October 18 seed collectors at Goose Pond Sanctuary (photo by Graham Steinhauer/SoWBA)
Perfect is the highest standard for seed collecting or anything—but Graham, assisted by Tucker, nailed it on October 18 at Goose Pond.
The mission was to collect heaps of New England aster and rattlesnake master. The former is a key source of nectar for the latest batch of monarchs departing for Mexico and the latter is a mainstay of southern Wisconsin prairies. Much of this seed is needed for a 50 acre restoration at Hillside Prairie Sanctuary, our newest sanctuary near Cambridge. Fifty acres is a really big restoration requiring barrels of seeds.
New England Aster in bloom (photo by Tom Koerner/USFWS)
Rattlesnake master in bloom at Goose Pond Sanctuary (photo by Arlene Koziol)
We met the first standard of perfection with barrels overflowing with New England aster and barrels and a vat full of rattlesnake master. The picking was easy, thanks to Graham's scouting, although the aster grows in heavier vegetation than the rattlesnake master. Graham has us pick this easier seed last, as our energy admittedly flagged a bit. Nothing a full-strength Coke can’t fix, a rare pleasure paired with a tromp through the prairie.
To make it better, Graham found an apple tree on a relatively new Goose Pond property. They are a small, green apple with overtones of russet and remarkably unblemished for a wild apple. The flesh was quite dense. Perfection came via the flavor. To my mind, it was just the right blend of tangy and sweet, the essence of an autumn apple. The seed collectors were unanimous in their appreciation. One young couple contemplated how they'd taste in a pie, and Graham gave them directions to the tree.*
The weather was another example of perfection—mild and a bit breezy with bright skies. The final and critical component of seed collecting is the collectors. This was an enthusiastic, friendly, and hard-working group of about 20. And interesting, with a family of five, the young, apple-appreciating couple, an artist who is restoring an oak savanna, a sculptor who has restored a prairie, and a teacher, who has worked in some of our finest zoos and aquariums. That's just a sample of the folks assembled this last Saturday.
We did some good so I suppose at some level SoWBA owes us thanks. Honestly, though, we owe the thanks to Graham, Tucker and all the SoWBA folks who have made Goose Pond possible.
Take care,
Topf Wells, Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance volunteer
* Invasives and foraging are fraught topics for many land trusts. In this case, the surviving apple tree does no harm to the larger landscape, is an interesting piece of the land's natural and human history, and probably is good for some pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. Picking a few of those apples is a nice and harmless bonus for a visit to the land. Those apples and, I bet, that pie, create an even stronger appreciation for the land. That's good, I think.
