Valley Sentinel - 09-15-2021

Inside this edition

Editor’s Column: Do you remember how close we were?

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Live music, theater and more in our Community Calendar

Spring Green, Wisconsin

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RV Cross Country Invitational held at SG Golf Course Page 7

Wednesday, September 15, 2021 | Vol. 2, No. 37 FREE, Single-Copy

School Board adjusts model, when to mandate masks in schools Masks mandated in Elementary School through Sept. 22 due to COVID cases On the evening of Sept. 9 the River Valley School Board met for its regular monthly meeting, hearing from a divided room of very passionate district parents and community members speaking for or against the current instructional model outlining when masks were required in school buildings and if to adjust the model.

The board ultimately decided to change the masking thresholds to reflect absolute numbers of confirmed positive cases that would trigger a mask mandate, rather than the previous model which used positive

cases to see if 5% of a building’s students and staff were currently quarantining which would then trigger a mask mandate.

The school board policy, 728, regarding wearing masks and face coverings will remain the same, with the board “recommending” masks for staff and students and requiring masks on district transportation due to a federal mandate.

However, the building thresholds are now the following absolute numbers, rather than the previously mentioned 5% — River Valley High School: 5, River Valley Middle School: 4, River Valley Elementary School: 3. River Valley Early Learning Center: 2.

A positive case total meeting or exceeding those amounts would then require masks

for staff and students for ten days.

As of press time, the River Valley Elementary School has met that threshold and will be required to mask until Sept.

22.

The board also added quarantining measures for household contacts. “If there is a positive in the home, all members exposed will be quarantined at home for ten days,” according to a statement sent out to parents by Loren Glasbrenner, District Administrator River Valley School District. “The exception to this is a vaccinated household member who can attend, but mask at school for 14 days.”

Masking will also be enforced for ten days in Grades Pre-K 5 through 6 when there is

one confirmed positive COVID-19 case for that particular grade.

The changes to the instructional model went into effect on Monday, Sept. 13.

“Our focus remains on keeping kids in school safely to the greatest extent possible while maintaining a measure of parental choice,” said Glasbrenner in his statement.

“Again, the River Valley staff are poised to answer any questions and will facilitate classroom portals for our families. Thank you for providing understanding as we continue to adapt to the ever-changing conditions.”

Daily COVID updates for the district can be found at: www.rvschools.org/district/ rvcovidupdates.cfm

River Valley School District releases stadium project renderings, formally start fundraising Photo via River Valley School District As previously reported on, the River Valley School District is moving forward with plans for a $1.5 million stadium upgrade project, releasing project renderings last week.

The district is looking to fundraise $750,000 by the end of the year through various incentives, including stadium and field naming rights. The remaining $750,000 was previously budgeted for athletic field and track capital improvements.

More information can be found at: www.rvschools.org/district/stadium.cfm

Richland County Fair closes out the area county fairs for the year as autumn approaches Photo by Taylor Scott, Managing Editor

A view of the Richland County Fair in Richland Center during the evening of Sept. 11. The fair was the last of the three River Valley area county fairs and one of the last county fairs in the state.

The Sauk County Fair was held in Baraboo the week of July 12. The Iowa County Fair was held in Mineral Point Labor Day weekend, Sept. 2-6.

The River Valley School Fair, to be held the week of Homecoming, will start at 8:30 am on Friday September 24.

More information can be found at www.rvschools.org.

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Opinion

WednesdaY, September 15, 2021

The Plain and Simple Correspondent: Night Flight Katie Green, Community Contributer

My next door neighbor is a fine fellow — quiet, considerate and generous with his time and talents. He is the same vintage as our grown children and has rescued us oldsters from predicaments more than once. For instance, he has charged our dead car battery enough times that we were finally shamed into purchasing our own equipment. He has even clambered up on our roof to reset the chimney cap when gale winds ripped it askew, and has blown leaves from the gutters, unasked, when our sons were unavailable and we too timid. I swear he can repair almost anything, as I have watched him dismantle any number of mechanical devices and rebuilt them. For years he has hosted an Octoberfest potluck for neighbors and colleagues from the DNR, where he directs fire crews, storm cleanup, and the planting of thousands of tree seedlings to suck up carbon and fight erosion, among other good deeds. Just my kind of public-spirited guy. I try to reward him in small ways from my garden and kitchen but the balance of goodness tilts in his direction. Who would not grow very fond of such a person?

Recently my neighbor erected a tall flagpole between our properties, from which he flies two flags. On top is always Old Glory, and below it he has treated us to a series of others, depending on his mood and the season. A whimsical Whiskey Rebellion reproduction was followed by a US Army flag (he is a veteran), and it will be fun to see what else flaps in the breeze next door in future. I’m sure there will be a green and yellow Packer flag from time to time, and one with a big red W. Unfortunately, he also mounted a spotlight on his garage to light up these colorful rectangles of cloth – and, incidentally, it projects beyond into the night sky. Well, I am extremely protective of my feathered friends and reminded him that it is migration time, that most small songbirds migrate at night, and that their internal compasses require darkness. He was skeptical at first, not having been introduced to the fact of night flight before, but followed up by looking up the subject on the internet.

Bless him, soon he reduced the wattage of his spotlight by 3/4ths. That helps, but I really hope he’ll turn it off until all the enchanting tiny bits of feather, bone, and song have passed over on their way South.

According to the National Audubon Society, “Billions of birds travel north in spring and south in fall, hundreds of species keeping a cycle of movement, and they do so primarily at night. While some large birds like hawks, cranes, and waterfowl are daytime travelers, most migrants—including the vast majority of songbirds—are on the wing in the dark.”

You can read on several websites the reasons for this, among them that there are fewer predators out to harass and gobble them up small birds at night. And apparently it is hot work to fly continuously for a long period, so songbirds fly when it is cooler, at night. The chief problem with night flight in the current age is the growing number of human-produced lights covering the earth’s surface. I myself have noted this in an airplane, from where it would appear that the US is now one big megalopolis. Birds are disoriented by the lights, not having had sufficient evolutionary time to adapt to this modern phenomenon, and thus get confused and lose their way. As a result, during the migration seasons, while we are safe in bed, deep into our dreams or nightmares, the birds are having nightmares of their own as they try to negotiate the kilowatted world. (This is not to mention cell towers and tall buildings, which pose equal threats to their existence.)

The main light-producing culprit from my house is St. Luke’s Church, which enthusiastically lives out its mission to be a Beacon on a Hill. The multitudinous lights from the church edifices plus parking lot make the grounds look more like a petroleum refinery than a beacon. Surely the church could do with less glare and still fulfill its duty to save souls. Its electric bills would be far less, too. When I step outside in the night to admire the moon and stars, look for meteors, or whatever, I have to stand with my back to St. Luke’s to see much of anything in the heavens above. The ill-designed street lamps that burn unnecessarily brightly all night

Photo contributed by Katie Green The Whiskey Rebellion flag from 1791-4

throughout the village are another source of light pollution. Powerful, unhooded farm lights are yet another. There are solutions to these situations, if there is the will. It is greatly to be desired that we would be a little more sensitive to needs other than those of their own species. We can all be more careful about the light we cast – if not part of the solution, we’re part of the problem, as is true of many human activities. Ask any official Dark Skies advocate for suggestions of how to alter your personal habits to benefit birdlife. One such advocate is John Heasley, the astronomy columnist for Voice of the River Valley and NASA/JPL volunteer Solar System Ambassador. John describes the astral wonders to be seen each month in vivid language we can all understand and enjoy, and this month stresses the critical importance of Dark Skies during the autumn

migratory period.

Meanwhile, I am watching my hummingbird flock hang close to the feeder, arguing loudly with each other and any other bird who comes near as they syphon off the nectar at a drunken rate in anticipation of their arduous trip to the Caribbean. It makes me anxious to even think about the hazards they will face. One night soon they will be gone. I hope and pray they or their offspring will return next May and that I will still be here to greet them. If you are a fellow bird lover, you might send your small change (or large) to the American Bird Conservancy, which is expanding its refuges along bird migration routes to increase the chances of bird survival. As we used to sing on the school bus, be kind to your web-footed friends, for that duck might be somebody’s mother.

coming from the farm? Alternative uses for waste? · Dairy farming has become very technological.

How do we protect the technology and data on the farm from cybersecurity threats? · Are there ways for farmers to make money off of all of the data they are collecting? · Plant-based proteins are currently used in 3D printing; can we use the proteins in waste milk for the same purposes? · Can we use evaporators on the farm to reduce the amount of water (in the milk) that we are hauling to cheese plants, rather than transporting heavy tanks of product that is then disposed of as waste? · How can farmers market their product more directly to consumers and what would that take? · How can we use technology to help us do the jobs we WANT to do and fewer of the jobs that we struggle to fill (milking, cheese-making, cleaning and other labor-intensive jobs), as we see a decline in the number of young people in rural communities?

· …and more.

These are the types of questions and projects that will continue to make Wisconsin a dairy superpower. I am also encouraged by the collaboration among the campuses. Dr. Montgomery told me that the connections among researchers is uniquely productive and open. They are sharing files, data and ideas across campuses, which doesn’t always happen. I am very happy to know that everyone involved in the DIH is pulling in the same direction.

I will continue to monitor the DIH and provide updates on its progress. Please visit https:// dairyinnovationhub.wisc.edu/ to discover more about the projects and dig into their ideas.

For more information and to connect with me, visit my website http://legis.wisconsin.gov/senate/17/marklein and subscribe to my weekly E-Update by sending an email to Sen.Marklein@legis.wisconsin.gov.

Do not hesitate to call 608-266-0703 if you have input, ideas or need assistance with any staterelated matters.

Column: Sen. Howard Marklein — What’s the Dairy Hub-bub?

Sen. Howard Marklein, (R-Spring Green)

I recently visited the Dairy Innovation Hub (DIH) operations at UW-Platteville for an update on their projects and progress. As you may recall, I led a legislative effort to fund the DIH in the 2019-21 state budget. This innovative idea was developed by the Dairy Task Force 2.0 and is a top priority for dairy and agriculture in Wisconsin to remain a dairy superpower.

In the 2019-2021 budget, we allocated $8.8 million for UW-Madison, UW-Platteville and UW-River Falls to reprioritize and restore focus on dairy innovation in Wisconsin. This collaborative effort is working well with researchers and experts on all of the campuses sharing information and data. There is tremendous enthusiasm for the problem-solving, innovation and out-of-the-box thinking taking place among these three campuses. I am very optimistic that this collaboration will continue to produce strong results.

Dr. Tera Montgomery, Professor of Dairy and Animal Science and the UW-Platteville campus

liaison for the DIH, introduced me to several researchers, discussed their projects and took me on a tour of Pioneer Farm. As the Senate lead on this important initiative, I have been monitoring the progress of the DIH to ensure that our tax dollars are wisely invested and productive.

According to Dr. Montgomery, the long-game for the DIH is to “make a significant difference for Wisconsin’s land/water, cow health and the well-being of the dairy farmer and their business.” Their four priority areas include land and water sustainability, animal health, uses for milk beyond food and growing farm businesses and rural communities for the future.

I was impressed by the creative thinking and research taking place on all three campuses. Dr. Montgomery told me about several of the ideas they are studying and questions they are asking, including: · Can we feed cows a specific diet to produce milk for people with allergies, dietary restrictions and niche markets? · Are there ways to add value to the waste

Editor’s Column: Do you remember how close we were? We almost discontinued the COVID Dashboard

Nicole Aimone, Editor-in-Chief It’s hard to believe I’m here writing this. I remember in early April, just after I received my COVID-19 vaccination, I had images in my head of fall events, indoors and maskless, a glimpse of the return to normal life we’d all dreamed of for the year before.

That dream was so incredibly close to being tangible, we were almost at the point of reaching out and grabbing it. In fact, we were so close to normal, precedented times, we at Valley Sentinel were having discussions of discontinuing the publication of our COVID dashboard. It reached the point where our three-county area had zero new cases each week and we were classified as having low case activity, we felt it was going to become obsolete.

We decided to give it another week or two to decide if we would replace it with different COVID coverage, or just end the coverage and revisit it if or when cases rose again. We were seriously considering ending the publication of a dashboard we’d run every single week for nearly a year, since we started publishing.

Among the emotions I felt about discontinuing the COVID dashboard, I was worried what we would replace it with, how we’d fill the space, but I was also excited at the prospect of filling that space with photos of community events re-emerging, people reconnecting with each other and with our

community.

But…no such luck.

I recently started a new day job, in the marketing department for a regional hospital. Something I wasn’t prepared for at the start of this job was just how much and how badly COVID is weighing down our medical systems.

My colleagues discuss similar ideas they had just a few short weeks ago it seems, how senior leadership had discussed rolling back certain COVID precautions, the office I work in had even removed it’s mask requirement for vaccinated individuals.

But again…no such luck.

Instead, we have full masking requirements and the same strict COVID precautions as March 2020, because things are not better. Currently, we’re seeing a COVID trend similar to our surge last fall and winter, but this time, we have even more hospitalizations because of a lack of wide-spread vaccination which allowed the growth of the delta variant, which is even more deadly and contagious.

This rise in cases and hospitalizations is so bad, medical professionals are pleading with the community to stay cautious and get vaccinated, because hospital resources and staff simply cannot handle anything more.

Most of my time last week was spent as part of a workgroup who wrote and released a statement on behalf of the 29 hospitals in our 14 county region, expressing that all of our hospitals are pushed to the max, with COVID and non-COVID patients,

and we are unable to handle anymore. We all but begged on our hands and knees for everyone to get vaccinated and be smart.

29 hospitals across 14 counties are all experiencing this struggle and fight to provide care to everyone who needs it, when little more than just a few weeks ago we were imagining a maskless life with ease. That is the exact opposite of insignificant. It breaks my heart every time I think about that for too long. It can be hard not to feel like we had our chance and we threw it away.

Suffice to say, Valley Sentinel will not be discontinuing the publication of our COVID dashboard, in fact you might notice some changes to it as we work to make it more useful as we’re plunged into another round of unprecedented times.

Those changes come for a few different reasons, one being we’ve received some feedback that the color scheme can be a bit difficult to read, and that’s not at all what we want at such a time.

Another reason for some changes is because one of our fantastic graphic designers, Whitney, served her last production day with Valley Sentinel last week. Whitney has been with us since the beginning, she’s the one who was responsible for the creation of the COVID dashboard, she built on to it and made it an informational asset for us. She’s responsible for the creation of our community calendar and she drafts posts and updates to our website each week (that we need to get caught up on, oops).

We can never thank her enough for believing in us, working full steam ahead and all of her incredible work from the beginning. Whitney recently got married and is embarking on her honeymoon this week, we hope she has an amazing time and takes a well deserved break!

Her absence will be felt in all aspects of Valley Sentinel and we want to extend the biggest thank you ever!

As we move forward, our graphic designer Anna will be taking over on the COVID dashboard, which she will be working on evolving as the COVID situation continues to evolve.

As always, we are looking for talented individuals to contribute to our vision and would love to work with you! If you have interest in graphic design, social media, journalism, advertising or any related fields please reach out to editor@valleysentinelnews.com or visit valleysentinelnews.com/opportunities. We’re an all-volunteer group and something as simple as asking for a paper route to deliver each week to enjoy the fall colors and help inform the community would mean the world to us.

There’s so much more we have that we want to do with Valley Sentinel and for the community, so many ideas and projects planned, we can’t do it without your support. Thank you so much for all the kind words, community contributions and subscriptions we get each week.

Community

WednesdaY, September 15, 2021

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Advertising Alerts

UPCOMING MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES WITH VALLEY SENTINEL

FLANNEL &SPECIAL SPOOKY SEASON EDITION With September being the unofficial start of flannel & spooky season, cool nights, warm campfires, apple picking, corn mazes and all things pumpkin spice — we thought we’d put together a special edition of Valley Sentinel to celebrate all the wonderful fall things to enjoy in the greater Spring Green area.

Our goal is to put together fall features and a directory of regional orchards, markets, corn mazes, hiking & biking trails, wineries & vineyards, autumnal events and more around the Valley.

PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:

•Sponsorship of the section •Featured Business/Promotional Articles •Advertising Spots •Featured Event Listings

DATE OUT: October 6 | SPACE DEADLINE: September 30 Guaranteed 1,000 copy regional print distribution with additional e-edition engagement. The section will be featured online all year as well for residents and tourists alike to plan their outings.

Readers:

Have a favorite spooky or flannel activity in the Valley? Know a business with a campfire on cold nights? Know a good place for hot cider and apple picking?

We want to hear everything flannel and spooky, let us know what you love to do during Fall in the Valley: editor@valleysentinelnews.com

Interested in learning more? Contact us today to claim your space!

Email: ads@valleysentinelnews.com | Phone: 608-588-6694

Contact us

PO Box 144 Spring Green, Wisconsin 53588 USA (608) 588-6694 editor@valleysentinelnews.com valleysentinelnews.com

Deadlines: The display and classified

Valley Sentinel is published in Spring Green, Wisconsin every Wednesday by Lower Wisconsin River Valley Sentinel, LLC. ISSN 2694-541X (print) — ISSN 2694-5401 (online)

advertising deadline is Monday at noon for that week. If you would like our design team to design the ad then please allow extra time for the creative process and proofing.

Ad team: ads@valleysentinelnews.com

Editorial Editor-in-Chief Nicole Aimone

Contributors Graphic Design/Pagination Anna Stocks-Hess

Arts & Culture/Editorial Bill Gordon

Columns Grace Vosen

Managing Editor Taylor Scott

Editorial Intern Adeline Holte

Arts & Culture/Editorial Alison Graves

Sports Mike McDermott

Legal Editor Gary Ernest Grass, esq.

Distribution/Photography Intern Kalen Scott

Arts Jen Salt

Community/Opinion Katie Green

Our team will be growing and changing as we settle into publishing regularly, please stay in touch. Thank you to all of our contributors for believing in our community.

Editorial Policy

On certain topics in areas of great community interest, the editors of the Valley Sentinel may take positions they believe best represent and serve the interests of the community. Any opinions or positions taken by the editorial board are separate and distinct in labeling and substance from the community journalism that appears in the rest of the publication and does not affect the integrity and impartiality of our reporting. .

Est. 2020 igne conflatum “Forged in Fire”

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Column Policy

Letters submitted for consideration are subject to fact-checking and editing for space and clarity.

Submissions must have a compelling local community interest. Letters to the editor must fit within a 500-word limit, and include name, city and phone number. Phone numbers are for office use only and will not be published. Letters of a political nature, without chance of rebuttal, will not be published the week before an election.

Editors may feature opinion columns written by public figures, members of the public or other publication staff. Columns reflect the opinions of the individual contributors and do not represent positions of the publication. Guest columns of an anticipated length more than 500 words should seek prior editor authorization. .

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Covering Arena, Lone Rock, Plain, Spring Green and the surrounding areas in Sauk, Iowa and Richland counties.

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From time to time the editorial board may select letters to the editor of a particular compelling community interest where a public figure or accountable public action is the recipient of criticism and allow, in the same issue, the subject of the criticism chance for rebuttal, with expounded independent input.

The format shall be point, counterpoint and expert analysis. This community discussion shall serve as a moderated dialogue that presents multiple views of important community topics. .

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Community

WednesdaY, September 15, 2021

COmmunitycalendar Events for September 16 - September 29 Thursday, September 16 Truck Show! 3:00 PM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . www.springgreenlibrary.org. Join us for the first annual Spring Green Community Library and Village of Spring Green Truck Show! See your favorite machines up close, and meet their drivers. Scheduled to appear: earth movers including dump truck and bobcat, fire truck, ambulance, police car. Event will be held rain or shine.

Wine & Yoga 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM . Wild Hills Winery, 30940 Oakridge Dr. Muscoda . $10 cash only . www.wildhillswinery.com. Wine & Yoga every Thursday in the Vineyard with certified Yoga Instructor Lara Carpenter.

Local Night: Don Greenwood 5:30 PM - 8:00PM . The Shed/Post House Garden, 123 N Lexington Street, 119 E Jefferson Street Spring Green . Come out and spend your Thursday evenings with some local music and local food. The food cooked on the grill on the patio is from our many local vendors in Spring Green and surrounding towns, and the musicians are from the River Valley area.

Mazo Music & Street Market: Mark Croft 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM . The Apothecary & Mercantile, 18 E Hudson St., Mazo . Spend a fantastic evening in Mazo! Enjoy live music

by Mark Croft and browse a bountiful farmer/craft market.

Saturday, September 18 Spring Green Farmers Market 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM . S230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . www.facebook.com/SGFMarket. Local farm fresh produce, coffee, fresh baked goods, honey, soaps & lotions, bedding plants, cut flowers, maple syrup and more.

5th Annual Hill & Valley Exploration Tour 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM . Sauk & Richland Counties . Free . www.explorehillandvalley.com. The Hill & Valley Exploration Tour is a celebration of rural living and a unique opportunity to explore the vibrant and resilient small farm economy of northern Sauk and Richland counties! On the tour you can easily find local food and art producers, learn about the changing face of rural America, dine at a true farm‐to‐fork country eatery, find hidden gems and visit a historic folk art site.

Don’t forget to bring your cooler to hold all your farm-fresh purchases, an extra sweater and the mud boots; this is country fun — rain or shine!

Smoke In The Valley Charity BBQ Cookoff 10:30 AM . Prem Meats & Catering, E5028 US-14, Spring Green . www.premmeats.com. Join us at Prem Meats for the 8th Annual Smoke in the Valley Charity BBQ Cook-off. Competitors will be turning in their best cooked Ribs, Chicken and Appetizers for a chance to win 1st prize. Local bands will be performing from 11:30 and finishing up at 7pm!

Open House 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM . Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, 6306 State Hwy 23, Spring Green . An open house will be held for the public to come and see the amazing renovations. Board members and staff will be present to answer any questions regarding this amazing building, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Bubbles Brown at Smoke in the Valley 11:30 AM . Prem Meats & Catering, E5028 US-14, Spring Green . www.premmeats.com. Catch Spring Green Musician in Residence Bubbles Brown as they kick off Spring Green's own charity bbq competition at Prem Meats! The public is welcome at Smoke in the Valley, so come and enjoy some music, food and drink samples and support local community groups! Check out Prem Meats' Facebook events page for more information.

An afternoon concert with Chad Moritz & Ron Towle 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM . Spring Green General Store, 137 S. Albany St., Spring Green . www.springgreengeneralstore.com. Chad Moritz, aka “Squeezebox Paradox”, enjoys applying his instrument to many musical genres, including rock, surf, Cajun, folk, bluegrass, – even the occasional polka.Chad and Ron met at a music jam at the Spring Green General Store, and they have been swapping songs together for several years now.

Bubbles Brown at the Slowpoke Lounge & Cabaret 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM . Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green . Free . 21+ . www.slowpokelounge.com.

Bubbles Brown performs at the Slowpoke Lounge & Cabaret as part of the Spring Green Musician in Residence Program. Gritty blues, folk, country and soul fuse together in their music and personality shines through in their love of performance. This show is free admission, thanks in part by a grant from the Sauk County Extension Education, Arts and Culture Committee. Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 required for all Slowpoke events.

Sunday, September 19 50 Bird Shoot & Raffle 9:30 AM . Spring Green Rod and Gun Club, S12314 Cty Hwy G, Spring Green . www.sgrodngun.com. Join us for our 50 Bird Shoot and Raffle! $25 per round - shoot as many times as you want! $5 for 1 raffle ticket. Food and beverages available.

5th Annual Hill & Valley Exploration Tour 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM . Sauk & Richland Counties . Free . www.explorehillandvalley.com . The Hill & Valley Exploration Tour is a celebration of rural living and a unique opportunity to explore the vibrant and resilient small farm economy of northern Sauk and Richland counties! On the tour you can easily find local food and art producers, learn about the changing face of rural America, dine at a true farm‐to‐fork country eatery, find hidden gems and visit a historic folk art site.

Don’t forget to bring your cooler to hold all your farm-fresh purchases, an extra sweater and the mud boots; this is country fun — rain or shine!

Fall Service 10:30 AM . The Little Brown Church of Bear Valley, 29864 Brown Church Rd., Lone Rock . Ron Fruit, from WRCO Radio,will present the message. Meredith and David Moseley, from Warrens, WI, will provide the special music and be the accompanist.The Church is handicapped accessible and air-conditioned. All COVID guidelines will be practiced and masks are highly recommended.

Bubbles Brown at the Branding Iron Roadhouse 1:00 PM . Branding Iron Roadhouse, 132 S Main Street, Lime Ridge . Free . www.brandingironrh.com. Bubbles Brown performs at the Branding Iron Roadhouse as part of the Spring Green Musician in Residence Program. Gritty blues, folk, country and soul fuse together in their music and personality shines through in their love of performance.

Monday, September 20 Susan Futrell Lecture at the Octagon Barn 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM . The Octagon Barn, E4350 Horseshoe Road, Spring Green . Contact: stef@rivervalleycommons.org. The lecture will be an exploration of the relationship between fostering resilient local food and farming, fostering a vibrant, healthy democracy, and the ways they are woven together in our history and culture. Apples are Susan’s touchstone for connecting these ideas, drawing on her work with apple growers here in the US, visits with apple growers in Indian-controlled Kashmir, and a lifelong love of orchards, apple trees, apples, and words. We hope listeners will find new reasons to love both apples and democracy and new determination to cherish and protect them both.

Tuesday, September 21 Fall Outdoor Storytime 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM . Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain . www.kraemerlibrary.org . Storytimes lasts about 30 minutes (no one gets offended if your child doesn’t last this long!) and is aimed for families with children ages 0-6 with themed songs and stories.

Wednesday, September 22 Family Outdoor Storytime 10:00 AM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . www.springgreenlibrary.org . Join us for stories, songs, and fun. Meet on the library's east lawn. Seating pads are provided for children; adults please bring a chair or blanket to sit on.

Thursday, September 23 Sleepy Gaucho // Graham Hunt 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM . The Sh*tty Barn, 506 E. Madison St., Spring Green . $20 . shittybarnsessions.com . Sleepy Gaucho follows in the great American artistic tradition that is the rambler's drawl. Panamerican influenced folk music. Graham Hunt's sensibilities are hard to pin down. Garage rock with a bit of country bar rock, a bit of noise pop, plenty of lo fi crooning and groovy rhymes, and even a few radio-ready choruses hidden in. Doors open at 6pm. Check website or socials for the latest details about ticket availability.

Local Night: The Honey Pies 5:30 PM - 8:00PM . The Shed/Post House Garden, 123 N Lexington Street, 119 E Jefferson Street Spring Green . Come out and spend your Thursday evenings with some local music and local food. The food cooked on the grill on the patio is from our many local vendors in Spring Green and surrounding towns, and the musicians are from the River Valley area.

Friday, September 24 School Fair 8:30 AM . River Valley School District campus, Spring Green . rvschools.org . The School Fair will be opening at 8:30 a.m. with the gymnasium exhibits (in the River Valley Middle School gymnasium) along with various livestock exhibits showing behind the middle school. The livestock auction will start at 12 p.m. near the School Fair Pavilion (behind the middle school). Interested bidders may register starting at 10:30 a.m. Contact Shari Graffunder at sgraffunder@rvschools.org or Rachel Eberle at rvfair@rvschools.org with questions. There is no school for students this day.

Homecoming Parade 3:00 PM . Spring Green . rvschools.org . The parade start time is one hour later than prior years. Local businesses and organizations that would like to participate in the parade contact Brent Johnson at 588-2554 extension 2116.

River Valley School District Endowment Fund Homecoming Party 3:30 PM . The Shed/Post House Garden, 123 N Lexington Street, 119 E Jefferson Street Spring Green .

Meet up with friends and support our River Valley students! Food and drinks will be available. Music by the great Janna Johnson-Fuchs. 50/50 raffle. Immediately following the parade until game time. Jefferson Street between The Shed and Baron Brooks will remain closed to allow people to spread out and safely cross the street.

Community Grief Ritual 4:30 PM - 10:00 PM . Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, 6306 State Hwy 23, Spring Green . This past year we have seen our communities divided. We have lost so many souls to COVID, natural disasters, war and violence.

Come at any time. Whether you are mourning a personal loss or are feeling the pain of the world, the grief ritual provides a safe space to experience and express freely. Masks and COVID vaccination or negative test result required.

Bubbles Brown at The Sh*tty Barn 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM . The Sh*tty Barn, 506 E. Madison St., Spring Green . $15 . shittybarnsessions.com . Spring Green Musician in Residence Bubbles Brown performs a finale show at one of the areas best music venues. Advance tickets sold out. That said, tickets often come up that people can't use.

Check website or socials for the latest details about ticket availability.

Saturday, September 25 Spring Green Farmers Market 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM . S230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . www.facebook.com/SGFMarket. Local farm fresh produce, coffee, fresh baked goods, honey, soaps & lotions, bedding plants, cut flowers, maple syrup and more.

Community Grief Ritual 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM . Wyoming Valley School Cultural Arts Center, 6306 State Hwy 23, Spring Green . This past year we have seen our communities divided. We have lost so many souls to COVID, natural disasters, war and violence.

Come at any time. Whether you are mourning a personal loss or are feeling the pain of the world, the grief ritual provides a safe space to experience and express freely. Masks and COVID vaccination or negative test result required.

5th Annual Hill & Valley Exploration Tour 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM . Sauk & Richland Counties . Free . www.explorehillandvalley.com. The Hill & Valley Exploration Tour is a celebration of rural living and a unique opportunity to explore the vibrant and resilient small farm economy of northern Sauk and Richland counties! On the tour you can easily find local food and art producers, learn about the changing face of rural America, dine at a true farm‐to‐fork country eatery, find hidden gems and visit a historic folk art site.

Don’t forget to bring your cooler to hold all your farm-fresh purchases, an extra sweater and the mud boots; this is country fun — rain or shine!

In-Person Open Studio with Biennial Artist Linda Kelen 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM . 5801 Korback Road, Spring Green . Free . A behind the scenes in person tour of an artist’s studio and a peek at a work in progress. Tour Kelen’s studio where she works in painting, wood prints, chasing/repousse, intaglio. Face masks and RSVP are required.

For more information about Kelen go to: lindakelen-artings.blogspot.com. Email Margaret Buhr at mbuhr@dbqart.org to RSVP.

WednesdaY, September 15, 2021

Community/arts & culture Fermentation Fest 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM . Witwen Park & Campground, S9855 County Rd E, Sauk City . Various prices . fermentationfest.com . A two-day celebration of live culture in all its forms. Fest attendees can enjoy fermentation demos, tastings, a variety of local foods, art activities, and grazing tutorials, as well as performances that range from dance to “Grassical” music in an open-air Tabernacle to Scandanavian cow calling.

Eric Tessmer 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM . Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W Jefferson St., Spring Green . $10 in advance, $15 at the door . www.slowpokelounge.com . Join us for this special solo performance featuring Eric Tessmer, a Richland Center, Wisconsin native.

An American blues guitarist now residing in Austin, Texas, the Austin Chronicle named Eric Tessmer the best guitarist in the city for 2017–2018, based on their annual poll.

Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 required for all Slowpoke events.

Page 5

Reminder The risk of participating in a certain activity depends on many factors. Because of this, there’s no way to assign risk levels to certain actions. That’s why it’s important to consider your own situation and the risks for you, your family, and your community.

Here are some important guidelines to help ensure everyone’s safety: Get vaccinated.

Stay at least 6 feet away from other people when possible.

Sunday, September 26

Wash hands frequently.

5th Annual Hill & Valley Exploration Tour 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM . Sauk & Richland Counties . Free . www.explorehillandvalley.com. The Hill & Valley Exploration Tour is a celebration of rural living and a unique opportunity to explore the vibrant and resilient small farm economy of northern Sauk and Richland counties! On the tour you can easily find local food and art producers, learn about the changing face of rural America, dine at a true farm‐to‐fork country eatery, find hidden gems and visit a historic folk art site.

Don’t forget to bring your cooler to hold all your farm-fresh purchases, an extra sweater and the mud boots; this is country fun — rain or shine!

Poem Homes Open House 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM . 770 N. Westmor St., Spring Green . poemhomes.org . Tour Spring Green's first net zero energy home. Learn how this solar-powered, super-insulated home works. Find out what makes it a prototype for environmentally friendly construction and how to build with non-toxic materials. See how spacious a small modern-style home can be, especially for those who want to “age-in-place”.

Fermentation Fest 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM . Witwen Park & Campground, S9855 County Rd E, Sauk City . Various prices . fermentationfest.com . A two-day celebration of live culture in all its forms. Fest attendees can enjoy fermentation demos, tastings, a variety of local foods, art activities, and grazing tutorials, as well as performances that range from dance to “Grassical” music in an open-air Tabernacle to Scandanavian cow calling.

Stay home when sick.

Get tested if you have symptoms or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.

Avoid crowded and poorly ventilated indoor spaces when possible.

Wear a mask.

Taken from: www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/community.htm

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY Looking for a challenge?

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Tuesday, September 28 Fall Outdoor Storytime 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM . Plain Kraemer Library and Community Center, 910 Main St, Plain . www.kraemerlibrary.org . Storytimes lasts about 30 minutes (no one gets offended if your child doesn’t last this long!) and is aimed for families with children ages 0-6 with themed songs and stories.

GRAPHIC DESIGN/PAGE DESIGN/LAYOUT DISTRIBUTION/CIRCULATION/CRM MNGMT PODCASTING/AUDIO PRODUCTION

We are a new, all volunteer local news source that holds a strong belief that by working to keep our communities informed and engaged on a variety of topics including arts & culture, events, community news and serving as a watchdog for our local governmental bodies, we can help create a strong identity for our community and ignite positive growth and change throughout the area.

Wednesday, September 29 Family Outdoor Storytime 10:00 AM . Spring Green Community Library, 230 E. Monroe St., Spring Green . www.springgreenlibrary.org . Join us for stories, songs, and fun. Meet on the library's east lawn. Seating pads are provided for children; adults please bring a chair or blanket to sit on.

Interested? Send us your area(s) of interest and a resume to: editor@valleysentinelnews.com Internship will be unpaid, interns will be required to sign a FSLA-compliant internship agreement.

If credit is available from intern’s educational institution for participation in an internship, we are glad to work with you to meet any requirements for receiving credit.

Briefs 2021 River Valley Homecoming Parade Grand Marshal and Area Alumni Representatives announced This week River Valley announced the Homecoming Parade Grand Marshal and Area Alumni Representatives: Grand Marshal - Kathy Kinney Arena - Dean Swenson, Class of 1956 Lone Rock - Harland Simonson, Class of 1956 Spring Green - Art Baryenbruch, Class of 1953 Plain/St. Luke’s - Shirley (Haas) Baryenbruch, Class of 1953 River Valley - Joannie (Sprecher) Harrington, Class of 1976 According to the release from Brian Krey, business manager for the district: Kathy Kinney started River Valley Volleyball and was a very successful coach and mentor for the program. She developed the health program at the middle school and is still a strong member of the River Valley community. She has been honored for her RV volleyball coaching skills at the state level. She was an important leader at the middle school for all of her years of dedication in the classroom and beyond.

Two Crows Theatre Company to close after final performance This week local theatre company Two Crows Theatre Company announced they will close after the performance of their upcoming musical, citing the cancellation of last season due to the pandemic and the uncertainty surrounding how to ensure the safety of audiences.

In its lifetime, Two Crows presented six full-scale productions, including one world premiere as well as multiple readings, all of which played to sold out houses.

“Spring Green has such a vibrant art community and it will continue to thrive.

Slowpoke Lounge and Cabaret gave us the opportunity to explore and grow as artists. A big thank you to Michael Broh and Stacy Wood for giving us a home,” said members Marcus Truschinski, Rob Doyle and Kelsey Brennan in a release.

The company will present a reading of their new musical: Moscow, a romantic musical examining the final years of playwright Anton Chekhov’s life.

Music and Lyrics by Rob Doyle and Marcus Truschinski, book by Eric Schabla.

It will take place in the theatre at Slowpoke Lounge & Cabaret on Sunday October 17th at 6:30 PM. Featuring Two Crows Artistic Director Rob Doyle, local actor Alys Dickerson, and Tony Award Winner Anthony Crivello.

Jake Penner will direct. $25 Tickets are available at Slowpokelounge.com and more information about the musical and opportunities to contribute can be found at https://gofund.me/e5a76f65.

Storytime with American Players Theatre’s David Daniel at the Spring Green Community Library Photo via Lisa Renier Thomas, Director, Spring Green Community Library

On Sept. 8, kids from the area were treated to a special storytime at the Spring Green Community Library with the talented David Daniel, American Players Theatre’s education director.

Daniel told the Ghanian tale of Anansi the Spider, then had the children help him in acting it out.

“As expected, it was a blast,” said Lisa Renier Thomas, Director of the Spring Green Community Library.

Area libraries are holding story times throughout the fall, more information can be found in Valley Sentinel’s community calender or on each area library’s website and social media.

Page 6

Community/CoVID-19

WednesdaY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

COVID-19 Dashboard Wisconsin Summary

683,716 Positive Cases +11,445 from 9/7

Cases as of 9/14/2021

3,221, 201 Negative Test Results +36,344 from 9/7

7,771 Deaths +15 from 9/7

Critically High Very High High Medium Low

covid case activity level This graph shows information on case burden and trajectory. Burden (case rate) is the total number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 Wisconsin residents in the last two weeks. Trajectory is the percent case change from the previous to the current week. These are different from Community Transmission Level, which is the total confirmed cases per 100,000 persons reported in the past 7 days.

Case activity is a combination of burden and trajectory over the prior two weeks.

Updated: 9/14/2021

6,228,134

Administered

3,507,898

2,459,946

Pfizer doses administered

Richland

Sauk

Target Range

53.4%

+45 from 9/7 +123 from 9/7 +2 from 9/7

Sauk County

+105 from 9/7 +292 from 9/7 +2 from 9/7

6,755 Positive Cases 38,824 Negative Tests 55 Deaths Updated: 9/14/2021

Target Range

57.5%

Percent with at least one vaccine dose

Iowa County

Johnson & Johnson doses administered

Vaccine Data

+40 from 9/7 +75 from 9/7 +0 from 9/7

2,293 Positive Cases 12,744 Negative Tests 15 Deaths

260,290

Moderna doses administered

These two core measures are measures of herd immunity in Richland, Sauk and Iowa County. We do not yet know what level of vaccination leads to herd immunity for COVID-19, or how current or future variants might affect herd immunity. We know based on other diseases that herd immunity is likely at least 60%, and if more transmissible variants become more common, that threshold may become higher, so the current target range is 60-90%. -Adapted from Madison Public Health and Dane County

county level weekly statistics Richland County 1,517 Positive Cases 8,670 Negative Tests 16 Deaths

Vaccine Summary Statistics

Percent with at least one vaccine dose

50.7%

54.2%

Percent fully vaccinated

Percent fully vaccinated

Iowa

Target Range

62.7% Percent with at least one vaccine dose

60.3% Percent fully vaccinated

Cases per zip code

Percent of Wisconsin residents ages 12-15 who have received at least one dose by county

Cases as of 9/14/2021

Updated: 9/14/2021 Lower %

Richland County Ages 12-15

Iowa County

Ages 12-15

Higher %

39.7%

Percent of Wisconsin residents who have received at least one dose

51.9%

Sauk County

Ages 12-15

Updated: 9/14/2021

43.6% Dane County Ages 12-15

Graphic by Anna Stocks-Hess

Ages

77.9%

12-15 16-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

Data From: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/index.htm

44.5% 50.4% 50.3% 54.5% 62.2% 63.7% 72.7% 85.1%

Sports

WednesdaY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

Page 7

River Valley Cross Country team hosts the 44th River Valley Invitational at SG Golf Course Brian Krey, Head Coach RVHS Cross County The River Valley Cross Country team hosted the 44th River Valley Invitational on Saturday, September 11, 2021.

This event has consistently been one of the largest in the state, and it couldn’t happen without so many volunteers.

This year our invite hosted 36 teams almost 1,100 runners compete! A big thank you to Steve Stettler, Jaime Hegland, and Jon Novak for their help with the course setup. Kudos to the RV Booster Club and Golf Team (Matt Snow & Brent Johnson) for operating the concession stand, and to Michelle and Rachel Orcutt for operating the t-shirt stand. We had a few dozen other volunteers that helped out in so many ways and were critical to the meet running smoothly. The cross country team greatly appreciates the time and efforts of everyone involved in making our invitational a huge success.

In a very competitive large school division, both our boys and girls teams placed 14 out of 17 teams.

On the girls’ varsity team, Bobbi DuCharme placed 17 overall (21:06) to earn a medal for the second straight week and decreased her time from a week ago by over 30 seconds. Bobbi ran a great race and continues to impress while she is practicing and competing on both the girls’ cross country team and girls’ swim team. Jayla Maier (23:36) continues to get stronger each week, as her time improved by almost one minute from last week. Both Bobbi

and Jayla are first-year cross country runners, but the running they did over the summer has allowed them to shine early on in the season. Other varsity girls’ times were: Caitlin Wastlick (24:00), Abi Cummings (24:00), and Anna Johnson (25:32). River Valley had four girls compete in the JV race, with three of them competing in a high school race for the first time. Aubrey Frazier had an excellent race and crossed the finish line in 26:46. Sara Clary (27:53) has been battling some nagging injuries, and also ran a gutsy race. Other JV runners were Madeline Hutnik (28:35) and Cheyenne Reis (34:10).

The boy’s varsity team was led by Julius Ross, who finished 24, ran a personal best 17:44. Josh Maes also ran a personal best in 19:21. Julius and Josh also put in a lot of miles this summer, and it has really shown early on this season. Freshman Noah Radtke (19:04) and Connor Grant (20:18) ran their first high school races and ran really well. A high school race is very different from middle school, but what they lacked in experience was made up for with confidence and courage. Other varsity boys’ times were: Ethan Wastlick (19:44), Eli Johnson (20:06), and Mason Henkel (20:36). The RV boys’ had one runner in the JV race, with TJ Strine finishing at 27:02.

The Blackhawks’ next race is Thursday, September 16 in Boscobel, for the Greg Bell Memorial Invitational.

Photo contributed by Aaron & Julie Maes The RV Girls Varsity Cross Country team at the start of the race, from left to right, Bobbi DuCharme, Anna Johnson, Caitlin Waslick, Abi Cummings and Jayla Maier.

Photo contributed by Mike McDermott The RV Boys Varsity Cross Country team at the start of the race, from left to right, Noah Radtke, Julius Ross, Ethan Wastlick and Josh Maes.

River Valley/Richland Center Girls Swimming takes 3rd at Lodi Invitational Mike Nachreiner, Head Coach RV/RC Girls Swimming Saturday the RVRC Girls Swim Team competed in the Lodi Invitational. Once again the swimmers from River Valley and Richland Center continue to impress. The team finished third behind Monroe/New Glarus and Merrill, but beating Edgerton/ Evansville, Lodi/WI Heights, Jefferson/ Cambridge and Portage. “There were many close races and it was nice to see the RVRC swimmers putting forth the effort needed to pull out and out touch opponents for spots,” said Coach Mike Nachreiner. RVRC beat the Edgerton/Evansville team by 12.5 points.

Coach Emily Nachreiner said, “This was another exciting meet. The swimmers swam very well again, giving the effort needed in their finishes to move up and score more points for the team.” Beverly Harper was the team’s only first place finish in the 50 yard freestyle. Harper also finished 2nd in the 100 yard freestyle along with Megan Nachreiner taking 2nd place n the 500 yard freestyle. RVRC’s best relay finish was in the 400 yard freestyle relay with Bobbi Ducharme, Megan Nachreiner, Kris Langrehr and

Beverly Harper.

Kris Langreher had a personal best SO yard freestyle split in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 28.27.

Grace Tjossem had three personal best times with all coming from her splits in relays. 50 yard freestyle with a time of 29.71, 100 yard freestyle with a time of 1:04.55 and the SO yard butterfly with a time of 31.08.

Charlotte Ferstl had her best time in the 100 yard freestyle as the lead-off swimmer in the 400 free relay with at time of 1:09.63.

Bobbi DuCharme a personal best time in the 100 yard backstroke with a time of 1:14.60 and in the 100 yard freestyle with a time of 1:01.03.

Alivia Glasbrenner’s time of 2:51.22 in the 200 yard individual medley beat her old time by 8.5 seconds.

Marissa Needham had personal best times in the 200 freestyle relay with a 2:25.28 and in the 500 yard freestyle with a 6:22.89.

Megan Langrehr had a personal best time in the 100 yard butterfly with a time of 1:34.17

Photo contributed by Mike Nachreiner, Head Coach RV/RC Girls Swimming Megan Nachreiner takes off after Bobbi DuCharme touches in the 400 yard Medley Relay.

DuCharme & Nachreiner are joined in the Relay with Molly Peckham and Beverly Harper.

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Page 8

Sports/outdoors & recreation

WednesdaY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

Blackhawks Girls Varsity Volleyball sweep Dodgers in 3 straight sets!

Mariah Hill, RVHS Head Volleyball Coach

River Valley Volleyball had their home opener this past Thursday and got the sweep against Dodgeville. The atmosphere in the gym was contagious with so many fans and the student section back in action. We even had Buddy the Blackhawk in attendance. It was all excitement in our gym. River Valley came out strong in the first two sets with 25-13 wins. We put the pedal down and never let up. Our team was full of energy and confidence this week and played some of the best volleyball I have seen so far this season. We really worked as a team and spread the offense out well and kept Dodgeville guessing.

Our defense as well was spot on. The third set was much closer as Dodgeville definitely didn’t let up, but we never got down and kept pushing. Mackenzie Emerson came in and served up a couple big points in the end and we got the win 28-26. Leaders for the Blackhawks were Brooke Anderson with 10 kills, followed by Morgan Brickl and Lydia Kersten with 6 each. Katie Hahn led in blocks with 3 and Ace serves with

6. Mackenzie Emerson had 3 Ace serves as well. Brianna Zaemisch led us in defensive digs with 19. Kate Hanson had 16 assists and Anderson had 10.

On Saturday the varsity traveled to Deforest, which brought some solid competition and the Blackhawks ended up tied for 2nd place on the day. We had 6 matches throughout the long day, with 4 in a row in the afternoon. The whole team rallied together to finish out the day 4-2. We lost to McFarland and Deforest. We beat Catholic Central, LaCrosse Central, West Salem, and Watertown Luther. We pushed through the long day and played some really good volleyball. The whole team rallied together in the afternoon to really finish the day strong.

Leaders on the day were outside hitters Anabelle Willoughby and Morgan Brickl with 20+ kills each. Kate Hanson had over 30 assists on the day and Brooke Anderson was right behind in the 20’s. Libero Brianna Zaemisch racked up 40+ digs on the day and the team had well over 30 ace serves on the day.

Photo by Kelly Hanson Senior Kate Hanson goes up to set the ball during conference play against Dodgeville.

Photo by Anderson Senior Mackenzie Emerson serves during tournament action on Saturday.

The Sauk County Gardener — September Tasks to do Before the First Frost Jeannie Manis, Wisconsin Certified Sauk County Master Gardener “There is a time in late September when the leaves are still green, and the days are still warm, but somehow you know that it is all about to end.”

- Sharyn McCrumb Here it is, mid-September and there is so much we can still do in our gardens.

My tomatoes and beans are still going gangbusters, enough so that once I preserve everything, I really wouldn’t need to plant any next year. However, I know that first frost is just around the corner and there are plenty of tasks that need to be done before then.

It’s time to start watching the weather forecasts closely to know if frost is expected. In Baraboo, the first expected hard frost is September 24, but that isn’t foolproof. Dig out tarps and other plant coverings so they are handy for covering your plants if we get an extra early frost and you have some produce you still want to harvest. Remove any new growth or blossoms on your tomato plants as they won’t have time to mature.

Pinch off the growing points on Brussels sprouts to help the bottom sprouts mature. Harvest root vegetables, such as carrots and beets, before the frost kills the foliage. Also pick squash, gourds, and pumpkins, leaving at least 2-inch stem

for better storage. Cut them off the vine and place them in a sunny, dry place.

Curing hardens the skin, heals wounds, ripens any immature ones, and improves flavor. Sow radishes and lettuce as they grow fast and will appreciate the cooler temperatures. If you want to save any of your herbs, such as parsley, chives, basil, oregano, or others for fresh use this winter, pot them up before the first frost.

I still struggle to overwinter my rosemary and lavender indoors, but several of my fellow master gardeners have had good success, so it can be done. Near the end of September, plant spinach for harvesting your first crop in March. Harvest your apples, grapes, and pears (while still green). Consider planting an annual cover crop to create a green manure that you can work into your soil next spring.

In your flower gardens continue to divide perennials, except chrysanthemums and asters that haven’t bloomed. If you have a peony that you want to divide or share with others, do it now through October 15. Take care not to plant it too deeply and mulch it after the ground freezes. Also plant and/or transplant Iris.

Dig through your seed packets (you know you have them) and plant the hardy annual seeds so they are ready to go next spring. Here’s a short list to consider: bachelor buttons, cornflowers, cosmos,

hollyhocks (biennial), larkspur, lupine, milkweed, pansies, poppies, snapdragons, and Viola (pansies). Just be sure to mark their location, as next spring you may unknowingly weed them out. Purchase and start planting spring-bloom bulbs like daffodils, Allium, hyacinth, and tulips near the end of the month.

Take cuttings or bring in full plants of Begonia, Caladium, Coleus, Geranium, and any others that you want to winter over. Bring in houseplants and tropicals before the temperature gets lower than 45 degrees F. Check for insects and diseases and treat accordingly BEFORE bringing plants back in the house. In case of insects, soak the pot in water for about 15 minutes which will help force them out of the soil. Repot if necessary; it’s much easier to keep the mess outside. Gradually expose your houseplants to the reduced light they experience indoors to prevent shock. If they’ve been outdoors in full sunlight all summer and then you move them indoors where the lighting is much lower, the plants will probably drop some leaves. Put them in a south-facing window or put them under a plant light for 16 hours a day and gradually reduce the time to help them acclimate. Finally, don’t water them until the soil is dry to the touch and give them a boost of fertilizer according to the label

directions.

Now is the time to start prepping your Christmas/Thanksgiving cactus and amaryllis so they will bloom for the holidays. Move your amaryllis bulb to a cool location for about three months. At the end of September, put your holiday cactus in the dark for 15 hours a day in a chilly location for six to eight weeks to help it bloom for Thanksgiving; for Christmas bloom you can wait until about the first of November to put it in the dark. I don’t mind them blooming whenever, so I just bring them out of my basement about the time I’m trying to find places to overwinter some of my other plants. Mine end up blooming near or during the holidays and last most of the winter.

Make the most of this year’s harvest and blooms before the first frost. Take care of these tasks first; there will still be plenty of things to do after we get our first hard frost.

This week’s article is written by Jeannie Manis, a Wisconsin Certified Sauk County Master Gardener Volunteer. If you have any gardening questions, please contact the Extension Sauk County by emailing to trripp@wisc.edu or calling the University of Wisconsin Madison Division of Extension Sauk County office at 608-355-3250.

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