Fish Like a GIRL

When I was thinking about what to write this week, it was not lost on me that the seasons are changing. The “doing” season is coming to a close. I do get out and do things in the winter, of course, but not like in the summer. I will ice fish, but I am nowhere near as excited about hard water fishing as I am about soft water fishing. I have dabbled in snowshoeing, and it is fun. But I would rather hike through the woods and experience the unfrozen beauty of nature. 

I do like winter photography, especially when the sun hits new snow just right and it sparkles in the trees. But, for the most part, winter is “learning season” for me.

The stacks of recommended books, the bookmarked websites and the saved YouTube videos all find there way to the front of mind during the winter. Many times I have saved items I had forgotten about and then I push other things aside in my schedule to dedicate to a certain book, video or research.

Permies

One pretty cool website I have stumbled across is a permaculture website called Permies (permies.com). For those who do not know, permaculture is an approach to land management working with nature rather than against it. It is meant to be self-sustaining.

The new permaculture movement is about sustainability and environmental responsibility. It requires whole-systems thinking. It is really like homesteading, but several steps up. It’s an interesting concept to me at the very least. It is easy to get lost down the proverbial rabbit hole when researching any permaculture or homesteading concept on this site. I also purchased a resource bundle that I simply have not had time to completely check out this summer. Between fishing and writing and taking my Master Naturalist training and the garage project and opening another small business — I have just been busy. But I have also been waiting for “learning season,” knowing these 43 resources are sitting on the Permies site just waiting for me. 

There are building plans, documentaries on various permaculture techniques and plenty of eBooks, all sitting there ready for me to dive in. This, and the great information on the Permies website, are at the top of my list once the snow starts to fly. Well, snow blowing or shoveling will likely be on the very top of the list, but then I will grab a hot cup of tea and curl up with my iPad, ready to dive in. The site is set up as a message forum, making it interactive with not only information from around the world, but also answers to questions all in one convenient thread for each topic. It can be daunting getting into the website, but I have learned to just jump in and see what I can learn. I thought I would share the fun and recommend it to readers.

Now on to YouTube. Being the second largest search engine (after Google), you can find just about everything on YouTube. I would love to give everyone the entire list of channels I follow, but at approximately 320, that would be beyond the scope of just one column. 

EGLE

To start, though, I will give up some of my favorite environmentally slanted channels. EGLE has a ton of interesting content. 

Michigan EGLE is their Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. I think there is always a lot of great information we can learn from our neighbors, whether it’s environmental information from a neighboring state or learning from the neighbor next door which plants will likely grow best in your soil. There are certainly many videos on the channel that are specific to Michigan, but others can be easily utilized across the border. It is worth a stop on the trip.

Wisconsin Wetlands Association

Next, I would be remiss if I did not mention the Wisconsin Wetlands Association. I cannot count how many webinars I have watched from the folks at WWA. They do have several videos on their channel, but they have even more on their website, which can be found through their channel.

The Wetland Coffee Break series is one of my favorites. Growing up near a large wetland, which I simply called a swamp as a kid, wetlands are always of interest to me. Indeed, they should be of interest to most for a variety of reasons.

Science on Tap

I am sure many who read this column are familiar with Science on Tap. I am sure many have been to at least one session. When looking for their past content on YouTube, though, one must search “Trout Lake Station.” All of the past videos are found there, as well as shorts for each video. 

If a visitor to the channel is unsure if they want to spend an hour on specific content, or they simply want the Cliff Notes version, watching the “short” of an installment is a great way to learn what it was all about quickly and easily. There is also a link to the website scienceontapminocqua.org.

Extension Lakes

Extension Lakes hosts the Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Convention each year, and I have seen many readers at the event each year. 

The cool thing is, most of the sessions from past conventions are all there on the channel. I always struggle with which concurrent sessions I want to attend, because most of the time, I am interested in every session that is happening at any given time. The great part about attending the session in person is the ability to ask questions and to interact with the presenter and others in attendance. But the fact that other sessions are made available online makes for a great way to go back later and learn. And, to be honest, each presenter usually gives their contact information near the end, so if a person has a question after viewing the recording on the channel, they can still contact that presenter.

Xerces Society

I cannot create a list without the Xerces Society, can I? The Xerces Society, for those who are not familiar, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and conservation of invertebrates. Here visitors will find all things pollinators.

Cornell Lab

If we talk bees, we should also talk birds. When it comes to the Cornell Lab, there are a couple of choices. You can go to their regular channel, or you can check out the bird cams. Whether a visitor wants to learn more about birds through the webinars or simply watch bird cameras for a few hours (no one will judge!) This channel is the spot. 

A little history

Because of a recent conversation I had with John Grossman, the president of the Forest History Association of Wisconsin, I also wanted to add a couple of historical channels. The Forest History Association not only records and posts all of its webinars (bring a large, hot drink, because a person could be caught up in watching these for quite a while), but also videos of presentations from their annual conferences. To be truthful, much of the history of our state from European settlement on has revolved around forestry. At the same time, long before Europeans came to settle here, Tribes were caring for the land and managing forests sustainably, which many continue to do today (stay tuned for the Association’s 2024 conference information that will delve into this concept). For anyone who loves history, take a swing by their channel. It can also bring visitors to their website, where there is a wealth of other information and resources. This is another place I know I will spend some cold winter nights. 

Looking for something super local and historical? Check out the Manitowish Waters Historical Society YouTube Channel. To be honest, I am not sure how I happened across this gem, but I am certainly happy I did. From shorter 20 minute snippets to full hours of incredible information about this history of the Northwoods, it can all be found on the channel. It is definitely a “must stop” for those who love to learn about history.

I do have to say, before the snow flies, I will be spending some time in the woods. Whether it is in an attempt to fill the freezer or to simply empty my mind, no day in the woods, swamps or fields is a wasted day. One of the cool things about searching favorites on a platform like YouTube is that there are always so many more suggestions based on what a person is viewing.

I feel like I just never know when I will find my next new favorite channel. History, gardening, permaculture, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, environmental issues and everything in between — it’s all there.

I hope this helps pass some time in the cold winter months ahead.

Beckie Gaskill may be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].