It's Spring! . . . Time to Re-Cover the Land with Native Grasses

This spring marks 20 years since Native American Seed conducted its first harvest of native grasses and forbs. At the time, more than just a few people thought we were crazy - who on earth could possibly be interested in seeds from that harvest? But our own experience of working with natives had given us the faith and vision that this could be the start of something big. If we could grow and expand the diversity of native seeds available to people in our region, they could do more to heal their land. And as the efforts of those dedicated pioneers produced tangible results, their neighbors and friends would be able to see and touch appreciate the natives and give it a try themselves. And that's what happened.

The new "Grass Issue" for Spring 2008 has expanded to 48 pages for the first time ever, with an expanded regional map to reflect the growth of interest in our work. New offerings this spring include Western Rangeland and Eastern Savannah Grass Mixes.

The merlin on the cover of the catalog this spring is a reminder that there is still much to be done. The National Audubon Society recently warned that 217 of the more than 700 species of birds that breed in North America are now on the decline, with 98 of these 217 species in danger of "imminent risk of extinction."

None of us can single-handedly solve the problems of the world. But we can each do our part to improve the quality of life around our own place - to provide food and shelter for birds and other wildlife, to conserve water and precious soil, and in the process to renew our connection with the earth and rediscover the joy and satisfaction that connection can bring.

We remain grateful to all of you - from the earliest pioneer to the newest land steward - for your continued interest in our work.

Have a little space to go wild? ... A "problem" spot?

Native American Seed has a variety of grass mixes to suit nearly every situation. The Prairie Starter Mix is a general purpose native tallgrass mix that works for natural grass, rangeland and wildlife areas - or, to start creating a "pocket prairie" in a corner of the back yard. Our Caliche Mix is tough enough to meet the harsh challenges of dry, thin caliche soils even on slopes. The Sustainable Quail & Dove Mix provides both food and cover for these and other game birds. And we've even got a mix of tall and medium-height grasses that will grow in the shade. Our conservancy harvests offer rich genetic diversity to restoration efforts by those who live in Gulf Coast prairie areas, in the drier regions of the Texas Hill Country and Trans Pecos, or on the deep clay soils of the Blackland Prairies. For the first time this year we're offering mixes for southern and southeastern plains, and western rangelands. Have a look through the Grass Mix and Wildflower Mix sections of our secure online catalog. Or, call us if you have questions about the best choice for your land.