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Prairie Vegetation
Eidson explains grasses
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Clymer Meadow
Clymer
Meadow, owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy of Texas, is
an 823 acre Blackland Prairie Preserve located in northwestern Hunt
Co. about 50 mi north of Dallas.
Basketflower
The
Blackland Prairie is the Texas version of the tallgrass prairie
that once stretched from near the Texas Coast to southern Manitoba.
Because of the prairie's rich agricultural soils, more than 99 percent
has been cultivated, making the tallgrass the most endangered large
ecosystem in North America.
Named
for pioneer Jim Clymer who bought the first tracts in the 1850s,
Clymer Meadow is one of the most diverse remnants of the Blackland
Prairie and one of the most scenic areas in North Central Texas.
This Preserve serves as a center for study of the Blackland Prairie
and has been the site of more than a dozen scientific investigations
ranging in scope from inventories of prairie invertebrates to noxious
weed control.
Jim
Eidson
Over
250 species of vascular plants are found at Clymer, where these
plant "communities" have existed for thousands of years.
Management is directed toward community restoration and the increase
of biodiversity. Management includes grazing of bison, limited hay
production and prescribed burning.
The
tour, held in June of 2000, included discussions of soils, importance
of microtopography, land use history and management.
For
more information about Clymer Meadow, visit their website.
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Fireplace with Tools
Grape Arbor
Side of Barn
House interior
Gifford's
Barn
Bath
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Wolf Run Ranch
 Field day at pondThe
HRM field day at Wolf Run Ranch, held in June, 2000, was a delight.
A great Barbeque lunch gave the rain time to lighten up so we could
see the pastures, ponds and cattle. Pete also showed us the wonderful
Wolf Run Outdoor Education Center facilities designed to teach children
the principles of sustainable living. A favorite stop on the tour
was the authentic mid-19th century Texas farmstead Gifford built
on the ranch.
Owned by Pete and Kay Gifford, the 400 acre Wolf Run Ranch produces
retail and wholesale natural grassfed beef.
House exterior
The
Giffords have owned the ranch for 30 years, managing the land primarily
in the traditional (chemical) way. Five and a half years ago they
switched to all organic management. Now their soil is certified
organic and they are seeing much more forage than when they treated
the soil with chemical fertilizers. The cattle are improving, too.
Now, under intensive and rotational grazing management, their beef
cattle look more like dairy cattle with better milk production and
overall health.
BBQ at Gifford's
The
field day focused on soil health, organic methods and the benefits
to the cattle of organic management.
Garlic on the porch
Please
read more about Wolf Run on their website.
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