Kansas Flint Hills

"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." 1 Peter 1:24-25

Below are some interesting facts about the Flint Hills prairie. My hope is that in reading about this land, a love of the Flint Hills will be born in your heart as well. At the very least, perhaps it will spur you to want to read my books, the first of which will release in June 09 ~ Snow Melts in Spring.

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The Prairie

Back in the summer of 1987, I took a college course at Emporia State University called Flint Hills Folklife. Dr. Jim Hoy taught about the Flint Hills inside and outside the classroom. That summer, my love for the Flint Hills of Kansas was born.

The Flint Hills are a strip of land two hundred miles long and fifty miles wide that stretch from Nebraska to Oklahoma near the middle of Kansas. Unlike most other land in Kansas, which is ripe for farming, this strip of land refuses to be tamed--too rocky to farm, its rolling hills encrusted with sharp native flint rock. Because of this, it has become one of the last standing tall grass prairie regions in the world.

I've always loved this parcel of Kansas grassland, but it wasn't until a few years ago that I realized I had a story to tell. So began my idea to write about the people of this land, to tell their story in a fictional piece of work.

That idea stemmed into four contemporary stories, which blossomed into a series I call "Seasons of the Tallgrass."

National Geographic's The Flint Hills - A Kansas Treasure

I recently visited an exhibit featuring the photography of Jim Richardson from the National Geographic Magazine. Mr. Richardson, a native Kansan, documented the Kansas Flint HIlls in a 22-page photo spread in the April 2007 issue of National Geographic magazine. His work reveals the hidden secrets of the Flint HIlls and confirms the region's reputation among the world's most breathtaking natural monuments. You may view the article online at: National Geographic

Symphony in the Flint Hills

Here is a video clip I found on Youtube from this year's concert. Enjoy!

Clover Cliff Ranch Bed and Breakfast

On the 14th of February, my husband and I celebrated our eighteenth year of marriage. A few years ago, on our anniversary we took a little trip into the Flint Hills. At that time, I was just starting my research for Snow Melts in Spring, the first book in a contemporary series Seasons of the Tall Grass.

Part of my research included staying at the Clover Cliff Ranch, a Bed'n Breakfast built in 1860, near Elmdale, KS. This charming spot hosts thousands of acres of rolling prairie grassland with miles of trail and lots of history. The proprietors, Jim and Joan Donahue were very helpful, answering many questions I had about ranch life in the Flint Hills.

You might find several similarities between this place and John McCray's Lightning M Ranch, my protagonist's father's home.

Fire on the Prairie

Fire on the Prairie. It began with the Indians, perhaps when lightning struck the prairie and caused the fresh new grass to attract buffalo to their land. Later, ranchers in the Flint Hills adopted this practice into what is now an annual tradition. Between March 15 and April 15, depending on seasonal weather and grass growth, ranchers will light up the prairie with their spring pasture burning, which marks the beginning of the grazing season.

In the old days, ranchers rode their horses through the pastures and dragged burning tires or kerosene-soaked gunny sacks behind them to start the fires. Some merely dropped wooden matches to the grass as they rode over the pastures. Today, most ranchers drag fire sticks behind four-wheelers to cover the many miles of undulating prairie.

The annual pasture burning is quite a sight to behold with thousands of acres being burnt at one time. The purpose is to eliminate the dead grass and make way for the new by getting a head start on weeds. With the help of spring rains, the charcoaled land will bring forth tender green shoots, rich in minerals. It is said that cattle feeding on this grass will gain 30 to 40 pounds more than they do on an unburned pasture.

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Zula Bennington Greene

Skimming the Cream, by Zula Bennington Greene. This is a book I've been reading as research of the Flint Hills. In 1983, Mrs. Greene celebrated fifty years as Peggy of the Flint Hills (an editorial column appearing in the Topeka Capital Journal), by publishing a collection of "the cream of her observations." Within these pages are years of recorded events that shaped America, held together by her poignant, poetic voice that will make you smile and laugh. Here is a taste of what I mean ~ "The scent of honeysuckle in the dark calls up memories of years long gone, memories that fly through the mind in a kaleidoscope of change from peak to peak--the pleasure, the pain, the errors, regret, all mingled together in a feeling that is none of them and all of them." ~from Honeysuckle - June 15, 1957. If you'd like, you may order this out of print book from Amazon.com. ~ Zula Bennington Greene ~ 1895-1988.

Flint Hills Scenic Byway

Springtime in the Flint Hills is an awesome sight to behold. After the prairie has been burned in April, fresh shoots of grass will protrude from the ground, soon to cover the charcoal pastures with a carpet of green. On pastures where cattle are raised, you'll see the addition of baby calves lying on the grass soaking up the warm sun on windy days.

Travel the winding Kansas Flint Hills Scenic Byway, Hwy. 177 between Cassoday and Council Grove to see miles of tallgrass prairie stretched out before you--pastures of Big bluestem, Little bluestem, Indian grass, Side-oats grama grass and Switchgrass, all native to this area.

Oh, and did I mention wildflowers. In April and May wildflowers of all sizes and colors will start to blossom on the prairie--Shooting star, Indian paintbrush, Purple milkweed, Daisy fleabane and Prairie ragwort to name just a few.

Something else you'll be sure to see a lot of is native limestone, found in abundance in Chase County. If you travel this road, be sure to visit the Z-Bar Ranch at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve and the Chase County Courthouse in Cottonwood Falls, built in 1873.

Meager by most standards, but awesome in its simplicity--prairie, stone, cattle, sky. A way of life that's existed for hundreds of years and has stood the test of time--untouched. This is the essence of life I hope to capture in my four-book contemporary series set in the Flint Hills of Kansas, in what I call Seasons of the Tallgrass.

Transient Cattle Grazing

~ Transient Cattle Grazing ~ a long-time tradition by many ranchers in the Flint Hills between May and October. Pasture owners lease their land to cattle owners from Texas, Mississippi, Colorado, and other parts of Kansas.

Once the rolling pastures have been burned and the new growth of bluestem brightens the prairie, cattle are shipped in by trucks and unloaded one at a time, to be left to graze the protein-rich grasses said to put more than a two-pound gain on a steer, per day.

After 90-120 days of fattening on the native tall grass, the steers and heifers are hauled to the feed yards in late summer or early fall. It's a system that works and has been in practice since the mid 1800's.

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Flint Hills Cowboys

Flint Hills Cowboys -- Tales of the Tallgrass Prairie, by Jim Hoy.

Here is another book I've enjoyed reading for my research on the Flint Hills. Jim has published several books about cowboy life and is an English professor and director of the Center for Great Plains Studies at Emporia State University. Jim grew up on a ranch in the Flint Hills and weaves an entertaining story about the life of a cowboy there. Based on history, folklore and his own memory, he describes ranch life in this small section of Kansas, which will leave you feeling like you've been there.

Flint Hills Summer Events

70TH ANNUAL FLINT HILLS PRCA RODEO - June 5-6, 2009. First started by the Emmett Roberts family in Chase County Kansas--the heart of cattle country in the Flint Hills. What began as an impromptu rodeo in a pasture has grown into the oldest consecutive rodeo in Kansas and will bring in more than 15,000 spectators. Included in the three-day rodeo performances are special acts, cowboy dances, a rodeo parade and more. Rodeo events are: Bareback Riding, Steer Wrestling, Saddle Bronc Riding, Calf Roping, WPRA Barrel Racing, Bull Riding, and Team Roping. For more information visit www.flinthillsrodeo.com.

SYMPHONY IN THE FLINT HILLS - June 13, 2009 - An 85-piece orchesta with a 100-voice chorus will celebrate one of the greatest "place-based" symphonic compositions ever created. Listen to the Kansas City Symphony surrounded by nothing but tallgrass, circling hawks, sky, space and the company of those ready for a musical adventure partnered with nature. For more information go to www.symphonyintheflinthills.org.

FLINT HILLS OVERLAND WAGON TRAIN - Enjoy the simplicity of frontier life for a weekend. Since 1979 the Flint Hills Overland Wagon Train has provided authentic covered wagon trips through the scenic Kansas Flint Hills, an untouched part of the historic American Tallgrass Prairie. Weekend pioneers relive experiences of those who joined the great Westward Movement in the mid-19th Century. For more information about scheduling a trip visit http://wagontrainkansas.com/.

23RD TALLGRASS WRITING WORKSHOP - June 28-29, 2009. Offered by Emporia State University's Center for Great Plains Studies and sanctioned by the Western Writers of America, Inc. Workshop faculty include Don Coldsmith, author of more than 40 books including the Spanish Bit Saga; Max McCoy, award-winning author of Hellfire Canyon and I, Quantrill. For more information contact Emporia State University at 620-341-5549,or click on www.emporia.edu/cgps/class.htm.

Haying Season

Haying Season ~ Most native grasses are mown down during the month of July. Timing is crucual as you want to get the best nutrients out of the grass, which will be used to feed cattle during the dormant winter months.

This is the time of year when you'll see farmers and ranchers out on their tractors mowing the big prairie pastures. Behind the mowers, are those who rake the hay, and once the windrows are cured by the sun, the big balers come in to bale the hay. If you used small bales, rather than the big bales pictured below, this is when the real work begins.

Crews of men (and probably a few women) come onto the scene to pick up the bales and load them onto wagons. Once loaded, they'll take the hay to a barn to be unloaded for storage. What this means to the average farmer/rancher is long days in the hot sun that won't end till way past dark. Hay crews need fed, too, and that means cooking up big meals, which usually include fresh corn-on-the-cob, new pickles, and ice-cold watermelon.

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Fishing in Kansas

Within the bondaries of the Kansas Flint Hills are many rivers, a few of which are the Kansas, Neosho, Cottonwood and Verdigris Rivers. Branching off from these are many tributaries and smaller creeks and ponds. Lots of fish are caught each year in these fresh waterholes. These are not the shallow white water rivers known for trout fishing, but are deep, muddy rivers filled with largemouth bass, spotted bass, Topeka shiner, fathead minnow and the famous flathead catfish. The world record flathead was caught in 1998 at the Elk City Reservoir and was a whopping 123 pounds and 61 inches.

Flint Hills Ranch Rodeo

Flint Hills Ranch Rodeo - an event held every year in Strong City, Kansas, where working cowboys compete in real ranch events.

Ranch Rodeo performances include:

Wild Cow Milking - The old-time cowboys practiced milking on the open range. Often a mother cow would die giving birth and the newborn calf would need milk from another cow. This event involves holding a cow down while one cowboy milks her and is one of the funnest to watch, although it can be quite hazardous.

Calf Branding - Basic job on all ranches. A brand burnt into the hip of each calf indicates its owner.

Saddle Bronc Riding - The art of breaking a horse to ride for ranch use.

Cattle Sorting - Combines the art of separating cattle for shipping, doctoring, etc. Cattle are sorted out of the herd and then headed, heeled, and doctored.

Cattle Doctoring - The cowboy practice of physically wrestling an animal to the ground and tying three of the legs together. This immobilizes the animal so additional injury will not occur to either the cowboy or the animal. This is done when there is not time or way to take the animal to a better facility for doctoring.

New to the sport, is the Cowgirl Ranch Rodeo, which celebrates the contribution of women to ranching and Western culture. This event creates awareness of the talents of women and highlights the cowgirl spirit. Cowgirl events include: Sorting, Branding, Doctoring, Cattle Tying, and Ranch Horse Competition. Both of these sports compete at the national level in the fall.

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Cottonwood Falls, Kansas

Cottonwood Falls, KS - Situated in the heart of the Flint Hills is the small town of Cottonwood Falls. This is the town I've based as the setting for my 4-book proposed series Seasons of the Tallgrass. It's fictional name ~ Diamond Falls. Here are a few fun facts about Historic Cottonwood Falls, Chase County, Kansas:

• Settled in 1856 and located in the Flint Hills overlooking a fall in the Cottonwood River
• Has the oldest operating courthouse west of the Mississippi, 1873
• Chase County National Bank Building (1882), now the Chase County Historical Society Museum
• Roniger Native American Museum
• Spring Hill Ranch (1884) site of the Z-Bar Ranch/Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
• Hosts the Prairie Fire Festival in April, celebrating the time when the "hills are set on fire in anticipation of the new bluestem grass of spring."
• Hosts the Flint Hills FolkLife Festival in June
• Home to the Emma Chase Cafe - a place were a wide variety of musical events occur, including Tall Grass Pickers, Gospel, Rock & Roll and special breakfasts