Natural Landscaping by Diekelman is an excellent book.

Also the Wild One's Handbook is available on line. Is a good tool.

http://www.epa.gov/greenacres/wildones/

the only thing I think would be an absolute no-no would be something that is considered invasive.

The Nature Conservancy keeps a pretty good web site about invasives and controls.

I would recommend checking out Prairie Moon Nursery, www.prairiemoon.com, or Prairie Nursery, www.Prairienursery.com. They have excellent cultivation advice, and they also have seed mixes that contain only grasses and forbs native to your area. Don't apologise for being new or asking questions! Good Luck. April

if the area is already prairie and woodland, and has not had significant disturbance, you may be able to incorporate some land management techniques that promote the growth of existing natives that are dormant in the soil. YOu may not have to plant anything...

Of your plant list, the one species that gives me the willies is the fountain grass. In some areas, this stuff can seed itself widely across the landscape.

I wouldn't get your hopes up about natives popping up from your pasture lands. Even if some natives are present, it's very likely that your pastures have been seeded into a non-native pasture grass such as tall fescue. Your extension folks will be able to tell you what is present in your pastures and whether it will be a problem.

There's a wealth of information about invasive plant species available on the web. This web link is a good starting point, with lots of links to more detailed information.

Here is a link that might be useful: invasive plants (USDA)