Events

We will watch two short videos about soil improvement and composting, followed by a discussion of tips and techniques; presented by Rob Maxwell, Mid-Mitten Chapter President. Meeting held at the Chippewa Nature Center, 400 S. Badour Road, Midland, MI

Learn to recognize ferns as they sprout up as fiddle heads and unfurl their leafy fronds.? Thriving in shady woods, you can grow them in your gardens; presented by Interpretive Naturalist Jeanne Henderson.

The seminar is held at Bullock Creek High School from 8 am until 3 pm. The Mid-Mitten Chapter has a table display during this seminar. Volunteers are needed to man the table. If you would like to help for a couple of hours please contact Karol Walker at [email protected].

Small House Farms is teaming up with Creative 360's Community Garden to bring you their second annual Seed Swap! This is the perfect chance to share your extra seeds and take home a few new ones to plant this spring. We'll also have a number of speakers to discuss the importance of seed saving as well as share a variety of simple techniques to save your own seeds at home.
This event is open to everyone; from the seasoned heirloom seed collector to those just entering the world of gardening. Just bring yourself, some seeds, and some small baggies to take your new goodies home.?Mid-Mitten will have a table at this event.

We know that Michigan?s weather is always changing, which means our four seasons are never consistent from year to year.? With this inconsistency we cannot predict biological events utilizing the common Gregorian calendar.? Phenology is the use of a biological calendar that will help us better determine the timing of pest control of insects and diseases.? Chuck Martin, Dow Gardens senior horticulturist, presents this program, saying ?the use of phenology is as old as human history but is as innovative as a self-driven car.?

We will review the basics of plant propagation and then cover the specifics of some of our native plants. Learn how to increase your plants for your own garden or to share with family and friends;?presented by Rob Maxwell, Mid-Mitten Chapter President. Meeting held at the Chippewa Nature Center, 400 S. Badour Road, Midland, MI.

The theme for this year?s event, sponsored by Midland Center for the Arts,? Midland Recyclers and the American Chemical Society, is?The Great Indoors - The Home Ecosystem.?Mid-Mitten will have a booth at this event again this year.

Michael LeValley?set out on a ?Big Year? search to photograph as many wildflowers as he could find in one growing season in Mt. Pleasant?s park system.? LeValley is the Education Coordinator for the Isabella Conservation District, a member of Chippewa Valley Audubon Society, and the Mid-Mitten chapter of Wild Ones. Meeting held at Chippewa Nature Center, Midland.

Take a tour of The Little Forks Conservancy?s rain garden at 105 Post Street in Midland. Conservation Outreach Coordinator Andrea Foster will talk about creating a rain garden from the planning stages to the construction and beyond. She will also discuss the best native plants to put in rain gardens and how to decide if a rain garden is right for you. ?Meet at the LFC site at 6:30 pm.? The public is welcome.

Join Randy Kursinsky to hike Pine River Park, a little known park owned by the city of Midland. The site has several shallow ponds and an approximately 1 mile loop trail built in the woods. Few, if any, invasive species are present. We will look for native wildflowers, plants and wildlife in the woods, meadows, and wetlands of this wetland mitigation property. This park also includes a Great Blue Heron rookery. The property is 1 mile south of Brooks Rd. on S. 7 Mile Road, one mile west of Meridian Road. Meet at CNC at 6:15 to carpool over to the park, as parking is limited at the park.

Shrubs and vines make up an integral portion of native ecosystems and provide shelter and food for wildlife.? Learn identification tips with Jeanne Henderson on this walk through CNC property. Meeting held at Chippewa Nature Center, meet at the front entrance of the Visitor Center.