Homegrown: September 2011 calendar

Monarch tagging, seed saving, Honey Fest and many more gardening and eco-events happening this month in Eastern Iowa. Scroll through to find much to do!

Sat., Sept. 3,  noon to 4 p.m., 6th Annual Tomato Tasting and Seed Saving Workshop, Seed Savers Exchange, Decorah. This year's Tomato Tasting event at Heritage Farm will feature over 30 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, including favorites such as yellow cherry tomatoes, pink beefsteaks, striped stuffing tomatoes, and red grape tomatoes. Includes salsa contest. The Oneota Food Co-op in Decorah will provide food for purchase during the event. Seed saving workshops led by SSE staff start at noon. Special guest and SSE tomato advisor Craig LeHoullier will lead a special session on the history of our favorite heirloom tomato varieties, as well as a sneak peek into "Tomorrow's Heirlooms." Guided hayride tours of the tomato gardens begin at noon. And bring the kids for ketchup making and a rotten tomato toss! This event is free and open to the public. Donations welcome. Click here for directions.

 Sun., Sept. 4, 4-8 p.m., Grinnell Heritage Farm, 1933 Penrose St., Grinnell. Annual heirloom tomato tasting, live music, food, activities for kids and more. 4 p.m. farm tour; 4:30 p.m. heirloom tomato tasting; 5 p.m. potluck. Bring friends, local foods dish to share and dinnerware.

Sun., Sept. 4, 2-4 p.m., Rose Garden Viewing. The Linn County Rose Society has a rose garden available for public viewing at 2035 Beryl St., Marion, grown by John and Peg Slusher, classified by the American Rose Society as master rosarians. The have 65 roses that will be in bloom. Free event.

Mon., Sept. 5, 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, West Branch. Ranger-guided walks of the 81-acre tallgrass prairie will start at 9:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Meet at the Gravesite Parking Lot. A park ranger will discuss how and why the National Park Service is restoring this endangered habitat as part of the landscape commemorating Herbert Hoover's life. The walk is less than a mile and lasts about one hour. Bring water, dress for the weather, and wear comfortable walking shoes. Hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, and insect repellent are also recommended. Parking is limited so please allow extra time to find a parking space. Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum are in West Branch, Iowa at exit 254 off I-80. Both are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. For more information go online at www.nps.gov/heho or call (319) 643-2541.

Tues., Sept. 6, 5:30-7 p.m., The Linn County Conservation Department is holding a monarch tagging program at Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center near Toddville.  Come and participate in tagging monarchs collected at this site.  We will place an I.D. tag on the wings and then release the butterflies.  Unlike most other insects in temperate climates, monarch butterflies cannot survive a long cold winter. Instead, they spend the winter in roosting spots in Mexican mountains; will our tagged monarchs make it to Mexico?  Learn about the ecology of these winter roosting sites.  Cost is $2.50/adult, $1/child 16 and under or $5/family.

 Wed., Sept. 7, 10 a.m., Indian Creek Nature Center, 6665 Otis Rd. SE, REAL Walk: Monarchs and more! Grab one of our insect nets and explore the fascinating milkweed insect community. REAL Walks are geared for those age 50 or better. M: $3, NM: $4.

Wed., Sept. 7, 5:30-8 p.m., Culinary Walk, part of the 10th Annual Field to Family Festival, a celebration of local food and culinary excellence! This event is brought to you by the Johnson County Local Food Alliance (JCLFA) with the sponsorship of New Pioneer Food Co-op, Hy-Vee, Edible Iowa River Valley Magazine, and includes many area supporting organizations, businesses, farmers, and restaurants. The walk benefits JCLFA.  Tickets $25/person, $15 with current student ID. $30 day of event. Tickets sold online, New Pioneer Food Co-op stores and Hy-Vee (812 S. First Ave. Iowa City). Take a stroll through Iowa City and sample hors d'oeuvres from 126 & Hearth, Atlas, Devotay, El Banditos, New Pioneer Food Co-op, and The Red Avocado.

Fri., Sept. 9, 9 a.m. to noon, Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center in Toddville. The University of Northern Iowa's Center for Energy & Environmental Education (CEEE) will offer a third workshop to prepare leaders to help their audiences make their holidays more environmentally friendly and more meaningful. This Reclaim Your Holidays workshop is intended for naturalists, teachers, religious leaders, extension and local food specialists, sustainability coordinators, librarians, wellness professionals, solid waste educators and other formal and non-formal educators interested in helping Iowans flourish at the holidays and reduce their environmental footprints. Participants will receive tools and information to help their audiences have greener, more meaningful holidays. Using website resources, they will explore their favorite parts of holidays, as well as what doesn't always go well. Information on how to save energy, use local food and place the holiday focus on relationships rather than materialism will be provided. A free Reclaim Your Holidays poster and a hardcover book about meaningful giving will be given. The Reclaim Your Holidays initiative is offered in partnership with the Iowa Association of Naturalists, Cool Congregations, Iowa Interfaith Power and Light, the Iowa Recycling Association and the Iowa State University Extension. Support is provided by the REAP Conservation Education Program and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Solid Waste Alternatives Program. The cost of the workshop is $20 per person and continuing educaiton credits are available for an additional $10 or $30 total. Registration deadline is Sept. 1. Register online at reclaimyourholidays/workshops.aspx. 

Fri., Sept. 9, 7 p.m., Gathering: Memoir of a Seed Saver; An appearance by author Diane Ott Whealy. Prairie Lights 15 S Dubuque St., Iowa City. Diane Ott Whealy will read from her new book, Gathering: Memoir of a Seed Saver. Her heartwarming story captures what is best in the American spirit: the ability to dream and, through hard work and perseverance, inspire others to contribute their efforts to a cause. Thus was created one of the nation's most admired nonprofits in the field of genetic preservation, Seed Savers Exchange. More info at www.prairielights.com/live

Sat., Sept. 10, 10 a.m., Monarch tagging, Indian Creek Nature Center. Let the migration begin! Monarchs travel more than 3,000 miles to avoid winter's chill. Catch and tag butterflies for Monarch Watch and learn ways you can help them on this incredible journey. Advance registration recommended: 362-0664. M: $4, NM: $6, Child: $2.

Sat., Sept. 10, 2-4 pm. Gathering: Memoir of a Seed Saver Talk and Garden Tour with Dianne Ott Whealy.  Earth Source Garden, Harvest Lane at the NE Corner N. Scott Blvd. and Rochester Ave., Iowa City. Diane Ott Whealy never anticipated that one day she would become a leader in a grass-roots movement to preserve our agricultural biodiversity. The love for the land and the respect for heirloom seeds that Diane shared with her husband, Kent Whealy, led to their starting Seed Savers Exchange in 1975. That momentum continues to this day, as we practice this ancient art at Earth Source Gardens. Meet Dianne, hear her speak, tour the seed saving beds, and observe seed processing with local seed saver Roxane Mitten. Free and open to all.

Sat., Sept. 10, 9 a.m. to noon, The Linn County Conservation Department is holding a fall bird banding program at Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center near Toddville.  The bird banders never know which unusual birds they will catch while working the nets.  Rob Bradley will again be banding birds caught at Wickiup Hill. Visitors may be surprised with special views of summer birds including many types of woodpeckers, tropical migrants and finches. Cost is $2.50/adult, $1/child 16 and under, or $5/family.

Sun. Sept. 11, 6:30 a.m.- 11 a.m. (for entries) closed 11 a.m.-1 p.m., for judging; 1-4 p.m., open to the public. Fall Flower & Garden Show “Four Seasons of Splendor” sponsored by the Good Earth Garden Club,  & Linn County Rose Society in Cooperation With Cedar Rapids Parks Department at the Noelridge park greenhouses, Collins Road, Cedar Rapids. Open and free to the public. We encourage any and all to attend and exhibit fruits, flowers, vegetables and etc. from their home gardens for judging. Garden photography is also included as a category for entries. Check out Good Earth Garden Club's website: www.gegc.weebly.com

 

Sun., Sept. 11, 3 p.m., Music in the Loft: Iowa Vanguard Jazz Collective, Indian Creek Nature Center. Iowa Vanguard Jazz Collective fills the barn's auditorium with a broad selection of music from great jazz composers, as well as original arrangements. If you wish, bring beverages and snacks. Adult: $5, Child: $1.

 

Tues., Sept. 13 and Fri. Sept. 16, 9:30-10:30 a.m. and Sat., Sept. 17, 10 a.m., Interesting Insects, Indian Creek Nature Center. For preschoolers and parents. What a great time to go on a bug hunt! Learn the parts of an insect and follow the life cycle of various bugs. Listen to a story and make your own buggy craft.  M Child: $4, NM Child: $5. Parents: Free.

Wed., Sept. 14, 6-7:30 pm, Seed-Saving for Squash with Roxane Mitten, Earth Source Garden, Iowa City. Register at www.newpi.coop

The fascinating sex life of squash… and why we care. Learn the exacting process to reproduce genetically true squash. $5/person.

Thurs., Sept. 15, 6:30 p.m., Lowe Park Conifer Garden, 4500 N. 10th Street, Marion. Linn County Master Gardeners Devon Dietz and Darrell Hennessey will present “All About Conifers.” They will have a discussion about conifers: standard, dwarf and miniatures.  Examples will be the over two dozen conifer specimens in the Lowe Park Conifer Demonstration Garden, planted and maintained by Linn County Master Gardeners.  There will be handouts including a description of “What makes a dwarf?” plant list from the garden and sources for these conifers.  Suggestions for planting and care will be included. Lowe Park is 3/4 mile north of Linn-Mar High School on 10th Street, Marion. The class will be limited in size so register in advance by calling the Linn County Extension office at (319) 377-9839 or register via e-mail to mkenyonb@iastate.edu.

Thurs., Sept. 15, 7 p.m., Indian Creek Nature Center. Green & Simple: Preserving Nature's Garden Bounty 101. Too many tomatoes? An abundance of peppers? Canning, freezing and drying are common ways to preserve food. Learn more about the pros and cons and the basics of how to get started. Presented by Linda Bigley from Iowa State University, Linn County Extension. Please call to register. M: $5, NM: $8.

Thurs., Sept. 15, 6:00 PM - 8:00  p.m., New Pi Coralville (map) Heal Yourself with Fresh Fruit and Vegetables with Tammy Hamilin. $15/person You've seen the movie sensation Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead though Netflix. Now you can lose weight and get a reboot on your life with a menu featuring fresh produce, fresh juice, and careful fasting. Tammy Hamilin, co-founder of the Spirit Lake, Iowa Community Juice Fast, was featured in the film Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead. This remarkable documentary follows several people in their successful attempt to drop weight, and regain health and vitality. Tammy will explain the approach, share her experiences, and prepare many fresh juices from local fruits and vegetables for sampling.

Fri., Sept. 16, 7-8 p.m., Reading of stories from the book Food Roots: A Local Foods Community Cookbook. Haunted Bookshop, 203 North Linn Street, Iowa City. A collaborative project with the UI Art and Ecology class, this cookbook includes recipes and stories from Local Foods Connection clients who come from Illinois, Iowa, California, Mexico, Guatemala, Republic of Sudan, the Togolese Republic, El Salvador, and Thailand. Clients were interviewed about their heritage and food culture as well as the recipes they submitted. Local Foods Connection's mission is to make available to the disadvantaged members of the greater Iowa City area the opportunity to enjoy locally made healthful food, to become part of a local, environmentally aware community, and to learn how best to prepare fresh food for the most health benefits.

Sat., Sept. 17, 9:30 a.m., Monarch tagging and release; Forever Green Garden Center, 125 Forevergreen Rd. Coralville. Recommended for adults and children ages 4 and up. There is no cost to attend the seminar;  the fee is only if you wish to tag and release a butterfly. Fee for tagging supplies and a Monarch butterfly: Pre-register by September 12lucyh@forevergreengrows.com

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$5.00; After September 12

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$7.00. Have you ever wondered how something as delicate as a butterfly travels over 1500 miles to Mexico?  Participants in this event will learn how Monarchs are tagged, registered, and released so scientists can study and protect their migration routes.  They will have an opportunity to tag a butterfly, receive a certificate with the codes and information on University of Kansas Monarch Watch program.  This hands on presentation, is a great opportunity for all ages to learn about Monarchs, their habitat, lifecycle and amazing migration.  Kathleen Ziemer of Butterfliz of Iowa has been raising butterflies and leading educational seminars since 1999 and is returning for the 7th year to lead this event.  This program will begin at 10:00 and lasts approximately one hour.  Tagging will take place from 9:30 to 10:00 then will continue after the program. The butterfly release will follow the last tagging session. This is an outdoor event with limited seating, bring your chairs.  In the event of rain it will be held under shelter. Contact  Lucy Hershberger for more information; 319-626-2774;  E-mail

 Sat., Sept. 17, The $5 Challenge. Because slow food shouldn't have to cost more than fast food. If you know how to cook, then teach others. If you want to learn, this is your chance. Together, we're sending a message that too many people live in communities where it's harder to buy fruit than Froot Loops. Everybody should be able to eat fresh, healthy food every day. Take the challenge: share a healthy delicious meal that costs less than $5 per person. You can cook slow food for yourself and your family for less than $5 per person. You can host a potluck where nothing costs more than $5. You can cook for a crowd and charge $5 at the door. In the first 48 hours since we've launched the campaign, people across the country have already pledged over 1,600 meals. Will you join them? See: https://secure3.convio.net/sfusa/site/SPageServer?pagename=5Challenge_Home

Sat., Sept. 17, 1 p.m., Bug Academy: Preparing for the Freeze, Indian Creek Nature Center, Open to all adults and children 8 years old and up. Some insects produce their own antifreeze! Others use a variety of equally unusual ways to survive winter's cold. Join Joe Zito for an indoor presentation followed by an outdoor hands-on exploration of fall insect activities. M: $5, NM: $8.

Sat., Sept. 17, 3 p.m., Naturalist Adventurers: Monarch Watch & Tagging, Indian Creek Nature Center. Naturalist Adventurers is a series of explorations for students in grade 6 & up. Learn about Monarch Watch, the University of Kansas study of monarch butterflies and their migration. Help gather data for the study by capturing and tagging migrating monarchs. We will also plan future adventures. Share your ideas! M: $5, NM: $6.

Sat., Sept. 17, 3-5 p.m., Wahls Landscape Design, 1215 Santa Fe Drive, Iowa City. Dr. Terry Wahls welcomes your gardening and landscape design ideas at this Backyard Abundance Cultivating Community event. Together, we will brainstorm ways to create a landscape at her urban home that yields an abundance of healthy food and fun. The outcome will be a ton of design ideas and concepts from which we all learn. Kale chips, kale smoothies, and soup will be provided. Please bring eating utensils and, if you wish, a dish to share.

Sun., Sept. 18, 10 a.m., Culinary Ride, a bicycle tour featuring local farms and local food of Cedar & Johnson County to benefit ICCSD Farm to School Chapter.. Starts at Earth Source Gardens in Iowa City. After party: Atlas 7 – 9 pm. Help support the health of our amazing community as we marry the local food and bicycle movements. Savor food prepared fresh by local chefs, and enjoy handcrafted beverages while roaming the farms and enjoying the company of friends. Sign-up here! Proceeds of the event will benefit the ICCSD Farm to School chapter, a project of JCLFA. ~ We're riding to help ensure that kids growth and development includes a nutritious helping of fresh food and a connection to the natural world.If you cannot ride with us, you can still support the Culinary Ride by being a sponsor or by volunteering. Contact us at: info@culinaryride.com Riders will begin their tour of farms at Earth Source Gardens, 10-11 am. Depending on how many participants there are, groups of riders will go in waves.   

www.culinaryride.com; http://www.facebook.com/pages/Culinary-Ride

 Sun., Sept. 18, 3-5 p.m., Edible Maze Community Build, Wetherby Park, Iowa City. Backyard Abundance will join forces with the Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department to demonstrate the benefits of no-mow grass, edible landscaping and children being in nature. Experts will be on hand at this second community garden build at the Edible Forest Maze at Wetherby Park to help visitors plant trees and ground covers. Visitors will also help put a path through the maze. The path will be no-mow fescue grass, a non-native blend that works well in borders for areas between prairies and homes. Life is too short, why mow? The grass saves water, fertilizer and mowing time. Overall, while not maintenance-free, Eco-Grass requires less attention than traditional lawns. Visitors will also have the opportunity to learn about low-maintenance edible landscaping. Experts will be on-site to assist and teach visitors about growing food and an attractive landscape design. Finally, this community garden build will give visitors and their children the opportunity to get out and enjoy nature. There are researched benefits of children being in nature. Life is too structured! Get outside to play and learn! Whether you're a seasoned gardener or have never gardened in your life this is your opportunity to discover your very own green thumb. For more information contact Joyce at 319-356-5100.

Sun., Sept. 18, 1-4 p.m., 13th Annual Honey Fest, Indian Creek Nature Center. ICNC is abuzz with excitement over bee-utiful art. Just as Grant Wood enjoyed nature while painting scenes along Indian Creek, festival goers will enjoy bee-inspired work of local artisans. Learn about the role bees play in your life and the challenges they face. Activities: · Come early to find “golden bees” for prizes; Make bee crafts; Play old-fashioned games; Enjoy live music; Live bee beard and bee bonnet; Talk with beekeepers. Honey-made goodies and refreshing honey lemonade will be available for sale. Admission: $3/person; no charge for children 3 and younger.

 Tues., Sept. 20, 6 p.m., Putting the Garden to Bed, Brucemore, 2160 Linden Dr. SE. Fall should not be seen as the end of the gardening season but the beginning of next year's growing season. What do you leave planted for the winter and what do you need to take inside? When should you prune different varieties of plants? What steps can you take to prepare for and make spring planting easier? Answer these questions and more by joining Brucemore Gardeners. During this walking talk and discussion, participants will learn how and when to properly put the garden to bed for the winter with a focus on individual perennials, including butterfly bushes, hydrangeas, and clematis. Participants will have ample opportunity to ask questions and seek gardening advice about their own gardens. The presentation will begin at the Visitor's Center and include a walk through the Cutting Garden and the Formal Garden.  Limited space available; advance ticket purchase required. Admission is $15 per person or $12 per Brucemore member. Please call (319) 362-7375 or stop by the Brucemore store to purchase tickets. Visit www.brucemore.org for more information.

 Wed., Sept. 21, 6:30-8 p.m., Green Living Group at Prairiewoods: Voluntary Simplicity. The Green Living Group meets the third Wednesday of every month at Prairiewoods (120 East Boyson Road in Hiawatha). Facilitators Maggie Anderson, Emmy Ball and Emy Sautter will help participants explore the subject of a sustainable and healthy environment through books, articles, films and speakers. This is an ideal opportunity for education and for an ongoing support system for happy and healthy green living, and participants may join at any time. This month's focus is voluntary simplicity. A free-will offering will be accepted. For more information, contact Prairiewoods at 319-395-6700 or go to www.prairiewoods.org.

Wed., Sept. 21, 4-6 p.m. Grand opening of the Iowa Valley Food Co-op, First Presbyterian Church, 310 Fifth St. SE, Cedar Rapids. Fresh, seasonal fare created by local producers is the heart of the local food movement.  Over 30 producer members, representing over 60 Eastern Iowa farms, and 140 consumer member households have banded together to increase the amount of local food bought and sold in Cedar Rapids, IA through the newly opened Iowa Valley Food Co-op (IVFC).  In order to promote the benefits of the cooperative and celebrate 18 months of hard work, there will be an IVFC Grand Opening celebration for members and other supporters of local food. IVFC is an innovative marketing effort that brings together local farmers and other local food entrepreneurs through an on-line ordering system.  IVFC producer members are currently offering over 225 locally produced foods and other products, including meats, heirloom tomatoes, hot peppers, seasonal produce, freshly roasted coffees, fresh herbs, pies, bread, cookies, baked goods, award winning cheeses, handmade baby items and more.The purpose of the IVFC is to increase the availability of fresh, fairly priced, sustainably produced food in Eastern Iowa. Event is open to all.

For more information: www.iowavalleyfood.com

IVFC is an innovative marketing effort that brings together local farmers and other local food entrepreneurs through an on-line ordering system.  IVFC producer members are currently offering over 225 locally produced foods and other products, including meats, heirloom tomatoes, hot peppers, seasonal produce, freshly roasted coffees, fresh herbs, pies, bread, cookies, baked goods, award winning cheeses, handmade baby items and more.The purpose of the IVFC is to increase the availability of fresh, fairly priced, sustainably produced food in Eastern Iowa. 

Thurs., Sept. 22, 5-7 p.m., Equinox Garden Party and Paw Paw Fest with live music and refreshments. FREE and open to all. Earth Source Gardens on Harvest Road

at the NE Corner of Rochester Ave. & Scott Boulevard, Iowa City. Tour Earth Source Gardens, see the fledgling Sweet Gift Orchard, and enjoy refreshments from the gardens. Meet paw paw enthusiast Patrick O'Malley, learn how to grow paw paws, and sample this exotic local fruit. Learn from the Co-op demo plots, and participate in educational games and crafts… live music, too! Everyone's welcome! No registration necessary.

 Fri., Sept. 23, 7 p.m.,  Autumnal Equinox Celebration, Indian Creek Nature Center. The first day of autumn marks the beginning of the harvest season. Celebrate the growing season's bounty around a bonfire. Discover global harvest celebration customs and stories, and enjoy a bonfire-baked harvest treat. M: $4, NM: $5.

 Fri., Sept. 23, 7:30 p.m., McAuley Theater, Mount Mercy University, Farmscape: Documenting the Changing Rural Environment. What's the David and Goliath story in America today? Mount Mercy University invites audiences to discover for themselves during this thought-provoking theatre play. Directed and produced by acclaimed Poet Laureate of Iowa Mary Swander and her team of graduate students at Iowa State University, Farmscape will change the way Iowans think about their food forever. A compelling non-fiction play based on interviews of real people dealing with the challenges of trying to make a living in the changing rural environment, this ‘docu-drama' creates compelling dialogue among hard working people attempting to sustain their family farms, ward off urban sprawl, and find new crops and markets that suit their lifestyles and values. The drama brings together ten characters in a tightly-knit conversation as they bump up against the forces of industrial agriculture. While some embrace it, others are left to question the use of genetically modified organisms, animal confinement, chemical fertilizers, pesticides and meat slaughtering houses. Through rich dialogue and compelling conversation, audiences will take a journey through the changing rural landscape. Through the stage productions, viewers will be able to imagine the taste of fresh vegetables on a truck on its way to the local farmer's market, make a stop at a bed and breakfast and Hispanic cultural center and gaze out the window at restored wetlands and prairie. They'll experience the sensation of suiting up in protective clothing before entering a hog confinement operation and watch pigs move quickly down a conveyor belt at a slaughtering plant. Audiences can see for themselves an organic farmer up against the economic forces of the 3,500-acre agri-business operation next door. Mary Swander is from a pioneer homesteading family and has been raising most of her own food for thirty years. She has written extensively about gardening and farming for such places as National Gardening Magazine, Green Prints, The Christian Science Monitor, the Des Moines Register and Matrifocus.com. She is well known for her co-authored book gardening interviews, Parsnips in the Snow, and her memoir Out of this World about living among the Amish. In addition, Swander has written numerous plays, musicals, radio commentaries, and performed her own work across the country and in Europe. Currently, she is the Poet Laureate of Iowa.

 Fri., Sept. 23, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Culinary Herbs: Propagation and Uses with Joanne Leach, Earth Source Garden. Register at www.newpi.coop

Culinary herbs make good food taste great! Learn which herbs grow best in Iowa: how, when and where to plant, how to gather and dry, and get useful recipes for butters, pesto and vinegars. On Harvest Lane at the NE Corner N. Scott Blvd. and Rochester Ave., Iowa City. $5/person.

Fri., Sept. 23, 6:30 p.m. to Sun., Sept. 25, 1 p.m.,  Re-membering Your Self in Nature Retreat at Prairiewoods (120 East Boyson Road in Hiawatha) will help you use nature journaling to re-member yourself as not separate from nature, but rather, an element within it. The creation of a nature journal is a fascinating process of exploration that helps clarify your world and sharpen your personal connections to it. You rediscover ease, inspiration, belonging and wisdom in the solitude of nature. Additionally, a journal can be a powerful vehicle for sharing events and emotions. You can experience a personal exploration of the living world by creating your own nature journal. In any season, in any weather and in any place, nature journaling compels you to slow down, observe, reflect and-for the first time, or once again-embrace your connection to the living montage that is your environment and your nature. Simple methods of capturing what you see in sketches and words will inspire you to make journaling a part of your daily life and help you create journals to enjoy and to share, if you choose, for years to come. The workshop will invite you to listen, reflect, explore, create and share. There will be drawing instruction, exploring various methods of interpreting and presenting what is witnessed and experienced. Additionally, different writing styles will be discussed and participants will be asked to express their thoughts and emotions through a variety of writing modalities, including poetry, prose and Scientific description. Sally Boyle and Rick Engelmann will lead this retreat. Sally is an illustrator for the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden, with her most recent work included in an exhibition at the Grand Canyon. Sally has lived and worked for several years in South America, where she and Rick created documentaries focused on the needs of non-profits and on women's stories. She loves good coffee, a good discussion and dancing in her garden. Rick's passion for words grows from his many years of teaching English, while his love of nature was forged during his Iowa youth. Rick links his fascination with words to his quest for beautiful and accurate images in his current life as a video producer. These videos, created with Sally for various religious organizations and other nonprofits, artfully combine powerful words and impactful images. (Videos can be viewed at www.youtube.com/darcaravideo.) The cost of this retreat is $200 and includes retreat experiences, lodging and meals. The commuter fee is $150 and includes retreat experiences, Saturday lunch and dinner, and Sunday lunch. For more information or to register, contact Prairiewoods at 319-395-6700 or www.prairiewoods.org. This will be a great retreat for writers, poets, artists and LOVERS of nature!

 Sat., Sept. 24, 1 p.m., Moving Planet Bike Ride & Rally. Take a day to move beyond fossil fuels! The bike ride starts at 1 PM at Tait Cummins Park (3000 C St. SW). At 1:30 PM tour the green roof at Water Tower Place (900 2nd St. SE), then bike to Prairiewoods for an environmental fair at 3:50 PM.  Join us in a worldwide rally to support solutions to our climate crisis right here in Cedar Rapids! The Moving Planet Bike Ride, sponsored by 350.org and numerous local organizations, is part of a movement to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. September 24 will be a day for people around the world to take action for our climate's needs by marching, biking, skating-anything to call attention to our global crisis. Riders will take a group photograph at 3:50 p.m. This event is free. For more information, visit www.moving-planet.org or contact Prairiewoods at 319-395-6700.

 Sat., Sept. 24, 1-3 p.m., Growing School Gardens Iowa City Public Library, Room A. Join a free presentation by teachers, parents, students, and community members who are growing food at schools. Hosted by ICCSD Farm to School Chapter.

Sun., Sept. 25, 5:30 p.m., Harvest Dinner, a benefit for Johnson County Local Food Alliance, 201 South Linn St., Iowa City. Tickets $50 Tickets sold online, New Pioneer Food Co-op stores and Hy-Vee (812 S. First Ave. Iowa City). The 3rd annual Harvest Dinner, a JCLFA benefit event, will delight the senses by putting Iowa's abundant harvest into the hands of some of the area's best chefs delighting you with a dinner that will not soon be forgotten! Special guests include author & local chef Kurt Friese and local food advocate Francis Thicke.

 Tues., Sept. 27, 6:30-8 p.m., Seed Savers Class at Prairiewoods. Do you want to learn to save and plant your own seeds? Come to the Seed Savers Class at Prairiewoods (120 East Boyson Road in Hiawatha). Prairiewoods Chef and former Master Gardener, Jill Jones, will teach participants about seed saving. You will learn about which seeds can be saved, the benefits of seed saving and plant anatomy. You also will get to participate in saving heirloom tomato seeds. Cost is $10 and registration is required by September 20. For more information or to register, contact Prairiewoods at 319-395-6700 or www.prairiewoods.org.

Wed., Sept. 28, 7 p.m., Houseplants, Lowe Park Greenhouse, 4500 N 10class will be limited in size so register in advance by calling the Linn County Extension office at (319) 377-9839 or register via e-mail to mkenyonb@iastate.edu.

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Street, Marion. Deb Walser has never met a houseplant she didn't like. This class includes a short PowerPoint presentation and a hands-on workshop. Have you chosen the perfect plants, but they don't thrive?  Walser will talk about the balance needed to keep houseplants happy and healthy. She will talk about their proper placement, lighting, watering, and fertilizing. She will also discuss insect and disease management. Have you ever wanted to over winter tropicals and annuals? Walser will show you how to take root cuttings and air layering your plants thus multiplying your plants so your house will be filled like hers. Bring your houseplants and the Master Gardeners will help you divide and/or transplant them.  The

 Thurs., Sept. 29, 6:30-8 p.m., Native Prairie and Woodland Restoration Class at Prairiewoods. The Prairiewoods staff has been working to restore our tall-grass prairie and oak savanna, native ecosystems that have become quite rare in Iowa. Come to Prairiewoods (120 East Boyson Road in Hiawatha) to learn about these special landscapes, tour the Prairiewoods' land and learn ways you can restore prairie and woodlands on your own property. This class is offered as part of a grant from the International Paper Foundation for prairie and woodland restoration. Registration is required by Sept. 26 and cost is $5. For more information or to register, contact Prairiewoods at 319-395-6700 or www.prairiewoods.org.

 Thurs., Sept. 29, 6-8 p.m., New Pi Coralville (map). Grow Garlic for your Table with Roxane Mitten. $15/person Garlic adds heart and soul to cuisines from around the world. Always have an ample inexpensive supply on hand by growing your own.Join garlic grower Roxane Mitten as she discusses successful growing protocol, and shows how to cure and store your garlic for the winter season. Enjoy a demonstration of the preparation of Oven Roasted Garlic, Sun-Dried Tomato Garlic Salad Dressing, and Garlic Kale Salad.

  Thurs., Sept. 29, 6:30-8 p.m., Backyard Chicken Basics, Indian Creek Nature Center. This basic workshop fulfills requirements for keeping chickens in Cedar Rapids. Learn the ins and outs of legally and successfully keeping hens in urban and suburban areas. Call by 4 PM on Tuesday, Sept 27 to register. Location to be determined. M: $7, NM: $10.