Prairie Fire and New Beginnings
This month we burned the prairie.
Why, you might ask? Last year Hive & Petal received an EQIP conservation grant through the USDA, and part of that project involves establishing a conservation prairie planting on the farm. The idea is to restore some native habitat, reduce erosion, and create better forage for pollinators and wildlife.
Before prairie seed can go in the ground, though, the existing [dead] vegetation has to be cleared, allowing the new seed to better contact the soil. One of the best ways to do that is with fire. Prairie landscapes actually evolved with periodic burns, and many native plants respond really well to it. Fire clears out old plant material, returns nutrients to the soil, and gives native grasses and flowers room and light to grow.
Burn day takes some patience. I had to wait for the right conditions — dry grass so the fire would carry, but soil that still held some moisture underneath. That helps keep the burn controlled and protects the ground layer. Fire is a powerful tool, but it’s also dangerous. If it gets away from you, it can quickly turn into a very expensive mistake.
Most days it feels like the Isle of Skye out here with all the wind, but the weather cooperated for the burn. The wind was blowing about 5–9 mph from the east, which let the fire move steadily across the field without getting unpredictable.
Watching a prairie burn is pretty dramatic in the moment, but it’s also part of the natural rhythm of these landscapes. My trusty field cat Forrest supervised the operation, keeping an eye on the fire — and any fleeing rodents.
When everything was finished, the field was black. It can look a little alarming if you’re not used to it, but it’s exactly what the ground needs before seeding.
Next I’ll be spreading the prairie seed mix and stamping it down so the seed has good contact with the soil. I’m using the Allendan CP42 Leopold #2 10/40 prairie mix (rolls right off the tongue, right?). Allendan is a native seed company based just down the road in Winterset, Iowa, and they specialize in mixes for restoration projects like this. Prairie plantings take patience — it can take two to three years before they really start to show what they’re going to become.
Those first couple of years take some management too. I’ll be mowing and keeping an eye on weeds so the young prairie plants have time to establish before more aggressive plants try to take over.
I chose a seed mix with extra flowering species with the hope that this prairie becomes a strong forage area for the bees, along with the many other pollinators that live out here.
For now, though, the field gets to rest for a bit. Fire first. Seed next.
