Cook County Extension News
March 2024
Greetings!
As we turn the calendar page into March, it's a great time to start planning your garden for this summer. The Extension Office has a wonderful library of books on all kinds of horticulture, agriculture, and plant related topics to help inspire you. We recently catalogued the library online so you can search and see what books we have available. You can visit the Extension Library online to peruse! The check out system is still the trusty paper binder in the office where you write down which books you borrowed, but now you can do some looking at home to see what we have on the shelves before stopping in. The library is available anytime the office is open- Tuesdays through Fridays 8 am-4 pm.
In the rest of this newsletter you'll find a variety of upcoming classes and learning opportunities on everything from spruce budworm to climate impacts on outdoor recreation. I hope you'll find something of interest, and that you'll reach out if you have an idea for an Extension program we can bring to the community.
Hope to see you soon,
Sarah
Northern Gardening Radio Show: Beginning Farming
Listen on air on WTIP Thursday March 14th 8th, 7-8 pm, Saturday March 16th 6-7 am, or online at WTIP.org anytime.
The local food economy on the North Shore is filled with hard-working, innovative farmers and producers who grow vegetables, raise animals, harvest and sell food at farmers markets, through CSAs, to restaurants, grocery stores, schools and more. How did these farmers and producers get started doing what they are doing? Join us for a program exploring what it takes to become a farmer or food producer in our area. Learn about the challenges and joys of getting started making a life and living in the local food economy.
Head to the Kitchen: Find your path for starting or growing your food business
March 22nd, 1-4:30 pm
Location: Cook County Community Center, 317 W 5th St, Grand Marais
Cost: Free
Registration is required, register online
This workshop is designed for entry-level food business participants such as small-scale farmers and growers, food producers and processors, food entrepreneurs, and cottage food producers. During the workshop, participants will learn about the different food business options, how to include food safety practices into the business planning and operation, as well as, have the opportunity to connect with Extension food safety educators and other food business owners.
Spruce Budworm in Minnesota's Forests: 2024 Update
April 15th, 11-12:30 pm
Location: Cook County Higher Education building and on Zoom
Cost: Free
Registration is required, register online
Join us to learn about the identification, biology, and management of budworm in the forests of northeast Minnesota. Find out the latest information on the current spruce budworm outbreak and its impacts on our public and private forest lands into 2024 and beyond. Learn about local programs and resources that are available during spruce budworm management, such as tree planting and fencing programs. This workshop will be hosted by UMN Extension Educators with partners from the US Forest Service and the North Shore Forest Collaborative.
Recommended Vegetable Varieties for Cook County
Master Gardeners have reviewed and updated the Recommended Vegetable Varieties for Cook County booklet and put it in an online format. Take a look and use the booklet to guide you towards new vegetables to try in your garden this summer: Vegetable Varieties for Cook County
Naturalist Book Club: Crossings, How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet
Book Discussion, March 12th, 6:30-7:30 pm, Free, Zoom
Register on the Higher Ed webpage
Facilitator: Hillary Freeman, Master Naturalist Volunteer
Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet By Author Ben Goldfarb
About the book: In "Crossings," Ben Goldfarb examines the extensive impact of roads on our planet, uncovering consequences beyond roadkill. With 40 million miles of global roadways, these structures affect wildlife migration, introduce invasive species, and contribute to environmental issues. Goldfarb explores solutions by road ecologists, including wildlife bridges and community initiatives, prompting a reconsideration of our relationship with roads and their influence on the natural world. "Crossings" advocates for a more sustainable future by addressing ecological challenges posed by the expanding global road network.
Climate Threats to Outdoor Recreation
Tuesday March 19th
12-1:30 pm
Webinar from the Extension MN Climate Adaptation Partnership
Many popular winter recreational activities this year have been forced to cancel or change course due to unprecedented warm temperatures and lack of snow. Join us for a conversation with leaders in outdoor recreation across our region — including organizers of Wisconsin’s Birkie ski race — about how these events can plan for and adapt to climate change, and how we can embrace equitable action in climate adaptation.
Blooms and Beyond: Flower Farmer Stories
Wednesdays March 20-April 24, 1-2:30 pm each week.
Registration required, participants will receive recordings of all sessions. Sign up online.
Are you ready to elevate your farm's income and charm your customers? Look no further than the captivating world of cut flowers. Join us for an enlightening series of sessions where you'll learn the ins and outs of commercial cut flower production from seasoned growers located in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Climate Change Impacts on Wildlife and Habitat Webinar Series
Register online: z.umn.edu/WildlifeClimateSeries2024
Learn about the impacts of climate change on various Minnesota wildlife species and what you can do to promote habitat for wildlife on land you steward.
Three Wednesday webinars in partnership with MN DNR, each webinar takes place from noon-1 pm:
Food Safety Foundations Webinar Series
Join food safety and food preservation experts from the University of Minnesota Extension throughout the year to learn how to safely handle and prepare food. Whether you are a grower, operate a food business, or preserve foods for your own use, these webinars are for you.
March 11th, 5:30-6:30 pm- Cleaning and sanitation best practices
Invasive of the Month: European Mountain Ash
Extension's natural resources news page has a great recently published article teasing apart the nuances of what makes a plant invasive. As the article highlights, invasive species are generally ones that have been "introduced from completely different ecosystems and continents where they share no natural competitors or ecological associations. So they lack any natural controls on their populations and can outcompete native species."
One such species currently being reviewed by the MN Dept of Agriculture to determine whether it will be placed on Minnesota's official list of regulated invasive species is European Mountain Ash. Here in Cook County, American and Showy Mountain Ash species are common and native. We often notice these trees in the fall because they have bright red berries that hang down in clumps and are very visible after the leaves fall. European Mountain Ash was brought to North America and planted as an ornamental tree from Europe. One telltale difference to look for in winter between the native and non-native mountain ash species is the hairiness of their buds. There is a great comparison and identification guide to the three species available here.
If you think you've found an infestation of European Mountain Ash in the woods, on your property, or anywhere, you can report it to EDDMaps- an online tool for tracking invasive species. This will help researchers understand the extent to which European Mountain Ash has become invasive on the landscape.
(Image credit: jkampa, https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/335968838)