Pine River 4–H News

Meeting #1
By: Morgan Desserre and Tanner Neilson
On July, 22nd 2013 the Pine River 4-H Club held the first meeting of the project “Our Great Outdoors” at the residence of Kim and Wade Desserre. We started the meeting by making chains of life. The 4-H pledge was recited and the leaders of the project were introduced, Kim Desserre and Krista Williams. Kim told everyone the requirements of the project which are that you must be at 3 of the 4 meetings and have to do a photo essay on a sheet of Bristol board with photos and/or a few paragraphs of what we have done.
Next we elected the executive positions: President-Brett Schram, Vice-President- Andrea Schram, Rotating Secretaries- Elijah Zimmerman, Madison Williams, Ben Olson, and Mackenzie Jolicouer. Press Reporters- Morgan Desserre/Tanner Nielson, Aynsley Williams/Micaela Jolicouer, Alanna Gerula, and Kurt Desserre. Attendance- Erika Gerula.
After that we did the roll call, we went over the ground rules and the basic gear for hiking. Then we spread out and recorded everything we heard, saw, smelt and felt in five minutes and went on a hike. Lastly we had a snack and did scavenger hunt before the meeting was adjourned.
Meeting #2
By Aynsley Williams, Micaela Jolicouer, and Madison Williams
On Monday, July 29,2013 we had our second meeting for the great outdoors club. Our meeting was at 9:30 am at Dianne Stafford’s bush trails. To start off Dianne showed us plants that are called Bean Berries and she told us they look pretty but that we could not eat them because they are poisonous. Brett our club’s president called the meeting to order. Then we said the 4-H pledge. Elija then read the minutes from the last meeting. Brett asked if there were any errors or admissions and Morgan approved the minutes as amended and Kurt seconded the minutes as amended.
Then Kim Desserre, one of our leaders told us that we would have our next meeting at the Mounds in Stratton at 10:00 am and we would have to bring $10 for lunch and admission , and that we should also have good shoes/boots. She also reminded us that everyone should bring their own water for the hike.
Kim Desserre asked the roll call, which was…What kind of bird would you expect or like to see on our walk? Lots answered, magpie, eagle, crow, and many more common birds to our area. After the roll call Dianne went through the rules and safety precautions to keep in mind while entering the bush. Dianne talked to us about the birds and plants we can expect to see in the bush. Dianne then led us down the first trail where we saw many different plants and trees. It also had a small board walk and lots of moss that you could jump on, It was FUN! Dianne also told us each name of each plant that we walked by and a little bit about the plant too. We took LOTS of pictures. When we went into the marsh area, Dianne showed us what part of the cat tail to eat, if we were ever lost. The cat tails tasted like nothing. We then went back to have a snack by the fire.
There was plenty to eat like pop, crackers and cheese, and hot dogs. After the snack we went down one more trail but our walk didn’t last long because of some wasps. After, we went back to the fire and had creamsicles and marsh mellows that Dianne generously provided. Then Kim asked everyone what their favourite plant was? Most said fern, Indian tea and lots more. Then Kim asked what your favourite thing was about today, and almost everyone said jumping on the moss. Vice president Andrea thanked Dianne for an awesome day and gave her a gift and card. The meeting was adjourned. After that it was time to pack up and go home . Once everyone was ready, we drove around the hay field to the house and headed home.
Meeting 3
By Alanna Gerula
On Wednesday, August 7th at 10:00am everyone met at Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung. We all went on to the tractor-wagon and talked about what we think we might see. Then Nico handed us books about the different plants there are at Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung (The Burial Mounds). While we were waiting to go Kim talked to us about the Board Meeting- Friday August 9th at Krista Williams, If we wanted to put our posters into the fair they needed to be finished and entered into the fair on Wednesday, August 14th, Next Meeting would be on August 12th at the Cranberry Peatland Interpretive Trail at 10 am. The Achievement program- August 19th at the Stratton Morley Park at 4 pm, everyone was to bring a snack. After Kim finished we went on a tractor ride. Nico took us on a walk to showed us different plants that the Native’s used when they were traveling. On our walk we saw Coyote tracks in the mud, we then saw the re-built burial mound. We then walked to the Rapids. At the rapids we all took a picture together. After we saw the Rapids, we walked back to the tractor-wagon. Nico drove the tractor back to the main building and we ate lunch, for lunch we had Wild Rice Soup and Bannock. Then Andrea thanked Nico for touring us around Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung (The Burial Mounds). We then had a short meeting. Ben Olsen read the minutes from Meeting 2, a motion was made by Kurt and 2nd by Andrea to approved the minutes as circulated. The minutes were then carried. The meeting was then adjourned at 12:30 by Brett.
Meeting #4
By Kurt Desserre
On Monday, August 12 at 10 a.m. the Pine River 4-H club met at the Cranberry Peatlands Interpretive Trail for their final meeting and were met by their guide for the day, Ilka Milne. Brett called the meeting to order and we recited the pledge followed by Ben reading the minutes of the last meeting. Aynsley moved that the minutes be adopted as read and Madison seconded the motion. The motion was carried.
Kim talked about our achievement program and our requirements to complete the project. Then she turned the meeting over to Ilka who started off by telling us some history of the bog. She showed us her dragon/damsel fly collection and showed us how to catch them ourselves. Everyone had fun catching them. She also showed us how to use the water nets and we caught nymphs, frogs and a huge water beetle. After a while we had lunch and went on a scavenger hunt in the bog. Then we compared our finds.
Andrea thanked Ilka for guiding us on the trail and Brett adjourned the meeting.