Last spring I wrote a post with lots of pretty photos showing a group of early blooming forbs I was seeing in my restoration and called it “Progress”. Soon after that I took a series of pictures which I meant to be reflective of density of seedling establishment specifically in an area where I had seen almost no perennial seedlings the year before. Before I get to the pictures I will once again show my map of seeding zones on the restoration.

Zones 1 and 2 got enough seed from the original seeding to have little need or room for the additional seed I have since spread. Zone 4, on the other hand received almost no seed in the original seeding, grew up to Canada thistle, and is being managed to control thistles. Which brings us to Zone 3, a gravelly, very xeric soil which got almost no seed from the original seeding. It has been topdressed repeatedly with supplemental seed and is where the most interesting things are happening (and is where I spend most of my time when I am out at the restoration).

So what was I seeing last summer? What I was seeing on most of Zone 3 was wonderful progress in establishment of seedlings from the many times I spread supplemental seed. Here’s several pictures from June. They show many crowns of perennial grass and seedling forbs. When I closely examined the areas I estimated 25-30 species in a 5′ diameter circle.

Not everything that is green in these pictures was planted by me of course. There are plenty of opportunistic weed species to go with the native plants, and the fact that these hills were barren for almost two years allowed many weeds to establish. Much of the area was a jungle by the time it was mowed in mid-July. Still, I don’t want to diminish the excitement that I felt when I realized that all the money and work was turning into something with potential. During the year the restoration raised a family of sharptail grouse, was used by upland sandpipers, various grassland sparrows and dickcissels; and was visited by countless bees of many species.

I think I have one more year of hard work spot treating thistles and then we will see what this becomes. I will be watching particularly for reproduction of the forbs. Many grasses are almost immortal because of clonal reproduction by root and crown, and that can allow them to “choke out” or at least outlive the forbs. I don’t think that this will happen on most of the restoration for a variety of reasons, but am hoping to learn the management techniques to combat this, foremost of which will be the use of fire and grazing. The gravelly soils will benefit the xeric adapted forbs as there is less chance of an impenetrable sod forming, allowing seedlings to establish. There is likely always going to be room for a new generation of seedlings, especially with grazing.

Something similar was seen in the wet area of the northeast patch on Zone 2. The aster is from a mesic area above the wetland in the northeast part of the restoration, and was one of several blooming this fall. The revelation was down in the wetland itself shown in the first picture. This is a particularly robust specimen of sawtooth sunflower growing on some subirrigated soil, close to 10 feet tall. This picture was taken in mid-September, not June, so it’s hard to pick out all the different species in the riotous growth, but I was thrilled to see not just what I planted, but rushes and sedges that were either already there or traveled in from nearby wetlands. This is an area where farming was commonly delayed or was left fallow because of excess moisture the past 20 years. How heartening it is to see the rich site producing biomass and using some of the nutrients that were potentially being leached or transported downstream. This is reflective of several acres of the restoration, and a similar site to the wetter area on the 20 acres of new restoration that I seeded last fall where I hope to see the same results.

Restoration ecologists and conservationists often speak in dry tones about ecosystem services, and I have written about the services I hope my prairie provides in past posts. There is something more we need to feed the soul, though, even the soul of a boring old Norwegian farm boy. With all my health problems it can be difficult for me to feel joy these days. On most days a sense of quiet satisfaction would be the high point of my emotional day. Yet I can find joy in my prairies, and in my restoration. And there is great satisfaction now, after three years, to feel there is something developing that can be a legacy.

A reasonable question to ask is: A legacy recognized by who? My daughters, certainly, but the circle is steadily widening. There is Ben, who has helped on the project from the start, of course, but there are perhaps 8-10 other people who have helped gather or spread seed now who have a vested interest in the success of the restoration. A young woman interning with the Nature Conservancy used my land as a site in a research project. I am now cooperating with another young woman who works for Ducks Unlimited. And then, much to my surprise, I had a couple other visitors last summer. My advisor from my MS program, Paul, and an private crop consultant, Kim, who lives 90 miles west of here, were guests at a barbeque I sponsor every year for a group of agronomists to allow a time to brainstorm or just let off steam, and both really wanted to see the restoration. Paul’s son, Leif, who now works for the Nature Conservancy, came along to the gathering, and was certainly interested in what I was doing. But I was very surprised at the interest of Paul and Kim. One would assume that both would feel that the highest use for land is farming, as that is where both spent their careers, but they took a short tour of my restoration and agreed that it was a project of great worth. So if it can also be a vehicle to allow old farmer/agronomists to dream and ponder, then the reach of my prairie widens, and there is another sort of ecosystem service provided.

My dream, for several years, has been to have a retirement business of putting together a group of like minded people to buy, restore and monetize awkward pieces of land. I might elaborate on what I mean by an awkward piece of land another time, but in short it would include marginal farm ground. It’s a valid concept if you accept that you are doing it for fun and societal benefit rather than to actually make money. The trouble is that ten years ago when I started to dream on the possibilities I didn’t take into account the health issues we have as we get older, and the physical and sometimes existential fatigue that envelops us. There is a reason that people retire rather than work until they are 80. My dream business is a pipe dream, no more, and my own farm is more than I can probably handle. But there are many people like me who have a farm they grew up on and still cherish, often from afar. And perhaps I can inspire one to go down the road that I walked, and restore some prairie where they grew up. I have never seen myself as evangelical, but I now have the example to preach about. At least I will try to be a good example.