Open House 2026

It's almost time for the third annual Historic Poor Farm Open House! Please join us on Saturday, August 8 from 3:00 - 7:30 p.m. to discover history, local food and nature at the farm. This free event is open to all ages and will showcase the site’s offerings and the upcoming launch of the commercial kitchen.

Schedule of Events

3:00pm – Global Food Project Farmers Market begins

3:30pm – Event Welcome

3:45pm – Kitchen Ribbon Cutting and Tour

5:00pm – Vegetable Farm Pest Control Workshop

5:00pm – Historic Tour

6:00pm – Local Food Production Tours

7:00pm – Natural Areas Tour

Throughout the Event

Kids activities
Food vendors
Tabling from partner organizations
cover crop and farm equipment exploration
Global Food Project farmers market (3:00 - 5:30pm)

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Find the Open House flyer in the language you prefer

Controlling problematic pests like Colorado Potato Beetles and Aphids is difficult for many growers. Join Iowa State University Commercial Vegetable Field Specialist Dan Fillius to learn about practical on-farm pest control in vegetable crops. We'll walk through a variety of organic pest control methods, including sprays, attracting beneficial insects, and physical removal and exclusion. Safe handling of sprays and when to use each of them will be covered, as well as how to mix them and rotate between them for greater efficacy.

The workshop will take place from 5:00 - 7:00pm during the Historic Poor Farm Open House. There is no fee to attend, but registration is requested. Bring your questions and experiences, and we'll learn together! Reach out to Emmaly Renshaw at Emmaly@ivrcd.org with questions.

Don't want to drive to the event? Take the Bike Bus!

The Historic Poor Farm is teaming up with the Iowa City Bike Library for an alternative mode of transport to the Open House!

Join Bike Library volunteers for a guided bike ride (AKA a Bike Bus) from the Bike Library to the Historic Poor Farm Open House with a pick-up stop along the way.

To join, ride your bike to the Bike Library or West Side Stop on Saturday, August 8.

Bike Library "Pick-up" Time - 2:30pm

West Side Stop "Pick-up Time" - 3:20pm

The bike bus will depart from the Bike Library, stop at the West Side Stop, and arrive at the Historic Poor Farm at 3:45pm for the Open House event.

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Bike Bus Route

Please Note:

There will be no return bike bus; visitors can enjoy the event and ride home on their own schedule.

The West Side Stop is located at the Willow Creek Trail in front of Fareway. There will be signage indicating the exact location of the stop.

Johnson County strives to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. If you are a person who requires a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, contact Julie Watkins at jwatkins@johnsoncountyiowa.gov or 319-688-8012 by 5 p.m. on Monday, August 3.