Prairie
Education

Prairie Education Programs are an important part of the day of the Symphony. The program is both experiential and presentational. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to explore the hundreds of acres of tallgrass deep in the Flint Hills, the site of the Seventh Annual Concert.

Here is the schedule or presentations in the Heritage and Culture Tents. 


SUNFLOWER TENT -- Flint Hills Natural History

2:00-2:20           Defining the Flint Hills     Brian Obermeyer & Rolfe Mandel

2:30-2:50           A Historical Overview of Fire Seasonality in Tallgrass Prairie     Gene Towne

3:00-3:20           Year-round and Migratory Birds of the Flint Hills     William Busby

3:30-3:50           Geological Cycles of the Flint Hills     Keith Miller                  

4:00-4:20           Headwater Streams of the Flint Hills     David Edds

4:30-4:50           20,000 Years of Change: Plants, Animals, and People     Rolfe Mandel

5:00-5:20           Year-round and Migratory Birds of the Flint Hills     William Busby

5:30-5:50           Defining the Flint Hills     Brian Obermeyer & Rolfe Mandel

 

BLUE WILD-INDIGO TENT -- Stories from the Site

2:00-2:20           Charles Withington and the Santa Fe Trail     Don Schiesser with Joleen Day

2:30-2:50           The Leet Pasture--Home to the Polks and Troutmans     Jaret Moyer

3:00-3:20           Fruitland--the Stanley Quaker Mission to the Kaw     Michael Stubbs

3:30-3:50           London Harness--Legendary Black Cowboy     Pat Finney

4:00-4:20           Charles Withington and the Santa Fe Trail     Don Schiesser with Joleen Day

4:30-4:50           Judge Baker and the Vengeance of “Bloody Bill”     Mike Shimeall

5:00-5:20           The Leet Pasture--Home to the Polks and Troutmans     Jaret Moyer

5:30-5:50           Dunlap and the Exoduster Connection     Jan Huston

 

PURPLE CONEFLOWER TENT -- Prairie as Muse

2:00-2:20           Painting the Seasons of the Flint Hills     Louis Copt

2:30-2:50           Rose Kretsinger--Renowned Emporia Quilter     Debbie Divine

3:00-3:50           Flint Hills Inspirations & Concert Programming     Steven Jarvi

4:00-4:20           William Allen White’s Prairie     Tom Averill

4:30-4:50           Painting the Seasons of the Flint Hills     Louis Copt

5:00-5:20           Seasonal Celebrations in Small Towns     Marci Penner

5:30-5:50           Rose Kretsinger--Renowned Emporia Quilter     Debbie Divine

 

BUTTERFLY MILKWEED TENT -- Ranching in the Flint Hills                                                                                           

2:00-2:50           Conservation Easements--A Tool for Prairie Preservation    
                             Panel of Landowners:  Clarence and Lonah Birch, Kenneth Muller, 
                             Gina Miller. Rob Manes, Moderator

3:00-3:20           Historic Ranching through the Seasons     Jim Hoy

3:30-3:50           History of the Southard/Day Ranch     Joleen Day

4:00-4:20           A Historical Overview of Fire Seasonality in Tallgrass Prairie     Gene Towne

4:30-4:50           London Harness--Legendary Black Cowboy     Pat Finney

5:00-5:50           Ranching through the Seasons    
                             Panel of Contemporary Ranchers: Rich Porter, Tom Moxley, Brian Keith.
                             Mike Beam, Moderator

 

STARGAZING TENT -- Prairie Skies
Presented by Kansas Astronomical Observers and The Salina Astronomy Club

1:45      Telescopes 101--How a Telescope Works     Jerelyn Ramirez

2:15      What’s up tonight?     Dan Johnson

3:00      Seasons and How they Occur     Joe Castor

3:45      Cosmic Distance Ladder--Transit of Venus     Jeffrey Kasoff

4:30      Light Pollution--Cause and Effect     Jerelyn Ramirez

 

OUTSIDE THE TENT

1:00 – 5:00

Solar Observing     Jeff Whithorn, Steve Schoonover, Phil Osborn, Dennis White

Binoculars--Terrestrial Viewing     Richard Meredith, Paul Ramirez

Static Solar System--Locating the Planets     Ron Heath, Valerie White

Moon Phases     Jerelyn Ramirez

Medicine Wheel--How it Works     Dorothy Hanna                        

Solar System Walk on the Prairie     Jeff Whithorn, Jeffrey Kasoff

 

AFTER THE CONCERT

Observing the Universe through Telescopes