December 1,
2015, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter © Kim Willis
Hi
Gardeners
 |
| Off to the woods on the last day of November. |
Ah Michigan. One weekend we have
8 inches of snow on the ground, the next weekend its mild and the grass is once
again showing and as green as it was in October. As the mounds of snow melted away from my
patio pots I thought the Calibrachoa, (Million Bells) would finally be dead and
I would no longer feel guilty about taking it out of the containers to put
Christmas greens into them. But no,
there they were, vibrantly green and springy looking, although they are no
longer blooming. And the pansies that
had come up in one of the containers were still blooming their heads off.
But off I headed to our wooded area to get some branches from the spruce
and pines. The sun was shining and I was
distracted by finding a new plant with pretty berries in the fence row and by
deer bounding away crashing through the swampy area of the woods in an explosion
of cracking branches and splashing. But
I managed to cut some evergreen branches, some red furry sumac heads and some
bittersweet berries (yes, I cut some of that “terribly invasive” plant and
moved it), pile them on an old wheelchair I use as a cart, and trundle back to
the house.
There I bit the bullet and cut out the million bells from the pots. I potted up the pansies and brought them
inside. The soil in the pots was still
partially frozen but I managed to stick in the evergreen branches and the
spikes of fuzzy red sumac and then add stems of red-orange bittersweet for more
color. It’s not the most impressive Christmas
décor ever but I like the fact that it’s all natural.
I took the baskets of warty orange gourds that had sat on the deck until
the snow out to the barn for the chickens.
While they chowed down immediately on the one small pumpkin that was in
the offering they seemed a little unsure of the warty gourds. But this morning I noticed they had started to
eat on the gourds so I guess the re-cycling has begun. Perhaps my eggs will
take on a deeper shade of orange.
While I will no longer be able to see how hardy calibrachoe can be, I
can say the osteospermum is still green, the white sage still looks healthy,
the roses still have their leaves and even some buds, and I noticed that the
arum italicum and heuchera actually have new leaves. This next weekend is supposed to be sunny and
mild again although we have to endure some rain and maybe even snow between now
and then. I can look out my window and see green, even through the rain drops,
and my canaries are singing their heads off here in the house, so all is good. I am sure hoping our winter continues in such
benevolent fashion.
December almanac
This
month’s full moon is called the Full Cold or Long Nights moon and occurs on
December 25th . Santa will be
outlined against a full moon. There are two meteor displays that may be visible
in December. On the 13th and
14th there is the peak of the best regular meteor event, the Geminids
meteor shower. This year should be good viewing if it’s clear because the moon
will be dark. Some
meteors may be
visible from the 4th through the 17th. But on the peak days around 120 meteors or
shooting stars may be seen per hour. The
best viewing is after midnight. On
December 21st – 23rd will be the peak of a lesser meteor
shower, the Ursids meteor shower, which typically produces about 10 meteors per
hour at its peak. However since the moon
will be nearly full it will be difficult to see them.
 |
| Geminid meteor shower. Credit: nasa.gov |
Monday,
December 21, 2015 at 11:49 PM EST is the winter solstice. It marks the longest
night of the year and the beginning of winter.
At this time the sun is at its farthest point in the south and lowest
point on the horizon. For an interesting
site that will show you where the sun and moon are in the sky at the exact time
you access the site go to http://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/usa/flint
You’ll notice that the earliest sunset and the shortest day are not the
same. The earliest sunset occurs
December 5th when the sun sets at 5 pm in the Flint area. And the sun will set at that time until
December 14th – when it gains a minute. It’s the day break time that
makes the difference in day length. On
the solstice the sun rises at 8:03 am and sets at 5:03 pm in the Flint area.
Many people
including myself consider the Winter Solstice to be the end of the old
year. Now the days will be getting
longer, if only by seconds at first. Re-birth, renewal, the conquering of
death, the return of the sun are symbolized in the solstice. It’s a time for
celebration as it was for our early ancestors.
Christmas is celebrated near the solstice because people already
celebrated re-birth and promise at this time and early Christians frequently
borrowed old rituals. Burn some oak wood
at midnight and make a wish for what you desire as you look into the fire. Take some time to reflect on what you could
have done better last year and decide your path for the new year.
December’s
birthstone is turquoise. The December birth flower is oddly enough the
narcissus. This may be because it was
associated with death, (its poisonous) by the ancient Romans and Greeks but now
it is often used as a symbol of hope. We
are entering the time of the death of the old year but still, it seems
odd. In flower “language” narcissus is
said to mean “you are the only one” or alternatively faithfulness, respect and
modesty.
Recently
holly has been favored to replace narcissus as the December birth flower and to
me seems more appropriate. Holly is a
symbol of domestic happiness in flower language. Orchids are also listed as the
December flower in some places.
Things to
celebrate in December besides the solstice and Christmas include National Mutt
day the 2nd , Pearl Harbor
Day- the 7th and Poinsettia
day on the 12th, also on the 12th its Gingerbread house
day and National cocoa day, National Bake Cookies day, the 18th , Look
for Evergreens day the 19th .
Besides being Christmas Eve the 24th is National Chocolate
day and National Egg Nog day. December 31st is World Peace
Meditation Day as well as New Years eve.
December is
National Bingo month, National AIDS awareness month, National Buckwheat month and
Universal Human Rights month.
Garden and Plant books to give as
gifts- or keep for yourself
If you have
been racking your brain trying to think of a gift for a friend or relative who
is into gardening or who enjoys reading about the natural world why not give
them the gift of a good book? Many
places like Amazon have a variety of books on sale for Christmas giving. And don’t forget to treat yourself; there are
many boring winter days ahead. Here are
some great books about plants or the natural world you may want to consider
buying.
Wicked Plants, the Weed
That Killed Lincolns Mother by Amy Stewart
This is an
excellent book about the poisonous and dangerous plants that surround us and
that have been used by man for thousands of years. Read about strychnine, oleander, rosary pea,
peyote, deadly nightshade, hemlock, coca, opium, death camas and some 200 toxic
plants. Tales of botanical crimes and
intrigue are sprinkled through the book.
It’s written in a charming manner that will make you want to sit and
read the book at one sitting.
The Drunken Botanist, also by
Amy Stewart
This one is
about all the plants that make the alcoholic beverages man has been enjoying
since the beginning of time. Without
plants the liquor counter at the local store would be empty. Stewart explores the grains, fruits,
vegetables and herbs that make up common and uncommon alcoholic drinks. And for those of you who like to experiment
with alcoholic beverages she sprinkles recipes for unusual cocktails and mixed
drinks through the book.
If you
don’t know what absinthe is made from or what a marasca cherry (not maraschino)
is then this book is a fascinating read.
Both of these books are packed full of odd and unusual things you didn’t
know about plants. Amy Stewart is a
fascinating garden writer and also writes Garden Rants- a popular garden blog.
Buffalo Bird Woman’s Garden published in 1918 by Gilbert L.
Wilson
I was
searching for a book on line when I came across this book. Wilson was pursuing a doctorate in
anthropological studies at the University of Minnesota and decided that for his
thesis he would study the agricultural practices of the Mandan-Hidatsa Native
American culture. Wilson had already
been a missionary among the tribes and had collected historical artifacts for
the American Museum of Natural History.
Wilson
chose for his study to interview a 75 year old Hidatsa woman, Maxi’diwiac or in
English, Buffalo Bird Woman, who had always been a gardener/farmer for her
family. Her son was Wilson’s interpreter and also contributed some drawings to
illustrate points of his mother’s conversation.
The interview was conducted over several years. When Wilson’s book was first published it was
called Agriculture of the Hidatsa
Indians, An Indian Interpretation.
Wilson
faithfully recorded Buffalo Bird Woman’s recollections, using her words as well
as they could be interpreted and for an older book it is easy to read and quite
fascinating. It is written in the story
telling mode that many Native Americans find easy to use, but it is all factual
information. Buffalo Bird Woman is
careful to remind readers that this is how her family and she herself did
things and sometimes mentions how other families differed from hers.
The Hidatsa
tribe Buffalo Bird Woman belonged to lived at the headwaters of the Missouri
river in the Minnesota-North Dakota area.
The Hidatsa tribe’s agricultural practices were probably pretty typical
of Northeastern Native Americans. And in
her early adulthood her tribe had little influence from white settlers.
When Wilson
interviewed her in her 70’s Buffalo Bird Woman was still mentally sharp and
physically active. Her thoughts were
well organized and she was very through in giving information. She talks about each of the five crops they typically
grew, corn, squash, beans, sunflowers and tobacco in great detail from
preparing the ground, to how they selected good seed, to cultural practices to
harvesting and even how they cooked the crops.
I found the
agricultural knowledge the native people had to be amazing and I loved the
humor and little insights into tribal relations that she included in her
story. Besides gardening she told how
certain tools were made- such as how they made baskets from the scrotum of a
buffalo. The lifestyle was very rigorous
for women, who did most of the gardening, and it was sobering how much time and
effort went into growing and storing food in earlier times. However Buffalo Bird Woman never complains
about the work and seemed to enjoy gardening.
If you are
interested in farming history or origins of American crops, or you enjoy reading
about Native American customs this book will give you much enjoyment. It includes some photos from the early 1900’s
and drawings. I bought mine as an
e-edition on Amazon ($2.99) but I understand a hard copy is available. It’s pretty inexpensive.
Seeds of Hope- Wisdom and
Wonder from the World of Plants- Jane
Goodall
Jane
Goodall, of chimpanzee fame, has written a book about plants. The first part of
the book is quite a wonderful story of her childhood experiences with plants,
about daring plant explorers of earlier times and wonderful awe inspiring facts
about plants. The second part of the book
fades into a less than interesting rant about GM modified foods and modern
farming practices. While I agree with some of what she talks about she presents
nothing new in this part and lots of old, discredited science as well. Still, I would recommend reading the book, if
just for the first half of the book, which is quite enjoyable.
Fastest Things on Wings-
Rescuing Hummingbirds in Hollywood by Terry Masear- Published June
2015
I loved
this book about a woman who rescues hummingbirds in California. She spends 4 months a year feeding baby
hummingbirds every 30 minutes, healing adults and releasing them and rescuing
trapped hummingbirds. California has 4
types of hummingbirds and she handles hundreds of hummers in her rehab center
every summer. Here in Michigan with our
1 species of hummingbird rehab places rarely get 50 birds in a season.
The book
was an enjoyable, easy read. You’ll learn a lot about these tiny birds. What it takes to rehab hummers will amaze you
and the efforts of a few people to care for these birds is truly
heart-warming. How Terry Masear finds
time to write with her teaching career and work as a hummer rehabber in the
summer is hard to imagine but the book is well worth reading.
What a Plant Knows by Daniel Chamovitz
This is a
book on plant senses. One example is that while plants don’t have eyes they do
have photoreceptors similar to those in animal eyes. One type of receptor is located in the tips
of shoots and tells the plant to grow toward light. There are different types of light receptors
in leaves that measure how long the day is. The day length determines many plant
processes, such as flower initiation.
Only one leaf exposed to light can relay that information to the
plant. For parts of the plant to send
information to other parts of the plant implies a “nervous system” and some
sort of conscious “control”.
I used to
joke that vegetarians were worse than meat eaters because they ate defenseless
creatures alive. (A carrot is alive until you cook it.) What will it mean to vegetarians if we find
out that plants actually feel fear and pain, if even in a primitive sense? Even
seeds are tiny plant embryos and they are alive. There are some intriguing hints that this may
be so. A fascinating book well worth
reading.
Essential Perennials by Ruth Rogers and
Thomas Christopher
This book was
published January 2015 by Timber Press and is an updated look at 2700 garden
perennials in alphabetical order, some 452 pages of them.
The authors
give short growing details, suggested plant combinations, their own
observations on the plant and other tips. There is updated info on name changes
and new cultivars. Lots of color photos in the hard cover, my kindle reader
only showed them in black and white but some ebook readers probably show them
in color. If you don’t have a modern
perennial guide this one is a great book to have.
The Unexpected Houseplant
–220 extraordinary choices for every spot in your home by Tovah Martin- 2012
This is a
delightful read, not just a care primer for houseplants. The author talks about her love for
houseplants and all plants, her experiences with them, her charming older home
and even her cat. Ms. Martin has written
numerous popular garden books and is a frequent article writer for popular
garden magazines.
You may not
find your houseplant in this book; many of the plants Martin describes are the
unusual and eclectic houseplants.
The more common houseplants are left to other authors to worry
over. But when she’s through discussing
her choices, you’ll want to run out and try to find some of them.
She talks
about the plant’s needs, how to display them, what type of container to grow
them in, and many other things woven into a narrative story beginning from the
best fall houseplants through summer and permanent houseplant residents. Martin is an organic grower, so there are no
plants discussed that require intensive pest control, although she lists what
pests and problems a plant may have.
There is a summary of care requirements at the end of each section. And
there’s a section devoted to houseplants that Martin doesn’t recommend.
This may
not be the book for you if you are looking for basic houseplant care. But if you are looking for houseplant
inspiration this is it. When you get done reading this book you’ll know there
is no excuse not to have houseplants.
The New Wild: Why Invasive
Species Will Be Nature's Salvation- by
Fred Pearce
This new
book explores why we need to think differently about invasive species. If you have always been a bit skeptical of
the scare mongering done by many organizations and “experts” this book will confirm your suspicions that
much of the hoopla around invasive species is not justified. And if you are one of those native plant
Nazi’s you need to read this book with an open mind. And if you know a plant Nazi buy them this
book!
Nature
knows more than we do about what species should grow where and it’s time we
start respecting that. Invasive species
are what drives change, adaptation and the evolution of new species in the
environment, all vital for continuing life on this planet. It’s not man’s place to decide what’s native,
what’s invasive and what species are right for any environment. Invasive plants have helped the environment
much more than they have harmed it. Why worry what trees make up the forest as
long as there is a forest?
This book
should be read by every gardener as well as every conservationist so that you
have a balanced perspective on the natural world.
The Triumph of Seeds: How
Grains, Nuts, Kernels, Pulses, and Pips Conquered the Plant Kingdom and Shaped
Human History by
Thor Hanson
This book
is a fascinating look at seeds and their adaptations for survival. It’s a well written, easy to read book even
though the author rambles a bit with personal stories. It’s written with a bit
of humor even as it explores scientific details and most gardeners will find it
pleasurable reading as they gain a lot of information.
Many people
are unaware of how important seeds are to life on earth and how they shaped our
civilization. If you like reading
fascinating facts about nature and our relationship with it this book should be
on your reading list and it makes a great gift too.
Glorious Histories: Tales
from the Traditional Kitchen Garden by
David Stuart
At the cost
of only $3 every food crop gardener should buy this book in its ebook format
because you will find some new and interesting information on a very broad
number of crops, some of which I have to admit, I had never heard of before.
The book has tips on how to harvest/ cook/prepare each crop and some recipes
are given.
This is an English writer and
some of the information given seemed skewed a bit toward European experiences
and customs but that of course can't be helped. But for the price this book is
an excellent reference if you need a brief history of a food crop. (This book
does not cover medicinal plants except that when a food plant also had some
medicinal uses they were briefly mentioned. People who are looking for herbal
medicine information won't find it here.)
This seems
a labor of love by the author. I like
that the author can relate personal experiences with even some obscure crops. It’s
well edited for an ebook and you won’t find the annoying spelling and grammar
mistakes many ebooks contain. There are pictures and illustrations with every
crop mentioned. It might be hard to give
an ebook as a gift - and I don’t see it listed in any other format- but it’s
worth buying for yourself.
Raising Chickens for
Dummies 2nd edition-
Kimberley Willis
Fair
warning- I’m the author of this book and it’s not about plants, it’s about the
next best thing- chickens. Every
gardener wants chickens; they are the perfect re-cyclers and provide lots of
manure for building good soil. And as
living garden art they can’t be beat.
If I do say
so myself this book is a very complete and detailed reference for beginning
chicken owners or even those who have had chickens for a while. And it’s written in an easy to read, slightly
humorous format I’m sure you will enjoy.
In fact you’ll enjoy reading this book even if you don’t have chickens.
Raising Chickens for Dummies covers everything from baby chick
care to collecting your own eggs to butchering your own meat. Learn which chickens make good pets or great
layers. Learn how to build a coop and what to feed your chickens. Learn how to protect your chickens from
disease and predators. And the new
edition actually has color photo’s.
If you or
someone you know wants chickens for Christmas- (don’t laugh – chicken keeping
is actually a popular trend and people are asking for chickens and related
items for Christmas) - then this is the book you need.
All of the
books listed above can be found on Amazon or most can be found in any good
bookstore.
Feeding oranges to cows
Feeding
oranges and other citrus fruit to cows, pigs and chickens may soon become one
of the green and safe ways to combat food borne illness. Animals shed salmonella and other organisms
in their feces and no matter how careful we try to be when butchering animals
some of those organisms may remain behind and can cause bouts of food borne
illness that sicken millions of American each year. Recent research has found that feeding citrus
peel and pulp to animals significantly lowers the number of harmful bacteria in
their gut without affecting the helpful bacteria they need to efficiently
digest their food.
The way
farmers have conventionally tried to reduce the number of “bad” organisms in
animals has been to feed them antibiotics.
In recent years we have come to understand that this may be causing
strains of bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics and this could have
serious consequences for human health.
Animal rights movements and human health advocates have been clamoring
for laws against the feeding of antibiotics to animals as disease preventatives
and growth enhancement aids.
Scientists
have been busy searching for alternatives to antibiotics that would keep
animals growing and healthy but not contribute to the growing problem of
antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria and pollution of our land and
water. Microbiologist Todd R. Callaway
and animal scientist Tom S. Edrington, with the Food and Feed Safety Research
Unit in College Station, Texas; ARS animal scientist and research leader
Jeffery Carroll with the Livestock Issues Research Unit in Lubbock, Texas; and
John Arthington at the University of Florida in Ona took on the challenge in a
different way.
These
researchers knew that oils from citrus had long been used for cleaning and were
known to deter pests, and kill many types of viruses and bacteria. They are relatively non-toxic and the
researchers decided to feed the left over peels and pulp from citrus processing
plants to cattle and pigs to see what would happen.
While
people find citrus peel rather bitter and not very tasty the animals seemed to
enjoy them. They readily ate the
leftovers without having to be coaxed.
And the researchers found that not only did the citrus waste provide
vitamins and roughage for the animals, they also did what researchers hoped-
they reduced the amount of harmful bacteria in the guts of animals without
harming the good bacteria animals need to digest food.
When there
is less harmful bacteria produced and shed by animals there are fewer chances
for bacteria to contaminate food and cause illness. While total elimination of harmful bacteria
like salmonella is probably impossible, reducing the numbers substantially goes
a long way toward safer food.
 |
| Feed me. |
Further
research both in the field and in the lab have shown very promising results.
Collaborations with University of Arkansas-Fayetteville researchers Steven
Ricke and Philip Crandall have identified specific essential oils that kill
pathogenic bacteria. Microbiologist
Calloway is studying ways to make citrus waste into lightweight pellets so that
farms away from citrus producing areas can share in the benefits of feeding
citrus to their animals.
Natural
solutions to problems are a win-win situation for all. Citrus producers get another source of income
from a waste product, which they will no longer have to find a way to dispose
of. Animals get a tasty and nutritious
feed supplement that keeps harmful bacteria from causing digestive and other
problems. Livestock producers get a
reasonably priced, all natural alternative to antibiotics that food critics
approve of. And people will have a
reduced chance of getting food borne diseases without worrying that those
organisms are developing resistance to life saving antibiotics.
Sustainable
solutions to the over use of pesticides and antibiotics are there- and we are
working on finding them. Our
agricultural system remains the best and safest in the world.
Keep the holiday green and support
American farmers
Are you one
of the happy Michigan citizens who buys a real Christmas tree each season? Thank you for being environmentally
responsible and buying American.
One of the
biggest environmental myths is that buying an artificial Christmas tree is
somehow saving the environment. The
mistaken theory is that you are keeping a tree from being cut down each year
you use one of those awful plastic trees.
What some people don’t realize is that Christmas trees are a crop, grown
to be cut, and that they are constantly being re-planted. Over 95% of Christmas trees sold come from
tree farms and are not harvested from the wild.
It takes
water and some protective chemicals to grow great Christmas trees but it takes
a lot of far more harmful chemicals and water to make that plastic tree. Dangerous chemicals are used to make the fake
trees including polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and lead. The manufacturing of products from PVC
releases dioxins into the environment.
Dioxins accumulate in fatty tissues and become more concentrated as in
the tissues of animals high in the food chain, like man. There they cause cancer and other dangerous
health problems.
While many
of those toxins remain in China- where most, (85%), artificial trees are
produced by minimum wage workers, some does make it into our food supply. Some chemicals, like lead, may be given off
as the plastic slowly degrades and reacts to other environmental chemicals and
those go right into the air of your home, where the tree is displayed or
stored. In fact California requires
plastic Christmas trees to have a warning label about lead poisoning.
Fake trees
sometimes have actual wood “trunks” or other parts and this wood from China has
been responsible for at least one exotic pest, a wood boring beetle, to be brought
into the US and has the potential for other pests to be carried in the plastic
tree shipments.
Plastic
trees cannot be recycled; the plastic used in them is not commonly
recycled. A real tree will break down in
the environment and actually do good instead of harm like the plastic trees
leaching chemicals into the air and soil.
 |
| The White House uses real trees. |
Are you
worried about fire safety with a real tree?
Thinking a plastic tree is safer is wrong, fire statistics say its
faulty wiring that causes most Christmas tree fires and both real and fake
trees will ignite.
If you buy
a real Christmas tree in Michigan the chances are very good it was grown in
Michigan, we are a top Christmas tree producing state. You are helping the local economy as well as
the environment. Christmas tree
production and sales employ thousands of Michigan workers. Let’s keep Michigan
people employed, not Chinese.
The
production of Christmas trees uses land in a sustainable way and fewer
fertilizers and pesticides are used on tree crops than conventional crops so
it’s good to encourage the local tree farmers.
While trees are growing they release oxygen, moderate the temperature,
filter the air and provide homes for wildlife.
Help our environment and help keep dioxins in China.
It takes a
little more time and effort to use a real Christmas tree each year but the
smell alone is worth it. And who doesn’t
want to do good in the holiday season?
Many Christmas tree lots are run by charitable organizations who use the
money they make to help people in need.
Do your
part to be an environmentally friendly person and help the local economy. Buy a Michigan grown Christmas tree this
season. To find a Christmas tree farm or retail location near you go to this
site http://www.mcta.org/home-page
Curl up somewhere with a good book.
Kim Willis
“He who has a garden and
a library wants for nothing” ― Cicero
Events, classes and other offerings
Please let me know if there is any event or class that
you would like to share with other gardeners.
These events are primarily in Michigan but if you are a reader from
outside of Michigan and want to post an event I’ll be glad to do it.
Do you have plants or seeds you would like to swap or share? Post them here by emailing me.
Free seeds
I have
these seeds that I collected from my garden that I am willing to share
free. Look at the list and if you would
like some contact me at kimwillis151@gmail.com
I will tell
you where to send a stamped self-addressed envelope for the seeds. If you want
popcorn or black walnuts it will take several stamps. I have published this list on the seed swap
sites also. I’ll try to give everyone
who asks some until they are gone.
Lilies, a
seed mixture of assorted hybrids, oriental- Asiatic- trumpet- Casa Blanca, Stargazer,
La Reve, purple tree, yellow tree, Silk Road, more
Anise
hyssop
Morning
glory – common purple
Scarlet
runner bean - few
Japanese
hull-less popcorn
Hosta asst.of
seed from numerous varieties- lots
Ligularia desmonda
(daisy–like flower)
Ligularia
rocket – spires of flowers
Yucca
Glad mixed
Zinnia
mixed
Foxglove Dalmation
peach
Calendula
mixed
Baptisia
blue
Jewelweed
Cleome
white
Columbine
mixed- small amount
Nicotiana
small bedding type- mixed colors
Nicotiana
alata ( woodland tobacco, Only the Lonely)
Daylily
mixed
Kangaroo
Paws orange
Hollyhock
mixed
Black
walnut- few hulled nuts
An interesting
Plant Id page you can join on Facebook
Here’s a
seed/plant sharing group you can join on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/875574275841637/
Here’s a facebook page link for
gardeners in the Lapeer area
Here’s a
link to classes being offered at Campbell’s Greenhouse, 4077 Burnside Road,
North Branch. Now open.
Here’s a
link to classes and events at Nichols Arboretum, Ann Arbor
Here’s a
link to programs being offered at English Gardens, several locations in Michigan.
Here’s a
link to classes at Telly’s Greenhouse in Troy and Shelby Twsp. MI, and now
combined with Goldner Walsh in Pontiac MI.
Here’s a
link to classes and events at Bordines, Rochester Hills, Grand Blanc, Clarkston
and Brighton locations
Here’s a
link to events at the Leslie Science and Nature Center, 1831 Traver Road Ann
Arbor, Michigan | Phone 734-997-1553 |
http://www.lesliesnc.org/
Here’s a link to events at Hidden Lake Gardens, 6214
Monroe Rd, Tipton, MI
Here’s a
link to all the nature programs being offered at Seven Ponds Nature center in
Dryden, Michigan. http://www.sevenponds.org/education/progs/springprograms/
Here’s a
link to events and classes at Fredrick Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids Mi
http://www.meijergardens.org/learn/ (888) 957-1580, (616) 957-1580
Newsletter
information
If you would
like to pass along a notice about an educational event or a volunteer opportunity
please send me an email before Tuesday of each week and I will print it. Also
if you have a comment or opinion you’d like to share, send it to me. Please
state that you want to have the item published in my weekly notes. You must
give your full name and what you say must be polite and not attack any
individual. I am very open to ideas and opinions that don’t match mine but I do
reserve the right to publish what I want.
I write this
because I love to share with other gardeners some of the things I come across
in my research each week. It keeps me engaged with local people and
horticulture. It’s a hobby, basically. I hope you enjoy it. If at any time you
don’t wish to receive these emails just let me know. If you know anyone who
would like to receive these emails have them send their email address to
me. KimWillis151@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment