Activities at Piddle Creek
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At Yellow River Game Farm/Piddle
Creek Kennels, the environment, habitat and education are priorities, not just
on our property, but in general.
On the farm, we have had one wetland
restoration and are anticipating two more, including a major restoration on
our rented field that will involve a 370-foot dike. We are hoping that the environmental
education classes at Cumberland Schools will be able to be involved in some
way in these projects.
We
have had a forest management plan developed and a select cut done. On a regular
basis, in the spring, we do controlled burns. There are mowed trails throughout
the farm so it is very accessible, even for those with disabilities. Food plots
for wild life are planted yearly. Thanks
to the efforts of Mr. Bielmeier’s applied math class, we now have about
30 wood duck houses in place on the farm. His class checks the houses yearly,
records their use and maintains them. Thanks, Mr. B and classes.
Beside what we do on the farm, we
support wild life organizations, like Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever and
the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep. Through the MN/WI Chapter of the
Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, we have taken groups of students from
Wisconsin and Minnesota to Arizona to work on waterhole projects in the desert
a total of five times, so far. On
a yearly basis, our family volunteers to help the local DNR capture and band
wild geese on local lakes. Kathy has sponsored and presented environmental
and dog classes through the University of Wisconsin Barron County Campus, local
school, church groups. We hosted a Women in the Outdoors seminar that won best
WITO conference in the state for the year. Groups of Scouts have camped on our
farm and used our facilities, and a Boy Scout Camporee held at the farm was
a huge success. The Annual
Barron to Spooner Trail Ride, starting at the Barron Sales Barn, and ending
at Spooner, in the field across from the Highway Patrol building. The riders
and their mounts stay at Yellow River Game Farm on the second night of the ride,
which this year is July 7. Members of our family participate in the ride, and
we all enjoy hosting the travelers. Of course, the culmination of this event
is the Spooner Rodeo, including the rodeo parade.
We are always happy to open our farm to educational and youth groups and/or other adult organizations and have never charged for this.