Hiking to the top of the mountain is a special privilege that we are able to enjoy living where we do. We go out our back door and hike up from 9,750’ in elevation to 10,500’. A hiking club would label our hike as strenuous but we take out time and it actually is not […]
Corn and soybeans, two of the most prominent crops grown in the Midwest and many parts of the world, have interesting histories, uses and reasons for their importance. Other crops are also important, but corn and soybeans rank first and second respectively in acres harvested and cash receipts in the U.S. Both crops are highly […]
But even across this seemingly limitless expanse, very little land is untouched by civilization. There are more than 4 million miles of public roads in the United States, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, and that doesn’t count private roads, utility roads or off-road vehicle trails. Add to that 2.5 million miles of oil […]
There is no question that Earth has been a giving planet. Everything humans have needed to survive, and thrive, was provided by the natural world around us: food, water, medicine, materials for shelter, and even natural cycles such as climate and nutrients. Scientists have come to term such gifts ‘ecosystem services’, however the recognition of […]
From its wild and rocky coast in the north to the south coast’s vast, sandy shores, the California coastline lures many to walk along the edge of the continent to gaze at the ocean. Sweeping coastal views are blocked in many cities, but wide-open hiking spaces abound nearby where anyone willing to leave the car […]
