Labor Day is a good day to reflect on life and the work we put into maintaining our natural environment when sometimes all around us seem to be so unconscious of its importance. Take the time to get outside today and just savor nature and the web of life of which we are so blessed to be a part.
Over Labor Day weekend we made a trip to our son’s house in St. Paul and then visited the Minnesota State Fair in St. Paul, which is privately owned and is the second largest fair in the country – Texas having the largest fair. There is something of interest there for everyone at the 10 day Minnesota Fair.
Anyway, I couldn’t help notice that 99% of all the fields along Hwy 29, once planted in oats, hay, wheat, and occupied by grazing dairy cows, is now planted in corn, with some soybeans. Miles and miles of these grain field are for ethanol. Not much left for the pollinators.
I agree with you, Ken. Not that Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) could be used by all pollinators, but planting this native perennial would make more sense than corn, especially since it would be less costly to produce. Iowa and some of Minnesota have some beautiful roadsides.