John Latimer leads a phenology walk at the 10th Annual Minnesota Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center.
Local phenologists, professors, teachers, researchers, environmental educators and more gathered to learn from one another at Long Lake Conservation Center March 1-3.
Lorie Shaull
Maggie Anderson uses a UV light loupe to get a closer look at a tree during a phenology walk.
"How do you count the birches?"
"They both have a flat petiole, which is a good way to know you're dealing with an aspen."
"This isn't the mistletoe that you've been standing under and getting kissed."
This is a small sampling of the conversation during a phenology walk at the Tenth Annual Minnesota Phenology Gathering. It was an educational — and entertaining — weekend at the scenic Long Lake Conservation Center.
After a long wait since the last Phenology Gathering in 2019, participants were excited to finally gather again. There were many new additions to the crowd, as well as familiar faces like John Latimer, Larry Weber, Rebecca Montgomery, Stephan Carlson and Dallas Hudson.
The event brought together folks from a variety of different professional communities: college professors and researchers, K-12 teachers, Northwoods phenology experts and a mish-mash of other miscreants (such as myself).
Lorie Shaull
Charlie Mitchell talks about the "Season Watch!" newsletter during the 10th MN Phenology Gathering. Various taxidermy animals attended Charlies' presentation as well a room full of phenologists.
Each day was filled with fascinating presentations indoors and guided explorations outdoors. There were tough decisions to make: Which event to attend, and which to skip? The good news is there were no wrong choices. If you had to miss something, one of your new friends would fill you in.
At mealtimes, the whole crew gathered in the dining hall. We discussed phenology patterns, funny fieldwork stories and the eerily warm winter we had this season.
Lorie Shaull
Josh Leonard takes a photo through binoculars during a phenology walk.
The evenings were filled with stargazing (thanks, Astro Bob!) and lots of laughter by a campfire.
As always, KAXE staff phenologist John Latimer summed it up best: "The real value of a gathering like this are the side conversations. Those quiet conversations among friends and acquaintances that reveal so much about what drives each of us to be interested in nature."
By the end of the weekend, our brains were pleasantly full and our feet contentedly tired. We convened to discuss where and when to have the next phenology gathering. ("Next week?" said Dallas.) The consensus appeared to form around next February or March, potentially in western Minnesota or back at Long Lake. I'll be excited to attend, and hope to see you — yes, YOU — there!
1 of 18 — 02 Charlie Mitchell and John Latimer at the 10th MN Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
Any guesses on the conversation taking place between Charlie Mitchell and John Latimer? Charlie and John at the 10th Minnesota Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center.
Lorie Shaull
2 of 18 — Michelle Martin speaks during the 10th MN Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
Prairie Creek Community School teacher Michelle Martin, from way down south in Northfield, speaks during the 10th Minnesota Phenology Gathering.
Lorie Shaull
3 of 18 — Taking notes on a phenology walk at the 10th MN Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
Taking notes wearing choppers is possible! A participant takes notes during the phenology walk at the 10th Annual Minnesota Phenology Gathering.
Lorie Shaull
4 of 18 — Jake Grossman presents at the 10th MN Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
Keynote speaker, Dr. Jake Grossman of St. Olaf College, presents at the 10th Minnesota Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center. Dr. Grossman's talk was titled, "Phenological physiology: Seasonal patterns of climate change resilience in temperate trees."
Lorie Shaull
5 of 18 — The 10th MN Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
Participants in the 10th Minnesota Phenology Gathering.
Lorie Shaull
6 of 18 — Lichen on a tree at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
Lichen growing on a tree at Long Lake Conservation Center.
Lorie Shaull
7 of 18 — Larry Weber speaking at the 10th MN Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
Larry Weber presents at the 10th Minnesota Phenology Gathering. Weber gave a presentation about spiders on the snow as well as cicadas and the patterns of their emergence.
Lorie Shaull / Lorie Shaull
8 of 18 — Abbie Anderson holds Aspen leaves during a phenology walk at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
Abbie Anderson holds Aspen leaves during a phenology walk.
Lorie Shaull
9 of 18 — Rebecca Montgomery presents at the 10th MN Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
Rebecca Montgomery presents at the 10th Annual Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade. The title of her presentation was, "Phenology of Pesky Plants."
Lorie Shaull
10 of 18 — Eli Sagor and Beth Haasken examin a tree branch during a phenology walk at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
Eli Sagor and Beth Haasken examine a tree branch while on a phenology walk during the 10th Minnesota Phenology Gathering
Lorie Shaull
11 of 18 — Jessica Savage presents at the 10th MN Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
Jessica Savage presents during the 10th Minnesota Phenology Gathering. Her talk was titled, "A land shaped by water: Phenology monitoring in the Twin Ports."
Lorie Shaull
12 of 18 — 02 Dallas Hudson during a phenology walk at the 10th MN Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
Dallas Hudson participates in a phenology walk at the 10th Minnesota Phenology Gathering.
Lorie Shaull
13 of 18 — A sleeping porcupine in a tree at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
Dill Prickles, a porcupine at Long Lake Conservation Center, sleeps on a tree branch.
Lorie Shaull
14 of 18 — Maggie Anderson on a phenology walk at the 10th MN Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
Maggie Anderson takes a close look at a tree while on a phenology walk.
Lorie Shaull
15 of 18 — Shanai Matteson leads a woodblock printing workshop at the 10th MN Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
Artist and cultural organizer Shanai Matteson leads a woodblock printing workshop during the 10th Minnesota Phenology Gathering.
Lorie Shaull
16 of 18 — A woodblock print at a workshop held during the 10th MN Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
A sandhill crane woodblock print created during an art engagement workshop at the 10th Minnesota Phenology Gathering.
Lorie Shaull
17 of 18 — Participants look through binoculars during a phenology walk at the 10th MN Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
Participants look through binoculars at the porcupine, Dill Prickles, while on a phenology walk during the 10th Minnesota Phenology Gathering.
Lorie Shaull
18 of 18 — A participant photographs a plant during a phenology walk at the 10th MN Phenology Gathering at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.jpg
A participant photographs a plant during the 10th Minnesota Phenology Gathering.
Charlie Mitchell (she/they) joined KAXE in February of 2022. Charlie creates the Season Watch Newsletter, produces the Phenology Talkbacks show, coordinates the Phenology in the Classroom program, and writes nature-related stories for KAXE's website. Essentailly, Charlie is John Latimer's faithful sidekick and makes sure all of KAXE's nature/phenology programs find a second life online and in podcast form.
With a background in ecology and evolutionary biology, Charlie enjoys learning a little bit about everything, whether it's plants, mushrooms, or the star-nosed mole. (Fun fact: Moles store fat in their tails, so they don't outgrow their tunnels every time conditions are good.)
