Time to start thinking about Marsh Madness

As I sit and look out the window and see a slight glimmer of glistening snow resting in the pasture to the east, my mind wanders and looks forward to warmer spring days.

I see some geese flying overhead and it reminds me that it's time to start thinking about the annual Marsh Madness event on March 2-4 in Linton and the surrounding area.

It's the yearly event that showcases one of the Midwest's finest wetlands projects - the Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area.

It's also a time when a concerted effort is made to draw tourists to our Greene County community.

Schedule details are still being worked out, but tentatively the event kicks off Friday, March 2 with a Wine and Cheese Tasting as well as silent auction event at the Linton Elks Lodge (7-9:30 p.m.).

Saturday, March 3 is the big day.

There will be self-guided tours and bus tours of Goose Pond and Beehunter Marsh (7:30 a.m.- 6:30 p.m.); an arts and crafts fair (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) a very interesting Birds of Prey exhibitions (10 a.m.-5 p.m.); habitat workshops by the Indiana Wildlife Federation (9 a.m.-noon); children's educational opportunities (9 a.m.-3 p.m.); and bird banding demonstration (8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.).

Venues will be the Roy Clark Community Center, the Scout Cabin and East Cabin in Humphreys Park and the Conservation Club.

"Voces Novae" will top off the day at Saron United Church of Christ with a choral performance at 5 p.m., followed by a special bus tour of the Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area.

Voces Novae is a semi-professional choral ensemble conducted by Frank A. Heller, III, its founding artistic director.

Now in its 18th season, the ensemble, based in Louisville, Ky., was founded in 1993 and is composed of 60 to 70 selectively auditioned singers from the Louisville and the southern Indiana metropolitan area.

Voces Novae's repertoire includes a particular focus on a cappella and contemporary American music; however, the ensemble performs an eclectic array of works ranging from early chant to European classical to living modern composers.

The ensemble has frequently collaborated with other choruses in the performance of major choral works with the Louisville Orchestra, and has featured performances with the Louisville Ballet and the Adath Jeshurun Jewish Music Festival.

The bird festival event wraps up on Sunday, March 4 with activities at Roy Clark Community Center that include an arts and crafts fair, Birds of Prey demonstrations and self-guided driving tours - all starting at noon.

The planning committee is also trying to work out details for a photography workshop and a tree climbing demonstration - so there really are a lot of activities planned to appeal to tourists of all ages and interests.

Kudos go out to Brad Feaster, Brad Feaster, property manager, Goose Pond FWA, Hillenbrand FWA and Minnehaha FWA, who's headed up a volunteer committee that's been working since last year's Marsh Madness event closed to make this year's festival bigger and better.

More details of the event will be published in coming weeks.

The area is truly blessed to have a wonderful facility like Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area. Many in urban communities would covet what we have right here in our own backyard.

With a little luck, we can also be treated Marsh Madness weekend by a spectacular show presented by thousands of Sandhill Cranes, who have made the Greene County wetland part of their annual flight path northward after wintering in warmer locations to the south.

Nick is the assistant editor for the Greene County Daily World. He can be contacted by telephone at 847-4487 or by email at schneider.nick@gmail.com .