Our restored prairie is finally coming to life out here at Prairierth Farm. Golden Alexander appeared after a few good spring showers, and the foxglove beardtongue is about ready to show off its little white bell-shaped flowers. Native Americans discovered that plant had medicinal value for “weak heart,” and modern science still uses its essence […]
Community & Lifestyle
Posted inArts & Culture
Successful container gardening
Many gardeners do not have the space, energy, or time to devote to a flower or vegetable garden, but a container garden can add color to a patio, deck, balcony, or walkway. Some gardeners even incorporate containers into an existing garden as a way to add variety. Anything that will hold soil and plants and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Earth talk 5-6-04
Dear Earth Talk: I want to garden this spring without using chemicals. Are there any safe, non-toxic garden herbicides? — D. Muller, Jackson, Miss. There are now several natural herbicides on the market. One of the most effective natural ingredients is corn gluten meal, a yellow powder that is a waste product of the corn […]
Posted inArts & Culture
A passion for rail preserved George Pullman’s legacy
Although today we live in what might be called the post-railroad age, it is impossible to overstate the importance of railroads in the formation of our great nation. Before their appearance in the 1830s, the single, unified United States we think of today existed only in the minds of political thinkers, not in the minds […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Prairie Notes 5-6-04
One of the best things about warm weather is setting up the grill and watching the kids play in the yard. Naturally, we want our lawns to look good and be safe places to roll around in — especially if you happen to be young enough to do that without . . . aftereffects. Lawns […]
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History Talk 4-29-04
Justin Taft, well-known Sangamon County farmer and former Clerk of the Supreme Court, recently published a semi-autobiographical look back at his 80-plus years in a book entitled As I Saw It — A Collection of Short Stories on Rochester and the Taft Family. Taft’s stories are of the homespun variety and recall the days before […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Earth Talk
Dear Earth Talk: Are there toothpastes on the market that don’t contain chemicals or artificial sweeteners? — Jeffrey Moss, Westport, Conn. Most conventional toothpastes use saccharin as a sweetener. Although it has not been proven that saccharin causes cancer in humans, many studies have linked it to cancer in laboratory animals, and some experts, including […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Asparagus success
Warm spring temperatures mean different things to gardeners– lawnmowing, brightly colored spring flowers, fresh produce. My family, for instance, can’t wait for the first garden-fresh lettuce-and-spinach salad — and asparagus from Grandma’s garden. One of the first vegetables harvested in the spring, asparagus emerges when the soil temperature reaches 50°F. This hardy perennial is generally […]
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A dyed-in-the-wool Springfield original
James R. “Bud” Fitzpatrick (1895-82), owner and publisher of the Springfield Citizens Tribune, kept a plaque on his office desk that bore this quotation: “There is nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come.” From these words he drew true inspiration, for apparently he felt that he never had a bad idea and […]
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Lawn joy
Spring rains and warmer temperatures have brought beauty to our yards — bright-yellow daffodils and, for most of us, lush green lawns. Of course, a few folks are happy with anything that’s green, but most prefer a lawn free of weeds. What’s the best way to defend against weeds, insects, and disease? The answer’s simple: […]
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Made by God, delivered by Rechner’s
At the corner of 12th and Reynolds, hard by what was once the site of the John Hay Homes, stands the former residence and business of August Rechner Sr., a native of Baden, Germany, who emigrated from that place to Springfield in 1895 as a 17-year-old boy. The two buildings have borne witness to so […]
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And the 2004 winners are. . .
With so many new plant introductions each year, which ones should you try this year? Almost every horticulture industry association or society names a plant of the year. These award programs offer a useful guide to selecting something new and different. The winners, by definition, are plants with outstanding characteristics. Here are a few herbaceous […]
