Oregon Embraces Germany
Thousands gather for the 58th German-American Festival
Oregon – Thousands of people crowded together to celebrate the heritage and culture of Germany at the 58th annual German-American Festival at Oak Shade Grove from Friday through Sunday.
Germany’s sights, smells and sounds filled the festival grounds over the weekend. Attendees had the chance to watch live dance and musical performances, sample authentic German food and drink over 150 different types of beer. Visitors could also purchase souvenirs, such as t-shirts or authentic beer steins.
Every hour, attendees witnessed a live performance of the Glockenspiel, where dancers dressed in costume would act out a skit and transition to a dance routine. The show would end with the performers enjoying a drink and throwing items at the crowd. This live show is an homage to the Glockenspiel at the Marienplatz in Munich, Germany.
Wendy Mueller, vice chair of the VIP area, explained that the festival started at the Toledo Raceway park in the 1960s, and moved to its current location at Oak Shade Grove in the ’80s.
Ohio’s population is over 20 percent ethnic German, according to the United States Census Bureau. Mueller gave her thoughts on why it is important to have this festival, and to provide people with a place to express their German heritage.
“You don’t want to lose the culture, and this is a way, once a year, to celebrate the culture and have a great weekend at the end of the summer and start the holiday season,” she said.
The festival draws people from a multitude of backgrounds. It also brings in a combination of first-time attendees and people who have attended for several years.
One long-time attendee is Karen Foster, who has been to the festival for 30 years. She used to work at the festival when she belonged to the GBU foundation with her parents. Since her mother was from Frankfurt, she has strong ties to Germany. She shared what she would say to someone who has never attended the German-American Festival.
Mike Willinger, chairman of the VIP area, shared that all the food enjoyed at the festival is homemade. The world-famous potato pancakes and salad are made from the 2,500 pounds of potatoes peeled and sliced the night before the festival. He also discussed his favorite part of the festival.
“The fact that we can get between two and three thousand people to come out here and help us get design, the camaraderie, the friendship, all the people that work so very, very hard to accomplish all this,” Willinger said.
He concluded by saying that “it just really pleases me that we can share that culture with people, and they are coming to enjoy it. So we’ll continue to do it as long as they keep coming.”
Unique Wetland Restoration
Little Portage Wildlife Area provides cleaner water
Port Clinton – A quiet, hidden gem of a wild wetland about 45 minutes east of Toledo is thriving thanks to the recent completion of a restoration project.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) took about four years to transform the Little Portage Wildlife Area in Ottawa County into 357 acres of quality habitat that serves to improve water quality.
As part of Gov. Mike DeWine’s H2Ohio initiative, the restoration project involved redirecting water from over 400 acres of farmland into the wetland before entering the Little Portage River. This project was distinctive because ODNR worked with two local farmers, Todd Winke and Dick Lano, to fund the new tile system diverting the water. This will help filter out excess nutrients contributing to harmful algae blooms, such as phosphorus, before reaching the rivers that drain to Lake Erie.
The most unique aspect of the project is that this is Ohio’s first depetitioned ditch. This means that a ditch was removed from the petition process so that it could remain a natural habitat and won’t be disturbed by maintenance every few years, a better solution for wildlife.
Sarah Schott, wildlife communication specialist for the Ohio Division of Wildlife, said “those landowners were crucial partners for us in that they allowed us to do work on their property and redirect the water through pump systems.”
The bulk of the project was funded with a $3,086,673 H2Ohio grant, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Ducks Unlimited and federal Pittman-Robertson funding making up the rest.
Water quality is just one aspect of the project. The project also greatly enhances the habitat for various species, such as ducks and other waterfowl, birds, reptiles and amphibians.
However, invasive species are a challenge and large amounts of both phragmites and purple loosestrife are visible throughout the property.
“It’s a constant battle all across the state with all sorts of different invasive plants that our wildlife management team is constantly battling,” Schott said.
She explained that the ODNR wildlife team will have to continue to manage the project in a way that balances their resources with benefiting wildlife as best as they can. The Division of Wildlife will also be able to use the new pump system to manipulate water levels for vegetation control, in addition to more traditional aerial treatments.
Another significant change is that the ODNR decided to remove the boat ramp and gate the main road leading back to the prior ramp area to better protect people and wildlife. Schott shared that their staff never wants to restrict access, but it was necessary in this case.
“There was just so much illegal activity going on that our officers and wildlife management people just couldn’t keep up with that,” she said. “So, this is a solution to hopefully curb some of that.”
She explained that people are still welcome to walk, fish, hunt and explore, and kayaking is also allowed, though she recommends that kayakers use a cart to walk the road and get further into the area.
The Little Portage Project is among over 100 completed H2Ohio water quality projects. Approximately 80 additional projects are underway, and Schott shared how busy her team is.
“Every single person in our wildlife staff in northwest Ohio is working on or is a part of an H2Ohio project in some capacity,” she added.
Visitors interested in exploring the new restoration can park in one of two gravel lots on each side of the wildlife area and walk the updated roads which lead to views of the Little Portage River on the west and the Portage River on the north.
Guests will experience a diverse ecosystem with trees, river marsh and dense flora.
Bloom of a cardinal-flower
Cardinal-flower for sale at upcoming plant sale at Blue Creek Metropark
BERKEY – The cardinal-flower isn’t a common wildflower, but, where it blooms it’s impossible to miss. Its time is now, from late summer into early fall. The spikes of deep red flowers stand on stalks up to four feet tall, typically in wet woods, along streams and other places where it can keep its feet wet.
It’s an ideal plant for attracting hummingbirds, which enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship with this deep-tubed wildflower. Ruby-throated hummingbirds are attracted to the red flowers and enjoy a fine nectar meal. In doing so the forehead of the hummingbird brushes against the male part of the flower, depositing pollen on the bird’s head. The hummingbird pollinates the plant when it visits other cardinal-flowers.
This attractive member of the bellflower family is an ideal plant to incorporate in rain gardens. Look for it at the upcoming wildflower plant sale at Blue Creek Metropark in Whitehouse, Ohio on Sept. 14-15. It’s an ideal opportunity get acquainted with other wildflowers for your home garden, as well.