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This last couple of days I have been honored to have helped two of the nicest people on the planet, Bill and Jody Miles.  These two set up Earth's Classroom in 1999 "to use experimental education to advance awareness, understanding an appreciation of ecology, cultural history and their interrelationships."  The "classroom" of 179 acres is owned mostly by her parents located in Crawford County, Missouri. This is located on the eastern edge of the Ozarks and at times have some wonderful scenic views.

Prairie Close-up at of Earth’s Classroom.

View looking northeast just north of Earth’s Classroom.
 
They  have a 9 acre prairie on the north side where we saw compass plants, grey headed coneflowers, rattlesnake master, blazing star, deptford pink, little bluestem, two eastern bluebird nests with eggs (7 total).  I am sure there is more there but I was there to work and I am trying to do this from memory. A photo of this prairie is on their website, http://www.earthsclassroom.org/facility.php.  This prairie along with other prairies and woods will be burned later this fall.

Woods after being burned

 
I along with other Master Naturalist helped clear out fire lines in preparation to this falls burns.  This past Friday we got to have a ride in a wagon behind an ATV and Bill Miles was our fearless leader.  He took us around to show us what they have done in the last ten years. 
 

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On our trip around through the woods we saw elderberry in bloom, along with sensitive briar, queen anne’s lace, black eyed susan and butterfly milkweed.  We also ate a may apple, black berries, and dew berries.  In one of the prairies that we crossed had a large population of black eyed susans and queen anne’s lace that were on average about 4-1/2 feet in height although we did come across some that were about 5 to 5-1/2 foot tall.

Deptford Pink
 
Saturday we wrote up burn plans for a 40-45 acre unit, 28 acre unit and a 9 acre unit.   As we were doing this we watched 3 fledgling eastern bluebirds leave their nest.  Before they left the nest if anyone got close the nest the father would dive bomb them as the mom would fly around just a couple of feet higher than the father.

Prairie full of black eyed susans and queen anne’s lace.

Beth

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