New Melleray Abbey – Peosta, Iowa
www.newmelleray.org

Contact
Dom Brendan Freeman, O.C.S.O, and Dave Ruden, farm manager, New Melleray Abbey, 6500 New Melleray Circle, Peosta, IA 52068; 563-588-2319; monks@newmelleray.org

Nearly 3000 acres including 1800 acres cropland, 800 acres of woodland, and abbey grounds for this community of the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance. They are developing a farmland policy that will address sale and rental of property and are moving toward complete organic crop production. Following a woodland stewardship plan developed with the state Department of Natural Resources, four timber stand improvement projects have been completed and nearly 16,000 tree seedlings were planted recently bringing the total planted in 40 years to 140,000. Pine, oak, maple, ash, and walnut logs are harvested to make coffins that are sold by the Trappists. A Certified Tree Farm, the abbey grounds are an official Wildlife Game Refuge. An annual tour of the farm and woodland is conducted for the local community. [2003]