The O'Brien County Conservation Board Celebrates National Ag Day Through The End Of April
March 19, 2013
March 19, 2013 Celebrates National Ag Day, a time when producers, agricultural associations, corporations, universities, government agencies and countless others across America gather to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by American agriculture.
The Prairie Heritage Center, near Peterson, Iowa is doing just that by hosting the exhibit “Listen to the Prairie – Farming in Nature’s Image.” Have you ever “listened” to the prairie? What stories might it tell? The answer to these questions can be found at the Prairie Heritage Center from now until the end of April!
The O’Brien County Conservation Board is pleased to bring another special exhibit to the Prairie Heritage Center. This exhibit, entitled “Listen to the Prairie – Farming in Nature’s Image,” was created by the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and has been on tour since 2001. The Friends of Hartman Reserve Nature Center in Black Hawk County received a REAP Conservation Education Grant to bring the exhibit to Iowa and assist in its travels across the state. Ed Gruenwald, Hartman Reserve’s Nature Center Director explains, “What we are trying to do is to send a Smithsonian quality exhibit to small-town Iowa. We want to let all Iowan’s know that their stories and relationships with the land are important and worth sharing.”
The exhibit focuses on the tallgrass prairie ecosystem and how it has changed into one of the most productive agricultural lands on earth. The display leads viewers through the diverse prairie ecosystem and why it is important, the conversion of prairie to farmland, and how modern agriculture can maintain its viability while still protecting and preserving prairie lands for the future.
The exhibit has something to interest everyone! Touch screens, audio clips, and engaging artwork help to tell this interactive story. The exhibit is free of charge and can be viewed at the Prairie Heritage Center, just north of Hwy 10 on Yellow Ave. The Center’s hours are Wednesday – Friday from 9:00 – 4:00 and Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 – 4:00. For special groups, please call the center at 712-295-7200 for arrangements.
Don’t miss your chance to “Listen to the Prairie!”
Provided by the O'Brien County Conservation Board
