Fall is coming, time to get back to work
- Tim Escher
- Aug 25, 2024
- 2 min read
The white snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) is blooming, and that means fall is coming. I always call it the "back-to-school plant", because it was always in peak bloom as our girls went back to school. This time of the year you'll see it everywhere on the hill.
It's also the time the tall prairie grasses come into their own. Big bluestem and Indiangrass have a big growth spurt in early August after being idle most of the summer, and can be 6-8' tall by late August when they seed out. If you go to the Star Prairie you'll see an amazing batch of big bluestem that the early summer rains brought in. The Okee Conservancy Park near the trailhead also has some impressive bluestem.
Goldenrod is blooming, and biological surveys have found at least 6 different kinds of goldenrod on the hill, some regionally threatened. Contrary to folklore, goldenrod doesn't typically cause allergies. That's more likely ragweed and corn which is also blooming right now. Thankfully we don't have much of either on Cave Bluff. The rough blazing star (Liatris aspera) is also in full bloom in the Manchester and West Prairies.
Fall also means it is cooling off, and it becomes much more pleasant to work in the woods. We have a number of projects on the list - some trail improvements, logging slash burning, and the constant invasives battles. We have scheduled two workdays - Saturday, September 14th, and Saturday, October 19th. Let us know if you can come help out. It doesn't require any experience, just a willingness to get some exercise out in the beautiful fall air. You can contact Tim at tim@eschers.com or 608-432-5799, send a message on Facebook, or fill out the volunteer form on the website.
Happy fall!
Tim and Terri
Thank you for all you are doing to preserve and make Cave Bluff available forever. It was part of my playground as a child and is such a precious gift. Thank you. Martha Dodge Alberti