Grants will move preservation, local foods efforts forward at Johnson County Poor Farm

IOWA CITY - With two recently announced grants totaling nearly $70,000, area officials plan to take major steps forward at the Johnson County Poor Farm.

Earlier this week the State Historical Society of Iowa announced the approval of a $42,500 grant to Johnson County for historic preservation. On July 10, a $23,500 Wellmark Foundation Healthy Communities grant will be presented to Grow: Johnson County, the community organization creating a community garden on the historic Poor Farm grounds on Melrose Avenue.

John Boller, Grow: Johnson County co-founder, said the recent grants supporting local foods and historic preservation at the county-owned property will help kickoff efforts to draw visitors to the area.

'I think everybody is realizing that now is the time and it's really cool to see so many people taking action finally,” Boller said.

Boller said the Wellmark Foundation grant will be used to hire a farm manager, who will focus on food production and facilitate education programs. The position, which officials hope to fill by October, will start at three-quarter time and possibly expand to full-time, Boller said.

Grow: Johnson County volunteers will plant a cover crop this year, with plans to plant the first produce crops next spring.

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors also are in the process of creating a new local foods planner position, which will work closely with food providers across the county. The new hires at Grow: Johnson County and the county staff member will likely coordinate often.

The county's $42,500 grant was made possible through the Historical Resource Development Program, which will be matched with roughly $60,000 budgeted county funds to begin restoration on the farm's 100-year-old stock barn.

With county funds already set aside for the project, the grant allows work on the barn - which will include structure upgrades, window repair, siding and gutter replacement, the installation of new cedar shingles and foundation work - to begin sooner, said Mickey Miller, Johnson County grants and communications specialist.

'These were projects that were already planned so I was able to use the money that we already have dedicated for the matching funds,” Miller said.

Work on the stock barn is expected to begin this year and carry into next year, with the final goal being restoring the structure to allow officials with Grow: Johnson County to use the barn.

Jeff Morgan, public information officer with Department of Cultural Affairs, which manages the State Historical Society of Iowa, said members of the panel that reviewed the Johnson County application appreciated Grow: Johnson County's involvement on the site, as well as the farm's historical value and the county's financial commitment to renovations.