home on the range

HOME ON THE RANGE

years ago the buffalo roamed in texas and surrounding states
they would come through eg in this area every few years
millions of them
before we our ancestors destroyed most of them

the buffalo would eat the native prairie grasses
tromping down the cedars and other trees that grew
except for the largest oaks and other trees
the cedar trees would continue to grow on the hillsides
where they belong not down on the prairie like they are now

the cedars could only grow on the prairie large enough until
the buffalo returned to destory them again
nature doing its thing

now the buffalo dont roam no more
so the cedar trees take over
i have let my pastures go the last several years and its amazing
to watch the cedars grow
they seem to pop up everywhere
before we moved in here 12 years ago the pastures were used
to grow hay and to graze horses
the cedars when we moved in were tiny ones
now they have grown large and provide coverage for deer
and birds and rabbits and im sure a few snakes
dont tell my wife she that

my pastures have a lot of what i think is that king ranch bluestem
that got introduced years ago for forage and by the highway department
to use in the roadways
now its consider an invasive grass since it has pretty much taken over
texas
all that pretty flowing grass you see on the side of the road is
king ranch blue stem

also in my pastures are spots of johnsongrass another invasive grass
introduced for forage for cattle
thanks to a neighbors pasture where he grows johnsongrass hay
i fight in on my property all the time

i plant native prairie grass seeds on any bare ground that appears
in my pastures
over the years the predominant grass now in my front pasture is
switchgrasss  amongst other native grasses

organicgardening.com

since i have let my pastures return to it native state
i have noticed a return of more wildlife to my property
we recently this summer have had bobwhites return to the
area as well as wild turkeys coming up to visit from the river
and we have fawns every year that grow up around here

in my one acre yard anytime i see bare ground i order from
the native american seed company a pack of their thunder turf
which is made of native grasses buffalo blue grama and curley
mesquite which makes a beautiful turf grass that needs no care

many of you have probably heard of this grass
sold via the johnson wildflower center in austin
but its been available through the native american seed company 
for several years

other non native grasses we not me but you plant in your yards are
bermuda st augustine zoysia all water thirsty plants

picture courtesy of native american seed
www.seedsource.com

we should all be using this thunder turf
it looks good in the yard
if you dont water it it will not die
it returns with the next rain
i have about a half acre of this and have never done anything
to it like water it or fertilize it but only mow it occasionally

now there is a push to have people to pick out a part of their yard
say at 10 ft square spot that gets good sun
rake the soil good
plant the seeds either the thunder turf or a native prairie grass mix
to have their own patch of the praire in their yard

its called prairie scaping
try it in your yard
its like the milkweed plant for the monarch butterflies
if we all do a little we will help out a little to repair our land to
back what it use to be

the native american seed company at www.seedsource.com has the
best prices for these seeds when compared to the willdflower center
and other texas seed companies
order the catalog from native american seed company
its worth keeping on your coffee table
i do on mine

home on the range where the buffalo roamed
at least a small piece of it can be yours

hopefully you dont attract a buffalo to your property

the organicgreen doctor