Happy Dancing Turtle

Seven Pines Farm Tour

2011-11-30T10:50:00.000-08:00

On November 29, 2011, garden crew staff from the Happy Dancing Turtle visited Kent and Linda Solberg for a tour of Seven Pines Farm, north of Verndale MN. Seven Pines farm is an eighty acre grassed based livestock farm raising dairy cattle, pigs, and laying hens.

Above are the laying hens in their winter coop. The hoop house structure is layered with deep straw and the sided buried with snow when available. Waterers are pulled at dumped and removed at night to prevent freezing. The chickens are fed free choice organic layer mash. An average of one bird per four square feet is optimum stocking. Too many birds and issues arise with crowding and fighting. Not enough and the bedding pack and body heat from the birds doesn't provide enough heat during cold winter nights. No supplemental heat is added.

In the summer the layers are kept in egg mobiles built on movable trailers. Polywire net fencing is strung in a large circle around the trailers. The hens are allowed to free range on pasture during the day and locked in the egg mobiles at night to protect from predators. Badgers have been one of their biggest predators, killing as many as 90 birds in one night.

Above is the winter finishing hut for butcher hogs. The pigs in this hut are slated for their "bad" day within the next couple of weeks. After these are gone the young piglets on pasture will be move into the hut for the winter to finish. The sows will be breed back in mid December for April farrowing and are housed outdoors with a deep straw bedded hut. The sows farrow on pasture in the metal "port-a-huts". One more hut is needed than the number of sows farrowing.

Sows and piglets on pasture. Notice metal "port-a-huts".

Happy Cows! Intensive rotational grazing increases grass production and reduces disease in the herd. If you can see the cows eyes when they are grazing the grass is too long. If you can see their nose it is too short.

Loafing shed for butcher steers. Feed whole corn and hay, the bedding pack is built up throughout the winter. Corn, missed by the steers is scattered throughout the bedding. In early spring the bred sows are brought in to scavenge for the corn, mixing the bedding pack for faster decomposition. The bedding is then removed and composted further before applying to the fields.

Swedish style milking parlor. Milks 8 cows at a time. The only time the cows are inside is when they are being milked. No bending over to hook up milking machine. Total cost under $30,000.

Kent Solberg in milk house.

Kent rotates the cows through seven paddocks. Above is a winter manure pack area where cows are concentrated and fed round bales(notice the distinct line where manure stops). This area will be disked in the spring and planted to drought tolerant millet. This will be grazed twice then in August worked and seeded to triticale and field turnips undersown to a pasture mix of alfalfa, chicory and misc grasses. The cold hardy tritcale and turnips are fall grazed into Oct or Nov. After this the paddock is used as a winter feeding area to build manure pack. The following spring the established pasture mix that was undersown comes up through the manure pack. The paddock is left in pasture for 4 to 5 years before rotating back to millet.

Though hard to see this shows the 1-3" manure pack. Biologically active soils are needed for the microbes to break down this manure pack and incorporate it into the soil. This is especially important on light sandy soils like those on the Seven Pines farm.

Jumping for joy

2011-11-16T10:50:00.001-08:00

We're pretty excited about the upcoming Back to Basics event taking place on January 28th in Pine River, so excited that we made a video about it.

All Things Prepared...(Collage of Sustainability)

2011-10-12T11:20:00.001-07:00

With the big day approaching rapidly, we've been very busy putting the final touches on everything that needed doing. And, with over 100 people expected to attend, we didn't want to disappoint.

We've set up two rooms for breakout sessions.

The sound equipment has been set up and tested. We are proud to report that feedback will not be an issue!

Ryan and Dan fine tuned the solar shade and even cut the fabric to allow for open windows.

Jim E. cleared and smoothed the field in the center of campus to accommodate all of the cars expected. We will also be providing a van that will bring people from their cars to the front doors, if they wish.

The shop is even getting some last minute cleaning. Here you can see that Wayne follows the mantra, "Always keep your tools clean."

Ellen and Sonja have there hands full with preparing and packing over 150 sack lunches for the visitors.

Here you can see exactly how many sandwiches that is!

For more information, please drop by www.happydancingturtle.org for a brochure of the breakout sessions and a full list of speakers. We hope to see you there!

The Great Annual Honey Harvest

2011-09-12T12:29:00.000-07:00

After producing for most of the summer, the beehives on campus were ready to be harvested. Jim E. and Sonja took to the hives with confidence and calm, but also with the proper protective gear.

Jim assured us that this hive had already swarmed earlier in the summer and was likely to be more docile. But, he also made sure to have the smoker up and ready before beginning, though.

Here you can see the sticky red glue called propolis, which is used to help the bees build their hive walls. Jim and Sonja had to scrape off the propolis before being able to free the comb frames. Clean combs were swapped for those with honey.

The girls were calm enough to be gently brushed off the frame.

Jim was even able to find the hives queen bee.

In the end, over 14 quarts of fresh honey were produced. Jim assured me that, while honey can keep for thousands of years, the honey collected here wouldn't last the winter at this house. Someone loves his honey, it seems.

Catnip Insect Repellent

2011-08-22T09:31:00.000-07:00

On Fridays, it gets pretty quiet around here. Everybody gets their work done and is gone for the weekend. So, as I was sitting at my computer Friday afternoon, I hear what sounds like construction work going on in the kitchen.

The catnip leaves need to be chopped up.

I come down the stairs and see Sonja working the food processor and sitting next to her is a bowl of what looks like "grass soup."

Here you can see the "grass soup" being mixed.

She informed me that she was making homemade insect repellent. The main ingredient is catnip leaves! Apparently, after running it through the chopper, pouring boiling water over it and then draining the remainder into a jar like a tea, you can then use it to keep flies, mosquitoes and many other pesky insects from bothering you.

This mixture is ten times more effective than any commercial product with DEET in it. DEET has been proven to have negative effects, so if you can make the time, making your own herbal repellent can be healthier and if you put it in an essential oil (grape seed or jojoba oil), it can also be good for your skin.

Sonja claims its more effective in repelling insects, yet she warns that you'd better be careful wearing it around your house cats. You might be in for a good pouncing.

HDT Hosts Brainerd Lakes Chamber

2011-08-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

Wednesday at noon, Happy Dancing Turtle hosted over 35 Brainerd Lakes chamber members for a CHOW luncheon.

They were treated to a spread of hand crafted ham & veggie wraps, pasta salad, fresh strawberries from the garden, and homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Here, you can see Lynn demonstrating how more efficient the ARC houses are compared to regular construction.

After lunch and small presentations by the chamber, members were invited to tours of the HUG campus.

Here, Bob is networking with members of the chamber.

Here, Quinn is showing the jigsaw like nature of the SIP panels. SIP panels are used in the construction of ARC houses.

It certainly is sunny on top of the Mani Shop. Quinn is showing off the green roof.

HDT Gardens Already a Sweet Success

2011-06-29T08:47:00.000-07:00

With the use of black plastic mulch, and the very hard work of the HDT garden crew, the HDT gardens already have large and sweet strawberries ready to pick. With the aid of the mulch, warm weather crops are able to maintain the heat around the garden bed, even with the inclement weather we've enjoyed for the last month.

Dug and Ray of HUG help in the picking process.

We have plans to eat and cook with the berries as much as we can, but will freeze the remainder for use in the fall and winter.

For your information, they're delicious.

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Commemorates Playground

2011-06-27T07:17:00.000-07:00

On Friday, June 24th the Pine River Dam Park newly installed playground was christened with fanfare and dozens of children swarming the equipment. The playground was recently installed after Central Lakes Rotary (CLR) club reached its goal of raising $10,000 in matching funds. Balloons were given to the children at the ceremony.

The keys were transferred to the city from CLR.

The ribbon was cut by members of the city council.

Frost Free Friday a Chilly Success

2011-06-01T06:56:00.000-07:00

Friday was the annual kick-off for the Pine River Market Square. On a day that barely held onto its name, the annual Frost Free Friday kickoff event brought determined vendors and chilly visitors. All throughout downtown Pine River, local businesses welcomed the unofficial first day of summer.

Happy Dancing Turtle and dozens of local businesses gave away seedling plants for free as a way to kick off the summer season. With over a dozen farms and agricultural organizations participating in the PRMS, visitors were able to get a variety of offerings.

You could buy fresh made focaccia bread from Cherie Wehausen at Rising Star.

Lorna's Kitchen offered fresh sourdough and perennial seedlings.

You could buy your dill pickles and home-made mustard from Armstrong Acres.

Friendly faces were free from all vendors. The Market Square has been doing well for three years, now.

After braving the chilly weather, what could be better than warming yourself up with some hot BBQ at the grand opening of JR's Number 19. The pulled pork was delicious and very reasonably priced.

What a way to start the summer!

Mushroom Innoculation Season

2011-05-31T12:33:00.000-07:00

Inoculating shitake mushroom logs.

Logs should be cut from live, actively growing trees. Preferred species include red and burr oak or ironwood. Notice the thick cambium layer of the log below. That is an indicator of fast growth and is the food for the mushrooms.

Clean and drill the logs - an angle grinder adapted to a drill is much faster

Inoculate the logs by inserting sawdust spawn into drilled holes.

Wax the holes after filling with spawn. The logs then have to "lay" for one growing season while the mushroom fungi colonizes the log. Moisture within the log must not drop below 30% during this incubation phase. Logs should start to produce mushrooms the second season and continue to produce for several years thereafter.

Dam Park Fish Fry Big Success

2011-05-23T09:01:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday at the Pine River Legion, the Dam Park Revitalization Task Force hosted a "Take Me Back to the Park" Fish Fry Fundraiser.

Each of the 200 plus attendees were greeted with live minnow table decorations and were then asked to eat walleye fillet (or fish sticks for the kids). Everybody was encouraged to as many homemade desserts as they wished.

Here's closer look at the minnows in the jars. Nobody ate them, as far as I heard.

Raffle tickets were also sold. All 600 were sold and two lucky winners walked away with kayaks. All in all, the dinner successfully raised just over $3600 to be used for improving the Pine River Dam Park.

Composting Basics

2011-05-19T07:39:00.000-07:00

When I went to the the Living Green Expo last week, I was able to talk to Ramsey County Master Gardener, Tom Hutsell. I shared information about the campus and we eventually came upon the subject of composting. If you're interested in starting your own backyard vegetable garden, he suggests that a compost pile be started. This not only helps return valuable nutrients to your garden's soil, but it also puts to use your yard waste.

Composting is very simple to do, and needs only a few things to get started.
1) First you need to be sure there are microorganisms in your pile. This is simple, because they are everywhere. Hutsell says that commercial compost starters are not necessary. All the microorganisms you need are already present in the natural ingredients you add an in the air.

2) Secondly, you need to be sure to add water to your pile. Once the mixture is damp like a wrung-out sponge, you know you've added enough.

3) Next, be sure to allow for plenty of oxygen. You can do this by both ensuring the pile is no bigger than 5ft. square and turning the pile when necessary. He also points out that some people use a hollow tube in the center of their pile to allow for aeration.

4) Lastly, keep feeding the pile the proper ingredients so it can maintain the necessary heat of 130-160F). These ingredients can be pretty much any organic material but should be limited to leaves, weeds, grass, and kitchen vegetable/fruit waste. You should never use meat, bones, grease, pet droppings, or diseased plants.

Maintaining a compost pile is extremely easy, Hutsell assures. Once the proper location is picked and the basic ingredients are combined, the toughest part is helping to maintain the high temperature. Keeping the proper amount of nitrogen in the pile is a trick he suggests. Fresh grass clippings are great with nitrogen. I commented that some people I know collect their urine to help increase nitrogen in their compost pile and referenced this clip. He laughed and affirmed that, yes, human urine is a great way help your compost pile, but either method would work.

3-4 months of an active compost pile should bring you a finished product. It will be dark, crumbly, and have an earthy smell and will last for years if stored properly.

If you want further information on composting, check out this link which will give you different acceptable methods on how to start your compost pile.

Living Green Expo 2011 Wrapup

2011-05-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

We took several days this week to travel to the Living Green Expo at the state fairgrounds. There were over 300 exhibitors from varying aspects of sustainability. We met with designers of Passiv houses, local farmers, and even an organic dog food company. It showed that there are varying ways to promote sustainability and different ways to promote environmental stewardship.

Some made more sense than others. For every educational booth that promoted Complete Streets, there was a jewelry maker that reused street signs and made bracelets and rings. For every insulation peddler who was more interested in making a sale than using earth-friendly products, there were magnet schools that included sustainability in their curriculum.

There were demonstrations of electric-assisted bicycles, Segways and the electric Tesla Roadster. This was encouraging, simply because it showed the different ways that, at least locally, one was able to jump away from non-renewable-energy-dependent transportation.

There were musicians, dancers, food booths and art displays that promoted green living. Organic pizzas cooked in a cob oven were the order of the day. Authentic Mexican dancing brought people to their feet with the message of reverence towards the Earth as much as the driving drum and rhythm. Children were encouraged to make Mother's Day gifts with reusable scraps of fabric.

It was an educational vist, as well. We attended several seminars that ranged from backyard composting to sustaining a local farm to school program. We left with a better understanding that sustainability is something that can be achieved through many different avenues. Moreover, we walked away encouraged that we are not alone in the movement.

Head Start Visit

2011-05-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, Happy Dancing Turtle hosted 17 youth from the Brainerd area Head Start. They were treated to a tour of our organic garden and were able to get up real close to the free-range chickens.

They were treated to several rounds of "Yum or Yuck", where they get to choose whether a food is good (yum) or bad (yuck) for their bodies.

The youth were shown the kitchen area, where Ellen was preparing the campus lunch, a tasty organic pizza with fresh vegetables from the campus hoop house.

Free Renewable Energy & Efficiency Training at CLC

2011-04-25T09:54:00.000-07:00

Central Lakes College, working with Rural Minnesota Concentrated Employment, Inc., is offering free training in renewable energy and energy efficiency.For dislocated workers and current business employees, the two-part series starts April 18 in the Business and Industry Center on the Brainerd campus. Space is limited, and there are eligibility requirements. Contact Kori Busho at (218) 855-8139 or kbusho@clcmn.edu for information.
There is no cost for attending due to grant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and Minnesota Department of Commerce through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Governor’s Workforce Development Council. Funds are also provided by a Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development grant implemented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration.

Desert in MN

2011-04-13T09:47:00.000-07:00

The front of the Mani Shop holds a large atrium that helps heat the building. It holds the heat from the day and slowly releases that heat during the night. This heat cycle most closely resembles a desert ecosystem (minus the animals, of course). It can get up to 90 degrees during the day (even in the winter!) and maintains a dry humidity.

However, certain plants love this, namely cacti. We have several species that are simply thriving.

This one reminds some people of a spider.

Spring has Sprung

2011-04-05T12:38:00.000-07:00

The following is a write-up from resident bird-watcher and aviary expert, John van der Linden:

The birds are FLOCKING -- and I don't mean our campus chickens! The first migrant wild birds of spring are starting to arrive on campus. Several people have been noticing the feisty robins flying around and making noise!
Last week American woodcocks were doing their aerial displays at dusk just southwest of Old Main, near the new hoophouse. Also the red-winged blackbirds can now be heard, singing in a large group nearby.

And, to top it all off -- a phoebe was calling this morning from the dead tree south of the gardens! (If you stand in the gardens and listen you might hear it -- "free-bee, free-bee, free-biscuits" -- this is lower and more nasally than the high whistled "fee-bee" we've been hearing from the chickadees recently.)

Phoebes like to nest under eaves (maybe they'll choose one of our campus sheds!) AND they are very beneficial -- they're a type of "flycatcher" that eats LOTS of bugs on the wing.

I think it's nice to know when the spring migrants are coming in, so we can have hope that warm temps and thawed ground are almost here!

Who is Your Farmer?

2011-03-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

On Monday, March 28, Happy Dancing Turtle hosted a kickoff meeting for the Food and Water Security Advisor Corps. Local farmers, permaculture experts and local educators were in attendance. The goal of the advisor corps is to be a sounding board for Happy Dancing Turtle in their endeavors to promote education and best practices surrounding sustainability.

Talks swirled from previous HDT events and their outcomes to possible future ventures that HDT should focus their attention on. The majority of the discussions gravitated around the possibility of an online organic gardening symposium. HDT's goal is not to enrich only those in the local area and hosting an online event would bring the ideas of sustainability and permaculture to many more people.
The final goal of fostering these ideas across a much larger geographical area was decided on being an attainable goal.

The main outcome of the meeting was the decision to embrace technology to foster these goals. An idea engaged in was to create an iPhone app to instruct what food was growing when and where. Another idea was to find a way to use Facebook to encourage outside learning. One of the most popular interactive games on Facebook, Farmville, has over 50 million active users. If HDT could promote sustainable practices through this same method, many more people, it was figured, would be open to the ideas of organic gardening or starting their own square foot garden.

But, regardless of how these sustainable ideas get out there, the main goal decided upon during this kickoff meeting was that education and action are the primary goals.

Best Practices Chosen for Pine River

2011-03-17T08:32:00.000-07:00

The GreenStep Task Force met on Thursday to discuss and evaluate progress from last brainstorming meeting.

With six of the best practices mandated from the MN Pollution Control Agency, Pine River had the ability to hand pick six more best practices that they feel would benefit the city best.

The task force chose the following:

1) Establish a farmer's market and a community garden (Already Completed)

2) Install private and public-sector renewable energy systems

3) Make traffic signals and street lights more energy efficient

4) Improve the surface water quality

5) Create efficient highway-oriented development

6) Promote alternatives to single-occupancy car travel

There was also discussions of finding the energy use of public buildings (ie heat, water use). This would give the city a place to start looking at not only environmentally changing their practices, but to perhaps also save money.

Encouraging the city to change their 90 plus street lights from a mercury vapor lightbulb to a more energy efficient bulb (ie sodium vapor or metal halide) was discussed. The current practice is to change out the bulb if it needs replacing. It was suggested a report should be formed to show the cost and eventual cost savings of replacing the bulbs en masse.
The next meeting will be on April 21, 2011 at 8am at the HUG campus.

Back to Basics Pictures

2011-03-07T08:24:00.000-08:00

It's been a while, but here are some long-awaited pics from Back to Basics!

So much information from such knowledgeable speakers!

Another tasty lunch from Brenda and her fabulous staff!

Healthy snacks class.

A sampling of some of the amazing wares for sale.

Fun was had by all ages!

Thanks again to all who participated in this year's Back to Basics!
We hope to see you all next year!

Scaling up Local Foods

2011-02-25T08:27:00.000-08:00

The Sustainable Community Meeting hosted by the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERT) in Detroit Lakes proved to be very informative. There were many discussions ranging from long term road development to possible ways to make cities more "green." However, the discussion gravitated mainly on the local foods movement.

With the state percentage of directly purchased local food at under .05%, it was made clear that there is much room for expansion. Some proposed increasing the food to school projects, which would allow local school districts the freedom to purchase from local farms. Others offered that crop share programs were the best way to increase local foods awareness. With near 60 CSA's in MN, they are well on there way to bringing local foods to the people.

With all of these wonderful ideas to increase local foods awareness, the most difficult idea to gain momentum also seems to be the most simple to implement. It was discussed that if each family was able to grow a simple garden on their property, the benefits of eating local foods would be seen at personal level, which, in turn, would bring a broader understanding of the importance of eating locally.

Greensteps Task Force Meets

2011-02-17T09:13:00.001-08:00

On Thursday Quinn and John hosted a meeting for the Pine River Greensteps Task Force.

With representatives from the Initiative Foundation, the public works of Pine River and Mayor Jim Sabas in attendance, the meeting's goal was to decide how the city should proceed with its goal of Greensteps Designation.

Greensteps designation will demonstrate that the city of Pine River wants to improve quality of life and promote sustainable growth for the future.

The MN Pollution Control Agency specifies six "Best Practices" that all candidate cities are required to complete while Pine River must choose six more out of a list of 28. The meeting was intended to choose what the final 6 should be.

Pine River has already got a start on these six:

1) Community Involvement

Report Greensteps progress to the community

2) Improve Public Buildings

Introduce energy and sustainability improvements to public buildings.

3) Comprehensive Plan

Tie regulatory and zoning ordinances into the sustainability plan

4) Purchasing

City must adopt a plan to choose sustainable products and services

5) Urban Forests

Increase tree cover in the city

6) Green Business Development

Launch a "buy local" campaign and support sustainable business practices

For a full list of "Best Practices," go to http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestpractices.cfm

It's a Wrap

2011-02-08T11:49:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all who made Back to Basics 2011 a huge success! We were delighted with the turnout and all that was contributed by vendors, exhibitors, persevered, and participants. A special thanks to all of the wonderful volunteers who helped make the day a success. Stay tuned pictures will be posted soon.

Garden Visitors

2010-11-24T09:42:00.000-08:00

Last week, there were some visitors in the garden when Ellen arrived at work in the morning!

Stef managed to snap a quick picture before she chased them out!

Work has also been progressing on the Hoophouse.

One partially finished end.
Can't wait for all of the fresh veggies this will bring us next spring!

Hoop House

2010-11-04T07:12:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, HDT and HUG joined forces to put the plastic on the hoop house that was started on 10/10/10.

Next, we need the ends!

10-10-10

2010-10-11T11:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, for 10-10-10, Dave and company started construction on another hoop house here on campus. Not only are we looking forward to extending the growing season, but it was also great to be part of a global awareness event. To find out more about 10-10-10, visit www.350.org.

Turkey Time!

2010-09-22T11:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, as we were working away in our office, we thought it sounded like one of the campus turkeys was right outside our door. Of course, we had to investigate, and this is the sight that greeted us!

Anyone else hungry for Thanksgiving dinner?!

Time to Catch Up!

2010-08-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

A lot has happened around here the past two months; so much that we haven't had time to do any regular blogging! So, it's time for a brief overview of our activities!

This year, HDT decided to scale back at the Cass County Fair and just have a booth with our spinner game and info., rather than a whole building like we have in the past. We also branched out and had a booth at the Crow Wing County Fair, which seemed to go over well.

Our booth at the Crow Wing County Fair

Dave and Derek testing local Royalty's
eco-awareness.

We also had two more eco-camps. August 16th-20th was for grades 2-4 and was called "What on Earth?" The kids had lots of fun:

Making rain sticks

Going to the "Wiley West Stunt Show" for
Terrific Tuesday

Crafting bracelets from plastic bags

Experimenting with sun prints

And recycling crayons.

Group photo!

Our last session of camp, "Act Natural", for 5th-8th graders ran August 23rd-27th. Some of our favorite activities included:

Back-to-back drawings

Touring RREAL

Making newspaper journals

Paper making

Hunger Banquet

Making suet bird feeders

Orienteering

Gardening

Preparing french fries with potatoes we dug
out of the garden

Our last group of campers for the year!

As summer came to a close, we also said good-bye to our summer workers, who are now back at school, either teaching or attending. We'll miss them and hope to see them next year!

New Children's Toy: Mister Tomato Head?

2010-08-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

This giant tomato was found in the garden. It had grown so fast that our local scientists suspected that it was also developing a brain! Of course, they have already disproved that theory. It just tasted too good!

here are some pictures of this giant abnormality:

Eco Camp Session 2: Day 5

2010-07-14T13:07:00.000-07:00

Tina from RREAL demonstrated how different colors are affected by the sun.

Osa created a solar cooker out of an old pizza box.

The kids used compasses and clues to find their way around campus.

Teaching the kids how to save our planet, Eco Camp Session 2, was another success.

Dalton

2010-07-08T03:25:00.001-07:00

A few posts ago I promised I'd introduce Dalton when I was able to capture a photo. It was no easy task but I finally caught up with him. Dalton has been working with Cody, Derek, Sarah, Jim and the rest of the garden crew on various projects around campus this spring and summer.

Weeding, Mulching and More

2010-07-08T03:16:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the opportunity to spend some time outside with the garden crew. Being out in the sunshine was a welcome change. Sarah and I spent the morning pulling weeds, laying cardboard and adding mulch to the artichoke berm. The afternoon brought more of the same in the raspberries. We also mulched the path between the raspberry rows.

Before...
After...

Sarah celebrates a job well done!

Eco Camp Session 2: Day 4

2010-07-02T06:31:00.001-07:00

Michelle lead the kids in a game of Tree Jeopardy

The kids learned how to reuse paper by making it back into new paper.

Our snack was Watermelon Pop Stars.

The Eco Campers colored
their own reusable totes made
mostly of recycled
plastic bottles.

Our visit to the transfer station was fun and educational!

Our campers this week weighed 1340 lbs.

Invaluable Staff at Eco Camp

2010-07-02T06:07:00.000-07:00

Our summer staff is having fun with the Eco Campers. Michelle, Jenny, Jade, & Cate are all working hard to keep up with the kids. They are a FANTASTIC asset to HDT!!! YAY girls!!

Eco Camp Session 2: Day 3

2010-07-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

The Eco Campers pulling weeds and thinning out the radishes at the Happy Dancing Turtle Community garden plot.

The kids used their garden markers to mark the vegetables in our HDT garden plot.

It's snack time in the school forest! Yum! :)

Barb leads the kids in Tree Identification.

The Eco Campers learning about the pond.

The kids enjoy making Hummingbird feeders from old baby jars.

The kids enjoyed preparing their own Bagel Faces for our afternoon snack.

Eco Camp Session 2: Day 2

2010-06-30T06:27:00.000-07:00

At Terrific Tuesdays, the Eco Campers reused plastic bags to make jump ropes.

They used the jump ropes in the Olympic themed activities.

In honor of the Olympics, the Eco Campers reused CDs to make their own medals.

The kids learned about how disease and toxins can spread through
water sources in an activity called Poison Pump.

Michelle helped the kids finish their bandannas.

Jade and Cate slaved away in the kitchen to make Gold Medal Cookies for the kids' snack.

Eco Camp Session 2: Day 1

2010-06-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

Today we created garden markers for our plot in the community garden.
We will soon know where each vegetable is growing.

The kids used their knowledge of the oil spill in Louisiana
to help Jenny simulate our own oil spill.

Barb taught the kids all about our campus on a tour.
They learned many things including: the benefits of having a
"Green Roof" and using a worm bin.

Avery used her creativity to tie-dye a bandanna.

Miah enjoyed our morning snack, moose lips.

Rochester learned about his impact on the earth with his Eco Footprint Quiz.

A few more introductions

2010-06-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

Since our Eco Events Assistants have been given airtime it's only fair that we also recognize our outdoor crew. This team will be dividing their time between HUG and HDT projects around campus. So far they have been battling the weeds in the garden, clearing brush in the woods and planting A LOT of trees.

Sarah Wood, has returned to remind the weeds who's boss!

Cody Dabill, a Pine River local knows what hard work is all about.

Derek Sonenstahl returns to HUG and HDT as summer staff - last year he constructed and put up bluebird houses around campus for his Eagle Scout Project

Last but not least we have Dalton Dabill, but I have yet to catch up with him and get a picture...

We can see the raspberries again!

2010-06-23T07:56:00.001-07:00

Sarah has been busy all spring trying to stay ahead of the weeds in the garden. Thanks to her diligent efforts and some help from Derek the raspberry plants are once again visible!

Before

Yes, there really are raspberries in there!

After

Raspberries, less the weeds and a new layer of mulch!

HDT Welcomes Michelle Hoefs!

2010-06-22T14:06:00.000-07:00

Michelle Hoefs joined the HDT team in May 2010 as a full-time program assistant. In her role, Michelle will provide support for all HDT programs in the areas of education, food and water security, and sustainability programs. She jumped right in with the planning and preparation for the first session of Eco Camp.

HDT welcomes new and returning faces for the summer

2010-06-22T13:45:00.000-07:00

With 5 sessions of Eco Camp and plans to attend the Cass and Crow Wing County Fairs, HDT will be plenty busy this summer. Our Eco Events Assistants shouldn't run out of things to do!

PR-B third-grade teacher Jenny Sether signed on to help out with this summer's Eco Events

Cate Zebroski, PR-B junior and former HDT volunteer knows what needs to be done.

Jade Krueger, PR-B junior and past HDT volunteer is back for more!

Eco Camp 2010 Session 1

2010-06-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

Eco Camp Session 1 was for grades 1-3. The kids participated in: paper-making, tie dyeing , gardening, pond studies, a trip to the transfer station, fun snacks, many games, and recycled crafts. Thanks to all our new help for summer, session 1 was a HUGE success!

Ella shows off her tie dyed bandanna at lunch.

Barb leads a pond study at the PRB school forest.

Christopher enjoys his fun snack, goldfish in the pond.

Jenny helps Tony create his reused tank top tote.

Naarah, Sadie, and Zoe try not to smell the transfer station.

All the kids helped plant the HDT plot at the community garden.

Zoe reuses paper by recreating new paper.

Oysters...

2010-05-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

Oyster Mushrooms that is. Dave started these mushrooms indoors in a cardboard box. Alternating layers of mushroom spore and wet straw were packed into the box and it was stashed in a dark closet for a month. Mycelium formed throughout the box and when it was moved into the sunlight the mushrooms emerged.

Mushroom spore are sprinkled in the box

Then damp straw is added

Once moved to the sunlight the mushrooms quickly fruit

They find the openings and weak spots in the box

Birds!!

2010-05-19T12:18:00.001-07:00

We have some new additions on campus. These cute little chicks have moved from Dave's greenhouse to the chicken tractor (a cage that protects them while they're outside foraging).

Unfortunately one of the chicks escaped, and although it did a good job of hiding from those working in the garden it wasn't able to escape the sharp eyes of this hawk.

Hoop House

2010-05-19T12:04:00.000-07:00

Dave has been busy with the hoop house. It's intended to extend our growing season and so far seems to be doing just that. It was set up last fall and seeds were started in March 2010. We've been enjoying fresh greens for lunch since mid-April! (The first succession of seeds were planted March 7, 2010 followed by plantings on March 11, 26, April 5, 7, 8

Back in March...

And now in mid-May...

PR-B ECFE Visits Happy Dancing Turtle.

2010-04-27T09:37:00.000-07:00

The Campus was bustling with activity when families of Pine River-Backus Early Childhood Family Education paid a visit to Happy Dancing Turtle. Adults toured the campus while the kids played Yum or Yuck and Healthy Hopscotch. They teamed up to decorate egg carton planters and planted seeds to take home.