-Submitted photo
Dave Austin is a member of the Iowa Barn Foundation board and the editor of the Iowa Barn Foundation's magazine.

ANKENY — Growing up on a dairy farm in southwest Wisconsin, Dave Austin arrived in Iowa to pursue his doctorate degree in plant breeding and genetics at Iowa State University. But it was the lure of Iowa’s ag history that eventually drew him to become a leader with the Iowa Barn Foundation.

Austin has worked for Corteva Agriscience, formerly known as Pioneer, for 27 years in Johnston while living in Ankeny. He and his wife, Mindy, have three grown children and two grandchildren, but his passion for photography is what ultimately led him to help save iconic barns across Iowa.

After he dedicated nine years to sit on the board of directors at Living History Farms, Austin “really became hooked on Iowa’s agriculture history.” He works in information technology, but he loves taking photos of farmscapes, barns and Iowa waterfalls.

“After finishing up my term at Living History Farms, the opportunity came up to share my passion with the Iowa Barn Foundation in late 2022. I started off serving as a volunteer, sharing my passion for barn photography. That quickly escalated to me joining the foundation board and taking over as the magazine editor in 2023. It has been a whirlwind of activity ever since,” Austin said.

“So many folks love barn photos and nearly every barn book you come across has great scenic views of their rustic exteriors,” Austin said. “My barn hunting photography trips are measured in hours per barn, not barns per hour. I like to photograph all of the details of the interiors. That is where you see the craftsmanship of the builder and you see how the barn was used and modified over time to sustain the farm family that made a living from that barn. They say that every photo is worth a thousand words. Now that I am editor of the Iowa Barn Foundation Magazine, I get to tell those stories with my photos.”

-Submitted photo
This 1910 Clear View Farms Barn in Clayton County was a 2022 recipient of a $10,000 emergency grant (new roof) and a 2023 restoration grant of $20,000 to complete the project. The 14-sided two-story bank barn is one-of-a-kind Iowa treasure, which can be toured during the all-state barn tour Sept. 14-15.

At the height of agricultural production in Iowa when small farms dominated, there were an estimated 200,000 barns in Iowa. Currently, there are only 35,000 to 40,000 such barns standing today, and the state loses around 1,000 barns each year.

“Without taking action, we are one generation away from losing a key piece of Iowa’s rural heritage from the Iowa landscape,” Austin said.

The Iowa Barn Foundation believes that every barn across Iowa can be saved with enough passion and funding. Unfortunately, labor shortages and inflation have caused restoration costs to double in the past five years while member donations have fallen off, Austin said.

“As a volunteer-led organization with no buildings or employees, we are able to turn 85% of our member donations directly into restoration grants. We have about $120,000 to give out each year, but demand has far outpaced our funding, requiring us to make tough choices on which barns receive a grant,” Austin said. “While the shift to larger farming operations has made historical barns impractical in modern farming operations, their preservation serves a greater historical purpose. The barns represent the persistence, pride and innovative spirit of Iowa’s agriculture families. The barns were the heart of the farmstead. Every barn is as unique as the families that farmed the surrounding land.

“If you have only seen the pictorial exterior view of Iowa’s barns, you are missing the true beauty that lies within a barn that was built to last a hundred-plus years in Iowa’s harsh weather,” Austin added. “We are not merely saving buildings, we are preserving the history and family stories that go with the barns.”

Thanks to the foundation, barns have been saved in every region of the state with their grants. The largest clustering of barns falls in northeastern Iowa, which is also where the most dairy barns were historically located in the state, Austin said.

“When I share photos on social media of a barn that is in disrepair, there will be several comments such as, ‘Someone should save that barn,’ or ‘Someone should do something.’ Well, that someone can be you if you become a member donor and literally help save Iowa’s barns with your contributions.”

The Iowa Barn Foundation was established in 1997 by a small group of volunteers based in Ames who felt compelled to do something to save Iowa’s barns. So far, the barn restoration grant program has awarded $2.3 million to help save nearly 300 barns. As a volunteer-led nonprofit, we could not save a single barn without the support of our member donors.”

The restoration grant program offered through the foundation provides matching funds up to 50% of the total cost to repair and restore a barn. To qualify for a grant, barns must be at least 50 years old and the owners must be making an historic restoration that reverts the barn back to its original design as closely as possible.

“The board prioritizes barns based on their historical significance, unique characteristics and significance to the local community. A key requirement to accepting a grant is that barn owners agree to join our all-state barn tour held each September, which provides an opportunity for the public to see barns which have benefited from our grants,” Austin said.

The foundation’s spring tour is held in June and features eight to 12 barns in a one- to two-county area that rotates around the state. The fall all-state tour features barns that have received a restoration grant, an Award of Distinction for historic restoration by owner or a Preservation Award for restoration with modern materials while maintaining the historic character.

The 2024 fall tour will be Sept. 14-15 and will feature a record 92 barns across the state, including 11 rare round barns. The tours are free and open to the public, and visitors can look inside and outside the barn, plus chat with the owners.

“It is the largest barn tour in the country and it is a great family activity,” Austin said.

The foundation still needs county representatives to serve as advocates in their local community.

Representatives do not need to be barn experts to become a county rep.

“We are looking for folks who love engaging and helping others and are willing to travel within the county to visit with barn owners,” Austin said.

Counties without a representative are Adair, Adams, Appanoose, Cass, Cedar, Chickasaw, Clayton, Clinton, Dallas, Davis, Decatur, Des Moines, Dickinson, Fayette, Franklin, Freemont, Greene, Grundy, Hardin, Henry, Howard, Humboldt, Jefferson, Keokuk, Kossuth, Louisa, Lucas, Lyon, Mitchell, Monroe, Page, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Ringgold, Taylor, Union, Van Buren, Wapello, Wayne, Winnebago, Worth and Wright.

The Iowa Barn Foundation welcomes anyone interested in being a member donor to visit their website at iowabarnfoundation.org/product/membership. To learn more about the upcoming fall barn tour, go to www.iowabarnfoundation.org/barn-tours.