The 2024 Wisconsin Science Festival, which celebrates Agriculture, continues this week at Crossroads. Even our Family Trails & Treats Event on Friday evening will feature a Wisconsin agricultural product—pumpkins!
At one of last week's SciFest events, families learned about pumpkins before they carved them into Jack-o-lanterns. Those carved pumpkins and luminaries will light a trail through the Big Creek Preserve. Costumes are encouraged as families to take the trail (a third of a mile) and visit stations at which costumed volunteers will hand out treats. This event is free and open to the public. No reservations are required.
I used to be a middle school science teacher, and I dreaded the Simple Machines unit. I couldn't get excited about "devices used to modify motion and the magnitude of a force to perform work." Yawn!
That all changed when I started visiting the Madden Tool Museum. Their hand tools are simple machines, but they are incredibly innovative and surprisingly effective. It is great fun to have the opportunity to see these tools used and, better yet, to actually attempt to use antique agricultural implements.
So, as an event of the Wisconsin Science Festival, the Crossroads Saturday Science will move across the trail to the Tool Museum where interpreters will demonstrate and allow kids and learners of all ages to learn the value of simple machines.
Several years ago, Frank Kutka presented a Library-sponsored presentation at Crossroads, and we have been trying to schedule his return ever since. When the agriculture theme was selected for this year's SciFest, Wild Ones-Door Peninsula offered to sponsor the lecture "Menominee Agricultural History" on Tuesday, October 22, at 6:30.
Our speakers will explain how Menominee agriculture has been rediscovered in our region's forests through the observations of forester and knowledge keeper Jeff Grignon (Paemapameh) and years of effort by the Menominee Historic Preservation Department.
Then, they will explore what archeologists, anthropologists, and agronomists have to tell us about this vital part of the Menominee economy over the centuries. Our speakers will be Jacob Grignon (Cultural Resource Protection Officer, Menominee Historic Preservation) and Frank Kutka (Sustainable Agriculture Faculty, College of Menominee Nation)
Celebrate Agriculture this week as we wrap up another exciting Science Fest Celebration.
Friday, October 18
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Trails & Treats
Kick-off for "Hallow-days" and trick-or-treat on our luminary and jack-o-lantern-lit trails. Costumes encouraged! Thanks to the generosity of our donors and volunteers, the event is open to the public and free. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
Saturday, October 19
2:00 pm Science Saturdays – Simple Machines and Agriculture at the Madden Tool Museum
This weekly program, geared for elementary students, will feature pioneer hand tools and simple machines that are incredibly innovative and surprisingly effective. It is great fun to have the opportunity to see these tools used and better, to actually try to use antique agricultural implements. So, as an event of the Wisconsin Science Festival, the Crossroads Saturday Science will move across the trail to the Tool Museum, where interpreters will demonstrate and give kids and learners of all ages to try their hands at hand tools. Free and open to the public. Meet at the Tool Museum, just across the trail from the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.
Monday, October 21
1:30 pm Wild Ones Webinar: “The Bombus Among Us – Bumble Bee Basics”
In this pre-recorded Wild Ones Seminar featuring Heather Holm, you will learn that “Bumble bees (Bombus) are by far our most charismatic and recognizable native bees. In order to help our bumble bees thrive, we must understand their life cycle and nutritional needs. ” The seminar is free and open to the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan Sturgeon Bay. It is part of the Wisconsin Science Festival.
Tuesday, October 22,
6:30 Wild Ones Lecture: Menominee Agricultural History
We will learn how Menominee agriculture has been rediscovered in our region's forests through the observations of forester and knowledge keeper Jeff Grignon (Paemapameh) and through years of effort by the Menominee Historic Preservation Department. Then, we will explore what archeologists, anthropologists, and agronomists have to tell us about this important part of the Menominee economy over the centuries. Speakers: Jacob Grignon (Cultural Resource Protection Officer, Menominee Historic Preservation) and Frank Kutka (Sustainable Agriculture Faculty, College of Menominee Nation). They are open to the public. Sponsored by Wild Ones-Door Peninsula, Meet at the Collins Learning Center Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay. Part of the Wisconsin Science Festival.
