crops

In 1793, Captain Vancouver gifted cattle to Hawaiis king; decades later, feral herds tore through crops and altered native island ecosystems

by
A few cattle given as a gift in 1793 became a lasting force on Hawaii’s land. (AI-generated/ChatGPT)

In 1793, a ship captain gifted a few cattle to a Hawaiian king. It might have looked like a friendly gesture at the time, but the effects lasted for generations. The National Park Service explains that Captain George Vancouver brought cattle to Hawaii Island as a gift for Kamehameha. The Hawaiian king ordered that the … Read more

In 1868, Hong Kong gifted Hawaii 8 axis deer in goodwill; their descendants now number about 60,000 and damage crops, native plants, and forests

by
Eight axis deer arrived in 1868; their descendants now number about 60,000. (Wikimedia Commons)

Eight axis deer, a goodwill gift from Hong Kong, were released on Molokaʻi in 1868. Today their descendants number in the tens of thousands, and they eat crops and native plants and damage forests. According to the U.S. Geological Survey fact sheet, Hawaii’s native plants evolved without grazing animals, which can make them vulnerable to … Read more

Idaho family has farmed 1,000 acres since 1950; after the state largely shut off its irrigation water in 2025, the owners say crops failed and are now suing to protect the family farm

by
Idaho family has farmed 1,000 acres since 1950; after the state largely shut off its irrigation water in 2025, the owners say crops failed and are now suing to protect the family farm

An Idaho family that has farmed 1,000 acres near the Snake River for three generations has sued the state after an emergency water order forced them to shut off their irrigation pumps. The order dried their fields and destroyed their crops. Jerry Bingham and his family have grown wheat, alfalfa, and potatoes near Blackfoot since … Read more

Jon Stewart and his wife Tracey paid $4 million for a historic 45-acre New Jersey farm in 2016; the property now grows crops and cares for rescued cows, sheep, goats, pigs and chickens through their sanctuary foundation

by
Jon Stewart and his wife Tracey paid $4 million for a historic 45-acre New Jersey farm in 2016; the property now grows crops and cares for rescued cows, sheep, goats, pigs and chickens through their sanctuary foundation

Jon Stewart, wife Tracey paid $4m for 45-acre NJ farm; now grows crops, rescues animals (Image Credit: The Two River Times) Jon Stewart’s life away from television has included an unusual investment in New Jersey’s agricultural landscape. In 2016, the comedian and his wife, Tracey Stewart, bought the historic 45-acre Hockhockson Farm in Colts Neck … Read more

An Oregon wheat-farming couple had 13 wind turbines placed on their land; while crops continued around them, they said the operating turbines were bringing in about $100,000 a year

by
An Oregon wheat-farming couple had 13 wind turbines placed on their land; while crops continued around them, they said the operating turbines were bringing in about $100,000 a year

In the dry, rolling hills of Sherman County, Oregon, farming continues alongside huge green energy projects. For one local wheat-growing family, having wind turbines on their land has changed their yearly finances without stopping their traditional harvest. According to a report by The Oregonian/OregonLive, Kevin McCullough and his wife, Kathryn McCullough, grow wheat on land … Read more

A Maryland couple bought 116 acres as a hunting property; 20 years later, they had replaced crops with native grasses, wildflowers and trees and permanently protected the land for wildlife

by
A Maryland couple bought 116 acres as a hunting property; 20 years later, they had replaced crops with native grasses, wildflowers and trees and permanently protected the land for wildlife

Photo Credit: ESLC via easternshoreundercover.com When Louise and John Durocher bought 116 acres in Kent County, Maryland, the property was intended primarily as a hunting retreat. Over the next two decades, however, the couple gradually changed its purpose. They stopped growing crops and began restoring the fields with native grasses, wildflowers, shrubs and trees. They … Read more

He quit school at 12 to bag peanuts; 22 years later, he runs a Texas farm with organic crops and a 16-acre vineyard

by
He quit school at 12 to bag peanuts; 22 years later, he runs a Texas farm with organic crops and a 16-acre vineyard

Image(s): Shelley E. Huguley Henry Froese was told he couldn’t farm without family ties, couldn’t grow organic crops in Gaines County’s sandy soils, and certainly couldn’t grow grapes there. His answer was always “Why not?” According to Farm Progress, Froese quit school at 12 to bag peanuts for a local farmer, later leased his own … Read more

In 1902, edible dormice were released at an English estate; by 2018 Britain had an estimated 23,000, and the government now pays £40 per hectare a year to control damage to trees, crops and nesting birds

by
In 1902, edible dormice were released at an English estate; by 2018 Britain had an estimated 23,000, and the government now pays £40 per hectare a year to control damage to trees, crops and nesting birds

dormouseRepresentative image from Canva In 1902, a small population of edible dormice was released at Tring Park, a private estate in Hertfordshire, as part of a Victorian-era fascination with exotic wildlife. More than a century later, that single introduction has grown into a national problem: by 2018, the Mammal Society estimated around 23,000 edible dormice … Read more

A Colorado farmer put 3,276 solar panels over his crops, and the shade created cooler conditions for heat-sensitive plants

by
A Colorado farmer put 3,276 solar panels over his crops, and the shade created cooler conditions for heat-sensitive plants

Representative Image of solar panels and thriving crops growing together on the same farmland (AI-generated image) A family farm in Longmont, Colorado has turned part of its land into a working example of how solar power and agriculture can share the same ground. Byron Kominek, owner of Jack’s Solar Garden, covered roughly five acres of … Read more