When Mr. Science (Gary Erickson of Nature Notes) ( http://fillmorenature.blogspot.com/) recommends a
book to me I take it seriously. He has enhanced my interest in several
subjects including birding and native wildflowers. The book was where the sky began – land of
the tall grass prairie by John Madson.
The tall grass prairie is probably the least appreciated of North America's original landscapes. Unlike its western
neighbors, the mixed and shortgrass prairies, almost all tall grass prairie has been plowed over. What people see now
in its place is millions of acres of corn and soybeans. In the upper Midwest,
where I live, there are only a few tiny corners preserved and protected and some
odd corners in old cemeteries and abandoned railroads right of way.
The interest that Madsons book and others like it have sparked
has led to a revival of prairie restoration. I see it in State Parks and
Wildlife Management areas and on private landholdings like Mr. Sciences 2 acres
of restoration. To see what your missing take a look at some random prairie pictures I taken over the years and then download the book on
your Kindle or Nook.
Prairie photography and a cornfield
Troutbirder pointing north with the aid of a Compass Plant
Birding on Hayden Prairie 300 acres of virgin prairie in northeastern Iowa.
Lots of flat land between here and the Rocky Mountains...
Baron and a patch of native "shooting stars."
A butterfly stops to check out a purple coneflower.
Native Purple Clover
Pucoon
And the Monarchs favorite plant The Butterfly Weed
Turks Cap Lilies
And tying it all together that most magnificent of tall grasses the Big Bluestem
Enjoyed the beautiful flowers.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos of the prairie area... I love walking in big, open fields like that when all of the wildflowers are in bloom.... That is Special!!!!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
Fabulous wild flowers. Isn't nature wonderful?
ReplyDeleteGorgeous--and so vital to wildlife. Isn't it funny how man always feels a field of crops is better. Though we need food, we also greatly need these wild spaces. I consider them Mother Nature's bandages!
ReplyDeleteAll those wildflowers - fantastic!!
ReplyDeletexo Catherine
The photos are marvelous, thank you for documenting the prairie lands for us. I think I would like to read this book. Thanks for the recommendation.
ReplyDeleteWonderful post! We saw a special on PBS a long time ago about the "Tall Grass Prairie." Beautiful flowers too!
ReplyDeleteI agree about the prairies being the most under-appreciated of our landscapes. I enjoyed this post from an Earth Day sense - and I'm interested in reading that book!
ReplyDeleteNice shots, have had some good times at Hayden. I started reclamation and restoration over two decades ago.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos. Certainly hope the restoration spreads.
ReplyDeleteGreat photographs of the prairie. Love all the wildflowers.
ReplyDeleteThe photographs of the flowers inspired me to get out there on the plains and do a bit of walking and shooting of the landscape. The book sounds really interesting.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a tall grass prairie but would love to. Imagine the wild life it supports.
ReplyDeleteI do love the butterfly weed but have yet to successfully grow it. It seem to prefer random ditches to my TLC.
"Splendor in the grass" indeed!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post! Mr. Shady has this book and reads it every once-in-awhile! :-)
ReplyDeleteYour header photo is also wonderful!!
Happy Spring!!
We took a little tour through a prairie area in Winnipeg more than a decade ago. I wouldn't mind experiencing more of this ecosystem.
ReplyDeleteSome of these flowers grow in the fields around me too but, on the whole, agriculture has seen off a lot of nature’s bounty.
ReplyDeleteThere are efforts to reinstate some of it, but we are sheep country and sheep eat your land bare.
Just beautiful! I can't envision so much open space. Thanks for the book recommendation.
ReplyDeleteI love the tallgrass prairie - and am working slowly to restore 5 acres on our little homestead. I've heard of Madsden's book, but not read it before. I'd say I need to move it up on the pile "to be read"!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy what little patches of Tall Grass Prairie we have left up here. I enjoyed all your photos ! :)
ReplyDeleteI live in Tall Grass Prairie Country, too, and one of my favorite places to walk is a trail around a small prairie restoration area near here. Such a beautiful place! This sounds like a great book and one I would definitely enjoy. But if it has photos, I might just get the book itself rather than download the digital version.
ReplyDeletepretty nice blog, following :)
ReplyDeleteThese reminded me of little house on the prairie. Now I want to watch those again. My husband will no doubt thank you. :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shots of the native grasses and wildflowers. It's a shame that more lands are not devoted to natural landscapes.
ReplyDeleteThe tall grass prairie is so different from where I live but I'd love to experience it. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteI will have to read this book. When I moved into my previous home in KY I let the surrounding acres of earth return to its natural habitat after being used for many years as pasture land. It was a wonderful experience to see mother nature take over the land again (without interference from me) -- returning to a natural place for both wildlife and wild plants. I have a difficult time understanding spraying lawns for "weeds" and mowing large sections of a home parcel instead of encouraging the beauty of the natural wild land. -- FOLKWAYS NOTEBOOK
ReplyDeleteThat is a great post, so true unless someone spotlights the beauty of wild places, folks might miss the many little ways they are significant.
ReplyDelete