I know this won’t last long. My raspberry bushes are heaving with berries, but it’s only a matter of time before my sworn enemy, the Japanese beetle, emerges to create havoc. Generally, there are several days between the time the berries start to ripen and when I spot the first foreign invader.
Iowa woodlands shrinking; first time in ...
Trees are being removed in Iowa faster than they are being planted, according to a new report from the USDA Forest Service. At one time, 18 percent of the state was woodland; now it’s down to 3 percent. Read more of the report, passed along by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources: Iowa’s woodlands have […]
Viticulture: the most awesome garden too...
I can’t believe I’ve never seen a “Tapener” before now. At our most recent viticulture class at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, we used this handy tool to position young grapevines onto trellis wires. A combination staple gun/tape dispenser, the Tapener is ingenious, and as long as it doesn’t get jammed, is fairly simple […]
Eewww swimmer’s itch – what can you do?
This sounds like the water-borne version of chiggers. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources notes that swimmer’s itch is becoming an issue at Okoboji Lake and offers advice on what can be done about this condition: SPIRIT LAKE – Campers last weekend reported cases of swimmer’s itch contracted on East Okoboji Lake in the Iowa […]
Wapsipinicon State Park: a historic trea...
It’s not a bad day when an editor asks if you’d like to spend an afternoon at the park, shoot some photos and write about your experience. Throw in idyllic weather and a friend to serve as my own personal tour guide and how could I say no?
Linn County Fair begins this week; celeb...
UPDATE 2:30 p.m. The 4-H/FFA Livestock shows will be moved to the Delaware County Fair grounds. See schedule below. UPDATE 1:40 p.m. June 26: The latest update from the Linn County Fair notes that events are still on for tonight (Wednesday) but grandstand and grounds events after today have been canceled, due to the projected […]
Driver escapes through sunroof as car sw...
Some tense moments arose during flooding at Yellow River State Forest in northeast Iowa. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports that no one was hurt during the weekend flooding, but campers were forced to evacuate and one car disappeared in the floodwaters after the driver was able to escape. More details from the DNR:
Oxford offers Iowa farmers market altern...
Kathy Tandy of the Oxford Farmers Market wants people to know about all of the good things happening at the weekly market in Johnson County. The markets operate from 4-7 p.m. Mondays through Oct. 14 at Creekside Park on Mill Street – just a half-hour drive from either Iowa City or Cedar Rapids. Like other […]
Norway, Iowa’s Frontier Natural Products
Frontier Natural Products Co-op, based in Norway, Iowa, achieved a high honor this month, while also marking a milestone in sales. The homegrown business offers a growing number of organic and natural products, including bulk spices and herbs. Those can be found at the Iowa Valley Food Co-op and other outlets. See more about these […]
Bug Soother insect repellent transforms ...
Call it a super-gnatural success. Freda Sojka’s natural bug repellent that she developed for her then 5-month-old grandson has exploded – almost overnight – into a double-shift industry in Columbus Junction.