Wolf Ridge ALMANACThe

W R February 2014 • Vol. 37 No. 1

Eating Greener at Wolf Ridge

Wolf Ridge Farm Report

continued on page 4

Learn about the progress at the farm.............6 & 7

by Dan Hnilicka, Wolf Ridge Naturalist

I inhale deeply as I enter the Dining Hall, breathing in new delicious smells. In my two years at Wolf Ridge, I usually find myself excited around meal times because of my pas-sion for food. However, this year I have been even more thrilled to find out what the Dining Hall will be serving at its next meal. Wolf Ridge has added more local and fresh menu items this past school year as a result of sugges-tions from school evaluations and beliefs aligned with Wolf Ridge’s mission statement. These new items are environ-mentally conscious, promote healthier eating, and support our local economy.

Barret Stavseth, Wolf Ridge’s Food Service Director, shares his beliefs on Wolf Ridge’s lo-cal food choices, “In order to keep our grocery dollars spent locally, Wolf Ridge is sourcing as much of its food as pos-sible from Minnesota along with Wisconsin and Iowa. The benefits include economics, sustainability, higher quality products and menu offerings as well as the peace of mind knowing we are contributing to and participating in a more locally based food sourcing.” Stavseth explains that for years, Wolf Ridge has been choosing to purchase milk, but-ter, ice cream, yogurt, breakfast sausage, wild rice and fresh eggs from Minnesota farms. Additionally, pork sausage patties, pork-hams, and roasts are bought from Iowa and

Wisconsin. When the season permits, Wolf Ridge also pur-chases fresh vegetables from 9 different Minnesota farms. The most local venue this past autumn is fresh leafy greens and peppers from the onsite Wolf Ridge farm.

There are many environ-mental advantages to the food sourcing Stavseth makes. For example, Wolf Ridge is now choosing beef from Thousand Hills Cattle Company in Can-non Falls, MN. Thousand Hills cattle are free range, grass fed, and raised us-ing humane sustainable farming practices. These practices do not spray synthetic pesticides or herbicides. Wolf Ridge is now getting its roast tur-key breasts from Ferndale Market, a family farm also

in Cannon Falls, MN, which raises their birds without an-tibiotics or additives. Further more, purchasing any foods from Minnesota or Midwestern states reduces the distance our food travels to get here, and therefore reduces carbon emissions.

Another area where Wolf Ridge’s food service has contin-ued to improve this year is increasing homemade food op-tions, which creates healthier meals. A major shift has been made reducing the amount of pre-processed food in favor

Students enjoy fresh garden greens from the Wolf Ridge Organic Farm.

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Off-site instructOrs

Emily FoubertEric HolmstromAlison Wood

MentOr naturalists

Mary Beth FactorDan HnilickaMax MelbyTessa Olson

Published for members and friends ofWolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center6282 Cranberry Rd, Finland, MN 55603-9700218-353-7414, 1-800-523-2733 (MN, WI, ND)

fax 218-353-7762www.wolf-ridge.org

STAFF

In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

Printed on EarthChoice®paper, a socially and environmentally responsible paper with fibers from

well-managed, certified forests.

TheWolf RidgeALMANAC A View

FromThe RidgePRESIDENT

Peter Smerud

WOLF RIDGE TRUSTEESTom Berg, Chairman

Earl Gransee, Secretary

Rick Bateson ~ Russell BierbaumBlyth Brookman ~ Pat Coppo

John Daniels ~ Kirk GeadelmanKurt Heikkila ~ Tom Osborn

Ron Sackett ~ Pat SchoffNancy Schultz ~ Aaron Smith

Tom Nelson

EMERITUS TRUSTEESThomas Atchison ~ Jim Brandenburg

William M. Burns ~ Richard GrayPeter Heegaard ~ Robert Heller ~ Ron Kirk

Donn Larson ~ Mike LatimerSigurd Olson ~ Jack Pichotta

Michael PlautzRene Settergren ~ Werner Tismer

Jack Pichotta, Founder

PrOgraM

Carrie AndersonJenny BushmakerDavid Butcher Peter HarrisJohn KohlstedtErin ManningBetsey MeadJoe WalewskiLori Walewski

financial DirectOr

Fred Morgan

grOunDs/builDings

Cory CarlsonRobert Cunningham

Rosemary EvansJeff Iverson

Kayla KlinkerGary Olson

Amy ParkerKris Sve

Roger SwensgaardLynn Varney

Jason Velacichretail sales

Lise Abazs

farM Manager

David Abazs

Office

Coleen CloughChris Kustritz

Judy LarsonDevelOPMent DirectOr

Lucy Rogers

fOOD service

Cathy Hanson Jim HickmanJim Kustritz

Deb OthoudtBambi RaddatzBarret StavsethBernie Vadner

Wolf Ridge

DevelOPMent Officer

Pete Gravett

by Peter Smerud, Executive Director

WOLF RIDGE CALENDAR G 2015

J i m B ra n d e n b u rg

“The high today will only reach -1°F, with a low expected tonight of -7°F. All schools in the area have been closed, and this is the acronym to remember if you’re considering a trip outdoors. COLD: C – Caution. O – Outside…don’t go. L – Life threatening. D – Deadly or dangerous.”

This was the description of the weather conditions for St. Louis, MO on January 6th. As Minnesotans we might laugh at the temperatures I’ve mentioned above and the words used to describe going outdoors. The same words were used in our northern Minnesota forecast yet OUR temperatures at the time were 20° colder. We can learn from this that the need for outdoor-based environmental education is needed today more than ever. Seeing outdoors as dangerous and life-threatening, when not prepared is appropriate, but to broadcast that nothing can be done except to remain indoors, is radically changing our connection to the outdoors and our planet. Fear for sending our children outdoors is a very real development that Wolf Ridge is seeing on a regular basis.

Why is it that the words we’ve come to describe the cold are now “life threatening” or “deadly?” Don’t get me wrong and feel that I am minimizing the risk or don’t understand the liability of -30°F. As a manager of programs responsible for the safety of thousands of children each year, I understand it very well and make daily decisions to assure all our staff and students remain safe. Yet we must remember that managing danger and risk is all about preparedness. It is dangerous to go outside at -30°F, especially for a lengthy period of time, IF you’re not dressed for it.

I’m a northerner. The temperatures of late December and early January are temperatures through which many of us have lived and will

continue to live with for years to come. These were temperatures where my mother would kick my brother and me out the door on a cold winter day and tell us not to come back until dinner. (Of course we were wearing the obligatory zip-up snowmobile boots, plastic bags over the socks and a scarf tied very tightly over our faces such that the only thing showing was our eyes.) When I was a child I also remember questioning whether our car ran on electricity; a logical question as there was always an extension cord hanging from the front grill. We walked to school. We had flannel-lined pants made of cotton. The tools we now use to function in the cold are so much better than ever before. We all need to work to create new societal language that moves to appropriately prepare for going outside, even in the cold, versus sequestering ourselves indoors. “Life threatening” is completely appropriate…if you’re only going out in jeans, tennis shoes and a t-shirt.

On one of these recent cold days when school was cancelled, we received a letter from a schoolteacher who annually brings his students to Wolf Ridge. It was the day public schools were closed statewide. He told us of not only his pride but also that of hundreds of his students, who five years prior had spent a week at Wolf Ridge with temperatures so low that their home school had been cancelled one day due to the cold. That was four hours south of Wolf Ridge and significantly warmer. He tells of how the kids saw their experience here as more memorable and they felt they had earned a badge of honor for learning to stay warm in the cold and having fun and learning outdoors at -26°F. Both of those things were the case for hundreds of students and chaperones.

By covering up appropriately you dismiss the impact of wind chill. Cold can be well managed simply by adjusting the acronym presented above. Try this one on. COLD: C – Clean clothes insulate more effective than dirty. O – Don’t overheat; keep adjusting clothing so you don’t sweat. L – Layers are the way to dress. Loose layers trap insulating layers of air between them. Layering up or down to adjust to activity. D – Stay dry. Dry your boots or boot liners at night, avoid sweating or getting wet. Water draws heat from your skin many, many times faster than air or dry clothing.

Classes at Wolf Ridge start with instructors inspecting students for appropriate clothing, sending kids back to the dorms for missing pieces or supplying items for kids without. Discussions are conducted about actions for staying warm. Length of time outside is adjusted for the conditions. Throughout class teachers are continually checking in

with students as to their welfare. Students are taught to monitor each other for signs of frostbite. At the conclusion of class, our instructors have the students evaluate how they did staying warm and what they might improve on to stay warm for future classes.

Wolf Ridge has been accompanying students outside in all kinds of weather for 42 years. Children that attend Wolf Ridge learn important life skills about preparedness for going outdoors safely, including dressing for cold weather conditions. We make choices every day. With the right choices we can assure we stay safe in the outdoors, learn, work and even have fun at -20°F. So as mother said, “Bundle up and go OUTSIDE.”F

“There is no such

thing as bad weather, only inappropriate

clothing.”–

Scandinavian proverb

2013 Winter Camps at Wolf Ridge.

The 2015 Wolf Ridge calendar features the outstanding photography of Jim Brandenburg. Jim traveled the globe as a photographer for National Geographic magazine for several decades. His photography has won a multitude of awards including the “World Achievement Award” from the United Nations in recognition of using nature photography to raise public awareness for the environment. Brandenburg has published many bestsellers. Brandenburg’s work can be seen on his web page www.jimbrandenburg.com. Calendars are available for $14.00 for donor members and $18.95 for non-donor members, including shipping. They are also available at special prices, in lots of 25 for school fundraising and retail resale. Proceeds of all calendar sales directly support children attending Wolf Ridge school programs. Call Wolf Ridge at (218) 353-7414 for more information and to order.F

S A M P L E

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Eating Greener continued from page 1 The Incredible Saw-whet Owlby Tessa Olson, Wolf Ridge Naturalist

Nature NotesNature of Things

of more homemade dishes. This reduces packaging as well as allowing the food service more control of the ingredients going into the food which in turn leads to more nutritious alternatives. Examples include our home-made whole-wheat breads, buns, and cakes. Another change is how WR is now preparing some of its veg-etables. The food service staff has chosen to roast many of their vegetables this year as opposed to steaming because roasting vegetables retains more of the flavor as well as the nutrients. This autumn, students were greeted with a delicious array of diced, sea-soned sweet potatoes and beets, bursting with flavor.

At dinnertime, students coming into the Din-ing Hall following afternoon class might enjoy a meal beginning with salad dressed with new homemade dressings including, Maple Dijon, French, Balsamic, and Raspberry Vinaigrette. After the salad, students would eat a number of local, fresh entrees depending on the night. They might enjoy Minnesota maple-glazed ham. Alternatively, they could experience but-termilk-brined oven fried Minnesota chicken with Minnesota wild rice pilaf. Other excit-ing dinner options include wild rice meatloaf, oven roasted Minnesota turkey, or Minnesota pot roast, to name a few.

These recent food choices benefit the econom-ics of both Wolf Ridge and our local commu-

nities. Purchasing local foods costs less in gas because the food travels less. Furthermore, Wolf Ridge proudly supports farmers of the Midwest by choosing to spend its dollars within the area, as opposed to sending money out of the local economy. Looking into the future, Wolf Ridge hopes to continue to make sustainable economic choices, which will keep local agriculture thriv-ing.

As Wolf Ridge staff has known for years, some of the most powerful educational experiences are ones that take advantage of all five senses, including taste, whether it be muffins in Seeds of Change or wild rice in Ojibwe Heritage. Wolf Ridge is making choices about food to create delicious meal experiences for guests and to intentionally reduce its environmental impact and support local economies. Join us in eating greener.F

Dan Hnilicka is a Second Year Mentor

Naturalist at Wolf Ridge. He attended the U of M - Twin Cities, majoring in Animal Science. When he's not teaching, he enjoys skiing, birding,

eating, and having unexpected meaningful

conversations.

It’s after midnight and pitch black outside. It was the third round of checking the mist nets and I was pumped. I was handed several owls to carry back to the banding station. As the owls were untangled from the mist nets I couldn’t help but notice their faces. Each one struck me as unique, from shape to expression. It was re-markable. Experiencing an up close encounter with an owl is not an opportunity that many people find themselves presented with but for the past two years in autumn I was able to par-ticipate in a night of Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) banding. These small creatures are fascinating and many mysteries are still being unraveled about them. Several interesting char-acteristics that these owls exhibit include their sounds, size and mysterious migration patterns.

All birds have a unique song or call. Some of these sounds are certainly more memorable than others. The sound of the Saw-whet is certainly one of them. I remember arriving at the band-ing sight and stepping out of our car to pitch-blackness. I started walking up the trail to the banding station and I froze. “Beep, beep, beep.” I was elated to hear that sound. As the call contin-ued it was brought to my attention that I was not hearing a parliament of Saw-whet Owls but a recording of their call used to lure them into the mist nets during the banding process. It sounded like a high pitched beeping noise, similar to that of a truck backing up. Their common name is thought to come from an idea that one of their various calls sound like a saw being sharpened on a whetting stone, hence the name Saw-whet. During the first round of net checks we had caught several owls. I knew from reading and pictures that these creatures were tiny. But, when one fits into the palm of your hand it really puts this owl’s size into perspective. Saw-whet Owls

are one of the smallest and most common owls found across North America weighing 65 to 151 grams. Don’t be fooled by their small size. These creatures are a fierce predator eating pri-marily mice and other small mammals. They are nocturnal like most species of owls. They hunt and travel by way of the night sky.

Most of the traveling accomplished by Saw-whets is during migration. However not all of these owls leave their nesting grounds dur-ing winter. Migration patterns for Saw-whets are not well understood by researchers. Some of this species remain as residents through the winter while others travel great distances south, sometimes over large bodies of wa-ter like the Great Lakes. Banding them with a unique number to track these patterns and behaviors will hopefully unravel some of this mystery over time. It is not known why some owls stay in their summer range all winter long but perhaps an adequate supply of food could be a reason. Saw-whet Owls have a strong presence here in the woods of northeastern Minnesota and this year their presence has come right into the classrooms at Wolf Ridge. Beep is a Saw-whet Owl who came to us in June of this year from the Raptor Center in St. Paul. A truck driver found Beep stuck to the step of his truck. He had obviously been hit. Beep had no broken bones but slight soft tissue damage in his wing. Beep was also blind in his right eye, which took releasing him back into the wild off the list of possibilities. It is thought that Beep is about 2 years old and that this owl may be a male. The sex of Saw-whets is determined by wing cord length and weight. Male Saw-whet Owls are typically smaller than females. Animal Education Coordinator Erin Manning says, “Beep is making progress. Sometimes small owls have a harder time adjusting due to their size.”

It is exciting to have a new raptor on the animal teaching staff at Wolf Ridge. Even-tually Wolf-Ridge will be able to use Beep as a way to inform students about the unique characteristics of Saw-whet Owls including their sound, size and migration pat-terns. Next time you hear the beep, beep, beep of a truck backing up, think of Beep and all the other Saw-whet Owls that call North America their home.F

Beep.

Wolf Ridge Chef/Food Sevice Director serving up fresh veggies from our farm.

Adam Barnett (04) recently started a new job as a naturalist for the Three River Park System. He works at the Coon Rapids Dam site. Courtney (Kilsdonk) Osenroth (08) is back in Wisconsin. She is the new Naturalist Coordindator at Gordon Bubolz Nature Center in Appleton, WI. Amy Behrens (09) is studying speech pathology at the U of IA. Julie Newcombe (09) is home in England working as a Tutor at the Field Studies Council at Juniper Hall in North Downs. Rita (Skolasinski) Farchmin (11) and her husband just had a baby boy, Anthony Julius. Emily Foubert (12) also joined the ranks of the Three Rivers Park System as a naturalist at the North Minneapolis site. Anne Gottwald (12) and Tom Pearce (13) were married in Baraboo, WI attracting outdoorsy types from across the coun-try. They are now in Duluth working part time for the City of Duluth Parks on trails and curriculum. Danny Pirtle (12) has been accepted to graduate school at Ball State, IN. He will be studying Cerulean Warblers. Andrea Wakely (12) and Katie Lassi (12) are both members of the Harbor City Roller Dames in Duluth, MN. In this persona they are known respectively as Lady Gotcha and Ravenclaw. Jill Legault (13) is now in Duluth working on her master's.F

Wolf Ridge Staff

Update

Tessa Olson is a Second Year Mentor Naturalist

at Wolf Ridge. She graduated from the

University of Minnesota Duluth two years ago,

where she studied International Relations. Tessa loves exploring

outside in the Minnesota northwoods. Challenging

herself through adventures with others feeds her soul. Tessa

loves skiing, canoeing, and harvesting wild

edibles. Examining wing for molt patterns.

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Farm Reportby Max Melby, Wolf Ridge Naturalist

Wolf Ridge Wolf Ridge

Last summer the Wolf Ridge Organic Farm got underway. We had an adequate first sea-son despite the weather delaying our start. Veggies grew into mid-November in the hoop house. Visiting students had the chance to har-vest, process, and deliver some of the farm’s first crops to the Dining Hall. We had the chance to enjoy a salad garnished with pep-pers and tomatoes, which grew at the farm. Students were amazed that we could actually grow food at Wolf Ridge. Our current goal is to someday supply ALL the veggies eaten in our Dining Hall. Let me tell you how we are making this happen.

Last spring, we constructed a 30’ x 96’ high tunnel hoop house to get the growth started. There are many benefits to using a high tunnel hoop house. To say it succinctly, a high tun-nel extends the length of the growing season as well as the productivity of the crops. In the early spring, the plastic provides extra warmth and insulation during the nights so that crops can go into the ground earlier.

In addition to the hoop house, there is a pro-cessing building under construction. This is essential for preparing the vegetables for the Dining Hall or storage. A screened area is pro-vided for the initial washing as well as a walk-in refrigerator for cooling the produce. This building can also serve as a classroom.

So let’s imagine that we harvest a head of broc-coli. We wash and then store it in the fridge. From the fridge, a staffer will take the broccoli into our certified kitchen where it is cut-up to be delivered to the Dining Hall or blanched and frozen for later meals.

At Wolf Ridge, we do everything we can to

provide students with an outstanding experi-ence. We build lasting memories and valuable learning experiences. Through a grant from the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation we are now de-veloping curriculum for the farm that supports our mission. We have a handful of ideas about what farm classes might look like. It will pro-vide learners an opportunity to experience gar-dening basics and how an organic farm works in general. The curriculum will likely address the relationships between plants, their pollina-tors, and us humans. Seasonally, the students will be participating in starting seeds, plant-ing, weeding, watering, harvesting, washing and processing and hopefully eventually year round EATING.

This summer Wolf Ridge is going to score a brick-oven at the farm site to aid with that eating. We have a relationship with the North House Folk School in Grand Marais, MN. They offer a brick-oven building class. Students who register for that class will learn how to build a brick oven by working on one together as a group. Their worksite for this year’s class? It’s the Wolf Ridge Organic Farm! When students of any sort visit the farm, they may be able to harvest their own vegetables to make a pizza in the brick-oven and enjoy a fresh, locally sourced lunch.

After reviewing snow removal patterns and deciding on the final space for composting ar-eas placement was determined for more hoop houses. As soon as the land thaws in the spring, farm and construction crews will begin digging

out the footprints for two more 30’ x 96’ high tunnel hoop houses. A grant, this time from the IRRRB (Iron Range Resources and Re-habilitation Board) makes this possible. We anticipate that three productive greenhouses will keep students, campers, and naturalists busy… and learning!

Wolf Ridge is a busy place. As soon as we fin-ished a greenhouse, we started a processing building. As soon as that processing building was underway, we were able to commit to building two more greenhouses. The chatter among naturalists keeps growing. Many peo-ple do not have the opportunity to see where their food comes from. Sure, vege-tables come from a farm, but what do vegetables look like at the farm? How does a farmer make sure that their crops are com-ing up? How do organic farmers maintain their crops with something to get rid of the bugs? Do fresh and locally grown veggies really taste better?

We are very excited to establish the Wolf Ridge Organic Farm, fostering new and tasty learning experiences. Come get your hands dirty and get the flavor of gardening!F

Max Melby is a Second Year Mentor Naturalist at Wolf Ridge who has

been thinking very hard about how to help

students create the most memorable experiences

possible. He was recently licensed to teach Secondary Life Sciences (9th-12th) and is waiting for paperwork to go through

to earn a middle level (5th-8th) license endorsement.

Max is determined to make every attempt to blur the line between

pedagogical discourse and going outside to play.

Food processing building.

The life of a farmer, it’s not an easy life. Working seven days a wheat, there’s barley enough time to finish the work. I mean, geese, if a farmer doesn’t have enough helping hands, it might be udderly impossible to harvest the full crop. I remember the first time I visited an organic farm. It was a maize of veggies. I’ll never forget the smells, the sights, the feelings… and the opportunity to try my hand at harvesting vegetables. It was a berry growthful experience, barn-none. We are excited to bring this eggscelent opportunity to the herds of learners who visit Wolf Ridge.

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ticulates (sugar sand) and transferred it to a smaller pan, allowing for a more controlled final boil. The firing of the evaporators contin-ued late into the night and resumed the next morning, when we ate pancakes with fresh hot maple syrup for breakfast. Once finished boil-ing, I helped to bottle 14 gallons of the syrup we had made into glass jugs. The syrup crew then made “sweet predictions” as to how many gallons would be bottled over the course of the entire season. Our guesses were all surpassed when we found out at the end of the season that the Arboretum had produced more than 500 gallons of pure maple syrup!

My experience at St. John’s led me to pursue my time spent teaching about maple syrup-ing at Wolf Ridge with boundless enthusiasm. Each spring during maple syrup season, stu-dents who visit Wolf Ridge have a variety of opportunities to visit the sugar shack where they learn about the history and practice of making maple syrup. The Ojibwe Heritage class is one such opportunity. A visit to the sugar shack may look like this:

Students remove their snowshoes and take a seat on the snow-covered picnic tables just outside of the sugar shack while they’re in-troduced to the evaporator, boiling steadily, wafting aromas of hot maple sap under their noses. The story of Ininatig, the Man Tree, may be told, to share one idea of how the Ojibwe

Sugar shack.

Nature of Things

It’s Maple Syrup Timeby Jenna Pollard

Nature of Things

Drilling for liquid gold.

Hanging the bucket.

Maple syrup season is nearly upon us. You’ll notice its arrival as the snow melts into rings around the bases of the trees and the Red Squirrels begin to nibble on Sugar Maple buds in anticipation of a treat soon to come. I’m anxious for the sap to run, too. Remembering my past experiences making maple syrup, I find that there’s nothing quite as endearing as watching a 4th grader carry a brimming-full bucket of sugar maple sap, concentrating hard to not spill a drop and smiling wide enough to excite all of the other students as to their trea-sure. Although I first experienced maple syr-uping while a student at St. John’s University, I didn’t fully appreciate the magic of maple until I shared it with students at Wolf Ridge.

My first experience with maple syruping took place at the Abbey Arboretum while I was at-tending the College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University in Central Minnesota. Every spring, student and community volunteers, St. John’s Outdoor University staff, and Abbey monks work together to tap more than 1,000 trees. I was lucky enough to be able to visit the sugar shack (maple syrup-making headquarters) at St. John’s last year during one of their two annual maple syrup festivals. Hundreds of maple syrup enthusiasts flocked to the sugar shack for maple syrup sundaes, sugar shack tours, tree-tapping demonstrations, sap collec-tion, music around the campfire and lessons on maple sap flow and traditional methods of maple syruping. There was even a tasting booth for 3rd Street Brewing Company’s new Sugar Shack Maple Stout, made with pure ma-ple syrup from the Abbey Arboretum!

After the excitement of the festival died down and visitors departed on horse-drawn car-riage back to their cars, the real fun began. Throughout the course of the festival, more than 1,400 gallons of sap had been collected. With fresh sap waiting to be boiled, both of the sugar shack’s new evaporators were fired up. The fire built below the sap pan roared as water evaporated out of the boiling sap, leav-ing the sugar and minerals naturally present in the sap behind. Over time, the boiling sap became thicker, darker and sweeter. We pulled the sap off the evaporator when it reached ap-proximately 217°F, an indicator that the sugar content was nearing 66.7% sugar, the standard for “pure maple syrup.” We then filtered the nearly finished syrup to remove mineral par-

came to know maple syruping. After putting their snowshoes back on, students learn how to correctly identify a Sugar Maple by its opposite branching and the presence of previous years’ tap holes. They then venture out into the sugar bush, armed with the tools to tap a tree. After choosing a tree, they take turns drilling a hole into the tree. They insert the spile and hang a sap-collection bucket from it. The group then chooses a name for their tapped Sugar Maple. Names range from Drippy Joe to Sugar Mama, though some are less specific to the sweet na-ture of the sap.

Back at the sugar shack, they are given their next task: collecting sap. Each team is assigned a tree to gather sap from to add to the collection barrels or to pour directly into the evaporator pan. Once exhausted from tromping through the snow collecting sap, students have a chance to see if they can taste the difference between real maple syrup and artificially flavored high fructose corn syrup. Even on the coldest days, students bare their fingers to receive a drop of syrup A and syrup B. Almost all of them can tell the difference, though they diverge in which they’d prefer on their pancakes. They leave class with sticky fingers and a sense of won-der about the history and tradition of tapping maple trees.

Every maple syrup season is different, and last year proved to be a good one for Wolf Ridge. For sap to run best, a series of nights below freez-ing and days in the 40’s are desired. There were more than enough freezing nights and thawing days to allow approximately 240 gallons of sap to be collected, justifying firing up the evapora-tor for five separate boils, amounting to about 6 gallons of finished syrup. With clear cold nights and warm sunny days this spring, the sap will flow again, though the abundance of syrup ex-

perienced last year may be hard to beat.

My experience at St. John’s and at Wolf Ridge led me to explore other maple syruping operations around the state. I found that many com-mercial syrupers have transitioned into using lines of tubing for sap collection. The lines connect the tap holes in the trees to collection tanks for storing sap, eliminating the need for workers or volunteers to venture out into the sugar bush collecting sap by hand. Smaller operations, tapping just enough trees to supply a year’s worth of syrup for a family or two, seem to be the most inventive in their

maple syruping practices. I’ve seen old juice bottles, ice cream buckets, and milk jugs used as sap buckets. The sap, collected on snow-shoes, is carried back to evaporators made from any steel container imaginable, as long as you could get a fire under it. They were all successful in their experience of tapping the trees, collecting the sap, firing the evapora-tor and sharing a piece of their tradition with family and friends bringing joy into their lives.

If I’ve learned any-thing about maple syruping over the past few years it’s that everyone who participates has their own way of doing it. From Leader evapora-tors to old oil bar-rels and kitchen pans, it seems there’s no “right way” to make ma-ple syrup. I’ve had maple syrup that was blacker than tar and thicker than molas-ses, boiled in a witch’s crock over an open fire. I’ve also had maple syrup cooked to a perfect 66.7% sugar content, with a golden transparency and delightfully clean flavor. I loved them both. With maple syrup, as with most things, the process is the most impor-tant part of the story. Sitting next to an evap-orator of any sort, tossing hand-split wood into the firebox, sipping tea made with hot sap and sharing the experience with others is what maple syruping is all about. And what you end up with, whether it be Grade A ma-ple syrup or a charred pan, it’s priceless.F

When not making, consuming or dreaming

about maple syrup, 2011-12 Wolf Ridge

Naturalist Jenna Pollard spends her time cross-country skiing, baking bread, making beer

and studying pottery in St. Joseph, MN. Jenna loved listening to Wolf

Ridge's resident Eastern Phoebe call from her

nest in the rafters of the sugar shack.

photo

by Je

nna P

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photo

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Our youth camp programs offer unparalleled opportunities to explore clear lakes and streams,

develop life-long connections to the natural world, make friends, create memories, and grow in self-

confidence. With a wonderfully diverse campus and variety of activities, campers can return year after year

for new experiences.

Summer Sampler: (2nd-5th gr) June 25-28, Aug 13-16: $350 Discoverers: (4th-5th gr) June 22-28, July 13-19, July 27-Aug 2, Aug 3-9, Aug 10-16: $550Voyageurs: (6th-7th gr) June 22-28, July 13-19, July 20-26, July 27-Aug 2, Aug 3-9, Aug 10-16: $550Adventurers: (8th-9th gr) July 13-19, July 20-26, July 27-Aug 2, Aug 3-9, Aug 10-16: $565Ecology Credit Camp: (10th-12th gr) July 13-Aug 9: $2000Outdoor Explorers: (6th-7th gr) Aug 10-16: $600Camp Fish: (7th-8th gr) July 13-19: $600Day Camp: (1st-7th gr) June 23-27: $1755-Day BWCAW Canoe: (7th-8th gr) July 6-12: $5705-Day Apostle Islands Kayak: (9th-10th gr) July 27-Aug 2: $665Adventurers BWCAW Canoe: (8th-9th gr) July 13-26: $1275Adventurers Isle Royale Backpacking: (8th-9th gr) July 20-Aug 2: $1275Jr. Naturalists Quetico Canoe: (10th-12th gr) July 13-26: $1340Jr. Naturalists Apostle Islands Kayak: (10th-12th gr) Aug 3-16: $1340Grand Portage Expedition: (10th-12th gr) Aug 3-16: $1370

Upcoming Programs

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Shop on-line at the Wolf Ridge store: www.wolf-ridge.org

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PrOgraM registratiOn anD DOnOr MeMber fOrM

Send Me a Wolf Ridge Calendar:

Become a Donor Member of Wolf Ridge:

Your gift will be supporting:

$35 $120 $_____

• Raptors & bird banding research• Curriculum and learning sites• Students attending Wolf Ridge for a week

$50

$14 donor members/$18.95 non-donor members per calendar (includes postage)

Payment:Registrations must be accompanied by a $150 non-re-fundable deposit, family programs $50/person. Program fee minus deposit is due 2 weeks prior to program start.

Payment enclosed:

Check (Payable to Wolf Ridge ELC)

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WOlf riDgeenvirOnMental learning center

6282 Cranberry RdFinland, MN 55603

Program Title Date

Spouse name, names/ages of children for family program.

City State Zip

Telephone (Home)

Name Sex: M F

(Cell)

Address

E-mail

Parent/Guardian names for Summer Youth Programs (SYP).

Roommate preference

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$250 $1000

• Year long program for low-income HS students• Possibilities Fund for seasonal naturalists• And more....

Grade entering

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/Exp. Date

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Grand Portage Expedition

Phenology Adventureswith Jim Gilbert

Bird BandingJune 4, 18, 25,

July 9, 16, 23, 30FREE

For more information about Wolf Ridge programs:

1-800-523-2733 (WI, MN, ND)or

218-353-7414

www.wolf-ridge.org

NEW

NEW

Visit our website at: www.wolf-ridge.org to learn more about these and other Wolf Ridge programs.

Phenology Adventures with Jim Gilbert: (adults) March 14-16, June 27-29, Oct 10-12: $266Leave No Trace Master Educator Course: (adults) May 16-20: $TBDBeginning Bird Banding Class: (adults) June 22-29: $1,594Advanced Bird Banding Class: (adults) June 16-20: $794

Road Scholar Intergenerational:July 6-11, July 20-25, Aug 10-15: Starting at $579 Family Camp: July 27-Aug 2, Aug 3-9: Ages adult-5 $398, ages 4-2 $200, under 2 freeFamily & Group Trips: Call Wolf Ridge to arrange your canoe, hiking or kayaking tripSplit Rock 1/2 Day Kayak Tours: (12yrs-adult) June-August: $59 each

Join well known Naturalist and Phenologist, Jim Gilbert on seasonal explorations of Wolf Ridge ELC via hiking, canoeing, skiing and snowshoeing. An experienced and enthusiastic storyteller, Jim will interpret the phenology of the plants and animals.

The ultimate wilderness experience and a once in a lifetime trip for experienced campers! Campers will spend 12 days canoeing through the wilderness along the border of the Boundary Waters and Canada’s Quetico and La Verendrye Provincial Parks, concluding with the crossing of the Grand Portage to the original headquarters of the historic Northwest Company on the shores of Lake Superior. Campers must have prior experience and complete and submit an application before registering. Visit our website for an application.

Youth

Families

Adults

10

Open HouseJune 14, 9:00-4:30

FREE

2015Wolf Ridge Calendar 3

Eating Greener at Wolf Ridge1 & 4

In This Issue:

Wolf Ridge enviRonmental leaRning CenteRWolf Ridge enviRonmental leaRning CenteR6282 Cranberry RoadFinland, MN 55603-97001-800-523-2733 (MN, WI, ND) or 218-353-7414 www.wolf-ridge.org

NON-PROFITU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT NO. 1FINLAND, MN

Complimentary IssuePlease Consider Membership

Our mission is to develop a citizenry that has the knowledge, skills, motivation and commitment to act together for a quality environment.

We meet our mission by:• Fostering awareness, curiosity and sensitivity to the natural world.• Providing lifelong learning experiences in nature.

• Developing social understanding, respect and cooperation.• Modeling values, behaviors and technologies, which lead to a sustainable lifestyle.• Promoting the concepts of conservation and stewardship.

Upcoming Programs

10 & 11

Wolf Ridge Dissected7

Wolf RidgeStaff Update

4

It’s Maple Syrup Time

8 & 9

Farm Report6 & 7

The IncredibleSaw-whet Owl

5

View from the Ridge2 & 3

Wol

f Rid

ge th

anks

thes

e $1

,000

+ do

nors

:

Baker FoundationBarr Engineering CompanyDonald & Marie Roberts Charitable FoundationDonald Weesner Charitable TrustHarpreet KaurTerhuly FoundationJim & Judy FitzhughSteven Leuthold Family FoundationLloyd K Johnson FoundationMargaret A Cargill FoundationMike SteffesMinnesota PowerMN DNR Division of Fish & WildlifeNancy Schultz & John EckfeldtPat & Lynn DreeseRuss & Becky BierbaumRuth Hornstein & Peter ScalSteve & Margot RobertsTom & Kay BeckenTom & Margit Berg US Fish & Wildlife Service - Ashland Fish & Wildlife Conservation Office

WOLF RIDGE CALENDAR G 2015

J i m B ra n d e n b u rg

SAMPLE

Wolf Ridge’s “Bevy of Brews & A Kettle of Fish” Fundraiser on December 6th

at the Great Lakes Aquarium drew over 250 people and raised $24,400 despite

close to 30 inches of snow just days before the event. Thanks to a matching

gift provided by Russ & Becky Bierbaum, roughly half of those funds are available to area schools as school scholarship

assistance. Thank you to everyone who attended for your support.

Bent Paddle Brewing Company • Canal Park Brewing Company • Carmody Irish Pub & BrewingCastle Danger Brewery • Fitger’s Brewhouse • ICO • Lake Superior Brewing CompanyMinnesota Power • Splashing Rock Restaurant & Catering • Upper Lakes Foods, Inc.

Special thanks to event sponsors!