At first glance, agriculture in Wyoming and agriculture on Hawaii or Guam don’t have much in common.

But growers in both the tropical Pacific and the northern prairie can benefit from enclosed production spaces, which is why Wyoming-developed domes will soon be popping up in the islands.

In this episode, University of Wyoming Extension Specialist Jeff Edwards and Pepe Miranda, an agronomist with Farms and Coffee Solutions, discuss how they became interested in geodesic domes for agriculture production and how the domes help overcome challenges in their different locations.

Jeff has refined existing designs and developed a materials list and construction manual so people can build the domes themselves. He then led dome-building workshops and erected domes throughout Wyoming.

Pepe was one of the workshop and tour participants and is building a dome for local schools in Hawaii.

Learn more about the advantages of domes and how to build a dome by listening to this podcast and ordering the construction manual.

Photo by Steve Elliott

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In this conversation, Glenn Elzinga shares his family’s journey with Alderspring Ranch, detailing its beginnings, the motivations behind starting the ranch, their commitment to regenerative practices and healthy food, and the importance of building relationships within the community. He discusses the challenges faced, particularly with the increasing wolf population, and how they adapted their cattle management practices to ensure sustainability and profitability. Glenn describes how their sustainable grazing practices – including in-herding - benefits plant diversity and soil health. The discussion emphasizes the inter-connectedness of ecosystem management and cattle health, showcasing how diverse grazing can lead to better outcomes for both animals and the environment.

photo credit: Melanie Elzinga, Alderspring Ranch

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In this conversation, Maud Powell, Wolf Gulch Farm and Oregon State University shares her journey as a farmer and the challenges she faced due to a changing climate and lack of water. She and her husband Tom realized “we can’t really farm here anymore.”

The leaving of one piece of land and starting over on another led to her exploration of climate grief. She discusses the agrarian imperative (farmers compelled to continue growing food even amid strong challenges), the emotional toll of farming in a changing climate, and the importance of community support.

At Oregon State University, Maud organizes workshops and trainings that address climate stress and grief, helping producers recognize and cope with their emotions. She highlights the differences between climate grief and other types of grief, and the significance of community rituals in processing loss. The conversation concludes with practical steps for managing climate emotions and fostering resilience among farmers.

Her team interviewed 50 farmers and 100% of them said they are experiencing some level of climate stress and or climate grief. So, they're all experiencing it, but they don't have a name for it. The workshops validate and give people words and names for what they're experiencing.

Find more information and tools on Oregon State University's website.

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Thanks for listening to Fresh Growth! To learn more about Western SARE and sustainable agriculture, visit our website or find us:

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Contact us at wsare@montana.edu