Volunteers needed for seed harvests at Hitchcock

Join Golden Hills for our first seed harvest of 2026! 

Wednesday, May 27

6:00-7:30pm

Hitchcock Nature Center

27792 Ski Hill Loop

Honey Creek, IA 51542

We'll be collecting early-blooming prairie and woodland species.

No experience necessary, but prepare for a short hike on rugged terrain. Wear bug spray, as it's prime tick season!

Meet outside the Loess Hills Lodge at 6:00pm. 

Park entrance fee is waived for volunteers. 

Sign up for regular updates about seed harvesting volunteer opportunities at goldenhillsrcd.org/prairieseed. We'll be going out at least once a month through the fall months.

Email lance@goldenhillsrcd.org with questions.

Funding provided by Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation.

We're hiring a Trails Coordinator!

Golden Hills RC&D is seeking a Trails Coordinator to lead the development, maintenance, and promotion of recreational mixed-use trails for Pottawattamie County as part of our outdoor recreation and tourism team. This position works closely with the Pottawattamie County Trails Association (PCTA), County Conservation, local governments, and regional partners to implement collaborative, long-term vision for trails and bike-related initiatives.

This role is ideal for someone passionate about outdoor recreation, active transportation, and community development with experience in project planning, coalition management, and public engagement.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until June 1, 2026.

Learn more & apply.

Join us for an Open House with Mills County Trails!

We've been working with Mills County Trails to revive the group's efforts to expand recreational trail opportunities.

Learn about what’s happening & share your ideas to grow trails throughout Mills County!

Free & open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.

Monday, June 8

6:00-7:30pm

Keg Creek Brewing

17 N Vine St. in Glenwood

Native Plants & Beneficial Insects for Your Vegetable Garden

Join Golden Hills at Milk & Honey for a presentation and discussion about creating long-term habitat that reduces pests and supports biodiversity to improve vegetable production in your backyard garden or on your farm. We will discuss habitat features such as beetle banks and pollinator borders, using locally adapted native species.

Saturday, June 13

11am-1pm

Milk & Honey

919 7th St. in Harlan

Golden Hills will have a small selection of native species to purchase, but we'd also love to help you grow your own.

The presentation/discussion will begin at 11am and will last about a half-hour. We'll be there after the presentation to answer questions and talk plants as long as needed.

Come early or stay after and enjoy a meal at Milk & Honey. They serve up breakfast and lunch and use local ingredients whenever possible.

Please RSVP to Jamie at jamie.fowler@goldenhillsrcd.org to ensure we have enough snacks!

Take the Iowa Local Foods Challenge & support local farmers

Iowa has the land, the farmers, and some of the best soil in the world, yet we import more than 90% of the food we eat.

Building the systems to support that takes time and participation. The Iowa Local Food Challenge is one way to be part of that work.

By choosing local more often, you help create the demand that strengthens markets and builds the infrastructure needed to get more Iowa-grown food to more people.

Looking for local farms, farmers markets, and businesses? Check out our Southwest Iowa Local Food Guide at swiffi.org!

Join us for a Regenerative Farm Tour on June 15

Join Golden Hills and Regenerate Nebraska for a tour of Graham Christensen's regenerative Farm in Lyons, NE!

Monday, June 15, 2026

10:00-11:30am

Free & open to the public but RSVP required. Carpooling encouraged.

The tour will highlight how the farm uses the 6 regenerative principles to guide present and future planning. The 6 principles include; minimizing tillage, permanent roots in the ground, soil armor, biodiversity, livestock integration, and ecosystem context.  

Conservation programming to stop erosion, agroecology, and native species integration will be highlighted. Tourists will also see how solar energy powers the majority of the farm, and see examples of how precision agriculture tools can be used to farm with minimizing inputs.  

Email lance@goldenhillsrcd.org with questions.

RSVP here by June 11.

Grazing Field Day at Hitchcock on June 17th

Join us with Pottawattamie Conservation and many other partners at Hitchcock Nature Center at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 17th for a Grazing Field Day! Discover the benefits of smart grazing strategies, native forage on public land, and other conservation grazing strategies, as we hear from visionary guest speakers from across the region.

Then join a hands-on field tour where we will examine the impact our seasonal grazing cattle have had on the prairie and how they play a vital role in fire management, along with mobile mineral feeder impacts, enclosures, hiker gates, and solar water pumps.

Pre-registration is required for this event.

Speakers include:

Amy Crouch | Little Sioux Project Director, The Nature Conservancy

Matt Vermeersch | Owner, Root and Raise Land and Livestock

Kayla Creek | Livestock Specialist, Iowa NRCS

Tucker Lutter | Iowa Conservation Manager, Audubon Upper Mississippi River

Chris Helzer | Nebraska Director of Science and Stewardship, The Nature Conservancy

Learn more & register.