Friends of Homestead National Monument of America

Mission Statement and Purpose

Friends is organized as a non-profit corporation exclusively for education, scientific and charitable purposes within the meaning of Section 501C3 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.     Friends is organized to promote public understanding of the mission of Homestead National Monument of America and, specifically, to promote, develop, support, preserve and maintain Homestead National Monument . . .

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Prairie Burn Pictures

As part of compliance with the 10 year CRP-SAFE prairie chicken program it is required to burn the prairie two times and also graze it one time.   Friends of Homestead are carrying out these practices because this is what would have occurred 300 years ago.  Prairie fires were started by lightning and sometimes by Native Americans.  These fires were good for  prairies as it eliminated invasive plants and also . . .

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History of the Friends Land

PURCHASE OF FIRST 40 ACRES: Prior to 2004, there had been discussions about how the Friends might acquire some land along the south border of the Monument.  This land was owned by the Charles Ensz family.  The Homestead wanted to establish a border to protect the osage orange trees on the property line and the primitive bur oak trees in the creek area.  At the time, with limited funds in the bank account the . . .

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