Soil productivity is determined by the inherent qualities of the soil. The soil must be able to provide both the physical and chemical conditions necessary for plant growth. In this blog, we’ll discuss soil productivity generally and some of the scales used to rate soil productivity in the United States. One of the most important … Read more
Have you seen a sign for a “detention pond” or “retention pond” in your town? Curious what these are? Well, these ponds are created because stormwater runoff can pose issues for cities around the globe. This runoff is typically generated from rain and snowmelt that flows over impervious surfaces (i.e., paved streets, parking lots, building … Read more
Bison once roamed America’s Wild West, and today they are coming back thanks to bison farming. If you too want to raise bison in the United States, here’s what you need to know. 1. What is bison farming? Raising bison is similar (but not identical) to raising beef cattle. Bison are large, strong, and excitable … Read more
Have you ever heard of Badlands National Park? It spans almost 244,000 acres in South Dakota with diverse wildlife and the largest undistributed mixed-grass prairie in the U.S. Yet, to most people, the term “badland” is still unfamiliar. What are these dry landscapes complete with colorful buttes, spires, and pinnacles? If you’re curious about the … Read more
If you’ve ever lived in an area with large flat surfaces, you’ll notice that surface runoff quickly begins to pool when it rains. Parking lots, roofs, driveways, sidewalks, etc. provide very few places for water to go. Surface runoff is now a leading contributor to water quality pollution, and for this reason, it’s worth paying … Read more
If you’re a new septic tank owner, figuring out when to pump your septic tank may seem overwhelming. However, septic system maintenance doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. We’ll run through the basic elements of how to care for a septic system. 1. How often should you inspect and pump septic tanks? The average … Read more
Look through the manual for speakers, headphones, MP3 players, amplifiers, etc., and you’re likely to find a specification called total harmonic distortion (THD). In this blog, we’ll discuss what THD is and why it’s important to consider when using equipment (including solar panels!). 1. What is total harmonic distortion? Total Harmonic Distortion, often abbreviated as … Read more
The Donation Land Claim Act of 1850, also known as the Donation Land Act, was a statute enacted by the United States Congress in late 1850. This legislation created the state of Oregon and influenced its history. Here’s what you should know. 1. How was the Donation Land Claim Act passed? This law was largely … Read more
Have you ever gotten a new car or couch and just known because of the smell? That’s off gassing. Some people love the smell of “new.” It’s knowingly artificially yet somehow intoxicating. Eventually, over time, that smell will fade, and you probably won’t think anything more about it. But if you’ve ever wondered what that … Read more
If you’re interested in hunting, then you know that mourning doves are one of the most exciting and challenging game bird species to hunt – which is why dove fields are so valuable. Even if you’re not a hunter yourself, good dove hunting can up the worth of your hunting land. In this blog, we’ll … Read more