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Grow organic, attract bees

To the editor:

If you had the opportunity to join us for our garden seminar on March 7, you know we enjoyed a very informational and inspirational morning.

Our first speaker was Eve Vanden Broeck from Pella who talked about bees as pollinators and what to plant to attract them. Bee populations are dropping because of disease, pesticide use and loss of habitat, and without pollination, we have no crops. She also talked about honey, an antioxidant powerhouse. It’s the “bee’s knees,” she said, or in other words, extremely good.

Our second speaker was Joe McNally from the Iowa Arboretum, near Boone. His passion is organic gardening. “It’s really about the dirt,” he said. So, he talked about building soil, using compost, organic fertilizers, the role of soil fungi, and attracting beneficial insects. The Arboretum is really an Iowa treasure. If you have not had the pleasure of seeing it, it is well worth the visit.

We would especially like to thank those who contributed to the success of the garden seminar. Iowa Central for use of the auditorium at the BioScience building and the following businesses that donated items for our door prizes: Becker Florist and Garden Center, C&S Products, The Gardeners of America and all garden club members who donated items, Harty’s Caddy Shack, JRG Feed and Supply, Kemna Auto, Mary Kay’s Home Decor, Pizza Ranch, Second Chance Thrift Store, Smitty’s Garden Center, Eve Vanden Broeck, Village Inn, Walgreens and Zakeer’s Restaurant.

Happy gardening, and we hope to see you next spring at our next garden seminar.

Sharon Perkins

Secretary

Fort Dodge Area Gardeners

Fort Dodge

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