* Clean-up Day Volunteers Needed: Sunday May 22nd, 2:00 PM.
Help create a "Peace, Freedom & Healing Pollinator Garden" at the former Kummer landfill site in Bemidji - across from the new Veteran's Home under construction. We will meet at the ‘Presidential Apartments’ (behind Choice Therapy on Anne St. see map). Turn off Anne St onto Supreme Ct NW and drive to the north end of the block. Look for a minivan with a trailer. Email us at bbbb.spearheadmhas.org to let us know if you are coming!

In honor of the Ukrainian people’s valiant struggle for peace and freedom, Birds, Bees, and Butterflies – Bemidji is reaching out for help to plant a pollinator garden featuring sunflowers and other native wildflowers and grasses. Sunflowers are the national flower of Ukraine. The location for this pollinator garden will be along Anne Street, across from the new Veteran’s Home (see map here). This is the former Kummer landfill site that was closed in 1985. The current owner is looking into developing the property into a pollinator friendly solar garden in the future.

This will be a ‘home-grown’ project. You can help by providing:

• Financial Support — our fundraising goal is $3,000 from community organizations and individuals. Click the sunflower to contribute! 
• Volunteer Support —  preparing the site, planting, mowing the first 3 years (1-3 times per year). Both willing hands and equipment will be needed.
• Community Enthusiasm — get involved and show your support for pollinators, birds, and the Ukrainian people.

Contact Beltrami County SWCD: (218) 333-4158, or email bbbb@spearheadmhas.org and let us know how you or your organization can help.​

This planting will try a novel approach to establishing a native pollinator planting. For the first season we will grow annual black oil sunflowers – the same type you feed to birds at your feeders – to prepare the site for planting. In late fall we will use a no-till seed drill from the Beltrami County Soil and Water Conservation District to plant native wildflower and grass seed directly into the sunflower stubble. 
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This sunflower ‘cover crop’ will reduce the need to use herbicides for weed control, provide food for birds and pollinators; and the large yellow flowers will give tribute to the goals the Ukrainian people are fighting for. Once established the native wildflower and grasses will continue to honor our veterans for their service protecting our own 'peace and freedom' for years to come.

Community organizations and volunteer assistance and contributions are critical to the success of this project. Help us make this garden bloom! 

photo from https://www.earth.com/news/restoring-americas-prairies/

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