[To see photos and stories of this prairie in other years, go to the links on the main Indian Grass Point page.]
2/17/2012 View of the prairie point, looking north
2/19/2012 This is a view from farther down the slope. I’m hoping to get some of this brush cleared, so the prairie plants underneath can grow. The brush is mostly sumac, prickly ash, and raspberries.
3/6/2012 I did some more clearing on the front of the point – cutting brush lower on the point – almost down to the oak woods.
4/22/2012 View of the point looking north. Most of the open part of the remnant faces south-east. Honeysuckle is greening up on the left, where I haven’t gotten around to clearing it yet.
8/13/2012 My cousin Joan was visiting, and we did a clearing project one day.
8/13/2012 Here’s the project before we started. Mike cut brush with the weed whacker, Joan and I cleared and piled. Then Mike picked up the piles with the tractor, and moved them to our giant brush pile.
8/13/2-12 Here’s our finished project.
11/5/2012 West-facing slope of the point
11/5/2012 This is the brush pile at the base of the steepest part of that slope. I think the cows used to graze there, so there aren’t many interesting plants, and I decided it would be a good spot to throw the brush I cut. It makes it easy to dispose of – I just throw it down the hill. Now, after a few years, the pile is covered with raspberries, and I’m sure it shelters numerous small animals during the winter.
11/15/2012 I’m pushing farther north on this slope – there’s still prairie growing under the brush, so it’s worth clearing.
11/25/2012 The same slope, after cutting away the brush.
11/26/2012 The east-facing slope – I’m working more slowly on this side.
11/29/2012 Looking north along the path. The area in the foreground is cleared – there’s still a lot left to work on!
More views of slopes being cleared.
11/30/2012 – top of the west slope
12/8/2012 East slope
As I was clearing along the lower part of the west-facing slope, I discovered an area that I’d never seen before. It’s a little hollow in the hillside, facing west, with big old oaks, and not much growing underneath them. I’m calling it Lost Hollow – it’s a remnant savanna.
11/17/2012 Here’s the entrance to it – from the place where I was working.
11/17/2012 Walking down the path, there’s an open area with a little brush, but mostly just big old oaks.
11/17/2012 This is one of the old oaks. The holes were made by a Pileated Woodpecker. There aren’t any fresh holes, and some of the old ones have almost completely grown over.
11/17/2012 Looking west from the hollow
