April / February 2008 Eric Keisler, Executive Director at Beaver Creek Reserve Gives ECAMGA A Flyover of BCR s Programs and Resources

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1 April 2016 / February 2008 Eric Keisler, Executive Director at Beaver Creek Reserve Gives ECAMGA A Flyover of BCR s Programs and Resources Eric Keisler is in his fourth year as Executive Director at Beaver Creek Reserve (BCR). Interestingly, he grew up on BCR in that BCR played a big part in his growing up years for entertainment and education. Picture by Jo-Ann Clark BCR began in 1946 as the Eau Claire County Youth Camp on 160 acres. The current facility is over 400 acres, which includes both county owned and private land. Coming out of World War II, the camp was designed to get kids out doors. Today the facility has buildings valued at over $5.3 million and about 50,000 people visit the reserve each year. Today the County owns the buildings and part of the land and Friends of the Reserve operates BCR. Eric is an employee of the Friends organization as are the other 11 employees. Presently the Weise Nature Center is undergoing a redo upgrading exhibits and putting in new kiosks on the campus. Over the last few years there have been numerous upgrades to the facilities which includes the Cedar Lodge (2 wings which sleeps 15 per side with 2 individual rooms), five individual cabins (10 bunks in each cabin with recently remodeled shower facilities) and the Green House where the native plant sale features over 2000 plants (last year these were all sold out by mid morning). There are over 9 miles of trails at BCR and, in the four county area, is the only nature reserve facility that rents gear at the trail site. In addition, the Butterfly House has brought families out to the Reserve on a daily basis. This has become a multi-generational activity that is open annually from July 5 to the day before Labor Day. There are Nature Nook Pods that are targeted for early childhood enjoyment and learning also. Along with all of this the facility is responsible for raising over 1,000 Monarch Butterflies each year. Annually the Reserve also holds a Butterfly Festival the first Sunday in August. The Citizen Science Center is also a very important part of BCR. This past year the Center has received over $150,000 in grants and also has had some contracts with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for providing research and services for that agency. During the year some 85 different schools bring tours out to the reserve. Overall the facility is very well utilized for their size according to Keisler. Another interesting aspect of the reserve is the fact that a charter school (The Weldman School) meets out of the Citizen Service Center and a lot of the projects those 60 students work on tie in directly with BCR s programs. Interestingly, there are numerous clubs that meet out at BCR. These include a quilting club, photography, birding, watercolor painting, a bee club, an astronomy club and others. BCR has become, not only a nature reserve, but a community center. Keisler said that BCR s success is due to the volunteers that make all the programs possible. They collectively contribute (Continued on page 7) BCR can ALWAYS use some more volunteers to maintain and expand their programs and facilities. If you are interested in getting involved give them a call. They will provide you with training and a unique opportunity to serve the community through the BCR programs. INSIDE: Local Master Gardener News - 2 Upcoming Events 3 Bits and Pieces - 6

2 Page 2 Eau Claire Area Master Gardener New April 2016 Local Master Gardener News Changing ? Moving? If you do, please remember to notify the ECAMG and the newsletter editor of your new address and/or mailing address so you don t miss any Eau Claire Area Master Gardener happenings! you re new Information to Carol Cox at c7w6c2200@charter.net Or notify her by snail mail at 1908 Hogeboom Ave., Eau Claire, WI (or call her at ). ECAMGA BOARD MEMBER CONTACT INFO NAME/TITLE address Phone number Erin LaFaive Erin.lafaive@ces.uwex.edu Mary Jane Griffin mgriffinhlaa@gmail.com Dick Lienhardt dicklienhardt@yahoo.com Nancy Spak nancyspak@gmail.com Ede Strand edestrand@aol.com Amy Boettcher myamybird@aol.com Carla Pelzl jcpelzl@gmail.com Nina Logan ninalogan@centurylink.net MGV Bulletin Board Postings Stories and Opportunities!!!! Bulletin Board Postings Deb Spickler rvsrfun@aol.com Lori Kempen lorikempen@charter.net NOTE: The ECAMGA Board minutes no longer appears in the newsletter. You may access them by going to the website at eauclairemastergardeners.weebly.com HAPPY SPRING MASTER GARDENERS! Remember, Sunday, June 12, 2016 is the new date for the ECAMGA Plant Sale to be held in conjunction with the Hosta Society and: -Your help is needed to make this a success! -Start thinking about what you will be able to donate! -perennials -annual herbs & flowers -vegetable plants -shrubs & trees -save cardboard carriers to use at the sale. -bring plants potted up, labeled (plant name, etc.) & sale ready. -bring some of your unusual and more exotic plants also. -sign up to help at the sale (in increments of 2 hour shifts). Signup will begin in May. If you have any questions, call Susan Merten at or her at susmerten@wwt. Invasive Species Program Kathy Stahl, Chairperson for The Prairie Enthusiasts and the Lower Chippewa Invasive Partnership, will be speaking on invasive species entering the Chippewa Valley. Not only will she tell about the invasives already seen here, but also about those new ones threatening to enter our area. As Master Gardeners we need to be able to identify them, know how to destroy them, and how to prevent more infestations from occurring. This informative presentation will be held on April 19 at the Eau Claire County UW Extension Office in Altoona (227 First St. West ) at 6:30 pm. This program is free and open to the public. Bring a friend. Snacks and door prizes will be available. ECAMGA 2016 Calendar All meetings at UW-Extension Office unless otherwise noted April 19, 2016: Katherine Stahl, Prairie Enthusiasts May 17, 2016: Gardening with Heirloom Varieties/Andy Heren & Gary Mathis June 12, 2016: annual plant sale in conjunction w/nw Hosta Society. June 2016: tour of two gardens July : Planting Ground Covers to improve Soil Health - Chad Zutter/Elk Mound Seeds August 30, 2016: Canning & Preserving Harvested Food/Catherine Emmanuelle (note date change) September 2016: Don Albrecht: Permaculture with Fruit Trees and Companion Planting September 30: Volunteer hours due in October 18, 2016: Kristina Beuning: Honey Bees On Our Farm November 15, 2016: Larry Bennett: Winter Bird Feeding Ideas December 2016: Annual Potluck, Christmas Party and Election of Board Members

3 Page 3 Eau Claire Area Master Gardener April 2016 Upcoming Events BARRON COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS SPRING EXPO April 2, 2016 WITC Conference Center 1900 College Drive Rice Lake, WI 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (Registration starts at 8:30 a.m.) Keynote speaker Michael Heger will present on Best Performing Perennials for Zones 3 & 4 and Shade Perennials to Enhance Your Landscape. Other speakers include Jerry Clark, Crops and Soils Educator for UW-Extension Chippewa County, on Growing Strawberries and Blueberries, and Faye Ryszkiewicz, owner of Fryszkies Country Gardens in Caryville, Wisconsin will present Grow Edibles Without All the a Garden. flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today. A wagon filled with garden supplies valued at $400 will be available through Chinese the purchase Proverb of a raffle ticket. Vendors will also be on site to sell their wares or promote their products to those interested in gardening. Vendors will be selling various garden art and garden-related items. Pre-registrations are due at the Extension Office by Friday, March 28. Registration is $30 and includes a continental breakfast, lunch and afternoon break provided by WITC. Registration the day of the expo will cost $35 (lunch is not guaranteed). Registrations for the Spring Expo should be mailed to Barron County-UW Extension, 335 E. Monroe Avenue, Room 2206, Barron, WI by March 28. Please include your name, address, phone number and address along with the $30 fee ($35 after March 28) made out to BCMG. You may also register online at Please call the extension office at for more information. All the flowers of all the tomorrows ae in the seeds of today. -Chinese Proverb MONDOVI GARDEN CLUB AND FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY PLANT, BOOK, AND BAKE SALE APRIL 30, 2016 MARTEN CENTER, MONDOVI 8:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. LARGE SELCTION OF PERENNIALS - $3/POT PLUS A VARIETY OF BOOKS AND BAKED GOODS The 2nd Annual Jam It For The Planet-Mama Earth celebration is occurring April 23rd, 2016 at The Plus in downtown Eau Claire. This ALL AGE music, environment, business expo will feature great music and the opportunity for community organizations to connect with community members. Jam It For The Planet is pleased to once again open up to the community our request for guest speakers and exhibitors for our Earth Day event. This year's theme Mama Earth focuses on female leadership in sustainability. We are looking for assistance in identifying local community members that are interested in presenting on a variety of environmental topics for roughly 15 minutes throughout the afternoon portion of the event. All interested community members will be eligible to participate, with preference given to individuals and organizations that are committed to female leadership in environmental practices. Interested persons should contact the Jam It team via jamitfortheplanet@gmail.com

4 Page 4 Eau Claire Area Master Gardener News April 2016 Beaver Creek Reserve S1 County Road K, Fall Creek, WI bcr@beavercreekreserve.org Phone: Upcoming Events: Grassland Bird Monitoring: April 20, 2016 from 5:00 until 6:30 p.m. at the Citizen Science Center. Grassland bird populations have been declining across the country. Learn how to identify grassland birds and take part in surveys to determine the species and abundance of birds that live along the Lower Chippewa River. This is a great opportunity to spend time "in the field" with other birders learning the local grassland birds. Registration and full payment required by April 15. Cost is $5 for Friends; $8 for Nonmembers. There are 24 spots available. Frog Fest: April 26, 2016 from 7 until 8:30 p.m. at the Wise Nature Center. The Chippewa Valley is home to some really great music festivals, but one you might not know about is our annual Frog Fest. Each spring as ponds across Wisconsin thaw, a concert of sounds begins featuring the vocals of as many as eleven different frog performers and one toad. Join Reserve naturalist Ruth Forsgren, as she helps you to identify by sight and sound our local Frog Fest performers. Weather and trail conditions permitting, the evening will end with a hike down to Beaver Creek's own frog chorus marsh. The program is designed for school-aged children and older. Dress appropriately for cool evening weather and possible muddy terrain. Flashlights recommended, but not necessary. Cost: $3 for Friends - Child, $5 for Friends - Adult, $4 for Nonmember - Child, $8 for Nonmember Adult. There are 32 spots available. No need to call Cricket Master, register online today. To register for the above programs go to the BCR website at: Upcoming Classes Upcoming Classes Saturday, April 2, 10:00 a.m. Veggie & Herb Gardening 101: New to grow your own food? This class is for you. Everything from planning the layout of your garden or container to what to plant and when. We will also cover companion plants and harvesting. Growing your own food is a much healthier way to live. Find out how to get started at this class. Thursday, April 21 and 28 th at 6:30 p.m. Spring Hanging Basket Workshop: Personally design your very own hanging basket. We will walk through the greenhouse to choose and pick out plants that will fit your specific sun needs and fill out your basket. Then you ll get to plant your basket and take it home with you to enjoy all season long. Cost: Build your own; only pay for what you take home Arndt Lane, Eau Claire WI, or - home@dwntoearth.com Website: April 19 th Herbs Growing and Cooking Basics Class: Come and learn how to successfully grow herbs and how to use and store them during the harvest. April 30 Free Seminars: 10:00 a.m. Straw Bale & Earth Box Gardening; 1:00 p.m. Perennials New and Old; 3:00 p.m. Miniature Fairy Gardens To register today or for more information go to: maysfloralgarden.com or call May s Floral Garden 3424 Jeffers Rd Eau Claire, WI 54701

5 Page 5 Eau Claire Area Master Gardener News April 2016 Tiffany Bottoms Mini-Car Train Ride May 14, 2016 The Prairie Enthusiasts Join an open-air train ride to deep into remote areas of the 13,000-acre Tiffany Bottoms Wildlife Area s extensive lowland hardwood wetlands, wet meadows, open prairies, and floodplain savannas within the heart of the Lower Chippewa River. This remarkable area contains 25% of Wisconsin s remaining native prairie remnants. May is the peak of spring bird migration and an excellent location to witness the migration. The area is a concentration area for waterfowl and songbirds, and it is estimated that as many as 30 species of warblers can be found in the Tiffany Wildlife Area. To maximize the bird watching experience, our train will be leaving at 7am so that birders can catch the dawn chorus. An ornithologist will be on the train to guide our bird identification and share knowledge about bird behavior. Along the way, riders will have the opportunity to venture out on foot and explore various habitats. We will be focusing on prairie and savanna areas. Riders will be able to walk with several local experts who will share their knowledge about the region's ecology, natural history, and habitat management. Cost: $30 per person (non-tpe members). $25 per person (TPE members). Space is limited. Payment will confirm your registration and ensure your seat on the train. No refunds. This is a fundraiser: funds will go towards Chippewa Savannas-TPE efforts to restore prairie and savanna habitats and educational events. Registration: Make checks out to TPE-Chippewa Savannas. Include your name and the names of those accompanying you, and your address and telephone number to you a confirmation of your registration. (We do not share addresses.) Send checks to: Caroljean Coventree, W th Avenue, Spring Valley, WI Questions: theprairieenthusiasts.csc@gmail.com or call: Time: Arrive: 6:45 AM; Train departs: 7:00AM; Train returns: 12:00 noon. A Burning Opportunity!! On April 16, 2016 from 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. the Prairie Enthusiasts are sponsoring basic burn crewmember training coarse for fire management of prairie burns. For more information call Kathy Ruggles at Lunch / Weather: There will be a lunch stop. Riders provide their own lunch, snacks, and water. Dress appropriately for the weather. If you participate in the walks off the train, there will be occasional rough terrain that may be wet so wear sturdy footwear. The ride will occur rain or shine. A porta-potty will be available on the ride. Directions: From Durand take Highway 25 south. As you travel south, you will notice that highway parallels an old railroad track. Approximately 4 miles south of Durand, Thibodeau Road "T's" with Highway 25, on the east (left) side of Highway 25. The train will be on the west side of 25. To park: drive into the DNR parking lot on the same side as the train, turn right, drive through the gate and drive into the field to park. You can then take a trail through the trees to the end of the train. For a map, click on the red points on the following Google map: Photo provided by Arlyn Colby We spend our lives hurrying away from the real, as though it were deadly to us. "It must be up there somewhere on the horizon," we think. And all the time it is in the soil, right beneath our feet. ~William Bryant Logan, Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth

6 Page 6 Eau Claire Area Master Gardener April 2016 Bits and Pieces Purify The Air With Plants Plants that are brought indoor for the winter add charm to our homes but there are also health benefits to be had in the form of purification of the air in our homes (and, some, like the Aloe plant, even have some medicinal value). Here is a list of some of these plants that will not only help improve the air quality in our homes but are very easy to grow. They are: 1. Aloe Plant 2. English Ivy 3. Rubber Tree 4. Peace Lily 5. Snake Plant 6. Bamboo Palm 7. Philodendron 8. Spider Plant 9. Red-Edged Dracaena 10. Golden Pothos The Baobab tree, (Adansonia digitata) is a deciduous tree that grows in stony, welldrained areas in Africa and Australia. The tree can live to be 3,000 years old and is regarded as the largest succulent plant in the world. For more information on this unusual tree go to: For more information go to: This little planter (to the left) is cute and crafty and easy to assemble with some of the googly eyes and a bottle cap for a nose. Above right every garden needs a cute kitty to keep the gardener company! Below Miss Kitty is a simple idea for a bird feeder (not sure about how squirrel proof it is). And, last, what need accessories to decorate a birdhouse. A new twist to the concept of raised beds to grow veggies. (Item found on Pinterest). Old gardeners never die, they just run out of thyme. ~Gardening Saying

7 Page 7 Eau Claire Area Master Gardener News April 2016 Midnight Ruffles Hellebore by Carol Cox Hellebores, also known as Lenten Rose, bloom early often coming out from under the snow in bloom. Double black hellebores, like the Midnight Ruffles variety, are very dramatic and sought after. They retain their color for up to 12 weeks after the flowers age gone. The hellebore is native to Europe and Asia. The flowers have five petal-like sepals that surrounding a ring of small, cup-like nectaries, which are actually petals, modified to hold nectar. The sepals actually do not fall as petals would, but remain on the plant, sometimes for months. The persistence of the sepals actually contributes to the development of the seeds. Hellebores can be naturalized in woodland areas where its extensive root system will spread as far as it is allowed. All together it is one of the loveliest of woodland flowers. So long Winter, it s been great but An interesting gate (as per Pinterest). These are shade tolerant, surprisingly frost-resistant and, many are evergreen (and deer resistant). The most popular and easiest to grow are the Oriental hybrid hellebores (Helleborus x hybridus cvs). I have admired these plants for years but they did not fit with in my zone 4 garden. However, there has been quite a bit of breeding and development among the hellebores in recent years and we now have varieties that are hardy in our zone 4 gardens. Another variety that I have in my garden and have enjoyed is Ivory Prince. For more information on this plant go to: culture.html or -cure-late-winter-blues or PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?ke A circular idea!!! Might be able to make use of the rings from that old Whiskey Barrel planter that died. (Found on Pinterest). Word For The Day There is a hard truth to be told; before spring becomes beautiful, it is plug ugly, nothing but mud and muck. I have walked in the early spring through fields that will suck your boots off, a world so wet and woeful it makes you yearn for the return of ice. But in that muddy mess, the conditions for rebirth are being created. - Parker Palmer BCR Continued from page 1 around 14,000 hours which make possible the diversity in the programs at the reserve. In addition, BCR will be doing their first biotic inventory on the reserve this year. Additionally, the Reserve monitors bats and has put up houses on five different bird trails. In addition they do five separate bird-banding programs.

8 Page 8 Eau Claire Area Master Gardener Newsletter April 2016 "There are no green thumbs or black thumbs. There are only gardeners and nongardeners." Henry Mitchell, The Essential Earthman, 1981 EAU CLAIRE AREA MASTER GARDENER NEWSLETTER A newsletter for the Eau Claire Area Master Gardener Association members. Unless otherwise noted, articles for this newsletter are submitted and/or written by ECAMGA members or the newsletter editor, Carol W. Cox. Unless otherwise noted, graphics are from clipart. Newsletter layout by Carol W. Cox For more Eau Claire County UW Cooperative Extension information go to our website: Phone: Fax: M-F 8AM-5PM The University of Wisconsin Extension provides affirmative action and equal opportunity in education, programming and employment for all qualified persons regardless of race, color, gender/sex, creed, disability, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital or parental, arrest or conviction record or veteran status. If you need an interpreter, materials in alternate formats or other accommodations to access this program, activity or service, please contact Erin LaFaive at as soon as possible preceding the scheduled event so that proper arrangements can be made in a timely fashion Eau Claire County Extension Office 227 First Street West Altoona, WI 54720