But what if your pasture didn't just survive the summer, but thrived in it? What if it could also build your soil, protect your land from drought, and slash your input costs? This isn't a fantasy; it's the reality of grazing on a pasture built with native prairie species.

Dr. Larry Weber, co-founder of the Iowa Flood Center and Director at IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering. He made it clear that we are on the eve of a water quality crisis, one that requires us to look honestly at how we manage and farm our land.

Management for both the deer and the ecosystem as a whole is the answer. This shift in goals still means forest management, but it might not include hinge cutting for better fawn recruitment and winter survival of deer that leads to inflated populations. This new objective also will mean more food on the landscape for pollinating species, but less forage crop food plots that congregate deer, increasing opportunities for disease transmission. 

The prairie, as ethnobotanist Kelly Kindscher documents in his works, is a treasure trove of multi-purpose plants. For thousands of years, Indigenous people thrived in this landscape, understanding the intricate connections between flora, fauna, and themselves. By intentionally selecting the right native species for your farmstead, you can create a vibrant ecosystem that nourishes both wildlife and your family.

According to extensive research by experts like Dr. Michael J. Chamberlain at the University of Georgia, for the first four weeks of life, a turkey poult's diet must consist of nearly 90% insects. Without this massive, constant source of protein, poults simply cannot grow fast enough to fly, evade predators, and survive.

This is where your wildflower field becomes a lifesaving "bugging ground." A native prairie field is teeming with the grasshoppers, beetles, and spiders essential for poult survival.

Planting native prairie grass and wildflowers is a direct investment in the firefly life cycle. Native grasses like Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Eastern Gamagrass, Sideoats Grama, Indiangrass, and Switchgrass create the perfect environment for adult fireflies. By day, they provide crucial shelter from predators and the hot summer sun. By night, these tall stalks become the stage for their luminous courtship rituals, offering prime locations for males to perch and flash their signals to awaiting females.

Want to avoid using chemicals, but still need to eliminate some foliage? We have you covered.

…in today’s world, does it make sense to use native prairie and wildflower mixes as pasture for your grazers? Yes, and here’s why.

Goats have many benefits, but the big one is controlling invasive species.

If you want to use Buffalograss as your native lawn, you’ll want between 100 to 120lbs per acre. If you are leaning towards the Sideoats Grama, Blue Grama, Buffalograss blend, then you’ll want 7lbs of Sideoats Grama, 2lbs of Blue Grama, and 12lbs of Buffalograss per acre.

Typically, for bees you want wildflowers that are charismatic and showy. They use their sexy looks to attract bees to them. So if the flower is “loud” aesthetically and pretty to you, then it probably is putting the same signals out for bees.

A lot of land owners in the Midwest enroll their land into CRP (conservation reserve program), and many of those land owners want their CRP to be good whitetail deer habitat. It’s not that hard to do. Here’s how.

Introducing native prairie vegetation beneath solar panels not only preserves these ecosystems but enhances regional biodiversity. Unlike traditional gravel or turf, prairie plants create a dynamic environment that attracts a variety of pollinators, insects, and small mammals.

Milkweed serves as the primary host plant for monarch butterflies.

These vibrant birds find sustenance and sanctuary in the prairie landscapes. Through their presence, pheasants breathe life into the prairies, contributing to its intricate web of life and reminding us of the delicate balance that sustains our planet.

Assuming you don’t have millions of dollars in your bank account, there are still ways to start farming.

If you have a yard, one of the most beneficial actions you can take is implementing rain gardens. Rain gardens are designed to capture, absorb, and manage rainwater, providing a range of environmental, social, and economic benefits.

Though often overlooked, a superior option is the use of perennial plants (plants that regrow from the same root system year after year). Perennials offer numerous benefits that can greatly enhance the quality and sustainability of food plots. What are these so called “benefits”? And how can they help you?

During The latest episode of Coffee Time Wednesday The Hoksey boys went over some old talking points and brought some new ones to the table.