Justin Trails

Plan a get away to the Gorgeous Driftless Region of Southwest Wisconsin.

The flowers are blooming, breezes are gentle and the sun is warm for a great spring time outing to beautiful Justin Trails Resort.

Saturday, May 8 hunt mushrooms with Cindy from 10-12. Mushroom & wild rice dinner $15/person.

May 8-9 Handy person special. Help cut box elder trees or drag branches to chipper. 2 people work 4 hours in exchange for a night in your choice of available lodging for $50. The night stay may be this weekend or another time. Lunch and dinner provided for volunteers.

May 14-16 Westby’s Norwegian folk festival Syttende Mai includes a Heritage tent with Norwegian food, music and costumes, bike tour of 30, 60 or 100K, run/walk, book signing by Jerry Apps and Glen Jensen, concert with Eric Nofsinger, kiddie parade and more.

Trout season opened on Saturday in the Driftless Region’s world class trout streams. For more information www.driftlessanger.com or contact Mat Wagner at the Driftless Angler in Viroqua at 608-637-8779. The cold water first class trout streams make this a fisher person’s paradise…along with a stay Justin Trails Resort.

The famous Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail is open with Gina’s Pies in Wilton sold to Pettra’s Country Thyme Café. 608-435-6541.

Deb Moore, owner of Ginny’s Cupboard, has opened a cute shop Maiden Wisconsin across Water Street with all products made in Wisconsin.

RedRock Trail Rides is open. Dawn, our daughter, Don and I went for a great ride two weeks ago on Trail # 5. Kathie has a well-cared for stable of riding horses and beautiful land to get a world away from work.

The Amish greenhouses are bursting with beautiful, healthy plants at most reasonable prices.

Thank you to Marty Evanson, Craig and Laurie Bartholomew for identifying 44 species of birds on April 30 in 2 1/2 hours. See the list at www.justintrails.com/blog/

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you Charles and Cindy Ramseyer for leading Amanda and Chris Knowles, Amber & Matt Brantner, Tony Pillow, Valerie Reeb, Eric, Vanessa and John Glindinning, Jeff Justin, Mary Kuppe, Cheryl, Tim & Scott Schoeler, Maria and Danica, Will Vigil, , Doug & Steve Elsen, Gary & Conrad Olson, John & Alysia Ryan, Andreas Pessl-Bauer, Matt Scott, Jeremy Olson, Brian & Deb Zucker, Rosemary Klein, Joseph Korish and Don & Donna Justin in a holistic restoration of our woodland.

Here’s a brief report of what we accomplished:
Completed a management plan with Cindy Ramseyer, botanist & naturalist for the 150 acres of woodland and oak savanna
Cut 35 cords of wood for the campground
Cut 10 cords of wood for Wally the chipper to create mulch for trails & gardens
Cleaned 1000 feet of field edge of down & dead wood
Identified and removed invasive species buckthorn, honeysuckle, barberry & garlic mustard
Control burned 7 acres
Planted 2 #s of native seeds to create prairie
Inoculated 21 logs with shiitake mushroom plugs
Ate great food at tailgate parties and dinners in The Lodge
Exercised our muscles, made new friends
Felt great satisfaction in a job well begun…there’s lots more to do.

Donna will be speaking at Inventors and & Entrepreneurs meeting in Viroqua June 9 about Building a Year Round Tourism Business. Life in rural Wisconsin is peaceful. Come check out the Driftless Region with a stay at Justin Trails Resort.

Yours in great spring fun!

Don & Donna Justin