Deschutes River Poo Patrol
Jerry Christensen has a job that truly stinks. But he loves it! Meet the man known as “Two-Ply” who cleans and maintains the river-access-only outhouses along the popular Deschutes River.
Horse Trainer
Horse trainer Clint Surplus carries on the centuries-old tradition of vaquero bridle horses.
Gemstone Faceting
Ever wonder what makes gemstone sparkle? It starts with the way a crystal reflects and refracts light. Gemstone cutters must choose a design with the right angles for that stone, so that light passes through, bounces back to the top and catches the eye of the beholder. Karl Ziltener of the Columbia Willamette Faceters Guild shows us how he turns a raw Oregon sunstone into a glittering jewel.
Siletz Surf
There is little Indigenous representation in the surfing communities situated in and around Oregon's Indigenous ancestral lands. The Siletz Warrior surf camp is a chance to learn surfing and build power and positionality to become influential stewards of the land.
Community Skis
In the remote sagebrush rangelands of Lake County, Oregon, a couple offers a unique workshop where folks can make their own custom skis. Micheal and Kristin have built a business and a lifestyle. They live in a mobile tiny house they built themselves, make skis in a second tiny trailer, and run a one-table restaurant in another.
Space Balloons
An Oregon company is using Oregon’s vast high desert to test the parachute system of the European Space Agency’s EXOMars rover.
Bonsai Mirai
After a traditional apprenticeship in Japan, Oregon bonsai professional Ryan Neil is capturing the West's rugged landscape in bonsai form. We follow one tree over the course of a year, as well as venture into the wilderness with Ryan to see nature through his eyes.
Willamette Recreation
A growing number of people want to live and recreate on the Willamette River, and it's getting crowded. While the population in the Portland metro area has grown, the river is still the same size. To keep the peace among floating homeowners, swimmers, paddlers and motorized boaters, the state is adding new rules for who can do what where.
Wallowa Rain Photo Essay
A good cleansing rainstorm in the Wallowas turned out to be one photographer's delight.
Bison Ranching
On the prairies of Northeast Oregon, bison have made a comeback.. Two sisters take over the family business at the Stangel Bison Ranch in Enterprise, Ore, bringing back bison that are good for both the land and the local economy.
Oregon Olives
It took a small but intrepid group of farmers to show that Oregon could be a center for grape growing and wine production. Now another small group is trying to prove the case for olive oil production. Enter Javier Fernandez-Salvador. The OSU berry and tree fruit expert is spearheading the research to find the right olive tree cultivar and growing regime to make it viable in the Willamette Valley.
Cold Dipping
A lot of outdoorsy folks love to jump into a cold mountain lake on a hot summer day. And some are even brave enough to dash into cold water on a dare -- what some might call a “polar plunge.” But getting into painfully cold water has become a way of life for Ivana Maclay.
BIPOC Ski
Open Slopes PDX is making skiing and snowboarding more accessible and welcoming to Black, Indigenous and other people of color. On Mount Hood, the joy is infectious as BIPOC people try snowboarding and skiing for the first time.
Sumpter Valley Railroad
The Eastern Oregon mining town of Sumpter is officially known as a "ghost town." But every Christmas, the old steam engines of the Sumpter Valley Railroad bring the spirit of the season to life for hundreds of visitors. Retracing the historic route that once carried gold out of these mountains, the all-volunteer railway sparkles with storybook magic. You might even catch a glimpse of Santa Claus!
Yoder Mill
A lumber mill has been operating in the town of Yoder, Oregon since the 1800's. Today, it still operates much as it always has under the direction of David Yoder and his hired hand, Lowell. They spend their days together milling logs with a roughcut saw pattern created by their rare giant circular saw blade.
Cascades Wolverine Project
Citizen scientists trek into the North Cascades in search of the elusive wolverine. Using remote winter camera-trapping stations, their efforts contribute to our understanding of where and how wolverines are recovering after being nearly exterminated across the Northwest during the 20th century.
Trail Sign Maker
Anyone who has hiked in a National Forest has seen his work. Meet Dan Finn, a volunteer at the Mount Adams Ranger Station whose hand-made wooden trail signs are a signature of our public lands.
Beaver Assisted Restoration
In eastern Oregon, scientists had a unique idea; instead of using expensive machines to restore damaged streams for salmon and steelhead, they should enlist beavers to do it! This update revisits the Bridge Creek Project, which Field Guide filmed in 2009, for an update on how this project reshaped our understanding of the role of beavers in the landscape.
Mounted Archery
Mounted Archery: Katie Stearns leads a new generation that is taking up the ancient martial art of shooting arrows from the backs of galloping horses.
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