Seed Shraring Success!

Halloween 2009 included a trick or treat of sorts for adults this year - seed sharing in Alden Township!

The table full of bags is an adult version of candy bowls - each bag containing seed from a different plant species, and all organized by habitat type. Instead of choosing between Snickers, Kit Kats, or Starburst, the seed sharers were grabbing handfuls of Monarda fistulosa, Zizia aurea and Rudbeckia triloba. I wish I had a good photo of one of the adults with a look of glee on her face while finding that species that she had been looking to add to her restoration!

Thanks to Orrin & Patricia Bangert for opening their garage to the seed sharers as a base of operations, and thanks to the Bangerts, Randy & Karen Stowe, Rich & Renee Dankert, Colleen & Lou Moeller and Kay & Dick Pfundt for opening their properties to the thirty or so seed sharers who came out Halloween morning to collect native seed from these mature restorations to either enhance or expand their own restoration projects.

This is the third year that TLC and the WPPC have teamed up with the Alden Township seed group to share their natural abundance with restorationists across McHenry County. Seed Sharing was initially the idea of George Johnson, former Alden Township resident who had a big influence on the spread of prairie and wetland restoration in the township.

The photo at right shows George (on the left) talking with Lou Moeller (on the right with a cup of coffee). Lou & his wife Colleen purchased the Johnson's house when George and his wife Marilyn moved to Madison Wisconsin a couple of years ago.

One of the most exciting things about Seed Sharing is seeing the restoration bug pass not just to new landowners each year, but to a new generation of landowners!