Cool as a Cucumber

And now you know that “cool as a cucumber” really IS cool–20 degrees cooler than the temperature outside the cucumber. This made cucumbers the perfect STEAM snack on a hot Iowa day!

Back to the Basics

We can return home to the basics whenever we’re ready to revel in their joy–we can stand outside with our toes in the grass, we can watch the clouds pass by, we can balance in tree pose and remember.

Calling All Teachers

Teachers ask me how people have time to bring Farm to School initiatives into the classroom. We all know how busy teachers are. Lucky for us, Farm to School activities are highly motivating and can slide into a variety of subjects and topics to enhance what you are already teaching.

Connecting Kids and Healthy Food

How much do you love healthy, local food? How hard do you have to work to find it and get it to your table? How important is it to you to have your kids eat healthy food that’s grown close to where you live?

Hold the Center

Toward the end of the hike there were times I wasn’t sure I could make it. So I took another page from yoga and just breathed. And took one step and another. I passed groups, and groups passed me. Strangers cheered me on, and we told each other we were glad to be there.

Settle, Create & Play. Then Grow

Americans, including Europeans, fled violence, plague and starvation. They were willing to leave the only world they knew and make the arduous journey to a place they could barely imagine. Think about moving to Mars!

Spring favorites

Woodlands offer something new every season, but spring is my favorite. I feel like a kid doing a scavenger hunt as I try to spot the spring ephemeral wildflowers.

Take the Learning Outdoors

When things feel turned around and upside down, turn to nature for solace and safety. Breathe the fresh air and find joy among the trees and rocks.

Get Kids Moving

The outdoors is the best place to be as we fight Covid-19 and experience the beauty of fall. Don’t miss the opportunity on warm days for water play, bike rides, creek walking and neighborhood mapping. Go ahead and get lost!

A Fresh Perspective

New resources for exploring fruits and veggies, along with some nuggets for appreciating the farmers, truckers, grocery clerks, parents, and all the others who bring them to our table.