Prairie

Marcella Schumacher Pendall hoped that the prairie on Schumacher Farm Park would become: “a laboratory for children and adults to learn firsthand about the beauty of nature, the operation of the eco system, and the necessity for preserving it.” Throughout her life, Marcella carried with her warm memories of playing in the prairies around the farm, recalling the hill “purple with pasque flowers and violets,” which later turned into “a waving sheet of white shooting stars.”

Prairies used to cover millions of acres in southern Wisconsin, but as European settlement spread across the state in the early 1800s the prairie was eventually replaced by cities, villages, and farm fields. Today over 99% of the original Wisconsin prairie has been destroyed or significantly altered. Beginning in the 1980s, Marcella worked with a Dane County naturalist to begin restoring the prairie around the farm. These efforts continue to this day, with staff and volunteers regularly burning and seeding the prairie to encourage growth of the grasses and flowers that traditionally grew here.

It was Marcella’s earnest hope that through Schumacher Farm Park, visitors would: “develop a love and appreciation of the beauty and warmth of nature and absorb its very essence into their souls.” There are few better places to do that than here on the prairie.