Jody and Jim Kerns

In 1986, Jody and Jim Kerns were 22 and 24 years-old and newlyweds when they began restoring their first 35 acres to forest. Jody had grown up on a farm and Jim’s family owned the Edgewood meat locker in town, but they shared a sense of adventure to try something new on the land. During the first few years of the restoration, the farmers Jim encountered at the meat locker shook their heads at the Kerns’ endeavor.

But within a few years, those same farmers saw that the Kerns were onto something. Jody stated, “Now, it’s 30 year later, and the property is a neat piece of the community, beautiful timber a couple of miles from town that is really cherished.” At the heart of the Kerns ethic is a commitment to finding the best use for each individual landscape, an effort that extends to the 80 acres they crop using no-till.

All along, the Kerns have lived by a strong devotion to community equal to their land stewardship. They’ve provided the timber as an outdoor classroom for local educators and schools in Clayton County for nearly 30 years while continuing to find new opportunities for ecological restoration. Most recently, they discovered 8 acres of original prairie on a new piece of land, which has reinvigorated their imagination both for what Iowa was and what Iowa could be.

Building a Culture of Conservation: 

“We’re building a legacy for our children with our children.”

Contact Information

Jody and Jim Kerns
2142 110th St
Edgewood, IA 52042
563-928-7226
kernscabin@aol.com