Prairie Wildflowers: A Colorful New Crop

Prairie Wildflowers: A Colorful New Crop CROPS New Crops 23-3-25 Prairie wildflowers are making a comeback on Corn Belt farms, say Jack and Dennis Gogerty, who grow and harvest wildflowers on their farm near Zearing, Iowa. "There's an increasing demand for native plants for CRP and Wildlife Habitat Incentive programs, and also for residential and industrial property," says Jack. "Because of low production costs and good demand, prairie wildflower seed can net from $200 to $300 per acre, which makes it a sideline worth checking out." The Gogerty brothers were fortunate enough to have a native seed supply right on their farm - a 4-acre patch of virgin prairie that contained more than 100 flower and grass species ranging from compass-plant to purple prairie clover. "That part of the field wasn't near a tile outlet, so it was never plowed," says Jack. "The prairie patch has now become a valuable source of seed for our prairie restoration." The Gogertys harvested their first crop of prairie seeds three years ago and they plant an additional 5 to 7 acres each year. They clip the newly established stands two or three times each summer at about 10 in. above ground to control weeds and improve tillering. Most flower and grass species are ready to harvest in early October. They use a conventional combine to harvest the prairie seeds by blocking off air flow to the sieves so the seed is harvested "dirty". The grain tank gets filled with leaf and stem parts as well as pure seed. "At planting time we put this trashy mixture into a fertilizer spinner spreader which spreads the seeds and dried plant parts evenly over the field," says Jack. "We then shallow disk the seedbed to provide a light soil cover. "We hand harvest any plants that are subject to shattering about two weeks before using the combine. However, we've found that some fragile species mature early and tend to shatter in the wind." Next year, when their first field of restored prairie will have been established for 5 years, the Gogertys will harvest and sell the seed. Some of the prairie wildflowers they grow include cone flowers, switchgrass, Big bluestem, blackeyed Susans, heather aster, shooting star, and Indian grass. Prairie flowers and grass seed is available from specialty seed houses or railroad rights-of-way and roadsides if you want to start small. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Jack Gogerty, 71095 105th St., Zearing, Iowa 50278 (ph 515 487-7489).

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.