Photo Essay
A Prairie Life
For this photographer and her family, home is where the habitat is.
In the Minnesota River Valley, near the shores of Marsh Lake, sit 40 acres of untouched Minnesota native prairie. The rare parcel, just upstream from Lac qui Parle, is home to photographer Kristi Link Fernholz, who has been documenting the native plant life on this land for well over 20 years. Her family once operated a small organic farm on the property, and while they no longer farm, they have always ensured that the prairie lands have been protected. The prairie has never been replanted or restored, experiencing natural growing cycles for hundreds of years. Inspired by the beauty of Minnesota’s prairie in its truest form, Fernholz is in awe of the “plants which have been here longer than any of us.” The oldest photos in this collection were shot on film in 2003, the newest captured just this spring. They provide record of not only the natural beauty Fernholz has witnessed, but also the seasonal cycles of this special place.
