Animal Lesson #10: 7 Places to Show Kids Bison

Bison at Yellowstone National Park

Loved how the bison "owned" the Yellowstone National Park, roaming freely where they wanted. If they felt like crossing the road, believe me, you waited. Their size and power and prehistoric look makes you sit back, wait, and enjoy watching.

The kids enjoyed seeing the bison so much, we sought out a closer location with bison.  USA Today listed The Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area as one of the "51 Greatest Places to See Wildlife" describing the area, "Located in the national recreation area known as Land Between the Lakes (between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake), Kentucky's only drive-through elk and bison prairie gives visitors up-close views of these majestic animals."  

The Elk & Bison Prairie National Recreation Area (Golden Pond, KY) in Land Between the Lakes offers family an economical deal - only $5 per car.  http://www.lbl.org/EBPrairieGate.html. Only enclosed vehicles allowed.  The loop only covers 3.5 miles, but leave plenty of time to allow bison to cross the road in front of you.

In the past, 40 to 60 million bison roamed across North America (NA).  According to the Wildlife Conservation Society, there are now only 500,000 in NA and most live on ranches.  Conservation herds total an estimated 20,000.  If you'd like to help, check out The American Bison Society http://www.wcs.org/saving-wildlife/hoofed-mammals/bison/the-american-bison-society.aspx


As the kids continued to age, I'd find more places to sight bison.  Look up bison farms where residents raise bison and offer products for sale.  I found one in Wisconsin - Lester's Bison Farm (31807 60th St, Salem, WI).  No entrance fee to pay.

We did purchase meat after learning more about the farm business from the owner himself.  If you do not feel motivated to travel for bison meat, go to meet Lester.  His patriotism shines at the driveway entrance with a row of American flags.  Retired from the United States Marine Corp, he has a lot of stories to tell.
  
If you'd like to show your kids the bison, here's 7 other locations with bison;
1.  Sandsage Bison Range, Garden City, KS, http://www.kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Wildlife-Areas/Region-3/Sandsage-Bison-Range
2.  Blue Mounds State Park, Luverne, MN, http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/blue_mounds/index.html
3.  Antelope Island State Park, Layton, Utah (UT), near Salt Lake City, $9 per car http://www.utah.com/stateparks/antelope_island.htm
4.  Fort Robinson State Park, Crawford, Nebraska http://www.stateparks.com/fort_robinson.html
5.  Maxwell State Bison Refuge, Canton, KS http://www.kdwpt.state.ks.us/news/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Wildlife-Areas/Region-4/Maxwell
6.  House Rock Wildlife Area near Jacob Lake, Arizona, http://www.wildlifeviewingareas.com/wv-app/parkdetail.aspx?parkid=57
7.  Witchita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, OK, bison and elk reintroduced  http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Wichita_Mountains/wildlife_and_habitat/index.html#

Agriculture Lesson #4: North Carolina Zoo Bee Exhibit & 7 National Pollinator Events

  Bees serve us in so many ways, most importantly as a pollinators of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.  The world has other pollinators, but bees perform about eighty percent of all pollination worldwide.  Bees also produce honey from the sugary secretions of the plants, aka floral nectar.

When I toured the Google headquarters and ate lunch on a picnic bench, I noticed they had their own beehives for fresh honey - impressive!  In exploring the Fairmont Edmonton, Canada patio grounds, I delighted in the inclusion of beehives.  You don't need a special invite to a corporate headquarters or luxury hotel in Canada to show your kids beehives.

The United States is a major honey producer, ranked third after China and Turkey.  If you search events, you can likely connect your child to a local beekeeper who manages hives of domesticated bees.  Also, I like to look for bee products at farmers markets such as honeycombs or flavored wax honey sticks.  The kids love to taste sweet honey.

My family took time to explore bee hives and educational materials at the North Carolina Zoo located 75 miles west of Raleigh, NC in Asheboro, North Carolina.  Entry costs approximately $15 for adults and $11 for children.  We also watched a live hive at the KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum.  Admission is a suggested $7 for adults and $4 for children.  If you can't visit an exhibit or museum, go the to the KU Natural History Museum website for a link to the live bee cam.  Kansas designated the honeybee as the official state insect.

Unfortunately pesticides, air pollution, habitat destruction, and drought contribute to bees dying.  According to Greenpeace, worldwide bee colony collapse occurs as winter losses exceed the norm - especially in the United States.  Europe has placed more restrictions on pesticides.  You and your family can celebrate and support bees by joining events during National Pollinator Week in June.  Visit the website pollinator.org for updated events.  Here's 7 examples of past events across the country:  

1.  Bees & Brew at the Botanical Conservatory; Fort Wayne, IN

Suit up for a beekeeping experience with live beehives, sample raw honey, make DIY beeswax candles at the Foellinger-Freeman Botanical Conservatory

2.  Bee Bee Q; Detroit, MI

Fundraiser with silent and live auction, live music

3.  Wild! Heritage Pollinator Party: Huntington, WV

Make your own pollinator plant pot out of recycled materials at the Heritage Farm Museum and Village, see a colony of bees

Couldn't resist the costume.  He's so sweet, he's my Honey!

4.  BeeFest; Salt Lake City, UT

Enter your kids in the kids pollinator costume contest.  Event entrance free and you can support by buying plants or honey-baked items.

5.  Meadowbrook BeeBlitz; Urbana, IL

Train on how to photograph bees and upload photos to Bee Spotter, meet at the Garden Pavilion 

6.  Bugs & Brews; Denton, NE

Take an evening walk through the prairie and enjoy refreshments and presentation by biologist working with farmers and conservation groups

7.  Meet Our Beekeper; The Episcopal Church of the Advocate; Chapel Hill, NC

Watch Piedmont Patch beekeeper demonstrate the equipment at the hive besides pond where volunteers planted over 1,000 native grasses and wildflowers

She's my Honey too!

Agriculture Lesson #3: 5 Cool Pumpkin Sites to Visit

Pumpkins, just the thought of these orange colored gourd-like squash takes you back to childhood.  Create a fall tradition with your child to pick pumpkins in the field and learn about agriculture at the same time. 

You can inspire their love for reading by reading about pumpkins.  One year I read the story Backyard Giants by Susan Warren outloud to my kids, a couple chapters at a time, following the adventures of Ron and Dick Wallace.  It not only teaches about giant pumpkins, but also lessons about the importance of setting a goal and values of determination and sharing knowledge with others.  It was published in 2007.  When we heard Ron & Dick broke the world record growing a 2,009 pound giant pumpkin in 2012, we cheered for them. 

Our family enjoys the tradition of visiting a pumpkin patch and then carving a pumpkin to use as a Halloween decoration. Get ready for messy fun. Getting out the seed is just part of the reward. You can roast them in the oven as a treat. These seed are good for kids, theyhave protein, magnesium, copper, and zinc. Kids just love the bite sized crunch.

I took this photo at Barn N Bunk farm in Trenton, OH.  We've found many of such large farms offer fun family entertainment.  We've enjoyed hay rides and corn mazes.  I've learned that the Midwest is central to pumpkins with 95% of pumpkins intended for processing grown in Illinois.  Here's 4 key places to discover pumpkins with your family:

1.  Art and Pumpkin Festival, Half Moon Bay, CA - 42 year tradition, world champion pumpkin weigh off, parade, pumpkin sculptures, crafts, so many events, there's an app for it http://www.miramarevents.com/pumpkinfest/about_show.html

2.  Vala's Pumpkin Patch, Gretna, Nebraska (NE) - $13.29 per person admission, even sells seasons passes which makes sense when you see their entertainment schedule- stunt dog show, 4-H day, dance show, Scarecrow band, monster dash run, pig races, and s'mores at the fire http://www.valaspumpkinpatch.com/

3. Papa's Pumpkin Patch, Bismark, North Dakota (ND) attracts 50,000 visitors per year, enjoying bale mazes and a crib sandbox or buying pumpkin cookies and pumpkin pie, mid Sept. to late Oct.
https://papaspumpkinpatch.wordpress.com/

4. Morton Pumpkin Festival, Morton, Illinois (IL) home of Libby's canned pumpkin where 80% of the world's pumpkin is processed, pumpkin idol, recipe challenge, tennis tournament http://www.mortonpumpkinfestival.org/

5.  Cox Farms, Centreville, Virginia (VA) - 40 year tradition, watch for their Nov. Pumpkin Madness event where you can recycle your used pumpkin for some smashing fun http://www.coxfarms.com/fallfestival.aspx