John Holback | Stewardship Manager
Our new 90 acre Kestrel Hill Preserve (KHP) contains about 25 acres of what were agricultural fields, historically used to farm corn and soybeans. After acquiring the property, we’ve begun the process of converting the field from agriculture to a warm season grassland. This is no small feat- a ‘no-till-drill’ was used to plant a variety of native grasses and forbs which will germinate over the next 12 months and begin to fill the fields. In the meantime, an annual cover crop of oats was sown to keep out unwanted weeds and help hold the loose topsoil in place. By replacing the old ag fields with a warm season grassland meadow, we can expect healthier soil, increased carbon sequestration, and more biodiversity.
On May 17th, John Holback completed the meadow seeding at KHP. Over the next couple weeks we can expect a flush of growth from the annual oats which will need to be mowed every so often to help the perennials get established. We may see some Black Eyed Susans and other flowering perennials this year, but they will be mowed along with the oats. Mowing is crucial for proper meadow establishment as it prevents weeds from going to seed while perennial plants establish healthy root systems. Agriculture to meadow conversion is a multi-year process in which our current work will be rewarded by lush growth in the long-run.
