Category: Community

History and Conservation at Walden Pond

The History and Conservation Legacy of Walden Pond

Part 2 of a 2-Part Series. Part 1 of this series announced the donation of a new outdoor education facility—Walden Pond: Roy and Genevieve Schultz Memorial Outdoor Discovery Area—to Winneshiek County Conservation by James (Jim) and Sharon Schultz and their daughters Wendy Schultz and Rebecca and Michael Perez.

The land that is now Walden Pond was among the first land in Winneshiek County to have claims staked by white settlers arriving in the Midwest and Winneshiek County from the East. The Schultz Family connection with Walden Pond extends back to the early 1900s. Roy Schultz, father to donor Jim Schultz, was born in a farmhouse on the land in 1913.

In the late 1960s, Roy and his wife Genevieve transformed the property into a popular retreat and recreational outfitter. The Schultzes sold and serviced snowmobiles; operated a campground; sold canoes; and hosted picnics, reunions, wild game feeds, and outdoor church services.

It was during this time that the property became known as Walden Pond, after Roy was introduced to Henry David Thoreau by a friend and was inspired by Thoreau’s ideas and philosophy.

 Roy was also a certified pilot and the Schultzes regularly flew to Alaska, where Roy was a sought-after hunting and fishing guide. Their Alaskan adventures served as the backbone for another of Walden Pond’s signature ventures: pancake breakfasts for hundreds featuring Alaskan sourdough pancakes and maple syrup made from sap from their own trees.

Roy and Genevieve extended their passion for the outdoors into service of the conservation community. Roy was a member of the Winneshiek County Conservation Board from 1971-1976 and a Winneshiek County Soil and Water District Commissioner from 1969-1975, often hosting fundraising chicken barbeques for the District at Walden Pond. The Winneshiek County Soil and Water Conservation District still awards an annual “Roy Schultz Memorial Award for Distinguished Service” in honor of Roy’s conservation work.

The Roy and Genevieve Schultz era of Walden Pond ended in tragedy. While leading an “Iowa Flying Farmer” tour of Alaska, the plane piloted by Roy crashed in British Columbia on July 11, 1977, killing Roy and Genevieve, along with their good friends George and Shirley Knutson of Decorah.

Roy and Genevieve’s connection to the land came full circle with their funeral services and burial at Walden Pond. Services were conducted by Curtis Webster, the friend and minister who first introduced Roy to Thoreau’s work.

 

Carrying on the Conservation Legacy

After the death of Roy and Genevieve, Walden Pond was inherited by their children Sally, Alan, and Jim. Members of the family continued the tradition of hosting pancake breakfasts for many years, and the labor-intensive practice of making maple syrup continues at Walden Pond to this day, often on the same equipment first used by Roy and Genevieve.

 Jim and Sharon Schultz, along with other family members, have also carried on the conservation legacy of their parents.

Retired Iowa DNR District Forester Gary Beyer worked with Jim and Sharon, as well as Jim’s sister Sally and her husband Jack Hagensick, for more than thirty years as they conducted targeted timber improvements on nearly fifty woodland acres to promote oak, walnut, and maples, including by planting almost twenty acres with red oak, white oak, and walnut seedlings.

“Jim has always been a good steward of the woods,” says Beyer. “I was always impressed with Jim’s willingness to invest in the woods so that he left a healthy, diverse woodland for future generations.”

Corey Meyer, now the roadside manager for Winneshiek County, also worked with Jim and Sharon for many years when he served as a coordinator for the Yellow River Headwaters Watershed Project.

The Walden Pond property contained one of the last remaining oxbow/spring wetlands in the Yellow River stream corridor and, as Meyer explains, Jim fully understood the importance of the wetland to the Yellow River watershed. The Schultzes were among the first to install a streambank reconstruction project in the watershed and Jim advocated for the installation of riparian buffers and limiting open livestock access.

But Jim hasn’t only cared for his land by working with others. He himself has spent years working on the property, doing everything from timber stand improvement to maintaining the trails, not to mention every step of the maple syrup production process from splitting firewood to collecting sap to painstakingly tending the overnight fire of the evaporator.

The conservation legacy of the Schultz Family—from managing the woodlands to protecting the soil—will now be carried on by the Winneshiek County Conservation. For more information, please contact Winneshiek County Conservation at conservation@winneshiekwild.com or by calling (563) 534-7145.

 

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Photos Below:

Roy and Genevieve Schultz

Maple syrup buckets collecting sap at Walden Pond

Decorative logo for Walden Pond created by the Schultz Family.

Community Spanish Classes

Good Evening!

I am a former Spanish/ESL teacher who is excited to be offering community Spanish classes and private tutoring beginning in January 2022! Class sizes are limited and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Payment in full is required to hold your spot. Click below to download information about classes, pricing, and policies:

Winter 2022 Session

Please contact me if you have questions or are interested in registering!

Gracias,

Jenn Kost

jennkost@gmail.com

Walden Pond Donated to Winneshiek County Conservation

Schultz Family Creates Lasting Legacy through Walden Pond Donation

Part 1 of a 2-Part Series

Southeast Winneshiek County has a new outdoor educational facility and space.

The Schultz Family—James (Jim) and Sharon Schultz and their daughters Wendy Schultz and Rebecca and her husband Michael Perez—have donated their family property in rural Castalia to the Winneshiek County Conservation Board.

The 133-acre property will be known as “Walden Pond: Roy and Genevieve Schultz Memorial Outdoor Discovery Area” and includes a 5-acre pond; several miles of hiking trails; a walnut, oak, and maple “sugar bush” woodland; and restrooms and an enclosed picnic shelter for classroom spaces.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Schultz Family for making this gift to Winneshiek County,” says Barbara Schroeder, executive director of Winneshiek County Conservation, “and we are honored to continue the legacy of land stewardship and education, that their family started many years ago, into the future.”

The Schultz family’s connection with Walden Pond extends back to the early 1900s and sharing the joy and beauty of the property with others has always been central to the family’s approach as caretakers of the land.

Roy and Genevieve, parents of donor Jim Schultz, operated a popular retreat and recreational outfitter and started the tradition of hosting pancake breakfasts for hundreds featuring Alaskan sourdough pancakes and maple syrup made from sap from their own trees. Roy and Genevieve’s children—Sally, Alan, and Jim—continued the pancake breakfasts for years and Jim continues to this day the labor-intensive process of making and sharing maple syrup.

Now, the family has solidified that love for Walden Pond by forever sharing it with others.

“Entrusting this special place to Winneshiek County Conservation means that the Schultz Family has ensured that it will be permanently protected for future generations to enjoy,” says Schroeder. “Walden Pond will become a lasting memorial to the conservation legacy of Jim and Sharon, Wendy, Rebecca and Mike, Roy and Genevieve, and all the Schultzes that came with and before them.”

Winneshiek County Conservation staff have begun the work of carrying on as land managers for Walden Pond, learning from Jim the ins and outs of the maple syrup process and beginning the planning process for how Walden Pond will be incorporated into its educational programs.

Through this donation, the Schultzes laid out a vision for Walden Pond serving the community as a place that helps others, especially children, create their own connections to the outdoors and natural places that are so central to the Schultz family. They wish for it to provide opportunities for children and families to immerse themselves in learning about and experiencing nature.

The education staff at Winneshiek County Conservation is up for the task, already planning how they will be able to use the facilities and grounds at Walden Pond to expand the educational programs they offer through public programs, school field trips, and summer camps. Due to the nature of the property donation, Walden Pond will be operated as a reservation-only special use area and will be closed to public hunting and open fishing.

Walden Pond will also create new opportunities not feasible at existing Winneshiek County Conservation properties by providing outdoor space for schools and youth organizations like scouts and 4-H clubs to expand their own offerings.

“Public lands in Winneshiek County are generally clustered in the northern half of the county,” says Schroeder, “so it is particularly exciting that Walden Pond will significantly increase public greenspace and recreational opportunities in the southeast part of the county. We are looking forward to seeing the first group of kids explore this beautiful property. It will be a momentous day and a testimony to the legacy the Schultz family is leaving.”

For more information, please contact Winneshiek County Conservation at conservation@winneshiekwild.com or by calling (563) 534-7145.

Part 2 of this series will cover the history of Walden Pond and the conservation legacy of the Schultz Family.

Luther College looks to the community to preserve this moment in history

Luther College is collecting COVID-19 related materials to archive this historic time

The current COVID-19 pandemic has completely shifted the way people, locally and across the world, live. It is a time like none other and now Luther College is working to preserve this moment in history for future generations with the help of the local community. Hayley Jackson, college archivist at Luther, is spearheading this project.

Example submission: Home sewn face masks

“There are no limits to what you can contribute. We are looking for pictures of the neighborhood or at-home work and study spaces, screenshots of a Zoom meeting, social media posts about what you did on a certain day, a recipe for that new sourdough starter you’re keeping alive, a shopping list, a video of yourself or a loved one talking about life during this pandemic–all of these would be important contributions and help tell the story of our community during this time. Nothing is too insignificant, so be creative,” said Jackson. “These types of materials are some of the most visceral ways people connect with history.”

Jackson’s job is to preserve the institution’s history and that includes taking a look at what is happening today to determine what could be of interest 20, 50 or 100 years from now.

“There are times where it can be hard to predict what might be of historical interest down the road. In this case, there is no doubt that this global pandemic will be of great interest,” said Jackson.

To make a digital submission visit https://www.luther.edu/archives/donate/covid19/. To make a physical contribution, mail it to: Preus Library 310 – Upper Floor, Luther College, 700 College Dr. Decorah, IA 52101. Physical submissions can also be brought to Preus Library after social distancing directives have been lifted. These donations will become part of physical and digital collections within the Luther College Archives, where they will be preserved and available for research.

Example submission: Sourdough starter

“One of the most exciting parts about this project is that it offers our students and community members the chance to contribute directly to the historical narrative. It’s a chance to tell their story, to say ‘I was here, this is what I experienced.’ Every story is worth preserving,” said Jackson. “Participants of this project are living purposefully because they are contributing to a project where benefits won’t be realized for several years. By choosing to participate, people are recognizing that they have something to offer that might help future researchers. They’re intentionally contributing to something larger than themselves, hoping that it helps society down the road.”

If you have any questions, contact Jackson at jackha01@luther.edu.

Luther College is home to more than 1,900 undergraduates who explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our 60+ academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.

 

COVID-19 Iowa Small Business Relief Program

Financial Assistance and Tax Deferral Now Available to Eligible Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

DES MOINES – Governor Reynolds today announced the launch of a new Iowa Small Business Relief Program that will provide financial assistance to small businesses that have been economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program offers eligible small businesses grants ranging from $5,000-$25,000 in addition to offering Iowa businesses a deferral of sales and use or withholding taxes due and waiver of penalty and interest.

“Small businesses are the source of thriving main streets and community pride across Iowa,” said Gov. Reynolds. “The Small Business Relief Grant Program is another way we can support our small businesses during this unprecedented time.”

Iowa Small Business Relief Program Grant:

To be eligible for a small business relief grant, eligible businesses must:

  • Be experiencing business disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Have employed between 2-25 people prior to March 17, 2020

The Small Business Relief Grants will assist eligible businesses in maintaining operations or reopening business following the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds may not be used to pay debts incurred prior to March 17, 2020.

The Iowa Economic Development Authority will review grant applications for eligibility and will determine the grant amount by the level of impact including loss in sales revenue and employees. Notification of award decisions and disbursement of grant funds will be expedited.

Tax Assistance:

The Iowa Department of Revenue will review each application as applicable, to determine if it is appropriate to grant a deferral of the eligible taxes and waiver of penalty and interest.

The dual application for grant assistance and tax deferral is available at iowabusinessrecovery.com. The deadline for applications is March 31 at 12:00 p.m. (noon). The program may be restricted due to funding availability.

New Residents of Winneshiek County


Sign up for a series of events in late March and April to discover local traditions, arts and culture, leisure activities and the vibrant nightlife unique to the Winneshiek County area. Participate in networking activities, get a sneak peek at up-and-coming projects in the area and become familiar with non-profit organizations and local businesses. http://www.nicc.edu/solutions/76264

A Partnership of Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce (DACC), Winneshiek County Development & Tourism (WCDT), and Northeast Iowa Community College.

Decorah Public Library: March Book Group Titles

Decorah Public Library staff are hosting four book discussions in March. The groups are open to the public and newcomers are encouraged to attend. Anyone interested should call the library at 382-3717 to learn more or to reserve a book.

  • The Happy Hour Book Group will meet at Rubaiyat on Wed. March 11th at 5:15 p.m. to discuss Margaret Wilkerson Sexton’s “The Revisioners.” In 1925, Josephine is the proud owner of a thriving farm. As a child, she channeled otherworldly power to free herself from slavery. Nearly a century later, Josephine’s descendant, Ava, is a single mother who has just lost her job. She moves in with her white grandmother Martha. But Martha’s behavior soon becomes erratic and threatening, and Ava must escape before her story and Josephine’s converge.
  • The History Book Group will meet at 6:00 p.m. Thurs. March 19th on the 2nd floor of the library to discuss Gordon Chang’s “The Ghosts of Gold Mountain: The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad.” Read more
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