Silent Spring, Returning
May 21, 2021
Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, most commonly known as DDT, became manufacturable in commercial quantities during WWII and quickly became the military insecticide of... Read More →
Powerhouse: Chainsaw Course for Women Builds Skills, Confidence
May 17, 2021
IOWA CITY – The derecho last August revealed a need for chainsaw skills. A new course offered by a local... Read More →
Pawpaw proud: Local land trust bringing fruit back to Iowa
April 16, 2021
IOWA CITY – Appalachian banana, custard apple, banango; The pawpaw has many names, but whatever you call it, Bur Oak... Read More →
Our Wall of Christmas Cactus
April 16, 2021
When I was a boy, a barbershop in our neighborhood had a large north-facing display window which was shaded in... Read More →
Garlic Mustard Pulls
April 13, 2021
It’s spring, that time of year when plants are popping up from their long winter nap. And while we welcome... Read More →
Large Meteor Impacts, Part III: Iowa
April 2, 2021
A century ago, well-drillers in the vicinity of Manson, Iowa, knew that there was something different about the local bedrock... Read More →
Such An Improbable Animal
March 6, 2021
If you or I had the assignment to design an animal well-adapted to the winter rigors of central Canada and... Read More →
Winter Deer and Disease
February 20, 2021
Iowa is in a good location regarding the effects of winter on its deer population. Further north, above the Canadian... Read More →
Buckbrush and Deer in Winter
February 6, 2021
A few years ago, I offered several notes about native coralberry and how this small shrub is useful to birds... Read More →
Woodlot Surprise: A Broadaxe
January 30, 2021
When we moved into our rural homestead in 1977, there was a misshapen oak tree growing through a wire fence.... Read More →
