On December 13, students from the Walking School Bus (WSB) program participated in the 2nd Annual “Walking School Bus Kindness Project.” Each student contributed an item for the trail mix or holiday cards that they made together after school. The group then delivered the cards and trail mix to local volunteers and public servants around the community. In true WSB style, ALL deliveries were made on foot. Continue reading
Third grade students at Postville elementary learned about why we process and preserve foods during a pickling activity. Students practiced their safe knife skills by cutting bell peppers and baby cucumbers in groups, remembering to “go slow, keep it low.” Once they the cutting was complete, students combined their veggies in a group jar, added brine, and placed them in the fridge. One week later, the pickles were ready! Students unscrewed their jars and discovered the salty sour smells of brine and pickled veggies. We had some thumbs up and thumbs down, but most all students were brave tasters. Continue reading
Ms. Gritzner’s Environmental Project Monitoring class at Central High School teamed up with Turkey River Farms to collect over 300 Halloween pumpkins during their Pumpkin Round-up (over 2 tons!). The goal was to divert organic waste from the landfill and feed it to livestock instead. Looks like the pigs approve. Continue reading
View this edition in your browser – the pictures are much better! Continue reading
View this edition in your browser – the pictures are much better! 
(Above) The Taste of Fayette County event on Wednesday, Sept. 26, celebrated eating healthfully through local farm produce at Kahler’s Pumpkin Patch in Elgin. Children under the age of 5 were the focus, since it is an early childhood initiative, but all farmilies were welcome. Visitors participated in a kid-only farmers market, petting zoo, spin art, cooking activity and went home with a pumpkin of their own. Continue reading
Exploring new methods of food preparation is quickly becoming a tradition for farmers involved in the Northeast Iowa Food and Farm Network. Last year, farmers created a workshop to learn how to pit roast pork; this year, the group learned how to spit roast a lamb in the Patagonian style of Asado al Palo. Continue reading
Will Lorentzen, front left, and Adrian White, middle back (behind the tank) describe the process they use to innoculate and soak logs to produce shiitake mushrooms.
Barb Kraus shares insights into her farming systems as part of a Northeast Iowa Food and Farm Network gathering.
