Northside News

By Nicholas Leete and Nou Thao
Rooted WI

Every year Rooted WI and UW-Madison Division of Extension host a Community Garden Summit, an opportunity for community members to get together, share their gardening wisdom, strengthen relationships and celebrate the community.

This year’s Community Garden Summit will be held Thursday, June 15, through Saturday, June 17. The summit will be at a different community garden each day, with the Saturday sessions held from 8:30 am–1 pm at Troy Gardens and Farm, 502 Troy Drive.

The event will include tours of the community gardens and different farm projects at the site, roundtable discussions, and workshops on school gardens, medicinal herbs and garden pests. The summit will also include a lineup of food demonstrations and children’s gardening activities. Northside residents can find more information and register for the Garden Summit at danegardens.net/conference.

The Garden Summit will be one of many events happening at Troy Gardens and Farm this year, and just one of the ways Northside residents can get involved with the site. The garden, farm and wild areas are open to the public year-round, Troy Kid’s Garden hosts tours during the summer, and households can sign up for a garden plot at the Troy Community Garden at rootedwi.org/gardening/troy-community-gardens.

If you are looking to get your hands dirty, Rooted has many volunteer opportunities available. Folks who are interested in volunteering on a regular basis in exchange for produce can help out at Troy Farm each week over the 20-week season as a worker share volunteer. For worker share opportunities, visit rootedwi.org/farms/worker-share-volunteers. To sign up for general volunteer opportunities, visit rootedwi.org/engage-with-us/volunteer.

By Nicole Graper
MSCR

Madison School & Community Recreation (MSCR) is excited to release the Summer 2023 Program Guide. The guide is available at mscr.org and is at MSCR program sites, community centers, libraries and schools.

The Summer Program Guide is filled with a variety of activities for all ages. It includes arts and enrichment, boating, camps, fitness, paddling, sports, adapted recreation, swimming and tennis.

Families can find the Camps Booklet in the center of the guide. Choose from a variety of camp options, including Camp Compass at Warner Park Community Recreation Center, Camp Tall Oaks, Creative You, Middle School on the Move, Soccer and many more. Camps serve children age 3 through grade 9.

Fee assistance is available for most programs. A Spanish version of the guide is available at mscr.org. Visit mscr.org or call 608-204-3000 for more information.

MSCR, a department of the Madison Metropolitan School District, is a public recreation department serving the community since 1926.

By Jeffrey Affeldt
Glacial Drumlin Trail Visitors Guide

Madison is well-known for its bike-friendly streets and trails, often garnering national attention for its outdoor recreation opportunities and quality of life. The Northside is no exception, offering designated routes and often scenic routes for cyclists of all skill levels. Here are a few of my favorites.

By Dan Tortorice and Janet Battista
Friends of Lake View Hill Park

In the galaxy of tree species, the white oak tree is a true superstar. Lake View Hill Park, in the middle of the Northside, has a lot of them scattered throughout the woods.

A good place to see some is on the path leading to the small chapel just north of the pollinator garden. These trees are true remnants. They sprang from acorns long before the park was created or even the building of Lake View Sanatorium.

Kathlean Wolf
Wild Warner

In 2017, two beavers claimed Warner Pond as their territory, raising several litters of kittens and shaping the ecology of the pond. Sadly, the mating pair died in 2021, with no evidence in 2022 that any offspring remained behind. But it’s likely that a new male will take an interest in this empty territory within a few years of vacancy, possibly this spring.