URBANA – I made baba ghanoush today, thanks to a short trip I made Saturday to the indoor farmers market in Urbana. The key ingredient, eggplant, isn’t easy to find in Iowa in November, but there it was, at Marion Moser’s table, along with squash, potatoes, apples, daikon radishes and organic Moser’s Garden popcorn. Now […]
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Author: Cindy
Guest column: Holiday Plant Care
I had the opportunity to interview TV/radio host, author and gardening expert Melinda Myers several years ago when she was in Iowa for the Winter Gardening Fair. Just months later, she sent timely information on coping with flooded landscapes as Eastern Iowa was inundated by floodwaters. Melinda, who has a new book coming out this […]
How your local food co-op stands on FDA ...
The FDA took steps this week to reduce trans fats in our foods, after acknowledging that partially hydrogenated oils, the primary dietary source of artificial trans fat in processed foods, are not “generally recognized as safe.” In making the announcement, the agency stated that reducing trans fat intake could prevent thousands of heart attacks and […]
Several thousand gallons of manure blows...
As new, large-scale hog confinement facilities are debated in Linn County, comes news from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources on one of the potential side effects of this type of operation. Of note, the corporation involved in the manure spill, Maschhoff LLC, cites on its website the company’s environmental philosophy: “Our environmental team is […]
Iowa Organic Conference features documen...
I’ve mentioned the Iowa Organic Conference a few times already, but in case you haven’t heard, this annual event is set for Nov. 17 to 18, 2013, at the Iowa Memorial Union in Iowa City. The keynote speaker, Bob Quinn, an organic farmer from Montana, will discuss the benefits of biodiversity. Much more is scheduled […]
Experience the connection between health...
A relaxing day at Wapsipincon State Park this past weekend helped me appreciate the waterways that run through Iowa. Unfortunately, our state doesn’t have the best reputation for pristine rivers, streams and lakes, but efforts are underway to make changes, utilizing the sometimes overlooked connection between healthy soils and clean water. One of those projects […]
Eastern Iowa under firewood quarantine; ...
Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive pest that has already killed millions of ash trees in the United States, is gaining a foothold in Iowa. Today, state officials issued a quarantine on firewood to try to help stem the tide. Read a Q&A on Emerald Ash Borer, find where meetings are scheduled to address the issue […]
Iowa farmers markets move indoors for th...
By Cindy Hadish (c) Homegrown Iowan Fans of local foods don’t have a long wait between the end of the outdoor farmers market season in Iowa and the start of indoor markets. The last of those “summer” markets ended this week, and already, customers can find their fill of fresh produce, baked goods, local meats […]
My “issue” with hoarding
I shouldn’t be ashamed to admit this. I mean, it could be worse. Some people hoard “stuff.” Others stockpile food or even guns. Every fall, my annual hoarding tradition begins when I get the rake out of the garage. The object of my obsession: leaves.
They won’t suck your blood, but will eat
I saw two bats circling overhead this week, which I thought was unusual, given Iowa’s recent cold streak, but it also made me grateful that we’re still seeing bats in this area. In some parts of the country, white-nose syndrome has devastated bats populations. I view bats as a good friend of the environment, especially […]