Chapter Programs

Most monthly programs are open to both members and non-members. However, some will have space or venue limitations and will need pre-registration. Indoor programs will typically be held in the Fellowship Hall on the lower level of the Emmaus Baptist Church, 712 Linden Street N, Northfield, Minnesota. Parking is located on the south side of the church.

Chapter Program Schedule

Programs at Emmaus Church unless otherwise noted. We will not start indoor in-person meetings until it is safe to do so. Outside tour dates may change due to weather. 

Upcoming 2023 Programs

POSTPONED UNTIL SUNDAY, MAY 21st starting at 6 pm at the Park Sakatah State Park Ephemeral Tour

Hope you can join us, Sakatah Park has a lot to offer.  Though it is hard to predict, especially with the weather this spring, we hopefully will see the Showy Orchis (Galearis spectabilis)  in Bloom, as well as several other spring native flowers such as Marsh Marigolds, Nodding and other Trilliums, native Columbine, and Spring Beauty.

Plus, bring your binoculars if you wish, we are likely to see several migrating warblers like the chestnut-sided, redstarts, and maybe even blackburnians, plus other birds that call Sakatah their summer home may make an appearance for us.  And, between the upper and lower Sakatah lakes, there is a multi-species rookery with Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Double-crested Cormorants.

Details:

Where: Sakatah Lake State Park, by office – 50499 Sakatah Lake State Park Road, Waterville  (About 12 miles west of Faribault on Hwy 60)

When: POSTPONED UNTIL SUNDAY, MAY 21st, 6pm sharp at the park

*** Carpool will leave from Emmaus church parking lot in Northfield leaves at 5:10pm if you wish to join it ***

Dress: Good hiking footwear, weather appropriate clothing

May 20, 9am Native Plant Sale – Nancy Schumacher – Emmaus Church parking lot

A list of plants we plan to offer is here.

If you are able to come and help, either on the 20th or at an earlier time to help write stakes and do transplanting, please contact Nancy Schumacher by email at [email protected]

June 8, 1pmDragonflies – led by John Arthur, Wild Ones and MN Dragonfly society – starting at Emmaus Church, field part at Carleton Arboretum

July 13, 7pm Spring Lake Park Bison and Restored Prairie tour – Hastings, MN

July 27, 7pm – Native Garden Tour

August 10, 6pmTour Judith’s restored Prairie – Judith Bechtum – Webster

September 14, 6pmRedwing Memorial Park tour led by Red Wing Park Naturalists

October 12, 7pmDucks and Duck Decoys – Gary Bullemer – Emmaus Church

November 9, 6pm – Annual Meeting, appetizers, seed sharing event, and presentation; 7pmStarting a prairie regeneration project – Jake Froyum, Forester Emmaus Church

December 7, 11am –Luncheon – St Olaf – loft at Buntrock commons

Past 2023 Programs

January 12, 7pm – “Native Garden Design and Development and the Minnesota State Lawns to Legumes program”, by Becky Rice of Metro Blooms – via Zoom

From Becky: “All Minnesota residents are eligible to apply for a cost reimbursement grant of $350 to plant natives in their yard. Pocket plantings, pollinator meadows, shoreline plantings, trees and shrubs, rain gardens, and pollinator lawns are encouraged. We’ll look at some of the before and after shots of projects installed, recommended plant palettes, design templates and other DIY resources for coaches and gardeners.”

February 9, 7pm – Ferns – Joe Walewski, Wolf Ridge, author –  via Zoom
Here is a link to the February 9th presentation:  https://clipchamp.com/watch/h6cBqlCrcbp

March 23, 7pmIntergenerational Nature Connections – Breanna Wheeler – Emmaus Church

April 13, 6pm – Annual Anniversary Dinner

Past 2022 Programs

January 13, 7pm  – Mushrooms: Delicious, Deadly and Fascinating!” By Laura Teele, via Zoom
Find more information on the presentation and questions/answers here.

February 10, 7pm “Landscaping with Native Plants”, by Cheryl Culbreth video, via Zoom, with Cheryl in attendance to answer questions. Here is a link to the presentation:   Landscaping with Native Plants – YouTube
If you wish to connect with Cheryl her email is:  [email protected].  Please make sure to note in the header line that you have a follow-up question or request, or whatever it is you are checking on.  Here is Cheryl’s landscape-restoration website:  landscape-restoration.com

March 10th, 7pm – Bringing back the Bluebirds, by Carrol Johnson via Zoom.

April 14th 7PM – “Landscaping with Edible Natives” – Pete Widin, via zoom.  If you missed Pete’s presentation you can find it on our Facebook page here.

May 5th, 6pm – Ephemerals Tour– Cannon River Park, led by Janet Petri.

May 21st, 9am-2pm – Emmaus Church Parking Lot – Nancy Schumacher

June 9th, 7pm – What’s coming up in my native garden?” – Nancy Schumacher

June 16th, 7pm – Koester Prairie Tour – to be led by Dave Kuhnau.

July 14th, 5pm Lashbrook Park and Potluck picnic at 6:30 – to be led by Ken Kirton.

Aug 11th, 5:30 pm or 6 pmWhitewater State Park Native Garden tour, led by Joel Dunnette.

Sep 8th, 6pm – Dakota County Whitetail Park

Oct 13th, 5:30 pm Identifying Fall and Winter Trees”, Breanna Wheeler

Nov 10th, 6 pm – Annual Meeting and “Unseen and untold stories of a native garden”, Bonnie-Harper Lore

Dec 8th, 11:30am Luncheon – St. Olaf Stav Hall Loft

December – Nature watching where you are