Iowa orchards went from a deficit last year to a bumper crop of apples this year. State Secretary of Agriculture, Bill Northey, offers sound advice on visiting an Iowa apple orchard this fall, along with a mouth-watering apple recipe, passed along from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship:
Still time to check out Marion’s new mar
Marion’s Farmers Market is in a new venue this year and if you haven’t checked it out yet, you have one more opportunity. The last market of the season is this Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013, from 8-11:30 a.m. at the depot in City Square Park, Seventh Avenue and 10th Street. That’s right in the heart […]
Upcoming Backyard Abundance classes help...
Wouldn’t it be nice to step outside your door to harvest what you need for dinner? And wouldn’t it be even better if that food could grow with minimal effort? Iowa City-based Backyard Abundance is offering a series of classes that show you really can have it both ways. Read more from Backyard Abundance Director, […]
“Free house” sign attracts attention nea
Cindy Hadish/Homegrown Iowan BLAIRSTOWN – Loren Dostal remembers the one that got away. The solid, two-story farmhouse was demolished to make way for a road-widening project in east-central Iowa. “It was a really nice, square house in really nice shape,” said Dostal, of Dostal Construction and Excavating in Toledo, noting that power lines in its […]
Last Downtown Farmers Market in Cedar Ra...
It may be the last Downtown Farmers Market of the season this Saturday in Cedar Rapids, but you still have the opportunity to find fresh produce and more at many Eastern Iowa markets. I’ve been to several small-town farmers markets this year and had a great time at every one of them. Today, I made […]
Viticulture: The final class
CEDAR RAPIDS – A few random thoughts as the eight-month Vineyard Management course at Kirkwood Community College wrapped up tonight with its last class of this session. If you have to spend a lovely September evening “studying,” the Kirkwood vineyard is not a bad place to be.
Iowa Valley RC&D strengthens connection
SOLON – Kelly Crossley knew something was going right when two of the three Solon District’s schools almost ran out of green peppers for lunch. “They went over better than they normally do,” said Crossley, nutrition director for the district, noting that the peppers were purchased locally as part of the district’s new Farm to […]
Homegrown Harvest contest reminder
We finally received some much-needed rain in Iowa, but even before that, I was hearing about this year’s abundant harvest season. Tomatoes and other vegetables are productive and gardeners who want to show off the season’s bounty can do so in the Homegrown Harvest contest. Entering is simple. Just post a photo or describe your […]
Hummingbird moths provide late-summer bu...
If you’re being buzzed in the garden by something much larger than a bee, take a closer look. Hummingbird moths, the common name for hawk or sphinx moths, appear to be abundant this year. Perhaps Iowa’s drought is offering prime weather conditions for these fascinating insects. Often mistaken for a hummingbird, the rapid pulse of […]
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, reaches out to help ...
One year ago, I was enjoying the beauty of the well-preserved architecture and natural sites in the Czech Republic during my first visit to the land of my ancestors. Less than nine months later, raging floodwaters tore through the country. Now, the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids is leading efforts […]