Methow Conservancy

There are just a handful of tickets left for Methow Arts Art in the Wild this Saturday, June 13.

Methow Arts' walk-in classical cello recital "plays out like a piece of performance art run by a masterly jester blurring artistry, humanity, & insanity." Featuring Suite Number One in G Major by JS Bach and personal comedic pieces, cellist Karen Hall fuses classical music and "a healthy dose of pathos." Enjoy an intimate, open-air art experience on the Sunny M Ranch. Sat. June 13, 6:30pm. Tickets are limited.

More info:

Art in the Wild: Delusions & Grandeur with Karen Hall — Methow Arts Art in the Wild Delusions & Grandeur with Karen Hall June 13th, 2026 6:30 P.M. Hosted on the Sunny M Ranch  ”As irreverent as it is poignant" , this classical cello recital plays out like a piece of performance art run by a masterly jester blurring artistry, humanity, &a

It's time for the annual Summer Social at Winthrop's Shafer Museum. Festivities will include a flag ceremony with Cub Scouts, musical performance by Hank Cramer, and Quilts of Valor will honor local veterans. Stop by for some lemonade & cookies on Sunday, June 14th from 2:00 - 4:00pm. Everyone is welcome.

Earlier this year we were delighted to hear from Fred Rucker, who spent the summer of 1950 in the Methow Valley with his family, "living on ranches," he says, "because no other housing was available."

Fred's father, Robert Rucker, was a fish biologist who worked on fish disease treatments. He field-tested these treatments at fish hatcheries in various locations, including on the Methow River. Fred was just a kid (and a self-described "fisheries brat") in 1950, when his father relocated the whole family to Winthrop for the summer. Rentals were scarce and, Fred says, "the only available housing was on the Sunny M Ranch. The first cabin on the right, just inside of the main entrance, became our home."

Read Fred's story here: https://methowconservancy.org/uploads/Fred-Rucker-Sunny-M-Story.pdf

Last night's farm tour at Wild Plum Farm sure brought home the bacon. We got to see how Wild Plum's sausage is made (metaphorically, not literally), learn about their farm's history and the restoration of its iconic barn, and--of course--meet the stars of the show, the drift of Tamworth pigs living the good life on the farm. Thanks to Deb, Gabby, and the rest of the Wild Plum Farm crew for the wonderful evening.

Our next farm tour is Refugia Farm up Twisp River on July 7. More info: https://methowconservancy.org/news/entry/refugiafarm2026

It was a drink-tea-inside kind of morning, with regular downpours, but that didn't stop this crew of volunteers from doing a work party on the Sunny M Ranch, maintaining the riparian plantings in the Spring Creek Wetlands Complex. Thanks, hardy volunteers!

Join us on Tuesday, June 2 as we continue our annual farm tour program with Wild Plum Farm in Winthrop; home of delicious pork, a historic barn, and local soapmaking. This event is free and open to the public!

First Tuesday: In the Field at Wild Plum Farm Join us as we continue our annual farm tour program with Wild Plum Farm. This historic property has been a working farm for nearly 100 years. The multi-generational farm is currently home to a small drift of heritage breed pigs and a large commercial flock of laying hens, along with an eclectic asso...

Our annual clean-up of a mile of Hwy 20 is a tough work party to capture in images, but we did manage to snap a shot of the winning piece of trash--this cool-looking but unfortunately moldy hat--and one of the winning pairs of cleaner-uppers. This local couple sure knows how to plan a unique morning date!

Hankering to join us on our next work party? Help with the riparian plantings on the Sunny M Ranch this Friday. More info: https://methowconservancy.org/news/entry/sunny-m-spring-creek-wetlands-restoration-plantings-maintenance-3

It's pretty much one big nonstop (work) party around here lately. Die-hard (work) partiers tackled Homestream Park this morning, as part of ongoing spring cleaning efforts.

Homestream Park is owned and stewarded by the Methow Valley Interpretive Center in partnership with the Methow Descendants, the Methow Conservancy, Little Star School, and other community members.

The weeding was good on Mill Hill yesterday, thanks to a small but productive volunteer crew. Just think how easy the weeding will be after all this rain! Join us at one of our upcoming weeding or other volunteer opportunities.

https://methowconservancy.org/news/category/events

Join the Okanogan Conservation District and the Wister Way Firewise USA Site for a biochar demonstration burn on Friday, May 15th, beginning at 8 am. The burn is weather-dependent.

Biochar has a wide array of applications in forestry, gardening, and agriculture. Okanogan CD is working to test the feasibility of utilizing biochar production to not only reap those benefits but to also reduce wildfire fuels around homes and communities.

Funding for this event is provided by the Consortium for Research in Renewable Industrial Materials (CORRIM). Contact Okanogan CD Forests and Wildfire Lead Eli Loftis for more details at [email protected]. If the event must be postponed, it will be posted on OCD social media.

Attendees should be prepared to work around or be in proximity to the kilns, wearing the following PPE:
• Long Sleeve Shirt: Cotton or natural fibers.
• Pants: Cotton or natural fibers.
• Work Gloves: Leather, to protect hands.
• Long hair must be tied back
• Work Boots: Leather, to protect feet.
• Eye Protection: To shield against sparks and embers.
• Baseball Cap: To protect the head and face from heat and embers.

Photo is from a different biochar burn.