North Texas prairie remains untouched by plow, herbicides

By LYNN MONTGOMERY | East Texas Edition

Bill Tom Meador shares a laugh with sister Lucie Ann Martin as they discuss their rolling, virgin grasslands. -- Staff photo by Montgomery

July 1 ,2004 -- Hundreds of years ago, across the vast Plains, settlers marveled at the wide open prairies. Today, most of those prairies are gone, replaced by cities and towns. But there is an exception near Saint Jo, west of Gainesville in Montague County.

Here, there are acres and acres of rolling virgin grassland owned by siblings Lucie Ann Martin and Bill Tom Meador.

"We hang onto the old days," Bill began. "If I sprayed (for weeds) I would be a hero, but I want to protect this."

What is virgin grassland? It is land that has never seen a plow, disk, anything. The prairie is the same as when God created it.

Bill said if he added fertilizer, you would get more grasses, but the family deals with what they have. Their motto: "It's the good, the bad, and the ugly. It's nature's way."

The family operation consists of over 1,000 acres, and is known for the limestone base throughout the area, which according to the siblings is the reason for the tall grass vegetation.

"We tend to think you have good forbs versus bad forbs," Bill stated.

The grasses, which are big bluestem, Indian grass, switch grass, little bluestem, and side oats gama, is cut only once a year for hay production. The maximum protein for the hay in June is 6 to 8 percent.

"Depending on nature, we start the 20th of June and cut through the first of August," Bill said.

Baling both square and round bales, the duo said three-fourths of the hay is sold "behind the baler," meaning people purchase the hay in the field.

"We get around a half-a-ton to a ton-and-a-quarter production. In good years, 100,000 square bales were baled," Bill stated.

He added one of the best things about prairie hay was "it helps cattle to settle coming into the feedlots."

"This is true native bluestem. You won't find it, other than some small tracts. It's gone," Lucie Ann commented.

"We are proud of the virgin state (of the prairie). It's strong soil. It's a turf that is spongy to feel," she added.

The prairie has been recognized within the Texas land steward program.

"We had people all over the place," Lucie Ann explained about research on the land, which helped lead to the stewardship recognition.

She said the researchers found one of the bugs that is only found in prairies.

Cattle are allowed to graze the hayfield for a month-and-a-half, which Bill stated if you don't cut or graze, it goes to junk.

"You can come back from overgrazing but you can't come back when you stick a plow in it," he said.

It's amazing the Montague County prairie has not been "worked" ever since the siblings' grandfather came to the area after the Civil War. For generations, those watching the wind blow through the tall grasses have witnessed the eye-catching appeal; and for generations to come, those same grasses will continue to blow in the wind, as nature continues its course through the wide open prairie.

"We're proud of this legacy," Lucie Ann concluded.