Home & Garden – TheMinotVoice.com

The hidden history of Philadelphia’s window-box gardens and their role in urban reform

by: MinotVoice | April 26, 2025

In Philadelphia, a simple window box holds more than just flowers — it carries a history of activism, community, and resilience. Historian Sonja Dümpelmann traces how women in the 19th and 20th centuries used these small gardens to beautify neighborhoods, foster social reform, and fight urban decay. Today, window boxes remain a vibrant tradition, though

Read & Share sourced from: The Conversation

Dakota Gardener: Common names

By: Joe Zeleznik, NDSU Extension Service | April 20, 2025

You’re not from around here, are you? It was my first spring in North Dakota and I was talking with some tree-care professionals in the Bismarck area. We were discussing some health problems that trees had suffered over the winter. They were basswood trees, or so I thought. The Bismarck folks called them American linden

Read & Share sourced from: NDSU Extension Service

Prairie Fare: Let’s explore the food in our cupboards

By: Julie Garden-Robinson, NDSU Extension Service | April 19, 2025

The other day, my husband sent me a text with a link to a story about old food. Someone had found 25-year-old mayonnaise that looked like caramel. Not good. Later, I was reaching deep into my cupboards to see if any food had eluded us. Our cupboards came with the house and are not as

Read & Share sourced from: NDSU Extension Service

The Pasque

by: MinotVoice | April 13, 2025

Long before smartphones told us when spring had arrived, people on the prairie watched for something simpler — the first soft bloom of the pasque flower. It wasn’t just a sign of warmer days; it was a signal to pause, reflect, and greet the season with gratitude. Across generations — from Dakota elders to prairie

Read & Share sourced from: Prairie Public News

Dakota Gardener: Spuds, superstitions and springtime soil

By: Esther McGinnis, NDSU Extension Service | April 13, 2025

One of my students posed the question, “Why does tradition suggest that we should plant our seed potatoes on Good Friday?” Yes, my student stumped me and motivated me to research the origins of this advice. The answer lies in the global history of food crops. Native to the mountains of Peru, the potato was

Read & Share sourced from: NDSU Extension Service

Prairie Fare: Try these tips to spring-clean your kitchen

By: Julie Garden-Robinson, NDSU Extension Service | April 12, 2025

We tend to hang onto things in our family — all of us, except, perhaps, our son. If I give him things, I’ll later find out he sold the items. I recently offered him a chair — one we bought him when he was in college — from our basement. “If you bring me that

Read & Share sourced from: NDSU Extension Service

Dakota Gardener: Water you growing?

By: Emily How, NDSU Extension Service | April 6, 2025

Last summer I had an amazing opportunity to attend the National Urban Extension Leadership conference in Nashville, Tennessee. During the conference, I listened to a group talk about how they hydroponically grew lettuce in a gallon jug. Immediately, I thought this was something I needed to try back home in North Dakota. I mean, growing

Read & Share sourced from: NDSU Extension Service

Dakota Gardener: The year of milkweed

By: Kelsey Deckert, NDSU Extension Service | March 30, 2025

Each year the National Garden Bureau chooses plants of the year. I always look forward to which plants they pick and learning more about each plant. This year among the chosen is Asclepias or milkweed. The genus name is derived from Asclephius, the Greek god of healing. The common name of Milkweed is due

Read & Share sourced from: NDSU Extension Service

Peace Garden prep work readies the grounds for spring planting

by: MinotVoice | March 28, 2025

Spring is bringing new life to the International Peace Garden, where staff are preparing for a vibrant season of planting and volunteer events. Annuals grown at Saddler’s Greenhouse will arrive in late May, just in time for volunteer planting days on June 14 and 21. This year’s outdoor garden theme, “Peace,” will feature colorful designs

Read & Share sourced from: Discover Westman

Dakota Gardener: Give salvia a try

By: Carrie Knutson, NDSU Extension Service | March 23, 2025

Every year, I plant something different in my containers in the front of my house, trying to find that perfect plant. Maybe it’s because I don’t keep notes and can’t remember what I planted, but we won’t get into that. I want something that can handle some shade and lots of wind, and feed the

Read & Share sourced from: NDSU Extension Service

Dakota Gardener: New vegetable varieties with amazing flavors

By: Tom Kalb, NDSU Extension Service | March 16, 2025

This is a great time to be a gardener. The temperatures are getting warmer and the days are getting longer. Spring is coming! Many of us will be planting a garden soon. The good news is there are lots of new varieties available this spring that were bred to be absolutely delicious. North Dakota State

Read & Share sourced from: NDSU Extension Service

Williston Invests in Homeowners with Neighborhood Revitalization Program

by: MinotVoice | March 15, 2025

Keeping a home in good shape isn’t just about comfort—it’s about maintaining the character and stability of a community. Williston’s Neighborhood Revitalization Program, backed by $2 million from Gate City Bank, offers affordable financing to help homeowners make crucial repairs and upgrades. From foundation fixes to energy-efficient improvements, the program makes revitalization more accessible. With

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Dakota Gardener: Finding winter sanctuary in the Como Conservatory

By: Esther McGinnis, NDSU Extension Service | March 2, 2025

As a gardener, I have had it with this frigid winter. I long to experience lush greenery but it is too early to start my flower seeds. Booking a flight to Florida isn’t in the budget. However, a long weekend in St. Paul, Minnesota, can hit the spot for those seeking to satisfy the chlorophyll

Read & Share sourced from: NDSU Extension Service

Dakota Gardener: Brightening up the winter days

By: Emily How, NDSU Extension Service | February 23, 2025

It’s official…the winter blues have hit me hard this year. As a native Texan, I never fare well with the winter but usually manage ok until March. If you are in the same boat as me, then a houseplant, or two, or three, may be your new best friend. As I sit in my office

Read & Share sourced from: NDSU Extension Service

Dakota Gardener: How to keep your green thumb busy in the winter

By: Kelsey Deckert, NDSU Extension Service | February 15, 2025

Groundhog Day was Feb. 2 and Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, which means another six weeks of winter. I don’t know about you, but this isn’t a shock for me. Most North Dakotans come to expect this prediction. As gardeners in the North, winter can seem to drag on and when we get a couple

Read & Share sourced from: NDSU Extension Service

Co-Living Provides Community, Not Just Housing

by: Josh Wolsky | February 10, 2025

Noah Tang’s journey from recent divorce to practical solution reveals an approach to the housing crisis that is often overlooked. Living alone in a spacious Victorian house, he transformed his spare rooms into affordable rentals for students and interns. This arrangement not only eased his mortgage concerns but also addressed a growing need for flexible

Read & Share sourced from: Strong Towns