38 Nebraskaland • January-February 2022
Prairie
Seeds in
Winter
Photos and story by Gerry Steinauer
y autumn, the seeds of most prairie plants have fallen, and with
luck, pounding rain, digging animals or winter frost heaving
will work them into the soil to await germination. Some seeds,
however, are stragglers — held in pods, shriveled fruits or
tight bracts to face the elements of winter aboveground. Many of
these will fall prey to hungry birds and mammals, and a lucky few
will pass through the foragers' gut unharmed and be dispersed about
the land. Others will fall onto snow or ice and, eventually, the melt
will gently deposit them onto moist soil.
Last winter, I chose prairie seeds as a photographic pursuit. On
several calm, often frosty, early mornings and late afternoons, I
roamed local prairies and fi elds seeking photogenic seeds or seed
heads. When found, framing them usually forced me down on my
knees, butt or belly onto snow or frozen, hard ground. Clumsy
gloves tossed aside, I operated my camera barehanded, my fi ngers
turning cold, stiff and red. Fortunately, the excitement of the chase
distracted my mind from the cold. Here are the results of my
endeavor.
N
B
A Photo
Exhibition
Gold fi nches and other songbirds relish cup plant's large,
nutritious seeds that consist of up to 33 percent protein, 24
percent fat and 9 percent carbohydrates. They also contain
vital minerals, including potassium, calcium and iron.
Individual plants can produce up to 0.4 pounds of seed, a
treasure trove for birds.
