Native Gardening Q&A
With Mike Weis, Chad Hughson, and Steve Keto
Wednesday, November 20, 6:30pm
This panel discussion is your opportunity to ask the local experts questions about gardening with native plants and all things local ecology. Steve Keto, Chad Hughson, and Mike Weis have a combined 80-plus years experience with native plant gardening, horticulture, and restoration. There will not be a formal presentation; instead we are opening up the floor to an hour of Q&A.
Mike Weis is the owner of the Kalamazoo-based native plant landscape company Dropseed! Native Gardens and Ecological Restoration. He has been gardening with native plants since 2005. Mike also works seasonally for Hidden Savanna Native Plant Nursery and volunteers as an ecological steward for Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy and Stewards of Kleinstuck. Mike is also on the executive and program committees for Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones, a board member of Stewards of Kleinstuck and he is also the representative of KAWO for the Asylum Lake Preserve Council.
Chad Hughson is the co-owner of Hidden Savanna Nursery, which began business in 2008. He has been propagating native plants for over 25 years. He is a naturalist and self-taught botanist who has enjoyed studying the native flora and fauna of Michigan since childhood. He is passionately working to restore his family’s 35 acres to resemble its pre-settlement landscape of Oak Savanna, and is continually seeking to expand his knowledge on the ecology and restoration of this, and other, fire-dependent plant communities in Michigan. He received a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Michigan Technological University.
For 45 years Steve Keto has been passionate about wildlife, agriculture, natural resources, and education. Whether rearing poultry, propagating native plants, managing natural areas, or educating youth, Steve has spent most of his life outdoors in close contact with nature. Currently semi-retired, Steve teaches preschool through 8th grade environmental education at a local non-profit school. Steve and his wife Carol have been married for 39 years and raised two boys who now have spouses and successful careers. Steve enjoys events with his family, hiking, gardening, baking, crafts and spending as much time in Northern Michigan as possible.
As one of the early propagators of Michigan native plants, Steve’s 30-year experience brings an interesting perspective to the past and current native plant movement in Michigan.
This is an in-person event at Portage District Library, 300 Library Lane, Portage, MI. View Map
The PDL facility has free parking and is wheelchair accessible. Come early to enjoy some social time, information tables and snacks, beginning at 6:00 pm; program begins at 6:30 pm
This program will be recorded and posted on our YouTube channel in the event you are unable to attend in person.