Gardeners who follow Good Friday potato planting lore face an extra consideration this year, as Good Friday falls relatively early in 2024, happening on March 29, followed by Easter on Sunday, March 31. While horticulture experts point to soil temperatures and general planting advice based on zones in Iowa, some gardeners prefer to stick to […]
Photos: Trout released at Prairie Park F...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Anglers eagerly watched March 21, 2024, as the Iowa Department of Natural Resources released 2,000 trout into the lake at Prairie Park Fishery. Eric Bailey, Natural Resources Technician 2 with the DNR, said the majority of the rainbow trout — from the Manchester Fish Hatchery — were about 15 months old […]
Iowa morel hunters raise hopes as spring...
On the first day of spring, Iowans with a love of morel mushrooms are already thinking ahead to the season. Rumors of tiny morels in far south Iowa were popping up on mushroom Facebook pages as early as mid-March, and Missouri has already been reporting morel finds. Still, die-hard morel hunters who look to soil […]
Parade returns to St. Patrick’s Day in C
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Blustery winds accompanied the return of the SaPaDaPaSo — St. Patrick’s Day Parade Society — parade on March 17. In 2022, organizers cited a challenge with finding volunteers during the workweek in moving the parade to the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day, but returned to the traditional day this year. Even […]
Noelridge Greenhouse Easter Showcase set...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A popular event makes a return to the Noelridge Greenhouse with the annual Easter Showcase. The showcase will be 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Saturday, March 30, and Sunday, March 31, 2024, at the Noelridge Greenhouse, 4900 Council St. NE. Admission is free. The first 500 children, ages 12 years […]
Damage to stained glass windows at Kirkw...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Stained glass windows by celebrated glass artist Louis Millet that were removed from display at Kirkwood Community College have been damaged in storage, with an uncertain future. The windows, saved from First Christian Church before the century-old building, at 840 Third Ave. SE, was demolished to make way for parking for […]
Spring ahead this weekend for Daylight S...
Iowa’s recent warm streak makes it seem particularly timely to spring ahead into the coming season. Daylight Saving Time goes into effect at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 10, 2024, the second Sunday of March. Be sure to set your clocks forward one hour before going to bed on Saturday, March 9. While we lose an […]
What’s coming up: identifying early flow
As temperatures soar into the 70s in early March, and spring bulbs already made an appearance in February — unusual for an Iowa winter — a friend of Homegrown Iowan asked how to identify the variety of plants that have already pushed through the ground. Some crocus are already in bloom, but for the most […]
Free speaker series spotlights natural g...
IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Johnson County Master Gardeners and Hills Bank are hosting a free educational opportunity to learn about ways to benefit the natural environment. Community Speakers Series 2024 will be presented Sunday, March 3, from 1 to 4:30 p.m., at the Johnson County Extension Office, 3109 Old Hwy. 218 South, Iowa City. […]
Endangered gray wolf found dead in Easte...
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reported Friday, Feb. 23, that an animal found dead on the edge of Davenport has been identified as a young adult male gray wolf. According to the DNR, the wolf, estimated to be about 2 years old, was seen laying in the I-80 median near the interchange with I-280 […]