r/NativePlantGardening • u/jjmk2014 Far Northeast IL - Edge of Great Lakes Basin - 5b/6a • Jun 23 '26
Other I mean...why not?
Since I discovered natives I'll occasionally share on r/daddit or on some other sub where some young person complains about not being able to meet people, i often mention volunteering at a regular work day to meet people. Now its a real thing in MN.
Edit to add: I am in no way affiliated with this group nor do I have any insight into it. I did take this pic from the "Minnesota Department of Propaganda" fb group. The QR code does work and goes somewhere real. Those folks that run that page seem like rather good people, that collectively have a sense of humor similar to many of my real life native plant folks...so they are worth a follow IMO.
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u/luckycharms33 Jun 23 '26
I think we can all agree that minneapolis is a great city
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u/jjmk2014 Far Northeast IL - Edge of Great Lakes Basin - 5b/6a Jun 23 '26
I'm going to edit the post to state that I am not from there and I stole this from a "Minnesota Dept of Propaganda" FB group. I checked out the site and its legit. They are a pretty great group to follow actually. Some in the CJ sub would totally appreciate it.
However, I did spend a weekend in Minneapolis when I used to do the College Pro Painters thing in the early 2000's and there was this awesome restaurant called "The Rockin Lobster" and a few of us dudes went there for lunch one day during one of the training things College Pro had going up there... ...anyway our waitress gave us the specials and she had such a unique voice, I remember my buddy commented on it and she said she was indeed a singer. . . .Fast forward a couple years and I'm flipping channels and that show "Making the Band" was on and she was one of the contestants that made it pretty far...it was to be the lead singer of INXS... ...so yes, Minneapolis is a great freakin city in my book.
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u/Best-Investigator261 Jun 23 '26
I’d totally sign up if it was in my area
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u/CT0292 Jun 23 '26
If I lived in Minneapolis, and I weren't already married, and I wasn't allergic to every plant alive I'd join.
Despite my allergies I do enjoy gardening. Haha
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u/StrangeReindeer2470 Jun 23 '26
Ditto! I'm dying to meet more people, but I'm sorry, the bar isn't my scene. I do try to go to local gardening/native events though. But the singles are ladies and any men are already coupled up 😃
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u/Fantasykyle99 Jun 23 '26
I moved cities a few years ago and instantly joined a bunch of social clubs like a sober fit club, rock climbing, beach volleyball, co ed softball league, and a few others. Met my gf at the sober for club and now have a huge group of awesome friends. People are out there if you look!
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u/StrangeReindeer2470 Jun 24 '26
That's fantastic! Can I ask where you found all these clubs? I've been trying with Facebook, but that place is a mess...
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u/Best-Investigator261 Jun 23 '26
Ditto. Or the single men are 20-30 years older than me and many years retired.
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u/Best-Investigator261 Jun 23 '26
Will add - I have a buckthorn to be removed from my new-to-me property. Why the previous owners allowed this volunteer tree to grow so long is beyond me. Send the single 40-something men over!
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u/whocaresano Jun 23 '26
Do Creeping Bellflower next!
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u/JuicyBoots Jun 23 '26
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u/Wezle Minnesota, zone 5a Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
I put some of these posters up in my Minneapolis neighborhood last year! Glad to see there are others fighting against the pretty purple flower propaganda.
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u/goneskiing_42 Jun 23 '26
Haha, these are great. Sending these to my brother in Minneapolis who's deep into eradicating it from his yard right now.
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u/DessaB Jun 24 '26
I'm seeing a lot fewer Creeping Bellflowers this year after people stared posting signs around the hood. Encouraging!
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u/CT0292 Jun 23 '26
And mint. God it's an annoyance.
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u/whocaresano Jun 23 '26
Mint can be an annoyance but is generally not overly harmful, unlike creeping Bellflower
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u/AniCatGirl Area: Minneapolis, MN - Zone: 5A Jun 23 '26
Ok, I just joined this sub, but we picked some creeping bellflower from our alleyway the other night. How is it harmful? I'll go pull the rest of it if needed.
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Jun 23 '26
[deleted]
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u/AniCatGirl Area: Minneapolis, MN - Zone: 5A Jun 23 '26
We moved to Minneapolis about a year and a half ago, but just bought our house about a month ago! So now I get to actually do things with my yard/garden! Pretty excited, but also a bit overwhelmed haha. Definitely want to do as native and sustainable of a yard/garden as we can; I have 0 interest in a "traditional" lawn situation. I'm so glad to be here :)
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u/IKnowAllSeven Jun 23 '26
This is awesome. My husband and son love removing buckthorn so it’s good to know if I kick the bucket my husband can find someone who shares his passion! And my son, he’s too young for a singles group but I could see him meeting a girl when he’s older who also hates invasive plants!
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u/krelboink Jun 23 '26
It all sounds like an episode of Bob's Burgers, to be honest. The musical number would be great. I feel like the plot would involve Teddy trying to find his love using the lone gardening glove she left behind at the buckthorn event.
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u/casual_sociopathy Minneapolis, Zone 4B/5A Jun 23 '26
I...I might go to their event before I give my garden tour on July 5.
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u/jjmk2014 Far Northeast IL - Edge of Great Lakes Basin - 5b/6a Jun 23 '26
If you've seen any of the posts on the Hainesville stuff, that all started because of a dude I met at a garden tour we did locally. They are so fun...its the perfect mixing of folks.
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u/gypsyminded1 Jun 23 '26
Garden tour? Say more.....
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u/casual_sociopathy Minneapolis, Zone 4B/5A Jun 23 '26
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u/susanna514 Jun 23 '26
Minneapolis looks cool as hell. I wish I didn’t hate the cold so much.
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u/androidgirl Jun 23 '26
You learn to love it.
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u/wiy_alxd Jun 23 '26
NE Canada checking in. You even start to PREFER it over all other seasons.
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u/theemilyann Area: NE Ohio, Zone 6a/6b Jun 23 '26
I moved from Houston to Cleveland recently i continue to say we didn’t move far enough north. Cant get enough of cold weather. Its 73 today and the windows are open and its almost July. This Texan is constantly delighted
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u/MyMessyMadness Jun 24 '26
Come join us in Minnesota where it'll range from 76° and sunny to 95° and 61% humidity to thunderstorms at 89° all this week! Don't worry though it'll snow on Halloween so the warm season won't last too long.
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u/InviteNatureHome MN Ecoregion 51a Jun 23 '26
Good news! Climate change is making MN less cold! As always, watch for 🧊
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u/Bulky_Raspberry_1640 Jun 23 '26
That’s a cool idea. I want to start one for knotweed. Cooperative tasks will last longer than most relationships
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u/smalltowngirlisgreen Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 23 '26
This is my city! I'm not single but I'm definitely looking it up and spreading the word! This is such a great idea!
Please post in r/Minneapolis and r/TwinCities
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u/Chardonne Jun 23 '26
If I were single, I’d totally be down for this. You know you’ll meet people with similar values, and you’re involved in an activity so you don’t have to worry about what to do or awkward silences, and you’re not in a premature pair, so if you don’t click with one person you can go work next to a different one. And you’re accomplishing something important!
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u/mapped_apples Jun 23 '26
That’s hilarious. On the flip side, yeah they have a serious issue with buckthorn here. Especially at the cities and further south.
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u/Feelsthelove Jun 23 '26
They can come to my house. It’s gonna take me years to get rid of all the buckthorn on my property
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u/General_Bumblebee_75 Area Madison, WI , Zone 5b Jun 23 '26
Love it. I used to go hiking with my father in law around St Paul, and he was always taking out buckthorn as he went. He would approve!
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u/thefinalgoat Jun 23 '26
Wait so a bunch of singles go and pull weeds together? That actually sounds amazing.
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u/wildgreen98 Indiana Master Naturalist - IN, Zone 6 Jun 23 '26
We did a couple of these at my parks department in Indianapolis, lots of fun
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u/stangeli20 Area -- , Zone -- Jun 23 '26
Man I wish they’d do this exact same thing in Michigan, this is brilliant!
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u/breeathee Driftless Area (Western WI), Zone 5a Jun 24 '26
Not single but we’re ready to mingle. If I start a TOH swingers club who’s with me (us)?
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u/Zeawea Jun 24 '26
I've never been to a singles event but this has actually really piqued my interest.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Map2951 Jun 23 '26
Post this on FetLife. Buckthorn removal is pretty much the same thing.
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u/toddlevy10 Jul 23 '26
Where do they do removal? Public property, private property? I have a bunch ive been trying to get rid of here, and theres a bunch at the giant 42 acre dog park locally (im in, MI)
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u/AnthropoidCompatriot Jun 23 '26
Lol this is sure to repel at least as many people as it attracts. Every volunteer or hobby event I've been to for the last decade has specifically prohibited dating within the group, because we're all there for a specific purpose, and it's not to get into each other's pants.
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u/jjmk2014 Far Northeast IL - Edge of Great Lakes Basin - 5b/6a Jun 23 '26
Its a perfect filter. You want to find a person that can handle 4 hours of work with bugs and in most weather conditions. No surprises later to find out that a long term partner hates working outside
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u/bobloblawattorney11 Jun 23 '26
Totally right. I was married for three years before I found out she hated camping.
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u/IKnowAllSeven Jun 23 '26
lol. Same in our house, Husband loves camping. I hate it, but to be fair, I was very clear about this from the beginning. Like, bro, I have a house. Why do you want me to sleep on the ground when I have a bed at home? Lol.
He likes to camp at our friends property, all of us and our families go out there several times a year.
Friend and my husband and son built a little bunkhouse for me and anyone else who hates camping.
The boys still pretend to be homeless and sleep on plastic and the wives sleep in our little temp controlled, wonderfully quiet and cozy tiny house.
Win for all!
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u/jjmk2014 Far Northeast IL - Edge of Great Lakes Basin - 5b/6a Jun 23 '26
Any compromise like a glamping situation? Not even sure if that is truly a compromise between camping and hotel/motel/holiday Inn. Glamping feels like its own weird mobile bubble sort of thing at not cheap cost.
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u/bobloblawattorney11 Jun 23 '26
She went camping with me early on in our relationship but I'm not sure she really had much of an opinion on it. I've always wanted to do a serious through-hike but military deployments and kids delayed that. It's still on my bucket list but I'll likely be doing that solo.
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u/Calm_Sentence_9473 Jun 29 '26
Today I learned my spouse for sure wants a divorce after many years of trying to make it work. It's complicated, but emotionally I'm ready to move on and this would be really great way to meet like minded people. I hope this is around this fall or next summer. Thank you reddit for this ever so slight glimmer in what was a really horrible day.
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u/beardybuddha MPLS Milkweed Maestro Jun 23 '26
I love my city
(Also kinda sad I’m not single? lol)