Elk Rapids Almanac - November 2023

November is The Beaver Moon month, highlighting the actions of animals preparing for winter, beavers in particular, when they begin to take shelter in their lodges, having laid up sufficient food stores for the long winter ahead. During the fur trade in North America, it was also the season to trap beavers for their thick, winter-ready pelts. Other names include Digging (or Scratching) Moon, a Tlingit name, evoking the image of animals foraging for fallen nuts and shoots of green foliage and bears digging their winter dens. The Dakota and Lakota term Deer Rutting Moon refers to the time when deer seek mates, and the Algonquin Whitefish Moon describes the spawning time for this fish. This Moon has also been called the Frost Moon by the Cree and Assiniboine peoples and the Freezing Moon by the Anishinaabe, as winter is right around the corner! _The Old Farmer’s Almanac, November 2023

November 14

The term riparian refers to the land along the edges of rivers, streams, and lakes.  Elk Rapids had a River Corridor Assessment done by Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council in 2022. The recommendation was that a 50 ft. border of native plants and trees is essential for river health. The benefits of having a wide riparian area are numerous.  During high water times, the plants and trees can slow and dissipate floodwaters.  Damage to fish spawning areas and aquatic insect habitats is prevented and pollutants are filtered out before water returns to the river or stream.  If you own land along a river, lake, or stream, consider the benefits of eliminating non-native species and allowing native plants and trees to flourish.  This is critical for maintaining water quality and providing habitat for aquatic insects and animals. _Elise Roe.

November 24​

I went to Grass River with my parents and grandparents for a hike, the day after Thanksgiving. There was a little river with ice in it, and lots of places to climb up steps for a better view of the water and trees. The most beautiful thing was the green fluffy moss around the trees. This is my favorite place in Michigan! _Marlowe Ewing, first grader.

November 30

The Black Walnut, Juglans nigra, is a Michigan native species tree, found throughout Elk Rapids and region, their nuts covering lots of ground this time of year.  The roots of this species contain juglone, a toxic substance released when the roots of other plant species meet walnut roots. Gardeners challenge! Black walnuts have a distinctively different flavor from the English walnut, Juglans regia, meats found in grocery stores. The native black walnut can be used in the same culinary ways as the English walnut, but with superior results. _Details on how to harvest at: https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-harvest-black-walnuts-1388363

Winter predictions-NOAA says the winter forecast depends upon on two weather situations. First, an El Niño is occurring now, a climate pattern created by an unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, also affecting trade winds and atmosphere, and it will likely be strong this winter. But NOAA also has factored in the long-term weather trend of warmer global temperatures, specifically mentioning that it’s not just the equatorial Pacific waters that are warmer than normal. Nearly all the northern Pacific Ocean and northern Atlantic Ocean are warmer than normal. Warmer-than-normal water tends to make warmer-than-normal air.
For Michigan, NOAA has two distinct weather calls for this winter: warmer-than-normal temperatures and drier-than-normal conditions. __National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: https://www.noaa.gov>weather ​