ISU Extension and Outreach Mills County

09/04/2026

Our office will be CLOSED on Monday, September 7th for the Labor Day Holiday.
We will be back to regular business hours on Tuesay.

09/03/2026

Mills County 4-H QUILT RAFFLE! 🍀🍀🍀
All proceeds go towards supporting our Mills County 4-H'ers!

Where to purchase tickets?
▪️ Tickets can be purchased directly at the Mills County Extension Office
▪️ Drop your payment (with ticket # and contact info) in our drop box
▪️ Send in your payment (with ticket # and contact info) through the mail!

When will the drawing be?
▪️ The raffle will be drawn at our Fall Awards Night on November 8th, and you do not have to be present to win!

Ticket Price:
▪️ 1 ticket for $5
▪️ 5 tickets for $20

Want more chances to win? ✨
▪️ During Iowa 4-H Giving Day in Mills County!, if you donate $50 or more, you will receive 5 more tickets!

09/03/2026

AMES, Iowa – More than 2,450 youth exhibitors displayed 3,378 static 4-H exhibits in the Bruce L. Rastetter 4-H Exhibits Building at the 2026 Iowa State Fair.

09/02/2026

Last night for our Prairie session of the Master Conservationist program, we had the opportunity to visit a reconstructed prairie and an untouched virgin prairie. Dessa Montgomery from Mills County Conservation Board was our speaker! 🌾

We started the evening at Indian Creek Museum for a quick meet-up to discuss our agenda. We learned the differences between reconstructed prairie and a prairie that has never been touched by agriculture.

We first went to the Ray Thomas Wildlife Preserve, which is a reconstructed prairie that was first replanted into a tall grass prairie about 30 years ago (the biggest tract). Some smaller tracts were replanted between 8-20 years ago. We noticed some invasive plants that have been completely cleared out multiple times that just keep coming back (Honeysuckle and Autumn Olive). We did see some nice native grasses and flowers such as Big Bluestem, Indian Grass, Partridge Pea, and a native Clover.

We then headed to a privately owned location, the Wearin Prairie (special thanks to the Wearin Family for allowing us to look at your wonderful prairie property!). The Wearin Prairie is completely untouched prairie that has only been occasionally mowed and burned for management purposes. It is about 40 acres total. We saw tons of native plants, including, Compass Plant, two types of Goldenrod, dozens of Sunflower species, Native Thistles, Cord Grass, Gray-headed Coneflower, Rattlesnake Master, Daisy Fleabane, and much more!

The difference between the two prairies was very noticeable! A reconstructed prairie will never achieve the diversity of an untouched prairie. We were even prepared with butterfly nets in case we came across some Monarchs to tag! We arrived too late in the evening to see any, however.

Thanks to the Wearin Family for allowing us to visit, and Dessa for the great and informative night!

Fremont County Iowa Extension and Outreach Mills County Conservation Board

09/02/2026

The September 2026 Plant Wise Newsletter is here and it's all about Dahlia's! 🪷🌸🌼

Find it and previous editions here: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/mills/master-gardener-program

09/01/2026

Mills County 4-H Enrollment is now OPEN! 🍀🍀🍀

RETURNING MEMBERS: Enroll before November 1st for $20 off your enrollment fee! (After Nov 1, cost returns to $45).
NEW MEMBERS: Enroll ANYTIME and you will also get $20 off your enrollment fee! (No deadline!)
*Thanks to the generosity of the Mills County 4-H Endowment Committee.

Learn more about joining Mills County 4-H here! ⬇️ https://www.extension.iastate.edu/mills/join-4-h, or contact Buddi at [email protected] or 712-624-8616!

The new 4-H year is here! 🍀🤩🎉

A new year means new opportunities to explore, learn, and grow! It’s time to choose your projects and pathways and get ready for another year of hands-on 4-H experiences.

Not a 4-H member yet? Now is the perfect time to join! Discover what Iowa 4-H is all about and connect with other youth while learning by doing through fun activities that build skills you’ll use for years to come.

Enroll through 4-H Online today or reach out to your local county Extension office to find a 4-H experience near you!

➡️ https://v2.4honline.com/

08/27/2026

Needing some tips for your garden this fall? 🍃🧑‍🌾

Join us on September 24th for our Growing Together Workshop for an evening of gardening and landscaping questions! Dr. Cindy Haynes, ISU Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialist will be speaking about the do's and don'ts of fall gardening and landscaping.

📅: September 24th
🕓: 6:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.
📍: Mills County Extension Office (61321 315th St, Malvern)
🤔: Everyone is invited to join us!
💵: No cost to attend!
🔗: Registration is required: https://go.iastate.edu/BK9GD0 or contact Sydney at [email protected]. Registration due Sept. 23rd.
❓: More information here: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/mills/growing-together-fall-workshop

08/26/2026

Yesterday, our Master Conservationist class took a trip to Pierce Creek for our 'Aquatics' module. 💧🐢🐟 John Lorenzen and Andy Jansen, Iowa Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Management Biologists were our speakers.

John and Andy did an excellent job explaining what they do and how they do it. Their primary job is to manage and monitor fish populations, as well as manage water bodies to improve vegetation and water quality. They even brought some fish and turtles to show us!

We learned all about Pierce Creek and other water bodies in SW Iowa. We discussed how they manage the fish and turtle populations and how they get their data. To monitor fish populations, they use netting and electro netting. They showed us their nets and boat so we could see the process!

We discussed fish habitat and looked at different examples. We learned about the vegetation in water bodies, the good and the bad and how to potentially control it. They showed us how they take water samples and brought more tools to show us.

Overall, it was a great evening at Pierce Creek! Thank you, John and Andy, for talking with us!

08/20/2026

On Tuesday, we went to our second site visit for our Master Conservationist Program! We went to Waubonsie State Park for our 'Forest' module. 🌳

Lindsey Barney, our Iowa DNR District Forester, was our speaker.
Along our hike throughout Waubonsie State Park, Lindsey pointed out some trees and plants that are distinct to the southwestern Loess Hills, including the Pawpaw Tree! We heard tons of birds, including a Wood Thrush who is only here a few months out the year before it migrates back to Central America.
We looked at and identified some invasive species, including Tree of Heaven, Eurasian Honeysuckle, and Autumn Olive. We discussed how they have become invasive and why it's not always so easy to get rid of them. Despite the invasives, we also saw plenty of natives, including Joe Pyeweed, Hyssop, Goldenrod, American Elm and Redbud trees, and Native Thistles. We discussed the meaning of a savannah (Oak Savannah), which is not a forest, and not a prairie, it is the zone in between. Oak Savannah's are one our most endangered ecosystems in Iowa!

It was another great day of learning!

For more information about Waubonsie State Park, follow the link in the comments!

Fremont County Iowa Extension and Outreach Mills County Conservation Board

08/19/2026

Family caregivers often help coordinate appointments, manage medications, provide transportation, and support individuals throughout treatment, recovery, and survivorship. Caregivers can participate in Powerful Tools for Caregivers, an evidence-based program that provides practical skills for managing stress, improving communication, and maintaining personal well-being.

Learn more: https://go.iastate.edu/EIFSEH