I grew up on the edge of the prairies and Ozark highlands of west-central Missouri. My first recollections of the prairies are from my grandparent's farm in St. Clair county, Missouri. I remember as a young boy admiring Indian paintbrush and picking wild strawberries in the spring and my granddad harvesting prairie hay during the summer. Then there was the old cemetery on the back forty with the eroding headstones, just barely legible, one of which bore the name and dates of the birth and death of just an infant. It always made me think of just how rough life must have been as the settlers moved across the prairies. I can also remember seeing prairie chickens fly across the road and in the pastures as our family drove to my grandparents. I couldn't have been much more than five or six, yet I can vividly remember those first encounters as well as yesterday. Although I didn't realize it at the time, those impressions would last a life time. Who knows, perhaps it was my first introduction to the prairies which subconsciously led me in the direction I have come.
I have a Bachelors degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Management from the University of Missouri. My work experiences include the University of Missouri and Missouri Department of Conservation (including two seasons planting native warm season grasses). My most recent experience has been with Sharp Brothers Seed Company, one of the largest producers and conditioners of native warm season grasses in the nation.

Information in THE NATIVE GRASS MANAGER is based upon my work experiences and education gleaned from a number of knowledgeable people I have the privilege of knowing. I hope you'll find it interesting and useful.

JH