CEDAR RAPIDS – Karl Cassell and a small crew of dedicated volunteers transformed a vacant lot into a bountiful garden this summer in Wellington Heights. Now, the community is invited to celebrate that success during a harvest party, set for 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013. The celebration will be at 1415 Bever Ave. SE. […]
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Author: Cindy
A rare wine in Iowa: Cascade’s Crimson S
CASCADE – Visitors seek out one of Iowa’s newest wineries for the rural ambiance and flavorful wines, but owners Kevin and Lisa Miller believe it’s only a matter of time before connoisseurs discover the organic nature of their business. The Millers’ Crimson Sunset Vineyards & Winery, near Cascade, produces Iowa’s only wine created entirely from […]
Win a one-year Iowa Valley Food Co-op me...
UPDATE (Oct. 1) – Congratulations to Stacey Lindsay, whose name was drawn as the winner of the Homegrown Harvest contest! Thank you to all of who participated here and on the Homegrown Facebook page!! ———————————————— What gardener isn’t proud of a bumper crop of blueberries, mouthwatering melon or a flawless Fuzzy Bomb tomato? Now is […]
Tour an edible forest
MONMOUTH, ILL. – Why does the president of the Iowa Nut Growers Association live in Illinois? Chris Rice, who is organizing a tour of Gary Fernald’s property near Monmouth, Ill., said it’s because Fernald’s climate is closer to Iowa’s than that of southern Illinois, which makes up most of the Illinois Nut Growers Association. The […]
Book Review: Gaining Ground: A story of ...
My sister just read Gaining Ground this week, finishing it with tears streaming down her face. It’s no wonder, though I tend to more readily recall the book’s amusing passages from my reading of the memoir earlier this summer. While we both identify with author Forrest Pritchard’s attempts to save the family farm, our emotional […]
Saving the family farm, phase two: the m...
CHELSEA – As a reporter, you’re often thrust into unfamiliar territory. Whether it’s covering a shooting in a dark alley or stem cell research at a medical institute, you’re expected to know enough to ask the right questions to make sense of the situation. I’m hoping that experience serves me well as we embark on […]
Iowa man assessed maximum for poaching w...
A Moravia man was assessed $20,000 in damages after pleading guilty to poaching a trophy deer. According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Jerry Kaster, 40, of Moravia, shot a buck deer that scored more than 200 inches with a .270 rifle while driving his minivan on a rural road in the Lake Rathbun […]
New Pioneer’s Local Plate contest set fo
New Pioneer Food Co-op has announced a new contest to coincide with Eat Local Week, from Sept. 2 to Sept. 8. Here is more from New Pi about their new contest:
Iowa growers experience bumper apple cro...
Apple trees are laden with fruit this month, after a dismal season last year. Other fruit and nut trees are thriving, as well, but need special attention as Iowa continues a streak of dry weather. Eastern Iowans interested in learning more about the proper care of fruit and nut trees are in luck. Marion-based Trees […]
Viticulture full circle: harvesting grap...
CEDAR RAPIDS – Who can blame Kirkwood Viticulture Instructor, Lucas McIntire, for being in what I can only describe as a state of grape Nirvana. At our most recent class, the weather was Iowa-perfect and early grapes were good to go, allowing us to not only harvest the fruit of the vineyard, but to take […]