BALDWIN – The ultimate performance of new cold-hardy grapes under study in Iowa remains to be seen, but one is a standout to the owner of Tabor Home Vineyards and Winery. Paul Tabor, who also serves as winemaker for the family-owned business near the Eastern Iowa town of Baldwin, pointed to the Minnesota 1220 selection […]
Saving the family farm: next step, the a...
CHELSEA – These past several weeks have been exhausting, heartrending, gut wrenching and occasionally, enlightening. Anyone who has had to prepare an estate auction for a close relative can probably relate. In this case, my uncle, Craig Musel, should be out on his farm, doing what he loves. In past years, that would mean getting […]
Slice of Americana awaits at Iowa farmer...
When Keith and Karen Lackore ran out of neighbors to bestow their extra large, extra sweet, candy onions, they turned to an alternative close to home. “They can only eat so much,” Karen joked about the couple’s neighbors, while selling vegetables at the Oxford Farmers Market. The Lackores were first-time vendors at the market, which […]
Are you seeing Naked Ladies?
It’s that time of summer. Not the one where people shed their clothes, though that might be happening somewhere, too. This is the magical moment when naked ladies, also known as surprise or resurrection lilies, simultaneously appear after being nearly invisible for the majority of the season.
Fast food still major part of U.S. diet;...
According to a Gallup poll, eight in 10 Americans report eating at fast-food restaurants at least monthly, with almost half saying they eat fast food at least weekly. Only 4 percent say they never eat at fast-food restaurants. But slightly fewer Americans eat fast food weekly now than did so in 2006, when Gallup last […]
Sneak peek of the new Cedar Rapids Publi...
The new Cedar Rapids Public Library doesn’t open until later this month, but I had the opportunity to tour the building during an assignment for the Corridor Business Journal and you can get a sneak peek here. Indoor space feels much larger than that at the former library, which was flooded in 2008, but it’s […]
Weekend Photo Gallery: Koi for a Cause a...
The first weekend in August was a beautiful one for Iowans to enjoy the outdoors. About 100 people walked through the sensational gardens tended by Monica Morley and her mother, Elena Murillo, in northeast Cedar Rapids during Koi for a Cause, a benefit for the HACAP Food Reservoir. Visitors at Abbe Hills Farm near Mount […]
“Live Healthy” at the Downtown Cedar Rap
Good food awaits at the Downtown Farmers Market in Cedar Rapids. This is the time of year when so many veggies are in season: beans, tomatoes, sweet corn, cucumbers and the list goes on and on. Expect to find all of that produce and more this Saturday in downtown Cedar Rapids as well as at […]
Iowa outdoors photo contest winners anno...
It’s inspiring to see so many beautiful scenes from our state entered in the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Healthy & Happy Outdoors Iowa Photo Quilt contest. You can see all of the entries on the Pinterest link, below, along with a list of winners and more information from the DNR:
Emerald Ash Borer confirmed in Fairfield...
FAIRFIELD – Just last month, officials announced that Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive beetle that destroys ash trees, was found in Burlington. Now comes confirmation of an infestation in Fairfield. Local information about Emerald Ash Borer can be found on the Trees Forever website. Iowa agencies released the following today,