Wisconsin's self-proclaimed moniker as "America's Dairyland" is taking on fresh meaning in the 21st century thanks to a growing market for milk from an animal that bleats rather than moos.
Technological changes — electricity and mechanization — in the mid-20th century would revolutionize the practice and business of agriculture in Wisconsin, and set into motion economic and demographic changes that continue well into the 21st century.
Farmers grow a whole lot of crops in Wisconsin, but the state's wild places, not to mention its sidewalk cracks, are also home to edible and handy plants for anybody enterprising enough to find and gather them.
Tracking global croplands and how they are changing is a massive, pressing and complex undertaking made possible by advances in remote sensing and computing.
Wisconsin's agricultural bounty is possible thanks in part to the state's voluminous supply of freshwater. At the same time, the use of this resource to grow crops and nourish livestock poses risks to the quality of these waters.
In a world with a changing climate, just how accurate are hardiness zone maps, and how do their makers continue to ensure these tools are as useful as possible?
While parts of the local food movement are thriving and demand for local food products in Wisconsin is strong, many consumers are unaware of the availability of local, farm-raised fish.
