seeking chef
hearts & homes tea
know your farmer
garden workshop
5 join the board
quilt show
cooking classes
tea towels
shared use kitchen
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Feb. 8 Galentine's Brunch, CLC
Feb. 13 Valentine's Dinner, WH
Feb. 21 H & H tea, WH
March 13 H & H tea, WH
March 28 Garden Workshop, Orient Methodist Church
April 3 H & H tea, WH
April 22 GW Carver play, WH
April 27-May 2 Quilt Show, CLC
April 2-Dec. 17 Farm to Table Thursdays, 5:30 to 8 pm, WH
WH: Wallace House
CLC: Country Life Center
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cooking classes
Held throughout the year, cooking classes focus on local, seasonal produce. Each class at the Wallace House begins at 5:30 pm, lasts 2 hours and includes dinner and handouts. $45/person and reservations are required.
Desserts: April 27
Chocolate Raspberry Torte, Fruit Galettes, and Cardamom Panna Cotta with seasonal topping
Moroccan Dinner: May 18
Chicken Pastilla, Beef Tagine, and Vegetable Peanut Stew
Mediterranean: July 13
Pan-Seared Salmon with Artichoke Tahini Puree over a Farro, Bean, and Vegetable Salad with Lemon Anchovy Vinaigrette
Umami Flavorings: Sept. 14
Vegetable and Greens Salad with Miso Dressing, Sauce Putanesca with Grilled Bread, Mushroom Broth
Love Your Veggies: Oct. 5
Glazed Winter Vegetables, Using Greens in a Variety of Ways, Vegetable Sliders
Holiday Appetizers and Decorating Tips: Nov. 23
Our most popular class will help you pull together your food and decor in a festive way.
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Henry A. tea towels
Be inspired on a daily basis with this exclusive WCI tea towel featuring a quote from Henry A. Wallace. $12, available at both locations. We can ship, too. Contact Deborah.
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shared use kitchen
Operated by WCI,
the Mickle Center Shared Use Community Kitchen in Des Moines is available to rent. Contact Kitchen Supervisor Mary Kapler or call her at 515.282.4715.
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join our team
We're looking for a Chef/Food Programs Manager at the Country Life Center with an interest in local foods and the ability to develop food programming. Minimum associate in applied science degree in the culinary arts or extensive experience in commercial food prep, evidence of teaching ability, collaborations and creative problem solving experience. Must be able to work Friday evenings and weekends as needed. Salary dependent on experience and education. Can be FT or PT. Fill out an application or contact Deb Houghtaling.
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valentine's dinner at WH
Only 8 pm seating is available! Treat your sweetie to Valentine's Dinner at the Wallace House on
Thursday, February 13. Chef Katie's fabulous 4-course menu includes a pork rillette platter, pan-seared beets, chicken roulade & dark chocolate tart. Live music, BYOB. RSVP to
Deborah or call 515.243.7063 by Feb. 7. $65/person, gratuity incl.
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hearts & homes teas
Bring a friend or two or ten to tea! Held in the home where Nancy Cantwell Wallace lived and worked, this 3-course lunch includes a program of readings taken from her Hearts & Homes column in Wallaces' Farmer. Each program and menu is a little different. Upcoming dates include
February 21, March 13, April 3, May 1 and more. 11:30 am - 1 pm at Wallace House. RSVP to
Deborah.
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know your farmer dinner
 Steve Kerns of Mangalitsa Estates returns to the Wallace House on
Thursday, March 12 to tell his story of raising what many consider "the tastiest pork in the world." Chef Katie has a three-course menu to bring out the best in this gourmet meat: elderberry glazed pork belly with sweet potatoes, pickled cauliflower and microgreens; roasted pork tenderloin; and dark chocolate cake with maple bacon ice cream and bourbon glaze. Each dinner is $55/person, gratuity incl. Doors open at 6 pm; dinner at 6:30 pm.
Make your reservations!
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garden workshop returns
This year's garden workshop has something for everyone:
African Violets, Aquaponics, Oriental and Asiatic Lilies, and Bluebirds. Mark your calendar for
Saturday, March 28 at the Orient United Methodist Church. Doors open at 8 am, program runs to 3:30 pm. 5 hours of Master Gardener credit. $30/person includes lunch. Contact
Lisa to register. March 20 is the last day to sign up.
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5 join the board of directors
Five volunteers will join WCI's board of directors at its February 10 meeting. The new members were recruited after the board completed a self-evaluation and matrix exercise in November. The assessment determined that more expertise was needed in finance, technology, agriculture, food production, tourism and human resources. More diversification in age and geographic representation was also identified as a goal.
Board members serve a 3-year term and meet quarterly, alternating between the Wallace House and the Country Life Center. Those stepping on to the board include:
Aubrey Alvarez, Executive Director of Eat Greater Des Moines, a nonprofit that seeks ways to improve food access across the metro area. Food rescue is an important component of its mission, and EGDSM partnered with WCI in 2019 on orchard gleaning efforts.
Christine Augustine owns a wholesale nursery business in Phoenix, AZ with her husband John. The couple also own land near the Country Life Center in Adair County and have been long-time supporters.
Dr. Rachel Binning, Soybean Global Regulatory Leader at Corteva Agriscience, grew up on a farm in northeast Missouri. She has a BA in Biology and Master's and PhD in Entomology. Her passion for cooking, gardening, and conservation is a good match for WCI's mission.
Sara Bunch of Granular Ag in Johnston has expertise in organic and commodity production agriculture, marketing, succession planning, talent development and agri-tourism that will serve WCI well.
Greg Padget, New Generation Director at Practical Farmers of Iowa brings non-profit and for-profit experience at PFI, Whole Foods, Jasper County Soil & Water Conservation, Tallgrass Co-op, Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute and Iowa Network for Community Agriculture.
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spring quilt show
Dozens of quilts will be on display in the Gathering Barn at the Country Life Center Saturday, April 25 to Saturday, May 2, 1-5 pm daily. $5 admission + dessert & coffee for an extra $5.
A special brunch program from 10 am-noon on April 25 kicks off the show. Speaker and topic TBA. $20/person includes show admission. Reservations required. On Sunday, April 26, bring one or 2 of your own quilts for an evaluation by expert Deb Irving. $20 includes one show admission. Pre-registration required.
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The Wallace Centers of Iowa