David Admiring The Hot Air Balloons

The National Balloon Classic was going on in Indianola, Iowa for the past week, ending tomorrow, August 8th.  We’ve never been to a hot air balloon festival before, and as luck had it, Thursday evening was the last evening for a “night glow”.  That’s when all the balloons get together on the ground and ignite the burners to light up the balloons, at dusk.

There was an empty field next to the balloon field where they set up general parking, so David found a wonderful spot on top of a hillside.  The only thing that was a bummer was the telephone poles in the way.  So most of our pictures have the poles and wires in them.  Oh well.  We still had a great time.

They had a local band playing and plenty of “carnie” food.  All in all, it was a nice evening.  David also surprised me with a hot air balloon ride the next morning.  We of course got tons of pictures, as this was our first balloon festival and hot air balloon ride.

David and Tasha Watching The Balloons

Balloon In The Glow Of The Sun Setting

Tasha Watching The Hot Air Balloons

Night Glow

Sitting In A Field Overlooking The Balloon Festival in Indianola, Iowa

We are in Indianola, Iowa right now sitting in a field.  There is a National Balloon Festival going on this week.  The festival was only a 1/2 hour south from Altoona, Iowa (Adventureland) so we decided to check it out.  The balloons go up every morning and evening at 6:30 am/pm central time.

I think we arrived a little early.  The parking is in a field and it’s first come first serve.  Well, only being a 1/2 hour away we got here at 12 noon.  There was no one here.  So we set up in the field and we’ll see if we’re told to move or not.  There was a nice couple in the information booth that told us we should be fine where we parked.  Last night they had over 4000 people show up!

So tonight, check out our on board camera for a view of the balloon field.  We are parked on top of a hill overlooking the field, so you should be able to see quite well.

They plan on going up at 6:30 central time tonight.  Then at dusk they are going to do a “night glow”.  That’s when they inflate the balloons, but don’t fly them.  They just light them up.  It should be an amazing sight.

Then tomorrow morning, 6am central time sharp, David & I are going to the field and taking a hot air balloon ride!  This will be our first.  We’re really excited about that. Lots of pictures to follow that I’m sure.

So remember, check back tonight, 6:30 pm central time, for the balloon flights.  Then at dusk the night glow.  And if you’re an early riser, you can check out the flights at 6:30, central time, in the morning tomorrow.  That’ll be us waving.

Our Rig Is A Tiny Dot On The Horizon. Tonight This Field Will Be Full Of Cars For The Balloon Festival.

Amana, Iowa's Water Tower In The Background Of The Town.

Our last day at the Amana Colonies was nice.  Blue sky, sunshine and hot.  We wandered the streets taking photos of the 1800′s architecture.  Ate a nice lunch at one of our favorite places, the Amana Colonies Bakery & Cafe.

David Outside The Amana Bakery & Cafe. Mmmmm...The Giant Cookies And Pasteries.

We checked out the original meat shop and smokehouse from the mid-1800′s.  Still in the original building. I love seeing the brick and stone buildings.  They are so well made, they held up nicely.  Lasting through tornado’s, floods and such, they certainly don’t make things like this anymore.

David Outside The Amana Meat Shop And Smoke House.

And of course we donated some of our money to the local economy.  We had to get some German sausage from the meat shop.  They are still using the same recipe for all there products, still made right there.  That was dinner for the night, YUM.  The Chocolate Haus was also a big hit.  No need to go into details there as what we had bought didn’t last long.  All I have to say is, have you ever had a real, home-made caramel chew?  They also use the original recipes that have been handed down for over 100 years. They obviously know what they are doing.   The Wine, Cheese and Jelly Shop had home-made preserves we just had to try.  Raspberry Jalapeno anyone?  There are also quite a few wineries in town.  We only went to one, as the others have more fruit wines (not our favorite) than dry table wines, which we prefer.  So we of course walked away with a couple bottles for our fridge.

All in all, it was a nice outing.  Not sure if we’d go back.  Once you’ve been there, there’s not much else around to see or do.  Maybe if we’re out this way in a few years, and we are looking for some really good chocolate, or sausage, or wine, or home baked bread or preserves, we’ll stop on by.  Other than that, we can always order from there online stores.  Oooooo….If the Chocolate Haus ships we’re in trouble!

Nice Flower Garden On The Side Of A House. Note The Grape Vine Trellis On The Side, Which Is On Every House.

David Taking A Break From Shopping.

Nice Amana, Iowa Countryside. Fields And Fields Of Corn.

OH….Did I mention the corn?  There’s lots of it, which we expected.  However, I’m not sure what they fertilize this corn with, but it is gigantic!  We have a corn field less than a mile from our house in Rochester, NY but these fields put that to shame.  I can’t even call what we have by our house a corn field anymore after seeing this. We of course had to take a picture with us in the corn.  I feel like such tourists when we do that.

Brenda Inside The Corn Field In Amana, Iowa

David In The Giant Corn In Amana, Iowa

David & Brenda At Lily Lake in Amana, Iowa

170 acres make up Lily Lake.  Located between Amana, Iowa and Middle Amana, Iowa.  Originally a bog, the rich mud on the bottom creates a very fertile environment for the American Lotus, or the Great Yellow Water Lily as it is commonly known.

It’s amazing to visit this lake.  The lilies grow so thick you could easily mistake it for a field.  We did.  We drove by it several times on our way to and from the town of Amana.  We had always thought it was just another field.  Corn or something.  Let’s face it, there is a lot of corn around here.  And it grows tall!

Anyway, when we stopped to check it out we actually saw it was giant water lilies.  The lily pads themselves are much larger than your head.  To say they are huge is an understatement.  And they completely blanket the lake.  You can only see the water around the edges.  And the wildlife that’s in this lake… we’ve never seen so many dragon flies.  I think the dragon fly should become the town’s symbol.  They are everywhere!

It was a beautiful day to explore the lake.  No boats aloud in these waters.  However there is a nice walking path along the shoreline.  For us it was way too hot to do anything though except take a few pictures and hop back into the air conditioned car.  With a heat index in the 100′s and rain coming, therefore it was very humid, you melt anytime you step outside.  We’re from New York, we can’t take this mid west heat!

Plaque Giving Information on Lily Lake

David Admiring The View Of Lily Lake

Lily Lake On A Beautiful Summer Day

Water Lily Up Close

Amana Woolen Mill. Built In 1857 And Still In Production Today.

A few of the colonists were skilled in managing woolen goods and this is how they financed the original group to emigrate from Germany to America.  Originally the colonists settled in a town they named Ebenezer in New York (by Buffalo, NY). A large portion of the woolen mill machinery from Germany was shipped to America and a mill was established (in Ebenezer, NY) in 1846.

Land became scarce in Ebenezer, NY for their growing community so they sought more land elsewhere.  This is how they came to the Iowa River valley and ultimately the 26,000 acres that make up the Amana Colonies today.

The mill equipment was moved again and the woolen mill you see today, built in 1857, in Amana, Iowa is the finished product.  The mill not only produced goods for the community’s use, but it also gained a reputation nationally for there goods.

The Amana Woolen Mill is Iowa’s only working woolen mill today.  It houses everything you could imagine.  Wool blankets (too scratchy for my taste), cotton blankets, hats, scarves, shawls, slippers, you name it, they probably have it or they could make it.  It still has the original looms with over 280 bobbins of yarn to make whatever your heart desires.  Too much information for me to absorb.

The building in back housed a repair shop as well as a custom cutlery and ironworks shop.  Today it acts as a museum.  A small counter in the shop/museum sells a local artisans custom cutlery.  Beautiful hand made knives.  Now that I’m sure, is a lost art.

Very interesting history here.  If these walls could talk they’d tell you about the many fires, floods and winds it has endured.  They certainly don’t make buildings like this anymore.

Inside The Amana Woolen Mill

Inside The Amana Woolen Mill. Over 280 Bobbins Of Yarn Feed Into The Loom.

Inside The Amana Woolen Mill. Over 280 Bobbins Of Yarn Feed Into The Loom.

Inside The Amana Woolen Mill. If These Walls Could Talk.

The Outside Of The Cutlery And Ironworks Building. Note The Traditional Amana Architecture With The Grape Vine Trellises.

Inside The Cutlery And Ironworks Building Where The Colonists Would Forge What They Needed To Repair The Woolen Mill

Amana General Store Built In 1858. One Of The Original Businesses Still In Operation Today In Amana, Iowa.

The Amana Colonies are made up of 7 villages that were established in 1855 on 26,000 acres in mid Iowa.  The 7 villages were originally filled with 1200 people.  The principle means of support for all the communities was farming.  Each village also had a general store, flour mill, craft shops, 2 woolen mills, lumber and brick yards.  They were by all means, self sufficient.  Indeed everything from soap to stovewood was provided by the community.  All meals were prepared at neighborhood communal kitchens.  There were 50 communal kitchens in all that fed all 7 villages, 1500 plus residents, 3 meals a day plus 2 coffee breaks.

Walking through the different villages you really get a sense of the community.  All the houses are built similar.  They housed all family members from sisters and brothers, their families, along with parents and grandparents.  All under one roof.  The houses are built out of brick and stone, which were all made in Amana.  All the houses have trellises on the side and front to grow grape vines.

Stone And Brick Building With Grape Vine Trellis

In 1932, due to economic pressures and the dissatisfaction with the rigid communal system, Amana abandoned the communal way of life, but maintained their community.  A new profit sharing joint stock corporation, the Amana Society, was formed.  This “Great Change”, as it was known, ended 89 years of communal tradition, but opened doors of opportunity for Amana residents and their children.  One of the businesses that was born from the “Great Change” was Amana Appliances, which is now owned by the Whirlpool Corporation.  Some things never change though.  Today, the Amana Society farms the land, maintains the largest private forest reserve in the state, and operates a variety of businesses including the Amana Woolen Mill, The General Stores (there are 2), The Furniture and Clock Shop and the Amana Meat Shop and Smokehouse.

I found a lot of this wonderful information in the Willkommen publication.  A free guide and newspaper to the seven Amana Colonies.  When you stop by to visit, be sure to pick up this publication.  I read it cover to cover and it was filled with tons of wonderful history, as well as personal stories of the current residents and their stories handed down to them from their relatives.

Enjoy the pictures.  I must say, it’s nice to be in an area that keeps the traditions alive.  By that, I mean, there are no modern restaurants, no fast food, no modern buildings.   Just Amana, as it was back then, with some improved sidewalks for the modern visitor.  Amana has no signal lights.  There’s just one main street.  Walking it is easy, it’s not to big.  Just like back in the day.

The Ox Yoke Restaurant.

Brenda Having Chicken Schnitzel At The Ox Yoke Restaurant.

Inside The Amana General Store. An Original Building From 1858.