Archive for the ‘Life’ Category
Thursday, February 16th, 2012
It finally arrived! I had been anticipating the CHS magazine with a feature story on the Nutrients for Life “mommy blogger” (that’s me). It’s not every day your blog is featured in a Fortune 100 company magazine with a circulation of 235,000. I quickly thumbed through and found the article. I called my three girls to the kitchen and showed them the article. They giggled and recalled the photo shoot with CHS photographer, David Lundquist. This “mommy blogger” is humbled and honored to be featured by CHS Inc. (more…)
Tags: CHS, Dee McKenna, Education, farmer, fertilizer, Gardening, Iowa, Kansas, Nutrients for Life Foundation, spokesperson
Posted in Education, Life, Miscellaneous | No Comments »
Thursday, January 26th, 2012
My co-worker, Julie Buratowski, was telling me how her new terrarium had changed the atmosphere of her office. So proud of herself, she sent me a few pictures. I agreed, it was cute and worthy of a blog entry. Feeling inspired by its simplicity and uniqueness, my girls and I dug out an old glass jar in the basement. We will be building our own terrarium. I hope Julie’s blog post will inspire you too.
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Tags: creative plant container, Gardening, glass container, house plants, How-to, indoor plant alternative, Life, nutrients, Soil, terrarium
Posted in Gardening, Life | 9 Comments »
Thursday, January 19th, 2012
As the mom of three young boys, I travel more than any mom wants to you. My typical destination list goes something like this: Chicago, St. Louis, Indy, San Diego, Orlando – all wonderful cities, but nothing like my current trip. This week, I have found myself on the Island of Oahu in Hawaii…and yes, this was for work! The American Farm Bureau Foundation held its annual meeting in Honolulu, so I, like many other farmers, tacked on a few vacation days in the tropical paradise. (more…)
Tags: agriculture, American Farm Bureau, Dole Pineapple Plantation, fertilizer, Iron, Nitrogen, pineapple, travel, Tropical Farming
Posted in fertilizer, Life | 2 Comments »
Friday, December 30th, 2011
In the same breath, I can tell you that I am exhausted from Christmas but also full from all of the memories created. The tree is still up; suitcases are sitting full of dirty laundry. Toys are strewn from one end of house to the other, and there are three girls silly, full from sugar, creating yet one more memory. There is time to reclaim the house, but right now, I sit and reflect on 2011 and look forward to the promises of a new year.
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Tags: Compost, Education, fertile, Four seasons, New Year's Resolutions, resolution, Vegetables, Weeds
Posted in Education, fertilizer, Gardening, Life, Service Projects, Soil | 4 Comments »
Thursday, December 15th, 2011
Mrs. Claus is on the ball this year. Gifts for our three blue-eyed elves are wrapped and ready to go under the tree. I don’t know who is more excited for Christmas, me or the girls. I have never been this prepared, and it’s difficult to manage the anticipation for Santa’s big day. Santa on the other hand, is still shopping for Mrs. Claus. I am supposed to be writing my Christmas wish list, so being the multi-tasker that all moms are, I am combining a blog entry while at the same time, creating my Christmas wish list (a list for all gardeners). (more…)
Tags: Christmas, compost bin tumbler, fertilizer, garden center, garden gloves, garden gnome, gardener, holidays, mulch, pruning shears, rain barrels, Red Wiggler Worms, School Garden, seeds, wish list
Posted in Gardening, Life, Miscellaneous | 2 Comments »
Monday, December 12th, 2011
Can you imagine gardening in the 18th century? If not, I suggest you visit Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. Historians have done a fantastic job re-creating early American gardens. Garden historians have used the writings of John Randolph who pinned, A Treatise on Gardening in 1793, as a guide to rebuilding the Williamsburg gardens. Here is a snippet of Mr. Randolph’s advice to the 18th century gardeners, including many of our founding fathers: (more…)
Tags: 18th Century, Cauliflower, chardoon, Colonial Williamsburg, dung, fertilizer, gardening advice, thistle, winter gardening, Zone 7 garden
Posted in Education, Gardening, Landscape, Life, Soil | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011
As Thanksgiving approaches, images of Indians and Pilgrims frame our thoughts. When my pre-schooler came home with a Pilgrim hat and story, I was reminded of the significant role the Native American Indians played in the survival of the Pilgrims. We must give credit to the Indians for saving the lives of the Pilgrims, specifically Squanto. (more…)
Tags: Farmers, fertilizer, fish, Indian, Native Americans, New World, Pilgrim, Squanto, Thank a Farmer, Thanksgiving
Posted in Education, fertilizer, Life | No Comments »
Thursday, November 3rd, 2011
Pictures of kids playing in leaves have been constant on my Facebook page the past few weeks. Children have big smiles as they are literally covered in nature. Of course, it makes me smile to see the fun they are having! I often post a virtual high five to the parents for bringing the kids out to experience the effects of fall. I am a bit jealous as I scroll through pictures. My children do not get to experience a large pile of leaves unless we visit a different neighborhood. The trees in our landscape are too small to create a big fall mess (a negative aspect of living in a new housing development). (more…)
Tags: Fall, family, lawn, leaf, leaves, mulch, Nitrogen, Soil, Trees
Posted in Gardening, Landscape, Life, Soil | No Comments »
Thursday, October 27th, 2011
As I was mixing ingredients for a pumpkin pie, my five-year-old daughter asked how the pumpkin got in the can. Yes, I buy canned pumpkins, even though I know how to make fresh pumpkin puree. Thank goodness, I could save a few steps by grabbing what I needed at the grocery store. Modern day food production makes life fairly simple to the home cook. (more…)
Tags: family, Farmers, Harvest, Harvesting
Posted in Gardening, Life | No Comments »
Thursday, October 13th, 2011
As we winterize our landscape and garden, I make a point to have my girls help me collect seeds. This hands-on activity gives them a real-life experience that ties them to the complete cycle of plant life. Nature regenerates itself in anticipation of the spring to come.
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Tags: Annuals, Fall, family, Harvesting, kids, Perennials, science lesson, seeds
Posted in Gardening, Life | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 5th, 2011
Do you remember last spring when the daffodils and tulips made you smile? I do! I remember thinking I need to plant more of these bulbs, because they made me so happy and excited for summer. Today, we planted tulips around a tree in our front yard. (more…)
Tags: blood meal, daffodils, Dee McKenna, Fall, family, fertilizer, flowers, garden, Gardening, tulips
Posted in fertilizer, Gardening, Life, Soil | 2 Comments »
