In 2010, we stopped mowing the land between the church and the cemetery. To our amazement, native Blackland Prairie plants sprang up!
We soon realized these meadows had never been plowed, although they were occasionally mowed during the growing season. The ancient plants miraculously survived. Today they are given an opportunity to grow once again. (Read more about the discovery of Frankford Prairie.)
All of the native plants on the prairie are thousands of years old. Two of the most notable are big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) and wild hyacinth (Camassia scilloides). Big bluestem is a tall (up to 8 feet) grass that grows each summer/fall while lilac-colored wild hyacinth grows each spring.
