Culture

Culture, Energy, Environmental Justice, Fracking, Place

Holy Land

Holy Land

I lived in a small community outside Wheeling, West Virginia for seven months in 2020. New Vrindaban – a spiritual community drawing on Vaisnava Hindu tradition, current population 100 people and 70 cows – was my refuge from COVID-19; a

by × May 30, 2021 × 0 comments

Animals, Art, Culture, Human Landscape, Painting, Poetry

Home | Bird and Broom

Home | Bird and Broom

I’ve dropped my broom
by × April 14, 2021 × 0 comments

Agriculture, Frontier, Out West, Place

Henry (H.L.) Wolf; Independence on the Plains, Gathering Chips; Late 19th century; Albumen silver print; Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, Texas; P1976.19.11

Gathering Chips

One of my favorite photographs hangs in my bathroom.

At its center is a wheelbarrow, with wooden handles, braces, and legs. The ten-spoke wheel is iron. Cow chips – dry dung – are stacked two feet high in the tray. …

by × April 12, 2021 × 0 comments

Adirondack, Conservation, Culture, Forests

John

John

This summer I walked behind John in the woods. I followed him as he followed the trail. “Flies are getting bad,” he’d grumble, reaching for the tobacco in his pocket. I quickened my step whenever John puffed on his pipe, …

by × April 10, 2021 × 0 comments

Conservation, Forests, Place, Rivers

In town

In town

I followed my mother down a winding forest path.  

The trail head peaks through the trees that line the softball field down the street from my house.  You wouldn’t know it was there if you weren’t looking for it. 

Gnarled tree …

by × March 20, 2021 × 0 comments

Agriculture, Place

Stacking Wood

Stacking Wood

This piece was originally written as part of a larger poetry and prose project that explored the author’s relationship with his family’s farm in Tennessee. Over a month-long span, he reflected daily on the lessons that the place and its

by × March 14, 2021 × 0 comments