The Wallace Centers of Iowa

The Wallace Centers of Iowa

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At its 2 historic sites in Des Moines and Orient, WCI connects people, food and the land. The Country Life Center in Orient is the birthplace farm of Henry A.

WCI includes two properties on the National Register of Historic Places. The Wallace House in Des Moines is the home of "Uncle Henry" Wallace, the first editor of Wallaces' Farmer magazine. Wallace, U.S. Vice President, Secretary of Agriculture, and Secretary of Commerce during the Roosevelt administration and founder of Pioneer Hi-Bred seed corn company.

06/04/2026

Prairie art boards are popping up across our prairie.

The Prairie Art Exhibit officially opens this Friday, June 5 at the start of Pizza on the Prairie.

We do have some last minute openings for tomorrow evening's Pizza event. At the time of this posting reservation times are available for the following:
> 6:15, 2 available
> 6:30 pm, 4 available
> 7 pm, 4 available
> 7:15 pm, 6 available
> 7:30 pm, 10 available

Please email [email protected] or call either one of our locations to make a last minute reservation!

06/03/2026

This summer we invite you to experience, Seeds of Memory, a unique sound walk at Wallace Farm created by Iowa artists, Anna Gebhardt and Philip Rabalais.

Created in honor of the 100-year anniversary of Henry A. Wallace founding Pioneer, this sound walk invites you to walk the historic farm and prairie using your smartphone and headphones. Triggered by listeners’ movements, recordings of piano, voice, saxophone, and synthesized instruments automatically grow and evolve in response to seeds found throughout the site.

From the pansies Henry A.’s mother used to teach him about cross-breeding to the hybrid corn varieties that helped shape the future of agriculture, Seeds of Memory offers a new way to experience the stories, sounds, and living history of Wallace Farm.

This immersive sound walk is open from dawn to dusk from this weekend through September. If you're coming to Pizza on the Prairie this Friday, pack your headphones (we will have some available for use during events) and take an after dinner sound walk!

06/02/2026

Sweet potatoes are almost here and need planting—and we need your help! 🌱🍠

We're looking for a few more volunteers to join us this Thursday at Wallace Farm as we plant sweet potato slips for our Garden for Good program. These sweet potatoes will be harvested later this season and donated to help provide fresh, healthy food to Iowans experiencing food insecurity.

If it rains, we'll have a back up date next week!

Reach out to Tim at [email protected] or 641-331-5019 if you're interested in helping out!

Photos from The Wallace Centers of Iowa's post 05/19/2026

Abundance To Go happening today at the Wallace House from 3-6 pm!

Fresh herbs, including rosemary, oregano and mint, cherry tomatoes, leeks, chard and beets are available for purchase from the Wallace Farm.

Also pictured is asparagus gazpacho which was on the menu for those that pre-ordered takeout.

05/14/2026

This summer we're hosting four magical Pizza on the Prairie events at the Wallace Farm.

Reservations open tomorrow, Friday, May 15 at noon for the first two: June 5 and June 12.

Book a reservation online at: https://wallace.org/pizza-on-the-prairie/.

See you on the prairie soon!

05/08/2026

The Wallace legacy helped shape agriculture in Iowa and beyond. Now, the Wallace Centers of Iowa is looking for a Development Director to help grow the next generation of impact.

This role will lead fundraising efforts supporting two historic sites, agricultural innovation programming, and food security and rural community impact.

If you have a track record of closing major gifts and you want to do that work for an organization with a genuinely compelling story to tell, this is the role.

Learn more at: https://wallace.org/employment-opportunities/.

05/07/2026

Orders are now open for our May Abundance To Go market and takeout experience.

🍽 MENU

Asparagus gazpacho $8
parsley, almond, lemon, leek

Veggie Ham Balls (vegan) $16
chickpea and quinoa meatballs, tamari, ginger, onion, Gochujang and tomato glaze

Falafel Burger $14
w/ herbs, lettuce, tzatziki on a bun

Chana Masala Flautas (vegan) $10
Katchumber, cashew crema

Carrot Cake Cookies (vegan $5
carrots, raisins (it's like a cake, but it's a cookie)

https://wallace.org/event/abundance-to-go-7/

Photos from The Wallace Centers of Iowa's post 05/04/2026

Nearly 50 volunteers from Corteva joined us at the Wallace Farm this past Friday to help with spring cleaning around the farm property.

Together we accomplished so much! Volunteers helped clean up and mulch all the flower gardens, get the shade cloth on the hoop building, install the tomato fence, remove the old fence in the parking area, pick up sticks in the orchard, power wash the deck, and prep new flower beds near the new stage.

We also honored the new beautiful stage made possible by support from Corteva in celebration of 100 years of Pioneer.

Please join us in thanking Corteva and volunteers for all their support!

04/28/2026

Now Hiring for Summer at Wallace Centers of Iowa! ☀️

We’re hiring seasonal team members to help bring our summer events to life featuring chef-prepared local food and a beautiful Iowa landscape.

Open roles include:

👉 Wallace Farm Coordinator, 20-30 hrs/week
👉 Pizza on the Prairie Event Staff, Friday evenings

If you’re looking for meaningful, community-centered work in a beautiful outdoor setting, we’d love to hear from you. High school and college students encouraged to apply!

https://wallace.org/employment-opportunities/

04/27/2026

🍓low ticket alert🍓

Strawberries were one of Henry A. Wallace's favorite plants for breeding. We'll be celebrating his legacy of breeding strawberries on June 26 with a Farm to Table Strawberry dinner highlighting locally grown strawberries in each course.

Just a few seats left!

Get a ticket online at https://wallace.org/event/farm-to-table-strawberry-dinner/.

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Location

Telephone

Address


756 16th Street
Des Moines, IA
50314

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm