Earth Day Events!

You may have spotted Brooke at the Ag Expo with a Twist, held by the Madelia Chamber last week, or you may have spotted John pruning at the New Ulm or Lake Crystal Orchard, or at the New Ulm Health and Home Show. We're a little more elusive in the winter. If you are waking from hibernation and eager to see your friendly farmers' faces a little bit more (and you can't quite wait until the Market opens) you have several opportunities to see us on Earth Day, Saturday, April 21!

9:00-10:00 AM • Re-Skilling Festival • St. Peter

John will be presenting Phenology: Re-learning Observation.Learn how to practice studying phenology; thinking about the timing of events in nature, observation of plant, animal, weather, seasonal changes in our region. Using phenology to make educated predictions of other events in nature; i.e. when to start tapping maple trees, when to expect to hear frogs croaking, time to start looking for mushrooms, etc...

11:30-2:30 • Earth & Family Fair • New Ulm

John will be presenting Pollinators and You, alongside many other great presentations.

See the event for full details, but beginning at 11:30 a.m., outdoor activities will include:
Educational talks about nature: Talks will be offered at four locations beginning at 11:30 a.m. and repeating every 30 minutes (last talk starts at 2 p.m.). People of all ages are encouraged to bicycle to each stop via a guided or self-guided tour (see below), although everyone is welcome to attend even if not arriving by bicycle. Featured talks will be:
• Riverside Park: “Healthy Rivers” with Ron Bolduan and Scott Kudelka
• New Ulm Pollinator Park: “Pollinators and You” with John Knisley
• South Market Park: “Garlic Mustard Pull” with Joe Gartner (attendees will learn about this invasive plant and can take a turn pulling it)
• Park & Rec Shop (6 N. Front St.): “Urban Forestry” with Shane Omersa

12:30-1:30 PM • Re-Skilling Festival • St. Peter

Brooke will be teaching Canning, Drying, Freezing 101: Making the most of the season. We'll go over basic techniques and equipment involved with preserving fresh, in-season produce to eat in season all year long.

Check out more details on the event pages:

2018 River Valley Re-Skilling Festival website
Earth & Family Fair facebook page
Earth & Family Fair flyer

4.21.17 Phenology Report

April 21, 2017 Phenology Report:

So its been a while since I have updated you all on all things Phenological at Alternative Roots Farm, but I assure you that things are changing rapidly! As far as the fruit trees go, the timing of the bloom seems to consistently follow the same schedule, with the apricots already in bloom, the plums blossoms at "white tip" (flowers not open yet) and the apples in the "tight cluster" stage (tight cluster of flower buds but not yet in pink tip). What is important to note at this time of year is that there are not a ton of pollinators around working the flower buds, especially if its cool and wet out - because of this, the apricots this year will rely heavily on the pollination services of small flies and other native pollinators that may be hanging around. Hopefully the flies can help provide us with some apricots this year!

The changes in the wildlife category are crazy right now - the male pheasants or "Roosters" can be heard cackling starting at sunrise and through the day. There has been one bold rooster who has chosen the grove across the road as his stomping grounds, even though we have 2 hunting dogs constantly running around the farm! For some reason he has taken a liking to our chickens and has been caught twice now right next to the chicken run courting the ladies. On another note with our feathered friends, Brooke's favorite bird has returned - the Brown Thrasher! This bird is certainly a bird of the summer, and remains here through fall. The Thrasher is a bird about the size of a blue jay, with a long tail, long and slightly curved bill - to me it's the Road Runner of the north. What's even more unique about this bird is its amazing at mimicking other bird calls - including robins, chickadees, wrens, hawks, crows, grackles, etc...Although loud, this bird is hard to see and spends most of its time on the ground or the tip top of the tree.

In the riverine areas around this part of the state, the spring ephemerals are all leafing out, but not yet all blooming. Some Bloodroot has been seen blooming, but things like Dog Toothed Violet, Dutchmens Breeches (sp), and trout lilly are not there yet.

That is all for now.

John Knisley

Our bold pheasant, hanging out by the hens.

Phenology Report

Phenology Report 3/7/2017: 

Its been 2 weeks since I have written a report and WOW how things can change so fast. The phrase of the week is "Don't like the weather in Minnesota? Wait a couple of minutes, it will change!" Yesterday was a perfect example of this....Coming home from work it was about 65F outside, with a severe thunderstorm warning in effect. At about 1:00AM, while letting the puppy out for his nightly escapade, I was hit in the face with huge snow flakes and the temps around 25F! That is March in southern MN.

These temp changes are somewhat harsh to us, but nature is well adapted and can "weather" these changes with seemingly little concern. For the last two weeks, migratory waterfowl have been holding up on the large wetland east of the farm - giving up both enjoyable evenings seeing hundreds of birds swarming around the area getting ready to settle for the night, while in the mornings I am often greeted with single flocks of geese (snows, blue, Canada, and Lesser Canadians) and swans passing overhead and chirping while I complete the morning chores. I wish every morning were like this! Most of the ice has receded from area lakes and these waterfowl are taking up their usual nesting spots - Brooke noted that the swans are back on Linden Lake looking for the proper muskrat hut to lay their eggs. This is an annual sighting on Linden - and one we always enjoy. One neat thing about Linden that I have always found interesting is that it seems to be a hot spot for Canvasback ducks - they are a rather elusive large duck that not common for the area, or the state for that matter, but we see them every spring and fall on their annual migration.

Canvasback ducks

Last note on our bird friends - the Killdeer have returned! Brooke and I love these upland shorebirds (oxymoron). Seeing their little babies later in the spring can really bring up the spirits if you have a bad day! I mean, who cannot chuckle and little cotton ball looking chicks on stilts chasing after mom and dad down the gravel road. Hahaha:)

On the plant side of things here is what I am seeing: Lilac buds are green and ready to burst. I hope these cool temp swings do not hurt the flowering buds. Nettles are starting to poke up, soon enough we will be collecting the young shoots for the animals as well as drying some for ourselves.

Phenology Report

Follow along on Facebook to get John's phenology reports!

In 2017 I am making it a goal to post more about Phenology and what we are observing in nature/climate around our area. For those of you who are not familiar with the term "Phenology" its the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena, especially in relation to climate and plant and animal life. So, after that brief introduction here is your phenology tidbit for the week: Keep a look out for raccoons this time of year, its mating season for these guys! Yes, warm weather will bring raccoons out of their winter slumber on a sunny day in January, but right now they are more than just out for sunbathing, they are looking to find a mate! 

Another thing noticed is that with these warm day time temps and cool night time temps, you way want to start thinking about getting your maple syruping equipment out - by the weekend were are expecting day time highs of 40's and lows in the teens, perfect for sap to be running! 

Last but not least, I have always enjoyed the phenological part of farming, especially in the orchard. People ask, "when do you prune" and to be honest, there is never a specific "Date" that I start - rather I think of it much like maple syrup running, I prune when the day time temps are at or just above freezing and the lows at night are below freezing. I do this because it shortens the amount of time between when we prune the tree (literally a wound), to when it can start healing. Pruning too early in the winter can open the tree up to injury from the cold. So when do I start? Some years in late January, some years in Mid-February and maybe years even in March. In 2017 I will be starting this week!

John

Farmer John

Phenology 4.28.13

Each person has something they notice outdoors that reminds them of the change in the season, it may be a bird, a tree budding, flowers emerging, but year after year it reminds us of changing times. My favorite spring migrant has returned--the tree swallows! April 27th marks the first day I have noticed them back, and almost immediately they have made a claim on the same nesting box as last year. To my surprise they were not the only pair of tree swallows eager to make Alternative Roots Farm their home, there was a second pair attempting to use the birdhouse our neighbor made--perhaps these were chicks from last year's hatch?

This week has been a whirlwind of weather--from snow early in the week to the 70° days over the weekend. Despite the snow, all of the creatures and plants have been waiting and readying themselves for the warm weather. Here is what was noticed when I was in the ravine and wooded areas this week:
emergence of spring ephemerals, including dogtooth violet, round-lobed hepatica, and Dutchman's breeches; return of ovenbirds and yellow rumped warblers. I was even fortunate enough to see a barred owl up-close and during the day, while at work in the river valley floodplain forest.

The uplands are changing rapidly. Rooster pheasants are in grand color, and strutting around trying to gain the attention of a female, or two; the chorus of frogs have started in the wetland down the road (likely spring peepers and leopard frogs); the buds on the lilacs are very swollen.

On the farm we noticed a pair of brown thrashers has come back to nest--they are a delight to hear, as they call a chorus of mimicked bird songs. We are waiting for our native prairie (planted last fall), to germinate, this will still be a little bit of a wait; native grasses are "warm season" grasses, that emerge later on. The rhubarb is beginning to leaf out, the garlic and shallots are up, and the first planting is in the ground. No doubt now, spring is finally here.

-John

Phenology 4.17.13

Phenology Report – Week of April 15, 2013

I had decided to wait a couple of weeks from the last phenology report in hopes that we would really start to see some major temperature shifts and signs of spring….well, we have not seen this yet.  Our unseasonable cold temperatures of late have been slightly agitating, but in trade we have been receiving extra moisture, which our soils desperately needed – so it is even in my book.  The most interesting thing I have noticed lately is the changes in trees and plants vs. changes in animal life.  With this cold weather, the trees and other herbaceous plants seems to be in a “hold and wait” mode where they are not breaking bud and leafing out or flowering.   Rather the plants are just staying near dormancy in wait for warmer evenings.  

A friend told me yesterday that this has been the best maple syruping year they have ever experienced (and these people have been around a few years).  When we talk about maple syrup one must understand that a maple tree does not just give you dark, sweet syrup if you stick a straw in it – it’s a process.  You must first “tap” the tree to allow the flowing sap of the maple to be collected in buckets or bags; the sap must then be cooked down over a hot stove or open fire until it reaches the sugar content you are looking for – this cooking down process is what gives the syrup its caramel color.  Even the different maple trees have varying percentages of sugars in their sap, therefore changing the cooking time.  The reason 2013 has been a good year is due to the fact that we have had days 40-50’s and then it cools down to the 30’s at night.  This warming and cooling action makes the tree want to “run” or move sap up and down the trunk in order to prepare for the spring bud break and flowering.  When we “tap” a tree we are just intercepting the sap as it is flowing through the tree.  So, at least this cool spring will potentially bring us more maple syrup!!

The animals on the other had, particularly the birds, are thoroughly confused by these cold days and extra snowstorms we have been having.  The killdeer, meadowlarks, robins and even the eastern kingbird are all waiting eagerly for the warm summer days to arrive.  I am thinking the young of last fall are thinking that their parents were lying to them when they were told that when they arrive back north it will be “the land of milk and honey”, instead its turned out to be the land of wind and snow storms!  It has been so cold that I think that kingbird decided he had enough and went back south!  The positive thing about this cool weather is that the lakes up north are still frozen over, meaning the migrating waterfowl are still congregating around the area and giving us a great opportunity to view the many varieties on our small wetlands.  Thousands of Canada geese, snow geese, white fronted geese and lesser Canadian geese have been holding over on the large wetland to the east of our place, waking up the morning with their loud calls (who needs a rooster?). 

Spring will arrive, we just have to be patient as I am sure it will bless the farm with a bountiful harvest over the summer.

Phenology 3.30.2013

Blackbirds in the Silver Maples

My head is spinning; its a phenologists dream world out there right now!  Spring has arrived and it is here in full force.  Here are just a few of the changes that have been noted today:

• 1st Thunderstorm of the season
• American Robins have returned to the farm
• Our pair of killdeer have come back and are eagerly flying around the farm looking for the ideal nesting site
• Flock after flock of migratory waterfowl are flying back and forth from the large wetland to the east to their feeding grounds in the west - here are the varieties I have seen so far:  Canadian Geese, Mallards, Wood Ducks, Lesser Canadian Geese, Tundra Swans, and even Sandhill Cranes
• Apple trees buds are swelling
• Chickadees have changed their tune from their winter chirps to the wonderful "Chicka -dee-dee-dee" song
• Spring cool-season grasses and clover are starting to show their green leaves
• Flocks of red-winged blackbirds and common grackles are flying by and resting in the large maples
• Even a few flying insects have emerged, but I have yet to identify them

With all of these changes happening around us, I can hardly stand to spend a moment indoors.  Yes the season of muddy boots and the fresh smell of rain is here - get out there and enjoy it!

Phenology 3.19.13

Although it appears winter will never pass, the transition ahead of us from late March to April marks a significant shift in temperatures. The average low temperatures go from 20° in March to 35° in April. These changes in low temperatures are what spurs maples to start running sap, causes tree buds to swell and even mark the bloom of our first spring flowers.

The anticipation of spring is nearly unbearable, but signs of new life are all around us and increasing daily! Of note, a family of Tundra Swans was sighted flying over the farm yesterday. The winds were blasting from the Northwest at around 30-35 mph, and it was cold, yet this group of magnificent birds were making short time flying field over field.

Annually Tundra swans migrate 3,725 miles from their breeding grounds in the arctic circle to their wintering areas in the Southwest United States/Northern Mexico. How birds know how find their nesting areas and wintering areas with no GPS is somewhat of a scientific mystery; there are some strong arguments that navigation by stars, the sun, magnetic fields and mental maps play a role.  We do know that length of day is what triggers the start of migration. With some of these ideas making sense, still it is almost impossible to explain how some birds can figure out migration. Take for instance our MN State Bird, the common loon--annually the two loon parents visit the same water body for their nesting grounds and may have a clutch of chicks. After an entire summer on the water, these chicks are left alone in late fall, as their parents have already taken off migrating to the Gulf of Mexico.  These young, only months-old loons somehow decide to take flight and head South to the warm wintering waters of the Gulf with no map, no GPS and no parents to guide them! In my opinion it is these triumphs of nature that keep me interested; I do not necessarily need to scientifically prove how or why  it works to enjoy the fact that there are just some amazing feats that are a mystery.

On these quiet winter evenings at hand one can hear the calls of the Great Horned owl and the Eastern Screech owl in the distance. This time of year is when these owls are pairing up and getting ready to start a new family. I urge you to step outside for a few minutes each evening this time of year and listen for these raptors--this is the season when they are most vocal.

With the cold weather still upon us, these little signs of spring and new life put things into perspective and keep the will strong to begin another growing season on the farm!

-John

Phenology 3.13.13

Hoarfrost on silver maple.

Early March 2013

Phenology:  The study of the timing of natural events

Signs of spring are all around us in early March, we just might have to look a little harder this year.  While driving to and from work on Highway 15 I have started noticing more and more striped skunk fatalities; I have even heard reports from friends that they have had late night visits near their homes by these inquisitive mammals.  Whether we enjoy these creatures or despise their smell, they are a sure sign of spring approaching.  After months in a state of torpor underground in a burrow or inside an abandoned woodpile the male skunks are out there eagerly looking for a mate – this was the first event noted in Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac.  With these creatures abound, if you are lucky you may even catch a glimpse of the now uncommon Eastern Spotted Skunk or civet cat.  Populations of these skunks have steadily declined due to the loss of habitat and food availability.  Brake for skunks – its just Love in the air!

Although not always a sign of spring, one might have noticed that there are more mornings recently where you look outside and notice the trees are covered in beautiful white “fuzz”.  This phenomenon is known as hoarfrost.  Hoarfrost forms whenever it cold enough outside to freeze yet there is an ample supply of water vapor in the air.  This is why we commonly see hoarfrost in late winter, when the temperatures get into the 30’s during the day and then dip below freezing at night.

Lastly, as I was sitting in my garage last Saturday night my dog, Hazel, approached me with a curious creature – A muskrat!  I thought to myself, “What is a muskrat doing out here, there is not a wetland area within a mile of our place?”  Then it occurred to me, this is the start of the mating season for them as well.  This little guy was likely a young male looking to find a new partner and expand into new territory.  When I woke up the next morning I inspected the scene further.  Apparently this muskrat had done an entire tour of the farm, looking in every nook and cranny. 

When you get a moment take a look at our native river bottom tree, the Silver Maple.  These maples are showing signs of spring preparation with their swelling buds.  Often these enlarged buds are a maroon/red color and quite striking against the backdrop of a snow-covered landscape.  Soon enough these buds will break and begin to flower, we will talk more about the fascination with trees in flower in the near future.

As we near the spring thaw, signs of new life will begin to show themselves more frequently.  If we pay closer attention to the trees, birds, and animals around us they would surely tell you spring is near.

.     .     .     .     .

I am looking forward to doing phenology reports on a regular basis. I certainly do hope you enjoy them.  -John