March 23, 2019 – Gordon Creek (Iowa County)
Have fun, get out, make some new acquaintances and both learn about AND improve a neat stretch of water. The work is simple, important and we can find a role for anyone … from signing people in to stacking brush. Read on for the details.

When: 9am to 12 noon (Chapter Approved Sawyers please arrive at 8:30).

Where: This section of DNR easement on the Gordon Creek is located in Iowa County at the intersection of Hwy 39 and Moscow Rd. Take Hwy 151 to Mt. Horeb, then on the west side of Mt. Horeb take Hwy 78 south 18 miles to Hwy 39, turn west onto Hwy 39 – at this point you are on Hwy 78 & 39 – after about 1,000 feet, Hwy 39 turns right. Follow Hwy 39 for 2.5 miles to Moscow Rd. Here is a map to this location.

What: This is new DNR easement that is being choked out by box elders and invasive woodies. We will be clearing out the box elders and invasive brush to allow public access to the stream and encourage native species to grow. We will be working on the east side of the stream toward the north end of the easement, near the bridge on Hwy 39. Justin Haglund and Lloyd Meng with the DNR, will be joining us for this workday. The Harry and Laura Nohr Chapter have also been invited to participate.

Bring: Rubber boots or water proof boots, if you have them, as the area may still be wet from all the snow this winter. Also bring gloves, sturdy shoes, and eye and ear protection. Also bring reusable water bottles that can be filled from our 5-gal water jug.

Parking: Park on Moscow Rd, on the west side of the road. There may be additional parking in a vacant field off of Moscow Rd, if it is not too wet. Do not park on Hwy 39 – there is too much traffic on this road.

Future Workdays:
The workdays sometime shift around with the weather or needs of the streams, but here is our current schedule for the rest of the spring. The work isn’t complicated and we can find a task for anyone. Get them on your calendar and we’ll see you on the stream. And remember that every workday you take part in will get you one entry into a drawing for the Streamkeeper Rod built by Jim Bartelt.

• April 13 – Sugar River (Falk/Wells Wildlife Area – 2.5 miles south of Verona on Hwy 69, turn left (east) on Sunset, go 1/3 to parking lot). Map link: https://binged.it/2MPHicr
• May 11 – Sugar River, Ziegler Property (Dane Co. – Oak Grove Rd – 1.5 miles south of Verona on Hwy 69). Map link: https://binged.it/2Mn84bL
• June 1 – Steiner Creek (Lafayette Co. – Yellowstone Wildlife Area – North of Lake Yellowstone on Lafayette Co. Rd F, off of English Hollow Rd, 1/3 mile north of Cty Rd F). Map link: https://binged.it/2MiQh5A
• June 15 – Sugar River, Ziegler Property (Dane Co. – Oak Grove Rd – 1.5 miles south of Verona on Hwy 69). Map link: https://binged.it/2Mn84bL

We’ll share more details in the coming months. Always check www.swtu.org or email Jim Hess jimhess5599@gmail.com to make sure there are no cancellations or changes to this schedule.

Apple pruning moved to end of March

This fun event was set for early March, but we’ll wait until snowshoes and ice cleats aren’t part of the gear list for the Nepeurd Orchard pruning. We’ll now meet at Landmark Creamery at 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 31. Lisa Johnson, the Dane County Extension Gardening Instructor and Leader of the Master Gardener Program, will teach us the fundamentals of restorative pruning. We’re then off for the Neperud Orchard by about 11 where we’ll work under Lisa’s guidance to continue restoring that orchard to health.

This is a great opportunity to receive excellent hands-on instruction in pruning fruit trees and to help restore a wonderful public resource. The Neperud Orchard has lots of apple and pear trees (with a few pie cherries) and the fruit is available to the public. The orchard is easily viewed from STH 69 and is gorgeous when the trees are in bloom and when they bear fruit.

Landmark Creamery is in the middle of Paoli, right next to the town park. The Neperud Orchard is just south of Paoli on STH 69, just across form the turn into Basco.