Here is another great opportunity for local gardeners new and experienced to learn more about growing their own food!  As part of his internship in the Iowa Master Gardener program, MUM Sustainable Living professor Alex Kachan is offering a series of workshops on various aspects of small-scale, organic gardening to the entire community for free.  The only requirement is that you register at least one week in advance because each workshop is limited to 15 participants.  If Alex gets more than 15 requests for a workshop he will schedule a repeat for the overflow members.

I had the great pleasure of both attending one of Alex’s lectures on Vermicomposting (using composting worms to biologically break down organic matter) and working with him at the Ecovillage CSA two summers ago.  He is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about growing food sustainably from every step in the cycle, so I am sure these workshops will be not only informative but inspiring.

Here is a brief listing of workshop times and topics.  Email Alex at the address below for complete descriptions and to reserve a spot in the ones that interest you.

Sunday, March 14th, 2010: Starting Seeds
Workshop length: 1:00– 4:00 PM (3 hours)
Location: SL Dept., room 111 & SL greenhouse

Sunday, April 18th, 2010: Making your bed – the art of Double Digging!
Workshop length: 1:00– 4:00 PM (3 hours)
Location: MUM Community Garden

Sunday, May 30th, 2010: Compost – learning to grow soil!
Workshop length: 1:00– 4:00 PM (3 hours)
Location: MUM Community Garden

Sunday, June 13th 2010: Compost Tea – pampering your soil & vegetables!
Workshop length: 1:00– 4:00 PM (3 hours)
Location: SL Dept. room 111

Sunday, June 20th, 2010: Garden Q&A’s
Workshop length: 2:00– 4:00 PM (2 hours)
Location: MUM Community Garden

Sunday, July 11th, 2010: Seed Saving
Workshop length: 1:00– 4:00 PM (3 hours)
Location: SL Dept. room 111

August 15th, 2010: Vermicomposting
Workshop length: 1:00– 4:00 PM (3 hours)
Location: SL Dept. room 111

Workshops will be filled on a first come, first served basis.  To register, choose the workshops you wish to take and send their titles, dates & your name to Alex at: akachan @ mum.edu

Click here to download a flyer providing more details on the workshops.

There may still be snow on the ground, but the days are getting longer, the temperatures are creeping up and if you listen, lots of birds have returned from their winter journeys.  That means it’s the perfect time to start planning your garden!  For anyone thinking of starting a garden for the first time, or who wants to learn some new tips and tricks, the At Home Store is hosting a new garden planning series this spring.  Starting next week is a two-part class called Planting a Garden with guest lecturer Moni Hayne.

Here is the information from the At Home Store’s Facebook event page (click to RSVP):

Moni Hayne will be joining us to share her garden knowledge. An organic gardener, with lots of experience gardening in the Midwest, Moni will be lecturing on Garden Planning, and Beneficial Insects. Learn tips on how to plan your garden, how to start seeds (and how many to start!) and how to work with beneficial insects to make a healthy garden.

The first class will focus primarily on garden planning, and the second class will focus on beneficial insects of the garden, and how to enlist their help!

The first class is on Thursday, March 11th from 6:30 to 8:00pm.  The second class is Thursday, April 8th. Cost is $10 per class, or $15 for both classes.  The At Home Store is located at 52 North Main Street, on the Fairfield square.

Once again, here is a link to the event page if you would like to RSVP.

Here is the At Home Store page on Facebook.

Stay tuned to Fairfield Voice for more gardening tips and resources coming soon!

My Mom started a green family tradition that is still lively after 12 years. She was weary of all the waste piles of discarded wrapping paper every Christmas morning….so much for our large family and such an expensive waste! She declared a moratorium on paper gift wrap, and began sewing cloth gift bags for the gifts she gave.

A couple years later, my sister gave us each a huge pile of various-sized, Christmas-themed cloth gift bags, enough to “wrap” all our gifts. She’d shopped the after-holiday fabric sales and picked up beautiful fabrics which she sewed into gift bags that would fit a variety of standard gift boxes.

All our gifts within our family arrive wrapped in these cloth gift bags. Some of the bags are years into rotation within our family circle, and my sisters and I have certain favorites we love to find coming back to us. On Christmas morning, instead of a mountain of crumpled wrapping paper, we have a neat stack of folded gift bags with ribbons tucked inside and collapsed gift boxes. No paper – zero.

I’ve taken the cloth gift bag idea one step further and made “all-occasion” gift bags for birthdays, Mother’s Day, etc. We use these within our family, trading them back and forth. If anyone of us ends up with more than the others, we just send a supply along with the next gift sent.

I’m now looking for organic cottons from which to sew more bags. The artist in me loves discovering fun fabrics and beautiful ribbons to make the bags, and I hope to start expanding our circle of friends and family who will adopt the concept.

As an incentive, this year my friends will be receiving a selection of cloth gift bags on their birthday to launch them into our green family custom. I invite anyone to sew your own gift bags. It would be a nice little green cottage industry for anyone with basic sewing skills.  A new stand at the Farmers Market perhaps?

Noah’s Ark Animal Foundation is hosting a Low-cost Microchip and Rabies Vaccination Clinic from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 27, 2010.  The clinic will be held at the Noah’s Ark shelter, 1986 Gear Avenue in Fairfield.

This clinic is open to the public for pet dogs and cats.  Noah’s Ark will be offering microchipping by a licensed veterinarian for only $20, including free registration of the chip with the owner’s contact information. Rabies vaccinations are also being offered for a reduced price of only $15. All proceeds benefit the animals and programs of Noah’s Ark Animal Foundation, and payment should be by cash or check.

Please call Noah’s Ark at 641-472-6080 with any questions, and to let shelter staff know that you plan to attend.

Did you see us on last night’s episode of the Iowa Journal on PBS? If you didn’t have a chance to see it, you can go here to watch the full episode. Before I go any further, I just want to thank Paul Yeager for his time, and for helping shed light on our story.

Yesterday was a fairly big day for us. Along with our episode of Iowa Journal airing, Shawn also got back his Student Aid Report from FAFSA, and we found out he is getting a pretty sizable Pell Grant! AND?? He’s getting a scholarship! We’re not exactly sure of the details, but between WIA, the scholarship, and the Pell Grant, not only will school not cost us a penny, but we should have enough money left over to help cover some of our living expenses!!

Plus?? I did our taxes, and we should get back a pretty decent refund…twice. It turns out, in order to claim a child as your dependent, the IRS insists you have a social security number for them! And, sense we had Ella at home rather than at a hospital, we are responsible for filling out all that paperwork…and well, we haven’t done that yet! We’re so behind, we still haven’t sent in her birth certificate paperwork! So, we’re going to file taxes twice; once now, and then we’ll file an amendment once we have her social security number in. Which means TWO refunds! Thank you Uncle Sam!

It’s strange, but it feels like we’re more financially stable since Shawn lost his job, than we were before. I think it’s because we’re on SUCH a tight budget that there is just no money to waste on things we don’t need. It’s made us painfully aware of how much money we COULD have saved when we had a steady paycheck coming in. Now, we’re in a situation where the moment a paycheck comes in, it gets divided up between the bills that we have due. I’ve made a weekly budget and we have stuck to it religiously. Bills are getting paid in a more timely manner now than they were when we had a job.

I’m feeling really hopeful about where the next year-and-a-half is going to take us. Shawn is going to get another degree, and from the looks of things, he’s going to come out of college without a single student loan. Our tax return should be enough to pay off our car, which would mean we’d break even every month, rather than being in the red by a few hundred dollars. That would be fantastic! Clearly, our definition of success has had to evolve. Over the next year-and-a-half, if we can pay our bills and put food on the table, and get Shawn through school, I will feel like we have been successful. And so far, I think we’re on the right track.

The Big Fix is Back!
Area Veterinary Clinics Offer Spay and Neuter Discounts during February’s Month-long Campaign

Noah’s Ark’s CCSNAP (Caring Community Spay / Neuter Assistance Program) and area veterinary clinics are sponsoring our 9^th annual spay/neuter event for February, National Spay/Neuter Month. Our local event is called “Friends Don’t Let Friends….Have Litters,” and is another event in their ongoing efforts to ensure that every dog and cat in our area has a home.  The local veterinarians, listed below, have all agreed to offer discounted spays and neuters for the entire month of February, 2010!

Why Spay or Neuter Your Pet?

Spaying or neutering is one of the greatest gifts you can give your dog or cat. These routine medical procedures not only help control pet overpopulation; they also prevent medical and behavioral problems from developing, allowing your pet to lead a longer, healthier, and happier life.

Hundreds of dogs and cats in our area, however, are not so fortunate. Because there are not enough loving homes for them all, unwanted animals are often dumped in the countryside, left to fend for themselves all alone.  Many are precious kittens and puppies less than six months old – the products of animals not yet spayed or neutered – and many won’t survive.

But there is some very good news—the tragedy of pet overpopulation is a “fixable” problem. If each of us takes responsibility to spay and neuter our pets, we can put an end to the heartbreak of homeless animals.  And remember: a first litter can happen as early as six months of age!

Building on Success

Community support is the key ingredient to the success of this spay / neuter campaign.  There are several ways you can help: Spread the message that pet overpopulation is a “fixable” problem. Tell neighbors, co-workers and friends about the February discounts. Provide transportation for someone who needs help bringing their animal to and from surgery. Make a donation so this important program can continue (All donations are tax-deductible and can be sent to Noah’s Ark Animal Foundation, Attn: CCSNAP, P.O. Box 748, Fairfield, IA 52556).  And obviously, make sure your own pets are spayed or neutered.

To make an appointment for your dog or cat, call the following veterinary clinics directly.

In Brighton, call Drs. Anson & Vittetoe: (319) 694-2815
Fairfield Animal Hospital: (641) 472-6983
Fairfield Veterinary Clinic: (641) 472-2455
Henry County Veterinary Clinic: (641) 385-8034
Richland Veterinary Clinic: (319) 456-6321
Sessions Veterinary Clinic, Bloomfield: (641) 664-1815
Sigourney Veterinary Clinic: (641) 622-2940

Working together, we can create a world where every dog or cat has a home.

Laura Cohen is Director of Noah’s Ark Animal Foundation and is available for interviews and more information on spaying and neutering. Call her at 641-472-6080 or 919-4182.

On the web: Visit www.NoahsArk.org for more information on our CCSNAP program.

We’re truly sad to announce that 21st Century Bookstore, an institution in Fairfield since 1984, is closing its doors! It’s doubly sad for us at the Source since 21st Century opened in October 1983, six months before our very first issue!

But for independent bookstores, the writing has been on the wall for some time. Back in 2004, owner Tony Kainauskus and his wife Sharon decided to close and look for jobs out of town. Along came angel investors Len and Dena Oppenheim, who purchased the store, opened in a new location, and allowed Tony and Sharon to continue as managers. Since then, the faltering economy combined with the rise of Amazon and ebooks have made independent bookstores an untenable business, especially in a small town like Fairfield.

21st Century Bookstore founder Tony Kainauskus, his wife Sharon, and owners Len and Dena Oppenheim. They will be open at least through the end of March.

Here’s what Len says: “Thanks to the support of so many of you, both Fairfield residents and our friends and customers all over the country, we have managed to do okay since we re-launched the new store. . . . Unfortunately, during the last two years, given the weakening economy, the increased popularity of electronic media like The Kindle, and of course due to the ever-increasing competition from Amazon, our losses have grown to the point that we finally have to face up to the reality that we cannot continue this endeavor into perpetuity.

“Tony has expressed our predicament perfectly, comparing us to a blacksmith or buggy repair man at the beginning of the 20th century. There is practically no way an independent bookstore can thrive or even survive in our modern society. We are in excellent company, as we close our store, in that we are exiting at about the same time as one of the great spiritual bookstores in America, The Bodhi Tree (located in Los Angeles), is closing its doors.

“I really want to thank Sharon and Tony for having created one of the greatest bookstores on the planet, and for having nursed and nurtured it during its great growth phase and then having carefully taken it into its final retirement.”

From Tony: “To the many customers who ordered through us, when prices at online dealers were often less, thank you, you have helped our business survive as long as it did.

“ And lastly I need to be grateful for the closing of the store as well, as this is another hidden gift. For letting go of someone or something can be our hardest yet greatest spiritual lesson.”

The puppy mill bill, HSB604, passed the House Public Safety committee last week here in our great state of Iowa.

Unfortunately, it is another completely partisan bill. Every “yes” a Democrat, every “no” a Republican.

Warning – this blog post is bi-partisan, so if you’re one of my liberal friends hoping I’m going to bash conservatives – sorry. And if you’re one of my conservative friends waiting for a good fight – no dice.

I’m writing because I’m just sick of politics in the US as it stands today and this bill is a perfect example of what just makes me want to hurl.

Here is the basic focus of the bill (which by the way WAS supported by Representative Curt Hanson)  “We need and deserve better oversight of the USDA-licensed breeders in our state. This law will not mandate additional inspections. It will only make it possible for the IA Dept of Ag to inspect upon receipt of a complaint. The breeders’ fee increases will offset any additional costs to implement this.”

Did all the Republicans who voted “no” really want to send the message to their constituents that they are not in favor of protecting puppies? Of course not. What they did is put politics before the people, well in this case the animals, and that’s not going to get this country anywhere but worse off than it is now.

I can’t help but think that the two-party system is coming to an end. Not because it isn’t good in theory, but because what it is turning into is a battleground of rhetoric and wills. One that has little to do with what is best for the country, and EVERYTHING to do with what is best for one of the parties. Sickening… Maddening…

This post is not meant to be a rant, rather, a question to us and our government. What are we going to do to get our country get back on track? How are we going to work TOGETHER, to do what the PEOPLE want and expect, and NOT just what is going to look good to the rest of the party or some talk show host?

Help me out here, anybody. Am I nuts or are what seem to be a majority of our representatives more interested in their jobs and keeping their party in power than in what is best for these United States?

Indeed, I may be seen as generalizing, but when I see votes like this, it is really, really hard to imagine that there is something so dreadfully wrong with saving puppies that it would incite every Republican to vote no.

Well, unless what I don’t know is that the people whom these folks represent actually prefer to torture puppies…