More Ian and other eco-entertainment

  I have no problem making Ian Cheney the Homegrown events cover boy for two months running. Last month, “The Greening of Southie,” a movie by Ian and his filmmaker friend, Curt Ellis, was featured in the Cedar Rapids Environmental Film Festival. This month, it just gets better. Ian will make a personal appearance at the Film Food Festival in Iowa City for a screening of their movie, “King Corn” on Nov. 19.  The festival is an Eco Iowa City free event and part of “One Community One Book.”

    The film fest and other eco-events in Eastern Iowa for November 2009 include:

 Sun., Nov. 1, 2 p.m. – The Linn County Conservation Department will host a Prairie Seed Collection Day at Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center near Toddville. Enjoy a fall afternoon of prairie seed collection. Learn how to prepare seeds for growing, help Linn County Conservation spread seeds in the prairie and perhaps take some seeds home for your own wildflower garden. Cost is $2.50/adult, $1/child 16 and under, or $5/family.

Wed., Nov. 4, 6 p.m., Free Garden Class presented by Linn County Master Gardeners, Hiawatha Public Library, 150 West Willman St., Hiawatha. Deb Walser will show how to create your own water fountains featuring the Terra Cotta fountain and others. For more information call  319.393.1414

Thurs., Nov. 5, 9 a..m. – 3 p.m., Rainscaping Rain Garden & Bioretention Cell Design Workshop, F.W. Kent Park in Johnson County. The workshop will address the use or rain gardens and bioretention cells for stormwater quality management and yard beautification. Download a registration form at:www.iowastormwater.org and look under the events calendar. The event is free. See: www.icosc.com

Fri., Nov. 6, 7 p.m.,  "The Garden," shown as part of the Eco Iowa City Film Food Festival, Meeting Room A at the Iowa City Public Library, 123 S. Linn St. Free Popcorn! This Oscar-nominated documentary follows a group of low-income families struggling to protect a 14-acre urban farm in the middle of South Central Los Angeles from bureaucratic real estate developers. See: www.icpl.org/eco-iowa-city

Sat., Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m., The Cedar Amateur Astronomers and the Linn County Conservation Department are hosting a program on Star Clusters in Galactic Centers at the Eastern Iowa Observatory and Learning Center near Mt. Vernon. University of Iowa Professor Dr. Cornelia Lang will characterize the massive stellar clusters in our own Galactic center and compare them to what is known about similar clusters in nearby galaxy centers. She will also highlight new results on how stars near the Milky Way's center are organized and formed and related to the super massive black hole that lurks there. The presentation will be followed by telescope viewing, weather permitting.  The Observatory is located two miles west of Hwy 1 on Ivanhoe Road.  Donations welcome.

Tues., Nov. 10, 7 p.m., The Linn County Conservation Department is hosting a Native American Drums, Stories and Songs program  at Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center near Toddville.  Cree Indian Wha'la will present stories and songs from the Cree Culture.  Bring the family and enjoy an evening of traditional Native drumming, singing and story telling. Cost is $2.50/adult, $1/child 16 and under, or $5/family.

Wed., Nov. 11, 6 p.m., Free Garden Class presented by Linn County Master Gardeners, Hiawatha Public Library, 150 West Willman St. Hiawatha, Backyard Wildlife Management with Devon Dietz. We have to live with them but how do we manage the long and short legged critters? For more information call  319.393.1414

Thurs., Nov. 12, 7 p.m., The Linn County Conservation Department is hosting archaeologist and speaker Matthew Hill from ISU on . at Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center.  This talk will discuss new research about the first people living in Iowa. Evidence relating to the initial human occupation of Iowa at the end of the last Ice Age some 11,000 years ago by hunters associated with the Clovis archaeological culture is extremely sparse. Matthew Hill will relate how the recently (re)discovered Carlisle Cache offers new information on Clovis landscape learning, lithic technology, and mobility patterns, with broad implications for the peopling of the New World. Cost is $2.50/adult, $1/child 16 and under, or $5/family.

Fri., Nov. 13, 7 p.m., "Fresh," part of the Eco Iowa City Film Food Festival, Meeting Room A at the Iowa City Public Library, 123 S. Linn St. Free Popcorn! "Fresh" celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.

Sat., Nov. 14, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Sierra Club Chili Luncheon & Outdoor Gear Silent Auction, Indian Creek Nature Center, 6665 Otis Rd SE, Cedar Rapids. Sample great homemade chili for lunch and bid on a variety of camping, hiking, boating and gardening gear. Sale proceeds benefit ICNC and the Sierra Club. Lunch and auction begin at 11 AM. Bidding closes at 12:30. Lunch Fees: Adult, $5; Child, $2.50. Starting on Oct. 31 we will welcome donations for the auction, but please call (362-0664) before donating!

Sat., Nov. 14, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., The Linn County Conservation Department is sponsoring a fishing rod builders workshop at Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center near Toddville. Come and learn about rod building with many masters of the art from throughout the Midwest. We are arranging a variety of topics possibly including guide placement systems, tools of the trade and much more. From beginners to professionals, all will leave with knowledge to produce improved custom fishing rods. The meeting is free to anyone interested in rod building. We will take a good will donation to cover food expenses and will be drawing for door prizes during the day. For more information contact Chuck at (319) 892-6485.

Sun., Nov. 15, 2-4 p.m., For America Recycles Day, Eco Iowa City is sponsoring a shredding event for Johnson County residents. Up to two boxes, bins or bags of documents per household will be shredded and recycled for free at the Iowa City Recreation Center Parking lot. Document Destruction and Recycling Services of Cedar Rapids is partnering in the event. Costs are covered by Eco Iowa City to encourage people to responsibly deal with waste.

Wed., Nov. 18, 6 p.m., Free Garden Class presented by Linn County Master Gardeners, Hiawatha Public Library, 150 West Willman St., Hiawatha. Decorating Winter Containers with Wava Schmidt. Do you have empty pots that need winter interest? Come see how it is done. For more information call  319.393.1414

Thurs., Nov. 19, 7 p.m., "King Corn," part of the Eco Iowa City Film Food Festival, Meeting Room A at the Iowa City Public Library, 123 S. Linn St. Free Popcorn! Followed by a discussion with Ian Cheney, the writer and co-producer of "King Corn." Friends Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis move back to America's Corn Belt to plant an acre of the nation's most-grown and most-subsidized grain and follow their crop into the U.S. food supply. What they learn about genetically modified seeds, powerful herbicides and the realities of modern farming calls into question government subsidies, the fast-food lifestyle and the quality of what we eat. Co-sponsored by ECO Iowa City, International Programs, Dept. of Communication Studies, New Pioneer Co-op, Office of Sustainability, Slow Food Iowa and UI Center for Human Rights as part of Johnson County's "One Community One Book." Donations provided by the Iowa City Public Library, Coralville Public Library, Iowa City Human Rights Commission, Hills Bank and Midwest One Bank.

Fri., Nov. 20, 7 p.m., Green and Simple Gifts: Willow Jewelry, Indian Creek Nature Center, 6665 Otis Rd. SE, Cedar Rapids, an evening around the woodstove crafting unique gifts from a versatile, renewable resource. Create simple willow beads for making attractive necklaces and bracelets. Learn to cut, drill and trim willow beads. Be creative while mixing, matching and stringing your own jewelry. This is a great gift for a lover of natural materials. Willow & some tools supplied. Call for materials list or to register. (319) 362-0664. Memeber: $8, NonMember: $10.

Sat., Nov. 21, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.,

Prairiewoods Holiday Bazaar, 120 E. Boyson Rd., Hiawatha. This annual bazaar features crafts, baked goods and artisan made items. Also, Trappastine caramels, jewelry, Fair Trade coffees and much more.