Fall Festival Was Maybe Just A Bit Squishy

A look out the Nelson Barn window shows lots of umbrellas as people tried to stay dry while they enjoyed the many sights and sounds of the Fall Festival.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The annual Fall Festival at the Nelson Pioneer Farm faced more than its normal hurdles on Saturday.

A forecast that included a flood watch threw a blanket on the festivities planned for Saturday.

Margaret Spiegel, Curator of the Nelson Pioneer Farm, kept her optimistic spirit, despite the negative weather report, “because you never know how quickly it will change.”

“We had a rain plan in the back of my head as things progressed,” Spiegel said, who was planning on utilizing the many buildings of the farm to host demonstrations and visitors alike.

Despite the rain, the band played on in front of the museum, and the agricultural demonstrators know just what to do in the rain. “All of our agricultural guys are farmers, so they know how to plan their life and activities around the weather.”

Fall Festival is the primary fundraiser for the Nelson Pioneer Farm every year. “We’re glad to see that people are making their way out,” added Spiegel.

There were 600 servings of beef and noodles available to visitors, so the hope was to get that served up.

Spiegel said that many of the costs for the day are paid for by sponsorships. “Our community is really great about that here. So many folks volunteer their time and their services for various things around the site.”

“I’m more worried about having a positive education experience for the public,” added Spiegel.

Not even Mother Nature could dampen the spirits and the growth the Nelson Pioneer Farm has experience this past year, with Spiegel noticing good growth in visits during the summer months.

Beyond the visits, there is a steady increase in memberships, and individuals expressing interest in volunteering at the farm. So there’s definite growth.”

The Nelson Pioneer Farm will close for the 2019 Season on Sunday, September 29th.