From the Ground Up: Celebrate the year of the pollinator in 2016

It's hard to believe that the new year is just two weeks away. So, welcome, 2016! It is my pleasure to announce that the Linn County Master Gardeners have chosen a theme for 2016 - 'Planting for Pollinators.” Because of the importance of this topic to us locally, regionally and nationally, we will be highlighting pollinator information and education throughout all the activities we host and support all year long.

In our Gazette articles, we will bring you information about our native bees, butterflies and all pollinators, the present state of their habitat, and the different ways we can make a difference in our own backyards. If you have a particular topic of interest, and would like to see more on it, just call the Hortline at (319) 447-0647 and give them your suggestion.

We would like to invite you to our kickoff event at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at the ?????HOTEL?????? Kirkwood Center, ????ADDRESS???. Chip Taylor, director and founder of Monarch Watch, will share his experience and knowledge of the monarch, and the most recent population trends. The event is free. No registration is necessary.

On March 5, the Winter Gardening Fair will be held at Coe College in Cedar Rapids.

The keynote speech, as well as many of the seminars, will include pollinator information and topics. Just a few examples are 'Creating a Butterfly Garden,” 'Pleasing the Bees and Butterflies,” 'Fruitful Pollination in Vegetables,” and 'Go Native.” To receive a brochure for the fair, simply call (319) 447-0647, or look online at www.extension.iastate.edu/linn/content/winter-gardening-fair.

The Creative Gardening Series will be held in April at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, and all the topics are about pollinators. They begin at 6:30 p.m. and are free to the public. On April 7, Dr. Donald Lewis will speak on 'What's the Buzz - Tell Me What's Happening with Pollinators.” On April 14, we will hear about land stewardship practices taking place on the farm. Rob Ewoldt, an Iowa family farmer with 1,500 acres will bring us up-to-date by speaking on 'Messy Fields Make Good Neighbors.” Then, on April 21, Clark McLeod will speak on a local city and regional pollinator and Monarch restoration initiative - 'The Monarch Research Project and Monarch Zones.”

Be sure to watch the Gazette for notices of additional events as this list only covers through April, and there will be many more over the year. We hope you will join us as we 'Plant for Pollinators” in 2016.

l For gardening questions, call the Linn County Extension Master Gardener Hortline at (319) 447-0647.