A Quality Friday Even With Not So Quality Air

Today was another warm day on the prairie, but the temperature was not the only thing the team noticed. Due to wildfires in Canada, dust has drifted into Minnesota making the sky appear hazy. This afternoon an air quality alert was also dropped announcing that there could be dangerous conditions until Sunday. Luckily, the Hoffmann/Kensington area was alright and all members of Team Echinacea are still living and breathing!

So what made this a quality Friday were all the tasks accomplished. This morning rechecks in P2 and other phenology checks were completed. Rechecking plants can be a little mentally taxing since you are looking for something that was previously determined to be gone. However, everytime someone finds a plant, they get to do a little celebration shout. So far popular ones have been, “YASS!”, “YEET!”, or “Huzzah!” Mia even found a plant during rechecks that was only 4 cm tall! ( She did a little celebratory dance on the side of her “YASS!”).

Demo at multiple sites was also finished throughout the morning and afternoon. Harvesting and rechecking head records took place later in the afternoon. And not to forget all the individual project work that went on in between!