Grow: Johnson County

09/19/2025

This summer, Iowa Valley Resource Conservation & Development with the Iowa City Community School District through a SARE grant to host 10 high school interns.

For 10 weeks, students worked alongside the Grow: Johnson County staff one day a week, gaining hands-on experience in seed starting, planting, cultivation, harvest, food safety, and even mechanical repairs.

Programs like this reflect Iowa Valley RC&D’s commitment to farmer training and development, ensuring the next generation is ready to grow strong.

09/05/2025

Volunteer Call for Friday Afternoon!

It's potato harvest day and we'll be pulling thousands of taters out of the dark and into storage for fall community distribution.

We're looking for a few volunteers to ride on the potato harvester and help sort. Friday from 1-4pm. If interested contact [email protected].

09/04/2025

We’re digging this first taste of fall weather, and even more excited for fall flavors + cool season veggies to come.

Join us on September 18th for a special First Taste of Fall Dinner. The menu starts with the bright flavors of late summer and will leave you with the rich + cozy flavors of fall.

🎟️ snag your ticket in our bio

08/21/2025

We’re officially !

Certified Naturally Grown offers peer-review certification to farmers and beekeepers producing food, flowers, and fiber for their local communities by working in harmony with nature, without relying on synthetic chemicals or GMOs.

In July, Scott Booher from took a tour of our fields and inspected our utility room, pesticides, cleaners, and sanitizers to make sure they meet CNO requirements. We’re proud of our new certification!

08/19/2025

Peppers and zinnias make fast friends.

Every year we plant some zinnias in our pepper field. Zinnias are a good companion for hot peppers because they can increase pollinators to help with pepper pollination. Zinnias are one of THE BEST annuals for attracting pollinators.

You can also plant sunflowers near your peppers. Sunflowers are a great companion plant in our solanaceous field. Solanaceous or nightshades plants (like tomatoes, tomatillos, and peppers) benefit from having taller companion plants nearby.

Sunflowers can help keep weeds down, create shade for the soil, attract beneficial insects (like spiders and pollinators) and help keep the peppers from suffering the effects of sun scorching.

08/13/2025

Allium Tartelette, Roasted Chicken, Squash Crème brûlée?!

Save the date! We’re partnering with for a Farm to Table dinner on Thursday, September 18th!

The menu will highlight the transition of the seasons featuring ingredients sourced from local Iowa farms. A portion of the proceeds will directly support our farmer development programs!

Watch this space (or follow Big Grove) tickets will be on sale soon!

08/12/2025

The back half of the summer is for planting fall crops!

So far, we’ve planted our fall brassicas - collards, broccoli, broccolini, red and green cabbage, and planted kohlrabi seeds!

This week, we’ll be planting beets, lettuce and lettuce tell ya, fall crops can’t be beet!

08/07/2025

One of the crops we grow on the farm is Roselle!

Not familiar with Roselle? Roselle, okra, and hibiscus are all cousins, they’re all part of the hibiscus family. You can eat both the flowers and the leaves, the flowers make good tea or jam. The leaves can be cooked or eaten raw in a salad, and is also used in chutneys and soups!

08/06/2025

08/05/2025

Each week, we harvest and distribute all the produce we grow at the farm to our food pantry partners through a partnership with .2.table, a food rescue organization.

Over the last few years our partners, like , , have already been feeling an increased strain on their services.

During the pandemic, Congress temporarily expanded , providing everyone enrolled the maximum amount of benefits for which they were eligible. In March of 2022 when food prices were quickly rising, Iowa ended this policy, becoming one of the first states to do so.

Across the state, Iowa food pantries are facing the increased need for their services after the Trump administration signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which reduced eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 14.8 million people will no longer qualify for SNAP under the new rules.

Our food pantry partners need your help and support. If you are able, consider volunteering with or donating to your local food pantry.