North House Folk School - Courses, Classes, Workshops

Wildflowers of Early Summer

Northern Ecology

Jim Gilbert

Wildflowers are an important part of our natural and cultural heritage, a heritage that provides colorful outdoor enjoyment and intriguing ecological perspectives. Of the 1,700 species of flowering plants that grow wild in Minnesota, about one-quarter might be considered wildflowers. What makes a wild plant a wildflower? It depends upon its appearance, where it grows, and who sees it. A rose is a rose unless you decide it’s a weed. Both days of coursework start at North House and visit multiple destinations. We will hike to a variety of field sites to identify wildflowers, enjoy their beauty and discuss their importance in the natural environment. The emphasis will be on wildflowers, but we will identify and discuss other spring plants as well.

A series of parallel festival course offerings are offered as part of the Boreal Birding and Northern Landscapes Festival. Participation in this course includes the festival's featured evening programs - please visit the Festival page for more details. Materials fee covers course supplies and morning refreshments for festival participants. Participants in this course will carpool to a variety of field sites.

Dates

Fri, Jun 01, 2012 - Sat, Jun 02, 2012

Course Details

Length in days:

Hours:

Day 1: 1pm-5pm; Day 2: 9am-1pm

Tuition:

$110.00 per student (May 1-Oct 31)
$90.00 per student (Nov 1 - Apr 30)

Materials:

$5.00

Levels:

Beginner to Advanced

Age with adult:

12+ (Review age guidelines/policy)

Making it happen:

When should I enroll?
We can't hold classes without students! Decisions regarding course cancellations (as related to minimum enrollment) are made three weeks before the class starts--so if you've got a course in mind, plan ahead and sign up at least three weeks in advance! That way we'll know you're coming, courses are more likely to meet minimum enrollment numbers, and then they'll actually take place.
Also watch for the words "nearly full" next to course dates. When that notation appears it means there are only one or two spots left--so sign up soon!
Do you take last minute registrations?
Of course! Although it's important that courses meet minimum enrollment three weeks before their scheduled start dates, we know that life doesn't always allow for prior planning. As long as there are still spots left in a course we're happy to accept your registration last minute.
When will new course dates be posted?
New course dates are posted both in the spring and fall to coordinate with our course catalog release dates. All the new dates are opened for enrollment on the same day and at the same time, so that everyone gets a fair crack at a spot in the courses they're interested in. As that time rolls around we announce when the new dates will "go live" in our e-newsletter. (sign up here!)