Ms. G Predicts the Future

Ms. G poses on her lawn at Drumlin Farm.

Mass Audubon Photo / Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary

Lincoln, Massachusetts (February 3, 2020) –

Meet Ms. G! She’s a loveable government official, an educator, a state treasure, and she has predicted the length of winters in New England every year since 2008. Her official title is Ms. G, State Groundhog of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This year, she predicts an early Spring.

She was very young when she arrived at Mass Audubon Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, a partner of Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area, needing rehabilitation from an injury. After her treatment, having gotten used to life with humans, it was determined she would not be suited to life in the forests and fields that make up most of the Freedom’s Way heritage area. Instead, she was given a job at Drumlin Farm where she provides valuable lessons to children and adults about the natural world. She also predicts the winter weather every February.

Area elementary school students campaigned for years to declare Ms. G the official State Groundhog for the Commonwealth. After the Ms. G Bill passed through the House and Senate in 2014, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed the bill and made Ms. G the Official State Groundhog.

Every year on Groundhog Day, when she looks for her shadow, she provides anxious residents with the winter weather forecast, just like her cousin Punxsutawney Phil and her new cousin Poppy in the Susquehanna NHA in Pennsylvania. Reporters have observed that her forecasts have been accurate 64% of the time, compared to Phil’s 39%. She has not predicted an early spring since 2015, though when she did, the area had their snowiest winter ever recorded.

Ms. G enjoys a piece of corn on the cob.

Mass Audubon Photo / Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary

Find out more about Ms. G on Facebook and her website. Watch her 2020 prediction here.

Drumlin Farm’s mission is to promote awareness of the interdependence of people, land, and wildlife. They teach environmental education, stewardship of regional habitats, and sustainable agricultural practices, with the help of MS. G and other native wildlife ambassadors and farm animals. The farm also boasts miles of hiking trails to explore. Visit the Drumlin Farm web page for more information.

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