Utah and Bruce Babbitt have a history. In the 1990s, when he led efforts to designate nearly two million acres of the Grand Staircase Escalante area as a National Monument, folks here hung him in effigy. How foul was THAT vibe? But earlier this winter, Babbitt was among friends. He received a standing ovation before AND after his talk in Salt Lake City. He lambasted … [Read more...]
Inside at the Salt Palace, Looking Out
If it bothered any of the 30,000 people buying, selling, and otherwise attending the gigantic Outdoor Retailer Summer Market earlier this month, they weren’t saying. “It” being the following incongruity: We were inside, manically focused on how best to accessorize our time outside with the perfect packs, pants, pads, and peanut butter patties. Edward Abbey might have sh … [Read more...]
Crows and Wildlife Watchers lose big
In the 7th and final hearing to address Utah's first crow hunt, the Wildlife Board voted, 3-2, to approve it. Those attending the hearing responded with shouts of "Boo!" and "Shame!" and claimed the board ignored overwhelming public disdain as well as scientific evidence against the hunt. Read more here. … [Read more...]
Not Your Average Farmer
During the growing season, Randall Ercanbrack scales up and down nearby Y Mountain before most of us are rolling out of bed. In the off season, this peach and cherry farmer pursues heights. As in Himalayan mountains and extinct Ecuadorian volcanoes. Read more at UtahOutsider … [Read more...]
The Murder of Crows
You can now shoot crows in Utah, thanks to the Wildlife Board's 3-2 vote in favor of the new hunting season. But amid the public outcry and for the first time in its history, the Board will convene another public hearing. Read about the controversy at UtahOutsider. … [Read more...]
Peaches or Patios: Suburbs Pressure American Fork Land
Population growth and housing development are strong, brotherly winds that Utah farmers have leaned into for years. They’re as relentless as the passage of time. “You can fight it, but you can only fight it for so long,” said Randall Ercanbrack, a fifth-generation farmer in Orem. “When you get surrounded, the pressure is too great. There are too many obstacl … [Read more...]