The Tree-of-Heaven, Ailanthus altissima, (I call it Tree-From-Hell) is the most invasive, destructive, non-native tree in the eastern United States. This tree is the preferred host and breeding ground for another invasive, destructive, and non-native pest: the Spotted Lanternfly. The tree and the insect are native to Asia and they...
The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970. I remember it well; I was 15 years old and a freshman in high school. The next year, Intel released the first commercially available microprocessor. These events created a wonderful sense of optimism about humanity’s ability to do great things–to save the...
Recently, I received a guilt-free pass from the Princess (wife) to go connect with nature. Yeah, it’s kind of funny since we live on a farm and I’m connecting with nature all the time anyway. I took the cue and headed for the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Birding Eastern Shore...
Each year, I like to share a few photos that give me hope or are really good. Resistance seems to be a common thread. It’s been a rollercoaster year. Hold fast and stay strong. A nagging feeling of worry about our country haunts me constantly. Is there no limit to...
Spring Surge at Whiskey Creek Regenerative Farming Note: This post was written by a real person: me. There are no popups, paywalls, ads, or AI. All photos are by me unless otherwise noted. The energy of life surges this month. I can feel it in the sun’s warmth, smell it...
We have a small farm in Swoope along Trimbles Mill Road. The Middle River flows through it for half a mile. We call it the River Farm. The cows were fenced away from the river in 2004, and we planted trees along the banks. Sycamores Hold the Line I walk...
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is the most comprehensive law protecting imperiled plants and animals in the world. Because of the ESA, hundreds of plants and animals have been saved, including some of our most iconic birds: the American Bald Eagle, the California Condor, the Peregrine Falcon, and the Whooping...
This post has been revised with breakthrough information on eliminating House Sparrows from your nesting boxes. It was initially posted in 2017, and revised on 3/6/2023. The House Sparrow is perhaps the most adaptable and prolific bird species on the planet. Often called English Sparrow, its scientific name Passer domesticus is...
The grazing season is in full swing at Whiskey Creek Angus, and the bulls are in with the ladies. We rotate our two herds of cattle to different pastures about every four to six days depending on the growth of the forage. The tree seedlings we planted last year are...
Thirty years ago, Wayne M. Hypes, one of my heroes and a mentor in soil conservation, came into my USDA office in Verona, Virginia, and gave me a wooden candleholder. It was no ordinary candleholder: It was made from American Chestnut, historic wood from a forgotten past. At that time...
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