Schluckebier Prairie is a small remaining remnant (23 acres) of what was once a 14,000 acre “Sauk Prairie” Grassland prior to the arrival of European settlers.  German for  “drink a beer”, Schluckebier is an odd name for this site; perhaps the settlers used to tip back a few here in the old days.  There are two parcels, one on either side of Hwy PF.  Parking is on the shoulder; there is an access lane alongside the main prairie but it is only one vehicle wide and I believe it is also used by nearby farmers to reach their fields, so parking there is not advised.  Springtime sees beautiful displays of spring ephemerals such as puccoons, bird’s-foot violet, pasqueflower, and prairie smoke.  Rarities include the federally-threatened prairie bush-clover (Lespedeza leptostachya) and the state-endangered red-tailed leafhopper (Aflexia rubranura).

Bird’s-foot Violet (Viola pedata)

Violet Wood Sorrel (Oxalis violacea)

Hairy Puccoon (Lithospermum caroliniense)

Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum)

More of my photos from Schluckebier Prairie can be viewed here.

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