Today we’re talking about planting for pollinators! A few years ago I received a Lawns to Legumes pollinator habitat grant through a MN statewide education program called Blue Thumb which is part of the nonprofit, Metro Blooms based in Minneapolis. Metro Blooms partners with communities and folks to create outdoor spaces that’s good for the water and land like installing rain gardens that filter and clean water and native plantings the provide habitat for pollinators.

With the grant, I started my first pollinator garden which has been addictive and now has transformed a once entirely mowed backyard to about 3/4’s pollinator garden… and it’s SO much fun to see all the flowers and life back there.

I’ve invited Megan and Jennifer from Metro Blooms to talk with us about how to plant for pollinators.

Megan Reich is with the Education Team and Jennifer Ehlert is Vice President of the for-profit Metro blooms Design+Build that does residential and commercial design, installation and maintenance of native landscapes.

But, No matter where you live, this can apply to you.

Each of our little pollinator spaces, big or small are like stepping stones across the landscape to help for example, migrating monarch make their journey. And, it’s, I think, super fun.

Here are a few resources:

Metro Blooms Website: https://metroblooms.org/

Blue Thumb Website: https://bluethumb.org/

Blue Thumb Planting Templates: https://bluethumb.org/public-resources/

Lawns to Legumes Habitat at Home Sign Up: https://bluethumb.org/lawns-to-legumes/habitat-at-home/

Lawns to Legumes Garden Tour Day: https://bluethumb.org/garden-tour-day/

National Wildlife Federation - Native Plant Habitats - https://www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Plant-Native

Sawyer Gilsdorf learned a few lessons on his snowy New Year's Day hike in the Colorado Rockies.

With declining natural shorelines from development, loon numbers have been hurting. People like my guest Mark Backes on Big Fish Lake in Minnesota are building loon nests to help them out. Hear what goes into making a loon nest, the success they're having, and some fun loon facts along the way.

The loon calls you'll hear are recorded on Gull Lake from a friend of mine and Minnesota's 'Loon Lady', Sheila Johnston.