July Fourth

I'm reading an incredible book about the Dust Bowl called The Worst Hard Time. It’s given me a much deeper understanding of the causes behind those devastating dust storms. One of the biggest factors was the widespread destruction of native grasslands. These grasses made up a complex, resilient ecosystem that naturally held moisture in the soil. But when settlers arrived and began plowing the land to plant wheat, they disrupted that delicate balance, leaving the soil exposed and vulnerable.

The situation worsened when many of those farmers later abandoned their land, leaving it unprotected against wind and drought. I don’t blame them—they were doing what they could to build a life for themselves and their families.
On this Fourth of July, I find myself feeling both grateful for the beauty of this country and my own ancestors, and deeply aware of how often we’ve neglected the very land that sustains us.

Through my project, Dust to Apples: Colors of the Eastern Plains, I hope to inspire a renewed connection to the land—and encourage a deeper understanding of what it means to be responsible global citizens.

​Happy Independence Day.