Paul Deaton
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This week, former Iowa Secretary of Agriculture and former Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge said she is considering a run in the June 7 primary to be the Democratic candidate to challenge incumbent U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley. The filing period begins Monday and ends March 18. If Judge enters the race, that would make four contenders,… Read more
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Hope of spring arrived with warm ambient temperatures last weekend. It prompted me to clean the garage, roll up the garden fencing left out after making the burn pile, consider locations to plant Belgian lettuce, and inspect the compost piles and bins. It won’t be long before gardening begins. It has begun. In the meanwhile,… Read more
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On Friday, Feb. 5, the benchmark crude palm-oil future contract traded on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives exchange reached its highest level since May 2014, according to NASDAQ. Traders were feeling bullish as warm, dry weather caused by El Niño in the region receded from the prime palm plantations in Sumatra, Borneo and other parts of… Read more
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Driving out of Flint, Mich. on Bristol Road wasn’t in the plans. I interviewed some 30 people, all but one male, for truck driving jobs at the Days Inn across from the GM plant. Tired and ready for sleep, I went to the van to get my overnight bag and found all four tires had… Read more
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Lettuce and basil germinated in the tray planted last week, reminding me of why I garden. It is a chance to witness life as cold sets in for one last spell. Soon winter will turn to spring. I can’t wait. For now, suffice it that the seedlings rise to face the sun through a bedroom… Read more
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Starting a garden is not always easy, especially if one lives in a city. The main thing is planting the first time and that can be a big step. The good news is the potential to stumble is more related to attitude than anything else. There is hope. Here are a few bits to get… Read more
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Last night I attended a local food exhibition at Montgomery Hall on the Johnson County Fairgrounds, hosted by the county supervisors. Lots of people I know were there, including some mentioned in my last post. It was an hour to catch up, caesura after the intense final week of working on turnout and planning for… Read more
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Locally produced food is everywhere we look. Local food may be what’s grown in a backyard garden, herb jar or patio pot. It may be heirloom livestock raised in grass paddocks, supplemented with carefully selected feed, and served in a local restaurant. It is definitely vegetables and fruit, increasingly available at farmers markets and roadside… Read more
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Iowa Democrats did their job at the Feb. 1 first in the nation political caucuses. The field was winnowed from six candidates (Chafee, Clinton, Lessig, O’Malley, Sanders and Webb) to two (Clinton and Sanders), giving Hillary Clinton a narrow, historic victory. Our precinct played a role, and not an insignificant one, in producing that victory.… Read more
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