April 2004
Smithsonian's "Prairie" exhibit honors farmers
"Tidy tips" are a common component of Northern California prairie plant complexes. (photo by Robert L. Bugg, UC SAREP)
North American prairie and progressive farmers who use farming methods that preserve their environment are spotlighted in "Listening to the Prairie: Farming in Nature's Image," a national traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Museum featured at the Benicia Public Library May 3 - June 8, 2004.
Through photographs and a mural, "Listening to the Prairie" shows the life, landscape, and natural world of the North American prairie, one of the most productive agricultural regions on earth.
The exhibit is partially supported by USDA's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (SARE), the UC Davis-based statewide sustainable agriculture program's counterpart at the national level.
"America's few remaining grassland ecosystems are extremely valuable to our future," says David Chaney, education coordinator for the University of California's Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program and Western Region SARE representative. "The federal and UC sustainable agriculture programs are pleased to support a program that underscores farmers' role as stewards of the land."
The exhibit features prairie farmers who use crop, livestock and cattle management techniques that maximize production yet preserve the prairie ecosystem. It also contains an interactive shopping cart that shows prairie products found in shoe polish, newspapers, household cleaners and Band-Aids, as well as produce and other food items. The exhibit's Konza Prairie Mural illustrates that the prairie continues to be a natural source of drinking water, a haven for birds and small mammals, and a welcoming environment for native plants, trees, and grasses.
"Listening to the Prairie" was organized by the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History Forces of Change program. The American Library Association Public Programs Office is coordinating the tour. The exhibition and tour were made possible with support from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the U. S. Department of Agriculture.
Benicia is the only location in California where "Listening to the Prairie" can be seen (it was exhibited in San Diego earlier in the spring).
"The exhibition offers a fascinating view of the human history of the prairie and gives us a wonderful opportunity to see how farmers today are trying to preserve the prairie ecosystem for future generations. We are excited about the possibilities for school groups to view the exhibit," said Monique le Conge, library director.
The library is sponsoring 16 free programs and events in connection with the exhibit. For a list of the events, library hours, or directions to the facility located at 150 East "L" Street, Benicia, CA 94510, see http://www.ci.benicia.ca.us/library.html or call (707) 746-4343.
Media Contacts:
Lyra Halprin, (530) 752-8664, lhalprin@ucdavis.edu
