Echinacea angustifolia at Prairie Hill Farm
photograph - © Bruce A. Morrison
(click on image for a larger view)
The last day
of 2013...I have mixed reviews for this year, but as Georgie says "even
numbered years are the best". Something to look forward to, right!
One event I
left hanging out there late in the summer was the transmission lines (to
be the largest ever erected in Iowa) running along side our acreage.
This, thankfully has changed. We had contacted several state agencies
and environmental organizations about this and the encroachment on the
Waterman Creek Great Blue Heron rookery across from us. We were
concerned about this, as well as the prairie remnants here in the valley
that the line would displace, and of course - the ambiance that was
still here - the bird songs in the morning, the insect music through the
night, the views of the night sky, and the relative silence in the
background of the days and nights here. We had several individuals meet
with the out-of-state corporation and it was finally revealed to us
that the route has been redirected two miles further north. Now it will
only interrupt farmland instead of natural ground and disappearing
habitat in our county.
This may not
be the case in other areas throughout the state, particularly where it
routes through riparian areas across streams and rivers. I do know that
those folks who were speaking with the corporation are also working on
protecting other sensitive areas across the other 16 affected counties
in Iowa; all I can say is God Bless 'em all for trying to protect what
little Natural Heritage we still have in this "most changed" state in the union!
There will be
wind farms built in the area directly to our west and the corporation
has "officially" stated they are solely rerouting the transmission line
to avoid interfering with the wind farms to be built. Regardless of
their reasons, I am still taking my hat off to the Iowa Natural Heritage
Foundation, The Iowa Nature Conservancy, Iowa Audubon, Iowa Sierra
Club, Iowa Environmental Council, and the Iowa DNR for their input in
this event. Please support these organizations and state people who are
working for your children's children's future in our environment!
We're off to a
cold yet sparse start with moisture this winter, but there's a ways to
go - we'll see how things shake out, you just never know what the new
year will bring. The Great Horned Owls in the valley have been
communicating back and forth each night...probably sizing up their
nesting options. They'll actually be nesting in the not too distant
future, perhaps as soon as 3-5 weeks! And the squirrels in the yard and
grove are shoring up their nests and being amorous on the tracts of
tree trunks about here and there. I think they eat too well here as
we've gotten two broods a season the past couple years here - that's a
lot of Fox Squirrels! (Keeps the Red-tailed Hawks happy anyway!) We've
also been seeing more hen pheasants than all last year; not many but at
least a hopeful few!
What else will
the year bring? Hopefully some more native forbs and grasses in the
south pasture. As I mentioned in the last blog, we just completed our first planting there as the first
true winter front moved in about 3 weeks ago. That pasture will take a
few years to complete but we don't plan on going anywhere! Its fun to
watch the changes through the years.
I'm lining up work here in the studio to keep me busy till spring. Lets cross our fingers on that prospect!
And here's to sending our best wishes out to each and everyone of you - for a very Happy and Prosperous New Year!
Hope to see you on the Tallgrass next year!
