A visitor to the prairie grass

[lhfarm]

We have been restoring an old hay field (about 4 acres) to native grasses at our home in south central Indiana. Last Sunday morning, at about 7:30, I looked out the window to see a buffalo peacefully grazing in the prairie grasses. I yelled for my wife to come and verify that I wasn't seeing things. I got my camera and rushed out the door. By this time he (I did get a look at his back side) was at the edge of the field, near a salt lick. I was some distance away (and I didn't plan on getting closer!) when I took the photo and he departed into the woods.

I called the sheriff's office and the dispatcher said "Yes, we are aware of him and his owner is trying to round him up." She didn't ask my location or offer any more details. Our farm sets in a wooded area of about 400 acres. I was surprised she didn't at least want to know which way he was headed.

But for a few brief moments it was an incredible sight.

 

[RobS]

Isn't that coincidental, a native animal attracted to the native plants!

Your prairie looks great, did you plant it? I'm working on one but just collecting seeds from my sister's in Illinois. It's coming along, but slowly. Do you burn?

 

[lhfarm]

Isn't that coincidental, a native animal attracted to the native plants!

Your prairie looks great, did you plant it? I'm working on one but just collecting seeds from my sister's in Illinois. It's coming along, but slowly. Do you burn?

I got started about 4 years ago with the help of the DNR. They loaned me a no-till planter and had me buy seeds from Sharp Brothers (http://www.sharpseed.com/). My DNR guy moved over to the feds and we were supposed to do a burn this spring. As I stated the meadow is in the middle of a woods and I couldn't get hooked up with the local fire departement until it was too late, so I will wait till next spring.

I really wish I had gotten a picture of him grazing. It was a real wonderful sight. No idea where he came from. There aren't that many working farms in the area.

 

[Newblue]

I've seen cows come through my property in eastern Johnson county but never a buffalo! Wonder what farm that came from?

Mike

 

[MossRoad]

Pretty cool!

P.S.
You know those things are dangerous, right? Wouldn't want you to get a close up from too close up.

 

[lhfarm]

I've seen cows come through my property in eastern Johnson county but never a buffalo! Wonder what farm that came from?

Mike

We are near Grandview Lake, south and west of Columbus. The lake owns 600 acres of woods around the lake. There are several hundred acres of woods behind us and I don't remember seeing any livestock within a couple of miles of us. I have been watching the local paper, but haven't seen any reports of missing buffalo, so I guess the owner found him. As I said, the dispatcher seemed busy - that was the same day they were looking for the sniper at Seymour - and didn't want to chat. So my guess is I'll never know unless I spot him again at his home.

 

[lhfarm]

Pretty cool!

P.S.
You know those things are dangerous, right? Wouldn't want you to get a close up from too close up.

The picture is so small because I knew not to mess with this guy. My late father-in-law ran cattle on the place and there is still barbwire fencing around part of the land - including where he was last seen. I haven't checked, but I suspect that 45 year old rusted wire and posts didn't present a problem for him when he was ready to leave!

 

[rox]

Very cool pic, enjoyed it, thanks for sharing.

 

[Doc_Bob]

We have been restoring an old hay field (about 4 acres) to native grasses at our home in south central Indiana.

So you started 4 yrs ago. Any details? Soil prep? How did you do it?
Bob

 

[lhfarm]

So you started 4 yrs ago. Any details? Soil prep? How did you do it?
Bob

I knew I had posted a Web page when we started and it is at http://home.comcast.net/~lhfarm/meadow/. I see we did the planting in 2001, so it has been longer than I thought. But it will give you details. Our farm is at the top of a hill, with a long steep gravel drive. The tractor was a Ford 4000, that I've since sold and replaced with an NH TC40DA.

I made a mistake by not completely killing the fiscue. No farm service would try to get to such a small field. I purchased a 3pt sprayer, but didn't do the best of jobs. The grasses have done well, but not the wild flowers. Last fall, I called the DNR, to see what I should be doing. My contact had moved to the US Fish & Wildlife service, but he came back to give me some help.

Basically, he had me plow and plant winter wheat as a fire break around the edge of the field. I was to do a burn in late Feburary, then apply Roundup as soon as the remain fescue started to green up. I wasn't apply to do the burn (long story), so I ended up mowing the field in April. I'll try to do a burn next year.

The DNR would have paid for part of the seed, but I didn't want to enter the program. I'd contact your agency and see if they have a program. Access to the planter was key. Our poor soil didn't seem to be a problem. I do think I need to burn, instead of mowing.