A Texas County couple has been recognized for decades of work to promote, cultivate and educate people about plants native to Missouri.
The Missouri Prairie Foundation’s “Grow Native! Native Plant Pioneers” program honored about 15 state residents, including Elk Creek residents Rex and Amy Hamilton, who began harvesting, cleaning and selling native warm-season grass seed in 1981. When the Conservation Reserve Program, in the mid-1980s, created more demand for native grasses in an effort to reduce soil erosion, the Hamiltons spent more time harvesting in the fields and took greater note of the wildflowers.
They began harvesting forb seeds by hand in 1987, and soon began selling seeds and bare-root plants through a mail-order operation, numbering among the few sources in Missouri for consumers to purchase reliably good, pure native plants and seed.
Throughout the years, the Hamiltons have promoted the restoration of prairie landscapes, and have lent their voices to agencies and committees working to improve the quality of Missouri’s native plant materials. They encourage the expanse of grasslands to restore degraded landscapes and benefit wildlife, and educate livestock producers about the benefits of native grasses as forage. Their business has expanded into a family operation known as Hamilton Native Outpost (HNO) that now includes their grown children.
The Hamiltons increasingly reach out to the public, through HNO’s website, e-newsletters, field days and more, to help others successfully plant and manage natives in landscapes large and small.