“Green” is widely used as a metaphor for “environmentally sound” so we at Crossroads always strive to be “green,” but this holiday season we plan to focus on “greens”–the conifers and other plants which remain green during winter and on other holiday traditions that have, through the millennia, become traditions during the darkest month of the year.

Fall harvest feasts, for example, predate our American food-centric holidays. Back in Medieval Europe, especially in times of famine, peasants would gather for bountiful feasts at the end of November or December, but it was not a time of thanksgiving. During lean times, parents were forced to either feed their children or their livestock. Most chose family over their animals.

In order to give our staff time with their families, the Collins Learning Center will be closed Thursday and Friday, but the trails will be open.

But as soon as Thanksgiving dinner is over, many of us start craving cookies, fudge, candy canes, popcorn balls. What’s the attraction of sweets? Could our cravings be some primitive survival urge?

Early humans, in order to survive and reproduce, must have selected a diet of foods which met their nutritional needs. Certainly, hunter-gatherers knew nothing of vitamins and carbohydrates and calories… but they craved sweets and fats, and these cravings caused people to favor fruits (which are high in carbohydrates and vitamins) and nuts (the richest sources of minerals and B complex vitamins.)

So, “The Science of Taste” is the perfect topic for our Saturday Science program on the weekend between Thanksgiving and December. We are hoping to see extended families at this activity but understand that the activities are geared for elementary students. 

And the Greens? Well, it’s probably obvious that the destination for our Wednesday Wandering Hike will visit the conifer forests of the Big Creek Preserve, but it’s less obvious how pines, fir and spruce became associated with an event a little town in Judea. Actually, our traditions of using  greens can be traced to the Winter Solstice.  

Primitive people in northern climates did relatively well in the summertime. Food was plentiful and it was warm. But as fall came, the plants began to die, the temperatures dropped, and scariest of all, the days became incrementally shorter.

But a few plants—evergreens, holly, mistletoe—did not die in the fall. Consequently, people believed that these plants had magical power over the darkness. Perhaps, they reasoned, if they brought these magical plants into their huts or caves, they might hasten and ensure the Sun’s return.

Holiday trees have a long and convoluted history, but their popularity has never waned. Evergreens still seem rather magical this time of year. So, people want trees in their homes, which does have an ecological impact.

Our Current (Ecological) Events group which meets the first Monday of each month will discuss issues pertaining to Christmas trees. Participants will review an article about the ecological impact of artificial Christmas trees as compared to that of natural trees. Another article will describe research about the spread of invasive insects due to transporting Christmas trees and holiday decorations.  Interested folks can pick up the copies of these articles at the Collins Learning Center entrance desk. It’s OK to read the articles whether one intends to attend, and it also is fine to just show up without reading them. 

Often our young visitors ask us if a Christmas tree is dead. It is. Any time the top of a tree is separated from the roots, the tree is dead. Curiously, an evergreen will stay green (for a while) if it has a constant supply of water.

That doesn’t happen in the forest, but something remarkable does. There is life in a dead tree. From fungi and millions of microorganisms, to hibernating insects and amphibians, a dead log teems with life. So, the during the Environmental Exploration program on December 4th, kids and their adult companions will carefully explore the spruce logs in the plantation near the Learning Center (or indoors if weather is an issue.)

Join us at Crossroads during the coming month, and may your season be green.

– by Coggin Heeringa, Interpretive Naturalist

For more information, please check out our Crossroads calendar or stop by the Collins Learning Center and pick up a printed calendar. Our trails are open all day every day, free of charge, thanks to donors like you!

Crossroads at Big Creek Learning Center and Nature Preserve is located at 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay. Crossroads is a 501(c)3 organization committed to offering education, conducting research and land restoration, and providing outdoor experiences to inspire environmental stewardship in learners of all ages and from all backgrounds. We welcome your support. 

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Upcoming Activities

Wednesday, November 27

1:30 – 2:30 pm Wandering Wednesdays – Naturalist Led Hike

Join a naturalist a gentle, but fragrant hike through the late autumn forest. Easy walking. Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration not required. Open to the public and free thanks to our donors.

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3:00 – 4:00 p.m. School’s Out Excursion!

Kids will venture into the preserve for a “nature-based” adventure. Indoor activities will be offered if weather is uncooperative.

Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration not required. Open to the public and free thanks to the generosity of donors like you!

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Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29

The Nature Center will be closed for the holiday. Trails and restroom access at the Collins Learning Center are open all day, every day at no charge thanks to our donors.

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Saturday, November 30

2:00 – 4:00 pm Science Saturday – The Sense of Taste

oin this indoor program and learn about the sense of taste. There will be some “tasting” involved, so while reservations are not required, please let us know if participants have dietary restrictions. This weekly family program is intended for elementary students, but learners of all ages are welcome.

Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration not required. Open to the public and free thanks to the generosity of donors like you!

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Monday, December 2

1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Current Ecological Events Club

Love reading? Join our ecological article club, where we deep dive into current ecological articles for lively discussions, new friendships, and deepening our understanding of the natural world! This adult discussion group will meet each month to review articles about current ecological issues.

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