The interior of the Woolen Mill, historic photo.

The interior of the Woolen Mill today.

The Woolen Mill today has one working building. The other buildings on the complex have been repurposed as Hotel Millright.

The Woolen Mill is Iowa’s only remaining working woolen mill having been in operation since 1857. Although the original building eventually became Amana Refrigeration, the second 8-acre mill location along the Mill Race still makes and sells textiles although on a much smaller basis. The majority of the mill complex was remodeled and turned into the luxurious Hotel Millright in 2021.

The old Woolen Mill in Amana. Photographer is looking west. Photo courtesy of Amana Heritage Society.

View of the Woolen Mill (left) and Hotel Millright today. Photographer looking east along the Mill Race.

Electric Thread, the Indigo Room, and the Lobby to the Hotel Millright today. Remaining working Woolen Mill is on the left.

The 1923 addition to the Woolen Mill and other expansion buildings are now part of Hotel Millright.

Textiles were critical to Amana’s beginnings as was the Amana Furniture and Clock Shop.

Today’s The Furniture and Clock Shop remains a thriving busisness using century-old building methods that have been passed down since 1855. This historic workshop has a viewing gallery where you can learn more about handcrafting authentic Amana Furniture while watching the craftsmen work.

The Amana Furniture Shop still makes handcrafted furniture and Clocks today.

Over 200 mums were used to decorate Festhalle Barn for Oktoberfest. Stock photo.

The Chocolate Haus in central Amana.

Oktoberfest in the Amanas offers a variety of authentic German food from pork trotters, pretzels, and strudel crafted by German artisans to sweets at the The Chocolate Haus. So enjoy Oktoberfest in the Amana Colonies. Learn about the history and traditions and don’t forget to check out the Iowa Valley Audio Tour locations while you are in town (app to come soon)!

Iowa Valley Scenic Byway Iowa Prairie Rivers of Iowa

Bis bald on the byway!

Autumn’s Spooky Species: How to Appreciate Misunderstood Wildlife this Season

by Jessica Butters | Oct 3, 2022

These Halloween icons are in reality quite charming, and provide us with valuable services!

The crisp October air brings the excitement of changing leaves and a changing season. While making yards and gardens cozy for wildlife braving the winter is a common discussion this time of year, we are focusing on what kinds of important wildlife you may notice this month! With Halloween around the corner, now is the perfect time to better understand some of the spooky (or maybe not-so-spooky-after-all) animals that you may see in autumn!

Owls

Soon leaves will fall to the ground, making it easier to spot this inquisitive bird of prey. The barred owl in particular hoots in a pattern that sounds like they’re asking “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?”. I think we all wish the answer to that question was “someone else”. While this call at night may sound spooky, barred owls have some endearing qualities. This species mates for life, and lets its young stay near home longer than other species – up to six months! You can look for barred owls in Ames in mature tree stands near a water source. To help all owls, try to stop putting out rodent poison; owls eat rodents, and can consequently become sick from the poison. Healthy owls in your area may mean natural rodent control for you! Additionally, some owls utilize nesting boxes; you can contact Wild Birds Unlimited here in Ames to learn more!

Bats

Could we truly celebrate Halloween properly this month without bats? From décor to Dracula, this fuzzy animal’s image will be seen everywhere this month. However, the animals themselves will be seen less and less. Bats remaining in Iowa during winter are now looking for cozy spots for hibernation, especially as the amount of insects declines this month. Bats are great at gobbling down mosquitos and other pesky insects (the bat pictured here can eat 600 insects in an hour!), and their babies are called “pups”! These animals are much more helpful and cute than they are spooky.

To help bats, consider building a bat box for fun! If a bat gets in your home, remember that they will not fly into you; they are expert navigators and will avoid you while they try to fly up and away. Calmly open a door or window for it to fly back outside and stand still at a distance until it leaves. If it can’t find the exit, call the Iowa Wildlife Center (515-233-1379) or other wildlife societies to have experts remove the bat in a humane way.

Spiders

Many people try their best to be open-minded towards insects, but most find spiders hard to appreciate (spiders are not technically “insects” – they’re “arachnids”). During late summer and early fall, you may see spiders more often, but don’t panic. They are not “coming in” to escape cool temperatures. Most spiders you see indoors are specifically adapted to survive indoors, where there is little food and water. Outdoor spiders are not well-adapted to live inside our homes, and are not trying to sneak in; their food is outside, and that’s where they’ll stay! If they accidentally wander in, they will not survive more than a few days, and won’t reproduce. What you are probably seeing are indoor spiders that have been inside this whole time, not bothering you at all.

This time of year is beautiful in Iowa, and it’s the perfect time to find ways to appreciate the beauty of living things that continue to serve our needs, despite our fear of them. Happy Fall!

Household Tip: To truly understand any animal/insect you see in or around your house, look up information from science-based sources, such as university extension websites, rather than pest-control companies. Pest-control websites are likely to present alarming information, possibly to encourage use of their services. A majority of the time, whatever you are seeing is not only common, but harmless as well.

Links in Text:

Leave The Leaves! Xerces Society blogpost, by Justin Wheeler:

https://xerces.org/blog/leave-the-leaves

Wild Birds Unlimited, Ames (515-956-3145) Website:

https://ames.wbu.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=local&utm_campaign=localmaps&utm_content=279

Woodworking for Wildlife, Iowa State University, link to PDF file on how to build a bat box:

https://naturalresources.extension.iastate.edu/wildlife/woodworking-wildlife

A Mother’s Love: The Race to Provide

by Jessica Butters | Aug 28, 2022

A speck of sunlight warmed the face of a mother, causing her to wake and stand up. She took a few steps toward the sunlight, letting it warm her cold legs in her tunnel. Looking back at the wall of her nursery, she knew she had limited time to finish her work. Behind that wall was a row of rooms, one for each of her eggs. Each nursery room was provisioned with pollen and walled off from the others, providing a safe place to hatch, overwinter, and hopefully emerge next year. Her antennae started twitching excitedly. She tried beating her wings; they buzzed. She was warm and ready for another day’s work.

She cautiously peeped over the lip of her nest entrance. She was a metallic green sweat bee, and just last week she watched as a parasitic bee invaded one of her neighbors’ nests, ending the hope of a future generation from that mother. To keep all her efforts from being in vain, she had to leave and enter her nest in complete secrecy. She scanned the area around her, checking for someone perched on the tops of rocks or hidden in the shaded spaces between grass stems. So far so clear. She stepped out of her nest, allowing the sun to warm her entire body. Looking around once more, and seeing no sign of threat, she zipped off to start her chores.

Gathering pollen was her favorite chore. She had already started a new nursery cell; all there was left to do was to lay an egg and provide a provision of food. Using the sun as a compass, she navigated to a large patch of gold that she had seen yesterday. The yellow rays of one unoccupied flower caught her eye, and she flew into its center, landing on a blanket of brown bristles topped with yellow tufts of pollen. The buzzing of other insects at neighboring flowers reverberated in the air around her, and caused the flower to tremble even more in the breeze. The air was slowly growing cooler each day. It was taking her longer and longer to warm up enough to fly in the mornings. The frantic buzzing of other insects confirmed a sense of fear she didn’t quite understand. She sensed that she must hurry.

Thinking of her young ones back at the nest, she worked as quickly as possible, picking up pollen and snatching a mouthful for herself every now and then. As she moved across the flower, she let her body brush against as much pollen as possible. She paused periodically to comb this pollen from her abdomen, head, and feet to tuck it onto her back legs where she had thicker, hooked hair that was much better at holding pollen in place. The sun shone on, warming her even more. Through the race to gather and provide for her family, it was nice to be out in the sun and surrounded by velvety gold rays. The bristled brown underneath felt good on her feet and belly. Once she was through gathering here, she remembered a bright purple area that had looked promising.

After a while, the little sweat bee had as much pollen as she could carry. Pushing off the sunflower, she flew back toward her nest, only pausing once for a breath on a stand of purple flowers. Back on the ground, she felt around with her antennae until she found her own nest entrance. She peered inside her dark nest. All was quiet, just how she left it. She glanced behind her. No one had seen her; her family was safe.

As she pulled pollen off her legs and rolled it into a loaf, she had a sense that this may be the last nest she would finish. She felt much more tired compared to a few weeks ago. She was particularly proud of this nest: it was in a well-hidden location, its walls were smooth, and she had a good mix of pollen from different flowers within each loaf she had made for her children. Although she would never get to meet them, she was glad they would have all the nutrition they would need to start a successful life. She hoped they would find the yellow and purple flower patches. She grew more tired. Maybe one more pollen collecting trip before she turned in for the day.