Nature Notes Winter 2015-2016

Greg ArmstrongCare for the Earth, Friends of Wisdom Prairie, Nature Notes Leave a Comment

Is it winter yet? It sure doesn’t feel like it as I write this in mid-December. I like the unseasonably mild temperatures because I can get some more work done on the grounds. It also makes me feel rather uneasy. This is not normal and may portend worse things for creation in the future. I do hope those folks in Paris will be able to develop a workable plan for reversing the heating up of the earth’s atmosphere. I believe that the sisters at Holy Wisdom Monastery and their hundreds of loyal assistants are contributing to the slowing of climate …

Nature notes fall 2015

Greg ArmstrongFriends of Wisdom Prairie, Nature Notes Leave a Comment

This is the season of harvest. Since the Dane County Parks have been so generous with us over the past few years, we have been working with them in our seed collecting efforts this year. Additionally they have the expertise, the machinery and the ability to handle large quantities of prairie seed very well. At two of our recent Friends of Wisdom Prairie workdays we have collected seed at Dane County Parks. The early October Wisdom Prairie Workday had us collecting on the North Mendota Wildlife Area (formerly the sisters North Prairie). Among other things we collected wild quinine and …

From the factual to the fanciful: Prairie Flower Folklore

Holy Wisdom MonasteryBenedictine Bridge, Friends of Wisdom Prairie 1 Comment

by Will Mann, Friends of Wisdom Prairie Council The 2015 Friends of Wisdom Prairie annual meeting and dinner lecture will be held Tuesday, November 3, 2015 at 5:30 pm. During the annual meeting, five members of the Friends of Wisdom Prairie Council will be elected Afterward we will have a rare opportunity to be entertained by Wayne Pauly’s presentation of “Prairie Flower Folklore.” Wayne Pauly, center, teaches volunteers how to sow prairie seed at Holy Wisdom Monastery, November 2014. For a chance to help seed more prairie attend the Wisdom Prairie Workday onNovember 7, 2015. Wayne Pauly has been Dane County’s botanist/naturalist for …

Prairie naturalist and teacher

Holy Wisdom MonasteryBenedictine Bridge, Care for the Earth, Friends of Wisdom Prairie Leave a Comment

by John A. Van Dinter, Friends of Wisdom Prairie council member Wisdom Monastery is committed to maintaining native prairie and savannas and we’ve been aided by a special person who has a tremendous background and knowledge in local native species and habitats. Nancy Schlimgen, a longtime resident of Westport, has helped the state of Wisconsin, Dane County, Westport Township, Holy Wisdom Monastery and many others restore and rebuild our natural habitats. (She is pictured above, left, as former staff naturalist at Holy Wisdom, working with student interns.) Nancy’s master’s thesis focused on a unique plant, prairie bush clover, which is an …

Spring with the Friends of Wisdom Prairie through a camera lens or two

Car McGinleyBenedictine Bridge, Care for the Earth, Friends of Wisdom Prairie Leave a Comment

This spring the Friends of Wisdom Prairie learned about wildflowers at Abraham’s Woods near Albany, Wisconsin. The Friends also burned 85 acres of prairie, removed hedgerows to ready the land for an oak savanna, planted 10 acres of native prairie, searched for birds on the grounds of Holy Wisdom Monastery and were educated about Wisconsin wildlife by University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Scott Craven. You are invited to join the Friends on one of their upcoming outings, dinner lectures, workdays and tours this summer. Help care for the earth at Holy Wisdom and learn about sustainable practices you can use where you …

Nature Notes Summer 2015

Greg ArmstrongFriends of Wisdom Prairie, Nature Notes, Volunteer Opportunities, Volunteers Leave a Comment

Although I just turned 72, when I think of summer, visions of getting out of school and having months to run around outdoors and also work alongside my parents in field and garden come to mind. How glorious to have such freedom to be outside. At the monastery, many volunteers, Paul Boutwell and I will be enjoying that freedom together—being outside and looking after the sisters’ bounty of land and nature. It’s truly a great adventure implementing this grand plan to restore all of the fire communities of southern Wisconsin at Holy Wisdom Monastery; prairie, savanna and oak woodlands. To …

Explore native Wisconsin plants with Friends of Wisdom Prairie

Greg ArmstrongBenedictine Bridge, Friends of Wisdom Prairie Leave a Comment

Prairie wildflowers provide a colorful welcome in the monastery parking lot, above. Meet in the parking lot at 9:30 am on June 13, 2015 to carpool to the UW Arboretum for the next Friends of Wisdom Prairie outing.  As the prairie enters a time of rapid growth at Holy Wisdom, consider joining the Friends of Wisdom Prairie for an opportunity to learn more about native prairie plants. On Saturday, June 13, 2015, 10:00 am-noon we will tour the Native Wisconsin Garden at the UW Arboretum, a condensed, interpretive display of the native vegetation of Wisconsin. The UW Arboretum is in many ways a forerunner …

Holy Wisdom Monastery driveway sign in front of tall evergreen trees

Land restoration spanning more than 60 years

Car McGinleyBenedictine Bridge, Care for the Earth, Friends of Wisdom Prairie Leave a Comment

The majestic evergreens at the end of the Holy Wisdom Monastery driveway, ranging in size from 50-80 feet tall, started as seedlings growing in strawberry boxes, recalls Sister Joanne Kollasch. “Soon after the sisters came here (in 1953) we planted seedlings from the DNR in the garden. Several years later we transplanted them to several places on the property.” About 20 years ago, these trees were replanted again to the end of the driveway. The monastery garden, also planted that first year, has grown in size and continues to provide fresh produce for sisters and guests. From these early beginnings, the …

Wisdom Prairie Project declared a success!

Mike Sweitzer-BeckmanCare for the Earth, Friends of Wisdom Prairie Leave a Comment

 We have some exciting news to share with you! The Wisdom Prairie Project is complete! With the help of so many, we have successfully met our goal of raising $1.9 million to cover the acquisition and initial management costs to restore this 53-acre parcel to native prairie and oak savanna. We could not have done this without your support. Thank you to hundreds of families, companies, foundations, and municipalities for supporting our vision of caring for the earth. This project will conserve more land in a rapidly urbanizing location on the north side of Lake Mendota. By restoring this land to native prairie, there …

Cone flowers in the prairie at Holy Wisdom Monastery.

Wisdom Prairie Project declared a success!

Mike Sweitzer-BeckmanCare for the Earth, Friends of Wisdom Prairie, Wisdom Prairie Project Leave a Comment

We have some exciting news to share with you! The Wisdom Prairie Project is complete! With the help of so many, we have successfully met our goal of raising $1.9 million to cover the acquisition and initial management costs to restore this 53-acre parcel to native prairie and oak savanna. We could not have done this without your support. Thank you to hundreds of families, companies, foundations, and municipalities for supporting our vision of caring for the earth. This project will conserve more land in a rapidly urbanizing location on the north side of Lake Mendota. By restoring this land to native prairie, there …