Big Mike’s B-town: Cohousing Project with Marion Sinclair and Loren Wood

Michael G. Glab

The term “building community” is rarely taken literally, but a fledgling project in town is doing just that. The Bloomington Cohousing Project is planning a collaborative housing community on the south side of Bloomington, where homeowners will live in individual houses but share other common amenities. Writer Michael Glab talks to co-founder Marion Sinclair and builder Loren Wood in his latest Big Mike's B-town. Click here to read the full story.

October 25, 2018

Buying from local farmers is a sure way to avoid foods from who-knows-where and grown with who-knows-what chemicals. And there are a variety of ways to make organic food more affordable, says writer Jared Posey. Be sure to talk to each vendor about their growing methods in order to ensure they are organic. | Limestone Post

Making Organic Food Affordable

Jared Posey

Foods from who-knows-where, loaded with marketing claims that mean who-knows-what, can make finding a healthful meal a nightmare, writes Jared Posey. He shares his tips on how to make organic food more affordable — from growing your own organic produce to making your own organic “value-added” products. Click here to read the full story.

August 14, 2018

Sponsorship

Since 2010, the Bloomington Community Orchard has grown from a grassy acre into a fully planted orchard. But its roots stretch throughout the city and beyond, connecting with community members, businesses, and other organizations through such programs as skill-sharing classes and partner plantings. | Illustration by Mark Blaney

Guest Column: Roots of Community Orchard Spread Across Town

Megan Betz, Mark Blaney

Since 2010, the Bloomington Community Orchard has grown from a grassy acre into a fully planted orchard. But its roots stretch throughout the city, connecting with community members, businesses, and other organizations through skill-sharing classes, partner plantings, and other programs. In this guest column, BCO volunteer Megan Betz writes about the project — and the mysteriously vanishing peaches! Click here to read the full story.

July 17, 2018

You can help out in the Bloomington Community Orchard during their Work and Learn Days on Wednesday evenings. | Photo courtesy of Bloomington Community Orchard

Out-of-the-Ordinary Summer Events for Your Next Adventure

Sierra Vandervort

A-a-a-ah, summer. Bloomington is a different town when school is out. The traffic is thinner, the pace is slower, and the small-town feel really settles in. Boring? Hardly. Here’s a short list of out-of-the-ordinary events to keep your summer happening — all during the week! Click here to read the full story.

June 15, 2017

Stephanie Solomon, the director of education and outreach at Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, says the problem of food insecurity is broader and more systemic than many people realize. Monroe County is tied for the fourth-highest hunger rate in the state. | Photo by Natasha Komoda

Food Insecurity, Part 1: Misconceptions Persist About Who Needs Help Getting Food

Sarah Gordon, Natasha Komoda

In this three-part series, Sarah Gordon investigates the popular misconceptions about “food insecurity” — the inability to afford nutritious, or even enough, food. Most people considered food insecure are seniors and families with children. Many are our neighbors. Local experts say the problem is more systemic than most people are aware. Click here to read the full story.

March 21, 2016

Sponsorship

Among the Finalists for the National Book Award is "Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude," a collection of poems by Indiana University professor Ross Gay. | Photo by Natasha Komoda

Book by Local Poet Ross Gay Selected as Finalist for the National Book Award

Brian Hartz, Natasha Komoda

The National Book Foundation just announced the Finalists for the National Book Award. Among them is Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, a collection of poems by Indiana University professor Ross Gay. In this profile by Brian Hartz, Gay reflects on his work, on the powerful influence Bloomington has had on his poetry, and what this national recognition means to him. Click here to read the full story.

October 14, 2015

Two young girls bob for apples at a previous Bloomington Community Orchard Cider Fest. | Photo courtesy of Bloomington Community Orchard

Community Orchard Embodies the ‘Core Values’ of Bloomington

Jen Hockney Bratton

Cider Fest, on Saturday October 10, celebrates more than just the apples picked at the Bloomington Community Orchard. Jen Hockney Bratton’s article shows how the five-year-old project has influenced many lives in many ways, and what remarkable things are accomplished when a group of people align themselves with the “core values” of a community. Click here to read the full story.

October 8, 2015

Honeybees swarm their hive at Bloomington Community Orchard. | Limestone Post

Bee-Town Gets Busy: The State of All Things Bee and How You Can Help

Susan M. Brackney

While the honeybee population in Monroe County is thriving, studies show Indiana's colony loss is worse than the national average. Bloomington beekeeper Susan M. Brackney addresses the complicated and troubling issue, and she offers advice on helping not only honeybees but also bumblebees, butterflies, and other native pollinators. Click here to read the full story.