Cooler nights recently are a slight hint to us that the fall season is just around the corner. You can be looking for the color changes in the leaves, as well. It’s also the time of the year where can pick a peck of apples or sample some fresh cider from any one of northwest Ohio’s orchards!
There’s also another inclination some of us may be leaning towards shortly, namely the collection of milkweed pods! From the time it was first kicked off in a seven-county pilot area in 2015, more than 5000 gallons of common milkweed seed pods have been collected. With the assistance of the Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative (OPHI) and many other partners, including 48 of the 88 Soil and Water Conservation Districts, we will once again be collecting milkweed pods this fall. (See attached brochure)
Since December of 2023, OPHI has donated enough milkweed seed to cover the equivalent of 55.8 acres of habitat that could support the Monarch. This effort plays a very important role in the establishment and management of the habitat so vitally crucial to the sustenance of our Monarch butterflies.
To perpetuate this commendable effort, the milkweed pod collection program will be conducted again this fall, beginning on October 1 through the 31st. Erie County landowners who would like to participate can bring their DRY (see attached pictures) milkweed pods in a brown paper sack to the Erie SWCD office, 2900 Columbus Ave., Sandusky.
If you have any questions, you may contact the Erie SWCD office at (419) 626-5211. Remember, please do not start your collection until October 1st, in order to allow us to facilitate proper storage and mold prevention of the pods collected! And keep in mind, you need not harvest every milkweed pod; in fact, it’s best if you leave some remaining for nature to reseed next year! Your visiting Monarchs will appreciate it!
