By Cindy Gladden,
Record Staff Writer
A unique learning event was held Thursday, March 24, at Peers Store in Marthasville. The recently renovated general store, owned by Dan and Connie Burkhardt, was the site of a Youth Pollinator Habitat Project.Peers Store, recently renovated into an art gallery and hub for the Katy Land Trust and other conservation projects, was opened to third graders from Marthasville Elementary. The Burkhardts teamed up with Ryan Diener of Quail Forever to plant native grasses and wildflowers on a three-acre plot in front of the store and along the Katy Trail.“Our mission is to put more habitat into Franklin and Warren County and introduce the youth to the outdoors,” said Diener. “We work with landowners to do habitat work on their property. Our goal is to bring kids down every year.”The Missouri River Valley Chapter of the national organization, Quail Forever, serving Franklin and Warren counties, was founded in 2010. Conservation projects are supported by local fundraising efforts. Members of the organization can be involved with projects in their own counties and have a voice in federal and state conservation policies.Arvil Kappelmann, member of the Missouri River Valley Chapter, said the local club is the second largest chapter in the nation. At a recent banquet, nearly 500 tickets were sold to support quail habitat, pollinators and youth outdoor education projects. Students from Jessica Monroig’s third-grade class learned a lot about pollinators before they ventured outside to scatter the seeds on a windy and chilly day. Lia Heppermann, from the Missouri Conservation Department, identified pollinators for the students with brightly colored photos.Heppermann explained how critical pollinators are to the farmers and gardeners in the area. Pollinators include honeybees, native bees, bats, beetles, wasps, butterflies, hummingbirds and flies.Scott Engelman, with Quail Forever, brought a honeybee observation hive and an unoccupied hive from a tree. Students were able to see the honeybee in its environment. Engelman explained the inner workings of a healthy honeybee colony.Burkhardt said since the land along the Katy Trail belongs to the state parks, approval was sought and granted.“They were more than happy to have native plantings along the trail,” said Diener.“Katy Trail riders and the community will love seeing this plot,” said Burkhardt. “We want to continue to make Peers Store a place to talk about conservation. People sitting on the porch will have something good to look at.”The pollinator project was just one event on the schedule for Peers Store for 2016. The art gallery highlighting local artists will be open from April 16 until Nov. 1. The hours are Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. This year’s storekeeper hostess will be Maggie Peck, local bed and breakfast proprietor.“The gallery worked out better than we ever thought,” said Burkhardt. “Music on the porch really enhanced the place. People enjoyed being here for the local history and the artwork.”Burkhardt said banners by artist Brian Haynes that now hang on the Treloar grain elevators will be replaced this spring. The 12-foot by 24-foot banners are provided by Ziglin Signs.For information on Quail Forever, visit the Missouri Valley Chapter of Quail Forever No. 3152 on Facebook or www.quailforever.org.More information about Peers Store can be found at magnificentmissouri.org.The store is located on Highway 94, four miles west of Marthasville.Ms. Jessica Monroig’s third-grade class from Marthasville Elementary helped plant a three-acre plot near the Katy Trail and in front of Peers Store Thursday, March 24. Students learned about pollinators and conservation during the program. Cindy Gladden Photo.
