P is for Planting by John Brittenham Have you ever experienced the joy of planting with kids? This past month I was lucky enough to lead a native habitat planting with two local groups of students, and the best word I have to describe the two experiences is joy.

Preschool students from The Vine Early Learning Center get their hands dirty as they plant seeds from native plants for their native plant garden. This was the second year for this project and many of the kids remembered how it was done from the previous year.

On September 18 a very excited group of preschoolers from The Vine Early Learning Center in Angola participated in planting a native plant garden on their property. This was the second year the preschoolers planted native plants which they had grown themselves. In early May, preschoolers from The Vine planted native seeds into containers to be grown for a native habitat garden near their building. Students and staff from The Vine then cared for the plants all summer until they were ready to plant this September. With much attention and dutiful watering and weeding, The Vine was able to raise around 1,300 plants from 28 different species!

The preschoolers return after growing the plants all summer to plant the natives in their native plant garden. Talk about some hard workers, the students did amazing work to get so many plants in the ground.

The students worked hard for several hours planting the young native plants and they had a blast doing it. I’m always impressed how well preschoolers do at planting. They were able to plant over 300 plants. Eventually we ran out of holes to put the plants in, but not the energy and enthusiasm to keep planting. It is such an encouraging experience to work with kids as they create native habitats in the areas where they work and play. What a sense of pride and accomplishment they feel and what good work they accomplish.

A few days later I led another native plant experience at Ryan Park Elementary School. Three different second grade classes participated in planting a pollinator garden next to the nature trail at the school. The project was part of a new initiative at Blue Heron Ministries where native plants are grown and donated to local projects in need of native plants. Volunteers collected native seeds last fall, planted the seeds in January, helped maintain the plants over the summer, and helped plant the natives for the chosen project, in this case the Ryan Park pollinator garden. The project was a huge success, in large part due to the dedicated group of volunteers that helped throughout the project.

Blue Heron Ministries volunteers gather in January to plant native plants to donate to a local project. We had a great time coming together on a cold day in the middle of winter and preparing for the growing season to come.

The day of the planting was a beautiful one. The first class came around 8:15 am on a calm, 60-degree morning. After a short discussion on the importance of native plants, students broke into groups of four or five and matched up with one of the five volunteers from Blue Heron Ministries. The teachers and volunteers then helped guide the students as they planted the natives. Special attention was given to “tucking the plants in” for their upcoming winter slumber. Over the course of the morning, the three classes planted around 700 native plants from 36 different species. A special thanks goes out to Julie Clary, a second-grade teacher at Ryan Park Elementary, who helped coordinate and facilitate the experience and did much of the preparation work to get the area ready to plant. What a wonderful project for both the students and adults.

The plants for the Ryan Park Elementary School pollinator garden are all loaded up and ready to travel. These plants were grown with the help of volunteers to be donated to a local native plant project. Don’t they look great!?

Students and volunteers gather at Ryan Park Elementary School to plant a native pollinator garden. A great time was had by all doing important work to help create habitat for local pollinators.

The finished product after a job well done. Over 700 native plants from 36 different species were planted to create the Ryan Park Elementary School native pollinator garden.

The Fullness of God in Creation by Nate Simons I don’t know about you, but I need to be evangelized frequently. I need to be brought good news on a regular basis because this God-given vocation we have of reflecting or imaging God as servant rulers of his good creation is impossible to accomplish without a continual dose of the vision and Story of what our Father is up to. As followers of his Son we get to try that vocation again with the much-needed assistance of being filled with his very own fullness. As new humans and parts of the new creation because of Jesus, we get to realize our original invitation and responsibility. It is a good time to refresh our collective memories as to the grand vision that our Father has for us and for the rest of his creation. New Testament scholar and theologian N. T. Wright explains this vision and our role in it in the following video. So, fill a cup with some tea and settle in for some good news.

View from the Crew by Lee Bergey

Fred, Matt, and Madeline ready to set out into the Michigan Nature Association’s Sarah Jane’s Preserve in Hillsdale County, Michigan

A young Massasauga in some cut brush at the Michigan DNR’s Vanderbilt Fen in Kalamazoo County, Michigan

A large mushroom cap growing in the moss at Vanderbilt Fen

Looking out over Vanderbilt Fen as the fall colors begin to appear.

Preparing for a day of backpack spraying

Prescribed burn at the Michael and Sarah Scudder property in LaGrange County

Phil overseeing the Scudder burn on an ATV

Taking a break in between burns in LaGrange County

Lady’s Tresses orchid found hiding in a fen

Madeline brushcutting (John in the background)

Upcoming Events

Native Prairie Plant Seed Harvest Saturday, October 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th from 12-4pm Come learn about the native prairie plants of our area and help further our mission by helping to collect their seeds to be used on our future projects. We’ll meet at the Presbyterian Chapel of the Lakes (2955 W. Orland Rd) at noon and caravan to the site(s). We have all the tools and supplies needed.

Butterfly milkweed pods ready for harvest photo credit: Beth Williams

Save the Date! November 11th – Thanksgiving Breakfast December 2nd – Annual Prairie Planting

Volunteers in position and ready to seed the recent addition to Badger Barrens, in December of 2022