-Volunteer work parties: Seed collecting: September 12 and 28 and October 17

-Controlled burns: 6 and 14 November 2004

-Savanna seed planting 21 November 2004

Controlled burns: 6 and 14 November 2004 We had very successful savanna burns on 6 and 14 Nov. 2004. The weather was very favorable and we were able to burn all of our bur oak and white oak savannas. Ten people participated in the burn on 6 November. We made good use of the Prairie Enthusiasts pumper truck, as well as a new off-road pumper unit installed on the rear of our Kubota tractor (see photo). The total acreage burned was about 18 acres, predominantly in the bur oak ridge-top savannas.

A brief spell of sunny dry weather on 14 Nov. 2004 made it possible for us to burn the rest of our savanna, including the white oak area.

Our new Kubota-based pumper unit worked well on mop-up, always an important part of an oak savanna burn. We could drive right next to a burning log or tree and put out the fire. The Kubota handles much like an all terrain vehicle but it is more adaptable. The bucket is fastened to the tractor's three-point hitch.

For the 14 November burn, we drove this vehicle to the top of Unit 18 and used the 200 foot hose to create a wet line down the ridge.

We had our Annual Labor Day field trip on Sept. 6, 2004. Over 20 people attended, quite a few from Illinois. The weather was pleasant and the prairies and savannas were in their full autumn glory. Participants saw several areas of restored savanna where grasses and forbs had become well established. Savanna grasses seen were Elymus villosus, Elymus hystrix, Elymus riparius, and Bromus pubescens. Among the many forbs were poke and purple milkweeds (forming pods), lion's foot (Prenanthes alba), woodland Joe Pye weed (Eupatorium purpureum), and elm-leaf and zig zig goldenrods (Solidago ulmifolia and S. flexicaulis).

Also viewed were prairie remnants on the south-facing slope and three planted prairies.

Seed collecting, September 12 and 28, 2004.

We had very successful seed collecting work parties on Sept. 12 and 28. Seeds collected included Elymus riparius, giant yellow hyssop (Agastache nepetoides), wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), woodland brome (Bromus pubescens), pale Indian plantain (Arnoglossum atriplicifolia), black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), yellow cone flower (Ratibida pinnata), Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans), New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americana), pale purple cone flower (Echinacea pallida), Upland boneset (Eupatorium altissimum), Old field thistle (Cirsium discolor), Woodland thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana), Rosin weed (Silphium integrifolium), and many others. The weather has been excellent.

Seed collecting, October 17.

Our principal seed collecting target on October 17 was little bluestem (Schizachryium scoparium). This characteristic prairie species is plentiful on our south slope. Collecting was a slow task, as seeds had to be stripped off the stems with a comb. Fortunately, we had a nice group of volunteers and we collected more little bluestem than we had ever collected before.

Seed planting 21 November 2004

After two successful controlled burns, we started overplanting the savanna areas with seed collected earlier in the fall. We have over 20 acres to plant this fall, plus more in the spring of 2005. Seeds of almost 150 species were collected, primarily from Pleasant Valley Conservancy. A group of volunteers participated in the first planting on 21 November. Because deer hunting season had begun, everyone wore hunter orange, although we saw neither deer nor hunters this day.