November, 2025  

The Prairie Has Been Planted!

Monday, November 24th was chilly and windy, but with rain predicted the next day, it was the best time to plant our prairie seeds. Hayden Cross of Cross Implement in Minier arrived with a tractor. Our advisor Brett Irwin, who had arranged for the planter to be delivered, was on hand, and several interested church members came to watch and “supervise.” The whole process took two hours, and now we wait for God to transform about 40 pounds of seeds into thousands of plants that will, if conditions are right, develop over several years into a thriving native prairie right in our own backyard. We expect to see some plants emerging next year in late April or early May, and by June, we should have some plants blooming, while others concentrate on developing their root systems before doing much above ground.

A special thanks to: Brad and Hayden of Cross Implement in Minier, for donating the tractor and Hayden’s time and planting expertise, Brett Irwin of the McLean County Soil and Water Conservation District for his knowledgeable advice and guidance, Pheasants Forever for donating the planter, Evergreen FS for a price reduction for spraying earlier to kill grass and weeds on the site, and  Faith in Place for a $450 grant to buy the seeds. Now, we have yet another reason to look forward to spring!

June, 2025  

The Prairie Project

We are happy to have begun the process of creating a natural prairie at the church. The Green Team is busy working with experts to prepare for a native prairie planting on 2+ acres of vacant land north of our church. The space will be seeded with native wildflowers and plants that attract beneficial insects and pollinators. As with most new plantings, our prairie will take several years to fully develop, so please be patient. We expect it to look sparse and rough next summer. After that, it should improve and mature each year, and be established, thick, and colorful within 5 years. Our firm goal is to fund this enhancement to our property by grants and individual donations without hitting the church budget. If you have questions, want to make a donation, or get involved, please text or call Rob Mentzer at 309-824-0966 or any member of the Green Team. Now we all have yet another reason to look forward to spring. 

January, 2025

Good News! Grant for Prairie Awarded

We are very pleased to have been awarded a grant from the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation. We applied for this grant last fall and have been notified that our request for $3,500 has been approved. The money will fund various improvements to the prairie, including planting selected trees at trailheads, placing large rocks for seating, installing interpretive signs so visitors can learn about the prairie plants, and adding informational signs and perhaps some birdhouses. The receipt of this grant also means that, as promised, no church budget funds are used in the development of this prairie.