May/ June 2014 by Greenability magazine

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May/June 2014

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ometimes what seems obscure and insignificant may turn out to play an important role in our environmental wellbeing. So it is with the prairies, the nearly obsolete patches of land that carry our history – and our future – in their native flora and fauna. In researching and selecting the stories for our special section Explore the Prairies, we’ve tapped the incredible knowledge, passion and urgency that prairie experts have for protecting and expanding the heartland’s few remaining native prairies. Where have all the prairies gone? Today, less than one-tenth of one percent of the original prairies remain in Missouri, and only 17 percent in Kansas. Carol Davit, executive director of Missouri Prairie Foundation, cites the many biological systems dependent on the prairie, including humans. To give you a closer look, we’ve highlighted some facts and found nearby prairies to explore, prairie events to attend, edible prairie plants to try, and ideas for planting a prairie in your own yard. It seemed only fitting to include a story on 11 ways to save the bees, given that honeybees are critical players in our food security. We hope you join Greenability and Posty Cards in supporting the efforts of Missouri Prairie Foundation at a June 26 evening event in our offices. For several years I have gathered information on green burials, but I’ve had concerns about how best to approach such a sensitive topic. It is an honor to share the story of Gilbert Becker and his family’s journey down this road. They didn’t start out planning a green funeral, but in the end, the Beckers discovered it was the best way to celebrate the life of their patriarch. We’ve added resources on practical and legal issues, area cemeteries and national guidelines. It’s time to enjoy local food! Farmers markets are open, and it’s our first full-fledged opportunity to buy locally grown tasty treats. You can also head to

Lawrence and Miami County for two weekend farm and garden tours and a chance to see your food growing in the fields. Be sure to check out farmer Joel Salatin’s commentary on how local food could save us. Explore other upcoming area events with a green twist. The Symphony Designer Showhouse features eco-friendly home decorating ideas, and Boulevardia debuts a weekend of fun in the West Bottoms. Primarily devoted to sampling new beers, the event includes an Eco Exhibit with numerous family-friendly activities that point toward more sustainable living. For a complete listing of green events, sign up for our free weekly newsletter, or check out our events calendar at www.greenabilitymagazine.com. Warmer temperatures also bring the chance for higher ozone levels. To do your part in reducing ozone-forming emissions, join the Green Commute Challenge and track how much CO2 and money you save. And finally, we extend thanks to everyone who works on Greenability, and to our printer, Modern Litho. We all won the Best of Category Award of Excellence for a four-color magazine in the Printing Industries of America Graphic Excellence Awards Competition. We are proud that Greenability stood out as an example of how beautiful a magazine can look while holding to the highest standards of environmental sustainability. Cheers!

Julie Koppen Publisher julie@greenabilitymagazine.com

Volume 8, Number 3 May/June 2014

PUBLISHER Julie Koppen julie@greenabilitymagazine.com OPERATIONS & CIRCULATION MANAGER Tina Yates tina@greenabilitymagazine.com COPY EDITOR Kim Broers WRITERS Jeff Becker Carol Davit Lauren Langdon Douglas Peel Joel Salatin Tina Yates ASSISTANTS James Gottsch Johannah Waldo GRAPHIC DESIGN Kim Tappan/Tappan Design Connie Saum COVER PHOTOGRAPH Valerie Kutchko

PHOTOGRAPHY Jeff Becker Kirsten Bosknak Carol Davit Henry Domke Lance Jessee Kelly Kindscher Matt Kocourek Valerie Kutchko Bill Mathews Jarrett Mellenbruch Noppadol Paothong Rachel Salatin James Trager Pat Whalen Allen Woodliffe ADVERTISING Julie Koppen julie@greenabilitymagazine.com WEBSITE MANAGEMENT Tim Gieseking COPYRIGHT All contents of this issue of Greenability are copyrighted by The Koppen Group Inc., 2014. All rights reserved.

GREENABILITY May/June 2014 (ISSN 1938-5749) is published bi-monthly (6 times per year) for $24 per year by The Koppen Group, Inc., 1600 Olive St., Kansas City, MO 64127. Periodicals postage paid (USPS 2020) at Kansas City, MO and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER Send address changes to GREENABILITY, P.0. Box 414056, Kansas City, MO 64141-4056. Subscribe online at www.greenabilitymagazine.com or send subscription orders or address changes to P.O. Box 414056, Kansas City, MO 64141-4056.

ON THE COVER Great blue lobelia (lobelia spiphilitica) is growing in the urban prairie at Posty Cards.

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CONTENTS May/June 2014

Features

13 31 35 36 37

11 ways to save the bees Discover the farmers market Tour local farms, gardens and winneries Greenability wins best magazine award

EXPLORE THE PRAIRIE

19 23 27 29 30

Where have all the prairies gone? Hike the wild lands of Kansas City and beyond Plant a prairie border garden Taste some prairie plants Play, hike or help on a prairie

Symphony Designer Showcase has eco-friendly touches

Departments

4 33 38

From the Publisher Commentary: Farmer Joel Salatin Greenability Directory

Honoring Dad with a green burial

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Honoring dad with a green burial By Jeff Becker

The entire Becker family rallied around Gilbert Becker by planning a steak barbeque to cheer him up at the North Care Hospice House. Jeff Becker, the story author, is standing on the right with his hand on his Dad’s shoulder. Jeff’s mother, Suzanne Becker, is seated on the left.

ne of my Dad’s favorite stories was about us four “Becker Boys” huddled under the big pine tree in our neighbor’s yard on July 4th. We nearly killed ourselves when our coveted stockpile of firecrackers exploded all at once, scaring neighbors for blocks away. He loved to tell that and other stories of us playing under or up in that pine tree. It was the perfect place for climbing, building our tree house – and, unfortunately, watching my twin brother Jay fall out and break his arm. One year, after the tree was trimmed, Dad transformed a large branch into our most memorable Christmas tree. The tree was technically the neighbor’s, but we all loved it. So it only seemed right that when it came time to arrange for Dad’s final resting place, that tree would play a significant role.

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This is the story of our family trying to see through the grief of a dying parent to find a way to honor him and what was important in his life. We didn’t start out planning a “green” funeral, but that is what evolved. In 2011, a new neighbor wanted to build a deck where the big pine stood. My Dad offered to help cut down the tree, chop the sizable branches into firewood and haul off the remaining brush. But, being Dad, he saw potential in that tree trunk. So while my Mom was gone, Dad took down several sections of the fence, rigged up pulleys and skids, and dragged the biggest two sections into his yard. Needless to say, he caught major grief from Mom for adding to his “inventory” of potential projects. Within a year, Dad started having health issues. After numerous hospital stays and a few close calls, Dad was barely hanging on to life. As we watched him fade further with a failing heart, liver and kidneys, we decided to move Dad from the hospital to hospice care. We hoped it might “reset” his body and, if not, then at least he might be more comfortable. On the Friday that we moved Dad to North Care Hospice House, he could not speak, eat, stand or function on his own. We were later told that the doctors did not expect him to live more than a couple days. To cheer him, I suggested we throw a “good ‘ole Sunday dinner” with Dad’s favorite steaks, potatoes, salad, fresh green beans, peach cobbler, ice cream and beer. The Hospice House had a nice outdoor family area with picnic tables and a gas grill. Dad didn’t think too much of gas grills, so we had to sneak in a charcoal grill and set it up behind some bushes where the nurses couldn’t see it. We pretended to use the gas grill. Dad could barely breathe and keep his eyes open, much less sit up in a chair to enjoy this meal. But the head nurse was so impressed and touched with what we had done that she rallied a few other nurses to bend the rules and roll his bed out to the patio. What happened next was nothing short of a miracle. My Dad went from barely alive to smiling, talking and eating steak and drinking a beer (or two) in less than an hour. Later that night, he asked the nurses if he could get leftovers. The next day he was standing and doing basic exercises with the nurses. Despite his “recovery,” we knew hard decisions were ahead. Where would he want to be buried? What type of casket? What type of service? I remember him

5 green funeral resources Each year, funeral industry sources estimate 22,500 cemeteries across the United States bury millions of tons of materials that are either toxic or nonbiodegradable, including: • • • • • •

30 million board feet of hardwood caskets 90,272 tons of steel caskets 14,000 tons of steel vaults 2,700 tons of copper and bronze caskets 1,636,000 tons of reinforced concrete vaults 827,060 gallons of embalming fluid, which usually includes formaldehyde

To plan a burial with a lighter environmental impact, consult these resources:

FUNERAL CONSUMERS ALLIANCE OF GREATER KANSAS CITY 816-561-6322 www.funeralskc.org This all-volunteer group acts as consumer advocates, providing free funeral consultation, information on legal rights, prepaid funerals, green funerals and cremation.

green burial council www.greenburialcouncil.org The Green Burial Council sets the industry standards on burials that reduce the environmental impact and offers consumers a green funeral planner.

green acres natural burial cemetery Columbia, MO 888-325-2653 www.mo-greenburial.com This privately owned cemetery is in a wooded setting and allows only biodegradable caskets, bodies that are not embalmed and small native stone markers.

oak hill cemetery Lawrence, KS 785-832-3450 www.mo-greenburial.com This historic cemetery is owned by the city of Lawrence and opened Kansas’ first natural burial site in 2008. Biodegradable caskets are required, and site décor may include natural, flat-rock engraved markers, native plants and trees.

Mount muncie cemetery Lansing, KS 913-727-1935 www.kansastravel.org/mountmunciecemetery Open since 1866, Mount Muncie Cemetery is the resting place of many famous Kansans. In 2011, it began offering green burials with no embalming, metal or concrete vaults or non-biodegradable caskets.

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The Becker boys surrounded their Dad after the barbeque dinner at the North Care Hospice House. From left, they are Jeff, Jay, Ben and Steve with Gilbert Becker.

Dad marveled at all the beauty of nature, from the grand scenes of mountains and canyons to the simple pleasure of watching a ground squirrel forage for food.

talking about funerals the way one might talk about a colonoscopy – it was very uncomfortable, and you just don’t talk about it. Dad did not like the drama, the sadness, or the rituals of most funerals. In fact, he didn’t follow the social norm on many things. Long before reclaiming lumber was cool, he dismantled an old grocery store warehouse. We spent many evenings and weekends pulling, cutting, and grinding off nails and bolts to clean the lumber for re-use. He later helped a friend build a beautiful house near Beaver Lake in Arkansas with that wood. My Dad was a born naturalist. Even though he spent his career at General Motors, he and my Mom were truly at home in nature. Almost all of our childhood vacations centered on pitching a tent near some water in the most remote spot in the woods. Dad marveled at all the beauty of nature, from the grand scenes of mountains and canyons to the simple pleasure of watching a ground squirrel forage for food. He loved being close to nature and experiencing the little miracles of God’s creation. So as I thought about his ultimate resting place, I felt that he would want to be as connected to nature as possible. I recalled a story on National Public Radio about “green burials” and started researching. I found two green cemeteries – Green Acres near Columbia, MO, and Oak Hill Cemetery in Lawrence, KS. I nervously broached the subject with my family, reminding them of Dad’s love of nature and dislike of traditional funerals. Dad used to tell us jokingly to take his body out to the woods and put it in a ditch after he died. I was trying to honor that wish, with a little

Always looking for a unique outdoor adventure or project, Gilbert Becker loved being out in nature. (Left) He and his older brother, William Becker, hiked Alaska in 1994. (Right) Then Gilbert and his sons, Jay and Steve Becker, hiked it again in 1999. Gilbert Becker raised emus in the mid-1990s.

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more dignity than a ditch. I described the concept of natural cemeteries, with no embalming, only allnatural biodegradable caskets, and a headstone from a small native stone. Through her tears, Mom told us that it sounded exactly like the place Daddy would like to be buried. We started to plan the two-hour drive to visit the cemetery. I then confessed that I wanted to build his casket, and I wanted my brothers to help. There were a few questions about how we would do it and if it were legal. My Mom thought it sounded wonderful and jested, “I wish you would use that damn log in the back yard.” Little did we know that Dad’s miraculous recovery at our Sunday dinner would lead to him coming home two days later. When we told him we were going the next day to visit a cemetery for him and Mom, he wanted to go. The next morning we loaded the van with his wheelchair, oxygen bottles and supplies and hit the road for Columbia. It was a trip I will never forget. We were taking my Dad, just released from hospice, to find a cemetery plot, and we were having a wonderful time. I don’t remember the specific conversations we had driving there, but I do remember the shared, heightened sense of love and gratitude. Bill Goddard, who co-owns the cemetery with Chuck Worstell, met us at the I-70 exit to lead us. We followed him down several winding roads back into the woods. My brother Ben suggested that this might be one of those schemes to lure innocent people to rob them and bury them. We all laughed, but I secretly wondered. We finally turned onto a gravel road and

To honor his Dad, Jeff Becker proposed they build a casket from the fallen trunk of a pine tree that had been important throughout their lives. Initially, Jeff was going to cut the log into boards and use them to build a casket. But the log was so large that he decided to carve it out instead.

Jeff Becker, a sculptor, carved out the casket with the help of this three brothers and an uncle.

The finished casket was a unique work of art and a tribute to a special pine tree and the man who would be laid to rest in it.

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The Becker family chose a burial spot at Green Acres Natural Burial Cemetery.

drove about a quarter of a mile to the Green Acres Natural Burial Cemetery. This was no manicured, park-like cemetery setting. It was thick woods with brush and undergrowth below a tall canopy of trees and wild flora. As we got Dad and his gear out of the car, I feared this might be more “natural” than everyone was expecting. There was a walking path that went from the road down through the middle of the cemetery. We rolled Dad and his oxygen to the entrance of the path leading into the woods. Bill explained the mapping of the plots and answered questions about the history, legality and longevity of this cemetery. He then left us with several marker flags and told us to look the place over and call him with any questions. Here was my Dad being wheeled around the woods, listening to the sounds of nature and breathing in the hot, humid August air. He loved hot weather; he seemed at peace. He and Mom were pointing out little wonders, talking about the trees, expressing curiosity about the plants, just as they did on all of our vacations into the woods. It was wonderful. My brother Steve, the eternal explorer, wandered way off the path to find the perfect spot. He found a small clearing at the western edge of the cemetery that neighbored a small pasture on the other side of the fence. 11

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We thought it was pretty sweet, but Dad wanted to see for himself. So we put his wheelchair to the test, negotiating rocks, logs, fallen trees and underbrush to get him to that spot. Once there, both Mom and Dad agreed that this would be perfect. They loved it. As we listened to nature all around us, we knew this would be their final resting place. They had certainly found peace in this place and in the natural way that they would return their bodies to the Earth. Feeling a great weight lifted, we worked our way to the van and returned to Blue Springs. A few days later, we overheard Dad telling the hospice nurse about the cemetery, referring to it as his “little ranch.” Dad was home for nearly a month before his condition declined to the point that he needed hospice care again. While Mom stayed with Dad, I secretly went to work on the casket. I loaded up my tools and went to their house, planning to cut the “damn log” into lengths that I could transport to my sculpture studio and mill down to lumber for the casket. But the log was much larger than I had remembered. It was 28 inches in diameter at the base and 16 feet long. Rather than cut it into planks, I decided to carve out the center and keep its natural shape. When I told Mom the new plan, she gave a reserved approval. I’m sure the idea of her husband of 49 years being buried in a log jarred even her natural-leaning sensibilities. But my brother Steve was angry that I had not included him in the design decision. To Steve’s credit, he was able to quickly look past the momentary frustration with me and see that the important thing was that we could all honor Dad by working on his casket together. Once Steve got started, his talent and work ethic turned this challenging project into an enjoyable and rewarding tribute that all of us Becker boys got to work on together. Even Dad’s older brother from Texas helped. Dad peacefully went to sleep in my Mom’s arms on September 24, 2013. Honoring Dad’s wishes for a natural burial, the hospice house nurses helped us find a transport service to keep Dad’s body until the burial. The Funeral Consumers Alliance of Greater Kansas City helped us navigate the complex process of funeral decisions and arrangements. They guided us on legal issues and how to avoid the many funeral industry trappings that went against Dad’s wishes. We held a memorial service the following Saturday and the burial ceremony the next Saturday, so that out-of-town family and friends could join us. The

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evening before the service, we loaded the pine casket and grandkids took turns with the shovels, working into Dad’s full-size van and drove to First Call Morgue, feverishly to get all that dirt back in the hole. It was LLC, where Dad’s body was kept in a refrigerated room. a lot more than we thought. Soaking wet, muddy The owner was very kind and helpful. He had dressed and cold, we finished the job with good spirits and Dad in the clothes that my Mom had delivered. He laughter. gently lifted Dad’s body and put him in the casket, and Dad’s funeral was perfect; it could not have been we put the casket in the van, which my oldest brother any better or more special to honor Gilbert Wayne Ben would drive to the cemetery. Becker. I know that I am very lucky to have been able The next morning, nearly 60 people gathered in to call him Dad. We all miss his boundless sense of Blue Springs to make the 100-mile trip to the grave humor and creativity. site. It was the longest distance for a funeral procession that I had ever seen. We even had to pull off at a rest stop near Concordia to relieve some of the pressure that all that morning coffee had created. When we arrived at the cemetery, Dad’s four sons and four other friends and relatives carried the casket through the woods and laid it next to the grave. Ben officiated at a short graveside ceremony that included a few songs and poems. Then we slid the casket on some timbers out over the grave and lowered it into its final place. The life that we were there to celebrate would now be transformed back to nature to bring new life to the surrounding trees and flora that Dad was able to peacefully enjoy on one of his last days. We had told the cemetery owner that we wanted to fill in the grave ourselves as a tribute to Dad’s work ethic – and as a chance to share a few beers and stories about his life. I assured the owner he could remove the excavator. As it turned out, it started pouringB:7.25” Gilbert Becker’s family and friends carried the hand-carved log casket to its final down rain as we were finishing the service. So the menT:7.25”resting place at a wooded burial site. S:7”

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Still Your Pinky

ways to save the BEES By Tina Yates

Bees thrive in gardens planted with native flowers that are not treated with insecticides or pesticides. Photo: Valerie Kutchko

magine a world without watermelon, apple pie, coffee or even chocolate. This is a world without bees. The bees are disappearing, leaving behind their beloved queen bee and their hives. In a sad and escalating pattern, beekeepers leave and return within hours to find their worker bees gone. This tragic mystery, termed Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), has possible causes that include malnutrition, virus, lack of biodiversity, infection and pesticide use. Whatever the reason for the collapse, it is clear the bees need our help. Over the past 10 years, the United States has seen the loss of more than 30 percent of its managed honeybee colonies, which are responsible for nearly one-third of our food production and have a value of $15 billion to the U.S. economy. The decline of the honeybee has been alarming and puzzling to beekeepers and scientists alike. To navigate the buzz around bees, we consulted with Jarrett Mellenbruch, a thirdgeneration beekeeper, and Cathy Misko, president of the Midwestern Beekeepers Association. Here, we list the top 11 ways you can help save the hive.

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1 Grow bee-friendly natives

Give bees the best nutrition by planting native flowering plants they are attracted to for nectar and pollen and that are free of harmful toxins. “Bees will fly up to a four-mile radius from their home visiting different flowers at different times of the day” searching for flowers with the most nectar, Misko says. Many beekeepers warn against hybrid plants labeled bee-friendly sold at garden centers because they have been shown to contain toxins that bees carry back to the hive. Misko suggests avoiding hybrids and using natives and single petal flowers known to contain more nectar and pollen. Plant a variety of natives that grow from early spring to late summer. Some of the most popular natives include shining blue star (Amsonia illustris), purple coneflower (Echinaciea purpurea), butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) and Indian pink (Spigelia marilandica). Visit www.pollinators.org to find the best plants for your area or www.grownative.org for Missouri natives. The Grow Native website provides a list of garden centers that sell native seeds or plants.

2 Eat local honey

A simple and sweet request is to eat honey. Getting it locally is a great way to help the honeybees. Honey purchased from a grocery chain is often a mix of honey from different hives that is diluted with sweet syrups and imported from other countries. Local beekeepers have to compete with the low price of this honey, and it drives down the cost of theirs. Buying local honey is often more delicious and helps local beekeepers. Go to your local farmers market to find a beekeeper or research your local beekeepers’ association for referrals.

more cost and labor-intensive services that only some beekeepers will undertake. Sometimes it is even best to let it be. If the swarm is safely far enough away from the house, such as high up in a tree, let it flourish. Mellenbruch recommends contacting your county extension office to report a swarm and find a local beekeeper.

4 Support bee-friendly farmers

Eating local and organic food gets a whole new meaning when thinking about our friends the bees. Saving the bee may mean protecting our global food supply. “It stands to reason that bee-friendly farmers will also be you-friendly,” Misko says. Experts concerned about CCD liken the lack of nutrient diversity in monoculture agriculture to a food desert for bees. There just aren’t any flowering plants to provide them food. Many commercial beekeepers have resorted to feeding their honeybees recipes with sugar water, corn syrup and soybean flour. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends (and is helping) farmers plant cover crops like clover in fields or ditches. Partners for Sustainable Pollinators even provides a “Bee Friendly Farming Certification” that farmers, ranchers, business, schools, local governments, nonprofits, gardeners and beekeepers can apply for if they are planning their outdoor space with bees in mind. Search their map for nearby farmers, or consider applying for the affordable certification at www.pfspbees.org.

3 Protect the swarms

A swarming beehive can cause a stinging fear in a public park or even your backyard. But don’t call an exterminator. Mellenbruch finds it’s not one of those things you can treat by pumping poison. Those who call an exterminator usually end up calling a beekeeper the next year when new bees have claimed the hive as home. If you have a swarm of bees near your home, beekeepers are often happy to come and remove the hive free of charge. However, if a hive is in a soffit or attic, it will require

Local beekeepers collect honey for eating. Photo: Valerie Kutchko

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5 Visit a bee haven

Kansas City is home to a new movement in bee research and outreach. Besides the coveted honeybee, there are more than 4,000 species of bees buzzing around the country. Known as wild bees, they are a widely unstudied phenomenon responsible for pollinating nearly $3 billion of pollinated fruits and flowers. Jarrett Mellenbruch, a Kansas City native, thirdgeneration beekeeper and artist, combined his two passions into one project to explore this unstudied area. Called the Deep Ecology Project - HAVEN, it aims to create a “nationwide sanctuary” for wild bees by building 1,000 house colonies or havens around the United States that will promote research and awareness, while creating safe places for the bees. “Most of our attention has been spent on hobbyist and ‘farmed’ bees,” Mellenbruch says. “Wild bees are special. They are living without help and without medicine and treatment.” The havens are designed to be visited. Placed in public parks, these designated bee areas give visitors a chance to contemplate the way bees rely on their surroundings and need a home and food amid the hectic cities and managed places humans have created. After researching and consulting with scientists about bee habitat, Mellenbruch designed the Haven, a sculptural and classic white four-wall structure with a gable roof that is reminiscent of a home. The artistic structures are made with the bees in mind and allow bees to create their honeycomb from scratch. They are just the right size for a swarm and stand 16 feet above the ground to keep bees at their preferred height. The honey and other products the bees produce are not to be taken from the havens so that visitors and researchers can watch the bees live without human influence. “With the Haven Project, we are almost building a window into their world – giving them what they

Visitors to 18Broadway can see a bee haven built by Jarrett Mellenbruch, a third-generation beekeeper and local artist. Photo: Jarrett Mellenbruch

need and also creating an interface that allows us to easily monitor them,” Mellenbruch said. Visit a haven in Kansas City at the 18Broadway Garden, 18th and Broadway St., or at the Kauffman Memorial Garden, 4800 Rockhill Road. Learn more about this project at www.deepecologyproject.com.

6 Use less (or no) pesticides, herbicides and fertilizer

Studies have found chemical residuals in bees that are found in the products used on lawns, outdoor plants and farms. Many believe this contributes to colony collapse. Misko recommends that if chemicals are applied, use the minimal amount, fast-acting, low-residue, and to avoid applications during full bloom when pollinators are working. It is better to treat at dusk and always follow application safety instructions. Also, it is best to avoid dust pesticides, which linger and can carry the particles back and contaminate the whole hive. Even better, avoid use of these products altogether and supplement your garden with a local, nutrient-rich compost and non-chemical pest and weed controls.

A panoramic view of Kauffman Memorial Gardens just east of the Plaza shows a bee haven installation. Photo: Jarrett Mellenbruch

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7 Don’t pull those weeds

Those pesky weeds that pop up unannounced every year can become a bee’s best friend in your neighborhood. Some of the first foods for bees just coming out of winter are henbit, deadnettle and dandelions. Weeds like clover and dandelions are a bee favorite and letting them grow will bring the bees to your yard. If you’re worried about neighbors, let weeds grow in your backyard and pull them in the front. Or, make a decorative bee sign to educate neighbors that you are bee-friendly.

8 Make bees a hobby

the sweet rewards of the hive.” To get started, attend a beginning bee workshop or contact your local beekeeping association. “One’s learning about the honey bee and beekeeping will never grow stagnant. The challenges have never been greater and they have never needed our help as much as they do now,” says Misko. Visit www.mostatebeekeepers.org, www.kansashoneyproducers.org or www.nekba.org to find a local beekeepers association.

9 Let bees do the healing

Next time your throat is sore, look no further than honey. Honey, pollen, beeswax and other products from the hive are found in our cosmetics, drugs and the food we eat because of their restorative and nutritious properties. Some people swear by eating a tablespoon of bee pollen a day because it contains so many nutrients that it has even been considered a super-food. Visit local beekeepers at your farmers market to find new bee products beyond honey, and learn their favorite recipes to heal with honey. Use responsible, bee-inclusive products to heal your ailments, from chapped lips to open cuts. Next time you have a cut, try dabbing a little honey on it before

When you talk to beekeepers, the one thing they suggest to everyone is to start a backyard hive. The rewards include the freshest honey, a better garden harvest and an ongoing fascination with the imaginative creatures. Misko suggests almost everyone can become a keeper; all you need is a back yard, porch or a rooftop. Hobby beekeeping has gained in popularity ever since CCD, and as a result, there are many local and national resources to get you started. There are rules that come with beekeeping; research current restrictions in your area, don’t annoy your neighbors, and last but not least, “share

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you patch it up. Letting honey do the healing just might help remind us that we need to heal the bees. The harvest of these products does not harm the colony’s livelihood because a responsible beekeeper leaves enough honey for the honeybees’ use. To try our favorite homemade honey healing recipes, visit our blog at www.greenabilitymagazine.com/green-news.

10 Go crazy for wild bees

Join the nationwide count for the disappearing bees. Take a short trek to your backyard or favorite trail and look for bees. Are they there? How many did you see? What plants were they attracted to? The Great Sunflower Project is a national pollinator count, and they need our help in tracking the bees. Over time, important data will be compiled from individuals all over the country to identify how the bees are doing and what plants attract them. So next time you are on your favorite trail or looking at your favorite flowering plants in your backyard, record what pollinators you see and share your results with the Great Sunflower Project. Visit www.greatsunflower.org to get started.

11 See the Bees

Everywhere in the community, people care about the bees. See the bee-friendly garden at the Lakeside Nature Center or visit the honeybee display at the University of Kansas Natural History Museum. Additional chances to see bee displays are nearby at the St. Louis Zoo, the Remington Nature Center of St. Joseph and the Bee Booth at the Missouri State Fair, August 7-17 in Sedalia, MO. On June 7, join the Bee FunDay in Lawrence to try delicious honey recipes like honey ice cream, hear from local and national experts and join in the fun with local beekeepers at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, 1100 Massachusetts St., Lawrence, KS. “Those who come might get hooked,” Mellenbruch said. Visit www.nekba.org to learn more about FunDay. Lakeside Nature Center is located at 4701 E. Gregory Blvd., Kansas City, MO. The KU Natural History Museum is located at 1345 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS.

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Explore the

Prairie

Photograph by Allen Woodliffe

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Explore the

Prairie

Right: The Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Schwartz Prairie in St. Clair County is an everchanging palette of color and a landscape alive with wildlife. Temperate grasslands of the world — including the Midwest’s remaining tallgrass prairies — are the most endangered and least conserved of any major terrestrial habitat on Earth. Photo: www.HenryDomke.com Below: Roots of prairie plants can grow as deep as 15 feet, compared to just a few inches for non-native grass roots. (See short roots on Kentucky blue grass on left.) Deep roots store atmospheric carbon, building and anchoring rich soil. Prairie roots naturally filter water and protect streams from flood events. Credit: Heidi Natura, Conservation Research Institute

Greenability

Where have all the prairies gone? By Carol Davit

s there any prairie left in Prairie Village? Or at Prairie View Elementary? Today, most likely not. In the Kansas City area, where native grasslands teeming with wildflowers and wildlife once were dominant, human-made structures stand, with only the name to remind us of our prairie past.

Prairie, one of the planet’s richest ecosystems, once stretched from the Rocky Mountains to Indiana and eastward. It intermingled in the Kansas City region and elsewhere in its range with savannas and open woodlands. Before European settlement, tallgrass prairie — with plants such as big bluestem grass growing as tall as 8 feet or more in summer — covered at least 15 million acres of Missouri, or more than one-third of the state. In Kansas, 17 million acres of the state was tallgrass prairie, transitioning to mid- and short-grass prairie westward into Kansas, corresponding to rainfall patterns. Today, fewer than 90,000 scattered acres — less than one-tenth of one percent — of original prairie remains in Missouri. In Kansas, approximately 17 percent of tallgrass prairie remains. Some of the very last remnants in the metropolitan area open to the public are 80 acres of unplowed tallgrass prairie within Jerry Smith Park and the adjoining Saeger Woods Conservation Area on the Missouri side. Across the state line, The Prairie Center and Kill Creek Prairie in Johnson County, KS are 20 - and 30-acre original prairie remnants, respectively.

Prairies shaped the Kansas City region Before the conversion of virtually all prairies in Kansas City to crops and concrete, prairies played an important role in the establishment of the city. Early pioneers in the area helped sustain themselves with prairie game and fish from prairie streams. According to geographer Dr. Walter Schroeder, who mapped the pre-settlement prairie of Missouri, Kansas City and its early frontier settlements of Westport and Independence required grasslands for cattle and horses that were important to the local economy. As trailheads of the Santa Fe and other western trails, these settlements needed even more grassland to hold and feed thousands of cattle, horses, oxen and mules destined for the western

trails. The many prairies of the region met this need for extensive pastures. The deep roots of prairie plants — growing and decaying over thousands of years — are what built the productive soils that have been and continue to be mined for agriculture in the Kansas City environs and beyond.

What is prairie and how did it get here? Prairie is an ecosystem dominated by grasses and nonwoody broad-leaved plants (forbs) with few, scattered trees. As with all ecosystems, many elements of a prairie — plants, animals, fungi and soil — are interdependent. Tallgrass prairie occurs from approximately Highway 77 in Kansas eastward. Westward from this point, mixed-grass and shortgrass prairie are the dominant prairie types. As the glacial ice-sheets retreated from the Midwest 12,000 to 10,000 years ago, the climate gradually changed, favoring prairie. Fires started by lightning and American Indians kept most of the forest at bay. Certain trees could survive some of the fires and grew widely spaced on prairies, creating savannas. Rocky, open slopes within woodlands that contain native prairie species are called glades. Both savannas and glades are types of native grasslands. All original native grasslands developed with natural disturbances, including fire and grazing, and are droughttolerant. Two-thirds of the living portion of prairie plants is below ground in deep, extensive root systems. When fire burns across a prairie, it consumes dead plant material above ground, returning nutrients to the earth. Prairie plants, which tolerate fire, then re-sprout from their roots. Over thousands of years, the continuous cycle of life and death on the prairie built the rich, deep soils of the Midwest.

Prairie demise and rebirth Many factors contributed to the demise of prairie in the Kansas City region and throughout the original tallgrass prairie range, including land conversion for agricultural purposes and other human development, fire suppression, overgrazing and invasive species. The destruction of prairie has resulted in dramatically diminished wildlife and a landscape changed forever from its former biological glory. Losing prairie has also deprived people of prairie’s tremendous environmental benefits.

In Missouri, prairie plants provide habitat for 400 native pollinators, including this native bee. Many of these pollinators — native bees, beetles, flies and some butterflies and moths — are also important for pollinating some human food crops, including relatives of this sweat bee species. Photo: James Trager greenabilitymagazine.com

Pale purple coneflower and blazing star bloom here in June and July, and along the prairie loop trail, sunflowers, goldenrods, rough blazing stars and other lategrowing season wildflowers are showy in August and September. Photo: Pat Whalen

Prairies carry ecological benefits Prairie roots are water filtration systems that can hold soil in place and trap sediment to keep streams clean. The roots also are efficient sinks of atmospheric carbon. According to the University of Minnesota, one acre of diverse prairie can store up to one ton of carbon below ground in a single year. Mike Arduser, a native bee specialist, has noted that remaining prairies in Missouri alone provide habitat for an astonishing 400 species of native pollinators. Many of these insect pollinators are important for pollinating food crops. “We depend on these biological systems — prairies and associated communities — to sustain us as a people,” Doug Ladd, director of conservation science for the Missouri Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, has written. “Prairie meets human needs through healthy productive soils, clean and abundant waters, pollinator reservoirs, flood and erosion prevention, and countless other amenities which, though largely taken for granted, can be prohibitively expensive to re-create once system integrity is lost. No organisms are better suited than our prairie vegetation for thriving in the unique conditions of this part of the world, without the constant fixes of water, fertilizer and pesticides required by less adapted species.”

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Greyheaded coneflower is just one of the hundreds of native plant varieties in the 80-acre prairie at Jerry Smith Park. Photo: Lance Jessee

Remnants, restorations and reconstructions To understand the process of saving, restoring and reconstructing a prairie, it helps to know how they are defined: 1. Prairie remnants refer to an original, native prairie that has survived on a site to the present day and has never been plowed, but was once part of a larger, original landscape. While many remnants are often isolated, their conservation is important for the many species they harbor. 2. Prairie restorations involve using fire or other tools to remove undesirable vegetation (such as encroaching trees or invasive exotic plants) from an otherwise intact prairie – for example, at the prairie within Jerry Smith Park in Kansas City. Restorations sometimes involve supplementation with seeds from plants that would have grown on the site in the past. 3. Prairie reconstruction refers to the complete replanting of native grasses and wildflowers on land that has formerly had native vegetation removed. Reconstructions usually will not have the plant or animal diversity of a remnant or a restoration, but they do provide many ecological and environmental benefits.

Bring back the prairie We can never re-create every biological facet of prairie. We can, however, save and restore what is left throughout the prairie region, and also reconstruct native landscapes and derive numerous benefits from these plantings. For example, many plants that are hardy, water-efficient and beautiful for home, corporate and municipal landscaping originate from Missouri’s prairies. Throughout the Kansas City region, homeowners, schools, city planners and businesses can incorporate native plants from prairies into formal and informal landscaping — such as in the form of a small school garden to help migrating monarchs, or a large planting in a park to replace unused turf. In addition to adding beauty, wildlife and pollinator habitat, such gardens and reconstructions can slow and filter storm-water runoff, store atmospheric carbon year-round in roots, and save thousands of dollars in mowing costs. For example, mowing just one acre of lawn can easily cost city governments or homeowners $1,400 to $2,900 a year. For expansive lawns not used for recreation, converting an acre of turf to a planting of prairie grasses and wildflowers might have a slightly higher one-time start-up cost, but can quickly save funds yearto-year as well as add visual interest to a site, provide food and shelter for butterflies, birds and other wildlife, and increase the storm water absorption power of a site. Bringing back elements of the prairie ecosystem can play an important role in the future vitality of the Kansas City region.

Carol Davit is executive director of the Missouri Prairie Foundation, a 48-year-old prairie conservation organization. Through support from members and other donors, the foundation owns and manages 2,600 acres of prairie in 16 tracts, produces the Missouri Prairie Journal, has an active outreach and education program, and administers the Grow Native! plant education program. For information on becoming a member, and a list of upcoming foundation events, visit www.moprairie.org.

EXPLORE

Spend a summer evening with prairie supporters Enjoy an hors d’oeuvres buffet and drinks and meet a bee specialist at the Prairies & Pollinators: Special Evening to Benefit the Missouri Prairie Foundation. The event will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. June 26 at Posty Cards, a greeting card manufacturer that has achieved the platinum level of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The building is nestled in two acres of native plants at 1600 Olive St. in Kansas City. Mike Arduser, a 23-year veteran biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation and a bee expert, will speak on the world of native pollinators and why prairies are so critical to pollinator species and humans. Proceeds from the event benefit the Missouri Prairie Foundation, a 48-year-old land trust that conserves priceless and imperiled prairie resources. The foundation protects 2,600 acres of prairie and sponsors the Grow Native! program. The evening is hosted by Posty Cards in partnership with Greenability magazine. Door prizes will be given, and free prairie and native landscaping information will be available. The cost is $75 per person. Make reservations at www.moprairie.org.

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Explore the

Prairie

Hike the wild lands of Kansas City and beyond By Tina Yates

ust beyond the hot cement sidewalks, dripping popsicles and baseball games that summer brings, a blooming land full of life and color awaits. From sunrise

to sunset, the prairie glows with tall grasses and wild flowers, attracting your favorite birds and butterflies. Find a path into the prairie just around the corner or down your favorite scenic byway. Kansas City is surrounded by thousands of acres of prairie. This time of year, the prairie is flowering and will flourish with hundreds of native flowers and grasses into early autumn. Grab your hiking shoes, a friend and your camera and see the region as it used to stand, tall with grasses and wild flowers. Hike over streams and through woodlands to discover open expanses of prairie land. We found seven locations that offer prairie views and educational experiences that

allow

visitors to interact with the prairie in the way that suits them best. Enjoy short hikes, long treks, Above: Rough blazing star is prolific in the prairie at Ernie Miller Nature Center in Johnson County. Photo: Lance Jessee Bottom Right: With more than 150 bird species at Prairie State Park, bird watching is a favorite activity. Photo: Missouri State Parks

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picnics, fishing and camping, or catch the sunset. There are endless ways and reasons to get wild for the prairie.

Jerry Smith Park and Saeger Woods Conservation Area Kansas City, MO

Just a few miles from congested Kansas City traffic lies one of the few remaining remnant prairies in Missouri. Situated on 35 acres of now-restored prairie, Jerry Smith Park and Saeger Woods Conservation Area are great places to escape the city for a little prairie heaven. Wind through the prairie in late summer and early autumn and gaze at blooming big bluestem, blazing stars and the

Hikers can walk 40 miles of trails and see 380 native plants in Tallgrass Nature Preserve near Strong City, KS. Photo: National Park Service

largest known population in Missouri of eared false foxglove. If you walk on a clear night, you might come across birdlife like the American woodcock, a squat bird known to frequent the park that lays low in grasses before shooting into the sky and swiftly returning, singing its call. The main hike is about 2.5 miles and the south loop provides a 1.5-mile hike. The Kansas City Parks and Recreation and Missouri Department of Conservation manage this land. For more information about the park, call Kansas City Parks at 816-513-7500 (Jerry Smith Park) or the Missouri Department of Conservation at 861-655-6250 (Saeger Woods). Located at E 135th St. and Prospect Ave., the park entrance is accessible from 139th Street.

The Prairie Center Olathe, KS

As the largest prairie in the metro, The Prairie Center offers a 300-acre view of tallgrass prairie just five minutes from downtown Olathe. Walk around remnant and restored prairie and through shaded woodlands. With six miles of mowed trails, The Prairie Center is also a popular place to run. Observe wildlife near one of the eight ponds, walk through a bedrock creek or take your fishing rod to a community lake and try to catch a few. The primary goal of the Prairie Center is to preserve local

Prairie Park Nature Center Lawrence, KS

Experience the prairie as it converges with wetlands, woodlands and wildlife. Lawrence is home to the Prairie Park Nature Center, 80 acres of nature preserve right on the edge of town. Spend an afternoon of prairie education hiking through six miles of trails, fishing at Mary’s Lake or learning more about natural habitat, wildlife and birds of prey at the center’s education building. Observe Monarch butterflies in flight. The center has been designated a Monarch Waystation Site by Monarch Watch, a University of Kansas project that seeks to protect declining populations of Monarch butterflies. Also, keep your eyes open for beavers, deer, birds of prey and bobcats. The park is managed by the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department. For additional information, visit the city of Lawrence website, www.lawrenceks.org, or call the education building at 785-832-7980. The center is free and open to the public 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 – 4 p.m. Sunday. It is located on the east side of Lawrence at 2730 Harper Street.

Kill Creek Prairie Johnson County

and native plants and flowers. The Prairie Center is open to the

Good for those who want more prairie and less hike, Kill

public from dawn to dusk, seven days a week, for trail walking

Creek Prairie is a short walk to a wide expanse of prairie.

or fishing. Dogs must be on a leash. Pit toilets are available.

With an observation deck looking out over 20 acres of prairie

For additional park information, visit www.kdwpt.state.ks.us

grasses and wild flowers, it makes the perfect location to catch

or call 913-856-7669. The park entrance is located at 26235

a sunset, enjoy a picnic or spot birds with your binoculars.

West 135th Street, Olathe, KS.

Take your tripod to help you snap photos. greenabilitymagazine.com

A reintroduced bison herd of more than 100 head freely graze across the landscape of Prairie State Park. Photo: Missouri State Parks

Wild flowers bloom from May through early October and

Kansas. Six miles south of Manhattan, KS, roam through

include several species of goldenrod and Meadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s milkweed,

forest, across creeks and over limestone ledges into the

a rare plant of the tallgrass prairie. Located 30 minutes from

native tallgrass prairie. The geology makes for moderate

the metro, Kill Creek is a nice getaway located outside of

hiking, with occasional climbs and narrow pathways. Six miles

Olathe, 24 miles from Lawrence.

of hiking trails are open daily from dawn to dusk.

Kill Creek Prairie comprises 20 acres of more than 200 plant

Take the Nature Trail Loop, a 2.5-mile round trip hike, for

species situated in the 880-acre Kill Creek Park. Additional

views of the Flint Hills and Kansas River Valley. On the trail,

park activities include hiking, biking, equestrian trails and

youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll stumble upon the Hokanson Homestead. Founded

lake recreation.

by Swedish immigrants in 1878, it nears Kings Creek and a

Check out www.jcprd.com or call 913-312-8833 for more

gallery forest. The site includes the original limestone barn

information about park conditions. The observation deck is

and an observation exhibit for wildlife. For the same great

about a quarter of a mile from the entrance. Park at Shelter 1

views with more mileage, additional trails include Kings

and look for the clearly marked sign. Kill Creek Park is located

Creek Loop, a 4.4-mile round trip, and the Godwin Hill Loop,

at 11670 Homestead Lane, Olathe, KS.

a 6-mile round trip. With about 300 bison living in the Konza

Konza Prairie Biological Station Manhattan, KS

Prairie, you might just spot a few along the way. The Konza Prairie is a field research station owned jointly by The Nature Conservancy and Kansas State University. For

Get out of town to experience the prairie Kansas-style.

additional park information, visit www.kpbs.konza.ksu.edu or

With views of the Flint Hills and the Kansas River Valley, Konza

call 785-539-1961. The park is located at 100 Konza Prairie

Prairie is a mirror into the geological and natural history of

Lane, Manhattan, KS.

Greenability

Prairie State Park

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

Barton County, MO

Strong City, KS

Turn your hike into a getaway and take a trip to see the

Roll through the Flint Hills Scenic Byway and stop

largest remaining tallgrass prairie in Missouri. With 4,000

by the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, considered one

acres of park, Prairie State Park makes an impressive place

of the eight wonders of Kansas. With more than 40 miles

to see all the critters attracted to the biodiversity the prairie

of hiking trails open 24 hours, visitors can escape into

offers. Located in Barton County, the park is just two hours

back-country trails or follow trail brochures through

south of the metro, making it a great day trip or overnight

prairie, into valleys and views of the Flint Hills and near

camping trip. Watch the stars appear over the wide expanse,

historic sites like a one-room schoolhouse off the Southwind

hear the prairie grasses blow or listen to a coyote howl. The

Nature Trail. Experience ranch life at the historic ranch

park offers backpack camping areas near its hiking trails.

located on the property and talk to a park ranger at the park’s

From early spring to late fall, with 380 native plants

new Tallgrass Prairie Visitor Center, which received the

spotted, every season of prairie is represented here. Visit the

Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Gold

park’s Regal Nature Center for exhibits on prairie grasses,

designation.

bison and more. Grab a wildflower or bird guide and hike

Operated by the National Park Service and The Nature

one of many trails from .5 mile to 4 miles to spot the plant and

Conservancy, the park offers unique ways to experience the

wildlife diversity that the park offers. Join a tour guide for a

prairie. Grab your mobile device for a phone tour of the

2-mile Bison Hike on June 7 or July 5 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

historic buildings and prairie overlooks, or listen to the scenic

For additional information, visit www.mostateparks.com or call the park office at 417-843-6711. The park is located at 128 NW 150th Lane, Mindenmines, MO.

Flint Hills driving tour. The Tallgrass Nature Preserve is located at 2480 Highway 177, Strong City, KS. Visit www.nps.gov/tapr or call 620-273-8494.

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Explore the

Prairie

Plant a prairie border garden Story and photography by Carol Davit

prairie border garden allows you to maximize beauty and ecological diversity no matter the size of your gardening space. Five years ago, I transformed a 27-foot strip of ground

from dying yews into an exuberant planting of native prairie grasses and wildflowers bejeweled with a diversity of insects. While I am not a landscaping expert, and I made my share of mistakes, I’m pleased with the results. Here’s how I did it:

Garden layout and plant selection

Top right: Carol Davit’s prairie border garden adds beauty, a visual screen, and habitat for many insects and birds. Top left: The garden design layout was finalized by arranging the pots of native plants in the area where they would be planted. Middle left: Two months after planting the garden, it was beginning to take shape. Above: Even at a young age, the author’s son enjoyed seeing the butterfly milkweed and other flowering plants.

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After the removal of the on-their-last-legs yews, a bare strip of soil between my driveway and a new retaining wall provided an opportunity to plant a linear garden. In early spring of 2009, I created a roughly proportional sketch of the 160-squarefoot area on paper. I mapped out where to place my selected plants, calculating roughly one plant per two square feet, depending on the space demands of each species. My plant list included 16 species suitable and attractive for home landscaping, like prairie dropseed grass, butterfly milkweed and penstemon. I also included a few other plants because I liked certain qualities about them, including common milkweed for its floral scent and because it is a food source for monarch larvae. In my simple plan, I arranged taller plants in the back of the border garden, with other species in the middle and front in descending height. For most wildflowers, I grouped three to five plants in loose arrangements and designated patches of little bluestem and prairie dropseed grass in between wildflower clumps. I selected plants that bloom mid-spring through late fall for flower displays throughout the growing season, including penstemon, ox-eye sunflower, showy goldenrod, bottlebrush blazing star and New England aster.

Purchasing and planting I chose to landscape with plants rather than seeds because I wanted quick results, and I wanted to control the placement of the plants. I bought about 80 plants of medium-to-small pot size and spent about $270. While I did not mind paying this amount, if I were to do it over, I would have chosen all small pots, as the plants grew and filled in quickly. To locate native plant retailers, visit www.grownative.org. I spaced my pots over the bed of prepared soil according to my simple design, planted them, and watered everything well. I mulched somewhat sparingly with shredded wood chips because the area is near the street and I wanted to give the garden a finished appearance and prevent weeds. I wanted to leave some bare soil, however, to provide habitat for native bees, many species of which nest in soil.

• I leave the dead stems through the winter because I like their appearance; they provide cover for birds; and some insects winter inside the stems. In late winter, the dead vegetation can be cut down to prepare for new growth. • If you would like a native garden, but prefer to hire someone to design and care for it rather than do it yourself, a listing of native landscaping professionals can be found in the Resource Guide at www.grownative.org. Help us bring back the prairie plants — even in a small space.

Maintenance After planting, the natives grew quickly, with many blooming the first growing season. I watered the plants well for several months until they were established. Since then, I’ve watered only during the worst droughts. Other maintenance: • While my garden receives sun, it gets more shade by mid-afternoon than I had previously thought. Because of this, or perhaps because of the richness of the soil, the showy goldenrod gets leggy and flops. To keep these plants upright, I put tomato cages over them, and the foliage soon hides the cages. Pruning wildflowers like goldenrods and bee balm before May can also decrease height, but not jeopardize flower abundance. • I wanted a robust garden, and I got one! I did not anticipate so many seedlings, which can get weedy. I periodically dig out seedlings and plant them elsewhere. Deadheading (snipping off the dead flower heads) reduces future seedlings, but it also removes seeds valued by birds. I prefer to support birds, so I deal with the seedlings. For a good listing of natives with a low “weediness” factor, see the table of Top Performing Natives at www.grownative.org in the Native Plant Info section. • If you see caterpillars eating holes in your plants, that is a great thing! Native insect herbivores must have native plants to eat. The insects are interesting in their own right, and also are essential food for songbirds and many other animals. • I spray the plants with Liquid Fence, a natural deer repellent, every few weeks to deter deer, and have not had a problem. In other parts of my yard, I have seen signs of deer browsing, but in most cases the vegetation recovers.

Carol Davit is executive director of the Missouri Prairie Foundation.

Prairie Resources To learn more about prairies and their preservation, consult these area resources: • Flint Hills Discovery Center, www.flinthillsdiscovery.org • Grassland Heritage Foundation, www.grasslandheritage.org • Kansas Biological Survey, www.kbs.ku.edu • Kansas City Wildlands, www.bridgingthegap.org/kansas-city-wildlands • Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, www.kdwpt.state.ks.us • Kansas Land Trust, www.klt.org • Kansas Native Plant Society, www.kansasnativeplantsociety.org • Missouri Department of Conservation, www.mdc.mo.gov • Missouri Prairie Foundation, www.moprairie.org • Monarch Watch, www.monarchwatch.org

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Here are four prairie plants Kindscher recommends trying:

Wild tomatillo (Ground cherry), Physalis At first, Kindscher did not particularly enjoy this husk-encased fruit. Only after eating multiple wild tomatillos, during his research for his book on edible plants, did he realize he had been eating unripe tomatillos. Kindscher describes them as surprisingly good when the color changes from green to yellow and they are the size of a cherry tomato. Wild tomatillos can be eaten by themselves or in soups. They are found in old fields and prairies, but Kindscher warns that some poisonous plants Kelly Kindscher (left) led a tour of KU alumni along the Rockefeller Prairie Trail, which is part of the KU Field Station managed by the Kansas Biological Survey. Photo: Kirsten Bosknak, Kansas Biological Survey

Taste the prairie plants By Lauren Langdon Photography by Kirsten Bosknak and Kelly Kindscher

hen you walk through a prairie, you’ll find many native species that bear edible fruits, berries and nuts. Kelly Kindscher, a professor at the University of Kansas and the author of Edible Wild Plants of the Prairie: An Ethnobotanical Guide, remembers gathering many wild prairie fruits and vegetables in his youth. He continues to eat them today. Although many of the foods found on the prairie have a commercial counterpart, Kindscher says they are often bland in comparison to the wild plants found in the prairie. “I would encourage people to use wild food,” Kindscher said. “The experience of eating from the wild with the long history is rewarding.”

look similar.

Chokecherry, Prunus virginiana Theses cherries are half the size of commercial cherries, but Kindscher believes chokecherries are more flavorful and nutritional. The groundup pit can be added to soups and meats. As a child, Kindscher remembers making chokecherry jelly by mashing the cherries and removing the pits. Found commonly in ravines, next to roads, and along the edges of a creek, the chokecherries grow in shrubs and turn purple-black when ripe.

Wild plums, Prunus americana A favorite from Kindscher’s childhood, wild plums had the most impact on his life growing up, as his family would pick them together. The plums grow on a spiny shrub that blooms sweet flowers in April. These small plums are tart and full of rich plum flavor, but Kindscher does not suggest eating a bowl of them. Instead, pit the plums by squeezing through muslin and make a jelly or a sauce with a little sugar.

Groundnut, Arachis hypogaea Part of the bean family, this tuber vegetable is described as an earthy peanut but starchy like a potato. To cook a groundnut, Kindscher suggests boiling it and adding salt and butter or using it as a thickener in a stew. Groundnuts are commonly found in wet meadows and floor plains, and were a dietary staple for the Kansa and Osage American Indians. According to Kindscher, this led to Kansas’s capital city being named Topeka, meaning, “place to grow groundnuts.”

Greenability

Play, hike or help on a prairie Compiled by Carol Davit and Tina Yates

Enjoy a guided walking tour, camp, hear a symphony or help biologists document plants in a prairie at several summer events in Missouri and Kansas. Spring Creek Ranch Natural Area Walk May 24

Chase County State Lake Prairie Walk June 8

Union Ridge Conservation Area biologists will lead a 3.5-mile walking tour to view savannas and streams in the Spring Creek Ranch Natural Area near Green Castle, MO. The hike is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To register, contact Darren Thornhill at 660-785-2420 or Darren.Thornhill@ mdc.mo.gov. www.moprairie.org

Stroll through wildflowers with a prairie guide at Chase County State Lake and see many varieties of blooming wildflowers, including butterfly milkweed. The walk begins at 9 a.m. at 1130 Lake Rd., Cottonwood Falls, KS. www.kansasnativeplantsociety.org

Dunn Ranch Prairie Bison Tour May 24 & June 28 Take a tractor ride over rolling hills and open plains to tour grasslands and see the Dunn Ranch’s prairie chickens and bison. Maintained by The Nature Conservancy, the ranch is just two hours north of Kansas City off I-35. Tours begin at 10:30 a.m. each day at 16970 W. 150th St., Hatﬁeld, MO. www.nature.org

Symphony in the Flint Hills June 14 This year, heighten your appreciation of the tallgrass prairie by attending the Kansas City Symphony performance in the Flint Hills at Rosalia Ranch in Butler County. www.symphonyintheflinthills.org

Missouri Prairie Foundation Grow Native! Workshop June 14 Learn how to convert your lawn to drought-tolerant native grasses and wildflowers to attract birds, butterflies and pollinators. The Missouri Prairie Foundation Grow Native! Workshop: Converting Fescue to Native Grasses and Wildﬂowers will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the University of Missouri’s Bradford Farm, south of Columbia, MO. To register, call 888-843-6739 by June 9. www.moprairie.org, www.grownative.org

Coombs Prairie Restoration Tour June 21

At the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Prairie BioBlitz, adults and children pair up with professional biologists to document plant and animal species. Photo: Noppadol Paothong, Missouri Department of Conservation

Prairie BioBlitz June 7 & 8 Join members of the Missouri Prairie Foundation at the Fifth Annual Prairie BioBlitz in Gayfeather Prairie, Vernon County, MO. During this free, two-day event, participants will help biologists document plants and animals of the prairie. Dr. David Hammer, a soil scientist with the University of Missouri, is a featured guest. There’s a potluck dinner, stargazing and free tent camping. BioBlitz begins at 2 p.m. on June 7 and ends at noon June 8. To register, call 888-843-6739 or email info@moprairie.com. www.moprairie.org

See an ongoing restoration at the Coombs’ 157-year-old family farm, featuring reseeding on old fields, patch burning, timber stand improvements and the interplay between farmland and prairie. This event begins at 1 p.m. at 18160 222nd Rd., Holton, KS. www.kansasnativeplantsociety.org

Prairie Center Wildflower Walk June 28 Head to Olathe, KS for a morning walk into the prairie of wildflowers and learn the history of the Prairie Center. Sponsored by the Kansas Native Plant Society and Sierra Club, the walk is from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Prairie Center, 26235 135th St., Olathe, KS. www.kansasnativeplantsociety.org

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Discover great local food at

farmers markets By Douglas Peel

The Briarcliff Village Organic & Locally Grown Farmers Market is open from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays at 4175 North Mulberry Drive.

njoy this season’s fresh and flavorful produce and locally made products at farmers markets in your community. Many vendors offer food that is certified organic food or raised sustainably and ethically. Shopping at a farmers market is a great way to meet the farmers who grow your food and learn about their farming practices while supporting the local economy. Farmers markets offer everything from locally grown vegetables and fruits to breads and cheeses or potted flowers and herbs, and many host seasonal family activities. At the Historic Downtown Liberty Farmers Market, the University of Missouri Extension sponsors food tasting and cooking demonstrations twice a month, and the Missouri Department of Conservation gives workshops on native plants and other topics. The Briarcliff Village Market hosts children’s events, live music and food demonstrations. “We’re really trying to create an entire destination event around the farmers market,” said Joel McGuire, of Green Acres Market in Briarcliff.

MIDTOWN * Brookside Farmers Market

Border Star Montessori School 63rd & Wornall Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. April 19 – October 18 Extended Market Saturdays, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. October 25 – November 22 www.brooksidefarmersmarket.com

DOWNTOWN * Badseed Farmers Market

1909 McGee St. Fridays, 4 – 9 p.m. May 2 – November 21 Fridays, 4 – 8 p.m. December 5 – February 27 Special Market Days Pre-Thanksgiving Market Friday, 4 – 9 p.m., November 21 Holiday Market, 4 – 8 p.m., December 19 www.badseedkc.com

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Some markets celebrate the changing seasons and holidays. The Shawnee Farmers Market hosts a fall Scarecrow Festival, featuring a pie contest, pumpkin decorating and scarecrow creation. At the Badseed Farmers Market’s Pre-Thanksgiving Market, shoppers can find festive treats like organic chestnuts and Missouri pecans, micro-roasted coffee and raw vegan chocolate. Kansas City Organics & Natural Market has a special December market with holiday gifts including handmade eco-cards, wreaths, gift baskets and body care products. Several markets accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) payments. Some participate in the Beans and Greens program, which matches or doubles food stamp purchases up to $25 weekly. For updates on area markets, visit www.ksfarmersmarkets.org for Kansas markets or www.agebb.missouri.edu for Missouri markets.

City Market

20 E. 5th St. Saturdays 6 a.m. – 3 p.m., March – October 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., November – February Sundays 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Year-round www.thecitymarket.org

SOUTH * KC Organics & Natural Market

Minor Park, Santa Fe Trail Historic Site East of Holmes on Red Bridge Road Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. May 3 – October 18 Holiday Market Notre Dame de Sion High School Saturday, December 13 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Time and date subject to change) www.kcorganics.com

* Waldo Farmers Market

Waldo Habitat ReStore 303 W. 79th St. Wednesdays, 3 – 7 p.m. May 7 – September 24 www.waldofarmersmarketkc.com

CLAY COUNTY Briarcliff Village Organic & Locally Grown Farmers Market Briarcliff Village Shopping Center 4175 North Mulberry Drive Thursdays, 3 – 7 p.m. May 1 – end of September www.greenacres.com

Historic Downtown Liberty Farmers Market

Four sides of the Liberty Courthouse Square Franklin, Main, Kansas, and Water streets Saturdays, 7 a.m. – 12 p.m., 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. in October May 3 – October 25 www.historicdowntownliberty.org

North Kansas City Farmers Market

Merriam Farmers Market

Caboose Park, SE Corner of Howell and Armour Rd. Fridays, 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. May 2 – October 31

5740 Merriam Dr. Saturdays 7 a.m. – 1 p.m., May 3 – October 11 Wednesdays 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., June 4 – August 27 www.merriam.org

EASTERN JACKSON COUNTY Downtown Lee’s Summit Farmers Market

Olathe Farmers Market

Corner of 2nd and Douglas Streets Wednesdays, Saturdays, 7 a.m. – sellout April 5 – November 29 www.downtownls.org

Grand Court Four Seasons Farmers Market 501 W. 103rd Street Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Year-round

Overland Park Farmers Market

Grandview Farmers Market

City-owned parking lot, intersection of 8th St. and Goode Ave. Saturdays, 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. May 10 – October 25 www.grandview.org

Independence Farmers & Craft Market

City-owned parking lot, Truman Rd. and Liberty St. Saturdays, 5 a.m. – 1 p.m. May 3 – October 25 Wednesdays, 5 a.m. – 1 p.m. June 4 – October 29 www.independencefarmersmarket.com

JOHNSON/WYANDOTTE COUNTIES Fresh Promises Farmers Market Kill Creek Farm 9210 Kill Creek Road, DeSoto, KS Wednesdays, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. June 4 – September 24

Two locations 200 W. Santa Fe, Poplar and Kansas in downtown Olathe Black Bob Park, 14500 W. 151st St., Field 1 Saturdays, 7:30 a.m. – sellout April 19 – October 25 Wednesdays, 7:30 a.m. – sellout May 14 – September 24 Market Closed: September 6 www.olatheks.org Historic Downtown Overland Park 79th & 80th Streets at Marty Wednesdays 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., May 21 – September 24 Saturdays 6:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., April 12 – September 27 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., October 4 – November 22 Evening Markets Wednesday, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., June 11 Thursday, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., July 3 Monday, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., August 11 www.opkansas.org

Shawnee Farmers Market

Shawnee City Hall parking lot Johnson Drive & Nieman Road Saturdays, 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. May 3 – October 25 www.cityofshawnee.org

Spring Hill Farmers Market

Spring Hill Elementary School parking lot 500 S. Webster Saturdays, 7:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. May 19 – August 31 www.springhillmarket.org

KANSAS CITY, KS KCK Greenmarket at Catholic Charities 2220 Central Ave. Tuesdays, 7:30 a.m. – sellout June – October

KCK Greenmarket at Juniper Gardens Corner of 3rd Street and Richmond Mondays, 7:30 a.m. – sellout June – October

KCK Greenmarket at Strawberry Hill 6th and Barnett streets Wednesdays, 7:30 a.m. – sellout June – October

Rosedale Farmers Market

4020 Rainbow Blvd. Sundays, 10 – 2 p.m. May 18 – September 28 www.rosedalefarmersmarket.com

LAWRENCE, KS Lawrence Farmers Market

824 New Hampshire Saturdays, 8 a.m. – Noon April 12 – November 22 www.lawrencefarmersmarket.com

Lawrence Farmers Market

824 New Hampshire (East lot) Tuesdays, 4 – 6 p.m. May – October

* Organic market

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Commentary

Local Food Movement

Local food movement can liberate us By Joel Salatin

erhaps nothing represents freedom and liberty more poignantly than vibrant local foodscapes. Do you ever feel trapped by the juggernaut of policy, power and politics surrounding geneticallymodified organisms? Fighting city hall seems far easier than fighting Monsanto. Do you feel disempowered by the nutrientdeficient, recall-prone, cheap supermarket food system? How about urban food deserts? Crumbling social

looking at the seeming enslavement of our lives through these massive government-corporate alliances and their anti-community agendas, we can feel downright trapped. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t normally associate liberation with the local food movement, but I submit that viewing it in that way captures the core of its true ramifications. We hear a lot about food security, but what could be more insecure than a food system utterly dependent on honesty and integrity

Eating local is undoubtedly a profound expression of and insurance toward freedom.

Photo: Rachel Salatin

and economic viability in rural towns? Aquifer depletion? Proliferating jails and cancer clinics? Bureaucracy? Banking? Pharmaceuticals? Petroleum? Goodness, when we start

farming on the other side of the world, linked to our kitchen via favored nation status, merchant marine concessions, cheap, available petroleum, happy dock workers, satisfied truck drivers, crane operators, forklift operators and conscientious stock clerks? Really?

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When you think about the long, long chain between the average field and plate, you realize how vulnerable this global food dependency actually is. A mere 60 years ago, the average American city received 60 to 70 percent of its food from within 40 miles. Goodness, if you had to, you could walk that far in a day and find something to eat. Today, those rural communities are as dependent on food shipped in from elsewhere as their urban counterparts. Export, export, export, we hear. Meanwhile, our domestic consumption becomes more dependent on foreign imports. The food is passing on ships, trucks and airplanes, with a vast web of opaque and clandestine agendas, clever-speak and insurance lawyers agreeing on what is acceptable for people to eat. Mandatory vaccinations and medications. Produce farms that can’t have animals. Pastured chickens equated with bio-terrorism. Farmers signing affidavits guaranteeing that no child under 5 years old has visited the farm in the past year – we can’t have diapers on farms, after all. A universal paranoia that people should not visit farms lest they bring diseases. The current government-industrial orthodoxy says compost is pathogenic, but chemical 10-10-10 fertilizer is safe because it’s sterile. How do we extricate ourselves from this labyrinth of anti-nature and inhuman orthodoxy? We do it by creating a home-centric foodscape, where decisions about our bodies’ fuel is made by citizens, not by the government-corporate fraternity. Each time one of us decides to buy and eat food from a farm that builds soil, it liberates our planet from the designs of a Wall Street-ified get-rich-quick Conquistador tyranny.

Each time we patronize a local farmer, our dollars circulate into the local banks and local businesses, instead of being siphoned off in an economic centralization scheme. Indeed, eating with liberty on our minds can free us from the stranglehold of these oppressive and suffocating agendas that thrive when we’re sick. Taking back the control of the food chain, shortening it and making it accountable because of its transparency in the community, ultimately defunds what is wrongheaded about our culture and empowers what is environmentally, economically and emotionally liberating. I think we owe it to our grandchildren to cast off the chains we’ve crafted by assuming that convenience didn’t have a down side and ignorance could maintain integrity. It never has and never will. By participating in the local food system, surrounding our urban areas with vibrant, multispeciated, nutrient-dense, soil-building, hydrating farms, we liberate ourselves from the path of destruction. Eating local is undoubtedly a profound expression of and insurance toward freedom. Joel Salatin is a third-generation beyond-organic farmer and author whose family owns and operates Polyface Farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.The farm produces “salad-bar beef, pigaerator pork, pastured poultry and forage-based rabbits” and sells it directly to 5,000 families, 50 restaurants and 10 retail outlets. Salatin has authored nine books, including “Everything I want to do is illegal: War stories from the Local Food Front.” The farm features prominently in Michael Pollan’s New York Times’ bestseller, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and the award-winning documentary, “Food Inc.”

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Tour visitors to Mike Riehm’s garden in East Lawrence will see raspberries, vegetables and chickens. Photo: Kirsten Bosnak

Cy Akins will be giving tours of Cy & Dee’s Blackberry Farm in Louisburg, KS during the Miami County Spring Farm Tour.

Visitors to the Alpacas ‘R Diamonds Farm in Paola, KS will get to meet the alpacas and those who raise them.

Tour local farms, gardens and wineries By Douglas Peel

his May and June, take a tour of local farms and gardens to discover how your food is grown and to learn more about gardening and farming techniques. Edible gardens can be found growing in places as diverse as a community garden in a city’s urban core to rural fields that stretch as far as the eyes can see. The Miami County Spring Farm Tour and Lawrence Food Garden Tour are both self-guided and free.

Miami County Spring Farm Tour May 10, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. May 11, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Cost: Free 913-294-4045 www.micofarmtour.com

Alpacas ‘R Diamonds 15163 W. 323rd St. Paola, KS

The 11th Annual Miami County Farm Tour May 10-11 features 11 working farms, gardens and vineyards in Kansas. This year’s tour will feature two new stops. Sunflower Orchards grows more than 2,150 trees and has 24 apple and 26 peach varieties. It also has 15,000 square feet dedicated to thornless blackberries. Hoot Owl Hill has a vineyard, specialty raised-bed gardens, a blueberry patch and an asparagus patch. Visitors will see Hereford cattle, goats, guinea fowl, chickens and alpacas, and they will be able to purchase pecans, vegetables, honey, wine and blackberries. Organizers suggest taking a cooler, since some farms and gardens may sell perishable items.

Hoot Owl Hill Vineyard & Gardens 30750 Osawatomie Rd. Paola, KS

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Cy and Dee’s Blackberries 28615 Rockville Rd. Louisburg, KS

Middle Creek Winery 4353 W. 351st St. Louisburg, KS Nighthawk Vineyard and Winery LLC 16381 W. 343rd St. Paola, KS Prothe’s Pecans 33850 Victory Rd. Paola, KS Silver Lining Herefords 8435 W. 295th St. Louisburg, KS Somerset Ridge Vineyard & Winery 29725 Somerset Rd. Paola, KS

Sunflower Orchards 16905 W. 311th St. Paola, KS Terabithia Dairy Goats 30984 Bethel Church Road Paola, KS White Wind Farms 21045 K-68 Highway Paola, KS

Lawrence Food Garden Tour June 7, 9 a.m. – noon, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Cost: Free www.facebook.com/ LawrenceFoodGardenTour/info In June, the free Lawrence Food Garden Tour will showcase individual, community and commercial gardens. Visitors can talk to gardeners about their fruit trees, berries, raised beds, water catchment, chickens and low tunnels. Some tour stops will host special activities, demonstrations, live music, and farm stands with fresh produce and other products for sale. “As a participant, it is really fun to share what you’ve done in your garden with other people,” said Amber Lehrman, co-founder of the Lawrence Food Garden Tour. For tour locations, pick up a tour brochure from Lawrence garden centers in May, or visit the Lawrence Food Garden Tour’s Facebook page.

Greenability wins best magazine award

GROW

March /April 2013

drought-defying Greenability magazine and its printer, Modern PLANTS Litho, won the Best of Category Award of Excellence in the Printing Industries of America Graphic Excellence Awards Competition. ways to honor Earth Day The designation is the highest award in the fourLOCAL FOOD color magazine category for sheet-fed printing. Greenability is printed on 100-percent, postconsumer fiber text and 60-percent post-consumer fiber cover paper that is Forest Stewardship Council certified. The paper is Elemental Chlorine Free, and the ink is soy-based. All electricity used in the printing process is offset by renewable energy credits. Compared to virgin paper, Greenability saves 20 trees, 18,521 gallons of water, 28.9 million BTUs of energy, 2,278 pounds of solid waste and 5,978 pounds of greenhouse gases with each issue.

$4.95 U.S.

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Experience Solar Comfort

Take an eco-ride at Boulevardia Boulevard Brewing Company will debut its Boulevardia street fair in the West Bottoms June 13-15 with a goal of environmental sustainability. Attendees can sample beer, eat from food truck vendors, listen to live music and view the work of area artisans. A special Eco Exhibit will feature green companies and environmental groups with information, samples and products that are sustainable. The kids can play games, create art, plant herb seeds and ride Sustainival, a bio-dieselpowered Ferris wheel, and other rides powered by renewable energy. Ripple Glass is sponsoring the sustainability efforts, and Bridging the Gap is organizing the recycling . The Eco Exhibit is open limited hours – 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. General admission is $10 per day or $25 for a three-day pass. Visit www.boulevardia.com.

EnerLogic film upgrades the annual insulating performance of single-pane windows to that of double-pane windows, and makes double-pane windows perform like triple-pane. It’s the perfect balance of energy efficiency, comfort, and cost savings – all year long.

Join the Green Commute Challenge The 2014 Green Commute Challenge encourages commuters to get out of their cars and carpool, take the bus, walk, bike or telecommute to work from June 2 to August 29. To get started, create a Green Commute Challenge Team for your company and register at www.ridesharekc.org. Participating commuters can access an online tool to track their progress and earn points for daily and monthly prizes. Last year, 27 teams and 835 commuters reduced their driving by 999,151 miles, prevented 963,924 pounds of ozone-forming emissions and saved $185,247 in fuel costs. To register, contact Mid-America Regional Council at www.ridesharekc.org or call 816-842-7433 for more information.

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Symphony Designer Showhouse displays eco-friendly finishes By Douglas Peel

he 45th annual Symphony Designer Showhouse, a home tour fundraiser for the Kansas City Symphony, will receive eco-friendly touches this year. The historic, Jacobethan-style house has been embellished by area designers with green finishes ranging from energy-efficient lights to reclaimed furniture. The house, at 1246 W. 59th Street in the Country Club District, was built in 1921 and is currently owned by A.L. and Susan Summerlin. Before entering the home, stroll through the front and back yards. Doug Bringman of NiteLites of Kansas City illuminated the front facade with energyefficient, LED landscape lighting that uses 75 percent less electricity and is made from sustainable materials. The lighting uses a 240-watt solar panel mounted on the south side of the house to power a series of 7-watt bulbs. Steve Hess of From the Summer’s Garden and Lisa Freeman of Haling’s Greenhouse enhanced the back patio with planted pots and garden art made with a more sustainable form of the stone-like hypertufa. This versatile material can be used for outdoor furnishings including tubs, pots, benches, sculptures and even birdbaths. Normally, hypertufa is created from expensive, non-renewable vermiculite, peat moss and perlite. Hess’s greener hypertufa recipe replaces these aggregates with used, shredded office copier paper and paper pulp. All planters 37

Greenability

are handmade by Hess and are planted by Freeman. Explore the family room and find five upcycled pieces of furniture. Jocelyn Bennett, a design student at Johnson County Community College, furnished the room with a chair from a consignment store, a donated pair of midcentury modern armchairs and bench, and a used settee. The furniture is reupholstered and given a new, fresh finish. Jocelyn also finished the room’s walls with paint that contains zero volatile organic compounds (VOC), so there’s no paint smell or offgassing of toxic chemicals. Sue Shinneman of Kitchen Studio: Kansas City furnished the showhouse kitchen and master bathroom with cabinetry certified by the Kitchen Cabinet

Manufacturers Association’s third-party American National Standards Instituteaccredited Environmental Stewardship Program. This program sets environmental benchmarks for manufacturers in the kitchen and bath cabinet industry that require high standards for manufacturing, including air quality and process resource management. Shinneman added an Energy Star® refrigerator to the kitchen that uses an ozone-friendly refrigerant. It is made with 75-percent recycled stainless steel and 30-percent galvanized steel. The master bathroom’s vanity countertops are made from quartz material that is ISO 14001 certified, a worldwide standard for environmental protection. Head downstairs to see a wine cellar made with repurposed materials. Karen Linville of Linville Designs created cellar bins from scrap wood and decorated the cellar with reused and repurposed, vintage antiques. Linville has embellished her own home with reclaimed materials, including hand-hewn beams from a farmhouse in Pennsylvania. Visit the Symphony Designer Showhouse from April 26 to May 18. For information on hours, special events or tickets, visit www.showhouse.org. Top left: Several designers have emphasized an environmentally friendly approach when remodeling rooms and gardens for the 45th annual Symphony Designer Showhouse. Photo: Bill Mathews Below: The NiteLites LED landscape lights installed in front of the Symphony Designer Showhouse use 75 percent less electricity than standard outdoor bulbs and are powered by a solar panel. Photo: Matt Kocourek

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www.thehayesco.com The Hayes Company offers energy evaluations and the services and products to make homes more comfortable, safe, and healthy.

ENERGY SERVICES Brightergy Solar

Heartland Utilities for Energy Efficiency (HUEE)

1617 Main St., 3rd Floor Kansas City, MO 816-866-0555

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www.kcpl.com/homeprotection

The mission of the Metropolitan Energy Center is to help create resource efﬁciency, environmental health and economic vitality in the Kansas City region.

KCP&L’s Home Protection Program takes the worry out of home repairs. Protect your home electronics, home wiring and water heater for just a few dollars per month.

Find a green job!

Congratulations to Greenability Magazine— what you are doing for Kansas City is GREAT!

GREENABILITY JOB NETWORK greenabilityjobs.com JOB SEEKERS

Search for green jobs Post a resume

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

GREEN COMPANIES Post a job Advertise Search resumes greenabilityjobs.com

Job Network

Greenability

Jackson County Legislator Sco� Burne� burne�.sco�@gmail.com 816‐365‐6664 www.jacksongov.org

ENTERTAINMENT Kansas City Zoo 6800 Zoo Dr. Kansas City, MO 816-513-5800

www.kansascityzoo.org Come explore 202 acres of the “wildest” animals around, including the brand-new Helzberg Penguin Plaza. Open year-round.

EVENTS Boulevardia 4049 Central Street (Event ofﬁce) Kansas City, MO 816-513-5800

www.boulevardia.com

Boulevardia is a brand new urban street festival featuring beer, music, food and environmental sustainability in Kansas City’s historic West Bottoms district.

UMB Financial Corporation 1010 Grand Blvd. Kansas City, MO 816-860-7000

www.umb.com UMB offers complete banking, asset management, health spending solutions and related ﬁnancial services to personal, commercial and institutional customers nationwide.

GREETING CARDS Posty Cards, Inc. 1600 Olive St. Kansas City, MO 816-231-2323

www.postycards.com Featuring Sustainable Sentiments® locally grown, green greeting cards. Build client and employee relationships with environmentally inspired cards for birthdays, holidays and other occasions.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

GREEN JOBS

Jackson County Legislature

Greenability Job Network

Scott Burnett 816-561-7555

www.jacksongov.org First District is bounded by State Line east to Paseo Blvd., the Missouri River south to Meyer Blvd., the historic Northeast and parts of north Raytown.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

www.greenabilityjobs.com

The Greenability Job Network offers a free, online search service for job seekers, and a targeted, affordable place for companies to post jobs.

HOME IMPROVEMENT Habitat ReStore Kansas City

913-432-4958

4701 Deramus, Kansas City, MO 303 W. 79th St., Kansas City, MO 816-231-6889

www.firstaffirmative.com

www.restorekc.org

First Affirmative Financial Network is an independent, fee-only, fiduciary investment management firm specializing in socially and environmentally responsible investing.

Habitat ReStore collects quality, new and used building materials and sells them to the public at a discount. Proceeds beneﬁt Habitat for Humanity home building.

First Affirmative Financial Network

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LANDSCAPE DESIGN

LITTER REMOVAL

Smallscapes

Adopt-A-Highway Litter Removal Service of America

Design & Consulting Ann Simpson Fairway, KS 913-262-0104

800-540-8694

sarah@adoptahighway.net www.adoptahighway.net

Discover landscape design with an emphasis on native plants and sustainability concepts from a Certiﬁed Treekeeper and Rain Garden designer. Professional member of Grow Native!

Sponsor-A-Highway and receive promotional signage. We take away the trash, you take all the recognition. Be seen as we clean.

LAWN & GARDEN

LOCAL & ORGANIC FOOD

Missouri Organic

Door to Door Organics

7700 East 40 Highway Kansas City, MO 816-483-0908

4000 NE 33rd Terr., Suite 3 Kansas City, MO

www.missouriorganic.com Missouri Organic offers a convenient and affordable facility for customers to drop off green waste and purchase quality compost, topsoil and mulch.

www.kc.doortodoororganics.com Door to Door Organics delivers fresh organic produce, local meat and dairy, and natural groceries to your home or ofﬁce.

Terra Char

Farm to Fork Workplace Wellness CSA

151 Dripping Springs Columbia, MO

620-632-4470

www.csa.schenkerfarms.com

www.terra-char.com

Get veggies, meats, eggs and more raised with organic methods and delivered right to your workplace. Easy enrollment at www.csa.schenkerfarms.com.

Give your landscape, garden and potted plants extra nutrient storage and drought resistance with Terra Char’s biochar soil amendment.

Natural Gas

$ave Money ($/MMBTU) Natural Gas: $10.93 Electricity: $35.11 2013 Price Outlook On a BTU for BTU basis Natural Gas costs less than other forms of energy EIA Short Term Energy Outlook http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/steo

Save the Environment

Reduce your carbon footprint by 45% with residential natural gas appliances versus electric appliances.

Locally Produced

100+ Years of gas supply right here in North America compared to buying foreign oil as a major energy source.* *US EIA and Potential Gas Committee

Greenability

REAL ESTATE

RENEWABLE ENERGY

United Real Estate Kansas City

SunSource

Heath Vaughan, agent 511 Delaware St., Suite B Kansas City, MO 816-718-8285

322 Southwest Blvd. Kansas City, MO 816-783-3863

www.heathvaughan.com

SunSource offers architecture, construction, development, renewable energy and energy storage solutions, with a focus on sustainability.

Realize the value of energy-efﬁcient and sustainable improvements in selling and buying a home.

www.SunSourceHomes.com

TRANSPORTATION RECYCLING The Surplus Exchange 518 Santa Fe Kansas City, MO 816-472-0444

www.surplusexchange.org The Surplus Exchange responsibly recycles electronics locally and offers pickup from metro commercial locations. Visit the Tech Shop and furniture showroom.

The Metro – Kansas City Area Transportation Authority 1200 East 18th St. Kansas City, MO 816-221-0660

www.kcata.org The Metro and MAX offer an affordable and easy way to reduce the environmental impact of driving throughout the Kansas City region.

Do you want your green business or service to be seen by environmentally conscious readers? List it in the GREENABILITY DIRECTORY. For information, contact Julie Koppen 816-931-3646 or julie@greenabilitymagazine.com

Call a specialist!

913.708.8004 • www.smallstepenergy.com Certi� ed HERS Energy Rater • Accredited NAHB Green Veri� er Certi� ed RESNet Green Rater • LEED for Homes Accredited Professional

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Architecture Construction Development Renewable Energy

We specialize in solutions that intelligently address energy conservation, energy storage, and production. By focusing on these aspects â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and collaborating closely with you â&#x20AC;&#x201D; our team will produce cost-effective, energy-efficient results for your building.

816.783.3863

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.SUNSOURCEHOMES.COM