August 1, 2015
Blue Learning on the Land Grows to 14 Events; Educational Series Showcases Rural Diversity
By Andrea Burkhart, Immediate Past President
From its inception, Learning on the Land (LOL) has served to spotlight the variety of ways in which human experience interacts with the Blue Mountain landscape. Originally conceived as a way to connect nature enthusiasts with the unique places and experiences our service area has to offer, in 2015, LOL has grown to fourteen events that provide a unique perspective on what it means to call the Blue Mountain region home.
Our first event, the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, looked at the universal experience of being touched by nature through a series of short films highlighting special places, the gifts they offer, and the threats they face. Biking the Blues offered the chance to see the foothills from a new perspective and to cycle some of our favorite routes in the Walla Walla valley. Peas on Earth took us to see the Rea family’s pea harvest in action and follow green peas from the field through the Smith Frozen Foods processing plant. Valle Lindo Day offered children a chance to visit the unique and pristine Walla Walla watershed and learn about where our drinking water is sourced, made potable, and treated. To Bee or Not to Bee invited us to an alfalfa seed farm to see the husbandry techniques used to raise leafcutter and alkali bees for crop pollination. Super Hero Trees took kids on a walk though Pioneer Park to explore our heritage trees, then introduced them to some of the raptors that call those trees home. We enjoyed a special tour of the Earl Brown family’s apple orchards and their Blue Mountain Cider Company. And Bob Berger fascinated us all with his walking tour of Walla Walla’s beautiful and historic trees.
Over 400 guests have enjoyed our Learning on the Land programs as of August 1.
Learning on the Land programs are possible only through the strong public support we’ve received and the generous support of our sponsors. We are especially grateful to Columbia REA, Peak Fitness, Banner Bank, the American Association of University Women, Inland Family Dentistry, Wenzel Nursery and the Walla Walla Foundry for making our first eight LOL events such incredible successes.
Don’t miss the remaining Learning on the Land programs and the chance to broaden your experience of what the Blue Mountain region has to offer! Information about all BMLT programs is available on our website at www.bmlt.org. Like us on Facebook to get event previews, photos, and more.
We’ll be planning LOL 2016 soon, so please share your feedback and your ideas for future events.