Orland Glassland Volunteers Host 2 Seed-Cleaning Events

ORLAND PARK, IL — The group of volunteers who works to maintain healthy habitats at the Orland Grassland will gather twice in the next two weeks to clean native wildflower and grass seeds that were harvested this fall.

On Tuesday, Nov. 10, and Tuesday, Nov. 17, the Orland Grassland Volunteers (OGVs) will hold their annual seed cleaning event at the Orland Park Civic Center South Annex, from 6:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. The native seed harvest is all but over at Orland Grassland Land and Water Reserve; it's time to separate the seed from its chaff and divide it into seed mixes to distribute later this fall.

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The growing season was unusual this year and the tornado that made its way through the grassland didn't help matters.

"We saw compass plants with leaves but no stalks, little to no tall prairie coreopsis, rosin weed, prairie dock and blazing stars," said Pat Hayes, volunteer site steward. "Even wild quinine, which is usually in abundance, was minimal. We've heard similar accounts from other stewards."

Surprising was that the spring wildflowers—like wood betony and blue-eyed grass—were unusually plentiful. The prairie grasses, little blue stem, prairie drop seed, sideoats grama seemed impervious to whatever weather conditions were thrown at them.

"There's still much to clean and separate," said Hayes.

An abundance of rattlesnake master, little blue stem and wood betony is being sent to the Forest Preserve District of Cook County (FPCC) in bins to be processed through their seed hammermill. The rest gets cleaned by the helping hands of volunteers. There's gray-headed coneflower, pale purple coneflower, Illinois bundle flower, round headed bushclover, prairie drop seed and many more important native seeds.

Organizers said that separating the seed from its chaff gives the seed a head start in next year's growing season. Another head start is stratifying or scarifying the seed. It needs the wet, dry, freezing, thawing, repeat process to break down its seed casing. It may need to be scratched to break into its casing a bit before it goes into the ground. Eventually volunteers will sow the seeds and chaff back into the grassland in just the right places. The chaff goes back in, too. It breaks down and feeds the soil and serves to stretch out the seed so it doesn't get over-seeded in one place.

Those who'd like to help clean the seed with the OGVs, RSVP to Pat Hayes, 708-220-9596 or ptihys@comcast.net. Those seeking more information can visit the group's website or Facebook page.