^{Speakers: (left to right) Zach Schumm, Lisa Hinzman Howard, Michelle Wiegand.}

Gardeners and anyone looking to expand their knowledge about healthy ecosystems are invited to attend a Community Speakers Series 2026 hosted by the Johnson County Master Gardeners and Hills Bank.

The presentations focus on insects, good and bad, vegetable gardening for all seasons, and embracing nature’s goodness. The free program is open to community members and designed to give gardeners of all experience levels confidence and knowledge to create beautiful, functional gardens and enjoy nature.

The program will be presented in person on Sunday, March 22, from 1 – 4:30 p.m., at the Johnson County Extension Office, 3109 Old Hwy 218 South, Iowa City. There is no fee to participate; however, registration is requested at https://go.iastate.edu/FCT78M.

Three one-hour presentations will be featured.

1 p.m. — Beneficial Insects and Natural Enemies in Home Gardens. Zach Schumm, Insect Diagnostician, Iowa State University. Zach’s program will cover the identification and biology of common natural enemies, the theory behind biological control, and issues surrounding blanket statements of the word “pest.” He turned his fascination with insects into a career dedicated to entomology, diagnostics, and conservation.

2:15 p.m. — Vegetable Gardening for All Seasons. Lisa Hinzman Howard, recognized in the gardening community as the Midwest Garden Gal, inspires gardeners to embrace the global movement to “grow your food to know your food.” She shares strategies to get the most from your garden to maximize yields, extend harvests, and grow successfully in even the coldest climates. A Linn County Master Gardener volunteer, Lisa has built a reputation as an author, blogger, speaker, consultant, and podcast guest. Midwest Garden Gal, LLC, offers in-person and online classes as well as personalized garden consultations. Her book, Cheap Tricks Gardening: ‘Cause You Don’t Need to Spend a Fortune for Fabulous, was published in 2022.  

3:30 p.m. — Get Outside! Embracing Nature’s Goodness for our Minds and Bodies. Michelle Wiegand, Johnson County Conservation Naturalist. Her lifelong love of the outdoors continues to shape her career and community impact. A native of Iowa City, Michelle developed a deep connection to nature as a child—a foundation that inspires her belief that every community deserves access to parks and thriving green spaces. She blends education, social work, community development, and outdoor recreation into a career dedicated to connecting people with the natural world.

Attendance provides continuing education credit hours. The presentation will also be streamed live on City Channel 4. The program will be recorded for rebroadcast on the City Channel 4 YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/@cityofiowacityiowa.

Audience members are encouraged to bring a reusable/refillable water bottle to the program and adopt our initiative to avoid using single-use plastics: Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.