summer

Summer was a time for transplanting prairie wildflowers. We knew that we wanted to restore prairie on the cornfield in front of the Shack. How did we know where we could get these prairie species? Of course there were no commercial sources at all. We had heard that prairie species were especially prolific along railroad tracks, because in those days the railroad frequently burned them to control brush. So we would stop there during different parts of the summer and find the prairie species in bloom (so we could identify them), or along an old road cut where we felt we could dig up chunks of sod with the species, put them in a tub in the car, and transport these to the Shack, to spud them in to the old corn field (our future prairie). This included prairie grasses, legumes, asters, and a whole variety of perennial species. And of course these can reproduce. This means that in those days (and to some extent now) there were “idle spots” along each side of the railroad tracks, as Dad observed, where the cow, plow, and mower are absent and a profusion of wild prairie herbs persist and bloom vigorously. Some species had huge deep roots, like the beautiful compass plant. Dad collected their seeds and built a little plot on the hill to plant these along with a mix of seeds of prairie grasses. This was an experiment. As mentioned, he did not water them, but they came up and did beautifully. So we knew how to promote such species on our prairie. (See chapter 7.) Over the years our prairie became more diverse, and more beautiful. According to the Land Institute of Salinas, Kansas, these native perennial prairie herb species typically grow very deep roots. Some extend downward ten to eighteen feet below the land surface! So it is no wonder the prairie vegetation is so stable and tenacious during drought; they have unusual adaptations to reach moisture and minerals at depth.