Turning It Up! (Look for some shade in the meantime)

"Canada Milk Vetch (Astragalus canadensis)" - photograph - ©Bruce A. Morrison

 

This heat is really pushing things along...hate seeing stuff mature and finish up so quickly. I've actually missed the peak on a few things here like the Lead Plants, Compass Plants, Showy Tick Trefoil...too preoccupied with other stuff.

I did have a nice patch of Canada Milk Vetch just peaking in the south pasture a couple days back. Its near the bottom where the new late 2025 planting was done. This can't be a new plant though - too big! It must have gotten a head start the year before and just missed seeing it.

 

Although not a colorful plant, the Canada Milk Vetch (Astragalus canadensis) can make up for that in its structure, form, and pollinator value. We see plenty of hummingbirds, and butterflies on this plant, and this species is also one of the host plants for the Clouded Sulphur butterfly. 

 

We find it quite happy on our gravel slopes and in the wetter bottom mesic areas. This is a Legume and most legume species contribute beneficial bacteria called rhizobia on their roots. Strains of this bacterium aids in the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen - improving long-term health of native plant communities.

 

You can visit my channel for a short video at the following link -

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTyIrfrVjec

"Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)" - Photograph - ©Bruce A. Morrison

We've introduced a few species in our pastures over the years; not many though, just things that are documented or found within a 30 mile radius of us - and suited to our soils and conditions. I still occasionally find things nearby that aren't on our ground, so we constantly weigh what should have been here decades ago, yet perhaps aren't now due to stresses like spraying and/or heavy grazing.

 

One thing we introduced a few years back, that seems very happy to be here, is Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum). Our pastures are just 2 miles from Clay County and this native (but uncommon in the area) Hyssop has been recorded there next door to us in the past. In researching the Anise Hyssop, I thought with the potential location and soil characteristics, the possibility of this plant having actually been here 150 years ago, is not entirely out of the realms of possibility. (I chose the bottom ground which is more mesic than our hillside eskers, yet still well drained and a drier soil).

 

Anise Hyssop (Agastache Foeniculum) grows in clumps 2 to 3.5 feet tall, featuring strong stems topped with slender spikes of lavender-purple flowers that persist through midsummer. The leaves are a greenish color above and whitish underneath...crushing one will give off the scent of anise.

 

Some plants just began to peak here a couple mornings ago, so I went out with the dawn and got some nice shots. Each year these plants seem to persist and bloom almost into late August or early September!

 

Anise Hyssop is a magnet for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, as well as night flying moths.

 

You can view a short video done late last summer, on my chammel at the following link - 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9_vFD_q2Ts

 

Thank you for visiting the blog; I hope you are keeping cool out there.  And Remember, please be good to one another - we are all in this together!

 

Hope to see You on the Tallgrass! 

 

Summer - Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days

White Prairie Clover (Dalea candida) - photograph - ©Bruce A. Morrison

Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea) - photograph - ©Bruce A. Morrison

Both the White Prairie Clover (Dalea candida) and the Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea), are displaying everywhere in the pastures here - a true summer regalia! 

 

White Prairie Clover is a taller, slightly larger version pf the Purple Prairie Clover. The leaves are similar to it's purple cousin but noticeably larger in size...as is the flowering column of flowers.

 

I have to confess that I love the presentation and vivid Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea) the most - visually! Our gravel slopes here in SE O'Brien County, IA are an easy location for this plant to be found. The flush of the quite pleasing color tints the tops and edges of our pastures. The blooming occurs at the top of the plant as a dense cylindrical spike of flowers about 1-2" long and maybe a half inch or more across. Each purple flower is about ¼" across, with 5 small petals and 5 golden anthers that protrude outward. These flowers bloom together at the bottom of the spike, and gradually move up the spike at the season progresses. 

 

Both the White and the Purple begin blooming around July 1st and continue into early August here.

 

Some older books on livestock forage from the early part of the 20th century, hint that both of these Daleas were eagerly used by livestock in pasture settings, but they do not hold up well under heavy grazing. That could suggest why it is mostly absent in pastures today. Perhaps steeper gravel or loess soil slopes are well suited to this plant remaining as a common remnant in some parts of the state?

 

If Bumble Bees and Butterflies are your thing - these are beautiful flowers to behold!

 

You can spend a quick minute watching videos of both the White Prairie Clovers and the Purple Prairie Clovers at the following links on my channel - 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U2cHm-rqUI

 

and

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G4WlH0YTZo

 

Prairie Coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata) - photograph - ©Bruce A. Morrison 

Prairie Coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata) is a great early summer forb on the pastures here in SE O'Brien County, in NW Iowa. It forms fairly nice isolated groups where the surrounding plants may not be as thick or as tall, as to compete too heavily. It is also referred to as Stiff Coreopsis, and it does present stiff/straight stalks with nice fine palm shaped leaves. 

Our's seem to do best on the gravels slopes where it can find plenty of sun and shorter neighbors...and those here seem to be having a better year than usual - loads of them in bloom!

 

You can view a short video on my channel, which has a series of "A Prairie Moment" videos at the following link - 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khjkDjLFpjI

 

Thank you for stopping by and visiting my blog!  Be sure and stay cool out there and remember to be good to one another - we're all in this together!

Hope to see you on the Tallgrass. 

Summer - The Fourth Approaches

 "Wild Rose (Rosa blanda) with two Metallic Green Sweat Bee species" - photograph - ©Bruce A. Morrison 

Each morning here the wild roses along our hillside driveway are really showy from the house...I decided this morning to take the camera and tripod down to see if there were any photos presenting possibilities.

I'm fairly confident these are "Rosa blanda" as they are really very smooth and un-barbed on the flowering stems...further down on the base stem they are very barbed. 

 

The roses were being visited by Bumble Bees and Metallic Green Sweat Bees. Which one these two are, I am less sure of. But they are most likely female Texas Striped Sweat Bees - Agapostemon texanus or Bicolored Striped Sweat Bees - Agapostemon virescens, as the females present totally metallic green - both thorax and abdomen. However, they could also be Metallic Green Sweat Bees (Augochloropsis metallica)...another common native bee where both males and females are primarily shiny, metallic green overall.

 

But I'm at least confident of the Wild Rose in the photo! If I could live another 3/4 of a century, I think I could manage to be a fair amateur entomologist too!

Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) - photograph - ©Bruce A. Morrison

Who doesn't love Butterfly Milkweed?!! This is one engaging native wildflower in the pastures here in SE O'Brien County, IA. One of the most recognized milkweed family (Asclepias) member. 

 

Often adopted for the domestic garden, this milkweed will grow in nearly any soil type. Those found here are generally on the gravel slopes and return year after year. 

 

From what I have observed over time is they tend to thrive when they aren't overly crowded by a higher canopy. 

 

We have found this is a good "ambassador" plant for the prairie "uninitiated". When we first came to our little spot many years back, a particular neighbor didn't seem approving of us letting the pastures return to their native state...once a few of the Butterfly Milkweed started to return, some interest was peaked and casual interested conversations became more frequent.

 

You can observe the Asclepias tuberosa in the pastures here in a short "A Prairie Moment" video at the following link - 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG2lJ223zIY

Thank you for visiting my Blog - Happy Fourth of July to everyone out there...please remember to be good to one another - we are all in this together!

 

I hope to see you on the Tallgrass! 

Whites of Spring Continue

 

Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) - photograph ©Bruce A. Morrison

 

A very common native "virtually everywhere", is Daisy Fleabane.

Daisy Fleabane is described as an annual or biennial plant of 1 - 3 feet tall, with Individual flowerheads of about ½" across - having a daisy-like appearance.

This native flower of roadsides, yards, pastures and prairies is probably so taken for granted by many because of it's familiarity. It seems to show up and thrive in just about any niche it finds. Although it seemingly prefers mesic to drier soils and full sun, it will also thrive in more fertile locations without heavy competition. Those here on our small native prairie pastures in SE O'Bruien County do best along the gravel hillside slopes.

Its a pleasant multiple flowered plant, cheering up any space it occupies.

If you'd like to view "A Prairie Moment" short video of Daisy Fleabane, you can do so at the following link -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEt7RNhaDuU

Foxglove Penstemon or Foxglove Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) - photographs - ©Bruce A. Morrison

Another Penstemon sp. here in the north pasture (SE O'Brien County) is the Foxglove Penstemon or Foxglove Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis). About 3' tall, it shows up with its multiple small (1") white flowers and blooms for about 3-4 weeks. Another great plant for Bees, flies and Hummingbirds. I only find it in the pasture bottom, not up on the gravel slopes, not that it couldn't show up there, I just think its in its happy spot and so it stays.

 

This plant shows up on the BONAP maps as not being in our county, but does show up in Dickinson County...which touches the NE corner of O'Brien. How'd it get here? Well possibly from the IRVM seedings in the area (County seed source) or it might have been here or nearby at some point in time...I can't say...I'm just happy its here!

 

Also, if you'd like to view "A Prairie Moment" video of Penstemon digitalis, you can do so at the following link -

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkMLCd98WUs

 

Although we'll be seeing more whites as the season moves along - the colors will get more mixed and we'll see these as the days move into summer!

 

If we ever get a reprieve from the heat we've been experiencing - get out and enjoy a prairie preserve near you!

 

Thank You for visiting my blog - please remember to be good to another...we're all in this together!

 

Hope to see you on the Tallgrass! 

 

Gett'n Close!

 

"McCormack Sunrise" - oil painting - © Bruce A. Morrison

It's finally March and we had our first Robin of the year this morning!  Things are looking up...well, sort of.  Next week we're to have another 2-3 days of snow...maybe not much but still...ugh.

Really I'm not feeling as grumpy as I make it sound.  We are finally in a zone of precipitation, something that just hasn't been the norm here the past 3 years.  Although the ground remains frozen, we still have hope that some of this winter's snow and rain will make it into the soil.  Maybe some of the seeding we did again in the north pasture will actually take this time???  One can certainly hope!

My easel has been hopeful this winter as well, I figure if you can't have warm weather - just paint it!

The image above is of a nice little conservation area maybe 7 or 8 miles south of us "as the crow flies".  The McCormack area was donated to O'Brien County about 30 years back by Francis McCormack.  Francis was a native to the area having grown up in the vicinity of this location.  He left the area to serve in the US Navy...spent many years in Philadelphia after his service - then returned home in 1986 and purchased this ground from his brother - ground they were all so familiar with.  Family say Francis would spend time there "for peace and quiet".

It is a very nice quiet spot, one my wife and I and even grand kids have visited...over the years it has been on my regular visit list.  Thanks to people like Francis McCormack for giving back to the people of this area - there are so few places in our county still left that aren't plowed under or built up with houses or confinements.  The McCormack Area is a treasure of our natural heritage.

In the meantime I'm keeping at it in the studio - watching the landscape gradually change in the valley out front.  Spring is gett'n close!!!

Hope to see ya on the Tallgrass!

 

"Waterman Sunrise"

photograph © Bruce A. Morrison

Its fall already (!) and its been just glorious here.  Although I hate time slipping by so quickly, I'm a sucker for autumn!  I've been doing more work than prairie upkeep this year...with so much to do here in the studio, my prairie experience has been mostly relegated to exploring, photographing and painting (or drawing).  

I love the exploring part!  This year I've been very blessed to get access to some very nice places to walk and photograph.  They've all been in the "neighborhood" here...but this neighborhood is intoxicating and I'm hooked bad.

We live along the Waterman Creek in the valley here...this creek is part of the Little Sioux River shed and this river shed has been identified as one of the last large tallgrass remnant areas in this state (Iowa).

"Cattle Crossing"

color pencil drawing © Bruce A. Morrison

Top that off with the richness of cultural heritage here and its just hard to not get drawn in and absorbed.  I can only lament that I wish I'd been here and exposed decades ago!  I'm certainly not getting any younger but I haven't felt this way since I was a kid and discovered the river and creeks near my home for the first time.

I think being an artist of regional bent...a representational painter, a landscape photographer, a prairie fanatic, is all my vision desires and that is where I'm at now.  I'm home.

"Summer Evening on Waterman"

oil on mounted canvas - 9X12"

© Bruce A. Morrison

But this "home boy" needs to earn a living so here comes my shameless plug!  You can see the prairie up close and personal here in my studio/gallery at the Prairie Hill Farm Studio during the 2011 Artisans Road Trip coming up this Friday (September 30) from 4-8:00 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday (October 1 and 2) from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day!

Come see the prairie on canvas, in the frame, on the easel or here in the valley (or all of the above)!  Enjoy some conversation, drink some fresh (from here at the acreage) raspberry lemonade and eat decadent treats!  We'd love to see ya!

Have a wonderful fall - hope to see you on the Tallgrass!!!

A Tallgrass Year

Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea)

Photograph © Bruce A. Morrison

Thank you to those folks who came to the Prairie Heritage Center for the Prairie program Thursday evening...although my voice gave out early on, you hung in there!

If you weren't able to make it to the center, I'm going to post the first part of the program which was a media program, recorded with images and audio from our prairie here at Prairie Hill Farm.  I should state "most" of the images were from here; they were all shot within a 35 mile radius of here but at least 90% were here on our property.  The music soundtrack was licensed through CSS Music, Inc.

The web address for "A Tallgrass Year" is -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjlGSSd_0Uw

We're very busy here at the studio, with the Christmas season upon us, but if you're in the area and want to stop by, please feel free!

See you on the Tallgrass!

Tallgrass On My Mind

Soldier Beetle ( family Cantharidae) on Heliopsis helianthoides

This entry is a reposting of my Prairie Hill Farm blog from yesterday...it is strictly prairie related so thought it'd be a good fit for the A Tallgrass Journal blog as well.

I've mentioned the Prairie Heritage Center before...it is a gem in the extreme SE corner of our county (O'Brien).  There is an exhibit of the tallgrass prairie at the center, running now and through January 6, 2011.  The exhibit is a state traveling exhibit entitled "Tallgrass Prairie - Past, Present, and Future", and is a great exhibit for all ages to see, enjoy and walk through!

With this exhibit, the host organization is responsible for putting on a program in conjunction with the exhibit theme.  I was asked if I'd be willing to do so and agreed...prairie is near and very dear to my heart and I'm always happy to speak on this subject!

The Prairie Heritage Center is calling the program "Colors of the Prairie".  I've put together a short media program which will be followed by "colors of the prairie" and a discussion of my experiences and personal viewpoint of the Tallgrass Prairie.  The program will take place at the Prairie Heritage Center on December 2nd at 7 p.m - that's this coming Thursday night, so if you have an opportunity to get away for a short evening event - be sure and stop by!

For those of you who may not have been to the Prairie Heritage Center, directions are "east" of Sutherland, Iowa on HY 10, or "west" of Peterson, Iowa on Hwy 10...or 4931 Yellow Avenue, Peterson, Iowa.  You can also call for more information at (712) 295-7200!

 

See You on the Tallgrass!