White, spikey flower heads of Culver’s root in full bloom. Photo by Graham Steinhauer
Our recent heat wave prompted an urgent request from Graham and Emma at Goose Pond. The culver's root seed had matured much more quickly than expected and needed to be collected.
This is a seed well worth collecting. With its white plume of a blossom, culver's root is one of the most lovely and graceful plants on the prairie. Some pollinators love it including the federally-endangered Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (btw, why "patched"; wouldn't "patch" suffice?).
Culver’s root seedheads. Photo by Graham Steinhauer / SoWBA
Four of us answered the call. I thought the seed is ready to collect when the entire seed head is dark brown. By then some of the seed is falling out. Although it's okay to collect heads in that condition, Graham and Emma told us to focus on the seed head with a mottling of dark brown and shades of green. Worth knowing because that seed is tiny and precious: almost 800,000 seeds per ounce with a pound costing $1,200.
Graham set a goal of one barrel but ever optimistic Emma added another barrel just in case.
As usual the site was loaded with the target plant. We moved off the trail and, as we are wont to do, pressed further into the prairie. The collecting was easy but we found far more dark heads than the prime mottled ones. As we returned to fill the first barrel and take a break, we noticed many more perfect seed heads right off the trail. We hadn't seen them as we surged ahead.
We then focused our efforts near the trail. Bingo! Bucket after bucket of seed heads in just the shape Graham and Emma wanted.
A spider in the prairie. Photo by Emma Raasch / SoWBA
Among the cool sights on the prairie were a brood of pheasants and one of Emma's favorites, one of the big yellow orb spiders. This one was busy encasing a grasshopper, bigger than the spider. The more Emma and I watched the more amazed we were (and a little sorry for the hopper). If my food gathering was equivalent to the spider's I'd be subduing 300 pound hogs with my bare hands.
Except for the grasshopper, the morning was another seed collecting triumph. We filled both barrels. Graham hopes for 3 ounces of seed from each barrel. For readers interested in efficiency, that means the SPH (seeds per hour rate) for our crew was 400,000. Not bad.
And the morning has a moral: the grass is not always greener over the fence nor the seed more abundant deeper in the prairie. Sometimes the trail takes you right to what you're looking for.
If you’re interested in joining seed collecting events this fall, there are many scheduled and many that pop up. Check out the volunteer calendar and/or email Graham (gsteinhauer@swibirds.org) or Tucker (faville@swibirds.org) to get on their seed collecting email lists.
Best regards,
Topf Wells
