Blog

I have a lot of interests. Art. Reading. Writing. Mushrooms. Birds. There is a lot more. I am a life-long learner and one of the things I’ve learned in managing a working farm is that it’s one thing to build a road and another to maintain it. In this article for Beginning Farmer I consider […]

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 dry, not just the forest floor. These are disasters of unprecedented scale. For landowners, managing landscapes as the […]

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 the people. And, it’s about the economy. It’s just so smart. […]

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 for the River Management Society to point out some […]

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, increase wildlife habitat, and potentially sequester carbon. My article in AgDaily explains how it works. Read […]

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.

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, Tennessee, hemlock trees. Poison, hemlocks and beetles, oh my. At Coal Creek […]

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 River is a beginner/intermediate paradise and has fantastic access from the […]

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!