by Lynne Whitbeck | May 19, 2021 | Down to Earth, Grazing, Health and Nutrition, Ranching, Rangeland Science, Rural Communities, Soil
Nicolette Hahn Niman was an environmental lawyer and vegetarian when she married a rancher—so she has a unique and broad-based perspective on agriculture. We discuss the new edition of her book, Defending Beef: The Ecological and Nutritional Case for Meat.
by Lynne Whitbeck | May 5, 2021 | Down to Earth, Farming, Rangeland Science, Soil, Working with Nature
Native Americans used fire and other methods to cultivate food on the prairie. In the 20th century it was plowed under for endless rows of monocrops. Omar de Kok-Mercado is part of a team that is working to make prairie land ecologically–and economically–sustainable.
by Lynne Whitbeck | Sep 8, 2020 | Down to Earth, Grazing, Ranching, Rangeland Science, Working with Nature
In her new book, Judith Schwartz takes us to five continents and tell us stories of people restoring devastated landscapes–and overcoming deep conflicts that stem from degraded ecosystems. The results are phenomenal.
by Lynne Whitbeck | Aug 25, 2020 | Down to Earth, Grazing, Radical Center, Ranching, Rangeland Science, Rural Communities, Working with Nature
“What’s good for the bird is good for the herd”–that’s the basis of a win-win initiative to preserve bird habitat on ranches and grasslands. We speak with Audubon Society VP Marshall Johnson about grassland ecology and their successful conservation collaborations.
by Lynne Whitbeck | Jul 28, 2020 | Bison, Down to Earth, Faith, Racial Equity, Rangeland Science, Rural Communities, Working with Nature
The Eastern Shoshone people traditionally survived with the buffalo, and their way of life suffered when tens of millions of buffalo were killed by the US government. But now they’re returning to the land–and starting to renew a culture.
by Lynne Whitbeck | Jul 14, 2020 | Down to Earth, Farming, Ranching, Rangeland Science, Soil, Working with Nature
When the “green revolution” offered the promise of better agriculture through chemical-intensive farming, J.I. Rodale was skeptical. He started an organic farm and then an institute to study how farming could improve the land and human health. Now they’re doing great work from coast to coast.