Mountain & Prairie

Conversations & Contemplations from the New American West

Category: The Latest

David Gessner – Voice of the West’s Past and Present
David Gessner (photo by Nina de Gramont)

David Gessner is an author, a professor, and one of the leading contemporary voices on the natural world and the American West. He has written ten books, including All the Wild That Remains: Edward Abbey, Wallace Stegner, and the American West, which is one of my all-time favorites and was a former Mountain & Prairie Book Club selection. Thanks to his influences ranging from Henry David Thoreau to Theodore Roosevelt to Wendell Berry, David preaches the gospel of appreciating “place” and protecting our wild landscapes, public lands, and fragile Western ecosystem.

I’ve been a huge fan of David’s work for many years, and have read almost everything he has written. I cannot overstate how much his writing has helped me understand both the history and the modern-day challenges of the American West, as well as the individuals who have shaped the region.  Through his masterful prose, he combines history, current events, deep personal insights, and a hilarious sense of humor into amazingly impactful books. Without his writing, my interest in land conservation would be a fraction of what it is today.

David was in Colorado conducting research for a new book focused on public lands, Bears Ears, and Theodore Roosevelt, so we met up in Boulder for our conversation.  In a little over an hour, we managed to cover a wide range of topics including public lands, Stegner, Abbey, TR, the idea of “Boomers and Stickers,” and the importance of place. David described how a bout with cancer helped to change his writing style and interests, and how moving to Boulder in his thirties altered the trajectory of his life and career. We discussed his writing process, his coastal writing shack, and how his approach to writing has evolved over the years. As usual, we also touched on favorite books, films, and his most powerful outdoor experience.

Meeting David and having this conversation was a dream come true for me, so many thanks to him for taking the time to chat. There are a lot of resources and other priceless information in this episode, so be sure to check the notes for links to everything. Enjoy!

A Meeting of the Minds: David and TR in the Badlands (photo courtesy of David Gessner)
Click Here to Download on iTunes

—

Click Here to Download on Google Play

—

Click Here to Download on Stitcher

—

Episode Notes

Topics Discussed:

2:48 – How David describes his work
3:45 – Where David lives
4:50 – Visit to Boulder and Western road trip
6:40 – Trip around Bears Ears
8:20 – Importance of adventure for writing
16:00 – David’s evolution toward adventure
17:05 – Bout with testicular cancer
24:00 – Lessons learned from cancer
25:45 – Lessons learned from Teddy Roosevelt
30:50 – Upcoming book centered around TR
35:50 – Personal threads that run through David’s books
37:45 – Boomers and Stickers
41:30 – Rawness of the West
43:15 – Importance of the “place”
46:10 – David’s writing shack
48:20 – How David produces so much work
52:00 – Introvert or extrovert
54:00 – Beliefs about the West that have changed over time
1:00:00 – More on the rawness of the West
1:01:15 – Recommended Abbey and Stegner books
1:05:00 – Downsides of TR
1:06:22 – Favorite books about the West
1:07:05 – Favorite films
1:08:50 – Favorite location in the West
1:09:55 – Most powerful outdoor experience
1:12:50 – Request of the listeners
Information Referenced

 Posted on June 29, 2018 by

 Blog, Podcast, The Latest

     , , , , ,

Modern Huntsman Book Review – The TR Trilogy
Head over to the Modern Huntsman website read my thoughts on why Edmund Morris’s Theodore Roosevelt Trilogy is required reading for anyone wanting to be an effective force in the battle for our public lands.

 

Modern Huntsman Book Review: Theodore Roosevelt Trilogy

Excerpt: “While reading the full trilogy is an accomplishment on its own, it is really just a starting point for a deep understanding of TR, public lands, conservation, and the time period. Curious readers will find dozens of people, places, and concepts that warrant further study, and their reading list will expand wildly with each completed chapter. If the trilogy is the trunk of a great oak tree, there are countless fascinating branches to explore further.”


Have you subscribed to Modern Huntsman yet? If not, you must do so immediately! 200+ pages of impactful prose, stunning photography, and important ideas. Sign up for the biannual publication on their website and help restore the image of hunting.

 

 

 

Header photo by Tyler Sharp

 Posted on June 18, 2018 by

 Blog, The Latest

Daniel Vergés – The Pursuit of Simplicity in Art & Life
Daniel Vergés

Daniel Vergés is an artist and graphic designer who captures the essence of life in the American West through simple yet amazingly impactful paintings and drawings. Like many of my podcast guests, Daniel grew up obsessed with all things western—but unlike previous guests, Daniel grew up and currently lives in Spain, where he works and creates western-focused art in his rural studio. His life-long love of the West was solidified during the time he spent living and working on the Zapata Ranch, a 103,000-acre cattle and bison ranch located in Colorado’s San Luis Valley.

Despite living so far from the American West now, Daniel’s deep love of and respect for the landscape, people, and history would make you think he’s been here his entire life. Sometimes those of us who live in the West can lose perspective on just what a spectacular place it is, so I enjoyed learning more about Daniel’s perspective as someone who does not physically live here yet is heavily influenced by the West’s landscapes and culture on a daily basis. If you ever find yourself getting jaded about life in the West, just listen to the way he describes mountains, prairies, ranches, and bison, then take a look at his art, and you’ll snap right out of it!

Daniel and I had a wonderful conversation that covered everything from life on the Zapata Ranch to his creative process. We chatted about his childhood interest in the West and his impressions of the wide-open spaces and wildlife during his first trip to Colorado. We discussed how the West influences his art, and how he strives for simplicity in his art and life. We talked about his collaborations with other artists, such as former podcast guest Camrin Dengel, and how these partnerships fuel his creativity. Daniel also discussed how his discipline of daily drawing and his passion for creating have driven his success as an artist. And as usual, we covered books, films, favorite places in the West, and much more, so be sure to check the episode notes for links to everything.

And there’s one more piece of exciting news—Daniel created a special painting for the Mountain and Prairie podcast featuring my favorite animal, the bison. It’s a super-cool piece, and I’m honored that he took the time to create something so special for the podcast. We discuss it a bit during our conversation, and I loved hearing how Daniel created it. Check out the podcast webpage to see it– I set up a little online shop where you can buy shirts and hats featuring the art. There are links on the website to everything, so go check it out!

I know you’ll enjoy this episode. Thanks for listening.

One of Daniel’s collaborations with Camrin Dengel
Podcast art created by Daniel – Available in the M&P store!

Photos by Kate Matheson, art by Daniel Verges

Click Here to Download on iTunes

—

Click Here to Download on Google Play

—

Click Here to Download on Stitcher

—

Episode Notes

Topics Discussed:

3:00 – How Daniel describes his work
3:30 – Where Daniel lives
4:50 – Daniel’s experience on the Zapata Ranch
7:40 – The West’s influence on Daniel’s art
9:00 – The timeless feeling of the West
10:45 – Teambuilding through branding and ranching
11:40 – First impressions of the West
14:00 – Memorable experience from the ranches
15:40 – Learning horses
18:20 – Daniel describes his art
20:30 – Daniel’s artistic childhood
21:30 – Learning art in university, then self-teaching
24:10 – Slow Artworks
26:10 – How Daniel pushes himself artistically
28:45 – Dealing with creative block
31:30 – Lessons learned from Costa Rica
36:25 – Collaboration with Camrin Dengel and others
38:50 – Mentors and heroes
41:05 – How Daniel’s art has changed
43:50 – Managing social media
46:00 – The podcast artwork created by Daniel
49:00 – Japanese philosophy’s influence on Daniel work
52:05 – Advice to aspiring artists
55:55 – Favorite books
58:50 – Favorite films
1:01:30 – Hobbies, music, running, roping
1:03:20 – Most powerful outdoor experience
1:06:00 – Favorite location in the West
1:07:20 – Best advice
1:10:30 – Request of the listeners

Information Referenced

 Posted on June 14, 2018 by

 Blog, Podcast, The Latest

     , , , , ,

Best Books on Farming – A Crowdsourced List

Best Books on Farming – A Crowdsourced List

If you listen to the podcast, you know that I’m fascinated with agriculture and its ecological and economic benefits to our culture here in the American West. Recently, I’ve been working in the farming community along Colorado’s lower Arkansas Valley—some of the most fertile and productive farmland in the Rocky Mountain West. I am thoroughly impressed by these farmers’ tireless work ethic, their commitment to sustainable agricultural practices, and their desire to see the land remain in production, rather than being developed into another poorly planned strip mall or housing development.

My immersion in Colorado’s farming culture has only whet my appetite to learn more, so I reached out to the podcast listeners via Instagram and asked “What is the best book on farming that you’ve ever read?” I received so many excellent suggestions, from well-known bestsellers to esoteric cult classics.  The full list is below, in no particular order.

Keep in mind, I have not read most of these books (yet), so I can’t vouch for all of them personally. But given the curiosity and passion of Mountain & Prairie Podcast listeners, I trust that these books offer valuable perspectives on farming and agriculture—a diverse set of historical, philisophical, technical, cultural, and ecological outlooks on a complex subject. While I may not agree with every point made in these books, I do love the process of learning, exploring new ideas, challenging my preconceived notions, and making up my mind based on thorough reading and research.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reach out with recommendations. If you notice any glaring omissions, please let me know in the comments below!

 Posted on June 11, 2018 by

 Blog, The Latest

Book Club Selection: “The Big Burn” by Timothy Egan

May-June Book Club Selection: “The Big Burn” by Timothy Egan

If you listen to the podcast, odds are you’ve been paying close attention to the ongoing public lands debate. I’d also venture a guess that you’ve spent a considerable amount of time exploring public lands, whether scaling one of Colorado’s 14ers, camping in the alpine of the Wind River Range, or simply peering of the edge of the Grand Canyon. Public lands are what make the West the West, and they are the foundation of everything unique about the region, from wildlife to scenic views, natural resources to recreation.

To fully understand– or even begin to understand– the American West, you need to understand the history of public lands, so the May-June book club selection is:

The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire That Saved America by Timothy Egan

The book is centered around a massive and deadly forest fire that burned over 3 million acres of Montana, Idaho, and Washington in just two days. While the story of the wildfire is exciting and tragic, I found the real value of this book to be the detailed history of the creation of the United States Forest Service—how our public lands came to be seen as a national treasure owned by the people, rather than a resource to be exploited by robber barons. 

As noted in the subtitle, the book digs into the role that Theodore Roosevelt played in shaping conservation policy, as well as the powerful political and economic forces he had to fight to ensure the protection of these landscapes. Egan also paints a vivid picture of Gifford Pinchot, TR’s right hand man in conservation and the first head of the US Forest Service. Pinchot was an interesting dude to say the least—he would hold conversations with the ghost of his deceased wife, began each day by pouring buckets of ice-cold water on this head, and would regularly square off in boxing and wrestling matches against TR.

The topics and people examined in this book are more important now more than ever—if you want to be an effective advocate for public lands, it’s mandatory to understand this history.  I loved this book, and I think about it regularly as I visit the far-flung corners of the American West. But don’t take my word for it, check out this glowing Los Angeles Times book review for a solid synopsis.

This book club selection is being offered in conjunction with the Diablo Trust’s monthly book club.  Diablo Trust is a leader in cutting-edge conservation in the southwestern US, so I highly encourage you to check out their website and consider supporting their work. At the least, read along with their book club— they have some wonderful monthly selections!

If you’d like to participate:

  • Grab a copy of The Big Burn—purchase it from Amazon or your local bookseller, or check it out from your local library. Start reading.
  • Head over to our Goodreads Group. Create an account, then join in the conversation in the online discussion forum. As you read, give your feedback on the book, pose questions to the group, and share your first-hand experience reading Stegner and Abbey. The only way this works is with lot of participation from lots of people, so the more the better.

Mountain & Prairie Book Club – Goodreads Group

Not interested in TR, Pinchot, or The Big Burn? Then get started on the July-August Book Club selection: Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides.  More details will be announced in early July.

 Posted on May 25, 2018 by

 Blog, The Latest

Adam Foss – Lessons Learned From a Life Afield
Adam Foss

Adam Foss is a world-class hunter who has transformed his passion for wildlife and wild places into a rewarding career in filmmaking and photography. Adam has been obsessed with wilderness adventure for practically his entire life. At age 24, he was the youngest person to take all four species of North American sheep with a bow, an amazing achievement for a hunter of any age. But despite this accomplishment and others, Adam is much more focused on the process of the hunt—spending challenging days in the mountains, forming long-lasting friendships, stewarding public lands, and conserving legendary big game species.

Born in the Canadian Rockies, Adam spent much of his youth bow hunting with his father and older brother. As he grew older, his hunting trips expanded in geography and complexity, and he has now hunted many of the world’s wildest places for some of the most renowned big game. Adam initially considered a career in wildlife biology, but decided to go the creative route instead—he and his wife are now the owners of Foss Media, a company that creates films and photography for some of the most iconic outdoor brands today. As you’ll hear, Adam is passionate about wildlife, storytelling, and conservation, but he is equally humble, grounded, and grateful for being able to do what he loves on a daily basis.

We caught up over Skype, as Adam and his wife are currently traveling around Canada and the American West working on creative projects. We had a fun conversation and managed to cover a lot in just over an hour. We discussed Adam’s childhood in Canada and the lessons he learned from hunting with his father and brother. We chatted about how Adam values the process of hunting over the end goal of taking an animal and our shared theory that hunting taps into something primal in our human DNA. We talked in detail about conservation, specifically the role of public lands in both the United States and Canada. Adam also offered some wise advice to people who want to learn to hunt but may not have a long-standing connection to the sport. And as usual, we discussed Adam’s favorite books, films, and his most powerful outdoor experience.

This was such a fun conversation, and it’s clear that Adam has thought long and hard about these issues. I really enjoyed getting to know Adam, and I think you will too.

Photos courtesy of Adam Foss

Click Here to Download on iTunes

—

Click Here to Download on Google Play

—

Click Here to Download on Stitcher

—

Episode Notes

Topics Discussed:

2:58 – How Adam describes his work
7:15 – Adam’s upbringing in Canada
8:50 – Hunting with his dad in the mountains
10:45 – University in British Columbia and more far reaching hunts
12:30 – Adam’s early career goals
14:30 – Lessons learned from hunting with his father
17:45 – Breaking down hunts into manageable peices
20:45 – The mental game of hunting
23:00 – Process over goals
25:45 – Adam’s love of adventure and challenges
27:35 – Influences and mentors
33:15 – Adam’s current goals for a hunt
38:00 – South America trip
39:30 – Hunting as a part of human’s DNA
43:15 – Advice to new hunters
48:15 – Importance of public lands
52:15 – Thoughts on wolves and ecological balance
59:30 – Favorite books
1:02:55 – Favorite documentaries
1:05:20 – Most powerful outdoor experience
1:15:00 – Connect with Adam online
Information Referenced

 Posted on May 17, 2018 by

 Blog, Podcast, The Latest

     , , , ,

Connect with Mountain & Prairie
Instagram
Mountain & Prairie is powered by

Copyright © 2024 · All Rights Reserved · Mountain & Prairie

Purpose Theme v2 by Organic Themes