The open spaces and relatively short vegetation of prairies allow the sky to merge with the land across broad vistas. From a distance, prairies may appear to have only monotonous uniformity. But a walk across a prairie will reveal great diversity in microhabitats as well as plants and animals that are found nowhere else. Much of our original prairies have been converted to working farms and ranches that sustain us through the food they provide. Farming and ranching reflect our dependence on natural cycles that are beyond our control, and this can be a source of humility as we interact with the earth. Prairies and farms provide broad vistas to the eyes as well as to the human spirit if we are willing and able to open our senses to them.
