Land institute protects the soil on which our lives depend

Dick Bennett
jbennet@uark.edu

From: Scoop [mailto:scoop@landinstitute.org]
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 5:20 PM
To: Land Institute Friends
Subject: Scoop from The Land Institute, August 27, 2008

Scoop

from The Land Institute

Issue 26, August 27, 2008

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· National Geographic’s SOIL article
· Properties for sale
· Prairie Festival: Barbara Kingsolver!
· Coming events, Land Institute speakers
· National Geographic issue, cover story “Where Food Begins”
Page 146 of the September 2008 issue mentions our scientist, Jerry Glover “On assignment: He Knows All the Dirt.” Jerry is at work excavating roots, photographed by our neighbor Jim Richardson (who also illustrated the article with photos). We hear that non-Geographic staff members do not show up on the “Inside Geographic” page—but Jerry’s work behind the scenes “to share his knowledge of soil”… “was indispensable to this issue’s soil story.”
The article, “Our Good Earth,” pages 80-111, also includes a photo of long roots that any Land Institute friend will have seen before—more than once.
One of the highlighted comments: “By 2030, 8.3 billion people will walk the Earth, and farmers will have to grow 30 percent more grain.”
Additional photographs of Jim’s work with us appear at: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/09/soil/richardson-photography.
· Properties for sale
The Land Institute is selling its real estate holdings in Matfield Green, Kansas—in the region of the Flint Hills tallgrass prairie. Two houses are offered by a local realtor. For more information, call Griffin Realty, 620-273-6421, or see www.emporia.com/griffin. The Matfield Green Grade School will also soon be listed for sale.
· Prairie Festival: Barbara Kingsolver and Steven Hopp!
A tentative schedule is on our Web site, www.landinstitute.org, (check for changes). Click on home page banner, or Calendar. Join us Friday evening to Sunday noon, September 26-28, 2008.
You may know Barbara Kingsolver for her novels Poisonwood Bible and Prodigal Summer a few years ago and for her recent book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. Her co-authors on the latest book are husband Steven Hopp, co-presenter at the Festival, and daughter Camille Kingsolver.
Brief bios of the presenters will be on our Web site soon. They are: Dana Beach, Terry Evans, Steven Hopp, Barbara Kingsolver, Conn Nugent Mark Parkinson, Curt Meine, Doug Tompkins, Don Worster and Angus Wright—plus a cast of staff members.
Motels are filling up--reserve a room soon. Salina will be busy with other events, too.
Free primitive camping is, as usual, an option.
See VISIT info at www.landinstitute.org.
Coming events--2008
Aug. 29-Sep 1, San Francisco—Slow Food Nation ’08, Come to the Table. Open to the Public, online registration: www.slowfoodnation.org. Wes Jackson speaking Saturday, Aug 30, Noon at Herbst Theatre, Veterans Bldg, 401 Van Ness Ave.
Sept 4, Salina, KS—Smoky Hill Museum First Thursday program. 5:30 pm, Ken Warren Presenting. Contact: Nona Miller, 785.309.5776.
Sept 5-7, Portland OR—Muddy Boot Organic Festival. Wes Jackson presenting Friday Sept 5, 7:00 pm, St. Philip Neri Catholic Church. Details: Julie Gefroh, 503-544-3470. Open to public. Advance tickets: brownpapertickets.org.
Sept 25-26, Salina, KS—Short Course on Natural Systems Agriculture at The Land Institute. Staff scientists will lead an intensive exploration of The Land Institute's work in developing an agriculture patterned after natural ecosystems. We are pleased to receive applications from students and others with diverse backgrounds and interests. (See Calendar, “Short Course” at www.landinstitute.org.)
Sept 26-28, Salina, KS—Prairie Festival at The Land Institute, www.landinstitute.org.
Oct. 6, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada—Seventh Annual Bentley Lecture in Sustainable Agriculture, University of Alberta. Wes Jackson presenting, What will the ecosphere require of us? Info: john.spence@ualberta.ca or rochelle.jackson@afhe.ualberta.ca.
Oct. 17, Hickory Corners, MI—Michigan State University’s Kellogg Biological Station. Presenting, Jerry Glover. Open to the public. Info: wilkebro@msu.edu.
Oct 30-31, Anderson, SC—23rd Annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference. Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, Wes Jackson presenting, time and date tba..

Ron Wilson, 864.605.1000, wilsonr@atlanticbuillionandcoin.com.
SCOOP back issues are at www.landinstitute.org, “What’s New?”

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Contact: olsen@landinstitute.org