“The only progress that matters is on the actual landscape of the back forty.” – Aldo Leopold
The news from the Back Forty is very encouraging. In many places that I have visited, people are solving on-the-ground problems with in- novative ideas, cooperative e orts, and abundant enthusiasm. For example, during a recent tour of a farm in Texas, I was astonished to learn that the farmer had built a working hydrogen fuel cell battery in his barn from off- the-shelf parts. He looked like someone from a Norman Rockwell painting, proudly showing off his invention – a green energy gizmo!
It confirmed my feeling that American ingenuity and can-do spirit is alive and well – on the Back Forty. You just never hear about it in the Front Forty press.
In this issue of our Journal, we try to correct this imbalance a little bit by offering stories of actual progress from the Back Forty.
Quivira’s annual publication started out as a printed newsletter and has served as a source for on-the-ground rangeland science, a place for stories and reflections from our community, and a resource on implementation of regenerative agriculture on working lands since the start of the organization. It has since morphed into a high-quality, professionally-designed and printed literary magazine that showcases poetry, written reflections, photography, artwork, and science writing that comes from those who are working or stewarding the land; very few of the contributors are professional writers, highlighting the lived experiences that they bring. If you’re interested in contributing to a future issue, please email communications@quiviracoalition.org.
