Sturgeon Bay, Wis. (September 30, 2024) – We are past the meteorological fall, the autumnal equinox, and crowds of fall festivals, but for us at Crossroads, the new season starts when the maple trees start to change color, and with the new season comes several new activities.
Don’t worry, we aren’t dropping any of our regular programs, but this week we are starting the Fall Session of Junior Nature Club, plus an adult program called “Current Ecological Events Club.” The Wisconsin Science Festival is scheduled from October 14-20, but Door County organizers – Crossroads and the Door County Library – with help from our friends from the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society, will offer a “pre-fest” lecture on Tuesday, October 8 featuring this year’s SciFest theme: Agriculture.
Later in the month, we will schedule “School’s Out Excursions” on school vacation days.
The Tuesday Current Ecological Events Club is in response to a survey conducted by our colleagues from the Door County Seed Library. It seems, and is indeed reasonable, now that the hours of daylight are decreasing, that many life-long learners are reluctant to drive at night. So, while we will continue to host evening programs at Crossroads, we have decided to try offering daytime educational programs for adults every Monday. Programs will range from webinars and films to discussion groups.
The Current Ecological Events Club is envisioned as a combination of a current events club and a book club. Meeting the first Monday of each month, adults who love to read will take a deep dive into current articles about the environment by gathering for lively discussions, new friendships and a deepening understanding about the natural world.
Reservations are not required and drop-ins will be welcome. Interested adults are invited to stop by the Collins Learning Center to pick up copies of the articles whether or not they plan to participate in the discussion. This month, the topics will be “Fear Mediated Food Webs”, “Fire Ecology”, and “30×30 Initiative.”
Not surprisingly, our Saturday Science Program on October 5 will maple trees and the DPAS Viewing Night will focus on fall constellations, and on Wednesday, the Wandering Wednesdays hikers will enjoy the fall foliage.
But then watch our website for the schedule of Door County Wisconsin Science Festival programs focused on Agriculture.
Fall and agriculture – at least agriculture as we know it – are indisputably linked. Scholars from astronomers and ecologists to anthropologists have speculated about how life would be different if the Earth’s axis were not tilted, and if we had no seasons. We will never know.
Presumably, without seasons, deciduous trees would not have evolved which would mean we would have no fall colors.
But what we do know for certain is that without agriculture, there would not be enough food to feed the world’s human population. Most of the grains and vegetables we grow to feed ourselves and our livestock are planted in the spring, grow in the summer sun and are harvested in fall. Our orchard trees and grapes bloom in spring, develop their fruit in summer and are harvested in fall. They require winter cold to go through dormancy. The cold of winter also protects us from insect-borne diseases and crop destruction. We depend on seasons.
It’s the beginning a fall – the time for crisp air, glorious colors and harvest bounty. Throughout history and in many cultures, this is a time of celebration. Celebrate at Crossroads. crossroadsatbigcreek.org
Friday, October 4
10:00 Junior Nature Club
Junior Nature Club is a free, six-week series aimed at connecting pre-school aged children and their families to the natural world.. Through the use of storytelling, games, activities, and play in nature, the Junior Nature Club promotes physical well-being, social engagement and curiosity about nature in both children and their parents or guardians. Visit the Crossroads website for more information and to enroll.
2:00 Hanson House Tour
Spend part of your “Afternoon with Bertha,” our costumed interpreter who will describe the history of the Hanson House and the Greeves farm.
Meet at the Hanson Homestead, 2022 Utah St., Sturgeon Bay (across from the Cove Estuary). Registration not required. Open to the public and free thanks to the generosity of donors like you.
Saturday, October 5
2:00 Science Saturday: Maples
The program is geared for elementary students but learners of all ages are invited to learn through indoor and outdoor activities about this exceptional tree species. Meet in the Collins Learning Center. Free and open to the public.
Monday, October 7
1:30 Current Ecological Events Club
Love reading? In this ecology club, we will deep dive into current ecological articles for lively discussions, new friendships, and deepening our understanding of the natural world! This adult discussion group will meet each month to review articles about current ecological issues.Drop ins always welcome! Stop by the Collins Learning Center any time prior to the meeting to receive free copies of the articles for the next meeting.Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration not needed. Open to the public and free thanks to the generosity of donors like you!
Tuesday, October 8
7:00 DPAS Lecture: Astronomy and Agriculture
Join the members of the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society for a pre-fest program the 2024 Door County series of Wisconsin Science Festival events. From primitive humans to NASA research, agriculture and astronomy have been linked. Free and open to the public. Meet at the Stonecipher Astronomy Center,2200 Utah, Sturgeon Bay.
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