Join the park staff and the Friends of Yellow River State Forest on a free, guided hike on New Year’s Day. Hikers can meet at 9:30 a.m. at the cabin in the park for a 2-mile moderate hike led by park staff. The hike will begin at 10 a.m. and will travel through hardwood and coniferous stands of timber.

“We hope people will join us for a couple hours and explore the Driftless area,” says Park Ranger Rylan Retallick. “Hot chocolate, coffee and a warm fire inside the cabin are free.” 
 
Please bring adequate clothing and good footwear for traction to best enjoy the hike. If you have any questions please call the office at (563) 586-2254. In the case of inclement weather, cancellation information will be on the Friends Facebook page or on a message at that phone number. 

Those who would like to come along for the ride but not hike can stay at the cabin and visit while others go out, but space is limited.

This is the ninth year the DNR is hosting First Day Hikes as part of an effort to get people outdoors and into our state parks, says Todd Coffelt, chief of the DNR State Parks Bureau. “These hikes are a great way to get outside, exercise, enjoy nature and welcome the New Year with friends and family.” 

Yellow River State Forest is located 16 miles from Waukon, 15 miles from Marquette or 16 miles from Lansing. The cabin at Yellow River State Forest is located at Park Headquarters, 729 State Forest Rd., Harpers Ferry, IA. 
 
For details about First Day Hikes in Iowa’s State Parks, visit www.iowadnr.gov/firstdayhikes. Participants are encouraged to share their adventures on social media with #FirstDayHikes and #iowastateparks.

Kick the New Year off right and join Pikes Peak State Park for the First Day Hike of the year! The Friends Group will have coffee, hot chocolate, and a warm fire in the shelter! Bring warm clothes and proper footwear! Sure to be a great day!

WETLAND EXPLORERS - Nature Tots
10:30AM-12:00PM

Wetland Explorers is a nature program for preschool age children (Ages 2-5). A nature theme is explored through indoor and outdoor activities.

Children should be accompanied by an adult. Siblings are welcome to attend. Contact us at 563-873-3537 or email driftlessareawetlandcentreia@gmail.com with questions. No registration is required

Join the Allamakee County Conservation Board for a Full Moon Snowshoe Hike on Jan. 9, at 6 p.m. Participants should meet at the gates to Luster Heights Camp; 481 Luster Heights Road, Harpers Ferry. The full moon snowshoe will be a guided trail hike taking place after dark to enable the participants to see the stars and full moon like they have never seen before. The event requires preregistration for those wishing to use snowshoes provided by the ACCB and is open to all ages. However, anyone under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. In the case of inclement weather or poor snow conditions the full moon snowshoe may be postponed or cancelled and will be announced via the ACCB’s Facebook page.

Appropriate sized snowshoes and trekking poles will be provided to individuals who do not have their own equipment with preregistration. Participants should dress for the weather with appropriate layers including outerwear, winter hats, gloves, and waterproof boots. A headlamp or small flashlight is also recommended, but not required.

A full schedule of upcoming events hosted by the Allamakee County Conservation Board is available by following the ACCB on Facebook. To register or to receive more information on this event or any event you can call the ACCB at (563)538-0403.

Curious about making cheese, but don’t know where to begin? That’s easy—ricotta! Learn to make and use ricotta. We'll make fresh pasta while our cheese drains, we'll make ravioli and two pasta sauces to pair with the ravioli. We will also be sampling out Iowa wines & Iowa Beers during the evening.

Tentative Menu: Homemade Ricotta, Herb Ricotta Stuffed Fresh Ravioli with Bolognase Sauce & Alfredo Sauce, Ricotta Ice Cream

Cost is $60, all supplies included and you get to take home all the recipes. We do the dishes!

https://www.itsbythespoonful.com/cooking-school

David Prehm of New Hampton, Iowa, will review basic watercolor techniques then guide the class in creating their own masterpiece. This class is ideal for the beginner or anyone looking to advance their skills. Find more information at http://mmcenterforthearts.weebly.com/classes--workshops.html

Join us for a freezer meal workshop, where you will prep 6 entrees (that feeds 2 each) to take home until you are ready to Insta Pot, stove top or bake.
Who is this for? Busy parents, anyone who doesn't want to cook but wants healthy meals, empty-nesters. The value is tremendous - What's better than not having to stress about dinner?

We:
Grocery shop
Provide assistance, storage bags, and all equipment necessary
Do the dishes!

Menu:
Philly Cheesesteak
Beef Bourguignon
Stuffed Chicken Breast
roasted Chicken Dinner
Pork Enchiladas
Breaded Pork Chop Sheet Pan Dinner

**Please bring a bag, cooler, or tote to take your meals home in.***
Space is limited so sign up today!

Cost is $120, all supplies included and you get to take home all the recipes. We do the dishes!

Curious about making cheese? Mozzarella isn't as hard as it looks especially with our tips & Mascarpone is the easiest cheese to make! We will also be sampling out many Iowa wines & Iowa Beers during the evening.

Tentative Menu: Homemade Mozzarella & Marscapone, Margherita Flatbread Pizza, Homemade Tiramisu

Cost is $60, all supplies included and you get to take home all the recipes. We do the dishes!

Use spices you probably already have on hand to make delicious Indian dishes. In this class we will focus on some popular dishes that will be easy to recreate at home.
Space is limited so call and reserve your spot today!

Tentative menu: Chana Masala, Tiki Masala over chicken and/or cauliflower, Homemade Naan, Gulab Jamun, Indian inspired cocktails.

Cost is $60, all supplies included and you get to take home all the recipes. We do the dishes

https://www.itsbythespoonful.com/cooking-school

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All cooking classes are held at By The Spoonful, 221 Main Street, McGregor, IA
Classes are 2 1/2 to 3 hours, unless otherwise noted.

Classes are a combination of hands-on and demonstration-style
Hands-on classes are limited to 8 students
You will work with other students in groups of 2-3
You will be standing, cooking and working for most of the class, please wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes and have long hair tied back
You will enjoy a generous taste of every dish
Iowa wine and craft beer samplings may be offered

Be sure to linger before or after class and browse through the store. Class participants enjoy a 10% discount on all products on day of class.

Tentative Menu: Homemade Marshmallows, English Toffee, Brown Sugar Taffy, Coconut Pralines

Space is limited so call and reserve your spot today!
Cost is $50, all supplies included and you get to take home all the recipes.

https://www.itsbythespoonful.com/cooking-school

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All cooking classes are held at By The Spoonful, 221 Main Street, McGregor, IA
Classes are 2 1/2 to 3 hours, unless otherwise noted.

Classes are a combination of hands-on and demonstration-style
Hands-on classes are limited to 8 students
You will work with other students in groups of 2-3
You will be standing, cooking and working for most of the class, please wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes and have long hair tied back
You will enjoy a generous taste of every dish
Iowa wine and craft beer samplings may be offered

Be sure to linger before or after class and browse through the store. Class participants enjoy a 10% discount on all products on day of class.

Mike Kabele will lead the first session in how to create a relief style welcome sign. Participants will want to bring a photo of their home (street view). Wheel time will also be available for those wishing to start love mugs for the next class. Find more info at http://mmcenterforthearts.weebly.com/classes--workshops.html

Join us for this fun class where you can choose one of the following signs to paint:
Home Sign With Wreath $35
Gnome Sign $25

Signs measure approximately 34" tall by 11" wide.

The cost of the class includes all materials, you will leave with your completed project. We pride ourselves in using high quality materials including Western Red Cedar and Benjamin Moore exterior stain so these pieces can go indoors or outdoors.

We have over 20 colors to choose from so you can customize your signs to your liking!

We provide step by step instructions so no experience is necessary, great for any art level and you will leave with a cute painting!

Complimentary pop, water, and popcorn will be served.

Payment is required to hold your spot so please call the shop 563-873-2006 or stop in (Wednesday-Thursday 10-4, Friday-Saturday 9-5) to make your reservations. If you call during closed hours please leave a message and I'll return your call. Spots tend to fill quick so give us a call soon! We look forward to hearing from your!

Please see our cancellation policy on our website www.mcgregormercantile.com under art classes.  

Curious about making cheese, but don’t know where to begin? That’s easy—ricotta! Learn to make and use ricotta. We'll make fresh pasta while our cheese drains, we'll make ravioli and two pasta sauces to pair with the ravioli. We will also be sampling out Iowa wines & Iowa Beers during the evening.

Tentative Menu: Homemade Ricotta, Herb Ricotta Stuffed Fresh Ravioli with Bolognase Sauce & Alfredo Sauce, Ricotta Ice Cream

Cost is $60, all supplies included and you get to take home all the recipes. We do the dishes!

https://www.itsbythespoonful.com/cooking-school

Join Katie to learn recipes and techniques on how to make Poke, a Hawaiian take on sushi, at home. In this class, you'll learn to prepare fresh poke, a raw fish dish originating from Hawaii, meet other foodies, and enjoy the food you helped prepare in an intimate setting in Historic McGregor, Iowa. You’ll learn tips on sourcing ingredients, recipe variations, and how to arrange your dish to look gorgeous. Sit down at the end of class to enjoy your poke creations, along with wine pairings.

Tentative Menu: Classic Ahi Tuna Poke, Salmon Poke Bowl, Gyoza (potstickers) Dumplings, Butter Mochi
*Menu subject to change based on availability

Space is limited so call and reserve your spot today!

Cost is $70, all supplies included and you get to take home all the recipes.

https://www.itsbythespoonful.com/cooking-school