Vo 1. 16, No. 8 
Pago 3 
low commercial value of timothy seed ($ 0 . 05 - 0.22 per lb) has made it difficult 
to interest local farmers in harvesting the seed. Thus, small quantities of 
timothy (and legumes) are added to new redtop seedings to diversify the resultant 
cover for nesting hens, but timothy and legumes are not seeded in pure stands. 
Using self-propelled combines to harvest grass seed results in a 10- to 14-inch 
stubble that withstands the weather and stays erect for the next nest season. 
The grass stubble permits easy visibility for a standing prairie chicken, yet 
provides ample concealment for nesting. The wheel tracks of a combine provide 
travel lanes, and the clipped culms, seed heads, and leaves provide openings in 
the sod and the necessary duff for nest material. Clipping for seed harvests is 
also desirable from the standpoint of weed and brush control on sanctuary land. 
Combining of redtop grass seed offers significant economic as well as 
ecologic advantages to prairie chicken management. The economic aspect was 
particularly good this summer, as the market price reached $0.75 per lb in 
contrast to $0.52 per lb in 1972 and about $0-35 per lb in previous years of this 
project. Yields of 100 lb per acre are common; however, yields of approximately 
200 lb per acre were achieved by several of our cooperating farmers on some of 
the newer seedings. Thus, the per acre income for a redtop harvest may be as 
much as $150.00. Customarily, the income from redtop seed harvests is shared 
on a 50:50 basis between local farmers and the Prairie Grouse Committee, Illinois 
Chapter, The Nature Conservancy. Because farmers are assessed for land taxes 
on the acres they combine on state-owned sanctuaries, they are granted 65 
percent of the grass seed crop--35 percent becomes the state's share. 
Some of our best prairie chicken production areas were also some of the 
best grass seed meadows. Redtop harvesting can, therefore, significantly defray 
the cost of sanctuary management. 
