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A Sand County Almanac

By Aldo Leopold

$18.00

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Catalog Code
SAND-B

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By Aldo Leopold
A renowned ecologist, Aldo Leopold wrote his collection of essays for A Sand County Almanac over a 12 year period beginning in the late 1930's. Unfortunately, he never saw the impact his book would make as he suffered a heart attack while fighting a grass fire on a neighbor's farm just one week after the book was agreed to be published. The book's final edit was taken on by a group of Leopold's family, friends, and colleagues and in 1949 it went to print.

Educational and eloquent, A Sand County Almanac delivers a message that leaves readers longing for things natural and wild in a time when natural and wild things are disappearing all around us. Stories of his tract of land on the Wisconsin River, memoirs of his early years working for the U.S. Forest Service, and somber soliloquies on the state of the environment invite you to share in Leopold's "delights and dilemmas". Perhaps the crowning achievement of A Sand County Almanac is the introduction of a Land Ethic that addresses the relationship between people and the land and calls for moral responsibility towards nature. 

Prairie Moon Nursery's beginnings are rooted in Aldo Leopold's teachings and we would like to share his message with you. Reading this timeless classic will surely spark your passion for nature and land ethics. 226 pages. 

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Seed

Growing your own plants from seed is the most economical way to add natives to your home. Before you get started, one of the most important things to know about the seeds of wild plants is that many have built-in dormancy mechanisms that prevent the seed from germinating. In nature, this prevents a population of plants from germinating all at once, before killing frosts, or in times of drought. To propagate native plants, a gardener must break this dormancy before seed will grow.

Each species is different, so be sure to check the GERMINATION CODE listed on the website, in the catalog, or on your seed packet. Then, follow the GERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS prior to planting. Some species don't need any pre-treatment to germinate, but some species have dormancy mechanisms that must be broken before the seed will germinate. Some dormancy can be broken in a few minutes, but some species take months or even years.

Seed dormancy can be broken artificially by prolonged refrigeration of damp seed in the process of cold/moist STRATIFICATION. A less complicated approach is to let nature handle the stratifying through a dormant seeding, sowing seeds on the surface of a weed-free site in late fall or winter. Tucked safely beneath the snow, seeds will be conditioned by weathering to make germination possible in subsequent growing seasons.

To learn more, read our BLOG: How to Germinate Native Seeds

Dormant Bare Root Plants

We dig plants when they are dormant from our outdoor beds and ship them April-May and October. Some species go dormant in the summer and we can ship them July/August. We are among the few still employing this production method, which is labor intensive but plant-friendly. They arrive to you dormant, with little to no top-growth (bare-root), packed in peat moss. They should be planted as soon as possible. Unlike greenhouse-grown plants, bare-root plants can be planted during cold weather or anytime the soil is not frozen. A root photo is included with each species to illustrate the optimal depth and orientation. Planting instructions/care are also included with each order.

Download: Installing Your Bare-Root Plants

Potted Plants

3-packs and trays of 32, 38, or 50 plants leave our Midwest greenhouses based on species readiness (being well-rooted for transit) and order date; Spring shipping is typically early May through June, and Fall shipping is mid-August through September. Potted 3-packs and trays of 38 plugs are started from seed in the winter so are typically 3-4 months old when they ship. Trays of 32/50 plugs are usually overwintered so are 1 year old. Plant tray cells are approximately 2” wide x 5” deep in the trays of 38 and 50, and 2.5" wide x 3.5" deep in the 3-packs and trays of 32; ideal for deep-rooted natives. Full-color tags and planting & care instructions are included with each order.

Download: Planting and Care of Potted Plants

*PLEASE NOTE: we are a mail order nursery and have no retail facilities, but you may pick up your order if prior arrangements are made. Pick up orders are subject to 7.375% MN Sales Tax.

Shipping & Handling Charges

TOOL SHED and BOOKS have the shipping fee included in the cost of the item. In other words, they SHIP FREE!

Shipping Season

SEED, TOOLS and BOOKS are sent year-round. Most orders ship within a day or two upon receipt.

Delivery

We ship using USPS, UPS and Spee Dee.

FOR MORE DETAILED SHIPPING INFORMATION, INCLUDING CANADA SHIPPING RATES (SEED ONLY), PLEASE SEE 'SHIPPING' AT THE FOOTER OF THIS WEBSITE.