Growing up on the world’s largest hippie commune, my mother received an unorthodox education in caring for the land.

The Roots of Utopia

How patience, passion, and purpose have shaped a gentler model of caretaking for Alaska’s last prehistoric megafauna.

Moral Fiber

Hawai`i’s invasion of little fire ants is taking a painful toll on farmers and farmworkers.

Ant Attack

Increasingly in demand, wild octopus populations are dwindling. Can farming ever be the answer? 

The Octopus Conundrum

Is growing agave a smart solution to California’s drought problems? 

Mezcalifornia Dreaming 

In the wake of headlines about the “Oat Mafia” attempting to disrupt America’s oat infrastructure, one writer shares some lessons from the recent past.

My Dad Helped Build North America’s Oat Supply Chain: Can It Be Remade?

The paniolo predate the Wild West’s cattle wranglers — they continue their practices to this day.

Hawai‘i’s Paniolo: The Original Cowboys

Composting human bodies is a growing trend. But is it safe?

Dead Humans, New Soil

Besieged parks and cash-strapped farmers benefit from the growing trend of commercial campgrounds on agricultural land.

A New Way to Hit the Hay

On what rural and urban America owe each other, and how we can all work together for the common good.

Towards a Rural Renaissance

Hybrid honeybees could be a jackpot when it comes to resisting varroa mites — but only if they’re sweet enough to handle safely.

The Honeybee Lottery

The biogas industry might have a new customer: data centers.

Your AI Could be Powered by Manure

Take a trip to Faison, the sweetpotato capital of the world, and you just might learn a few things.

North Carolina Wants You to Stop Saying “Sweet Potato”

As municipal composting expands around the country, practitioners worry it’s not being done in a way that will benefit farmers.

Do You Know Where the Compost Goes?

Mushrooms are incredibly versatile. Turns out, so is their waste.

There’s Something in the Substrate

Why, exactly, are people always throwing tomatoes at each other?

The Tomatoes of Wrath

I set out to discover the secrets to growing the perfect tomato. It might be simpler than I had imagined.

Heart of the Tomato

Climate change promises to usher in droughts, floods, and everything in between. Researchers have begun preparing for this tempestuous future by tormenting tomatoes.

Some Light Tomato Torture

Sending our flock to graze on eight different solar farms is the best business decision we’ve ever made.

Sheep for Hire: Will Travel

Farmers in the Northeast are trying out a warm-weather staple to adapt to a changing climate.

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