Kinds of Honey

Two-thirds of the way through Nebraska I stopped to visit my friend Mae Rose. We know each other because we studied in the same program at Iowa State University. It is so fun to look around and see what all my former classmates are doing these days.

Mae Rose is currently interning as assistant ranch manager at the Peterson Ranch near Newport, NE. This area is part of the unique geographic region known as the Sandhills, where mixed-grass prairie grows on stabilized sand dunes. Nearly all of the plant species here are native, as plants must be well-adapted to survive such a landscape and climate. This is grazing country, and you’ll find Scottish Highland cattle and Dorper sheep on this particular ranch.

My friend let me tag along with her for a few days to see what’s happening on her stretch of the plains.

We explored.

She fed and worked cattle.

We discussed animals, plants, agriculture, and ecosystems.

And drove tractors down roads, over sand, through many grasses.

There is more to tell about what’s going on here. Intricate things on a seemingly simple landscape. But that will be shared, or linked to, another time. Stay tuned!