Twelve-year-old Rivka is tired of everything about being Jewish, but during a summer at Quartz Creek Ranch, she is inspired to explore and embrace her heritage.

What does it mean to know a place? What might we learn about the world by returning to the same place year after year? What would a long-term record of such visits tell us about change and permanence and our place in the natural world? This collection explores these and related questions through a series of reflective essays and poems on Pennsylvania’s Shaver’s Creek landscape from the past decade. Collected as part of The Ecological Reflections Project—a century-long effort to observe and document changes to the natural world in the central Pennsylvanian portion of the Appalachian Forest—these pieces show how knowledge of a place comes from the information and perceptions we gather from different perspectives over time. They include Marcia Bonta’s keen observations about how humans knowingly and unknowingly affect the landscape; Scott Weidensaul’s view of the forest as a battlefield; and Katie Fallon describing the sounds of human and nonhuman life along a trail. Together, these selections create a place-based portrait of a vivid ecosystem during the first decade of the twenty-first century. Featuring contributions by nationally known nature writers and local experts, Reading Shaver’s Creek is a unique, complex depiction of the central Pennsylvania landscape and its ecology. We know the land and creatures of places such as Shaver’s Creek are bound to change throughout the century. This book is the first step to documenting how. In addition to the editor, contributors to this volume are Marcia Bonta, Michael P. Branch, Todd Davis, Katie Fallon, David Gessner, Hannah Inglesby, John Lane, Carolyn Mahan, Jacy Marshall-McKelvey, Steven Rubin, David Taylor, Julianne Lutz Warren, and Scott Weidensaul.

In this wonderful work of fiction, Joe Henry explores the complex relationship between a father and his sons, whose deep connections to one another, to the land, and to the creatures that inhabit it give meaning to their lives. Spencer Davis, his wife, Elizabeth, and their sons, Luke, Whitney, and Lonny, work with horses and with their hands. They spend long relentless days cutting summer hay and feeding it to their cattle through fierce Wyoming winters. The family bears witness to the cycle of life, bringing foals into the world and deciding when to let a favored mare pass on to the next. As Luke grows older, falls in love, and begins to assert his independence, Spencer strives to impart the wisdom of this way of life to his headstrong son, whatever the cost. Moving, powerful, and beautifully rendered, Lime Creek brings readers into the lives of this unforgettable family and into a world that, though often harsh, is lit by flashes of spectacular grace.

How to cultivate, harvest, and utilize North America's largest native fruit It is hard to eat more than one pawpaw at a go. The creamy rich pulp with tropical flavors ranging from mango and pineapple to banana combine like a satisfying dessert. The pawpaw, a close relative of the tropical custard apple, grows throughout much of North America yet culturally and horticulturally we know very little about it. This mini manual by edible landscape author Michael Judd jumps right into growing, caring for, harvesting, and using pawpaws - from seed to table. Judd demystifies fruit growing in direct, easy to follow steps that quickly brings confidence to the newbie grower while expanding the horizons of curious gardeners. Historically most people have only experienced foraged pawpaw fruit, which can be a hit or miss game for a good experience. That is quickly changing as selected and bred cultivars are being grown and shared. Judd's pawpaw manual gets you started right away with the best selections and approaches. Filled with straightforward how-to, colorful pictures and illustrations For the Love of Pawpaws brings to life easy and successful ways to enjoy the best pawpaws have to offer. Chapters include: Where Can I Grow Pawpaws? Buying a Good Pawpaw Tree Growing Pawpaws from Seed & Grafting Landscaping Ideas Ecological Tree Care Harvest: Fruit Handling & Processing What to Do with All this Fruit Recipes Pawpaws & Permaculture Discover the many reasons pawpaws are edible landscape and culinary all-stars For the Love of Pawpaws will take you on an adventure that culminates in one of life's most rewarding experiences. A delicious opportunity to enjoy organic gardening and gourmet food at it best.