Share the Land

Share the Land

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
Surrounded on all sides by urban sprawl, Neil Durant, owner of the Big D ranch is having to adapt to increased population, meaning increased traffic along 10 Mile Road in Meridian, Idaho. It forces Neil to change long time farming traditions in order to fit urban sprawl. I asked him if he was going to keep his operation in place for the long haul. “We're going to stay here. We have no desire to move and it's hard to pick up an elevator facility and move it to another location.”

 

Growth has also brought more trash in canals and waterways across the valley, causing irrigation headaches.

 

“Well, we always find trash flowing down the canal. People think that's just the way to get rid of stuff. They don't realize that that water goes into our irrigation systems. And when we fight, start finding trash or pieces of wood, it plugs up our head gates or gets into our screens and just creates another job. And another effort that we have to do daily is checking our head gates and our screens to make sure we're getting our water.”

 

Expect plenty of farm activity in your neighborhoods for the next three to four months as the annual bounty of Idaho's farmers finds its way to your table.

Previous ReportCounty Fair
Next ReportJake and Buzz 1