The Rural Blog

A digest of events, trends, issues, ideas and journalism from and about rural America, by the Institute for Rural Journalism, based at the University of Kentucky. Links may expire, require subscription or go behind pay walls. Please send news and knowledge you think would be useful to benjy.hamm@uky.edu.

The Rural Blog

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Quick hits: Documentary on Uvalde Leader-News shooting coverage to air; adding solar can benefit farms; wildfire prep

Warmer temperatures are changing where plants and crops thrive. The USDA has new maps to help gardeners, farmers.

Forest Service creates tools to give rural towns a better chance at wildfire resiliency grants; Oct. 31 next deadline

Facing the complex problem of too many wild horses

A tale of two towns and dollar stores: One blocked Dollar General, one allowed it on 3-2 vote; local merchants worry

Groundwater shortage makes Arizona limit home building; it's an example of climate change reshaping the West

Native plants have oodles of benefits, but there's a shortage of native seeds; getting more begins with planning

Roar of fans at cryptocurrency 'mine' makes Blue Ridge rumble; one of 12 a Calif. firm has in Southern Appalachia

Wind farms bring windfalls to rural areas, but not everyone agrees that the massive structures are a positive thing

Couple fights for nature-friendly lawn and wins, prompting first such state law to rein in homeowners' associations

News-media roundup: 2022 opinion and research gems, predictions and advice for journalism; Alaska weeklies die

Honoring tribes by protecting their lands of heritage, Biden commits to make a huge tract off-limits to development

Bourbon boom has downsides for neighbors who don't want aging whiskey feeding unsightly fungus and posing risks

Study proves that people who were raised in rural areas have a better sense of direction than city dwellers

New Jersey township must pay Muslim group $3.25 million for rejection of application to build mosque

Rural town refuses to allow Muslim burial ground

Big bourbon-making town puts the brakes on new whiskey warehouses close to residential areas

Only 2% of farmland will be available to new farmers, USDA survey finds

Vermont town votes to leave zoning changes up to the old-fashioned town meeting

Western states eye Farm Bill as way to regain payments for federal land, but bill faces obstacles