West Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
A Plentiful Harvest
Photographed By Charles T. Harrell, July 1, 2011
1. A Plentiful Harvest Marker
Inscription.
A Plentiful Harvest. . The abundant seeds of piñon and juniper trees draw wildlife to this ecosystem like a magnet. Chipmunks, foxes, piñon mice and squirrels munch the blue or copper-colored juniper berries. The berries last through the winter. They provide food for hungry robins, waxwings and Townsend’s solitares. Scrub Jays and Clark’s nucrackers collect the large piñon nuts and store, or caches, them for winter use. Piñon jays can transport up to 60 seeds at one time in their throats! Humans also enjoy piñon seeds. The Ute Indians have gathered the tasty pine nuts for thousands of years. Today, many people enjoy the nuts in pesto sauce.
The abundant seeds of piñon and juniper trees draw wildlife to this ecosystem like a magnet. Chipmunks, foxes, piñon mice and squirrels munch the blue or copper-colored juniper berries. The berries last through the winter. They provide food for hungry robins, waxwings and Townsend’s solitares.
Scrub Jays and Clark’s nucrackers collect the large piñon nuts and store, or caches, them for winter use. Piñon jays can transport up to 60 seeds at one time in their throats!
Humans also enjoy piñon seeds. The Ute Indians have gathered the tasty pine nuts for thousands of years. Today, many people enjoy the nuts in pesto sauce.
Location. 38° 51.896′ N, 104° 53.842′ W. Marker is in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in El Paso County. It is in West Colorado Springs. Marker is on Garden Drive, on the left when traveling north. Marker is located in Garden of the Gods Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Manitou Springs CO 80829, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 11, 2011, by Charles T. Harrell of Woodford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 924 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on August 11, 2011, by Charles T. Harrell of Woodford, Virginia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.