EcoFest seedball making a success

The milkweed seedball making tables were busy on April 22, 2017 at EcoFest in Cedar Rapids.
Photo credit:  MEI member, Larry Long

Milkweed Matters and Monarchs in Eastern Iowa sponsored a milkweed seedball making event at the 2017 EcoFest held at NewBo Market in Cedar Rapids on April 22nd.  Many people (and children) stopped by to help roll seedballs for Milkweed Matters' 2017 Seedball Initiative.

The seedballs will be distributed by the Milkweed Matters riding team during RAGBRAI to be tossed into wild areas all across Iowa.  The goal is to provide more milkweed upon which Monarch caterpillars can feed. In 2016 Milkweed Matters distributed about 50,000 seedballs!

For the Milkweed Matters 2017 RAGBRAI Initiative, Monarchs in Eastern Iowa is one of seven partner groups around the state holding seedball making events.

The Cedar Rapids Gazette posted a story about EcoFest that had some errors.  They did not mention Milkweed Matters involvement in co-hosting and wrongly said that Monarchs in Eastern Iowa (instead of Milkweed Matters) had distributed 50,000 seedballs.  We have sent a notice to them of the error.

Help Make Milkweed Seedballs

At the 2016 EcoFest we made 2500 milkweed seedballs!

Milkweed Matters and Monarchs in Eastern Iowa will be hosting a milkweed seedball making and information table at EcoFest in front of NewBo Market in Cedar Rapids on Saturday, April 22.  We invite you to stop by and roll a few seedballs for RAGBRAI to toss in wild areas as they cross Iowa.  Learn about how both groups are working to help the Monarch butterfly flourish.

Read more about Milkweed Matters Ragbrai Seedball initiative at  https://milkweedmatters.org/ragbrai/2017-2/

How to make seedballs
https://milkweedmatters.org/how-to-make-seedballs/

EcoFest at NewBo Market in Cedar Rapids
Saturday, April 22, 2017 - 10am to 4pm
http://ecofestcr.org/
https://www.facebook.com/Ecofestcr/
Celebrate this Earth Day event in Eastern Iowa with live music, local vendors, artists and more!