Chilling on a Dirt Road - Iowa Loess Hills
by Susan Rissi Tregoning
Title
Chilling on a Dirt Road - Iowa Loess Hills
Artist
Susan Rissi Tregoning
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
A rural Iowa farm scene on one of the unimproved roads along the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway. Recent rains had softened the dirt road, so there wasn't any driving on it on this day, but the rain left behind some fantastic clouds and made the fields lush.
The farmers in this area of Iowa practice terracing and contour farming to limit erosion of the loess. Loess (pronounced luss) is the German word for loose or crumbly. It is the name for the type of soil found here. The Loess Hills are incredibly fragile, and at almost 40 tons per acre per year, they have the highest erosion rate in the United States. I always find the patterns created with the contouring and terracing fascinating!
The Loess Hills are a natural geologic wonder, running 200 miles along Iowa's western border. This extraordinary landscape is a mix of prairie and forest-covered steep bluffs, narrow ridges, rolling hills, and lots of farming.
Copyright 2021 Susan Rissi Tregoning
Uploaded
June 22nd, 2021
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