Even on a dreary Saturday, temperatures were tropical inside the Noelridge Greenhouse in Cedar Rapids for the annual Easter Showcase, happening March 30 and 31, 2013. Urban chicken owners also were busy picking up an order of chicks at the Indian Creek Nature Center, while others visited the center’s resident rabbit, Toby. The Easter Showcase […]
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Month: March 2013
Easter and orchids in Cedar Rapids and I...
Two reminders came my way about upcoming events. You can find these on the calendar, above, as well as many others happening this weekend and in coming days, weeks and even months. First, the Noelridge Greenhouse will be open this weekend with one of my favorite events: the annual Easter Showcase on Saturday, March 30 […]
Applicants sought for Iowa Environmental...
Many environmental organizations, individuals and businesses in Eastern Iowa offer invaluable service every day by educating our children and preserving and protecting the world around us. How about some well-deserved recognition for those behind-the-scenes accomplishments? The Governor’s Iowa Environmental Excellence Awards are the premier environmental honors in Iowa, recognizing leadership and innovation in the protection […]
Garden build day rescheduled in Cedar Ra...
Passing this along from Matthew 25: The garden build day at Harrison Elementary, scheduled for this Saturday, March 30, has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 13, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Read other news about Matthew 25.
Planting potatoes on Good Friday and con...
I can’t imagine that too many Iowa gardeners will be planting potatoes in accordance with the Good Friday tradition this year. The ground currently is too cold and soggy to plant potatoes or much of anything else and Good Friday falls on March 29 this year – the earliest it’s been in five years.
Viticulture: First look at the Kirkwood ...
We made our first foray into the Kirkwood vineyard during tonight’s viticulture course. Our instructor, Lucas McIntire, warned us of the muddy mess, but once we walked to the hillside, the ground was in better shape. March is prime pruning time for grapevines, especially with the frigid weather we’ve been experiencing this spring in Iowa. […]
Linn County ISU Extension & Outreach cel
You never know what you might learn when you run into a master gardener. Linn County Master Gardener, Debbie Main, said she will be replacing some of her perennials that didn’t survive last year’s drought with edible plants later this spring.
Last frost dates and starting seeds indo...
UPDATED: March 15, 2015 Ahh, what a difference a year, or two, can make. I wrote this two years ago, when there was still snow on the ground in late March. For the most part this week, Eastern Iowa has experienced warming temperatures and the snow is nearly gone. What a perfect time to start […]
Coralville fined for wastewater violatio...
The city of Coralville was ordered to pay a $6,500 penalty for violations stemming from an explosion in a sludge storage tank at the city’s wastewater treatment facility in 2010. That explosion significantly damaged the storage system and seriously injured the certified operator, Brian Lamansky.
Call for farmers markets
Dozens of seasonal farmers markets operate during warm-weather months in Eastern Iowa. I’m compiling a list of those to share with readers of several fabulous newspapers in the area. If you are a market manager or a vendor or know of any farmers markets you would like to have included in the list, please leave […]