Description: Join us for this interactive workshop as part of the Great Lakes Incubator Farm Community "Growing Together" Series, where we’ll explore the benefits of cover cropping and crop rotation for soil health and sustainable farming. Learn which cover crop species work best for different goals, such as improving soil structure, reducing erosion, or fixing nitrogen, and discover how strategic crop rotations can enhance fertility, suppress pests, and maximize yields. Perfect for gardeners, farmers, and anyone passionate about growing sustainably!

When: Wednesday, September 17th from 5:00 - 6:00pm

Where: Great Lakes Incubator Farm (GLIF), 1091 N Keystone Rd, Traverse City, MI 49696

Registration: $10/person. Please click here to register.

Audience: Adults

Description: Join Sam Wallace, TOPP Technician, and the Michigan Transition to Organic Partnership Program (MI TOPP) for monthly drop-in office hours to chat all things organic farming. Some of the topics we may cover include:

• Organic production techniques – cultivation, crop rotation, variety selection, integrated pest management, etc.

• Input sourcing – where to source NOP-approved inputs

• Cost-share opportunities – certification cost share, NRCS EQIP organic practices

• Record-keeping options – templates, software, spreadsheets, etc.

• Marketing – how to identify and connect with organic markets

• Choosing an organic certifier

• Understanding the certification process

This will be a recurring, monthly 1-hour Zoom session open to drop-in. Stop by online to ask your questions about organic farming. Michigan's TOPP technicians Alex, Kim, and Sam will bring their knowledge to these monthly drop-in office hours to chat all things organic farming.

This session is open to ALL organic, transitioning or curious producers, not just TOPP participants.

When: Thursday, October 2nd from 12:00 - 1:00pm

Where: Zoom

Registration: Free. No registration necessary. ZOOM Link: https://msu.zoom.us/j/94407160761
Passcode: TOPP

Description: Have an up-close experience with live raptors from North Sky Raptor Sanctuary! Join us at the Boardman River Nature Center to learn about Michigan raptors in the fall.

When: Thursday, October 9th from 6:00 - 7:00pm

Where: Boardman River Nature Center, 1450 Cass Rd., Traverse City MI 49685

Registration: Free for 2 and under, $10 for children under 12, $15 for ages 12+, $55 for a family of 5+. Registration is required. Please click here to register.

Audience: Adults & Families

Description: Get ready to venture into the dynamic world of Earth science! The Pebble Pups and the GTCD are thrilled to announce a joint celebration of Earth Science Week (October 12th -18th) and National Fossil Day (October 15th)!

This immersive experience will showcase the incredible ways Earth science is conducted by a diverse range of people and professions. From geologists to hydrologists, environmental scientists to paleontologists, you will discover how these interconnected disciplines work together to solve critical problems for our communities and the planet.

This year's Earth Science Week theme, "Energy Resources for Our Future," will spark fascinating discussions and activities as we explore the vital role Earth science plays in securing sustainable energy for generations to come.

We'll also be diving deep into the past as we celebrate National Fossil Day! Get ready to marvel at a collection of truly amazing fossils, uncovering the secrets they hold about ancient life and Earth's incredible history. You won't just learn about fossils – you'll leave with one of your very own to start your personal collection!

When: Monday, October 13th from 5:30 - 7:00pm

Where: Boardman River Nature Center, 1450 Cass Rd., Traverse City MI 49685

Registration: Free. Registration is required. Please click here to register.

Audience: Families

Description: Discover the techniques and tools needed to keep your garden or farm productive through the cold months at the Great Lakes Incubator Farm’s Season Extension & Winter Production Workshop! This workshop will explore strategies for extending the harvest season and producing crops throughout winter, utilizing season-extension tools like row covers and hoop houses, and planning your planting schedule for year-round harvests.

Learn about using high tunnels, low tunnels, cold frames, crop selection and timing for extended winter harvests, and tips for hoop house fertility and temperature management in the cold.

When: Wednesday, October 15th from 5:00 - 6:00pm

Where: Great Lakes Incubator Farm (GLIF), 1091 N Keystone Rd, Traverse City, MI 49696

Registration: $10/person. Please click here to register.

Audience: Adults

Description: Join the Michigan Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) and learn about different farm certification options available to highlight your farm's values and practices to customers.

When: Tuesday, October 21st from 12:00 - 1:00pm

Where: Virtual (Zoom)

Registration: Free. A link will be sent out to registrants after registering. Please click here to register.

Audience: Adults

Description: Calling all trivia buffs! Test your knowledge of the natural world with us at Earthen Ales! Occurring seasonally, each trivia night will include five exciting rounds and one speed-round featuring a local partner organization who will bring their own expertise to the evening. Expect engaging questions, great conversation, and a deeper connection to our region’s ecology and community!

When: Friday, October 24th from 6:00 - 8:00pm

Where: Earthen Ales, 1371 Gray Dr #200, Traverse City, MI 49684

Registration: $5/person at the door. No registration required.

Audience: Adults

Description: GTCD’s Fall Native Seedling Sale is a first-come, first-served sale (no pre-orders) on Saturday, October 25th from 10:00am - 2:00pm outdoors at the Boardman River Nature Center featuring native Michigan conifers - balsam fir, red cedar, red pine, white pine, and white spruce. We will also offer native perennial plants, including garden kits.

Planting in the fall allows these native species to become well-established over the winter and start off the next growing season strong.

Information stations staffed by GTCD naturalists and local partners will help you select species for your property and teach you how to support forest health not only in your own backyard but throughout our region. Additionally, enjoy family-friendly activities like pumpkin painting and hiking at the Natural Education Reserve!

When: Saturday, October 25th from 10:00am - 2:00pm

Where: Boardman River Nature Center, 1450 Cass Rd., Traverse City MI 49685

Registration: Free. No registration required.

Description: Join the Michigan Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) for a webinar discussing organic market premiums, how they vary for different crops and products, and how much premium you can expect on the products you want to sell.

When: Tuesday, October 28th from 12:00 - 1:00pm

Where: Virtual (Zoom)

Registration: Free. A link will be sent out to registrants after registering. Please click here to register.

Audience: Adults

Description: Help restore, diversify and beautify the Brown Bridge Quiet Area by planting native trees and shrubs along the banks of the Boardman-Ottaway River. Plants will range in size from very small bareroot seedlings to large saplings. All ages and abilities are welcome. A limited number of extra shovels will be available, please bring your own if you're able.

When: Thursday, October 30th from 10:00am - 2:00pm

Where: Brown Bridge Quiet Area. Meet at the Canoe Landing Trailhead off Brown Bridge Road.

Registration: Free. Registration is required. Please click here to register.

Audience: Adults & families

Description: Come dressed in your costume and celebrate Halloween with a self-guided lantern-lit hike at the Boardman River Nature Center, featuring North Sky Raptor Sanctuary! Get ready for games, trivia, and live Raptors on the trail!

When: Thursday, October 30th from 6:00 - 8:00pm

Where: Boardman River Nature Center, 1450 Cass Rd., Traverse City MI 49685

Registration: $5/person. Registration is required. Please click here to register. Space is limited.

Audience: Families

Description: Join the Michigan Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) and learn how to make money in organic farming.

When: Tuesday, November 4th from 12:00 - 1:00pm

Where: Virtual (Zoom)

Registration: Free. A link will be sent out to registrants after registering. Please click here to register.

Audience: Adults

Description: Join Sam Wallace, TOPP Technician, and the Michigan Transition to Organic Partnership Program (MI TOPP) for monthly drop-in office hours to chat all things organic farming. Some of the topics we may cover include:

• Organic production techniques – cultivation, crop rotation, variety selection, integrated pest management, etc.

• Input sourcing – where to source NOP-approved inputs

• Cost-share opportunities – certification cost share, NRCS EQIP organic practices

• Record-keeping options – templates, software, spreadsheets, etc.

• Marketing – how to identify and connect with organic markets

• Choosing an organic certifier

• Understanding the certification process

This will be a recurring, monthly 1-hour Zoom session open to drop-in. Stop by online to ask your questions about organic farming. Michigan's TOPP technicians Alex, Kim, and Sam will bring their knowledge to these monthly drop-in office hours to chat all things organic farming.

This session is open to ALL organic, transitioning or curious producers, not just TOPP participants.

When: Thursday, November 13th from 12:00 - 1:00pm

Where: Zoom

Registration: Free. No registration necessary. ZOOM Link: https://msu.zoom.us/j/94407160761
Passcode: TOPP

Description: Kick off the holiday season by creating a fresh wreath for your front door at our annual Wreath Workshop! This DIY experience allows you to create a beautiful wreath you'll be proud to hang in your home. Wreath form, a mix of fresh, locally-sourced evergreens, ribbon, instruction and tools will be provided. Attendees will take home their handmade wreaths at the end of the class.

When: Friday, November 21st from 5:00 - 7:00pm

Where: Boardman River Nature Center, 1450 Cass Rd., Traverse City MI 49685

Registration: $50/person. Registration is required. Please click here to register. Space is limited.

Audience: Adults

Description: Join GTCD for a mini wreath workshop, perfect for small spaces! Whether you live in an apartment, have a cozy front door, or just want a minimalist touch of nature, this DIY workshop will guide you through making your very own holiday wreath. Wreath form, a mix of fresh, locally-sourced evergreens, ribbon, instruction and tools will be provided. Attendees will take home their fresh mini holiday wreaths at the end of the class.

When: Saturday, November 22nd from 10:00am - 12:00pm

Where: Boardman River Nature Center, 1450 Cass Rd., Traverse City MI 49685

Registration: $35/person. Registration is required. Please click here to register. Space is limited.

Audience: Adults

Description: Join Sam Wallace, TOPP Technician, and the Michigan Transition to Organic Partnership Program (MI TOPP) for monthly drop-in office hours to chat all things organic farming. Some of the topics we may cover include:

• Organic production techniques – cultivation, crop rotation, variety selection, integrated pest management, etc.

• Input sourcing – where to source NOP-approved inputs

• Cost-share opportunities – certification cost share, NRCS EQIP organic practices

• Record-keeping options – templates, software, spreadsheets, etc.

• Marketing – how to identify and connect with organic markets

• Choosing an organic certifier

• Understanding the certification process

This will be a recurring, monthly 1-hour Zoom session open to drop-in. Stop by online to ask your questions about organic farming. Michigan's TOPP technicians Alex, Kim, and Sam will bring their knowledge to these monthly drop-in office hours to chat all things organic farming.

This session is open to ALL organic, transitioning or curious producers, not just TOPP participants.

When: Thursday, December 4th from 12:00 - 1:00pm

Where: Zoom

Registration: Free. No registration necessary. ZOOM Link: https://msu.zoom.us/j/94407160761
Passcode: TOPP

Description: Kick off the holiday season by creating a fresh wreath for your front door at our annual Wreath Workshop! This DIY experience allows you to create a beautiful wreath you'll be proud to hang in your home. Wreath form, a mix of fresh, locally-sourced evergreens, ribbon, instruction and tools will be provided. Attendees will take home their handmade wreaths at the end of the class.

When: Saturday, December 13th from 10:00am - 12:00pm

Where: Boardman River Nature Center, 1450 Cass Rd., Traverse City MI 49685

Registration: $50/person. Registration is required. Please click here to register. Space is limited.

Audience: Adults

Description: Join GTCD and the Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network to learn about the importance of native plants and the cold-moist stratification process. Using recycled materials, we will sow seeds in containers to set outside for the remainder of the winter season. Once spring comes, the seeds will germinate at their own rate with very little maintenance - ready to be planted in their new homes soon after!

When: Thursday, January 22nd from 6:00 - 7:30pm

Where: Boardman River Nature Center, 1450 Cass Rd., Traverse City MI 49685

Registration: $10/person. Registration is required. Please click here to register.

Audience: Adults

Description: Calling all trivia buffs! Test your knowledge of the natural world with us at Earthen Ales! Occurring seasonally, each trivia night will include five exciting rounds and one speed-round featuring a local partner organization who will bring their own expertise to the evening. Expect engaging questions, great conversation, and a deeper connection to our region’s ecology and community!

When: Friday, January 23rd from 6:00 - 8:00pm

Where: Earthen Ales, 1371 Gray Dr #200, Traverse City, MI 49684

Registration: $5/person at the door. No registration required.

Audience: Adults

Description: Join GTCD for a self-guided snowshoe hike, and take in all of the winter beauty that the Natural Education Reserve has to offer! Bring your own mug, and GTCD naturalists will greet you with hot cocoa and help ensure your snowshoes fit properly. A limited amount of adult snowshoes will be available to borrow.

When: Friday, January 30th from 10:00 - 11:00am

Where: Natural Education Reserve. Meet at the Boardman River Nature Center, 1450 Cass Rd., Traverse City, MI 49685

Registration: $5/person. Registration is required. Please click here to register.

Audience: Adults & families.

Description: Join GTCD at Hickory Meadows for a quiet, lantern-lit, self-guided hike under the striking beauty of the Blood Moon - a total lunar eclipse that casts the moon in a deep red glow. As winter begins to give way to spring, experience the mystery and stillness of nature after dark.

When: Tuesday, March 3rd from 6:00 - 8:00pm

Where: Hickory Meadows Natural Area. Meet at the Randolph Trailhead.

Registration: $5/person. Free for ages 12 & under. Registration is required. Please click here to register.

Audience: Adults & families.

Description: Celebrate spring at the Grand Traverse Conservation District among local nature-themed artisans! Stop in anytime from 11:00 am-2:00 pm to find the perfect gift for a friend, loved one, or treat yourself!

When: Saturday, March 21st from 11:00am - 2:00pm

Where: Boardman River Nature Center, 1450 Cass Rd., Traverse City MI 49685

Registration: Free. No registration required.

Audience: Adults

Description: Calling all trivia buffs! Test your knowledge of the natural world with us at Earthen Ales! Occurring seasonally, each trivia night will include five exciting rounds and one speed-round featuring a local partner organization who will bring their own expertise to the evening. Expect engaging questions, great conversation, and a deeper connection to our region’s ecology and community!

When: Friday, March 27th from 6:00 - 8:00pm

Where: Earthen Ales, 1371 Gray Dr #200, Traverse City, MI 49684

Registration: $5/person at the door. No registration required.

Audience: Adults