Family News

Hear about the beauty of Europe’s churches, monasteries and convents

Travel with Connie Koehn on Tuesday, April 21, at 3 p.m. at the DeWitt Operahouse to enjoy the “Beauty of Europe’s Churches, Monasteries and Convents.”

The presentation will focus on the various elements that add beauty to these buildings, looking at those elements from the top down and the inside out. 

Examples will span many centuries of buildings from the catacombs in Salzburg, Austria, to several 20th century structures. 

The emphasis will be on the visual, not a lot of facts and figures, and will include examples from above the Arctic Circle to Greece and from Spain to Russia. And it’s Pie Day!

Doors open at 2 p.m. and every effort will be made to present the Travelogue on the day scheduled however, if inclement weather requires a cancellation, the information will be posted at the theater or contact Monica 563-370-9394 or Lori 563-212-2991. If Central DeWitt Community Schools are canceled or scheduled to be released early by 1 p.m., Travelogue will also be canceled.

A $5 donation is suggested. The proceeds support local community projects such as the Referral Center, DeWitt Library, DeWitt Fire Department, KidSight, Diabetes Awareness, Camp Courageous and Camp Hertko Hollow.

Celebrate Earth Day with friends at interpretive center

Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22 to show support for the environment! Jackson County Conservation and the Jackson County Energy District are hosting an Earth Day Celebration at the Hurstville Interpretive Center.

This free event is for all ages. Open house style, come and go between 4-7 p.m. 

There will be lots of activities happening throughout the park. Tri-M BBQ food truck will be there, and a portion of their proceeds will go back to the park. 

There will be lots of activities at the park! Live snakes and turtles, a pond exploration, bat crafts, watershed demonstrations, pollinator crafts, face painting, scavenger hunts, refreshments, pick up a free tree (while supplies last), and more. 

Many organizations will be out to celebrate with us and provide a fun activity!

For more information, contact the Conservation office at (563) 652-3783. 

The Hurstville Interpretive Center can be found 1 mile north of Maquoketa along Highway 61 at 18670 63rd Street, Maquoketa.

Learn all the bat basics April 18

Springtime is here which means our native bats are waking from their hibernation to take over our night skies! Visit the Hurstville Interpretive Center April 18 at 2 p.m. to learn about the bats of Iowa.

There are nine species of bat that live in Iowa, and over 1,500 bat species worldwide! 

Learn about the basics of bats, which bats call Iowa home, recent studies, and how you can help bats in your own backyard.

This is a presentation style program where participants will sit and listen and have the chance to ask questions.

This program is free and open to the public, all ages; registration is not required.

For more information contact Jackson County Conservation at (563) 652-3783 or email conservation@jacksoncounty.iowa.gov.

Gardeners want to be outside working

This time of year has a lot of gardeners and want-to-be gardeners yearning to be outside working the soil and watching for wake-up calls of the lawn and garden. The weather may be too questionable or the soil too cold but there are still things that can be done while waiting on Mother Nature.

Thought you were done raking leaves? Leaves and debris have most likely blown into yards and flower beds over the winter as well as from recent storms with windy days that followed.

Raking leaves is most important as too many leaves will pack down and cause disease or prevent new growth from desirable plants to appear.

A moderate amount of chopped up leaves left in flower beds is permissible as these can act as a barrier for weeds that are bound to appear at some point in time in addition to preserving moisture in the beds.

The secret is finding the proper ratio. Raking also works well for fluffing up existing mulch which also gets packed down during winter.

The window for pruning fruit trees is fast closing. Pruning should be done by early April to mid-April before the fruit trees leaf out. Summer pruning is not recommended.

Suckers and water sprouts can be removed anytime. Fruit trees should be pruned every year so they can develop a strong framework and desirable tree shape.

Dormant oil should be applied by the early April window also. Dormant oil should be applied as close to bud break as possible. Be diligent in checking for the bud break.

Other things that can be done now are many. Cut back ornamental grasses before new growth appears. Use a weed whip, head shears or hand pruners. Some folks tie bungee cords firmly around the grass clumps and use a chain saw to cut off the grass blades. Twine strings work also. Smaller grasses such as blue fescue and blue oat grass can be clipped back or left intact. Russian sage and butterfly bushes can be cut back 4 to 6 inches above the soil.

Cut off hydrangea’s blooms left from last season. Trim back clematis to 8 inches before active growth begins.

Check stored bulbs. Bulbs can be started in containers and then set outdoors. Be sure to check canna, dahlia, gladiolus, etc., bulbs that have been stored over winter. If you lost bulbs due to dry rot or mushiness, keep in mind there are always new ones at the Master Gardener plant sale. The plant sale will be Saturday, May 9 at Boyer Hall from 9 to 11 a.m. on the Jackson County Fairgrounds in Maquoketa.

Divide perennials as new growth appears and the soil is workable. This includes coral bells, lamb’s ear, lilies, hostas and other perennials.

Do not forget to keep tools in good condition for easier use. Cutting edge tools need to be clean and sharp. Often handles in prying and digging tools need to be oiled or replaced. Hoes, shovels, spades and saws all need to have a good sharp edge to make your life easier.

Just remember to take it show this spring. Wait until soil is warm and we have warmer temperatures and less wind before planting. Remember we have had snow in mid-April and the last frost date for this area in May 15.