Each year, Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area (SSNHA) hosts the Capture the Heart of America Photo Contest to let photographers share their agricultural photos from across the nation. Federally designated with preserving and sharing America’s agricultural story in a 37-county region of Northeast Iowa, the contest allows Silos & Smokestacks to reach beyond the borders of the Heritage Area and help tell this nationally significant story on a broader scale.
The contest features five categories, with four of them open to photos taken nationally and one category solely dedicated to Silos & Smokestacks partner sites, including:
- American Farmscapes – From rustic farms to rolling hills of patchwork fields, the rural countryside holds a beauty uniquely American. This category captures this beauty through artistic depictions of farm and field scenes scattered throughout rural America.
- Life on the Farm – Farm life is characterized by hard work combined with a connection to the land. This category shares the story of the American farmer who helps feed the world, along with day-to-day life on the farm.
- Silos & Smokestacks Partner Sites – From dairy farms and museums to vineyards and tractor assembly tours, more than 100 designated SSNHA partner sites are sharing their own part of America’s agricultural story in a 37-county region of Northeast Iowa. This category lets visitors share their experience at Heritage Area partner sites.
- Celebrations of Agriculture – Steeped in culture, festivals and fairs have long been held to celebrate American agriculture and the fruits of the harvest. From nationally recognized state fairs to a hometown rhubarb fest, this category commemorates the agricultural experience at countless events throughout the country.
- America’s Agricultural Industry – America’s agricultural industry has helped to shape agriculture worldwide. From the relics of smokestacks that once dotted the American landscape to the barges that transport grain on the Mississippi River, this category captures this important story.
This year’s contest awards include:
- Best of Show – $500 for overall winner
- First Place – $100 (each category)
- Second Place – $50 (each category)
- Third Place – $25 (each category)
Photo contest entries are due by October 9, 2013, with winners announced no later than November 22, 2013. Visit www.silosandsmokestacks.org for guidelines and online entry form. For additional information, please email photocontest@silosandsmokestacks.org or call (319) 234-4567. Thank you to the generous support of the Solon Andreas Foundation and Land and O’Lakes, Inc. for helping to make this year’s contest possible.
SSNHA is one of 49 federally designated heritage areas in the nation and is an Affiliated Area of the National Park Service. The Heritage Area covers 37 counties in the northeast quadrant of Iowa. Interstate 80 borders it on the south and Interstate 35 borders it on the west. Through a network of sites, programs and events, SSNHA interprets farm life, agribusiness and rural communities–past and present.