farming
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It may be futile to pick a candidate for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture in the June 2, Democratic primary. Running are Wade Dooley a sixth-generation farmer and Practical Farmers of Iowa member, and Chris Jones a scientist, former University of Iowa research engineer, and veteran of the Des Moines Water Works. The problem for Democrats… Read more
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Art Cullen is the kind of writer I have to watch what I write about him in public. Chances are, unless the Good Lord takes him from us, I’ll run into him in some unforeseen context to experience consequences for writing anything too negative. Not that I would, Dear Marty, We Crapped in Our Nest:… Read more
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Back when Iowa was a territory, a fellow named Lyman Dillon plowed a furrow from Iowa City to Dubuque so travelers could find their way from one city to the other. Iowa City was designated the territorial capitol in 1839, and Dubuque was a center of commerce, notably for fur trading, lumber, and lead mining.… Read more
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I tapped the brakes as we drove home from Des Moines on Monday, May 9. A farmer was discing a field and wind blew large clouds of dust from behind him across Interstate 80. It obscured the view, rendering driving unsafe. Losing valuable topsoil might be cause for concern, except that corn and soybeans are… Read more
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Delicious food can be part of a normal life. It seems important to enjoy food we eat as it results in sustaining our lives in a turbulent world. There is little point in living a Dickensian food culture of gruel three times a day when so much food is abundantly available and recipes to prepare… Read more
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The craftsmanship of Bet the Farm: The Dollars and Sense of Growing Food in America by Beth Hoffman is good, better than many books I read. For people unfamiliar with the challenges of Midwestern, sustainable agriculture, it is a good introduction, covering most issues. Hoffman is a member of Practical Farmers of Iowa and so… Read more
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The algae cover is growing on Lake Macbride. Every so often I take a longer daily walk and pass this spot where the trail is close to the lake. I’m not sure anyone is working on algae as a problem here. The Lake Macbride Watershed is behind the times. Iowa Department of Natural Resources did… Read more
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Sunday was my first shift of soil blocking at Sundog Farm this spring. Besides shopping, medical appointments, and trips to government offices, it was the first time out since being restricted by the coronavirus pandemic a year ago. There were people (wearing masks) and animals (who weren’t)… and four dogs! To see a short video… Read more
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The thaw began and there is no stopping it. The ground remained covered with snow for most of February, yet no more. Snow cover is slowly melting and will soon be gone. Above the septic tank was first to go. 36 hours after the COVID-19 vaccination I still feel normal. Even the soreness around the… Read more
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Happy New Year to my friends at Sundog Farm! Hope everyone is well surviving the coronavirus pandemic. It made 2020 difficult, to say the least. Jacque and I remained virus free, although neighbors on two sides of us caught it and former Solon Mayor Steve Wright died from COVID-19 complications, as you may have heard.… Read more
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