November 3, 2026 | Education
Learning from the Weather, Growing for the Future!
Where Weather, Science, and Farming Meet
What can a little weather data teach us about growing food, conserving water, and preparing the next generation? Quite a lot, as we’re discovering at the Cultivate Hope Urban Farm!
Thanks to a grant from the Giacoletto Foundation, a new weather station is giving Matthew 25 real-time information about rainfall, temperature, heat index, and soil moisture. And it’s already becoming much more than another piece of equipment.
The weather station is helping our farm team make smarter growing decisions, conserve water, and create exciting hands-on learning opportunities for young people.
Surprising Discoveries Beneath the Soil
“One inch of rain a week is usually considered enough,” explained Kendal Hausmann, Matthew 25 Education Director. “But now we can see how quickly that moisture is leaving the soil and whether we really need to be watering.”
Some of the most interesting discoveries have come from soil sensors placed in three different growing areas: a traditional field plot, a raised bed, and a beetle bank filled with native plants and mulch.
The results weren’t always what our farm team expected!
Raised beds absorbed water quickly but also dried out quickly. Field soil gained moisture fast and held it longer. The beetle bank took more time to become fully saturated, but once wet, it retained a high moisture level.
These discoveries could influence how we grow food in the future. Adding heavier mulch and more ground cover, for example, may help keep moisture in the soil during dry periods.
The weather station also helps our team monitor heat conditions so staff, volunteers, and students can work safely during hot Iowa summers.
Growing Knowledge Along with Food
Beyond helping us grow food more efficiently, the weather station is creating new educational opportunities.
Students participating in our food camps and Youth Development Program can use actual weather data to track patterns, graph changes, and make predictions about how weather and soil affect food production.
And the learning won’t stop at the farm!
Because the station connects through Wi-Fi, local Cedar Rapids classrooms can access the data remotely, giving teachers and students an opportunity to explore weather patterns and growing conditions right here in their own community.
Looking Toward the Future
Farming has always required careful observation. Now, with information gathered directly from the land, our team can make more informed decisions about watering, planting, and caring for crops.
Over time, these discoveries will help Matthew 25 better understand our local growing conditions, use resources wisely, and teach students of all ages how closely weather, soil, water, and food are connected.
It’s one more way we’re growing food, growing knowledge, and investing in a stronger community.
Read more from our autumn 2026 newsletter