Cedar Falls: No magic pill was planted to make the Prairie Parkway garden grow.
This garden was grown with simple, century-old labor, dedicated volunteers, community support, and a mission to educate people about healthy eating.
The goal, said outfielder Rich Congdon, is to improve quality of life, especially for people with diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions.
Rich Congdon places plants in a raised bed at Prairie Parkway Gardens in Cedar Falls.
"There's really nothing like being outside and gardening, growing and harvesting your own crops. We want to teach people how to do it themselves," said Congdon, who suffers of diabetes.
In 2019, when UnityPoint Health-Prairie Parkway opened, Prairie Parkway Garden took root on what was originally a planted lawn. Located in the northeast corner, it has become a weed. A partnership between UnityPoint and the Cedar Falls Lions Club reclaimed the land for the park. The Lions Club manages the park, in keeping with its mission to provide resources to raise diabetes awareness and promote a healthy lifestyle.
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Congdon designed the garden. He calls it a hands-on "learning center" because classes, programs and demonstrations take place during the growing season.
Jenny Bruce of Cedar Falls manages Prairie Parkway Gardens.
"We offer a series of free classes for small groups of five to 10 people. They learn and learn a few skills, then we show them how to cook out of season."
Jenny Bruce from Cedar Falls works here almost every day, weeding, watering and harvesting. He is a firm believer in the joy that local produce brings to the table.
"It's a therapeutic exercise and it's nice to get out into the dirt and the garden. This garden provides a great opportunity to learn how to plant and maintain a garden, how to grow your own food," said Bruce, who was director. of the garden for three years.
A youth diabetes camp is held every June. Additionally, there are experiences for people with dementia and their caregivers, including structured activities, snacks, and a social experience.
Greenhouse at Prairie Parkway Gardens.
With each new season, the park expands. It now has several raised beds that were built on the site by Lions Club members to grow vegetables from scratch. Raised beds are more accessible to older gardeners and those who have difficulty balancing, bending, kneeling or rising from the ground.
"And you can control the soil. It makes weeding and watering easier and reduces disease. They also drain better and are easier to harvest."
Different methods and techniques of growing produce in the backyard are presented, such as vertical farming. A new exhibition space is under construction. There is a potato field. Raspberry cake with strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. plenty of room to grow melons, melons and squash; and garden pollinators.
A view of the flower boxes at Prairie Parkway Gardens in Cedar Falls.
“We added a new tomato field this year,” Congdon explained. “Everyone loves growing tomatoes and we have lots of them – red, yellow, orange – so people can see what they look like and how they taste.
“We have popular 'Super Sweet 100', 'Honey Delight', a yellow cherry tomato and 'Porterhouse', a variety of steaks. We also grow traditional tomatoes like 'Abe Lincoln' and 'Kellogg's Breakfast Tomato'.
The orchard is filled with 55 fruit trees, including MacIntosh, Honeycrisp and Fuji apples, as well as pears, peaches, cherries and plums. UnityPoint's pastor and garden doctor, Dr. Dan Glascock, came up with the idea to plant the garden after recalling childhood memories of his father's garden.
There is also a hoop, barn, compost bins, electricity and irrigation. The new greenhouse allows the cultivation of carrots and radishes during the winter months. Walkways and rest areas are places where visitors can walk, sit and relax.
View of the rotunda, barn and flower boxes at Prairie Parkway Gardens in Cedar Falls.
Some of the produce is shipped home with the volunteers, and the extra harvested vegetables and fruit are placed in bins for patients and UnityPoint Prairie Parkway staff to help themselves. In addition, the products are used in cooking shows.
"You can learn how food is grown, but what do you do with it? How does it taste? I want people to appreciate where their food comes from and get back to cooking."
For more information or to volunteer, go online to parkwaygarden.org.
Prairie Parkway Gardening Class
"Hot Pea Porridge Garden Class", 10:00-12:00, June 27
Herbs and more, 5:00-7:00 p.m., July 11
"Carrots and Cucumbers", July 20 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
“Beans and potatoes of all colors”, 5-7 p.m., July 25.
"All the colors of Yummy Toms", 5-8 p.m., August 10
“Peppers & Stuff,” 10 a.m.-noon, August 15
Salsa competition, 5:00-7:00 p.m., August 24
"Zucchinis and potatoes", 5-7 p.m., September 14
Harvest and cider festival, 5 p.m.-7 p.m., October 10
Classes are free, children can attend with adults.
5 heat-tolerant plants for a thriving summer garden
1. Tomatoes
There's nothing quite like fresh, ripe summer tomatoes picked from your own garden. This delicious and versatile fruit comes in a myriad of shapes and colors, from hearty fleshy tomatoes to the sweetest cherry varieties. Choosing the most heat-resistant tomatoes, like Celebrity, Bella Rosa, or Black Cherry, will help you reap even greater rewards. Consistent daily watering is the key to these thirsty plants.
2. basil
What's better with tomatoes than fresh basil and mozzarella? This aromatic herb blooms in the summer months and grows best with six or more hours of daily sunlight. Frequent harvesting can really help a basil plant thrive, so pick a few leaves whenever you want to make your own pesto or caprese salad.
3. Sunflower
What summer garden is complete without sunflowers? These tall, bright blooms will bring a little cheer to any garden. Teddy Bear and Mammoth varieties are known for their heat tolerance and sturdy stems, but most sunflowers thrive in warm climates. You can even harvest the seeds for a delicious snack.
4. Eggplant
Many varieties of brinjal, including Black Beauty and Ichiban, do well in the height of summer and enjoy basking in full sun. This flavorful and versatile vegetable is the perfect addition to a hearty ratatouille, or you can grill it as a hearty side dish.
5. Xenia
While many flowers wilt in hot weather, heat-tolerant zinnias provide a burst of color on the hottest days. In addition to thriving in sunny conditions, zinnias are drought tolerant, making them a handy option if you occasionally forget to water your garden.
