Each day, July 9 – 11, after the symposium talks and presentations conclude for the day, we’ll be headed out of Ames for a series of Rural Tourism Site Visits. These site visits are included with registration and non-registered guests can join at cost. We’ll tour unique rural entrepreneurial businesses around Central Iowa and learn about their stories, market niches, and impacts on their rural communities. Site visits on the 9th and 10th will include dinner and require you to choose your preference during online registration. Space is limited for some excursions, so register early for the best selection.
Attending site visits is optional but choosing not to attend will not reduce the cost of registration. Only joining the second half of the excursions on July 9th and 10th for dinner is logistically not an option. All site visit attendees are required to ride along on the provided transportation; use of personal vehicles will not be allowed on the site visits.
Attire for the 2025 USASBE Rural Entrepreneurship Symposium is business casual to casual for all symposium sessions, meals, and excursions. While none of the Rural Tourism Site Visits are physically intensive, please be prepared for outdoor Iowa-in-July weather. Closed-toe shoes are required for all site visits. Attendees staying at Gateway Hotel will have an opportunity to stop and change at the hotel before the excursions depart.
Attendees driving to the symposium each day will be able to leave their vehicles and jump on a site visit tour bus at either the East Campus Parking Deck (500 Wallace Rd) or the free Commuter Lot D4 at Iowa State Center north of Jack Trice Stadium.
If you have any questions, concerns, or issues, please reach out to us at ruralentrepsymp@iastate.edu; we are happy to assist you in any way we can.
Wednesday, July 9, 3:15 PM – 8:30 PM
 Rail Explorers |
 Prairie Moon Winery |
 1868 Farmhouse |
Option #1 Rail Explorers tour followed by 1868 Farmhouse tour & Taste of Iowa Dinner
Rail Explorers offers a scenic tour of the Des Moines River Valley on motor-assisted pedal bikes that ride the rails of the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad. Experience an adventure suitable for all ages and abilities. 1868 Farmhouse is a family-owned historic farmhouse and renovated, modern, climate-controlled venue hall with seating for up to 280.
Option #2 Prairie Moon Winery tour followed by 1868 Farmhouse tour & Taste of Iowa Dinner
Prairie Moon Winery is a 13-acre family winery and event venue that also hosts the separately owned Alluvial Brewing Company. 1868 Farmhouse is a family-owned historic farmhouse and renovated, modern, climate-controlled venue hall with seating for up to 280.
THURSDAY, July 10th, 3:30pm to 9:00pm
 Grand View Beef |
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Option #1 Grand View Beef tour and Farm-to-Table Dinner
Grand View Beef is a family-owned grass-fed meat production farm that ships nationwide and hosts farm-to-table dinners and occasional private events.
Option #2 Rose Farm tour and Farm-to-Table Dinner
Rose Farm is family-owned and lovingly-managed by Flower Farmers Karri and Patrick Rose. Experience their sprawling 25-acre event venue where they also host workshops and farm-to-table dinners.
FRIDAY, July 11th, 1:30pm to 5:15pm Rustic Rose Barn tour & ISU Research Park tour
 Rustic Rose Barn |
 ISU Research Park |
Rustic Rose Barn is a family-owned event venue created within the walls of an authentic 1890s barn, now updated to host 350 guests. Set among rolling fields on a historic family homestead, this spacious barn shares the property with the original start-up, Hurd’s Hound Haven. Entrepreneurship infected this family of 10; come hear their stories of success as they branched out into additional entrepreneurial enterprises.
ISU’s Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship and its partners in Iowa State economic development will host a panel about their comprehensive entrepreneurship programming followed by a tour of the new Digital Ag Innovation Lab that specializes in developing technology and products to make agriculture more productive, efficient, and profitable at the ISU Research Park.
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Rose Farm