10/11/2026
When Pines International began 50 years ago, we understood that America’s most productive farmland — including the world‑famous glacial bottomland soils of the Kansas River Valley — could one day be threatened by irresponsible development. Too often, developers see only a flat field to drive pilons for solar panels or pave over for warehouses and data centers, even though these projects can be built just as effectively on marginal land for only a slightly higher cost.
To prepare for the possibility that short‑sighted development might destroy irreplaceable farmland, Pines established the Wilderness Community Education Foundation (WCEF) in 1977. For nearly five decades, we have steadily built assets within this nonprofit to ensure that any attempt to sacrifice the most nutrient‑rich soils on the planet for convenience or profit can be challenged. These glacial soils took thousands of years to form, and once destroyed, they are gone forever — even though tens of thousands of more appropriate acres exist elsewhere for industrial development.
Today, our mission is strengthened by the Save Our Soil Kaw River Valley Foundation, which has joined us in raising additional funds to protect these world‑class soils. Together, these two foundations — supported now by thousands of local residents — stand ready to challenge any developer who attempts to save a few dollars by destroying our future food‑production capacity. We will insist that development be placed on suitable marginal land, not on the irreplaceable farmland that feeds our community and contributes to the nation’s food supply from our central U.S. location.
Pines International has already converted nearly 1,000 acres of Kaw Valley glacial soil to USDA Organic Certification. More than 2,000 additional acres in the Lawrence, Kansas area remain at risk and must be protected. The WCEF and the SOS Kaw River Valley Foundation are prepared to defend these precious resources against any assault.
This past weekend marked the second annual Kaw Valley Field Day, with more than three times as many citizens participating compared to last year. The community continues to grow each month, united in the effort to protect our world‑famous glacial soils from irresponsible development. For 50 years, we have successfully safeguarded these lands, and we look forward to at least another 50 years of defending the fertile bottomland soils that nature took millennia to create.
Visit and/or contribute: https://www.soskawvalley.org/
Pines Products: https://wheatgrass.com/
