More March events

Make Milkweed Seed Balls at
NewBo  City Market in Cedar Rapids
Saturday, March 12 - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Click for Facebook event page

This is an Eagle Scout project in conjunction with Milkweed Matters RAGBRAI initiative.

Join us at the Newbo City Market on March 12th to learn about the monarch butterfly population and help grow it with milkweed seed balls! Milkwe
ed is the sole host for monarch eggs; without milkweed we would lose the already declining monarch population. Our seed balls will help reestablish the milkweed habitats. Milkweed Matters and Monarchs in Eastern Iowa will be distributing over 35,000 milkweed seed balls across the 2016 RAGBRAI route.
Visit Milkweed Matters to find out more! 

We need your help to make our share of the output! You can come anytime between 10am and 4pm.

2016 RIGHTS-OF-WAY WORKSHOP

Iowa's Living Landscapes: Challenges and Opportunities for the Future.
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Kirkwood Community College, Ballantyne Auditorium
6301 Kirkwood Blvd SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Click here for the 2-page .pdf brochure
for schedule and more information

There is no charge for this program.  Lunch is on your own in The Cafe at Kirkwood.  Exhibit tables for this year will be in the atrium area just outside Ballantyne Auditorium.  Our own Patty Ankrum and Andria Cossolotto from Monarchs in Eastern Iowa will be presenting at this workshop among many others.

Please register before noon on Thursday, March 10th at Linn County Conservation Deprtment, 319-892-6458, or email Amanda Bieber (at) linncounty.org.

(See other event by clicking on the "Events Calendar" tab at the top of the page.)

March 2016 events

We want to bring some attention to some events that are coming up in March.

LINN COUNTY MASTER GARDENER
WINTER GARDENING FAIR

Saturday, March 5, 2016
8:15 am – 4:15 pm
Iowa State University Linn County Extension Master Gardeners are hosting a day of horticulture at Coe College in Cedar Rapids. It will be a day of horticultural workshops / classes with experts in over 70 topics such as: Seed Starting at Home, Ash Tree Alternatives, Fairy Garden Workshop, Designing a Pollinator Habitat and New Perennials for 2016. Choose 4 sessions, a keynote, “Blending Science, Art & Passion in the Garden” by monarch butterfly expert, Susie Vanderlip, and lunch at the Coe College cafeteria.

Admission: $59 (includes lunch)  Please click poster to enlarge it. 

Registration information is located on the right of this page

You will find a more complete explanation of all the workshops by clicking for the Winter Gardening Fair brochure

Follow-up: Dr. Chip Taylor's presentation at Kirkwood College

Well over 200 butterfly and pollinator enthusiasts attended the January 20th
event sponsored by The Linn County Master Gardeners

Videos of Dr. Chip Taylor presentation, January 20, 2016
from Linn County Master Gardeners YouTube Channel

Planting for Pollinators Kick-off, Part 1
Planting for Pollinators Kick-off, Part 2

Iowa central to proposed “Monarch Highway”
- By Cindy Hadish/Homegrown Iowan

CEDAR RAPIDS – Travelers along Interstate 35 would share the plus-1,500-mile route with some migrating friends if plans for a “Monarch Highway” take flight.  Chip Taylor, founder and director of Monarch Watch and professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Kansas, described the proposal during his presentation Jan. 20 at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids.

Read the rest of the story at
http://homegrowniowan.com/iowa-central-to-proposed-monarch-highway/

2016 RAGBRAI riders to distribute milkweed seeds

Kelly Guilbeau was on hand to tell people about the RAGBRAI team that will be distributing milkweed seed balls on the 2016 bicycle ride across Iowa.  She is organizing seedball making events to be held this winter.  If you wish to be a part of this effort, or ride on the team please see Milkweed Matters: The Official RAGBRAI Team

Monarchs in Eastern Iowa had a table at the event with information to share.  Thanks to MEI member, Larry A. Long for the photos.