Megan Arrington-Williams ’09, executive director of Prairie Loft Center for Outdoor and Agricultural Learning, spends her days connecting people of all ages to the wonders of the natural world.
On field trips to the farm-based center west of Hastings, preschoolers scamper down tree-lined trails, collect seeds and make pies in the outdoor mud kitchen. First-through-sixth graders explore topics like food webs and ecosystems, plants and pollinators. Hastings College theater students perform one-act plays in the old horse barn. Local residents take quiet strolls through moonlit prairie grass or learn how to plant a garden or make sourdough bread. Families gather between the barns to enjoy bluegrass and folk bands at the Flatwater Music Festival.
More than 8,000 visitors each year participate in Prairie Loft’s classes, field trips and summer camps, as well as private events like wedding receptions and company retreats.
“Our goal is to get as many people as possible outside, enjoying nature and connecting to the agricultural heritage that’s so important in our area,” said Arrington-Williams, who grew up camping and hiking in her native Colorado. “We teach people where their food and fuel and fibers come from, and we help them enjoy the recreational and wellness benefits of nature.”
Before joining Prairie Loft in May 2023, Arrington-Williams used her skills in writing, marketing, fundraising and event planning at several local organizations. For two years, she was an admissions counselor at Hastings College. She started a business magazine and directed operations and marketing at a craft brewing company. In her off time, she attended Prairie Loft events and volunteered on the Flatwater Music Festival planning committee.
“Prairie Loft was one of those places that really touched my heart when I graduated from Hastings College and was deciding whether to go home to Colorado or put down roots in Hastings,” she said. “When I heard the executive director position was open, I had an intuitive hit saying ‘that’s my job.’ Being able to come back as the organizational leader is pretty fantastic.”
From working farm to educational center
Prairie Loft’s roots go deep into the history of Adams County, Arrington-Williams said. Its four renovated barns and farm buildings stand on 8.3 acres that were originally part of Ingleside, a working farm managed by the former Hastings Regional Center psychiatric facility. Patients and staff grew vegetables and crops and tended the dairy herd, chickens, turkeys and pigs. Produce was used to feed those housed at the hospital.
In 2019, Prairie Loft secured additional land through a management agreement with the State of Nebraska, including 15 acres of farm ground planted and harvested by volunteers and 50 acres of diverse ecosystem for nature trails and outdoor learning.
“We have grassland and trees and forest cover. We have a variety of wildlife,” Arrington-Williams said. “A lot of biodiversity is within walking distance. That’s what makes it really special.”
While a full-time program manager teaches and coordinates youth classes and camps, Arrington-Williams focuses on adult education and the tasks that keep a nonprofit running smoothly — community engagement, board relations, event planning, marketing and communications, and financial oversight and fundraising.
The fundraising piece is especially critical as Prairie Loft prepares to launch the final phase of a $1.5 million capital campaign to renovate the Workshop Barn that once housed farm equipment. Donors have already provided funds to build out the Pershing Prairie boardroom and Big R’s commercial kitchen. Additional donations will be used to finish a meeting and classroom space.
Future plans include renovating a red horse barn donated by the late Dr. John “Doc” Yost, an orthopedic surgeon who was volunteer physician for Hastings College athletic teams for more than 25 years.
“We’d like to use the barn as an ag-focused classroom space where children can have hands-on, tactile experiences,” Arrington-Wlliams said.
Connecting neighbors with nature
The mother of two young sons, Arrington-Williams is always busy, whether she’s coordinating the Harvestfest at Prairie Loft or teaching a yoga class. Her penchant for multi-tasking began early when she majored in media production at Hastings College while pursuing minors in Spanish and philosophy, writing for the “Collegian” student newspaper, leading tours for the Public Relations Council and ending her senior year with Who’s Who honors.
“I feel like Hastings College prepared me to think critically and not be afraid to take risks and learn something new,” she said.
At Prairie Loft, her creative passion is fueled by connecting the community with this region’s rich agricultural legacy and prairie landscapes.
“Being able to pay homage to a space that has such historical significance and is such an important resource for our community is a huge honor. It drives me forward every day,” she said.
