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Assignment: Texas – A Prairie in Pieces – Part 3
By Russell Graves
Despite the bad news, acres of pristine prairie do remain. Sixty miles northeast of Dallas, nestled between Blue Ridge and Celeste, are a couple of places of ecological significance. Collin County-owned Parkhill Prairie and the nearby Nature Conservancy easement, Clymer Meadow, protect some of the last remaining pieces of tallgrass prairie left in the state. The two parcels protect more than 1,400 acres of prairie that have never been developed or turned by a plow.
One fall day, Jim Eidson of the Nature Conservancy and I walk through the grass. Historic drought conditions have desiccated the grasslands, but botanical diversity is still evident. Maximilian sunflowers are shedding their seeds after a lackluster fall bloom, and many of the seasonal grasses are far past their peak. By conventional measures of natural beauty, most would probably think that the prairie isn’t too impressive. To the uninitiated it appears to be not much more than an overgrown field. That seems to be part of the problem. Even though beautifully sublime, prairies generally lack the monumentalism of other natural features. A prairie’s beauty is more microscopic. Eidson helps me see the beauty of the details.
By Barry Whitworth, DVM, MPH
With the prolonged drought, most pastures in Oklahoma end up in poor condition. With the lack of available forage, animals may go in search of alternative foods.
If oak trees are in the pastures, acorns may be a favorite meal for some livestock in the fall. This may result in oak poisoning.
Oak leaves, twigs, buds, and acorns may be toxic to some animals when consumed.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Tony Dean
There are a handful of grasses on North Texas grazing lands ranchers need to know, not because they are highly desirable, but rather because they are not of much value. I call them “decom” plants, which is am acronym for “Don’t Ever Count On Me.” Silver bluestem is a “decom” grass.
Silver bluestem is a perennial which grows in all areas of Texas. It can survive in almost all soil types, and in full sun conditions or in semi shade. It grows up to three feet tall and is easily recognized with the presence of the white fuzzy seed head. Also, one of the identifying characteristics of Silver bluestem is a bend in the stems at each node, causing the plants to take on a rounded shape as they mature.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Rayford Pullen
Fall is here which means winter is closing in on us and before we officially get into winter, we need to make sure our factories are either producing or will be producing in a few months.
We have been pregnancy testing our cows this fall and if they are not bred or nursing a calf, we are bidding them adios. With annual costs somewhere between $900.00 and $1,000.00 per cow, those cows not producing a live weaned calf are costing us quite a bit.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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