DIY Organic Backyard Greenhouses: Start Yours Today

Organic backyard greenhouses are beneficial for many reasons. It helps you control the lighting, temperature, and moisture level of your plants. Most importantly, it delivers you fresh produce that is absolutely free from those unwanted pesticides.   Perhaps you’ve always wanted one but feel like you don’t have space. You are very lucky because you…

5 Summer Vegetables that Grow Well in Iowa

It’s clear that summer has officially come to Iowa. We’ve already had our fair share of heat and humidity, which means it’s time to think about the next round of summer vegetables in your garden.   During your runs to the garden center, it can be tempting to add some plants and veggies that look…

Top 10 Fruits and Veggies with the Most Pesticides

Hands down one of the best things about summer in Iowa is the wide selection of quality produce that comes to our supermarkets and grocery stores. However, with fresh produce comes the hazard of dangerous pesticides. Recently, the Environmental Working Group reported that 70% of conventionally grown fruits and veggies contain as many as 230…

A Simple Way to Identify Organic Produce

How can you tell if you are buying an organic produce in the market? Read on for the tips.

Iowa: The Next Sustainable Food Production Hub in the U.S.

Here in the midwest, we’re the second leading producers of crops and livestock. The first is California. The trouble for most young farmers in Iowa is the high land prices and startup costs. The good news is that there is support out there for our young Iowa farmers. The Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) is…

How Safe is Your Produce? 5 Reasons to Start Your Own Organic Garden

Including fresh produce in your diet is one of the most efficient ways to stay healthy and prevent disease, but did you know that conventional varieties have pesticide residues in them that will end up in your body?  The facts: The latest pesticide residue report published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) revealed that…

Organic Farming: The Latest Trend in Iowa

It’s official: organic farming has taken over the State of Iowa and we’re really stoked about it!   At first, organic farmers didn’t have a market but now they can safely say their products sell themselves.   Organic farming in Iowa has increased by 31 percent in the last five years. With local farms like…

Helping the Earth with Your Organic Garden

Organic gardening can be rewarding for your household, but have you ever thought of the benefits that come with organic farming?   More consumers recognize that organic food is a healthy, ethical choice, which means they’re picking more of it up at the grocery store. Aside from financial gain, organic farming offers various benefits.  …

6 Tips for Growing Juicy, Crisp Peppers

Whether you’re adding your own transplants to your organic garden or picked some up at your local garden center, here are some ways to create the perfect pepper crop this summer.   Soil prep   Selecting the right site for your peppers is a key part of the growing process. Find a sunny, well-drained spot…