Calendar
| Category Key | |
| Adults | |
| General | |
| Holidays | |
| Kids | |
| Scouts | |
| Special Events | |
Calendar developed and supported by Kieran O'Shea
Upcoming Events
- February 24, 2012
- February 25, 2012
- Hungry for a ChangeHungry for a Change
Time: 8:00 am
Hungry for a Change: Food, Ethics & Sustainability is a six-session discussion course developed by the Northwest Earth Institute which explores food systems and our relationships to them. We'll examine the impact food choices have on our health and the health of our planet. We'll also consider the ethical and political implications of our food system and our personal food choices. Fee is $50 per person (which includes the required course book) or $60 for couples sharing a book. Registration is required by 4pm on Wednesday, Feb 22nd. Click for more information and to register. at 8:00 am - Winter Bug AcademyWinter Bug Academy
Time: 1:00 pm
Open to all adults and children 8 years old and up. Joe and Christopher Zito invite you to an outdoor winter insect foray to look for over-wintering insects, snow fleas, active winter stoneflies and craneflies! Come dressed to go outdoors. Also see an indoor presentation on how insects survive winter and deal with the cold. Advance registration strongly recommended. Call 319-362-0664 to register by phone or click to register online. at 1:00 pm - Ask the Expert--Chickens!Ask the Expert--Chickens!
Time: 2:00 pm
Do you have questions about raising chickens you can't seem to get answered? Come and ask Dr. Darrell Trampel, ISU poultry extension veterinarian! Dr. Trampel responds to poultry health questions raised by producers, backyard hobbyists and veterinarians and serves as liaison between the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine and Iowa poultry organizations. Fee is $3/member; $4/non-member. Registration is required by 4pm on Thursday, Feb 23rd. Call 319-362-0664 to register by phone or click to register online. at 2:00 pm
- Hungry for a ChangeHungry for a Change
- March 3, 2012
Rain Water Runoff
Rain Garden
Raingardens collect and temporarily hold water from your roof or driveway that would otherwise runoff across your lawn and be channeled into fast-moving torrents of water. In our case, it collects rainwater from the east side of the barn. Native plants in the garden help take up the water while providing attractive wildlife habitat. The Nature Center’s rain garden, constructed in 2009, is located to the southeast of the headquarters barn, near the cedar tree. Native plants, including butterfly weed, cardinal flower, columbine, foxglove beardtongue, Jacob’s ladder, Ohio spiderwort, prairie sage, purple prairie clover, royal catchfly, aster, thimbleweed, white prairie clover, New Jersey tea, and whorled milkweed help absorb the water and add beauty and wildlife habitat to the campus. The water slowly infiltrates from the garden into the soil, rather than creating fast moving, contaminated runoff that would directly run into storm drains or, in our case, Indian Creek.
The Nature Center created its own garden in partnership with the Iowa Conservation Corps and Metro High School. Plants were purchased from Ion Exchange. For more information about how to design and install a rain garden on your own, contact the Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service. There is cost share money available from the Linn County Soil and Water Conservation District. Locally, there are a number of raingarden designers and installers. Examples include Sue Kramer (364-5724), Ruth Fox (363-6018), and Smith Massman Landscape & Design (363-5230).
Rain Barrels
“Moby,” as we call the 65-gallon rainwater collection device on-site, usually travels between the auditorium and the exhibit area, and frequently makes off-site visits to other organizations and businesses as an educational tool. Holding roof water to be used alter for gardening is a good water-saving technique.
