Big Niangua River Trail Maiden Voyage

"Take nothing but photos, 

Leave nothing but paddle wakes, 

Kill nothing but time."

August 26, 2014 was the first time Missouri Master Naturalists set out together to mark the points of interest established for the proposed Big Niangua River Trail.  Niangua translates to "Big Winding Stream of Many Springs" by the Indigenous Osage People.  This project is jointly sponsored by Lake of the Ozarks Watershed Alliance (LOWA), the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Division of State Parks, the Lake of the Ozarks Chapter of the Missouri Master Naturalist Program, and Ameren Missouri.

Although this trail starts at Ha Ha Tonka State Park and goes up river instead of down river, either end can be a put-in site.  The total distance is 11.5 miles from the Kayak Steps at Ha Ha Tonka to the Whistle Bridge.  It is partly a flat water trail and the boundary between Lake of the Ozarks and Big Niangua River will be one of the 20 points of interest that will be posted with a sign because harvest regulations differ above and below this point from the standpoint of fishing.  Currently, the final draft of the brochure, the information sign boards, and the actual points of interest signs on each site are in the final stages and likely will be ready and in place for the public late 2014 or early in 2015.  This Maiden Voyage by the Missouri Master Naturalists was to visually determine the best locations for the signs at the interest points and mark them with a bright pink plastic tie until the metal signs are completed.  Also, permission letters to place the signs are being mailed to property owners.  Many photos and notes were also obtained before the final drafts are made.  It was a productive and fun seven hours on a beautiful, hot summer day for the 14 kayakers!

Here is some of the information we have so far which shows the points of interest in bold type followed by a music photo album I made for fun for our Maiden Voyage:

The Whistle Bridge is a low water crossing and is considered an access point but there is no public parking.  For this trip, we skipped this point and put-in at the west side of Mother Nature's Campground 2 miles from the Whistle Bridge going north which is down river.  There are two good fishing holes, Nettle Hole and Flat Rock Hole before the second access point of Mother Nature's Campground on the east side of the peninsula; all owned by the campground.

The first stop we made and got out was at Tunnel Cave.  This cave is a natural cave system connecting one part of a loop in the Niangua to a second part of the loop almost seven miles down river.  When the cave was flooded to generate electricity with Tunnel Dam, too many side passages provided too many leaks and a new tunnel for generating electricity had to be drilled.

Tunnel Dam and Gauge House was constructed in 1929 and is located about 6.5 miles downstream from Tunnel Dam.  Water from the lake arrives at the powerhouse through an 800 foot-long tunnel constructed through the ridge.  There's a 40' drop in elevation from the lake surface to the powerhouse which contains two hypo-turbines capable of producing three megawatts.  The old gauge tower, located .3 miles downstream from the powerhouse was decommissioned in 1969.

There is an outcrop of large dolomite boulders extending out from the left bank of the river providing a significant eddy downstream and is a good place to catch bass and the occasional walleye.  It is known as Susie Rocks.  The story behind the name remains a mystery.

In the 1800s-1900s, settlers cut lumber for railroad ties.  The Tie Bank and Wetland Area is where rafts of ties were launched into the river on their way to market.  Up to 50,000 ties were stacked at one time and sent down the river as rafts up to 2500 ties.  The cutters were often paid in scrips or IOU bills for the stores owned by the tie buyers.

For a little excitement, the left-hand channel at this split in the river provides a short, narrow, fast-flowing, and somewhat tricky chute.  It is known as the Gauntlet.  There is only room for one water craft at a time so be sure to listen for jet boats before entering.

A good time for a break would be Casa de Loco Winery.  It has a very interesting history you can ask the staff about whether you take-out and hike up the hill or drive here off Highway 54.  Kayaks and canoes are available to rent as well as shuttle service.  For more information see their website:  casadelocowinery.com 

Rodgers Ford was designated as a "populated place" in the 1800s with a scattering of buildings and permanent population.  It later was designated as part of the area, Hahatonka quadrant, and was abandoned.  Slough Area is a smaller, alternate channel for the river to follow often formed during flood times as the river cuts new paths.  On the Niangua, sloughs generally are found in areas of islands and are often narrow and provide good fishing.  Next is the Boundary LOZ and BRN which is the accepted boundary between Lake of the Ozarks and the Big Niangua River.  

Rooffener Tie Slide is a bluff where the remains of a chute where logs were cut and slid down the hill to the river.  The forests were heavily cut in the late 19th century for railroad ties.  Woodlands Park Landscape is part of Ha Ha Tonka State Park.  It has three primary natural communities that work together to form a harmonious mosaic that stretches for over 3700 acres.  These three communities: dry chert woodland, dolomite glade, and upland flat woods represent some of the best remaining examples of these environments in Missouri.

Wetland Area is a good observation point for water birds including herons, osprey, ducks, and geese.  Aquatic life includes turtles, carp, gar, and gar.  The vegetation includes rose mallow, lizard tails, Paw Paws, and an assortment of sedges and rushes.  Wetlands are the beginning of the food chain with invertebrates which clean the water and are food for fish and other water species.

Onyx Cave entrance is right on the river and is easily accessed by boaters who can float about 70' into the cave.  Onyx mining in Missouri caves was tried as an industry in the late 20th century and there is some interesting history here…not so much onyx though.

Another outdoor venue is Sugar Loaf Winery with good access from the river and also by vehicle off Highway 54.  Good food and wine are available as well as kayak rentals and shuttle services.  It is just upstream from the Ha Ha Tonka State Park and would be a great destination in itself if parked at Ha Ha Tonka and putting in at the Kayak Steps and return.  For more information about what the winery has to offer see their website:  sugarloafwinery.com

At Spencer Creek and Bank Branch Creek, two spring fed creeks combine with Ha Ha Tonka spring which add depth and clarity to the water.  Larger boats have difficulty navigating because of the shallow water and submerged logs.  Between 1830 and 1835, a gang of counterfeiters operated in this area using the steep terrain and local caves to hide their operations.  Bank Branch was named because this is where they deposited their counterfeit money aboard barges for the trip East.

Bobi Kitty's First Year Adventures

Like Alice and the Cheshire cat from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, adventures in your own backyard can lead to big changes in life.  A stray young American Bobtail cat came into our yard just as summer began in 2013.  He was immediately challenged by the next door neighbor's Hemingway cat named Tuffy.

We didn't mind having Tuffy come around our yard although he was not all that friendly as he scratched us when we tried to pet him and menaced my bird feeders and bird houses much to my irritation.  So I tried to get the new cat to go back to wherever he came from so as to potentially not increase the problem.  I tried yelling at him with a broom in hand gently pushing him away.  He would not leave and knew I would not hurt him.  After about a week of this persuasion, I began admiring his persistence and left out food and made a bed basket for him in the dry carport.  Soon he let me pet him. I say "him" but at that time he was too young to identify either way.  I gave him the neutral name "Bobi" and later "Bobi Kitty" as he showed up while I was tending my gardens.  I repeatedly told him, "You can be my Garden Kitty but you are not coming inside!"  So we got used to each other.

We didn't need to trap him like so many wild critters that came into our gardens which we then relocated to "lakefront property." Bobi Kitty didn't bother the birds but loved to sit with me and watch them.  He must have felt comfortable enough in our yard and carport to decide to call this place his home.  He was definitely a "people kitty" as he would like to be around us and watch what we were doing and he seemed to like us by letting us pet him.  Of course, feeding him everyday and treating him with kindness helped.  Also, he was very young and not set in his wild ways yet.

Then it got cold.  Bobi was definitely a male cat by the first freezing nights in mid-October.  He defended his new home from Tuffy and there were some cat fights.  Bobi held his own but Tuffy had always been much bigger and had 6 claws on each foot tipping the scales in his favor.  Bobi learned to fight but not after some deep scratches to his face and head.  From the amount of orange fur remaining in our yard, Tuffy got his share too.  Finally, I said enough was enough and decided that if Bobi wanted to come inside and be more of a family cat, he would have to be neutered.  I began to leave the door open a little longer each time I went inside to see if he would follow.  He finally chose to come inside a little bit farther each time with me letting him outside whenever he wanted.  Then he let me clean his scratches and brush him regularly.  Getting him in a carrier inside my car for a trip to the vet was a wild time!  He made some howling sounds that made the hairs on my neck stand up!  So after that procedure on November 25th, Bobi started to settle down some.  Bobi also got all his recommended vaccinations.

The vet aged him at 6 months giving him a birthday of April 15, 2013 which means he must have been 6-8 weeks old when we first met near the end of June.  Bobi still went outside during the day and came inside most nights and whenever he was hungry or was lonely.  When we were home, he was usually around.  It was a nice Christmas with Bobi here as we had no family around that year.  He got lots of presents and attention.  He found several comfortable places including the basement when he wanted to be alone, sitting by me on my hassock, looking out the window at birds, or sleeping in a basket near our bed.  Bobi Kitty was truly a part of our family now.

For our 40th Wedding Anniversary in May 2014, Keith and I went to Hot Springs, Arkansas for a week.  We left Bobi outside with a neighbor boy across the street coming over twice a day to feed Bobi and check if he is okay.  Everything went well and he said Bobi never missed a meal and he saw him regularly.  Bobi truly wanted to call this house his home even when we were gone.

A couple weeks after we got home, Bobi didn't come home.  I kept looking for him and calling him every evening and morning for his meals and watching for him in the yard during the day.  No Bobi Kitty...I was sad to think something happened to him or he decided to live somewhere else.  After 5 sad days, I almost gave up.  Then, there he was!  He was hopping on 3 legs across the front brick patio all skinny and scruffy with a wound in his side!

Bobi came inside and ate two bowls of food and a whole bowl of water before going to sleep on his blanket in the living room.  I let him rest as I was on my way out the door to run a 5K race nearby below the dam.  Keith was here to watch Bobi.  When I got home a couple hours later, it was decided that we should take Bobi to the vet to see how bad he was as he put no weight on his back leg.  The vet X-rayed and it showed Bobi was shot!  The bullet entered his gut but miraculously didn't do any internal damage there.  The bullet splintered his femur (thigh) and shattered his knee.  We saw in the X-ray that there were dozens of bone fragments and bullet pieces.  The vet said that cats do better than dogs with such an injury as their bones will heal faster but the leg would not be normal and the pieces of bone and bullet could not be removed but would have to work their way out or stay in which could cause future problems.  The other option would be to completely remove the leg and healing would be faster and likely no future pain unless arthritis sets in the good leg for excess use by old age.  The vet suggested we leave Bobi overnight to see if setting the leg in a splint is tolerated; if not, then removing the leg would be best.  We went home and the next day, the vet said Bobi had a rough night fighting the splint but there was no infection so removing the leg at this time would be best unless we wanted to take him home and see if Bobi learned to tolerate the splint.  Even if Bobi did get use to the splint for 6 weeks, the likelihood that the bones/bullet pieces would likely cause more future problems and probably pain, we decided to leave him at the vet for the leg amputation.  We love Bobi and decided he was a commitment we wanted to make.  After another day, Bobi came home and got a new bed that I kept close to me.  He used a litter box.  He got better very fast!

After 10 days, the vet took out the stitches and Bobi was barely tolerating the harness and leash.  I followed him around the yard as he re-learned to balance as he used a scratching log, did his business in the mulch, drank water from the fountain, and walked up and down the steps around our terraced gardens.  It wasn't long before he was seen showing off how he can still run and even climb 4' up the trees!

Three months later now, Bobi has found new safe places in the yard and so far has not got any new scratches from Tuffy.  Keith and I make a stronger effort to chase Tuffy away whenever we see him as he still seems to be a bully and backs Bobi into tight spots although Bobi still shows aggression enough to hold his own.  I don't really think they are friends but Tuffy is much older and Bobi hasn't forgotten what he learned; Bobi may be the tougher cat now as Tuffy backs off and goes home.  No new scratches so far!

Bobi Kitty loves and appreciates his home more than ever and is a happy cat.  He even comes when I call him each evening and he stays inside at night as we are more protective and want to be available as he needs us.  After reading about the American Bobtail breed, I believe we have one of the best pets ever.  After our first year with Bobi Kitty, I'm not sure if we own Bobi Kitty or he owns us.  Either way, the first year has been a real adventure for all!

I just learned how to make a musical album and I chose to use Bobi's First Year photos.  Check it out:

I Am A Missouri Master Naturalist

 The trail I took to become a Missouri Master Naturalist began long ago.  My childhood influences were growing up in Northern Virginia and regularly visiting national museums just a few miles from my home.  I learned to appreciate our country's treasures because the displays taught about their history and how they are presently valued in our lives and how some can disappear because of the forces of nature.  I developed an early love of our natural world.  This was enforced most summers when our family left the city suburbs and stayed with relatives on an Ohio farm.  It was hard to leave at the end of the summer and go back to the city where natural things were highly controlled and contained for the benefit of humans.  I felt boxed-in and unable to breathe freely.  I found an opportunity to get out and moved to Iowa when I was 17.

In Iowa I could see and feel the cooperation humans had with nature and it was a good life.  Humans respected the weather and worked with nature to prosper and nature gave them humility.  I finished high school in Iowa and then took a correspondence course in Conservation for two years.  I saw values change in the eight years I lived in Iowa.  High production became out of balance with the well-being of the land and animals.  I married a man who grew up here and we both decided to find a better place to live and prosper that had a better balance with nature.  We moved to Missouri in 1978.

In Missouri, we prospered!  We bought 50 acres and lived off the land as "hobby farmers" for the next seven years.  Life was good for the most part as we grew with good jobs, two children, and outdoor activities.  We choose to live here and the rest is our history.  It is all about balance with nature.  Now it is time to give back in my retirement.  I started by taking the Missouri Master Naturalist Course in Camdenton which is about 30 minutes from my home in Hermitage.  It is put on through the University of Missouri Extension Service of Columbia and the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) of Jefferson City; both have offices in Camdenton.

The classes began in February and were 3 hours each Monday evening.We had two speakers who were usually from the MDC or Extension Service and were the state's experts in their field.  There were 14 indoor classes (42 hours) and three outdoor field trips on Saturdays for a total of 51 hours but a missed class or two was okay; 45 hours was the credit.  After classes, the "Intern" must perform 40 hours of volunteer activity and eight additional hours of Advanced Training to become a Certified Missouri Master Naturalist and receive a Dragonfly Pin.  If twice the requirements are met in one year, then the next pin is awarded in a ceremony.  That pin would be a Bear and I'm ALMOST THERE!!!!

This is the Class of 2014.  I am on the left side at the corner of the wall mural.  Each student was given a large black file folder container like the one in the front row.  It was filled with all the MDC materials given or sold to the public.

Every class was also a dinner and our class was the best ever at bringing good stuff!  That's me front right.  All meetings were at the MDC office with stuffed critters all around watching us eat!

First field session was on Karst Landforms at Ha Ha Tonka State Park.  This is the Coliseum Area.

Natural Bridge

Natural Spring at end of trail

Another field session Exploring Our Natural World

This field session was about Pond Life...

…and Stream Life.  I found some interesting fish eggs under a rock.  Turned out to be Banded Sculpin.

Here's a list of the other subjects taught in our class:  Orientation, Basic Ecological Concepts, Invasive Species, Caves and Cave Life, Geology and Hydrology of the Local Area, The Role of Hunting/Fishing/Law Enforcement in Natural Resource Management, Reptiles and Amphibians, Fisheries Management Lake of the Ozarks, Bagnell Dam Ameren Operations, Missouri Natural Areas, Urban Conservation and Wildlife, Aquatic Ecosystems, Groundwater, Prairies, Agriculture and Conservation, Birds, Woodlands and Glades, Forest Ecology, Insects, Native Plants for Landscaping and Backyard Wildlife, Rain Gardens and Watershed Protection, Missouri Mammals, Local History and Lore, 7 Habits of Highly Effective Volunteers, Nuts and Bolts of Being a Master Naturalist.

Graduation!  I'm on the first row, right.

Summer Social was at Sugar Loaf Winery which is close to my home.  Keith joined me and got to meet everyone for the first time as a group.

Many activities are available to get credit for Advanced Training and are lots of fun too like this Night Hike along Spring Trail At Ha Ha Tonka.  We walked a couple miles in the dark without flashlights to the spring and back and identified ALL the sights and sounds.

My 1st time on a Paddle Board

Of course, it is all about balance so I did some Yoga!

No, I was not going to do a headstand!  A downward dog was just fine.

Once a month from May to September, there is a Kayak Meet on Lake of the Ozarks at Ha Ha Tonka State Park.  It is put on by the Lake of the Ozarks Watershed Alliance (LOWA) to promote non-motorized watercraft for cleaner water.  I volunteer helping sign in the public, demonstrate techniques, and also take time to play!  I also got 38 hours credited for organizing LOWA's electronic files and developing spreadsheets as they had 300 clients over the past four years that they helped with Low-Impact Landscaping and provided matching grants to improve shorelines.  This group works very closely with Missouri Master Naturalists.

Another Advanced Training activity was a tour of the nearby Bennett Springs  Fish Hatchery.

Every graduating class has a Capstone Project to make sure everyone has plenty of opportunities to get their volunteer hours done.  The project was building bat houses, bluebird houses, owl boxes, and butterfly houses.  A member who has been with the group longer opened his home for several weekends to mentor new members and teach them how to do this work.  I spent one Saturday building a bat box and stenciling.

My first eight hours of Advanced Training was done online at home.  I learned 22 different frog calls and took an extensive North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (NAAMP) quiz online to prepare for an assigned Frog Survey.  It includes a Public Quiz and a Frog Call Lookup for anyone interested.  My part of the quiz was more extensive and I had to register as surveyors are encouraged to make the quiz part of their pre-season practice each year to refresh.  My territory is nearby Stockton Lake.  I had ten specific stop locations and lots of paperwork to fill out about what I heard at these stops.  It was all done after dark.  I did the survey once this year as I got in on it the last of three surveys done each year in the spring.  I am looking forward to it again next spring!

I was part of the first of our class to qualify for Certification which was awarded at the August 14, 2014 monthly Chapter Meeting.  I got the certificate and the Dragonfly pin.  I already have my next 40 hours of volunteering completed and need 4 more hours of Advanced Training to get a Bear pin recognition.   Hopefully, I will have that completed this fall.  So far, all of the volunteer hours and Advanced Training has been FUN!  I am having the best time of my life which includes being around like-minded people! 

Wild Berry Cobbler

Summer Berry Time!
This recipe works well for wild berries such as gooseberries, black raspberries, dewberries, blueberries, and blackberries.   The sugar amount can be doubled if you like less tartness.

Gooseberry Cobbler with Ice Cream

Ingredients for Gooseberry Cobbler

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Filling:
4 cups gooseberries (or fill any deep dish with cleaned berries to 1" from top)
¾ cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs

Put all ingredients (except berries) in blender and blend thoroughly.  Pour over berries in deep dish and stir to cover all.

Topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½" cubes
⅔ cup low-fat buttermilk

In large bowl, combine flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt.  Blend in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add buttermilk; stirring until a dough forms.  Drop dough onto berries in about ⅓ cup mounds.  Depending on the size of your deep dish, you can leave as mounds or spread out leaving gap at edges.  This recipe also works well for individual servings in oven-proof cups such as ramekin dishes.  Sprinkle dough with remaining sugar.  Bake until fruit is bubbling and biscuit topping is golden brown; about 35 to 45 minutes.  Let cool 15 minutes; serve warm.

Finished Berry Cobbler

Celebrate Summer Garden Tour 2014

What better way to celebrate the first day of summer than to spend the day on a Garden Tour?  A full day of fun and education put on by The Master Gardeners of the Ozarks from Taney and Stone Counties in SW Missouri.  This is the same Branson Area Chapter that hosted the Five Oaks Farm Tour at Forsyth last year that I blogged about.  You can find it using the "Search" tool on the right.

This year was a "go on your own" tour that covered three stops beginning in Kimberling City, then a private garden in Blue Eye, lunch and tour at Persimmon Hill Berry Farm, College of the Ozarks, and we ended at Big Cedar Lodge.  Keith and I were looking forward to this day and got up early for the 2-hour drive from Hermitage.

Registration was at the Senior Center in Kimberling City where we got our packet and map.  We had registered and paid $22 each online previously so we were ready to go after some early morning refreshments at 8:00 am.  We walked around the building and saw the Master Gardener approved gardens that the chapter designed and maintained.  There were 23 perennials/shrubs/trees and eight annuals around the Senior Center.  Lovely.

The next stop on our tour was a short distance to the Library where there was a KAL Children's Garden.  The Mission of the KAL Garden is to provide a garden environment in which plant based and reading activities generate interest and appreciation of reading and horticulture that lead to a lifelong pursuit of these beneficial activities.  The plant list is extensive.  There are eight trees/shrubs, 23 flowers in the ABC Garden, and 28 other annuals and perennials.  Volunteers for the library installed irrigation and the garden is currently funded with grants from the Master Gardeners of the Ozarks and the Kimberling City Area Library Association.

KAL Children's Garden at The Library in Kimberling City

The last stop in Kimberling City was at the Kimberling City Center - a shopping mall with about two dozen businesses.  One was the Table Rock Art Gallery www.tablerockartguild.com where there was an Art Walk on this day.  Keith found a couple pieces he liked.  This day was also the dedication and demonstration of a new Storm Water Management Project.  The previously paved parking lot was redesigned.  This 3-acre lot will now capture an estimated 8 pounds of nitrogen, 1.5 pounds of phosphorus, 4 pounds of metals (iron, copper, lead) and 125 pounds of soil and minerals per year off cars and trucks.

While the nutrients, nitrogen, and phosphorus do not sound like a lot of pollution, keep in mind that it only takes one pound of phosphorus to enable the growth of 700 pounds of algae in the water!  Metals such as lead can also concentrate in fish which is a bad thing for people that like to eat what they catch. Table Rock Lake is within view of this shopping center and is known as one of the best for bass fishing.

Storm Water Management Project - parking lot area of the Kimberling Center

Crossing the bridge over Table Rock Lake, we drive to Blue Eye.  Linda Redford currently has what many people sat is the most beautiful garden in the area.  Her house is more than a century old and she promised her family she would not sell.  She has restored the house and revived the gardens she grew up with.  Her father was also a fishing guide in the area and Linda is a member of Women's Professional Bass Tours and travels for tournaments all over the country.  Gardening and fishing is her life!

Linda Redford's Garden in Blue Eye

Linda Redford and her 100+  year old house

Time now for lunch!  Persimmon Hill Farm is a real berry, fruit, and mushroom farm that began several decades ago.  The current owners started in 1982 turning two acres into blueberry fields with hives of honeybees for pollination.  They added fields of blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries, plums and more.  Their goal was to provide top quality berries and an enjoyable family experience where Branson Area tourists could pick their own fruit.  The addition of log-grown shiitake mushrooms began a new gourmet product line.  Other products developed and available for sale include barbecue sauces, jams/jellies, mushroom sauces, with a total of 30 gourmet food products.  They ship gourmet food items and baskets all over the world.  www.persimmonhill.com

Here we met up with Beth and Frank from our Hickory County Master Gardener Chapter.  Lunch was not what we expected.  The Thunder Muffin was good though.  The company was the best part.  When we took the tour, this farm was not at its best.  They had experienced a recent hail storm that tore up plants, the mushrooms were not growing at this time, and it was getting too hot to walk around much.  So time to move on…

Persimmon Hill Berry Farm - sorting blueberries

Big Cedar Lodge is proud of their environmental efforts that enhance the natural beauty that surrounds the area.  Their motto is "Take care of the soil, don't worry about the plants."  To create and nurture rich soil in which they grow their gardens, they compost with their vast supply of horse manure, any plant/grass clippings, and a plentiful supply of vegetable and fruit waste from the kitchens.  They also fertilize with organic fertilizer in the spring and fall.   They provided a small booklet of Gardening Tips from Big Cedar along with descriptions/photos of many of their plants in the landscape.  www.bigcedar.com

"Your sacred plants, if here below,

Only among the plants will grow.

Society is all but rude,

To this delicious solitude."  

~ Andrew Marvell

"Remember, we all live downstream."

A fine view of the Table Rock Lake!

Oak Leaf Hydrangea is my new favorite flowering shrub!  I just planted one at my home this spring.

Another fine view of Table Rock Lake

Wonderful rock work and landscaping!

College of the Ozarks is a college where no tuition is charged because all students work on campus; debt is openly discouraged.  This "Hard Work U" has long been supported by the Master Gardeners of the Ozarks with a portion of the proceeds from this tour to be awarded as a full scholarship to a College of the Ozarks student whose study is plant-based.  A CD is provided for a walking/driving tour of the campus.  The annual flower beds, greenhouses, and 32 fruit/vegetable plots are of most interest.  There is also a working mill.  These gardens supply produce for the on site Farmer's Market that began in 2013, Dobson Dining Room in the Keeter Center, and for the Pearl Rogers Student Dining Room.  There is also a dairy that produces and sells unpasteurized milk.  Other products include meats, bedding plants, hanging baskets, Edward's Mill products, Fruitcake and Jelly Kitchen items, stained glass, and goodies for the student's Keeter Center.  Most of the campus is self-sustaining which includes producing their own water, sewer treatment plant, steam heat, water cooling systems and more.  www.cofo.edu

Master Gardeners greeters provide cold water and answer any questions between the mill and greenhouses/gardens.  There was also a large dairy area but we decided not to visit today.

Greenhouses

Hydroponically grown vegetables

Water-Cooling System

Orchid Greenhouse

More lovely orchids!

Students working in the mill - weavers.

Working machinery of the mill.

All about this mill...

Map of all the mills in Missouri

Part of the working mill process.

Mill products include several types of flour and cornmeal.

In the basement of the mill, the wheels are turning!  There's also a lot of old fashioned farm tools and machinery on display.  

The upper floor is all about weaving and basket making.

Up close view of weave...

…love this pattern!

Front of mill with greenhouses to the right behind.

Side of the mill…there's a small lake to the rear.

Student guide tells all about vegetable production.

Keith had a long visit with this official with the college.   It was a good day and a good Celebration of Summer!