Iowans are coming together this fall to talk about what they want for outdoor amenities in their state. The biennial Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) assemblies give all Iowans an opportunity to discuss their vision of Iowa’s outdoor recreation, soil and water enhancement, historical resources, land management and more.

Upcoming REAP meetings include Nov. 3rd in Clarinda at Lied Center (for residents of Fremont, Mills, Montgomery and Page Counties), Nov. 4th in Neola at Breezy Lodge (for residents of Pottawattamie, Harrison, Shelby and Cass Counties), and Nov. 5th in Bondurant at the public library (for residents of Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Marion, Polk, Story and Warren counties).

REAP assemblies are locally led meetings where issues can be brought forth and voted upon. Meetings begin with an open house at 6 p.m., followed by the assembly from 6:30 – 8. Each assembly represents a region of counties and participants are required to attend the region for the county in which they reside.

Each year, REAP provides funding for local projects through a grant process and each year, the requests for city and county grants exceed the amount available by two or three times. Since the program debuted in 1989, more than $300 million has been awarded to more than 14,500 projects.

Pheasants aren’t the only game bird growing in population in Iowa. Todd Bogenschutz, with the Department of Natural Resources, says quail numbers are at their highest level in a couple of decades. “Our quail numbers, statewide, are at the highest we’ve seen since 1994,” Bogenschutz says. The hunting season for both pheasants and quail opens today (Saturday). Bogenschutz says, in some respects, hunting quail presents more of a challenge.

“I think the bird, because it’s small…when you get a covey to rise, people describe it as bumblebees going everywhere. So, I think the challenge is picking a target out of that blur of 10 to 15 birds that all just got up at once,” Bogenschutz. In addition to more quail, a DNR roadside survey found the state’s pheasant population increased by 37-percent this year. While the pheasant hunting season ends on January 10, hunters can use the same small game license for quail through January 30.

(Radio Iowa)

The U-S-D-A’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has committed a quarter of a million dollars over the next year for a western Iowa water quality project. U-S Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says the money will be used on conservation measures in the watershed that drains into Slocum Creek, about a mile away from the city of Oakland, in Pottawattamie County.

“Basically we know from an analysis of the upper Mississippi River basin that these combined conservation practices are effective in reducing nitrogen, phosphorus and in reducing soil erosion, so we obviously want to continue to focus on their targeted effort,” Vilsack says.

State officials have rated Oakland’s water supply as “highly susceptible” to contamination and Oakland gets its drinking water from underground aquifers in the watershed where this project is focused. Vilsack says the Slocum Creek project is part of his agency’s water quality initiative in the entire upper Mississippi River basin.

Slocum Creek drains into the Missouri River, which ultimately reaches the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The U.S.D.A. is spending 30-million dollars on 33 projects in the upper Mississippi River basin. “The key here is to obviously reduce the amount of soil erosion that takes place and that carries with it nitrogen and phosphorus — both that which is applied and nitrates which are organically produced — which, ultimately, get into the Mississippi,” Vilsack says.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service plans to spend 240-thousand dollars this year and another 450-thousand dollars on the Slocum Creek project in western Iowa over the next two years.

(Radio Iowa)

The Cass County Community Center, in Atlantic, will be transformed into a bustling holiday market on Monday, November 23rd from 3:30- to 7:30-pm, for the second annual Holiday Harvest Market. Fresh, locally grown produce will be available for your Thanksgiving gatherings. And, get some help with your holiday baking from southwest Iowa bakers.

You’ll also find unique holiday gifts made by local crafters for special people on your gift list. Samples will be available from vendors, guest chefs and recipe contest entrants for shoppers to enjoy as they browse. Fun activities for youth, voting on local recipe contest winners and seasonal music will make this an event the whole family can enjoy.

Vendor spaces are still available, and any local farmers, bakers, artisans or crafters are invited to sign up. The event was very well attended last year, and received excellent reviews from attendees and vendors alike. Vendors interested in participating can find details and a registration form online at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/cass or http://www.atlanticiowa.com>. Vendor booth spaces are available at $20 each.

Local residents with a favorite seasonal recipe are invited to share it, and possibly win a prize, by entering the Best of Market Recipe Contest. Entries will be judged by their use of local, seasonal ingredients- whether they be produce, meat, eggs, grains, or preserved foods. Recipes will be judged by a panel of local celebrities, as well as by popular vote from market attendees for the People’s Choice award. If you have a favorite recipe, but aren’t sure where to find a local vendor, you can check a list of local producers registered for the market online to find what you are looking for. A full list of vendors, information on the recipe contest, as well as other activities and special events will be posted online at the Cass County Extension website.

The Holiday Harvest Market is sponsored by Farmers Markets of Cass County, Cass County Local Food Policy Council, and City of Atlantic Community Promotions Commission. The event is endorsed by the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.

NEVADA, Iowa (AP) – DuPont is announcing the opening of an ethanol plant that will make the fuel additive from corn stalks, leaves and cobs instead of the grain itself. The $225 million refinery in central Iowa is touted as the world’s largest cellulosic ethanol plant, which is designed to make 30 million gallons annually once it’s in full production next year.

Friday’s (Today’s) opening of the plant comes at a challenging time for the ethanol industry, which has been battling the petroleum industry over how much ethanol the government will require to be used in the nation’s automotive gas supply.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is scheduled to come up with its final recommendations next month after proposing to cut the renewable fuel standard from levels Congress set earlier.

An online poll is underway to determine the image that will be used for the cover of next year’s Iowa Travel Guide. Iowa Tourism Office spokesperson Jessica O’Riley says voters can choose from four options. “We’ve got a shot of a scenic overlook at Effigy Mounds National Monument near Harpers Ferry, the world famous Roseman Covered Bridge in Madison County, some bikers on the Wabash Nature Trail in southwest Iowa, and hikers in the Loess Hills,” O’Riley said. The winning cover will be announced on November 4th.

“People can vote now through Wednesday, November 4, at 10 a.m. through our Facebook page,” O’Riley said. The Iowa Tourism Office distributes more than 100,000 copies of the Iowa Travel Guide each year. It can be found at Iowa’s welcome centers or ordered online. “In addition to hundreds of listings of museums, hotels, bed and breakfasts, campgrounds, cabins, and all of those sorts of things, we also include some special features,” O’Riley said. “For next year, we’re have a special feature on Grant Wood because it will be his 125th birthday. So, we’ll have a spread in there to say where you can find Grant Wood pieces, all the way from Cedar Rapids to, of course, the American Gothic House (in Eldon).”

The cover of this year’s Iowa Travel Guide features a photo from Dunnings Springs Park in Decorah. The next travel guide will be released in early 2016.

(Radio Iowa)

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Iowa’s thousands of commercial manure applicators can now get their required annual training through their home office computer. Gene Tinker, an animal feeding coordinator with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says the online version of the training program was made available last week. “We’ve taken the training modules that Iowa State Extension and Outreach uses every year and we’ve put those online,” Tinker says, “so certified commercial applicators who need three hours of training can acquire that through three hours of online training, if they’d prefer.”

Confinement site applicators can also get their required two-hours of training on the website. Tinker says the database has been greatly enhanced to make it convenient for Iowa’s 45-hundred certified manure applicators.  “Now, people can log into that database and determine if I’m a confinement site operator, where am I at in my three-year license? Am I due this year for a renewal?” Tinker says. “They can also pay their fees online. They can even print their own certificate.”

Tinker said the online service has been in the planning stages over the last few years and is now online, just in time for the manure application process to start, as fields are harvested. Learn more at: www.iowadnr.gov/manureapplicator

(Radio Iowa)

Twenty weeks of Produce in the Park came to an end, October 15th, in Atlantic. A follow-up meeting designed to summarize the season and make plans for next year, will be held 4-p.m. October 29th, at the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce’ meeting room. Vendors, volunteers and anyone interested in Produce in the Park are invited to attend.

Hundreds of shoppers enjoyed fresh local produce, homemade baked goods, crafts and personal care products. There were 12 vendors on opening day June 4. The number increased to 21.

Produce in the Park is made possible by support and work by many individuals, businesses and organizations. Food demonstrations, activities for kids, education spaces and entertainment were provided each of the 20 weeks which equals 80 activities.

Shoppers were asked to complete a simple survey. They reported that they attended Produce in the Park for the obvious reasons of buying produce, baked goods, crafts and other products. They also came to eat their evening meals. They liked the atmosphere, the music and the opportunity to spend time with family members.

Produce in the Park vendors, producers from other farmers markets and homemade craftsmen will be offering their products at Harvest Market. It is scheduled for Monday, November 23, 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cass County Community Center. It was a big success last year when it was held for the first time.