Living in the bread basket of the world, it’s eye-opening to realize that most of the food we Iowans buy is imported from other states and countries. We’ve been lucky to have groups like the Iowa Valley RC&D and now the Field to Family Regional Food Coalition, which work to increase the accessibility […]
Iowa CSA numbers grow; how you can find ...
I’ve witnessed inspiring Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs at Grinnell Heritage Farm and at Laura Krouse’s Abbe Hills Farm near Mount Vernon and am always happy to spread the word about these great initiatives. Members of a CSA receive weekly shares of a farm’s fresh produce for several months during the growing season and in […]
Welcome to the new Homegrown!
Winter might seem a less-than-optimal time to launch a gardening website, even with the springlike day Iowans enjoyed in January. But seasoned gardeners know this is the time to move beyond dreaming, and into the preparation phase of growing. To that end, a good number of gardening workshops and classes are scheduled for this month […]
Winter Gardening Fair set for Feb. 16 in...
Every year, I learn something new at the Winter Gardening Fair that I can use once the weather warms. This year, I’m taking classes on blueberries, vertical gardening and more at the Feb. 16, 2013, event at Kirkwood Community College, sponsored by the ISU Extension Linn County Master Gardeners.
On the Fence
B-18 has been my home away from home in the summer for the past decade or so. The numbered plot is one of the city gardens at Squaw Creek Park near Marion. I just received my notice of renewal this month, but am debating whether or not I’ll renew my lease. I started gardening the […]
Compost Happens
Compost is one of those miracles of the garden: the transformation of kitchen scraps, leaves and grass clippings into a highly valued organic material that also keeps items out of the landfill. Every winter, I make a path through the snow to my compost pile in the backyard, as I add eggshells, banana peels, peanut […]