The American West has a long history of agriculture, from the native peoples who practiced agriculture for thousands of years to the pioneers who brought farming to the region in the 19th century. However, the growth of agriculture in the West has been built on the diversion of water from its natural course, and this has led to an environmental crisis that threatens the very foundation of the region's agriculture. The recent drought in the West has brought attention to the ri

As the world becomes increasingly aware of the need for sustainable energy sources and the urgent need to address climate change, solar power has emerged as a leading solution. European countries, in particular, have been at the forefront of solar energy innovation and implementation. Germany, for example, has been a trailblazer in the field of solar power, with more than 40 GW of installed solar capacity. The country's feed-in tariff program, which guarantees a fixed price f

As the demand for sustainable and off-grid living continues to rise, more and more people are turning to rural and agricultural land as an investment opportunity. From small hobby farms to large commercial operations, investing in farm land has the potential to provide a steady stream of income, as well as the satisfaction of supporting sustainable and regenerative practices. To help you navigate the market and find the best farm brokers to work with, we've compiled a list of

As the short sun of November sets, this project was started over 20 years ago, nature had taken hold when the original builder passed away, his project unfinished on the mountain top. It is with great honor and humility that we carve back the forest, just enough to let the sunshine back in on his simple dream home. The electrical power system we have designed for this property will be revolutionary in so many ways, we hope it will be a templated for others to live more in har

Mountain tops are some of the least expensive acreage in the USA. Why? The grid doesn't reach most mountain tops in America. But with cell phone technology, satellite TV and SkyLink internet - communications challenges have been solved for remote and rural lands. Off grid technologies are being developed which will make living off grid, away from traditional electrical services more efficient, and cheaper than living in cities or on grid. Don't believe me? DIRT is investing i

In November 2022 I drove across Kansas and Missouri, this is the Flint Hills of Kansas. The wide-open prairie, the horizon. The vastness. It feels limitless. But what is missing? Wind breaks. When I was a child in northern Michigan, farmers planted wind breaks to reduce soil erosion. We learned about the Great Dust Bowl in the 1920s which led to the Great Depression and near starvation of many people. The growth of the deserts around the world it is said is due to a simple la

The Wizard of OZ would have been impressed, because Dorothy we were in Kansas. The aquifer under Kansas' legendary farmland has dropped over '60 feet in the last decade' exclaimed the Director of Agriculture for the State of Kansas in his presentation. The farmers in the audience were not shock or appalled - they already knew this fact. I didn't. It shocked me. 60 feet? Sixty? Like 6 stories of a building -- gone under 70% of the state? A state known for its food production w

At the Prairie Foods Conference on regenerative farming this slide was displayed. "Life on Earth would not be possible without Carbon" -- fair enough. "Carbon holds water" -- if you think about drought in the west, adding carbon to the soil is the answer to retaining the water which runs off, runs thru and doesn't allow plants to grow today. As we struggle with the increasing demands on global agriculture - soil depletion and population growth (8 billion growing to 9 billion

Yikes. At DIRT we own a lot of office space and the thought that its all obsolete was asked often in 2020. I recall attending the ICSC (retail real estate) conference in 2012. The experts were downplaying the impact that online shopping would have on retail sales. And a dinner conversation I had with a hotel franchise owner, where he told me AirBnB was a fad and could never scale to compete with the hotel or even the motel business. Needless to say, I'm concerned America may

This former bank headquarters holds nearly a century of history. Indeed this windowless, wasn't. Behind the 1960s panels there were actually 2 large windows. Time to help this old girl breathe again. Never be afraid to dig deeper. Ask DIRT. #askDIRT #DIRTRealty