Fresh Dirt: Scoop #7

This edition finds us navigating the complex, often challenging, landscape where soil science meets real life. From the personal toll of a shifting federal contracting environment to the simple, grounding act of preparing a garden for winter, we're exploring the full spectrum of what it means to be stewards of the land and our communities right now.

🍄 Real Dirt: Bringing “Soil Alive!” A call from Oregon led to our team to providing soil science review and Spanish translation for the High Desert Museum's "Soil Alive!" exhibit. This project perfectly mirrors our work: connecting disciplines like mycelial networks.

See "Soil Alive!" in Bend, OR from Oct 18, 2025 to March 29, 2026.

🚌 Field Notes: Roots, Resilience, and a Recalibrated Compass A personal dispatch from the front lines of a chaotic conservation economy. This update shares a journey of adaptation—from pivoting projects to contracting a severe infection on a jobsite—and the raw, real-world resilience of balancing government contracting with cocktail service, all while living in a school bus named Mrs. Jones.

🌱 Seeds of Knowledge: The Secret Life of Your Compost After helping teach the state's Commercial Compost Operator Course, we're sharing a key lesson: not all compost is created equal. We discuss why sourcing from local, professional operators is crucial for soil health and a circular economy, and we celebrate training alongside wastewater treatment staff from Las Vegas, NM—a collaboration that builds a more resilient community from the ground up.

🤝 Roots in the Community: Honoring Tradition in Las Vegas A reflection on finding home and purpose in new surroundings.

Yours in dirt, 🎰 

-gabby