(From The Hancock County Naturalists)

The Hancock County Naturalists will host a hands-on winter sowing workshop led by members Amy Downing and Jennifer Mates at the group’s next meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, at Oakwoods Nature Preserve, 1400 Oakwood Ave. Participants will learn a simple, effective, and budget-friendly method for sowing native plant seeds outdoors during the winter months.

Downing grew up in rural Hancock County near the river and surrounding native fields, where she developed an early love of nature, wildlife, and open spaces. As an adult, her gardening experience initially focused on lawns and small planting beds, but her approach shifted after she began incorporating native gardens and observed increased diversity among the birds and pollinators they attracted. Over the past 20 years, she has focused on rebuilding a balanced ecosystem in her yard to support birds, butterflies, bees, and other wildlife.

Winter sowing became a natural extension of that effort, providing an economical way to expand her native plantings while staying engaged with gardening during the winter. Downing enjoys sharing this technique with others and encouraging residents to cultivate habitat in their own backyards.

Jennifer Mates has spent her life deeply connected to the natural world. She enlisted in the Civilian Conservation Corps at age 18 and worked alongside the Shawnee State Park Naturalist, developing a passion for hunting, hiking, and nature photography. Her gardening journey began in 1994 as a source of mental therapy and expanded in 2011 when the discovery of a cedar waxwing sparked a deeper interest in birds and biodiversity. Mentors within the Hancock County Naturalists helped guide her growing fascination with native species and ecological balance. After relocating in 2017, Mates transformed her new backyard into a thriving native meadow that supports birds and wildlife. Winter sowing has become one of her favorite practices, offering an economical way to increase plant diversity while sharing knowledge, cultivating peace, and contributing to the health of her small corner of the earth.

At the upcoming meeting, Downing and Mates will demonstrate the winter sowing process and guide attendees in preparing and planting seeds in a take-home container that can be set outdoors for natural germination.

The meeting is open to the public for those age 15 and older, but reservations are required for a Winter Sowing Kit (only 20 available). Those interested in a kit can reserve one at hancockcountynaturalists.org and click the “Reserve Winter Sowing Kit” button.