I’m drawn to the strength and endurance of the Black Locust trees on our farm. Some in the pastures look like heavyweight boxers in their final round, beaten and exhausted. They withstand so much adversity. Black Locust borers eat their heartwood. Locust leafminers consume their foliage. A perennial fungus attacks...
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...
Climate Change Journal entry July 18: “I can’t see the mountains this morning.” Smoke from the wildfires in Canada, a thousand miles from our farm, blocked the view of Crawford Mountain. The foot of that mountain is less than two miles away. The Earth is literally on fire. Even AI...
When we first moved to Whiskey Creek in 2020, Jeanne asked me why there weren’t any birds here. “It’s because there is no habitat for them,” I responded. The Gardens of Whiskey Creek We have many gardens now at Whiskey Creek. The vegetable garden, the cut garden, the shop garden,...
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...
This past winter and early spring have been about the worst I can remember. Even worse than the Viet Nam era of the 60’s. Worse mainly because the rule of law has been eroded and abdicated from our democracy. We are now a fascist country. Life goes on. Following is...
Calving Season 2026 Last year, I published an article about the first month of calving at Whiskey Creek Regenerative Farming. Readers seemed to like it so I have posted this year’s journal entries. Calving always brings joy, learning, something different, and some heartbreak, but mostly joy. For new readers I...
“Do solar panels really work?” That’s what the woman asked as I showed some folks our barn with solar panels on the roof. I thought, Wow, how could you be so misled? Then I thought about all the challenges Americans are dealing with now: the misinformation, disinformation, and lies being...
Calving Background Whiskey Creek Regenerative Farming is a commercial cow-calf operation that uses perennial grass to produce calves for sale into all-natural beef programs supplying grocery stores such as Whole Foods.
Note: A real person wrote this: me. All pictures by me unless otherwise noted. There are no paywalls, ads, AI, popups, or surveys. Each year, I review my photos and select ones that give me hope or are really good. I’ve added some reflections as our country enters a new...
First Place Award for 2020 Outstanding Column & Blog from Virginia Outdoor Writers Association View All Awards
“Bobby and Jeanne show us how agriculture and conservation can work together, just as the couple’s remarkable marriage does. This book is about their journey together on the farm to produce healthy livestock and clean water.
This book gives us a blueprint not only for the restoration of the Bay and the waters of the United States but also for the family farm.”