The winding gravel road that branches off from L Avenue in Adel and leads to the entrance of the Wills Family Orchard is a fitting prelude to the rustic beauty of the orchard’s sweeping grounds.

On any given weekend at the orchard during the fall, you’ll see little children pulling on their parents’ hands as they march toward the pumpkin patch or older kids racing each other to the entrance of the corn maze. Inside the orchard’s shop, customers examine plastic bags of organic apples and compare jars of organic fruit spreads. During Apple and Pumpkin Fest weekends, you can hitch a ride on the hay wagon and munch on a fresh apple cider doughnut while gazing out over the stooped forms of people hunting for the perfect pumpkin. These are the kinds of experiences that add up to what owner Maury Wills calls a “celebration” of family, friendship, and the outdoors. 

Those wanting to participate in such a celebration need look no further than this family-owned orchard, which is located just 22 minutes southwest of Waukee and is open on Saturdays from 9:00am to 6:00pm and Sundays from 12:00pm to 6:00pm during the fall months. The orchard includes a small barn with goats and chickens, a pumpkin patch, and a corn maze. Due to hailstorms causing damage to the apple crop earlier this year, the Wills family decided against opening up the orchard for apple picking. However, within the orchard shop, customers still have the opportunity to choose from several different varieties of unharmed Wills Family Orchard apples.

Visitors to the orchard don’t have to look very hard to see that the Wills family is passionate about their work. Long before the Wills family entered the “agri-tourism” business, the orchard was simply a way for Wills and his wife Mary to live out their dream of raising their kids in the country while tending to things that grow. From the beginning, the Wills family has been committed to good and wholesome food. As Wills says: “I didn’t know how to grow apple trees or produce apples but I just thought, if I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it organically because I’m just sort of inclined that way, you know?” They planted their first trees in 1992, and the business grew along with the family. In the early days, they set up a little store to sell their produce in the breezeway between the house and the garage.

Wills points out that the pumpkin patch was “kind of accidental,” and came about when a few ladies noticed that the Wills family was growing pumpkins and asked if they could pick some. Wills recalls that they put up a simple cardboard sign to mark the pumpkin patch and that, at the time, they were surprised when eight people came to pick pumpkins in one weekend.

Today, there are often so many visitors wanting to purchase food during the Apple and Pumpkin Fest weekends that the Wills have had to set up a second table outside the orchard’s shop to accommodate all the orders. These festival weekends, which occur on the last weekend in September and the first two weekends in October (including this coming weekend!), give visitors a chance to enjoy expanded activities and eat delicious foods. A full list of Apple and Pumpkin Fest activities may be found on the Wills Family Orchard website.

At the heart of the Wills Family Orchard’s commitment to their visitors is a sense of generosity—they genuinely want to share the goodness of a fall day in the country. As Wills puts it, “[The orchard] just gives people a place to stand and look at the beautiful surroundings. When you stand on this hill and look out toward the Raccoon Valley, it’s gorgeous  . . . A lot of people don’t get that kind of place to do that on a regular basis, so we want people to see and experience what we do on a regular basis.”

For those who’d like to add a bit of fall beauty to their routine, the Wills Family Orchard is an ideal destination.

Waukee, and the Greater Des Moines Metro area in general, are great places to live if you want to walk, run, or bike your way around. And that’s good news for the wellbeing of folks who live around here. Everyone knows that exercise can lift your spirits and help you to maintain a healthy weight—but did you know that exercise helps improve brain function as well?

Trainer and consultant Christy Matta, writing for Psych Central, explains that scientific research has found that exercise can increase mental acuity in individuals of all ages—from high school students to elderly people suffering from dementia.  This is wonderful, you may be thinking, but how can jogging around the block actually help with problem-solving skills?

In an article published last October on Psychology Today’s website, endurance athlete and author Christopher Bergland reports that scientists have recently uncovered part of the mystery as to why exercise improves brain power: during exercise, the brain produces a molecule called irisin that is believed to have neuroprotective effects. Raising the level of irisin in the brain leads to the production of new neurons and the activation of genes involved in cognition.

Whew, That’s a lot to process! Maybe a quick run will help you wrap your mind around it.

When it comes to exercise, Waukee residents have shown a community interest in the benefits of physical activity. As showcased earlier this year in myWaukee, the first-ever BACooN RIDE started and ended in Waukee and allowed participants to enjoy riding 71 miles on the Raccoon River Valley trail. The event proved to be wildly popular, which was perhaps not too surprising in a state that also hosts the massive RAGBRAI (“Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across America”) each year. The BACooN RIDE’s website, bacoonride.com, is already advertising next year’s event: “BACooN RIDE Too: A Second Helpin’.”

But Waukee isn’t limited to bicycling enthusiasts alone. On any given Saturday morning—weather permitting—you’ll find walkers, runners, and cyclists of all ages making their way along the Heart of the Warrior Trail or the paths that wind around Waukee’s school system and through Centennial Park. And for those walkers who want to show support for a healthier Iowa, Waukee’s Hy-Vee dietitians are hosting the local (and free!) Healthiest State Initiative 1K Walk next week, on Wednesday October 12^th from 12:00-1:00pm. The walk is part of a statewide effort to make Iowa the healthiest state in America by 2016.

Not only are these active Waukee residents enjoying the beauty of the Iowa countryside and the mood-boosting effects of endorphins, they’re also contributing to their cognitive health. If you’d like to do the same, then strap on your athletic shoes and hit the trail (or the gym, pool, etc). You might not attain the smarts of Einstein or become as physically fit as LoLo Jones, but it doesn’t hurt to dream.

DSM Skyline Mug by Amanda Barr Ceramics

While there are local shops in the Des Moines areas that offer Iowa-themed merchandise, they’re not the only places where you can purchase items that display your Iowa pride. The next time you’re in search of apparel supporting your favorite football team or a gift for your best Iowan friend, look no further than the handmade wares sold on the popular e-commerce website Etsy. To get you started, here’s a list of five products featured on the site that showcase a deep love for all things Iowa.

Iowa State Capitol Print by YouandYoursPrints.
The tour guides at the Iowa state capitol often hail it as one of America’s most beautiful capitol buildings. This piece, which is a print of a hand-drawn design, illuminates the majestic 19-century domes of the capitol with crisp lines and a graphic two-tone color palette. And it also serves as a nod to the political importance of our great state—everyone knows that when election season rolls around, the Iowa Caucus is the first in the nation.

‘Game Day Infinity Scarves’ by ML Apparel.
This merchant is an Iowa native who knows that fashionable fan gear is something appreciated by Cyclone and Hawkeye fans alike.  The variety of designs and color/print combinations is what makes this Etsy shop especially appealing, whether you prefer the clean silhouette of the Hawkeye logo or the classic image of Cy marching into game-day battle. The scarves are made of jersey knit fabric, perfect for looping around your neck when you’re watching at the stadium (or even in your living room).

Iowa BORN Onesie by HomelandTees.
If you’re the type of parent who loves to dress up your baby and you also have a fondness for Iowa, then this is the onesie for you (well, actually, for your kiddo). This Etsy shop makes apparel for many different states, but you’ll probably agree that the Iowa BORN onesie is among the best of the designs. When you’re little guy or gal sports this outfit, everyone will know that even the babies love it here.

Des Moines Skyline Mug by Amanda M Barr Ceramics.
As the cooler weather sets in, you’ll want to freshen up your collection of mugs with this cozy addition. This handmade mug is adorned with the Des Moines skyline anchored by a red umbrella—a tribute to the artist’s “favorite view” of Des Moines, described on the site as “the skyline at night with the Traveler’s umbrella lit in red.” This clever design reminds us that for some, Des Moines is considered the insurance capitol of the world—or at least of the Midwest.

Aluminum Iowa Key Ring by CharmedbyCindi.
When you’re on the road and traveling out of state, you’ll always have a little piece of home to carry with you in the form of one of these Iowa-shaped key rings. The best part is that they can be stamped with short, customizable messages (“bike,” “run,” and “home” are the ones featured on the site). You could even have them stamped with a certain date to commemorate a momentous event, like your first RAGBRAI or your family reunion on Lake Okoboji.

Whether you’re searching for the perfect tailgating gear or for a special memento to send to your favorite out-of-state college student, it’s nice to know that there are Iowa-specific options out there. These five Etsy picks show off the reasons we love it here, and they are sure to spread the love of our exemplary homeland.