 Mike Voyt, Hunger Prevention Director at True North Community Services, will demonstrate how to make a seed block and growing microgreens.-Mike’s photo courtesy of True North; other photos by NCD.  From our friends at Newaygo County Environmental Coalition The public is invited to “Growing Together: A Home Grown Gardening Gathering” on Saturday, April 5 from 1pm to 4pm. It will be held at True North Services, 6308 South Warner Avenue Fremont, MI, 49412. Space is limited so registration is needed. To register go to bit.ly/HomeGrownGarden, or click on the QR code. Guests will learn about starting seeds at home; home composting that will keep food waste out of the trash and nourish your garden; how to grow microgreens for fresh, healthy salad greens any time you need; heirloom tomatoes; and much more! A Seed Swap is also planned: if you have vegetable, flower or native plant seeds to swap or share, please bring them along! Make sure they are in envelopes and marked – some envelopes and markers will be on hand to help out. In addition, guests will be able to make and take home a “seed block” – compressed soil where you can plant your seeds and watch them grow. A seed block can take the place of “peat pots”, and ensures good soil and moisture for the seeds to sprout and the plants to grow. “We are excited to feature speakers who will share their insights on heirloom seeds and vermiculture, discussing their experiences, benefits, and cultivation tips,” explained Jen Burfield of the Newaygo Conservation District. “This is a great opportunity to connect with fellow gardening enthusiasts and enhance your gardening skills!” The Growing Together event is a collaboration between True North Services, Newaygo Conservation District and the Newaygo County Environmental Coalition. If you have any questions, contact Jen Burfield, [email protected], (231) 225-3201
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 Photo and article by Donna Iverson Snowdrops are woodland wildflowers that appear at the cusp of spring often when snow is still on the ground. It is one of the first to flower as winter retreats between February and March. The delicate snowdrop (Galanthus) is a perennial that grows from a bulb. It is an early promise of spring and symbolizes better times ahead. Native to Europe and the Mideast, snowdrops prefer moist soil and alkaline soil. Bulbs can be planted in the spring or the fall. But the bulbs need temperatures below 20 degrees to force blooms. Snowdrops will self seed and spread once they are established in your yard. Easy to grow, snowdrops like sun to partial shade. Snowdrops attract bee pollinators and are for the most part ignored by rabbits and deer. Historically, snowdrops were often mentioned in fairy tales. In fact, Snowdrop was an alternative name for Snow White. Composers like Tchaikovsky and Strauss also wrote musical pieces featuring snowdrops in their works. And in ancient times, at the February Feast of Candlemas, young women dressed in white robes, paraded the streets as human snowdrops.  First cougar cubs verified in Michigan in more than a century From our friends at Michigan DNR For the first time in more than 100 years, cougar cubs have been discovered living in the Michigan wild. State biologists on Wednesday confirmed the existence of two cougar cubs on private land in Ontonagon County in the western Upper Peninsula. The spotted cubs, believed to be 7 to 9 weeks old, were verified from photographic evidence of the cubs taken March 6 by a local resident. This is the first time cougar cubs have been verified since the big cats were hunted out of existence in Michigan in the early 1900s, said Brian Roell, large carnivore specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Roell, a wildlife biologist for 26 years, led the team that verified the cubs. “It’s pretty exciting, considering this could be the first known cougar reproduction in modern times in the western Great Lakes states,” said Roell, referring to Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. “It really shows that we have a unique place in Michigan where someone has a chance to see a wolf, a moose and a cougar in the wild. It’s something that should be celebrated, that we have the habitat to support an elusive animal like this.” The cubs were spotted and photographed without their mother. Cougar cubs are highly dependent on their mothers, often staying with them for the first two years of life. Although cougars are native to Michigan, most of them now appear to be transient animals, dispersing into Michigan from Western states. The DNR has verified 132 adult cougar reports, Roell said, but DNA testing has confirmed only male cougars to date. The cubs have not been spotted since March 6. “Those young cougars are very vulnerable right now,” Roell said. “We don’t know where they are or if they’re even alive. Mother Nature can be very cruel.” Sightings can be logged in the DNR’s Eyes in the Field reporting system. Roell said cougars are on the list of endangered mammals in Michigan, meaning it’s illegal to hunt or harass them, which includes trying to locate their den. It’s also illegal to trespass on private property, he noted. For the latest information on cougars, including the DNR’s cougar sightings photo page, visit Michigan.gov/Cougar.   Soaking up the forest vibes. Photo courtesy of Sally Wagoner You may have heard it called Forest Bathing, Forest Therapy or Forest Immersion. Whatever it is called, the experience will leave you refreshed and reconnected. Reconnected to nature, yourself and your community. NCEC will be hosting its first quarterly Forest Immersion experience on March 22nd from 1pm-4pm, at the Coolbaugh Natural Area. Slated to occur around the Spring and Fall Equinoxes, and the Summer and Winter Solstices, our Forest Immersion sessions will take place in various forests and woods around Newaygo County during this coming year. Sally Wagoner will guide the sessions as she invites guests to experience the healing nature of the forest. Sally is a retired nurse, nature enthusiast, and Forest Therapy School graduate (www.theforesttherapyschool.com). A Forest Immersion session is quite easy. You are invited to experience the forest through your individual senses, one at a time: sight, sound, smell, touch. With each guided suggestion, you become aware of details in the forest that are not noticed initially, and often go unobserved completely when hiking or just taking a leisurely walk. A peaceful circling around herbal tea marks the end of the Forest Therapy session, where guests are invited to share what they have experienced, if they so choose. Everyone’s experience is unique. Please join us on March 22, from 1-4pm for a local Forest Immersion experience. Registration is required and limited to 13 guests. To register, go to www.facebook.com/NCEC2/events, and click on the registration link in the Forest Emerson post. Or click on our qr code. Questions please contact NCEC: [email protected]; 231-519-3419. NCEC (Newaygo County Environmental Coalition) is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to the environmental beauty and sustainability of the Newaygo County Region. For more information, visit www.nc-ec.org.
Women’s Suffrage & History of Lady Candidates Presentation take center stage in March Women’s Suffrage in Newaygo County Presentation: In honor of Women’s History Month, Rachel Jaunese and Pamela VandenBerg will present a fascinating look at Women’s Suffrage in Newaygo County together. Rachel Jaunese will present Quietly Active: Newaygo County and Women’s Suffrage-- How did rural Newaygo County women engage with the suffrage movement? Quietly. Local women did not throw big parades or showy protests, but were quietly working for their right to vote. Learn how local women engaged with the suffrage movement at the state, national, and international levels in the decade leading up to the 19th amendment. Rachel Jaunese is a middle school social studies teacher with a Master’s degree in History from CMU. Pamela VandenBerg will present Women Who Ran: A Brief History of Lady Candidates Who Ran in Local Elections-- Newaygo County women did not wait for equal enfranchisement to claim their right as candidates. Local women were running in county-wide elections as early as 1903. Learn about local trailblazing women who not only won elections but also significantly enriched our community in the process. Pamela VandenBerg is a local historian who specializes in Women's History. She is an alumni of GVSU and began her career at the Public Museum of Grand Rapids. This event will take place in the library’s Community Room on Tuesday, March 18th at 7:00 p.m. These events are, as always, free. Other Library events Children’s Events Domino Club (REGISTRATION REQUIRED): Register by seeing the Children’s Desk or call 231-928-0249. Join this club for tweens to have fun with domino set up and toppling. Eat pizza and snacks while we watch some YouTube domino videos, and then work on your own skills! For ages 8-13. Meets in the Community Room on the first Thursday each month. The next meeting will be on March 6th from 4:00-5:30 p.m. Toddler Storytime, for babies and toddlers up to age 3, will be held weekly on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m., and Family Storytime for children up to age 5 will be held weekly on Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. We’ll be showing a Children’s Afternoon Movie on Thursday, March 20th at 4:00 p.m. Snacks will be served, and all are welcome. Saturday Storytime, for children up to age 5 will be on March 22nd at 11:00 a.m. in the Community Room. Tinkering Tuesdays continues this month. REGISTRATION REQUIRED For ages 6-9 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Sign up your child two weeks before each activity, until filled, by calling 231-924-3480 or seeing the front desk. See dates below. Limit of 15 children each week. -March 11th: Free play -March 25th: Dissect a bean seed Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead also continues this month. This includes the same concepts as Tinkering Tuesdays, but for ages 10-12. REGISTRATION REQUIRED - 3:30-4:30 p.m. Sign up your child two weeks before each activity, until filled, by calling 231-924-3480 or seeing the front desk. See dates below. Limit of 15 children each week. -March 4th: Free play -March 18th: Dissect a bean seed Even More Events! The Books & Bites Book Group will meet on Wednesday, March 12th at 10:00 a.m. to discuss Wildwater Walking Club by Claire Cook. You are welcome to join, even if you haven’t read the book yet! If you’d like to read the book first, copies are available at our front desk. Tween Book Club will meet on Tuesday, March 25th from 3:30-5:00 p.m. in the teen area with pizza and snacks. For middle schoolers. This month we're reading Greenglass House by Kate Milford. Books are available for checkout at the library's front desk. Please read the book first and then join us for yummy food and discussion! We’re planning to start a Non-Fiction Book Club soon, so please see the library’s front desk or reference desk to fill out a survey if you’re interested! Fit for Life Exercise is on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:00-1:00 p.m. This is a low-impact exercise class perfect for all adults and levels of fitness. For Movie Monday, we’ll show the movie Here starring Tom Hanks (PG-13; 1 hr 44 min) on March 10th at 2:00 p.m. Snacks will be provided. Adult Craft (REGISTRATION REQUIRED): Macrame in March Craft will take place on Friday, March 21st. Adults can register for this craft to make macrame by calling 231-928-0256. Limited seats available, and all materials are provided free.   Get top tips for preventing and managing harmful algal blooms in inland waters!
In previous “HABs 101” webinars, we learned about the basics of harmful algal blooms and the value of algae in aquatic ecosystems. This April, join us for “HABs 101: Prevention and Management” for insights into what to do when your pond or lake turns green (hint: it’s not always a problem!). Get concrete tips for reducing the risk and impact of harmful algal blooms in your water and preventing them from happening again in the future. Hosted by Michigan Sea Grant and partners around the state, the webinar will cover topics including septic systems, nutrient budgets, direct management options, and more. Want to dive deeper into HABs? Find a collection of resources on Michigan Sea Grant’s website.  Milk Jug Greenhouses and native plant photos courtesy of NCEC  Katie Clark Newaygo County Environmental Coalition
Get ready for spring gardening with this Native Plant Winter Seed Sowing. The Newaygo County Environmental Coalition (NCEC) will host this “Make It & Take It” event on Saturday, February 8 from 10am – 12noon. It will take place at the NCEC office located at 432 Quarterline St, Newaygo, 49337, in the United Church of Christ building. Registration is requested to make sure you have a seat at the workshop. Attendees are asked to bring a clean plastic gallon milk-type jug if they have one. However NCEC will provide one per registered attendee, with up to 30 available. Soil and native plant seeds will also be provided. To register, go to the Newaygo County Environmental Coalition Facebook Events Page, or to the NCEC Website Calendar (NCEC Events Calendar). You can also email: sallyw.nc-ec.org. The workshop is free to attend, with a donation requested to cover supplies for those who are able. The workshop will focus on sowing native plant seeds in “milk jug mini-greenhouses”. These little ecosystems will be set outside in the winter cold and snow, where the slowly warming temperatures will enable the seeds to sprout toward spring. Once the weather has warmed, the growing plants can be put in their permanent yard and garden beds. The workshop will be led by Katie Clark, Michigan Conservation Steward and NCEC Board Member. She will provide a short presentation on native plants and seed stratification. Attendees will then get their hands in the dirt to make their milk jug greenhouses and sow native plant seeds. Katie has been heard to say that planting seeds also plants hope. Come to this workshop and plant some hope for yourself and your garden! The Newaygo County Environmental Coalition is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the beauty and sustainability of the Newaygo County environment through information, education and advocacy. For more information visit the website at www.nc-ec.org. Follow and like at the Facebook page: NCEC FB. To keep up to date on events and sign up for Enews, or for any questions, contact [email protected].  The 2025 lake sturgeon fishing season on Black Lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan, will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1. All anglers must register online to participate in the season. The 2025 lake sturgeon fishing season on Black Lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan, will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1. All anglers must register online in advance to participate in the fishing season, and those age 17 or older must have a valid Michigan fishing license. The harvest limit for the 2025 season on Black Lake is six lake sturgeon. Officials will close the season when one of two scenarios occurs:
Fishing hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day of the season. The season will end either at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, or when one of the above scenarios is met, at which point anglers will be notified via text message and on the ice by DNR personnel that they must immediately stop fishing for lake sturgeon. Anyone who wants to participate this year must register online by Jan. 31. Get more registration and season information at Michigan.gov/Sturgeon. Participating anglers must bring their own bright red flags (1-foot diameter or larger) to hang on their fishing shanties. Season officials emphasize that anglers are required to hang one or more flags in highly visible locations on their shanties so DNR personnel can readily identify which anglers are sturgeon fishing. Anyone harvesting a lake sturgeon must immediately contact DNR personnel on the ice. Official registration of each harvested fish will take place at a DNR trailer located on or near the ice at the end of Zollner Road in the northwest part of Black Lake. Harvest registration may include an examination of the fish's internal organs and removal of a piece of fin tissue for DNA analysis or aging. Lake sturgeon rehabilitation efforts in Black Lake over the last two decades have been a successful collaboration between the DNR, Sturgeon for Tomorrow, tribal agencies, Michigan State University and Tower-Kleber Limited Partnership. This population has increased in the past 20 years due to lake sturgeon rearing and stocking efforts and research and protection of spawning adults, and this trend is expected to continue. Ice conditions may vary greatly, and anglers should always use extreme caution when ice fishing. The Black Lake sturgeon season start date will not be postponed due to weather or other conditions. The season may be canceled up to 48 hours prior to the start of the season if circumstances pose a significant safety risk to anglers and staff (per Fisheries Order 240). The DNR will post any updated information to the department website and notify anglers via text message and email if any changes occur. Visit Michigan.gov/IceSafety for tips to stay safe on the ice.  Firewood permits for the 2025 calendar year are now available. Firewood permits can be obtained by phone, mail, or in-person at any of the five HMNFs offices between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. “You will need to provide your full name, address, license plate number and the amount of firewood desired, up to the number of cords specified on the permit,” says Customer Service Representative Tony Beals. Personal use firewood permits remain free and authorize the holder to collect up to eight cords per calendar year. Free personal use firewood permits do not allow for the resale of firewood collected on the HMNFs. Individuals who require more than eight cords, or want to harvest firewood to sell, may purchase a commercial firewood permit at a rate of $60. Commercial firewood permits authorize the holder to cut and gather up to 20 cords. According to Beals, “Permits cannot be re-issued, so it is important to keep track of your permit through its expiration on December 31, 2025.” Firewood maps will accompany each permit. Permit holders can cut and gather firewood in areas shown as open to firewood collection on the provided maps. All firewood cutters are responsible for reviewing the map of the designated cutting area and adhering to the rules and restrictions inherent to the permit. Permit holders must always have their current permit on them while cutting and transporting wood from the HMNFs. Firewood maps and regulations can be reviewed on the HMNFs Forest Products web page. Personal and commercial firewood permits are available via phone, mail, and in-person at the following times and locations: Supervisors Office, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. M-F 1755 S. Mitchell St., Cadillac, MI 49601 Phone (231) 775-2421 Baldwin/White Cloud Ranger Station, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. M-F 650 N. Michigan Ave, Baldwin, MI 49304  Repurposing milknjugsb into miningreenhouses  Sarah Pregitzer Free Workshop features native seed sowing Get ready for spring gardening with this Native Plant Winter Seed Sowing & Seed Ball Workshop. The Newaygo County Environmental Coalition (NCEC) will host this “Make It & Take It” event on Saturday, January 11 from 10am – 12noon. It will take place at the NCEC office located at 432 Quarterline St, Newaygo, 49337, in the United Church of Christ building. Everyone who has pre-registered will be able to make and take home native plant “seed balls” and/or mini-greenhouses. The event is free – however donations will be welcomed to help cover costs of the supplies. Eventbrite registration links can be found at the NCEC Facebook Event page; by scanning the QR Code; or by visiting the NCEC website calendar: www.nc-ec.org. Questions can be emailed to [email protected]. The workshop will be led by Sarah Pregitzer, Master Naturalist, Conservation Steward and NCEC Board Member. “Winter is the best time to plant your native plant seeds to be ready for spring gardening,” stated Sarah. “We will sow native plant seeds in milk-jug mini-greenhouses or other containers. These will be set outside during the winter months. The temperature and moisture changes are needed for many native plant seeds to sprout when the weather begins to warm up. Then in spring the plants are ready to put into your garden!” “We will also be making Seed Balls at the workshop,” adds Sarah. “Native plant seeds are set into balls of clay and dirt which protects them until spring. If you have a larger area to plant, these Seed Balls can then be tossed into the desired area in early spring. The seeds have a much better chance to sprout and grow than if you broadcast them on top of the soil.” The Newaygo County Environmental Coalition is a local non-profit organization dedicated to bringing environmental awareness and activities to community members. Their Healthy Habitats programs are supported in part by the Fremont Area Community Foundation and other generous donors. To learn more, visit www.nc-ec.org.
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