By Cindy Hadish/Homegrown Iowan — It might seem like the end of the gardening season, but you can get a jump-start on spring by preparing a raised bed now. Besides providing a fresh source of veggies that are as local as it gets, you can eliminate sections of lawn, which reduces the need for labor-intensive […]
You are browsing archives for
Tag: compost
Bluebird Diner offers local focus and en...
By Cindy Hadish/For Radish Magazine A whirligig pig spins above the Bluebird Diner in Iowa City; a nod to the plenteous pork consumed inside and a kitschy welcome for customers. At the counter, a waitress asks Frank Riehl if he needs his parking meter fed as the retired stained glass artist lingers over an afternoon […]
Practical Farmers tests compost/heating ...
The Practical Farmers of Iowa group is always looking for ways to make Iowa farming more sustainable. That includes the expenses involved, as well as the resources used in production. This latest innovative project holds promise in holding down costs while using a renewable energy source. It just makes sense. Here is more about a […]
Experience the connection between health...
A relaxing day at Wapsipincon State Park this past weekend helped me appreciate the waterways that run through Iowa. Unfortunately, our state doesn’t have the best reputation for pristine rivers, streams and lakes, but efforts are underway to make changes, utilizing the sometimes overlooked connection between healthy soils and clean water. One of those projects […]
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 […]
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 […]