Monarchs Are Their Mission
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The Monarch butterfly population has declined an alarming 80 percent since the early 1990’s, in part because their main food source – the milkweed plant – has become scarce. That fact led to a life mission for Minnesotans Ward and Ann Johnson who have given away thousands of packages of milkweed seed purchased with their own money.
At 73, Johnson admits that he and his wife are passionate about saving monarchs. Many people do not know, he says, that the delicate insects migrate more than 2,000 miles every year from across the United States and Canada down to Mexico. “The fact that monarchs travel so far every year is magic to me,” says Johnson.
Monarchs lay eggs on the back side of milkweed leaves. The caterpillars hatch and eat 20 to 25 leaves before they grow big enough to create a cocoon and later emerge as a butterfly.
If you send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Johnsons, you’ll get up to 3 free packages of milkweed seeds you can plant. For a $25 donation to their “Save Our Monarchs Foundation”, you’ll receive as many as 100 packages of 30 to 35 seeds. Couples interested in unique guest favors at a wedding can get a bulk discount.
During the first year of operation, the Johnsons and other volunteers distributed more than 500,000 packets of seeds to people in 48 states.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ward and Ann Johnson, Save Our Monarchs Foundation, P.O. Box 390135, Minneapolis, Minn. 55439 (ph 952 829-0600; www.saveourmonarchs.org; info@saveourmonarchs.org).
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Monarchs Are Their Mission The Monarch butterfly population has declined an alarming 80 percent since the early 1990’s in part because their main food source – the milkweed plant – has become scarce That fact led to a life mission for Minnesotans Ward and Ann Johnson who have given away thousands of packages of milkweed seed purchased with their own money At 73 Johnson admits that he and his wife are passionate about saving monarchs Many people do not know he says that the delicate insects migrate more than 2 000 miles every year from across the United States and Canada down to Mexico “The fact that monarchs travel so far every year is magic to me ” says Johnson Monarchs lay eggs on the back side of milkweed leaves The caterpillars hatch and eat 20 to 25 leaves before they grow big enough to create a cocoon and later emerge as a butterfly If you send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Johnsons you’ll get up to 3 free packages of milkweed seeds you can plant For a $25 donation to their “Save Our Monarchs Foundation” you’ll receive as many as 100 packages of 30 to 35 seeds Couples interested in unique guest favors at a wedding can get a bulk discount During the first year of operation the Johnsons and other volunteers distributed more than 500 000 packets of seeds to people in 48 states Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Ward and Ann Johnson Save Our Monarchs Foundation P O Box 390135 Minneapolis Minn 55439 ph 952 829-0600; www saveourmonarchs org; info@saveourmonarchs org
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