Ken Lassman has been keeping this almanac for over a decade, He invites you to share your observations and photos in the comments section. You can find his book Wild Douglas County at The Raven Bookstore and The Community Mercantile in Lawrence.
Buffalo Pawing Moon: June
The Osage, like many of the eastern horticultural tribes who inhabited the woodland/prairie transition zone from Minnesota to Texas, planted extensive gardens in the spring, then left the children and grandparents to tend them while most of the tribe went west to hunt bison. This is reflected in the name of the summer moons, which chronicle the behavior of the primary protein source for these tribes.
The parade of prairie flowers that began in May continues in earnest in June, with each week unfolding a new flavor of colors as wave after wave of wildflowers compete for the sunlight with the growing warm season prairie grasses. June also sees berries ripening, ranging from mulberries and blackberries to wild raspberries, gooseberries and currants.
Mammals are busy raising young, and some birds are starting second litters as the wheat ripens in the fields. Corn grows noticeably on a daily basis this month, and soybeans go from green rows in dark fields to a carpet of green. The summer solstice arrives on June 21st and the entire landscape seems to be alive with life as a result of the energy-filled longest days of the year. Nights are shorter, but full in its own way with the sounds of night life and the beautiful summer constellations in the sky, this year made all the more beautiful with Jupiter, Mars and Saturn gracing our evening/nighttimes.
Part of our annual seasonal progression this month is increasing severe weather as the warming, moist air flows in from the south, pushed violently up and out of the way by waves of colder air from the north and west. Also, in addition to plentiful plants and many young animals of all stripes this time of year, people living here have been planting their gardens this time of year for at least 4,000 years. Tap into this wonderful tradition as a way to connect with the incredible fertility of this land.
Without encouraging them with string and stuff, mourning doves are nesting again on our front porch. We have seen hatchlings make it to fledglings and also failure. We try to use the back door for our coming and going, but the nest is nearly under your nose if you come onto the front porch. Out of cat reach, at least. I haven’t peeked lately, but there is at least one egg.
So, we’re about two or three weeks early, no? Esp. with vegetation . . .
Kinda depends anymore. For instance, looking at the first redbuds opening, this year it was around March 25, which is 2 weeks earlier than last year, 3 weeks earlier than 2013, but behind 2012, the year of the drought, when redbuds were blooming by the 21st of May. My sense in 2007 when I wrote Wild Douglas County was that the first week of April was the “normal” time for redbuds to open, so by that we are ahead a little more than a week, with plenty of room for “climate weirding” to mix it up a bit….
I think this is useful information to keep track of. Glad you are doing some of it. Memory doesn’t serve as well as it might.