Plus: See all our stories from Alpaca Week »
Now, bivalves are back, but they’re not for eating. These oysters have a mission: ecological restoration. The Billion Oyster Project is an ambitious, volunteer-driven initiative manned largely by NYC middle school students. Why oysters? They can filter toxins from up to 30 gallons of water a day, helping restore the harbor’s ecosystem, which includes crabs, sea squirts and other aquatic wildlife. Project manager Samuel Janis says when kids “see the restora
Now, hear us out. The alpaca has long played second fiddle to more classic farm animals, like the sheep and goat. But with their long fuzzy necks and wry little faces (see above), we sincerely believe the alpaca has huge potential in this Age of Buzzfeed. Don’t take our word for it, though. Here are eight reasons why they should be the new goats, straight from the alpaca’s mouth. They Give Good Gif Major gifability. They Make Great Guards So stoic. No, Really
Breathe easy, livestock lovers. Housed in a vast storehouse in Fort Collins, Colorado, the USDA has 700,000 straws of liquid nitrogen-preserved sperm, from 18 different species. They’re ready. “Let’s say another foot-and-mouth disease comes along, killing off our cows,” says Dr. Harvey Blackburn, repository coordinator. “We have the ability to repopulate entire breeds.” The National Animal Germplasm Program (NAGP) started in 1999. Its fac
The sun is going down after a long day that isn’t over yet. I watched it come up on the other side of the horizon this morning, so long ago. Then, it was cool and quiet, other than the birds waking up and calling out. The morning light was slanted and golden and fresh. Now, 14 hours later, it’s dusty and brassy and slanted in the other direction. The world is hot and thick with buzzing insects. We’ve been cutting the hundred-acre wheat field on the old farmstead property t