RAGBRAI XLI Overnight Towns Announced

The eight overnight towns for RAGBRAI XLI (July 21-27, 2013) were announced yesterday at the annual Route Announcement Party: Council Bluffs > Harlan > Perry > Des Moines > Knoxville > Oscaloosa> Fairfield > Fort Madison. The pass-through towns of the Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa will be announced in the near future.

Registration for the world's oldest, largest, and longest recreational bike touring event is currently open; the deadline is February 15, 2013 for paper applications and April 1, 2013 for online applications. Lottery results are announced May 1, 2013.

The Boone River Watershed: Why Strip-Till and Cover Crops Matter

This short video features the Smith farm in north-central Iowa, and was produced by the Nature Conservancy, which is working to improve conservation practices among farmers. The organization notes that, "For farmers in Iowa's Boone River watershed, the change to strip-till and cover crops can make sense both economically and environmentally."

For further information about the initiatives sponsored by the Nature Conservancy and its partners in Iowa, as well as other recent videos such as "Restoring Ox Bows on the Boone River" and "How Bioreactors Are Making a Difference in the Boone River Watershed," visit the Nature Conservancy's web site. An index of project areas in Iowa can be found here.

Letterpress Now: A Do-It-Yourself Guide

Jessica C. White, proprietor of Heroes and Criminals Press and co-founder of the Ladies of Letterpress, has authored the recently published book, Letterpress Now: A DIY Guide to New and Old Printing Methods. Published by Lark Crafts, the volume offers how-to information for getting started with letterpress printing, as well as projects and techniques for cylinder presses and both tabletop and full-size platen presses. In addition, the book features seven letterpress printers, a glossary of terms, recommended reading, and other resources.

Wapsipinicon Almanac No. 19

The latest annual installment of the eclectic Wapsipinicon Almanac is now available. Published and letterpress printed since 1988 by Timothy Fay of Route 3 Press, the present issue, as with previous numbers, features an engaging mix of essays, reviews, fiction, poetry, art, wit and wisdom. For those in the Iowa City area, Fay and other contributors will be giving readings from the almanac at Prairie Lights bookstore at 7 pm on January 25, 2013.

Number 19 can be purchased at bookstores or directly by writing the publisher at Wapsipinicon Almanac, 19948 Shooting Star Road, Anamosa, Iowa 52205. Single copies are $8, plus $2.50 for postage; Iowa residents should also include 56-cents for sales tax.

The cover shown here is based on an linocut by artist Lindsay Whitmore. A brief history of the publication can be viewed at the Almanac's website.