July 2026 • Nebraskaland 23
Brashier's 1961 article, "Prairie a Bloom," reflected her knowledge of
native plants and their habitats. The magazine would soon recruit
additional staff with similar proficiency.
thought to native plants, which were also in decline and in
need of conservation. When plants were mentioned, it was
almost always for their value as food or cover for waterfowl,
deer, quail and other game.
Case in point: The 1944 article "Nebraska's Deer"
discussed deer diet in the Sandhills and referenced several
wildflowers. "The palatable shrubs [in summer] are redroot,
sand cherry, choke cherry, sandhill willow, buckbrush and
rose. … Soapweed and prickly pear cactus are eaten during
the winter months when other green feed is scarce." In
another passage, the word "wildflower" appeared for the
only time that decade in the magazine. Change, however,
was on the horizon.
A woman's perspective brought the first wildf lower
articles to Outdoor Nebraska. In 1959 and 1961, associate
editor Mary Brashier wrote two short pieces: "Flowering
Fun," illustrated with line drawings, and "Prairie a Bloom,"
illustrated with small black-and-white photos. The former
was a natural history piece; the latter encouraged travelers
to enjoy the state's "varied" wildflowers: "The gay palette
of colors along the road are as much a part of your Nebraska
vacation as the first deer or strange bird sighted."
Shortly after, Rachel Carson's book "Silent Spring" drew
attention to the dangers of pesticides, and in 1970, the first
Earth Day brought national attention to environmental
issues. Nebraskans were becoming more aware of the
decline of nongame species, including plants and their
habitats. The magazine followed suit, and by the early
1970s, after it had become Nebraskaland, wildflowers were
finally taking root in its pages.
BACKGROUND FLOWER ILLUSTRATIONS BY MICHELE ANGLE FARRAR
