Earth Day and signs of spring ’24 arrive at the Pawnee Bill Ranch
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PAWNEE, Okla. (KFOR) – Spreading on the prairie winds—that’s how most native grasses and wildflowers first arrived on Blue Hawk Peak.
But on this 21st century Saturday, retired science teacher Joyce Cheatham and Pawnee College Coordinator Felipe Chavez-Ramirez put them out for the taking.
“We have a seed buffet,” smiles Ramirez.
Modeling the idea from the seed swap tradition among vegetable gardeners, Cheatham and Ramirez organized the very first ‘Something to Grow About’ Earth Day celebration.
If you wanted wild violet, ashy sunflowers, or crowbeard they were on offer whether you had something to trade or not.
Ramirez continues, “We’ve been trying to grow plants for prairie restoration so we figured we cold combine both things.”
Denise Beagle brought some of the plants she sells in her shop in town.
She points out, “Swiss cheese plant, pathos, curly willow. These are some of the things we sell locally.”
She also brought preserves, salsas, and even some freeze-dried candy.
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Jason Perry uses all kinds of yard waste and natural stuff to create his own compost.
One thing he uses is native to these pastures.
“A special for the ranch. Buffalo manure,” he chuckles. “One third of our garbage is this kind of stuff. Instead of throwing it away why don’t we add it back to our soil and use it in a positive way?”
When the original Pawnee Bill constructed his home and ranch east of Pawnee more than a century ago he was only the latest inhabitant.
Cowboys and longhorn cattle preceded him.
The Pawnee tribe and the buffalo preceded them, eating native grasses and continuing a long cycle of life.
We drove through the big pasture and stopped to take a quick photo of a two day old bison calf.
‘Something to Grow About’ included all kinds of things that go with springtime in Oklahoma.
For more information on the Pawnee Bill Ranch go to okhistory.org.
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