2012 Fall Festival
Saturday, October 20th, 2012
2011 Fall Festival Recap
By Brigid Tuck
Over 100 guests enjoyed a day of fun, activities, nature, and outdoors at the Ney Nature Center’s 3rd annual Fall Festival on October 15, 2011. This year we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Kahlow barn. Popular activities from last year were again available, including rides and tours on Nick’s People Mover, the prairie maze, guided hikes, story hour, pumpkin painting, cornhusk doll making and apple press demonstrations.
New activities this year were a Trail Run/Walk, the Henderson Area Arts group, geocaching, and a barn dance with live music. Local artists displayed and sold their work in booths. As day turned into evening The Urban Hillbilly Quartet and Depot Creek entertained guests. Unfortunately, rain cut the evening short, but all appreciated the music.
On a beautiful fall morning, 46 adults and 10 kids turned out for the 1st Annual Ney Nature Center Trail Run/Hike. Participants chose between a challenging 8K route and a pleasant 2-mile route around the pond. Kids took a 1K dash through the prairie. Rumor has it many of them would have finished faster, but they got distracted and stopped to look around the prairie. Special thanks to the trail run/walk sponsors including Evolution Shirts, the Henderson Independent, Bittersweet Coffee Shop, and to Le Sueur-Henderson Coach Jeff Christ and the cross-country team for organizing and executing the event.
Trail Run/Walk Results
Photo by Michelle Bridges
8k Trail Run: Steve Schroeder (37:14), Victoria Ranva (38:38), Matthew Bjork (40:48), Galen Bly (41:44), David Pioske (43:42), Sage Grothe (43:45), Brenda Todd-Bense (43:47), Sue Olness (44:12), David Entinger (46:53), Jill Reinhardt (47:53), Brigid Tuck (49:42), Ellen Eide (51:47), Renee Carlson (52:00), Chelsea Alger (52:52), Kaari Bly (52:53), Jonathon Edwards (54:03), Abby Clark (54:32), Andrea Koller (54:41), Teresa Tebbe (56:59), Patrick Tebbe (57:00), Megan Schwartz (59:20), Carla Riemer (60:35), Kris Berger (60:39). 2 mile Run/Hike: Harry Redmann (16:00), Ben Kroehler (18:00), Daniel Felmlee (18:31), Tim Kroehler (18:55), Alejandra Merit (18:56), Jack Schwartz (19:07), Paul Menne (21:22), Evelyn Beseke (22:21), Matthew Clark (25:38), Molly Moonen (27:29), Holly Kreft (27:30), David Murphy (29:08), Judy Savage (29:52), Sherry Murphy (29:53), Rhonda Powell (33:35), Kelly Powell (33:36), Terry Kirby (34:52), Wayne Klinger (34:53), Robin Grothe (35:25), Ron Grothe (35:26), Mary Kay Bruihler (35:27), Margo Bjork (35:28), Naomi Edwards (35:29), 1k Kids Dash: Greg Pollack (4:35), Sam Menne (4:42), Lauren Menne (5:36), Caroline Tuck (5:37), Matt Menne (6:51), Hattie Tuck (7:02), Sami Pollack (7:49), Conner Bridges (8:31), Stone Bridges (8:51), Hemi Ranva (9:33).
Fall Festival Schedule 2011
8am 8 K Trail Run
8:05 2mile Trail Run
9am 1 K kids dash
1pm – 5pm
Prairie Maze
Membership Table
Scavenger Hunt
Tractor Pulled Rides
Ney History Display
Snacks
Kids Crafts
Geocaching
Artists
Equipment demonstration
12:30pm Homestead Tours
1pm-4pm Soybean Challenge
1:15 & 3:15pm Cider Press
3:30pm Cornhusk doll making
1pm & 3pm Story Time
2pm Straub’s Presentation
4pm Trail Hike
4pm Barn Tour
4pm Barn Dance Begins
5pm Supper
6pm Baked Apple Snack/campfire
The Ney Nature Center offers visitors a splendid view in the fall – you don’t want to miss the prairie and woodlands at this exciting time.
Here’s your chance to spend a lovely autumn afternoon on the third Saturday in October. Ney Center staff, Board members and other volunteers host an annual event of seasonal fun activities to celebrate the arrival of fall with exciting new additions each year.
Activities include pumpkin painting, corn husk doll crafting, story hour, prairie maze (north of the education building), guided hikes through the myriad of center trails, scavenger hunt, family-style supper, and a bonfire with s’mores and roasted apples.
One of the highlights of the festival is the tractor-pulled wagon ride around the farmsteads. The last wagon pulls out to cap off the day just as the moon is rising to give everyone a great view of the valley. Adults and children huddle together in the crisp night air as the driver carefully guides the “people mover” around the Ney homestead. For many this is a second or even third ride of the day.
The Fall Festival also affords members an opportunity to renew their membership for the coming calendar year as well as giving others an opportunity to become a member for the coming year. New memberships begin immediately and go through December of the following year.
Fall Festival is a great way to celebrate such a beautiful season at the NNC. It is a free event. However, there is a nominal charge for the supper to help off-set the cost of food.
