Prairie Smoke Member News
Prairie Smoke donates books to Chatfield Library
See the list of books HERE.
The Prairie Smoke organization has completed a 5 year donation totaling $500 for purchase of nature books involving prairies, pollinators and related topics to the Chatfield Public Library in honor of our former President, Barb Nigon. Barb has been a leader in Prairie Smoke for many years and has overseen many changes for the better during that time. We hope this expanded resource benefits our members and the local community.
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People's Food Coop Donation
Prairie Smoke received a $303 donation from Rochester Peoples Food Coop
for the Beans for Bags Program. Shoppers at the People's Food Coop are given a
bean for each reusable bag that they use in the store. The store donates the savings
from the bags to local non-profit groups. Shoppers choose which group that they would
like the Coop to donate the savings to by putting the beans in the group's jar.
We are grateful for the community support from this generous program.
Thank you to the People's Food Coop for the opportunity to participate
in this wonderful program.
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​​Top 10 Tallgrass Prairie Facts
Jeff Nielsen of BWSR sends in the following facts on tallgrass prairie, compiled by Minnesota DNR:
1. Native tallgrass is the MOST ENDANGERED ecosystem in North America and the foundation of PERENNIAL POLYCULTURE. – Kansas University
2. Native prairie root systems are the BEST natural soil anchors on earth.
3. In one acre of established prairie there is 24,000 pounds of roots. – Iowa State University
4. One acre of established prairie can ABSORB 9 inches of rainfall per hour before runoff occurs. – University of Northern Iowa
5. One acre of established prairie will INTERCEPT as much as 53 tons of water during a one inch per hour rain event. – University of Nebraska, Lincoln
6. Prairie foliage represents a surface area of 5 to 20 times larger than the soil area beneath it. – University of Nebraska, Lincoln
7. Prairie planted in roadside ditches makes highways safer by INCREASING the holding capacity for snow in the ditch provided the shoulder is mowed. – MDOT.
8. Natural competition of prairie plants REDUCES the occurrence of weeds in an area. – Iowa State University
9. Greater prairie diversity, creates biotic barriers to PREVENT weed invasion. – University of Minnesota
10. One acre of reconstructed prairie can produce more bioenergy than land used to grow corn for ethanol. – University of Minnesota