Tag: seeds

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Native American Seed April 23 Field Trip Report

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— by Erin Buhl

On April 23rd we had our field trip to Native American Seed in Junction, Texas. The area was very dry and windy, and is part of a multi-county area of Central Texas currently experiencing drought level D4 – Exceptional, the most severe. The group included around 33 people from our chapter and the Austin Chapter, as well as some from the Master Naturalists group.

photo of group
Bill Neiman (top left) sharing a few words with the field trip participants. Photo by Vicky Husband.

The field trip started at the Hacienda House where Bill Neiman, the owner and founder of the company, spoke to us about his youth and how he got started in the business after initially doing a lot of landscaping work using exotics. Bill’s philosophy about the importance of native plants is summarized on the company’s website on their pages What We’re About, and Sensible People… Why Native Plants are the Right Choice, and I encourage you to read both articles.

Prairie Verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida)
Prairie Verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida). Photo by Erin Buhl.

Next, we made our way down to see the fields. Despite the dry conditions and difficulty of irrigating the fields, the beauty of the native flowers in spring shone through as you can see in these photos. Our tour guides, George and Emily, freely shared of their knowledge and answered our many questions. Some of the plants we saw that were currently in bloom were Prairie Verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida), Mealy Blue Sage (Salvia farinacea), Winecup (Callirhoe leiocarpa), and Huisache Daisy (Amblyolepis setigera). We were too early in the year to see the field of Standing Cypress (Ipomopsis rubra) in bloom, but were told it is an amazing sight.

Mealy Blue Sage (Salvia farinacea) with Winecup interlopers (Callirhoe leiocarpa).
Mealy Blue Sage (Salvia farinacea) with Winecup “interlopers” (Callirhoe leiocarpa). Photo by Erin Buhl.
Huisache Daisy (Amblyolepis setigera).
Huisache Daisy (Amblyolepis setigera). Photo by Erin Buhl.

Eventually we made our way up to the equipment area and the seed collecting barn. The equipment and time needed to sort the seed from the chaff and ensure its purity and viability are surprising. The business has to take seed and farming equipment that is made for general use (corn, soybeans, etc.) and convert it to their purposes with so many different species of natives that they are growing. They are providing a unique and essential service to the entire state of Texas and I encourage everyone to support their business for your native seed needs.

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Online Chapter Meeting May 13: “Planting Natives From Seed” with Dr. Anthony Falk

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Join NPSOT-Wilco’s online chapter meeting on Thursday, May 13, 2021, at 7:00 pm, when Dr. Anthony Falk will present Planting Natives From Seed.  (Registration instructions are later in this post.) 

We give away a book at every meeting — about native plants or the meeting topic — to one randomly chosen meeting attendee!

About the topic:  This presentation will provide information about purchasing native seed, ground preparation for planting native seeds, and suggestions for which species are easy to establish from seed.

About our speaker:  Anthony Falk has worked for the South Texas Natives Program for the last 11 years. While with the program he has held several positions including collections and evaluations coordinator and assistant director. He is currently a research scientist for the program and oversees several restoration research projects across the state.

How to attend:   You must register in advance to attend the meeting.  Register at the link:  https://zoom.us/webinar/register/2116147254004/WN_5gjv_wHRS7SN3Mg7YpdWxw

image of board with seeds available
So many possibilities…

NPSOT-Williamson County meetings are free and open to the public. In this time of public health risk, our in-person meetings and field trips are canceled until further notice.

Check our blog announcements, calendar and Facebook for developing plans for virtual meetings and virtual field trips.

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Online Chapter Meeting June 11: Become Native to Your Place with George Cates from Native American Seed

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Join NPSOT-Wilco’s online chapter meeting on Thursday, June 11, 2020, at 7:00 pm for Become Native to Your Place, with George Cates of Native American Seed.  You must register in advance to attend the meeting. Details are provided later in this post.

George Cates, Native American Seed

About tonight’s topic:

Become Native to Your Place. Choose a path of stewardship and a lifetime of wonder and learning. Healthy ecosystems are essential to the well-being of living things and to our quality of life. A diversity of native grasses and wildflowers provide benefits such as air and water cleansing, water supply retention, erosion and sediment control, pollination, and habitat for wildlife.

George Cates, Native American Seed

George Cates of Native American Seed spent the last 18 years helping people restore the earth. He is one of few people that focus on native seed farming and harvesting operations across Texas. George loves to tell stories about native plants and their connections. From urban landscape conversions to large prairie restorations, he will share his experiences encouraging and preserving what makes Texas our home.

How to attend

  • You must register in advance to attend the online meeting.
  • After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar on the day of the meeting.

Please register for our Monthly Chapter Meeting: Become Native to Your Place, June 11, 2020 7:00 PM CDT at the following link: removed

NPSOT-Williamson County meetings are free and open to the public. In this time of public health risk, our in-person meetings and activities are canceled until further notice.

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