Free Renewable Energy & Efficiency Training at CLC

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

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

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!