In 1988, Ohio attorney Neil McKown secretly bought 155 neglected acres; 38 years later, the family farms nearly 500 acres and he declined a $400,000-$500,000 timber cut to keep the woods

In 1988, Ohio attorney Neil McKown secretly bought 155 neglected acres; 38 years later, the family farms nearly 500 acres and he declined a $400,000-$500,000 timber cut to keep the woods

In 1988, Ohio attorney Neil McKown secretly bought 155 neglected acres (Image Credit: Farm Progress/ Jennifer Kiel) What began as a secret land purchase has grown into a nearly 500-acre family farm built around conservation, forestry and a long-term commitment to the land. In 1988, Ohio attorney Neil McKown quietly purchased 155 acres without first … Read more

In 2017, a California farming family began fighting a rule tying a second home on 267 acres to future commercial farming; nine years later, the US Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal

In 2017, a California farming family began fighting a rule tying a second home on 267 acres to future commercial farming; nine years later, the US Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal

Representative Image (AI-generated) A California family’s attempt to build a second home on its 267-acre coastal property has ended at the nation’s highest court, after the US Supreme Court declined to hear the family’s appeal in June 2026. The dispute began in 2017, when Willie Benedetti filed a lawsuit challenging Marin County’s land-use restrictions; the … Read more

In the 1800s, red foxes were brought to California for hunting. Decades later, the light-footed Ridgway’s rail declined to just 5 breeding pairs

In the 1800s, red foxes were brought to California for hunting. Decades later, the light-footed Ridgway’s rail declined to just 5 breeding pairs

A red fox introduced to California more than a century ago might seem far removed from the fate of a small marsh bird. Yet the two became linked in the coastal wetlands of Southern California, where the light-footed Ridgway’s rail has struggled to survive. The bird spends much of its time concealed among cordgrass and … Read more