IOWA HEARTLAND RESOURCE
CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT
Grassroots Connection
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Welcome! Iowa Heartland RC&D is excited to bring to you our new and informative monthly e-Newsletter,
Grassroots Connection
, for important and engaging events you will not want to miss. We will feature programs and projects of interest in your area and Central Iowa including snapshots of articles about people making a positive impact. We'll keep you informed so you can stay connected!
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Farmers Markets, RAGBRAI &
Iowa State Fair Time!
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Summer time in Iowa means local and area Farmers Markets, RAGBRAI, open air concerts, art fairs, County Fairs and of course the Iowa State Fair! There's something for everyone in this great state of ours! For listings and guides visit:
www.iowastatefair.org
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I'm a vegetable garden novice as I mentioned in our last e-newsletter. It's a learning journey! Vegetables are growing in my 16'x32' veggie garden on my eastern Iowa farm. Some of the first seeds planted didn't sprout. I took a short cut and planted vegetable plants in those unsuccessful vacant areas. I've also needed to spray for bugs and applied a spray fungicide to some of the plants looking like they needed it.
I now believe I need to apply real vegetable garden manure to help some of the veggies turn more green like the peas and cucumber plants. I thought putting the garden in a previous cattle enclosed area used for over 150 years next to one of my barns would have enough nutrients left in the soil for healthy plants but that doesn't seem to be the case.
Good news however, I have been able to harvest several veggies from the garden several times yet this growing season. What fun! They are so much more delicious than the store bought variety! Happy growing till next time!
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In the News from IHRC&D
We want to share and give recognition to our At-Large Board member from Madison County, IA Keith Sparks for his 25 years of service on the Madison County Board of Supervisors!
Iowa Heartland RC&D is pleased to announce its partnership with the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation (IALF) on a Cultural Heritage Project Grant from the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.
Grant funds will support increasing the educational material available to teach about fruit tree production (apples) in Iowa by disseminating the next book in a series –
My Family’s Apple Farm. The book will be accompanied by educational standards-aligned lesson plans and instructional materials to provide teachers involved in educating students the resources they need to link apple production to science, social studies, and language arts curricula. artistic expressions and values.
The primary goal of this project is to debut the book at one of Iowa's 45 apple orchards creating an event that enriches the cultural experience for readers and participants. The event would include activities connected to the history of apple production and the value that modern apple farms provide to Iowa in the form of local products and agritourism. This event will be open to the public and attendees will receive a copy of the book and the chance to tour the orchard to learn about
apple production in Iowa.
The event will be organized in partnership with the Iowa Heartland Resource Conservation & Development.
The book will target 3rd grade learners and highlight apple production in Iowa. Books will be distributed to schools, libraries, apple growers, and others interested in teaching about apple production. The book will feature Jesse Hiatt and Iowa's history in developing the Red Delicious Apple as well as connect to modern apple production. The book will be debuted at an apple farm through an event that will connect Iowans to this unique cultural heritage.
“Iowa has a history of apple production including Hiatt’s Hawkeye variety, the Lane apple tree stock farm, and many more,” said Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation executive director, Will Fett. “This event will help connect Iowans with that history and help them understand how apples are still produced in Iowa today.”
The
My Family’s Apple Farm books will be provided to 1,700 elementary classrooms throughout Iowa. They will be made available to libraries, apple orchards, and other educators interested in teaching about apple production. A digital version of the book will also be made available on the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation’s website at
www.Iowaagliteracy.org
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Water, Soil Quality, Regenerative Agriculture and Health- Its Everyone's Business
There has been a lot of discussion recently in the media about Iowa's water, soil quality, rural and urban health, Regenerative Agriculture and environmental sustainability. You can learn more about these important discussion topics, viewpoints and more by visiting the following short list of websites:
For more Arts, Food and Culture activities visit:
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Here's More Exciting News from IHRC&D
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Over the past winter months, Iowa Heartland RC&D has been busy reaching out to communities, organizations, educational institutions and businesses to learn more about programs and collaborative partnership opportunities that would benefit our area and fulfill our mission and goals to the communities and families we serve.
This year Iowa Heartland RC&D will be celebrating 25 years of service to our six county Central Iowa region. Watch for upcoming activities on our website and in our monthly e-Newsletter to support and participate in this organizational milestone!
Currently, we are collaborating with IDALS (Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship) and their Iowa Farm to School program. This program celebrates Iowa's local foods in schools aiding food service directors in making local procurement, engage more growers in growing and selling produce to schools, expanding Farm to School activities as well as to help growers ramp up sales by working with Summer Food Service programs. For more information on any of these areas please contact or go to;
tammy.stotts@iowaagriculture.gov
ann.wolf@IHRCD.ORG
We are excited to announce we have received a grant from the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs for their 2018 ArtsLab project. This is a a peer learning program designed to ensure cultural leaders in Iowa have the skills, ideas, and mindsets of adaptability and resilience needed to thrive in a world of continuous change.
Organizations and projects in our Central Iowa area worth knowing about include:
We are proud to say that Iowa Heartland RC&D has been instrumental over the years in helping to connect, promote and expand our wonderful scenic trail system. Connecting communities and people, expanding awareness for good local foods and markets, growing natural heritage appreciation, expanding arts and culture events are just a few key ways our central Iowa trails and waterways bring us all together expanding awareness and appreciation for the great outdoors!
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Join Our Vision!
Iowa Heartland RC&D is excited to inform our readership about new programs and projects we are currently involved in for planning and implementation. This includes breaking new ground, so to speak, in areas of rural health and vitality, community enhancement, economic development and the resurgence of pre-existing, trail blazing programs.
If you would like to join our vision and bring your own ideas to our table, we would like to hear from you. We have opportunities on our Board of Directors, committee assignments, volunteering with event planning and project development. We can not do it without your help!
Be sure to visit websites in our six county region directly for more calendar events and programs. that you might want to get involved with. Please see the list below for direct website information.
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Education, Learning, Events & More!
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The following is a list of professional activities, events, education and learning opportunities supportive of the nonprofit, community outreach and learning sectors.
Ongoing events:
Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation-school & classroom programs
Iowa Arts Council-Department of Cultural Affairs
Lunch and Learn series, University of Iowa
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Support Iowa Heartland RC&D with your gift today!
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Visit
http://smile.amazon.com
for more donation opportunities.
You shop and Amazon gives! Make a lasting gift to support your passion and what is important to you through IHRCD. With your gift we can help make what you care about a reality for future generations and support new and exciting programs that fit our Mission and goals. Visit our donation page on our website for more gift giving details and options.
IHRCD.ORG.
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"Is this Heaven? No, it's Iowa", from Field of Dreams. Consider being a part of Iowa Heartland RC&D by joining our Board, committees or volunteering on many of our Central Iowa projects! For more details on how you can make a difference contact Ann Wolf
ann.wolf@IHRCD.ORG
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Iowa Heartland Resource Conservation & Development | 515-321-9070 | ihrcd@ihrcd.org| ihrcd.org
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