Spring is right around the corner and that means it is time to start thinking about how to handle your farm fields.  This week we're talking with SCCD's Ag Technician, Dave Beichler about no-till and cover crop practices and how you can implement them on your farm.

Links from the show:
www.stevegroff.com
Cover Crop Coaching Webinar Recordings Available (stroudcenter.org)
​

Too much screen time can be a problem.  Fortunately, Susquehanna County 4H has worked with several other counties close by to form an Outdoor Adventurers Club.  Listen in as we discuss what type of activities are planned for the club and how your youth can get involved.  As a bonus, we’re also including an environmental scavenger challenge sponsored by the Susquehanna County Conservation District aimed at getting high school students outside while learning about our natural resources. 

4H Outdoor Adventurers Club
 To sign up members can go to 4h.zsuite.org and complete the enrollment. If they want to be enrolled solely in the outdoor club then they would choose Luzerne County as the enrollment county & Outdoor Adventurer Club. If they would like to enroll in Susquehanna County 4-H and do other projects as well then they would choose Susquehanna as their primary county and then Luzerne for their secondary county to see the option to choose Outdoor Adventurer. That may be kind of confusing, so SaraRae encourages  individuals to reach out to her directly with questions or assistance to get signed up. Email is the best way to contact her, but she can also be reached on her work number at 570-666-9006 as well. The first meeting is actually tonight via Zoom. 

Environmental Scavenger Hunt
For Susquehanna county youth (7th-12th grade)
https://www.suscondistrict.org/environmental-scavenger-hunt.html​
Event ends - March 31st, 2021

Seasons change, weather changes, climate changes, and subsequently, our entire environment changes.  Are these changes beneficial?  Are they reducing populations of plants and animals?  Are these changes allowing invasives to outcompete natives?  Join us as we discuss Phenology (the study of nature's calendar) and find out you can help scientists track these changes in your own backyard.  

What to do with your data
Once you have recorded your data and observations, what should you do with it? Well, there are a few websites where you can go to become a part of citizen science. 
https://www.usanpn.org/data/visualizations  
https://budburst.org
ebird.org/home
​
Penn State Herbarium
The PSU Herbarium will be hosting several virtual workshops this spring

• Thursday February 25th 7 pm “The Poison Garden” In this workshop, they will explore some of the most deadly plants around the world and in your own backyard
  
• Thursday March 25th 7 pm “The Good, the bad, and the just plain ugly” In this workshop you will learn about the different types of grasses found around Pennsylvania
  
• Thursday April 22nd 7 pm “Native Plants & Pollinators” Join Master Gardeners to discuss native plants and the pollinators they attract
  
• Thursday May 20th 7pm “ Wetlands are Wonderlands” This workshop will spotlight common wetland plants in PA. 
  

For more information, visit the PSU Herbarium website. You can email Sarah Chamberlain at sjm20@psu.edu to register. 

NEPA Rail Trail
Just a reminder, Jim Kessler is hosting a tree walk on the rail trail this Saturday February 20th, starting at the Lusiana Trailhead in Lanesboro. You can register by emailing trails@nep.net or calling 570-679-9300

​As snow piles up across the nation, maple producers throughout the northeast are strapping on their snowshoes and running lines to prepare for a sure sign of spring.  Join us as we discuss maple syrup production and find out if any other trees can be tapped for their sugary goodness.

You see them everywhere.  You see them in the backyard, the park, your neighbor's house...  But domesticated rabbits have brought with them a potential scourge that could easily spread to our native cottontails and hares and drastically reduce their population.  Join us as we discuss Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease (RHDV2) and how we can reduce the likelihood of its transmission to our native rabbit population.

Link to the Penn State Extension webinars: Click here

​While you're trying to stay warm above the snow, many creatures are trying to do the same underneath the snow. In fact, scientists have even given this special place between the snowpack and the bare ground a name. Listen in as we discuss the subnivean zone, the animals that live there, and the activities that take place just beneath our feet during the winter months.

Image by Michael Gaida from Pixabay 

​We get it, January can be cold, dark, and a bit depressing.  But research has shown that even five minutes of outdoor activity will boost mood.  Join us on this episode as we discover some local outdoor activities that will get you off the couch this winter.

Photo by Justin Wei on Unsplash

​They're small, they look like they're wearing a little black hat, and their song sounds a lot like words from the English language.  On this week's show, we're discussing everyone's favorite little bird - the Chickadee!  Listen in, as we discuss habitat, songs of the chickadee, range, Pennsylvania's other chickadee, and much more!

Photo by Rebecca Asryan on Unsplash

Enjoying the outdoors?  Got plans to enjoy the outdoors in the new year?  Join us as we find out where the money comes from that preserves and protects our wild species and wild spaces.

​
​Ittt'ssss beginning to look a lot like Christmas...   Join us as we discuss a pine-tree looking plant called Princess Pine and then get ready to learn about another native shrub that really stands out during the winter season.