2025 Disabled Veteran Hunt

 

Bowen Family's 7th annual Disabled Veteran Hunt 

 

With just over a week until kick off, here are some notes and schedules. 

 

For 2025, we have an Honorary Veteran to spotlight. Mr. Ray Morris. Ray and Connie Morris have been instrumental in all their help throughout the entire 7 years of this hunt. Ray served his country through the United States Army, and has served his community in Southeast Iowa for many years. We can never find enough words to describe Ray and Connie. They are just some of the best people you will ever meet.  

 

Thursday, Sept. 25th:  Meet & Greet Kick Off 

5 pm - God Bless USA, National Anthem, Veteran Introductions, Speakers

6 pm - Prayer followed by meal - pulled pork, hash brown casserole, green beans, cowboy beans, garden pasta salad, cole slaw, chocolate cake, M & M bars, soda, water, tea

7 pm - Veteran Gifts and Veteran Raffles follow up with Outlaw DJ, P.T. Woods

 

Friday, Sept. 26th:

7 am - Breakfast at farm - Cinnamon Rolls, Breakfast Burritos, Sausage Biscuits, coffee, milk, juice

Morning hunting option, sack lunch items available.

Noon - Lunch at farm - cold sandwiches, chili, chips, desserts, soda, water, tea

Afternoon hunts will be to blinds around 2, all hunters will be picked up at the end of shooting hours.

7 pm(EST.) - Evening meal - burgers, brats, baked beans, macaroni & cheese, pea salad, cole slaw, soda, water, tea

 

Saturday, Sept. 27th:

7 am - Breakfast at farm - This year being provided by Army Veteran Joni Mulvania - pancakes, omlets, coffee, juice, milk

Morning hunting option, sack lunch items available.

Noon - Lunch at farm - cold sandwiches, vegetable soup, chips, desserts, soda, water, tea

Afternoon hunts will be to blinds around 2, all hunters will be picked up at the end of shooting hours.

7 pm(EST.) - Evening meal - we will pull out all remaining foods to enjoy!

 

Sunday, Sept. 28th:

7 am - Breakfast at farm - Biscuits & gravy, milk, coffee, juice 

Morning hunting option, sack lunch items available.

Many veterans need to leave by noon. 

 

All schedules are subject to change, and are on individual wants/needs. You can hunt, or just hang out. 

 

Our Meet & Greet and is open to our sponsors and communities, as well as, state and federal elected officials. 

2025 Volunteers:

Richard, Salli and Chloe Bowen, Joey Bowen & Laura Pilla 

Janet Meek, Slate Sweat, Michelle Mize,  Jerry Bickford, Robert Wake, Barbie Winslow, Ben & Emily Shaw, Jill Watson

 

2025 Land Owners:

Andy Schlitz

Junior and Linda Bertram

Roland Meyer

Lee Schultz

Nick and Nancy Orphan

 

Some of the community support:

Wake Foundation

Riverview Financial

Crane Winery - Brian & Kirsten Taylor

Hill Phoenix

Quality Plus Feeds

Ray & Connie Morris

Lakewood RV Sales and Rentals

IMI Equipment

Kahoka Meat Processing

Rathbun Water District

Heather & Elizabeth Mitchell(and family)

Ben & Emily Shaw and Cathy

Kahoka Lumber Co.

Mark Adam

Stockport Elevator(div. of Roquette)

Van Buren County Hospital

Scotland County Memorial Hospital

Kahoka Trading Co.

Exchange Bank of N.E.Mo.

 And a special Thanks to everyone who bought raffle tickets!

Coffee Chat

 

Coffee Chat

 

I don't know about all of you, but 2025 has been a tough year...and we still have a few months to go.  There have been a lot of changes in my life and a lot of realizations. The few constants this year, have been working on changes around the farm, enjoying my time with veterans and returning a focus on my own boundaries. 

 

In just a few short weeks, we have the honor of welcoming 10 disabled veterans to our farm. While this is our biggest event in the 7 year history, the same work is put in. Making a 3-day event a great experience for every veteran, is the goal. It's humbling to visit with each veteran and to be reminded of how much our lives have benefited from their service to our country. It has also been humbling when they are grateful for events focused on them, the majority have not a single entitlement bone in their body. It's refreshing! As I said, this year we have 10 disabled veterans attending. They will be arriving from Iowa, Illinois, Louisiana, Tennessee and Texas. We have 8 that have attended before and 2 that will be attending for the first time, and sadly had 12 that we weren't able bring in this year. It has been an exciting year for this event, with several first time sponsors, and the feed back has been incredible. The few bumps we have encountered, have been overcome and have worked out great in the end. I am now in the final weeks of prep work, and ironing out last minute details. It's always a little stressful but the results always work out. 

 

A few changes around the farm, overall have been small...while we determine the exact direction we want to grow. A much smaller garden this year, with a new design, new species of plants...didn't work out well. The design is great, I love it, but the plants/seeds were awful. We had so much rain and humidity this year, we just didn't get much to grow. That's the risk you take though. We raised some pigs this year again, so I have pork in the freezer I can eat again. We had a few challenges with sheep and lambs this summer and the heat played a big part. I lost most of my ducks and chickens, to neighbors dogs and a fox. That was not a great thing. Now, my flocks are pretty small. Again, depending on our direction, will determine what my next plans will be. The fire pit area has been reallocated to become home to our new shed, while the firepit was removed and will be used in the driveway as it was when we first started out. The inside will see some more reorganization, as time allows. Sorting, pitching, organizing and purpose changes are the plan. It's a slower process when you sort through memories, and decide what no longer serves a purpose. 

 

As I step into the "ber" months, which was once my favorite time of year, I am more reluctant to get overly excited. I am putting all my focus on what I can do, what I have to do and what I want to do; and stepping away from everything that just drains me. I wish you all an incredible month with more blessings than lessons!!