Blog
Invasive Species
Watch: Cut Pile Video Watch: Cut Pile 2 Watch: Stump Video As the climate changes, our land management challenges change. We only have to look at the raging western wildfires see one kind of change. And, experts tell us that we can expect more because the trees are...
The End of Food Allergy | Sloan Barnett & Dr. Kari Nadeau
Eight percent of children in the U.S. have food allergies. It’s a serious and growing food safety and public health concern that impacts babies and young children. My sister Sloan Barnett and Dr. Kari Nadeau have written a book about using immunotherapy as a...
Piney River Tennessean Op-Ed
I love my Cumberland Plateau farm, but I love the entire area, as well. I’ve worked to get wild places protected. I was not alone, of course. There are environmentalists, neighbors, political leaders and plenty of others helping. It’s about the environment. It’s about...
River Conservation and Ecotourism in River Management Society
Family time. We’ve all had a lot of it lately. Some is better than other! Still, occasionally, we have the awesome adventure that reminds us all that more than blood connects us. The outdoors helps us recharge ourselves and appreciate “the big picture.” I wrote this...
Benefits of Controlled Burns
Coal Creek Farm is a learning lab. I’ve learned about native species; flora and fauna. I’ve learned about water resources. I’ve learned that there is a new species of grasshopper living there. And, I learned that helping the land recover from...
Cows, fire, and grasses: Reimagining routine tools
Environmental questions are often very complex. And cows have been the target of environmentalists and the subject of experimentation to reduce their carbon footprint. In a parallel tract, we are experimenting with new grazing techniques to increase native grasses,...
Ginseng. It’s all the thing.
National Geographic has a feature on ginseng emphasizing violence and crime. I have also written a story showing the 20 things I’ve learned about ginseng over the years. Please read my story on medium.
Zombie Flesh Eating Beetles
As published in AGDAILY Too often, my childhood dreams were haunted by Dawn of the Dead’s flesh-eating zombies. In a nightmare made real, and years later, I have to choose between flesh-eating Japanese zombie beetles and poison in order to save my Cumberland Plateau,...
Going to Spring City, Tennessee this winter? You should check out Piney River.
As an avid kayaker, I’m always excited to share new spots, especially ones for beginners and intermediates to hone their skills. That’s why I was overjoyed to discover a half-mile stretch of kayaking heaven in Spring City, Tennessee. This natural section of the Piney...
Come to Daddy’s: Tennessee’s Daddy’s Creek a Whitewater Haven
Last fall I worked with nonprofit and government officials to ensure that more paddlers can access Daddy’s Creek on the Cumberland Plateau. The paddling days were limited by old rules that did not take into account the importance of ecotourism in the region. Many folks devoted time and energy to this effort, and we were successful in changing the rules. Now, more people can enjoy Daddy’s Creek. Here is a story I wrote which just got published in Paddling Life, an excellent paddling publication. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing about and paddling the creek! Click here to read more >