Pam Perry talked with John Latimer this week about all the birds she's been seeing and feeding.  She minds us to get out there and as the student phenologists tell us "be observant!"  

Join our Season Watch Page on FB and post your photos or send John Latimer an email!

This morning we took a tour of northern MN in celebration of National Travel and Tourism Week.  Tourism is a $15 billion dollar industry in MN and generates more than 265,000 jobs - making up for 11% of private sector employment.  Today we visited with the fine folks that work in the tourism industry in northern MN. 

Megan Christenson from Visit Grand Rapids

Tim Johnson from Edge of the Wilderness Lodging Association

Program 68:  Post War Growth and Modernization; Uncertainty in the Paper Industry

A radio series produced by historian Don Boese.   Don is the author of eight books dealing with local history in Itasca County, including "John C. Greenway and the Opening of the Western Mesabi", and the main source for this series,  "Papermakers: the Blandin Paper Company and Grand Rapids, Minnesota".

This week Marshall gives us some of the stories from The Timberjay newspaper including Wild Rice Sulfate standards in the MN Legislature, the Orr Center, Ely's city silver maple tree tapping and the strong start at the Pike River Hatchery. 

In the first in our Strong Women series – where we listen to the stories of the lives of women in northern MN. Today we talk to Susie Loeffler of Grand Rapids.

Do you know a strong woman we should talk to?  Do you have a comment you'd like to share?  Send it along to comments@kaxe.org

We visit with Allyse Freeman, Curator of the Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm to learn about their new exhibit - Underground, Hostory Beneath Your Feet.  Did dinosaurs once roam Northern Minnesota?

The Cuyuna Rock, Gem & Mineral Society will host the 16th annual Agate and Mineral Show this Saturday and Sunday (May 5-6) at the Crow Wing County Fairgrounds in Brainerd.  In this segment of Area Voices, club president, Ed Opatz and longtime club member Sharon Smith discuss the beginnings of their agate addiction,  the agates readily found in Minnesota and share details about this weekend's event. 

"From my perspective there are no bad sugarbush seasons," says David Manuel. "We always get something...or I should say we are given the gift of the sap to make into sugar, candy and syrup. To talk a little bit more in relevant and contemporary terms, it wasn't the best year, but it wasn't the worst - at least for me."

Every Tuesday we hear from students and listeners as they send in weekly Phenology observations.  In this  Phenology Talkbacks segment, we hear a wide array student reports as well as comments from avid listeners and nature watchers across the KAXE/KBXE listening area

We care deeply about the natural world around us here at KAXE-KBXE.  Each week our resident phenologist John Latimer's Phenology Report provides a comprehensive look at what's  happening in nature here in northern Minnesota.  Lots of activity this week!  It's spring!  Yahoo!

What are you noticing?  Send us a note via email or leave a voicemail at 218.999.9876.  We'd love to hear about it.