“Don’t it always seem to go—That you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone…”–Joni Mitchell
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What a beautiful week in the Chicago Region.
An excellent excuse to hike the West Chicago Prairie.
It’s been a while since I’ve walked here. The 358-acre tallgrass preserve is off the beaten path, nestled into an industrial complex. Overhead, planes from the nearby DuPage Airport roar…
…while a long, low, whistle sounds from a train going by. The Prairie Path, a 61-mile hiking and biking trail that spans three counties, runs along one side of the prairie.
I look to the horizon. Development everywhere.
It’s a reminder that this prairie is a part of the suburbs. People and prairie co-exist together.
Fall color has arrived. At last.
My shoulders brush the tallgrass and spent wildflowers as I hike the challenging narrow grass trails.
The spent seeds of goldenrod and other decaying plant flotsam and jetsam cling to my flannel shirt.
I stop and pop a withered green mountain mint leaf into my mouth.
Mmmm. It still packs a little tang. Not as intense as the flavor was this summer, but still tangible and tasty.
Wild bergamot, another tasty plant, rims the trail. A close examination shows insects have commandeered the tiny tubed seed heads. At least, I think something—or “somethings” are in there? A few of the “tubes” seem to be sealed closed. A mystery.
Maybe seeing these seed heads is a memo from Mother Nature to me to not be overly diligent in my garden clean-up this fall. Insects are overwintering in my native plants. As a gardener, I always struggle with how much plant material to keep and how much to compost or haul away. I’m always learning. Although I just cleaned up one brush pile, and still do some garden clean-up—especially in my vegetable garden—I now leave my prairie plants standing until early spring. One reward: I enjoy my backyard bergamot’s whimsical silhouette against the background of the snow through the winter.
I pinch a bit of the spent flowerhead and get a whiff of thymol. Bergamot is in the mint family. See that square stem? Thymol is its signature essential oil. I think bergamot smells like Earl Grey tea. Confusing, since the bergamot found in my Lipton’s isn’t the same. (Read about the bergamot used in Earl Grey tea here.) Some people say wild bergamot smells like oregano.
It’s cold, but the sun is hot on my shoulders. Even the chilly wind doesn’t bother me much. I’m glad I left my coat in the car.
If I look in three directions, I can almost believe all the world is prairie. Yet, in one direction I see large buildings and towers; a reminder this prairie co-exists with many of the systems we depend on for shipping, agriculture, and transportation.
After the mind-numbing battle to save Bell Bowl Prairie in October (see link here), a trip to West Chicago Prairie is an excellent reminder that industry, development, and prairies can co-exist. Kudos to the DuPage County Forest Preserve, the West Chicago Park District, and the West Chicago Prairie volunteers who keep the prairie thriving, even while it occupies what must certainly be costly land that could easily be developed.
We need these prairie places.
And, these prairie preserves need us to care for them. To manage them with fire. To clear brush. To collect and plant prairie seeds. Hiking this preserve today reaffirms that we can have prairie—and development—together.
I hope future generations will look back and see we did all we could to protect our last remaining prairies for them.
Here in the “Prairie State,” let’s continue to make our prairie preserves a priority. Our need for infrastructure and development go hand in hand with our need for these last prairie places.
Our minds, bodies, and spirits benefit from hikes in the tallgrass. I feel more relaxed and less stressed after my prairie hike today.
Thanks, West Chicago Prairie.
You’re a good reminder that prairies and people need each other.
*****
The opening lines of today’s blog are from the song “Big Yellow Taxi” by Canadian singer Joni Mitchell (1943-). Listen to her sing the full song here, then read more about her life and music here.
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Join Cindy for a class or program!
Winter Prairie Wonders: Discover the December Delights of the Tallgrass! Dec. 3 (Friday) 10-11:30 am (CST): Make yourself a cup of hot tea, snuggle under a warm afghan, and join prairie steward and writer Cindy Crosby virtually for this interactive online immersion into the tallgrass prairie in winter. See the aesthetic beauty of the snow-covered grasses and wildflowers in cold weather through colorful images of winter on the prairies. Follow animal tracks to see what creatures are out and about, and see how many you can identify. Learn how birds, pollinators, and mammals use winter prairie plants; the seeds for nourishment and the grasses and spent wildflowers for overwintering, protection, and cover. Then, listen as Cindy shares brief readings about the prairie in winter that will engage your creativity and nourish your soul. This is scheduled as a Zoom event through The Morton Arboretum. Register here.
Tuesdays in the Tallgrass 
Dear Ms Crosby, While I am new to reading your blog, I find it most excellent! Since you come west as far as West Chicago, drive a bit further and visit Peck Farm Park in Geneva. This is a multipurpose park, re- established in mid-1990’s. We think a lot of the prairie piece of this park. Kind regards – jmb (Geneva)
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What a lovely note—thank you, Jim. I will definitely add this to my “must-see” list. One of the things I enjoy most about this blog is getting connected to other folks who love prairies like you do. Thank you for the good recommendation! And thank you for reading. Cindy 🙂
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Cindy, your photography is as phenomenal as your writing. Thanks for keeping us connected to Nature (with a capital N)!
On Tue, Nov 9, 2021, 7:12 AM Tuesdays in the Tallgrass wrote:
> Cindy Crosby posted: ” “Don’t it always seem to go—That you don’t know > what you’ve got ’til it’s gone…”–Joni Mitchell ******* What a beautiful > week in the Chicago Region. West Chicago Prairie, West Chicago, IL. An > excellent excuse to hike the West Chicago Pr” >
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Hi Julie —
Thank you for reading and for these kind words — you are such an encouragement! Happy hiking! Cindy 🙂
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Great post, and full of hope for Bell Bowl Prairie. So true that prairies and people need each other.
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Hi, wonderful Eileen —
Thank you for reading, and thank you for those encouraging words! Bell Bowl Prairie is going to need as many of us advocating for it as possible. Things have taken a turn for the worse, and it looks like the prairie is very close to being obliterated again —the airport is making no secret now about this– thank you for all you do to raise awareness of prairies! I’m so grateful. Cindy 🙂
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Where is the access to the West Chicago Prairie?
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I am so happy you want to visit! Be warned the trails are not highly accessible — very narrow! The driving directions are not very extensive on the website, but here they are:
From Route 59, take Hawthorne Lane west and turn south on Industrial Drive. The entrance is just south of Western Drive.
So, if you can get to West Chicago and Route 59, you should find it from these. Don’t worry if you feel as if you are in the middle of an industrial park! You are! 🙂
Happy hiking —
Cindy 🙂
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