Photos: Amana winery asks the public to help turn dandelions into wine

Ackerman Winery enlisted the public’s help Sunday to harvest dandelion heads that will be used to make the Amana winery’s dandelion wine. Participants were paid $8 per one gallon of dandelions. The winery hoped to gather 100 gallons of them Sunday.

Elizabeth Wood

Apr. 27, 2025 4:56 pm

Max Rasmussen picks dandelions for Ackerman Winery’s dandelion wine at Amana RV Park & Event Center in Amana on Sunday. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Bryan Potter tilts a bucket of dandelions away from Harper Potter, 1, after she attempted to place her pink bucket on top of his at Amana RV Park & Event Center in Amana on Sunday. Potter said Harper liked to pick dandelions in the front yard, so he thought it would be a good idea to bring her to the event to pick a few dandelions. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Thousands of dandelions were scattered across Amana RV Park & Event Center in Amana on Sunday. Ackerman Winery hosted an event where community members could either drop off a few buckets of dandelions or pick dandelions at the RV park for their dandelion wine. The winery paid participants $8 per gallon of dandelions. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Shayla Powell hands Avery Powell, 6, some dandelions to put in their buckets for Ackerman Winery’s dandelion wine at Amana RV Park & Event Center in Amana on Sunday. Ackerman Winery’s winemaker, Zach Bott, said they usually ask participants to bring in dandelions, but this year, they decided to host it where community members can pick dandelions. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Max Rasmussen (left), Oliver Rasmussen (center) and Ariana Rasmussen pick dandelions for Ackerman Winery’s dandelion wine at Amana RV Park & Event Center in Amana on Sunday. Oliver said he’s hoping to save the money he makes with the dandelions for a virtual reality headset. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Dandelions spill over the edge of a five-gallon bucket as Ackerman Winery’s winemaker, Zach Bott, transfers them from a community member’s bucket for Ackerman Winery’s dandelion wine at Amana RV Park & Event Center in Amana on Sunday. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

One community member’s dandelions measured to the five-gallon mark for Ackerman Winery’s dandelion wine at Amana RV Park & Event Center in Amana on Sunday. To measure community members’ dandelions, Ackerman Winery’s winemaker, Zach Bott, used a five-gallon bucket with marks on the inside. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

In a few spots dandelions were mixed in with clover at Amana RV Park & Event Center in Amana on Sunday. Ackerman Winery hosted an event where community members could either drop off a few buckets of dandelions or pick dandelions at the RV park for their dandelion wine. The winery paid participants $8 per gallon of dandelions. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Dandelions for Ackerman Winery’s dandelion wine sit inside large bins at Amana RV Park & Event Center in Amana on Sunday. Ackerman Winery’s winemaker, Zach Bott, said he hoped to get at least 100 gallons of dandelions from the event. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Daniel Abel brings in a large tote filled with dandelions for Ackerman Winery’s dandelion wine at Amana RV Park & Event Center in Amana on Sunday. Abel said he and his family picked about 16 gallons of dandelions. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Katie Adam sits in a dandelion field and drops dandelions into her five-gallon bucket for Ackerman Winery’s dandelion wine at Amana RV Park & Event Center in Amana on Sunday. Adam said she found out about the event through Facebook and thought it was a good day to come out and pick a few. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

A bottle of Ackerman Winery’s dandelion wine was at the dandelion picking event for sampling at the Amana RV Park & Event Center in Amana on Sunday. Ackerman Winery’s winemaker, Zach Bott, said it takes 40 gallons of dandelion heads to make about 200 gallons of wine. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Ackerman Winery’s winemaker, Zach Bott, takes out handfuls of dandelions from a tote to measure for Ackerman Winery’s dandelion wine at Amana RV Park & Event Center in Amana on Sunday. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)