The Michigan Natural Resources Commission passed a rule May 13 that limits hunters in the Lower Peninsula to one antlered deer while allowing Upper Peninsula hunters to still kill up to two.
(Ed. Note: This story was originally published by Bridge Michigan, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization. Visit the newsroom online: bridgemi.com.)
By Laura Herberg
Bridge Michigan
At a meeting that lasted more than nine hours, Michigan’s Natural Resources Commission voted May 13 to limit hunters in the Lower Peninsula to killing one antlered deer starting next year. Currently, hunters can kill up to two.
The policy is less restrictive than what the Michigan Department of Natural Resources had recommended to the commission, which regulates hunting and fishing in the state.
Officials and some vocal hunters favored limiting sportsmen and sportswomen statewide to one antlered deer, a policy commonly known as the “one buck rule.” Some thought the rule, which gained traction in the 1990s as a conservation tool, might finally pass.
Last week’s vote “just solidifies this was a waste of time,” said Elliot Hubbard, one of the hunters who had promoted the one buck rule. “It was a collaboration between hunters and the department to bring a sound biological regulation forward. It fell on deaf ears.”
Prior to the vote, Dan Stewart, a Lower Peninsula resident and hunter, said he was opposed to the one buck rule, sometimes abbreviated as “OBR.”
“While I take a doe when populations allow, that isn’t what drives me into the woods. If OBR passes, my season could be over by the first week of November with one nice buck. Like many others, I would pack up and head out of the state to hunt somewhere else with my money,” he said.
Public commenters spoke collectively for more than four hours at the day-long meeting. Some said that they wanted to hold onto the opportunity to kill two bucks while hunters like Hubbard lobbied for one buck to help balance the sex ratio of Michigan’s herd.
The state’s doe-to-buck ratio is unknown, but DNR data shows hunters in the state prefer killing antlered deer. Some hunters say that impacts the size of the bucks left to hunt in the state because hunters kill off the bigger bucks.
DNR deer scientists say killing does could help reduce the deer population in parts of the state where they are involved in a high number of vehicle collisions, eat farmers’ crops and spread disease.
But critics of the one buck policy were quick to point out that only a limited number of deer hunted over the past decade — roughly 4% to 7% — represented a second antlered deer killed by one hunter. Some opponents also argued the DNR’s recommended policy was crafted to encourage hunters to kill more antlerless deer without guaranteeing that would happen.
In the Lower Peninsula, the DNR’s recommended policy would have eliminated a hunter’s ability to take an antlered deer with a single deer license. If a hunter wanted to kill an antlered deer, they would have needed to buy a combination license with which they would have been able to take an antlered deer or an antlerless deer in combination with a second antlerless deer.
“By coupling some of the licenses in the combo license, we could effectively be doubling the price of a buck license and stepping into the arena that is legislative authority,” NRC Chairperson Becky Humphries explained to the crowd before voting began.
Ultimately, she said that was why she could not support the recommended one buck policy, because the Legislature, not the NRC, has the authority to raise license fees.
The policy that passed was introduced by Commissioner David Nyberg, who said it was conceived as a compromise with other commissioners, but he wanted to protect the current combination license in the Upper Peninsula, where he lives and hunts.
“The Upper Peninsula, and even portions within the Upper Peninsula, are very different from each other, from the Lower Peninsula, in terms of habitat, food source, deer density, winter severity, predators,” he said. “And so I understand a lot of the concern that I heard from hunters about the proposed statewide one buck rule.”
George Lindquist, the vice chair of the DNR’s West U.P. Citizens Advisory Council, said he was “pretty darn happy” Nyberg’s proposal passed. He didn’t like how the DNR’s recommended policy would have swapped out an antlered deer for an antlerless deer in the U.P.’s combination license.
“The groups and the people I’m involved with are happy that we’re keeping these rules the way they are up in the UP,” Lindquist said. “We just don’t have the numbers to allow for an increased antlerless take.”
One commissioner was concerned the new regulations would entice hunters who normally kill two antlered deer in the Lower Peninsula to head to the U.P. so they could kill a second antlered deer, potentially adding additional strain onto a fragile herd. But Lindquist said he wasn’t worried because those hunters would have a hard time finding bucks with big enough antlers to legally shoot.
Wording for Nyberg’s amendment, and several other amendments commissioners voted on, were not made public in the days leading up to the meeting. Many pro one buck hunters felt blindsided when Nyberg’s amendment was presented. One public commenter suggested commissioners were like contestants on the TV show “Survivor,” saying one thing to constituents’ faces while planning to vote a different way.
Advocates for one buck seemed particularly surprised when a pilot program to “earn a second buck,” allowing hunters to kill an antlerless deer in the southern Lower Peninsula in order to kill a second antlered deer, was presented.
“I was tempted to make a comment on this during the meeting, but I didn’t, I chose not to, because I didn’t want it to be perceived as argumentative,” Nyberg told Bridge Michigan after the vote. “What we heard from testimony today from a lot of hunters was, I think, a perception that the NRC today planned to implement a second buck in lower Michigan. That was not the case.”
Nyberg’s approved amendment included a request for the DNR to put forth “a framework” for the “earn a second buck” pilot project to be presented at the NRC’s July meeting.
Commissioner John Walters expressed concerns that there would be issues with “ghost does,” hunters saying they killed an antlerless deer when they hadn’t, in order to kill a second buck.
DNR officials said they did not yet know how they would police that program and their ability to do so would depend on how much money the department is budgeted by the Legislature.
Nyberg told Bridge the public would be able to weigh in on the earn-a-second-buck pilot before the commission voted on it in the coming months.
The NRC also passed a resolution demanding measurable scientific goals for deer policies recommended by the DNR, plus a handful of other regulations, including getting rid of certain firearm restrictions in the southern Lower Peninsula and
eliminating the extended late antlerless deer season that had taken place after Jan. 1.
Other than the resolution, the commission passed these new rules as amendments to Wildlife Conservation Order Amendment No. 6 of 2026, which included several other regulations recommended by the DNR.
By Laura Herberg
Bridge Michigan
At a meeting that lasted more than nine hours, Michigan’s Natural Resources Commission voted May 13 to limit hunters in the Lower Peninsula to killing one antlered deer starting next year. Currently, hunters can kill up to two.
The policy is less restrictive than what the Michigan Department of Natural Resources had recommended to the commission, which regulates hunting and fishing in the state.
Officials and some vocal hunters favored limiting sportsmen and sportswomen statewide to one antlered deer, a policy commonly known as the “one buck rule.” Some thought the rule, which gained traction in the 1990s as a conservation tool, might finally pass.
Last week’s vote “just solidifies this was a waste of time,” said Elliot Hubbard, one of the hunters who had promoted the one buck rule. “It was a collaboration between hunters and the department to bring a sound biological regulation forward. It fell on deaf ears.”
Prior to the vote, Dan Stewart, a Lower Peninsula resident and hunter, said he was opposed to the one buck rule, sometimes abbreviated as “OBR.”
“While I take a doe when populations allow, that isn’t what drives me into the woods. If OBR passes, my season could be over by the first week of November with one nice buck. Like many others, I would pack up and head out of the state to hunt somewhere else with my money,” he said.
Public commenters spoke collectively for more than four hours at the day-long meeting. Some said that they wanted to hold onto the opportunity to kill two bucks while hunters like Hubbard lobbied for one buck to help balance the sex ratio of Michigan’s herd.
The state’s doe-to-buck ratio is unknown, but DNR data shows hunters in the state prefer killing antlered deer. Some hunters say that impacts the size of the bucks left to hunt in the state because hunters kill off the bigger bucks.
DNR deer scientists say killing does could help reduce the deer population in parts of the state where they are involved in a high number of vehicle collisions, eat farmers’ crops and spread disease.
But critics of the one buck policy were quick to point out that only a limited number of deer hunted over the past decade — roughly 4% to 7% — represented a second antlered deer killed by one hunter. Some opponents also argued the DNR’s recommended policy was crafted to encourage hunters to kill more antlerless deer without guaranteeing that would happen.
In the Lower Peninsula, the DNR’s recommended policy would have eliminated a hunter’s ability to take an antlered deer with a single deer license. If a hunter wanted to kill an antlered deer, they would have needed to buy a combination license with which they would have been able to take an antlered deer or an antlerless deer in combination with a second antlerless deer.
“By coupling some of the licenses in the combo license, we could effectively be doubling the price of a buck license and stepping into the arena that is legislative authority,” NRC Chairperson Becky Humphries explained to the crowd before voting began.
Ultimately, she said that was why she could not support the recommended one buck policy, because the Legislature, not the NRC, has the authority to raise license fees.
The policy that passed was introduced by Commissioner David Nyberg, who said it was conceived as a compromise with other commissioners, but he wanted to protect the current combination license in the Upper Peninsula, where he lives and hunts.
“The Upper Peninsula, and even portions within the Upper Peninsula, are very different from each other, from the Lower Peninsula, in terms of habitat, food source, deer density, winter severity, predators,” he said. “And so I understand a lot of the concern that I heard from hunters about the proposed statewide one buck rule.”
George Lindquist, the vice chair of the DNR’s West U.P. Citizens Advisory Council, said he was “pretty darn happy” Nyberg’s proposal passed. He didn’t like how the DNR’s recommended policy would have swapped out an antlered deer for an antlerless deer in the U.P.’s combination license.
“The groups and the people I’m involved with are happy that we’re keeping these rules the way they are up in the UP,” Lindquist said. “We just don’t have the numbers to allow for an increased antlerless take.”
One commissioner was concerned the new regulations would entice hunters who normally kill two antlered deer in the Lower Peninsula to head to the U.P. so they could kill a second antlered deer, potentially adding additional strain onto a fragile herd. But Lindquist said he wasn’t worried because those hunters would have a hard time finding bucks with big enough antlers to legally shoot.
Wording for Nyberg’s amendment, and several other amendments commissioners voted on, were not made public in the days leading up to the meeting. Many pro one buck hunters felt blindsided when Nyberg’s amendment was presented. One public commenter suggested commissioners were like contestants on the TV show “Survivor,” saying one thing to constituents’ faces while planning to vote a different way.
Advocates for one buck seemed particularly surprised when a pilot program to “earn a second buck,” allowing hunters to kill an antlerless deer in the southern Lower Peninsula in order to kill a second antlered deer, was presented.
“I was tempted to make a comment on this during the meeting, but I didn’t, I chose not to, because I didn’t want it to be perceived as argumentative,” Nyberg told Bridge Michigan after the vote. “What we heard from testimony today from a lot of hunters was, I think, a perception that the NRC today planned to implement a second buck in lower Michigan. That was not the case.”
Nyberg’s approved amendment included a request for the DNR to put forth “a framework” for the “earn a second buck” pilot project to be presented at the NRC’s July meeting.
Commissioner John Walters expressed concerns that there would be issues with “ghost does,” hunters saying they killed an antlerless deer when they hadn’t, in order to kill a second buck.
DNR officials said they did not yet know how they would police that program and their ability to do so would depend on how much money the department is budgeted by the Legislature.
Nyberg told Bridge the public would be able to weigh in on the earn-a-second-buck pilot before the commission voted on it in the coming months.
The NRC also passed a resolution demanding measurable scientific goals for deer policies recommended by the DNR, plus a handful of other regulations, including getting rid of certain firearm restrictions in the southern Lower Peninsula and
eliminating the extended late antlerless deer season that had taken place after Jan. 1.
Other than the resolution, the commission passed these new rules as amendments to Wildlife Conservation Order Amendment No. 6 of 2026, which included several other regulations recommended by the DNR.
Parks Invite Families to Explore ‘Pirate Project’
Ottawa County Parks and Recreation invites you to set sail on a summer of outdoor adventure through The Pirate Project, a free, family-friendly program taking place across Ottawa County Parks, starting this Saturday and running through July 25.
Using a special Pirate Treasure Map, families can discover fun activities to enjoy together, including StoryWalks, parks programs, Family Nature Days, and more. Participants are encouraged to explore parks throughout the summer at their own pace while spending time outdoors together.
Treasure maps are available at the Herrick District Library Main and North branches, Hemlock Crossing Nature Education Center, and during the launch event on Saturday. Additional details are available online at: https://bit.ly/argh-matey.
The Pirate Project is part of a special fundraiser hosted by Bethany Christian Services to raise awareness and support for children and families involved in the foster care system.
“It is so critical to support the mental health and behavioral needs of children in our local foster care system, making sure they pass through this very vulnerable period of their lives with all the tools needed to heal and to thrive,” Bethany Christian Services behavioral specialist Sandy Brice said.
Kickoff and wrap-up events will take place during Ottawa County Parks Family Nature Days:
Saturday, May 23 — Family Nature Day + Pirate Project Launch Party at the Pump House Museum, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Saturday, July 25 — Family Nature Day + Pirate Project Wrap-Up at Tunnel Park, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Families attending the July 25 wrap-up event at Tunnel Park will receive a coupon code for free parking.
Using a special Pirate Treasure Map, families can discover fun activities to enjoy together, including StoryWalks, parks programs, Family Nature Days, and more. Participants are encouraged to explore parks throughout the summer at their own pace while spending time outdoors together.
Treasure maps are available at the Herrick District Library Main and North branches, Hemlock Crossing Nature Education Center, and during the launch event on Saturday. Additional details are available online at: https://bit.ly/argh-matey.
The Pirate Project is part of a special fundraiser hosted by Bethany Christian Services to raise awareness and support for children and families involved in the foster care system.
“It is so critical to support the mental health and behavioral needs of children in our local foster care system, making sure they pass through this very vulnerable period of their lives with all the tools needed to heal and to thrive,” Bethany Christian Services behavioral specialist Sandy Brice said.
Kickoff and wrap-up events will take place during Ottawa County Parks Family Nature Days:
Saturday, May 23 — Family Nature Day + Pirate Project Launch Party at the Pump House Museum, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Saturday, July 25 — Family Nature Day + Pirate Project Wrap-Up at Tunnel Park, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Families attending the July 25 wrap-up event at Tunnel Park will receive a coupon code for free parking.
Whitmer Signs Bills Allowing Local Communities to Preserve Public Forests
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed into law a three-bill package sponsored by a Republican lawmaker from the Upper Peninsula that will expand opportunities for communities to preserve, manage, and invest in public forests and recreational spaces.
House Bills 4694, 4695 and 4798, sponsored by state Rep. Gregory Markkanen, R-Hancock, will help Michigan communities create local authorities to manage and protect forests and recreational areas, while also making them eligible for state funding to preserve land and outdoor access.
The bills would help local residents oversee control of the Keweenaw Heartlands, a 31,000-acre forested area in Keweenaw County that was acquired by the Nature Conservancy in 2022 for $27 million to be preserved for nature and outdoor recreation.
“I am very grateful for Senate and House support for this legislation that transforms public land management in Keweenaw County. County residents will be directly involved by voting for board members that reflect the priorities of County residents,” Markkanen said. “I would also like to thank Gov. Whitmer for signing these bills into law.”
Helen Taylor, state director of The Nature Conservancy in Michigan, said the legislation “makes significant improvements in how Michigan residents and their communities manage their forests and their futures.”
“These new measures will have immediate positive impact on the Keweenaw Heartlands effort, providing a path for local decision-making on approximately 21,000 acres of public community forest,” Taylor said.
The Keweenaw Community Foundation has undertaken a fundraising effort to cover the early costs of launching a publicly-owned, locally-governed community forest.
“I’d like to express my deep gratitude on behalf of our community to our state legislature and our governor for getting this legislation passed,” foundation chief executive officer Robin Meneguzzo said. “Volunteers across our community and our partners have put in many hours, and now we are one step closer to realizing our shared vision of a public community forest in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula.”
House Bills 4694, 4695 and 4798, sponsored by state Rep. Gregory Markkanen, R-Hancock, will help Michigan communities create local authorities to manage and protect forests and recreational areas, while also making them eligible for state funding to preserve land and outdoor access.
The bills would help local residents oversee control of the Keweenaw Heartlands, a 31,000-acre forested area in Keweenaw County that was acquired by the Nature Conservancy in 2022 for $27 million to be preserved for nature and outdoor recreation.
“I am very grateful for Senate and House support for this legislation that transforms public land management in Keweenaw County. County residents will be directly involved by voting for board members that reflect the priorities of County residents,” Markkanen said. “I would also like to thank Gov. Whitmer for signing these bills into law.”
Helen Taylor, state director of The Nature Conservancy in Michigan, said the legislation “makes significant improvements in how Michigan residents and their communities manage their forests and their futures.”
“These new measures will have immediate positive impact on the Keweenaw Heartlands effort, providing a path for local decision-making on approximately 21,000 acres of public community forest,” Taylor said.
The Keweenaw Community Foundation has undertaken a fundraising effort to cover the early costs of launching a publicly-owned, locally-governed community forest.
“I’d like to express my deep gratitude on behalf of our community to our state legislature and our governor for getting this legislation passed,” foundation chief executive officer Robin Meneguzzo said. “Volunteers across our community and our partners have put in many hours, and now we are one step closer to realizing our shared vision of a public community forest in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula.”
Dogwood Crappie Fishing
Jack Payne shows off a master angler dogwood crappie.
Photo credit Jack Payne
Photo credit Jack Payne
By Jack Payne
Just a slight feeling of a bump followed by another bump. With a quick snap of the wrist, the fish was hooked.
Crappies might be my favorite fish. And while you can say anytime is a good time to chase crappies, when the dogwoods are in full bloom, you can bet that the crappies are in the shallows.
There are days when a crappie can be as picky as a two-year-old. But for the most part, crappie can be caught with a variety of techniques. Some anglers like soaking a minnow under a bobber.
Others enjoy casting, which is my favorite method. Some like drifting, and others enjoy longlining or trolling with the lure 60 feet behind the boat. A few, and I mean just a handful of anglers in Michigan, enjoy spider trolling. If I weren't casting, spider trolling would be my favorite.
We will keep things simple in May. Success is a near-sure thing when casting a jig with a plastic tail or a bobber and a minnow. Location, much like in real estate, is the key to success.
Location will vary from lake to lake based on water clarity, weeds, or a lack of weeds and wood of some type. Hands down, if you have cabbage weeds in your lake, the crappies will be there.
Other weeds will hold fish, but the broad-leaf cabbage weeds will hold the largest concentration. Pencil reed or rice beds that stick out of the water are ignored by many anglers. That's bad for you and good for me. In our area, I can think of a half-dozen lakes with either reeds or rice protruding above the surface. Crappie spawn tightly to this challenging cover.
On some of our lakes, weeds are hard to find. Most often, these lakes are somewhat featureless and have dark-colored water. In these types of lakes, look for wood.
Wood can appear as a dock, flooded vertical trees, stumps, a fallen tree, or logs strewn across the bottom. Two of my favorite crappie lakes have two or three of these types of cover.
Once again, in sticking with the K.I.S.S. format, casting works great around any type of weed beds, including the rice and reed stick-ups. Hands down, my favorite lure is the Charlie Brewer Crappie Grub. Ninety percent of the time, a chartreuse or a yellow will be the color.
The best jighead on the market is the Slider Crappie Jigs. With this head, you can rig your plastic paddle tail weedless. When working with the rice or the reeds, I rig weedless. Fishing around the cabbage weeds, I normally rig it with the hook exposed.
When working with just about any wood, we will rig it weedless.
What makes this rig special, you might ask? First off, watch how it moves in the water. It's about as close to a real minnow as you can get. Second, with this jighead, you can slide over logs, pop it off of a cabbage weed, flutter the jig down with pauses, or reel it in on a steady pace.
When the water is darn cold or when facing a severe cold front, a bobber and a jig work best. I do my best to resist using minnows, but on two recent trips to Lake Cadillac and Lake Mitchell, bobbers outdid the jigs. This is not a regular occurrence, but we can't let stubbornness prevail.\
There are two instances where a float and a jig really pay off. Wood. We have a stump field on Lake Cadillac that eats a jig when cast. However, with a float, we can slowly work it around the stumps.
The same can be said when we fish tree tops or docks. Don't get me wrong, I will first attempt the jig being cast out, but if snags or stubborn fish become problematic, then the float and jig will come out of the rod box.
Spinners work well, and the Brewer Whirly Bee is a good choice. Pony heads will also work, and some days that small blade is all it takes to capture a bite. Remember that turkey season is still underway, and Bob's Gun and Tackle Shop has you covered.
Just a slight feeling of a bump followed by another bump. With a quick snap of the wrist, the fish was hooked.
Crappies might be my favorite fish. And while you can say anytime is a good time to chase crappies, when the dogwoods are in full bloom, you can bet that the crappies are in the shallows.
There are days when a crappie can be as picky as a two-year-old. But for the most part, crappie can be caught with a variety of techniques. Some anglers like soaking a minnow under a bobber.
Others enjoy casting, which is my favorite method. Some like drifting, and others enjoy longlining or trolling with the lure 60 feet behind the boat. A few, and I mean just a handful of anglers in Michigan, enjoy spider trolling. If I weren't casting, spider trolling would be my favorite.
We will keep things simple in May. Success is a near-sure thing when casting a jig with a plastic tail or a bobber and a minnow. Location, much like in real estate, is the key to success.
Location will vary from lake to lake based on water clarity, weeds, or a lack of weeds and wood of some type. Hands down, if you have cabbage weeds in your lake, the crappies will be there.
Other weeds will hold fish, but the broad-leaf cabbage weeds will hold the largest concentration. Pencil reed or rice beds that stick out of the water are ignored by many anglers. That's bad for you and good for me. In our area, I can think of a half-dozen lakes with either reeds or rice protruding above the surface. Crappie spawn tightly to this challenging cover.
On some of our lakes, weeds are hard to find. Most often, these lakes are somewhat featureless and have dark-colored water. In these types of lakes, look for wood.
Wood can appear as a dock, flooded vertical trees, stumps, a fallen tree, or logs strewn across the bottom. Two of my favorite crappie lakes have two or three of these types of cover.
Once again, in sticking with the K.I.S.S. format, casting works great around any type of weed beds, including the rice and reed stick-ups. Hands down, my favorite lure is the Charlie Brewer Crappie Grub. Ninety percent of the time, a chartreuse or a yellow will be the color.
The best jighead on the market is the Slider Crappie Jigs. With this head, you can rig your plastic paddle tail weedless. When working with the rice or the reeds, I rig weedless. Fishing around the cabbage weeds, I normally rig it with the hook exposed.
When working with just about any wood, we will rig it weedless.
What makes this rig special, you might ask? First off, watch how it moves in the water. It's about as close to a real minnow as you can get. Second, with this jighead, you can slide over logs, pop it off of a cabbage weed, flutter the jig down with pauses, or reel it in on a steady pace.
When the water is darn cold or when facing a severe cold front, a bobber and a jig work best. I do my best to resist using minnows, but on two recent trips to Lake Cadillac and Lake Mitchell, bobbers outdid the jigs. This is not a regular occurrence, but we can't let stubbornness prevail.\
There are two instances where a float and a jig really pay off. Wood. We have a stump field on Lake Cadillac that eats a jig when cast. However, with a float, we can slowly work it around the stumps.
The same can be said when we fish tree tops or docks. Don't get me wrong, I will first attempt the jig being cast out, but if snags or stubborn fish become problematic, then the float and jig will come out of the rod box.
Spinners work well, and the Brewer Whirly Bee is a good choice. Pony heads will also work, and some days that small blade is all it takes to capture a bite. Remember that turkey season is still underway, and Bob's Gun and Tackle Shop has you covered.
Fishing for the Eagles at Kellogg Sanctuary
Come enjoy an eagle-sized adventure at the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary this spring.
Fishing for the Eagles is a chance to learn about fish, practice casting, then catch fish out of Wintergreen Lake to feed to the Sanctuary’s two resident bald eagles, Nimikii (Thunder) and Waasimowin (Lightning).
The program is set for Thursday, June 18, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Sanctuary.
During this hands-on program, participants will:
• Learn about what fish need to thrive in their environment.
• Practice casting skills through a fun backyard bass game.
• Try their hand at fishing in Wintergreen Lake.
• Deliver the catches to our hungry resident eagles.
All fishing gear will be provided; be sure to dress for the weather, and bring your curiosity and a sense of adventure.
The W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary is located at 12685 East C Ave., one mile north of M-89 and just west of 40th Street.
The W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary’s mission is to conserve native habitat for migratory and resident birds and to promote environmental awareness through research, education and outreach.
Fishing for the Eagles is a chance to learn about fish, practice casting, then catch fish out of Wintergreen Lake to feed to the Sanctuary’s two resident bald eagles, Nimikii (Thunder) and Waasimowin (Lightning).
The program is set for Thursday, June 18, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Sanctuary.
During this hands-on program, participants will:
• Learn about what fish need to thrive in their environment.
• Practice casting skills through a fun backyard bass game.
• Try their hand at fishing in Wintergreen Lake.
• Deliver the catches to our hungry resident eagles.
All fishing gear will be provided; be sure to dress for the weather, and bring your curiosity and a sense of adventure.
The W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary is located at 12685 East C Ave., one mile north of M-89 and just west of 40th Street.
The W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary’s mission is to conserve native habitat for migratory and resident birds and to promote environmental awareness through research, education and outreach.
Flavorful Herb Gardens Enhance Outdoor Summer Gatherings
By Melinda Myers
Make it fun and convenient to add some homegrown flavor to cookouts, garden parties and meals. Grow a few herbs in containers on a patio, deck or balcony.
Set a pot near the grill and fill it with favorite grilling herbs. Include some barbeque Rosemary, known for its especially good flavor and aroma suited to cooking. Plus, the strong stems make the perfect skewer, something guests are sure to remember.
Grow herbs like basil, marjoram, oregano and thyme for seasoning vegetables when grilling. Use pots of these and other favorites, like chives, set on the table as an edible centerpiece. Include snips and suggestions for guests to use for seasoning their own dishes.
Dress up beverages with fresh herbs like mint or basil in lemonade. Grow lemongrass as a vertical accent in containers and boil the stalks to make hot or iced tea. Use thyme as a trailer in containers and pair it with citrusy drinks or gin, vodka or bourbon for an earthy and minty enhancement. Sweeten beverages with fresh stevia leaves. Use them to create a simple syrup, steep into tea or muddle with other herbs to flavor drinks.
Enjoy their added flavor in beverages, entrees and desserts and a variety of health benefits they provide. Benefit from the anti-inflammatory effects of basil and Rosemary, vitamins and minerals in thyme, antioxidants in mint and calming effects of lavender.
Most herbs prefer full sun and well-drained soil, but some, like mint, thyme, chives, parsley and lemon balm, will tolerate some shade. A bit of afternoon shade is welcomed by many sun-loving plants growing in hotter regions. Check the plant tag or seed packet for detailed planting information.
Grow herbs in containers that have drainage holes and are filled with a quality potting mix. Incorporate a certified organic and sustainable amendment, like Wild Valley Farms’ wool pellets (wildvalleyfarms.com). This soil amendment made from wool waste reduces watering by up to 25%, adds nutrients, organic matter and increases air space for better plant growth.
Grow individual plants in their own container or combine several in one pot. Place three to four plants in a 10-to-12-inch pot, four to six in a 14-to-16-inch container and six to eight in a 16-to-20 inch planter. Adjust this number based on the size of the transplants used and the mature size and growth habit of those included.
Harvest a few leaves and stems as needed throughout the growing season. Regular harvesting encourages more growth for the future. Herbs have the most intense flavor when harvested just before flowering. However, the flavor and pollinators that visit can still be enjoyed once flowering begins. Most herbs’ flowers are edible but be sure to check before adding any to beverages and meals.
Using herbs to flavor dishes and beverages makes every meal a special occasion. Plus, family and friends will have fun seasoning their meal with tasty fresh herbs within easy reach.
—————
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Wild Valley Farms for her expertise to write this article. Myers’ website is MelindaMyers.com.
Make it fun and convenient to add some homegrown flavor to cookouts, garden parties and meals. Grow a few herbs in containers on a patio, deck or balcony.
Set a pot near the grill and fill it with favorite grilling herbs. Include some barbeque Rosemary, known for its especially good flavor and aroma suited to cooking. Plus, the strong stems make the perfect skewer, something guests are sure to remember.
Grow herbs like basil, marjoram, oregano and thyme for seasoning vegetables when grilling. Use pots of these and other favorites, like chives, set on the table as an edible centerpiece. Include snips and suggestions for guests to use for seasoning their own dishes.
Dress up beverages with fresh herbs like mint or basil in lemonade. Grow lemongrass as a vertical accent in containers and boil the stalks to make hot or iced tea. Use thyme as a trailer in containers and pair it with citrusy drinks or gin, vodka or bourbon for an earthy and minty enhancement. Sweeten beverages with fresh stevia leaves. Use them to create a simple syrup, steep into tea or muddle with other herbs to flavor drinks.
Enjoy their added flavor in beverages, entrees and desserts and a variety of health benefits they provide. Benefit from the anti-inflammatory effects of basil and Rosemary, vitamins and minerals in thyme, antioxidants in mint and calming effects of lavender.
Most herbs prefer full sun and well-drained soil, but some, like mint, thyme, chives, parsley and lemon balm, will tolerate some shade. A bit of afternoon shade is welcomed by many sun-loving plants growing in hotter regions. Check the plant tag or seed packet for detailed planting information.
Grow herbs in containers that have drainage holes and are filled with a quality potting mix. Incorporate a certified organic and sustainable amendment, like Wild Valley Farms’ wool pellets (wildvalleyfarms.com). This soil amendment made from wool waste reduces watering by up to 25%, adds nutrients, organic matter and increases air space for better plant growth.
Grow individual plants in their own container or combine several in one pot. Place three to four plants in a 10-to-12-inch pot, four to six in a 14-to-16-inch container and six to eight in a 16-to-20 inch planter. Adjust this number based on the size of the transplants used and the mature size and growth habit of those included.
Harvest a few leaves and stems as needed throughout the growing season. Regular harvesting encourages more growth for the future. Herbs have the most intense flavor when harvested just before flowering. However, the flavor and pollinators that visit can still be enjoyed once flowering begins. Most herbs’ flowers are edible but be sure to check before adding any to beverages and meals.
Using herbs to flavor dishes and beverages makes every meal a special occasion. Plus, family and friends will have fun seasoning their meal with tasty fresh herbs within easy reach.
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Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Wild Valley Farms for her expertise to write this article. Myers’ website is MelindaMyers.com.
