Thursday, March 24, 2011

Wonder Bugs -- Sweet Home Wisconsin!


We live in such a yummy state! Tart cranberries, fresh honey and sweet maple syrup are all made right here in Wisconsin! 

We had fun churning our own butter this week; why don’t you try it at home? Click here for step by step instructions! Have a race to see who can “churn” the fastest! (You can also subscribe (like I do) to this site to get regular emails with earth-friendly tips and articles.)

Make your own maple-syrup candy and read this book (Sugarbush Spring by Marsha Wilson Chall) about maple syruping! We checked this book out from the library. Emma is really fascinated with the story and has us read it to her every day. 

Make your own sewing cards at home! Here’s how: First, draw or print a design on paper or cardstock. Next glue (a thin layer of roll-on glue works best) that to another piece of cardstock or light-weight cardboard. Cut around the design in any shape you want and then punch holes around the design with a hole-punch. Finally, cut a length of yarn and thread it through a large darning needle or your own pipe cleaner needle.  Voila!  TO being sewing, attach the yarn at any place along the card. Especially for the youngest wonder bugs you should allow them to stitch in any manner they choose such as across the design for example.  (For the pipe cleaner needle cut a pipe cleaner into thirds. Take one piece, fold it in half, and twist the ends together until you have a needle shape. Insert the thread and continue lightly twisting to cinch the yarn in place.)

Sweet dreams!

Miss Tara


Sweeten your maple syrup knowledge by attending Maple Syrup Fest this Sunday, or by reading these books:
Sugaring by Jessie Haas

Maple Syrup Cookbook: 100 Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner by Ken Haedrich

Maple Syrup Season by Ann Purmell

Sugaring Time by Kathryn Lasky

Maple Moon by Connie Brummel Crook

9:30-10:45am
Tuesday, April 5th OR Wednesday, April 6th, 2011
Registration Deadline: Friday, April 1st, 2011

As the ground begins to thaw we will dig and we will draw. There is more to soil than meets the eye. Come learn about fun critters that live in the mud. We’ll play and sing until we say bye-bye.

Single session: ALNC Members: $6/child; Non-Members: $7/child
Package option:
All 7 sessions: $38.50/members; $45.50/non-members
Registration Form 

2 comments:

Jennifer Ciano said...

We had so much fun at Wonderbugs. We especially enjoyed the activities of churning butter and doing laundry the most. We had to come home and make our own butter. It turned out so yummy! (We used a Dazey Churn #40 from the year 1922.) Enjoying our butter this morning on biscuits.

Aldo Leopold Nature Center (ALNC) said...

Great to hear--fresh butter is the best! Where did you get the Dazey Churn from?