Articles
Ben’s articles have appeared in numerous national periodicals, including the New York Times Magazine, Wired, Gourmet, Discover, Skiing, Eating Well, Powder, Men’s Journal, National Geographic Adventure, and Outside. Presented here are a just a few.
The Greenneck: Irrational Exuberance? Mud Season Musings, Vermont Commons, February 22, 2011 – I write a regular column for Vermont Commons, Vermont’s rebel secessionist rag. I love this paper. The column basically consists of my reflections on small farm life at the cusp of collapse. I like to think it’s optimistic, but sometimes I’m not so sure.
Holding On, Yankee Magazine, November/December, 2010 — In six decades, Vermont has lost more than 90% of its dairy farms. Holding On is the story of our dairy farming neighbor and friend Melvin Churchill, who farms with his son Matt. Melvin is the sort of neighbor anyone who lives in the country should have.
Energy Family, Popular Mechanics, October 1, 2009 — This is the final installment of a four-part series for Popular Mechanics on living in an off-grid home powered by renewable energy. This was a dream assignment: Four feature stories, lots of donated equipment, and an expense budget to cover odds and ends.
The Post-Oil Era Begins, Discover, October 1, 2009 — As anyone who’s studied the technology knows, the future of liquid fuels in this country is not likely to be crop-based. This is a primer to the issue, and a brief look at the potential of electrification of our vehicle fleet.
Is Your Supper Safe?, Eating Well, September/October, 2009 — This is the assignment that got me thinking about the issue of food safety. Although, as anyone who reads this story and Making Supper Safe knows, my views have evolved considerably.
