[To see photos and stories of this prairie in other years, go to the links on the main 3 Finger Valley page.]

6/16/2006  We’ve been working on some of the aspen groves at the bottom of Hidden Oaks Point – at the north end of 3 Finger Valley.  These aspens have been girdled and have mostly died.

6/30/2006  The south end of the valley – just north of the driveway, looking north

7/15/2006  Looking south from where the 3 Fingers join

7/17/2006  A view of Hidden Oaks Point

7/17/2006  The narrow part of the valley, with the grove of Black Walnuts on the right.

7/22/2006  The same narrow spot, looking south.

7/22/2006  American Bellflowers  – this is the original patch of plants that I found growing in the woods.  Last year I collected seeds to plant in the mowed places under the walnut trees.

7/22/2006  We mowed under the walnuts again, to give the seeds I planted last year a chance to grow.

7/22/2006

8/6/2006  The wide part of the valley, where the 3 Fingers meet

8/6/2006  The dry sandy area just south of Goldenrod Valley

8/6/2006  Another view of the dry sandy spot, showing the contrast with the rest of the valley

8/12/2006  You can just see some of the mowing that we did in the lowest part of the valley.  This wet area was very weedy.  The farmers had left an unfarmed strip down the middle, to slow erosion.  That strip and some of the other low areas had lots of agricultural weeds, and none of the prairie plants could get started.  After it was mowed, I scattered some aggressive wet prairie seeds in those areas.

8/12/2006

10/8/2006

10/8/2006  Smooth Aster