Guest Column: Protecting Indiana Forests, the Bad News and the Good

Anne Laker

Since 2012, the Indiana Division of Forestry has increased logging of state forests by 400 percent, says Anne Laker of the Indiana Forest Alliance. In this guest column, Laker talks about the dangers facing our publicly owned forests and an Indiana Senate bill that could protect them. She also previews the upcoming Wild & Scenic Film Festival in Bloomington. Click here to read the full story

February 12, 2019

While the city’s biking infrastructure leaves much to be desired, Bloomington has plenty more to back its claim as the Biking Capital of the Midwest, argues writer and avid biker Sean Starowitz. Pictured here, biker Jesse Smith rides on Hobbs Hollow Flow Trail in Brown County State Park. | Photo by Devin O’Leary

Can Bloomington Be Called the ‘Biking Capital of the Midwest’?

Sean Starowitz

While the city’s biking infrastructure leaves much to be desired, Bloomington has plenty to back its claim as the Biking Capital of the Midwest, argues writer and avid biker Sean Starowitz. Whether it’s gravel, road, trail, or mountain biking, Bloomington is the hub of some of the best riding around. Click here for more, including Starowitz's suggestions for routes, clubs, and more.

September 27, 2018

Sponsorship

Ann Barlow stands on the porch of her house in Needmore, an intentional community in Brown County, in May 2017. Known in the 1960s and ’70s as communes, places like May Creek and Needmore have had to “bend with the times” to survive, says writer John Mikulenka. And now, as the founding members continue to age, their biggest concern might be finding and keeping the next generation of community members. | Courtesy photo

Intentional Communities Must ‘Bend with the Times’

John Mikulenka

Southern Indiana has a long tradition of utopian communities, also known as communes. A few of the ones formed in the 1960s and ’70s — places like May Creek Farm and Needmore — have had to “bend with the times” to survive, says writer John Mikulenka in this detailed and expansive feature. But as the founding members age, he asks, who will take their place? Click here to read the full story.

July 3, 2018

A Hike on the Tecumseh Trail Now Ends in Destruction

Matt Flaherty

Matt Flaherty has traveled the Tecumseh Trail by hiking and camping on it with friends in late summer, running the marathon course in October, and running all 42 miles on one winter’s day. The last trip, though, ended when they reached the southern trailhead and found it had been destroyed by logging trucks. Click here to read the full story.

June 6, 2017

Downey Hill, a Brown County Gem in Peak Season — by Air [video]

Seth Teeters

The Laura Hare Nature Preserve at Downey Hill, a Sycamore Land Trust property, is quintessential Brown County — a mature hardwood forest on rolling hills. During peak season, hiking its trail is a prime way to view the autumn colors. But drone company Aerial 812 and Sycamore’s Abby Perfetti give us another view — from above. Click here to watch the video.

November 7, 2016

Sponsorship

A decade ago, John built a coop in Brown County and moved his city chickens to the country. Since then, local chicken keepers won their right to raise backyard chickens within Bloomington city limits. | Photo by Ann Georgescu

From Wild Fowl to Feathered Friends, Chickens Have a Rich History with Humans

Ann Georgescu

In what writer Ann Georgescu calls “an epic tale of success and survival,” the globetrotting chicken has crossed many cultural and political boundaries in its migration from the jungle to our backyards. Through one man’s experience in Bloomington (and then in Brown County), Georgescu reveals our tangled relationship with these captivating birds. Click here to read the full story.

January 4, 2016

Mark Havens, head brewer of Quaff ON! Brewing Company, stands in the doorway of the Quaff ON! production site in Brown County, which is located in an old bowling alley. | Photo by Jonna Mary Yost

Quaff ON! Brewery ‘Abides’ in Nashville, Expanding Its Production and Adding a Distillery

Jonna Mary Yost

When it seems another craft brewery or distillery is opening every month, it’s natural to ask, how many can a community support? Quaff ON! Brewery, which is both building a new beer-making facility and starting a distillery in Nashville, shows writer Jonna Mary Yost how such companies can be integral parts of community development. Click here to read the full story.

December 28, 2015

The Strahl Lake Trail wraps around a beautiful lake in Brown County State Park. | Photo by Miranda Addonizio

6 Great Places to Run Wild Near Bloomington

Jen Hockney Bratton

Ultramarathoner Miranda Addonizio tells Jen Hockney Bratton her favorite off-road running trails in southern Indiana, where you'll discover waterfalls, caves, and lush forests — for letting go of urban anxiety and putting in some wild miles. Click here to read the full story.