Agriculture + Climate

SNAP-Ed will be terminated in October, adding to federal cuts that are impacting national efforts to curb obesity and instill better...

To overcome ingredient shortages and high food costs, some restaurateurs are rethinking their staple ingredients and strengthening their...

This story ran on Reasons to be Cheerful September 16, 2024. A cross the country, fall is synonymous with the new school year: sharpened...

If you’re concerned about the climate crisis and you drink wine, there are some things you need to know. Curl up with a glass and read...

Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer talks about his push for American-made bicycles and the power of bikes to make cities more livable. I...

Through Backyard Habitat Certification, individuals strive to make even the smallest outdoor spaces more biodiverse. Those changes add...

The roar of leaf blowers has long been ubiquitous in fall. But as more US cities ban the gas-powered devices, that’s starting to change. ...

I wrote this article on the stunning new design for PDX for Reasons to be Cheerful in November.   W hen passengers pass through the...

A story about the emerging diversity of the Willamette Valley wine scene

At Hiyu Wine Farm in Hood River, Oregon, a commitment to permaculture yields wild and complex field blends and a well-set winemaker's table.  My piece on Hiyu is in the April issue of Food & Wine, with absolutely stunning photographs by Eva Kolenko.  The farmhouse and hilly vineyards at Hiyu Wine Farm in Hood River, Oregon. PHOTO: EVA KOLENKO The first time I met winemaker Nate Ready, he was pouring his wines at Pairings wine bar in Portland, Oregon. With his long salt-and-p

Companies from Frito-Lay to Kettle Chips are experimenting with corn starch, calcium carbonate and other materials that eschew plastic...

From growing kelp forests to making packaging out of mushrooms, these companies are reducing greenhouse gas emissions from every angle.  I wrote this round-up for Inc.'s Carbon Neutral package, in the May/June 2022 issue .  Entrepreneurs coast to coast are coming up with innovative technologies showing not only that we can live without carbon-based energy, but also that we can thrive without it. From a Maine startup that's growing kelp forests (which can sequester gigatons of

Once ubiquitous, farmers markets nearly vanished in the mid 20th century — until an array of forces converged to bring about their modern-day renaissance. Fennel, beets, and parsley, at the PSU Farmers' Market; Brussels sprouts on the vine  Visit the main Portland Farmers Market on any given Saturday morning and you’ll see tables spilling over with rainbow chard, beets, leeks and all kinds of lettuce. You’ll see vendors selling homemade salsa and tortilla chips, and cheesemak

I wrote this story for Reasons to be Cheerful in May of 2022. California’s environmental achievements are something to behold. The state...

For Bon Appetit 's May issue, I wrote about a new continuing education program for Latinx vineyard workers in Oregon's Willamette...

I wrote about Ridwell, the Seattle startup that's building a business around collecting all the old batteries, clamshell containers and...

Farmers and ecologists are partnering to restore the state’s natural flooding patterns, allowing native fish to thrive. I wrote this...

This book review ran in the Washington Post on Feb. 11th, 2022.  In the early 1970s, American botanist Jack Harlan proclaimed that mass...

A new pilot project in California is purchasing a mill for a school cafeteria, marking the next step in years-long effort to bring local,...

I wrote this story for Reasons to be Cheerful . Amid rows of snap peas and summer squash, incarcerated gardeners cultivate job skills,...