Hands-on learning at Earth Day Fair

The 12th annual Earth Day Fair, held April 22 on the campus of Nicolet College, was a hands-on experience for many attendees. In particular, the booth hosted by local flora and mushroom guru EmilyMae King caught the attention of visitors who didn’t mind getting their hands dirty.

Under King’s direction, attendees Courtnie Vanderhei, Sam Luna and Di Wu carefully placed oyster mushroom mycelium in between wet cardboard. King then directed them as to how to keep track of their mushrooms in the coming weeks in order to successfully grow their own oyster mushroom. 

Mushrooms are an important part of our ecosystem, King explained, noting that “mushrooms are the connectors of all the flora and fauna; they are the network that keeps all of the plants connected.” 

The mission of the annual fair, co-sponsored by ArtStart, the Northwoods Community Garden and WXPR, is to celebrate and promote Northwoods businesses, organizations, and individuals “who dedicate all or part of their endeavors to sustainability-oriented goods, services and practices.” 

For their part, volunteers from the Northwoods Community Garden shared that gardening plots are a great option for individuals who want to explore gardening without worrying about deer in their area or whether they have enough space. 

When it comes to sustainability, the options to be an active participant go way beyond gardening or making sure waste items are properly sorted according to labels. Eager vendors were excited to share more about how their devotion to sustainability can be easy to learn and practice in day-to-day life. 

The Wartman family enjoyed a full day of learning at the fair. Of particular interest were several finds related to the forest animals who live alongside us.

Courtesy of Treehaven, the 1,400 acre sustainable forest located southwest of Rhinelander, William and Eddy Wartman learned how to identify skulls.

Along similar lines, Wild Instincts shared how it provides ethical, quality care in rehabilitating sick and injured wildlife in the area.

The annual fair is a wonderful reminder of a common thread among all of us — we all share the same planet. As spring continues to pop more life around the Northwoods and our activities become more hands-on with the environment around us, take time to pause and connect with your planet. Breath in the crisp air, admire growth, and take action to help improve Earth.