Water shapes where people live, how communities grow, and what the future looks like. From pioneer irrigation ditches to modern reservoirs, each generation has had to answer the same difficult question: how do we grow responsibly in one of the driest states in the nation?

Drive through Heber Valley or around Jordanelle Reservoir and the transformation is impossible to miss. Projects such as Jordanelle Ridge, Mayflower Mountain Resort, Deer Valley East Village, and the Mirabel area promise thousands of new homes, hotels, businesses, and recreational amenities over the coming decade.

At the same time, Utah’s snowpack has reached historic lows. The 2026 water year began with alarming numbers. Snowpack across the state peaked weeks early and at roughly half of normal levels. Naturally, emotions run high when water and development are discussed together. If Utah hopes to build a sustainable future, the conversation must move beyond fear, slogans, and political talking points. Water policy deserves thoughtful analysis rooted in science, planning, economics, and long-term statewide strategy.

Learning to Integrate Water and Growth

For decades, land-use planning and water planning often operated separately. The result was reactive growth rather than coordinated growth.

The Utah Division of Water Resources has openly acknowledged this challenge through its “Integration of Water and Land Use Planning” initiative, which recognizes that development decisions and water decisions cannot be separated. State guidance now emphasizes that integrating the two from the beginning is far less expensive than retrofitting poorly planned growth later.

Recent legislation reflects this shift. HB 110 and SB 76¹ now require municipalities and counties across Utah to adopt integrated water-use and preservation elements into their general plans. Communities must evaluate how future development affects water supply, infrastructure, groundwater, conservation goals, and long-term resiliency.

This represents a major philosophical change. Rather than treating water as an afterthought, Utah is beginning to treat it as a foundational planning tool. That matters enormously for fast-growing counties like here in Wasatch County, where population projections continue rising. Growth itself is not inherently bad. The challenge is not whether growth happens. The challenge is whether growth happens intelligently.

A Misunderstood Water Rights Debate

Much of Utah’s water debate centers around one of the oldest western water laws: use it or lose it.

Under Utah Code Section 73-1-4², water rights can be forfeited after seven consecutive years of non-use. Historically, this doctrine prevented speculators from hoarding water they were not actively using. In the early West, when water was tied directly to agriculture, mining, and settlement, the policy made practical sense. But Utah in 2026 is not Utah in 1906.

Today, residents are encouraged to conserve water during drought years while some water-right holders worry that significantly reducing usage could weaken future claims or long-term allocations. Although modern reforms offer some protections through non-use applications and water banking, the broader system still reflects assumptions from another era.

This creates a contradiction. Citizens are asked to remove turf and limit outdoor watering while development continues expanding. Many residents understandably question whether, if Utah has enough water for resort developments, recreational facilities, new businesses, thousands of additional homes, and now data centers, there should also be enough water for farmers to irrigate crops, ranchers to care for livestock, and homeowners to responsibly maintain lawns, gardens, trees, and flower beds.

Conservation during legitimate drought years is wise stewardship, but fear-driven messaging that portrays ordinary residents as the primary problem can oversimplify a far more complex statewide issue. That tension has fueled growing skepticism toward drought campaigns, with some residents wondering whether conservation efforts are sometimes used less for stewardship and more to free water capacity for future growth.

Whether or not that perception is entirely accurate, public trust and transparency matter. Conservation remains essential in an arid state, but the system should reward conservation rather than discourage it. Until broader reforms are made to Utah’s “use it or lose it” structure, water-right holders should continue using their legally allocated water to protect long-standing rights while still practicing reasonable efficiency where possible.

One of the most important lessons emerging from Utah’s current water debate is that water cannot realistically be managed solely at the city or county level. Watersheds do not care about municipal borders. Snowmelt from the Wasatch Range feeds reservoirs, aquifers, rivers, farms, recreation systems, ecosystems, and downstream communities across enormous geographic areas. Decisions made in one county inevitably affect another.

That is why Utah increasingly needs statewide coordination rather than fragmented local battles. A city approving development may focus on economic opportunity and housing demand. Agricultural users may focus on irrigation reliability. Environmental groups may prioritize stream health or the health of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. All are legitimate concerns. But without broader statewide integration, competing interests can easily work against one another. The Utah Division of Water Resources has already recognized this challenge through initiatives like the “Growing Water Smart” workshops³, which bring planners, water managers, and policymakers together to coordinate future development around water realities.

Treating water as a statewide issue rather than a collection of isolated local disputes may ultimately become Utah’s most important policy shift of the next decade.

Growth is Coming Either Way

One reality often missing from water debates is that growth is coming either way.

Wasatch County cannot simply freeze itself in time. Its proximity to Park City, Salt Lake City, outdoor recreation, and expanding resort economies makes continued development almost inevitable. Ignoring this reality does not stop growth. It simply reduces the opportunity to shape it responsibly. That is why zoning and infrastructure planning matter so deeply.

The question is not whether Utah can grow. The question is whether Utah chooses to grow wisely. Utah has already begun modernizing portions of its water system. Recent legislation protecting water banking, encouraging conservation, improving accountability, and funding Great Salt Lake preservation shows the state is capable of adapting. But more work remains ahead.

The “use it or lose it” doctrine deserves continued reform so both water use and conservation are fully incentivized rather than psychologically discouraged. Water-right holders should feel confident that wise stewardship strengthens—not threatens—their long-term standing. Public communication around drought also deserves nuance and honesty. Residents are capable of understanding that Utah can simultaneously face real drought challenges while planning for future growth. These realities are not mutually exclusive. Most importantly, Utah needs statewide conversations that rise above fear and polarization.

The future of the Wasatch Back will not be decided by a single development, a single reservoir level, or a single drought year. It will be shaped by decades of coordinated planning, transparent policymaking, technological innovation, and public engagement.

Water is not merely a county issue, a city issue, or a political issue. It is Utah’s issue.

Every resident—whether farmer, developer, homeowner, conservationist, skier, rancher, or business owner—has a stake in how the state manages its most precious resource. That means staying informed, engaging with local planning efforts, and thinking beyond neighborhood boundaries toward statewide solutions. Because ultimately, Utah’s water future will not depend on fear. It will depend on cooperation, transparency, innovation, and long-term vision.

WRITTEN BY
MARK AVERY & LORALIE PEARCE

The Declaration of Independence outlines a philosophy that was revolutionary at a time when kings, queens, and royal bloodlines had ruled nations with executive authority for generations. One of the document’s primary tenets is that all men are created equal, challenging the concept of royalty at its core. Furthermore, all individuals have unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This notion challenges the conventional feudal structure that had been the status quo for most of the world’s larger governments and city centers for a millennium. Even more revolutionary was the concept that the government’s power is derived through the consent of the governed. When living under a feudal King, the serfdom and merchant class had no voice. The Declaration of Independence flipped that script.

Last but not least, our founding fathers established that it was a critical right of the people to alter or abolish a government that does not defend these unalienable rights. This is one area where most governments prefer to gloss over when establishing their own representative democracy patterned after the United States.

People in positions of authority are generally disinclined to make their status vulnerable. To protect their own power, they will often use fear as a weapon and cite individuals abusing their rights and liberties, or simply not consenting to their authoritarian bidding, as an accelerant for that fear. The net result is a collectivist determination, manipulated by the ruling class through misinformed and disingenuous populist messaging, that the “unruly” need to be governed, that their rights need to be curtailed, and that the governing body correspondingly needs to grow to facilitate the necessary governance of the ungovernable.

Our founding fathers were aware of this tendency. Technologies have changed over the past 250 years, but human nature has remained predictable. This understanding is why they wrote the Declaration of Independence as they did.

The ‘catch,’ if you will, is that for a society to remain ‘free,’ the citizens have to be equal to their governors. That citizen equality has to be earned by being active and informed, so that the average individual, with their inalienable rights, can be the check and balance over their local magistrates, who are also generally inclined to “inform” in a way that most favors their particular agendas. To be active and informed takes volunteer time, training, education, and critical thought. Time, training, education, and critical thought are luxuries that most common people lack time for in their day-to-day routines. This vacuum of citizen knowledge is where the system fails.

An old friend once asked me a question during a political philosophy discussion. He asked, “What is the difference between a taxpayer and a citizen?” After a bit of back-and-forth dialogue, he answered his own question, stating, “A citizen is civically involved and plays an active role in the formation of their community. A taxpayer begrudgingly pays their legally required allotment and goes about their own interests.”

The founding fathers of this nation never intended for us to be “taxpayers,” but being a good “citizen” takes effort, intelligence, and genuine moral character. When we fail to live up to the obligations of citizenship, we forego our inalienable rights to those who are actively informed and engaged. For every ‘citizen’ who becomes a ‘taxpayer,’ the ruling class gains a measure of power and justification for their authority.

An oft-quoted adage, “there is no such thing as a free lunch,” is so applicable in so many contexts. With regards to the preservation of liberty, a well-informed citizen, passionate about their liberties, knowledgeable of the law, the inalienable rights they hold, and the nation that protects those rights, is the only line of defense.

The Constitution of the United States of America, the document further defining the rights associated with the Declaration of Independence, was written for ‘citizens.’ The guaranteed rights defined in the Constitution are designed for a moral population. Liberties exist in perpetuity when the common person understands the elementary-school lesson that “just because you can, does not mean that you should.” Nearly all critics of freedom reference individuals who have failed to live by this base-level moral code. Aspiring politicians capitalize on the fear surrounding the abuse of liberty. The marginally informed mob cries for authoritarians to ‘protect’ them. Seeking another term in office, the politicians graciously comply with the mob, compromising individual rights and solidifying their personal station or office.

My challenge to Heber Valley for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence is simple to state, and difficult to embody. Honor our national heritage by being a better CITIZEN. Go to the meetings, but do your homework first. Analyze your sources. Do not accept anything or anyone at face value. Trust needs to be earned. I see rampant, disgraceful, and intentionally divisive misinformation on our social channels every day. I see regular manipulation in messaging, converting well-intending residents of the Heber Valley into “political capital.”

It is undeniable that the Heber Valley has some high stakes in play in 2026. That does not mean that we need to lose our propriety, our moral character, or our civility. The damage to the community I have witnessed through social media misinformation campaigns designed to promote specific political agendas, or, in some cases, to monetize personal accounts through post engagement, has caused far more harm than any shovel that has hit the ground.

It is commonly said that “beauty is skin deep.” We host some spectacular views in the Heber Valley. The true beauty of the Heber Valley shines from within — from the residents. Be part of what makes our community beautiful. Be a citizen.

WRITTEN BY RYAN BUNNELL
-PUBLISHER-

Through recent strategic discussions, CAMS’ board clarified its core values, collaboration, stewardship, and community connection, with a clear focus on creating a thriving downtown that serves everyone. CAMS’ work centers on Main Street business owners, property owners, and the broader Heber Valley community, serving as a connector that aligns shared interests, amplifies local voices, and champions a resilient downtown core.

That vision is deeply rooted in the values that have shaped the Heber Valley from its earliest days. Often described as “The Way of the West” or a “Western Way of Life,” the community reflects ruggedness, resilience, independence, and a pioneering spirit. Downtown landmarks like the Heber Valley Railroad, Dairy Keen, Granny’s, and the Heber Tabernacle are reminders that Main Street is not just a collection of buildings, it is the living memory of the people and traditions that built this valley.

As CAMS looks ahead to 2026, business activation is a central focus: telling the stories behind downtown businesses, encouraging residents to shop local, and recognizing the dedication it takes to operate a small business in a growing community. The goal is simple—to remind our community that behind every storefront is a family, a dream, and a commitment to Heber City. We’ve highlighted a few shops that you may have overlooked, and yet their products and services truly represent the American dream that hard work, quality and integrity matter.

Heber Valley Brewing Company

501 N MAIN  |  Heber City  |  hebervalleybrewing.com

More than a brewery, Heber Valley Brewing Company is a gathering place. Owned by locals Clint Jones and Greg Poirier, this Main Street favorite is built on great beer, hard work, and a deep love for the Heber Valley.

With carefully crafted small-batch brews and a welcoming taproom, the brewery invites locals and visitors alike to slow down, connect, and enjoy something truly made here. Grab a pint, bring a friend, and support the people helping make downtown a place worth gathering.

Jade’s Café

200 Gateway Dr  |  Heber City  |  jadescafe.com

Opened in December 2023 by husband-and-wife team Halle-Jade and Mason Squires, Jade’s Café represents the realization of a lifelong dream. For Halle, owning a coffee shop was a childhood vision, beautifully paired with her creative work as head designer at Nomad Soul Interiors. Mason brings experience in sales and logistics, along with a passion for wellness as a certified personal trainer.

Together, they’ve created a space centered on fresh, high-quality food that nourishes both body and soul. Jade’s Café is quickly becoming a downtown favorite, where thoughtful design, intentional ingredients, and warm hospitality come together.

A Little Tax with a Big Heart

In November 2022, voters in Wasatch County chose to invest in the future of our valley, not by adding a heavy burden to our residents, but by approving a modest 1/10 of 1% local sales and use tax dedicated to enhancing trails, arts, and parks. That’s just one penny for every ten dollars spent, and it officially went into effect in 2023.

This simple decision has already sparked creativity, strengthened community connections, and helped translate long-held dreams into physical places and experiences for everyone to enjoy.

Where It Comes From and Where It Goes

Visitors from near and far are part of what makes the TAP Tax work so beautifully. When someone comes to enjoy our mountains, dine in our restaurants, or shop in our local stores, a tiny portion of that spending goes directly into the life of our community through the TAP Tax. In this way, visitors help us build a more vibrant place — supporting projects that benefit both residents and guests, the next time they visit. While the tax is local, its impact is shared.

So How Exactly Does it Work?

• Collected Locally, Spent Locally. Revenue from the TAP Tax stays right here, split across Wasatch County, Heber City, and Midway, for projects that enhance trails, parks, arts programs, outdoor recreation, and cultural experiences.
• Advisory Boards. Advisory committees in each jurisdiction review applications and recommend projects to city councils or the county council.
• Project Grants. Funds are awarded through a competitive grant process twice a year in spring and fall, allowing nonprofits, individuals, and community groups to bring proposals forward.

It’s a thoughtful, community-driven approach: a way to hear ideas from residents and help turn them into real-world improvements.

Projects That Are Already Making a Difference

Thanks to the TAP Tax, the valley is seeing creative and important investments come to life.

In 2024, the Wasatch County TAP Tax Advisory Board recommended funding for 13 diverse projects that span music and performance, outdoor recreation, trail improvements, and community gathering spaces. These included:

• Music and concert series like Homegrown Concert Series and various performance projects that bring live music to the library and community gatherings.
• Singletrack trail maintenance and new mountain bike trails developed by the Wasatch Trails Foundation. Check out the new asphalt “all-wheels’” pump track, nearing completion at South Fields Park, a community project by Wasatch County, Wasatch Trails Foundation, and The Wasatch Community Foundation. And don’t forget the new BO-WOW trail, connecting Park City to the Heber Valley through a single-track trail.
• A new disc golf course at Wasatch Mountain State Park and other outdoor-focused facilities.
• Veterans Park improvements and skate park enhancements, making public spaces more welcoming and fun for all ages.
• Support for theatrical arts like Timpanogos Valley Theater and Charitable Acts Theatre, enriching the valley’s cultural life.

In Heber City, TAP Tax grants have already made an impact on local arts organizations — like the Utah Wildlife Federation, Heber Valley Children’s Choir, and Art Around the Square festival — boosting cultural vibrancy and opportunities for connection.

Who Can Apply and When

One of the best parts about the TAP Tax is how open and inclusive the process is:

• Nonprofits and foundations with community-focused goals.
• Local organizations with ideas that enhance trails, parks, or arts.
• Individuals and project leaders with community-oriented proposals (for many categories).
• In Heber City specifically, TAP Arts grants are available for projects led by residents, nonprofits, and city staff focused on music, visual arts, performance, and cultural programs.

Each jurisdiction has its own deadlines and details.

A Little Tax, a Big Return

Though the TAP Tax is a small 0.1% levy, its impact is anything but small. It’s a community investment that brings people together, from hikers discovering new trails to families enjoying music under the stars, from artists creating new work to volunteers building our parks.

It’s a reminder that when we work together, residents, visitors, and local leaders, we can build things that matter: places that bring joy, strengthen bonds, and elevate everyday life in Wasatch County. And if there’s only one thing we can all agree on, it’s that we all love to spend time celebrating the arts, hiking/biking our trails, and gathering at our parks.

Whether you’re dreaming up a new cultural event, a trail connection, or a community art installation, the TAP Tax is here to help spark that idea and support it into reality. So dream big and let’s keep building a stronger, more vibrant Wasatch County, together.

Reflecting on my life from a newfound perspective on the other side of the hill, I can see that I have been literally encompassed by hard-charging, A-type, ambitious personalities since childhood. My formative education was at a New England style, all boys, college preparatory school, where very high expectations in academics, sports, and extracurricular activities were set. I tried to roll that intensity back a touch in my college years, but the daily grind of creatives and fine arts education knows no professional time boundaries. I tried to roll that fervor back again by working as a ski instructor and fly-fishing guide, only to meet some of the highest-functioning people on the planet and, by necessity, adapt to their pace to keep the day positive and remain employed. Albeit unwillingly, this background set me up well for an entrepreneurial mindset and has helped me professionally, but man, some folks, particularly in Utah and the Wasatch Back, just need to practice what they preach and chill out!

Cacti get it. These guys are nature’s tribute to toughness and longevity. Once established, most can endure heat, cold, wet, or dry conditions. They are covered with passive self-defense mechanisms. Most cacti grow very slowly: they pace, they rest, they replenish. They will store water and spend it responsibly during periods of scarcity. Ironically, if a cactus takes in more water than it can absorb, the plant body often ruptures from the swelling, causing permanent injury or death. Once established, the balanced practice of growth, rest, and replenishment strategically allows cacti to endure most any hardship. I can think of no other plant or animal that is better suited to the various harshness of Earth’s reality.

The ‘hard charger’ persona might look at a cactus, compile a surface observation in the less than three seconds allotted to such minutiae as a ‘highly effective person,’ and think about being a prick. If one pauses for a genuine moment of thoughtful reflection, cacti employ a slow, adaptable, and intentional method that leads to better long-term outcomes and ultimately to survival in a harsh, ever evolving ecosystem. This is one of my many fascinations with cactI, and the primary attribute I like to remind myself to emulate while tending to my garden.

Soil conditions are critically important to the success of any plant. Different soils suit different needs, but a common thread is that all soil eventually needs replenishing. Natural replenishment happens with nutrients and rest. Composting and ‘resting’ soils in the winter season creates a beneficial soil biome and leads to far more productive growth and yields. While it is true that an artificial injection of chemical fertilizer will boost outcomes for a season, those crops do not thrive perennially. Chemical fertilizer sparks a spike in growth, but it is a short lived and poorly visioned strategy. The natural soil biome eventually disintegrates amidst the salinity, and all life becomes dependent on the next injection.

Organic winter gardens teach us that rest is not necessarily laziness—it’s preparation. Henry Miller, a somewhat controversial American writer of philosophical fiction and social criticism in the Second World War era, stated:

To be silent the whole day, see no newspaper, hear no radio, listen to no gossip, be thoroughly and completely lazy, thoroughly and completely indifferent to the fate of the world, is the finest medicine a man can give himself.

In the ancient B.C.E. period of my life (Before Children Enveloped), I was pretty good at the concept of rest and replenishment. I loved afternoons spent in leaf diffused light scattered across my Peruvian blanket style hammock, reading paperback editions of dystopian science fiction I acquired at the local thrift store. I became a very proficient fly fisherman, which in my reality was a lot more based in ‘Norman Maclean’ or ‘John Gierach’ romanticism than the Zoomer, catch-at-all-costs, ‘bro’ edition, fly-guy released in the mid 2000’s. I would travel to remote places and immerse myself in full-day explorations, sometimes longer, without any interaction beyond entomological curiosities, piscatorial presentations, and canine companionship. I trained myself as a fine artist to have a studio ‘sanctuary.’ An artist’s studio is like the mainstream concept of a “man-cave” or “she-shed,” except it is designed as an intellectual oasis for reflection and pondering. I would read, eat, nap, and bring ideas to life in my studio. Outside of the dog, I almost never let others into that personal, introspective space.

But alas, middle-aged life goals wiggled free and emerged like a spring Blue Winged Olive nymph from under a cold water stream’s tumbled rock bed, and the self-containment and self-mastery life model and all of its color-chromatically organized precision was traded in for the wonderful and fulfilling chaos of family life. Further goals included self-employment, then staff, and long term investment strategy. One day, not long ago, I woke up, looked at myself, and realized I had become “the man” to at least two generations below me and a handful of my peers. What a surreal epiphany for a guy who once lived in a backpacking tent for three months!

Amidst the chaos of whatever tier of life you find yourself, and enduring our ‘oh-so-connected’ modern society, we must periodically detach from the very thing that provides our daily bread if we want a healthy, naturally grounded, metamorphic headspace that has generationally connected our species to our planet. Most of our homes require dual incomes to sustain in our region. As a consequence, our children are being raised by the state, and the ‘connection’ being taught is to Wi-Fi networks, not to the naturally stabilizing tactics of rest and replenishment. We throw in hurry-up-and-relax yoga classes on a timer, talking points about self-care from entities that care only about profit margins, and government-stamped rack cards promoting mental health. Such efforts are considerate and well-intentioned, but the one thing that truly heals does not fall within the allowable constraints of a corporate benefits package or of the internet backed precision timepiece that monitors your personal production on the company hamster wheel.

It is a backwards reality, and I do not have a magic equation to change society’s priorities, the methodology of our governmental institutions, or the Western banking system. My best poke at building a healthier community is to promote awareness and lead by example, hoping that some will change their outlook enough to unplug from the Matrix. Yet behold! Some insist “ignorance is bliss” and just want steak, whatever the cost.

Life can be easier if you simply let the channel current guide your thoughts and actions. Many choose to submit to the current and get sucked downstream in that particular river crossing, but not me. I will choose a calculated course, with the current at my back and my posterity in the eddy I create, to overcome the channel and reach the other bank intact and with dry waders.

Most of us chose the Heber Valley to ‘reconnect’ with nature, but our hometown is becoming a downtown, and access to traditional charging outlets has changed with that growth. Utah’s popularity will not change in the foreseeable future, and our community will continue to evolve with that demand. What we have in greater abundance than most is proximity. Hot pots, solitary river walks on the Middle Provo, horseback rides on the benches, shooting cans in the canyons, or a Heber Valley deer hunt may be outside of reality at this point—but all is not lost, and many similar opportunities exist minutes away.

Be creative this spring. Embrace rebirth. Be adventurous. Get outside, rest, and replenish. Ponder. Be still. Learn to be comfortable within your own headspace. Life.. is a road, no simple highway, between the dawn and the dark of night. And when you go, no one may follow. That path is for your steps alone.¹ Strive to make your path memorable and noteworthy. Digital accomplishments are false victories subject to purge on the next software update. Real accomplishments happen in the real world. Choose to spend your time wisely and create higher level, sustainable personal yields.

¹Ripple, Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter, 1970.

RYAN D. BUNNELL
Publisher, Heber Valley Life magazine

Here’s a fun gardening secret: flowers and vegetables love growing together. Interplanting blooms with edibles boosts beauty and pollination. So why not tuck a few pots onto your patio or add a couple of raised beds to your yard? Even with a busy life, starting—or expanding—a garden is absolutely possible. Yes, really.

Growing food at home—whether in the ground or in raised beds—builds more than nutrition. It builds confidence. And it doesn’t have to be complicated or labor-intensive. With a few simple adjustments, you can create a wildly beautiful, productive garden in a single season, growing a surprising amount of food in a relatively small space.

The real secret to a thriving, organic garden is soil nutrition. Rich compost makes all the difference. Making your own compost is easy, inexpensive, and often better than anything you can buy—without the risk of burning crops, which can happen with chemical fertilizers.

One of the best soil boosters? Well-rotted manure. Horse and cattle owners often have years-old piles they’re happy to share, while chicken and goat owners clean pens regularly and usually give away their nutrient-rich manure. Gently rake or lightly shovel it into the top few inches of soil. For an added boost, you can spray or sprinkle organic amendments like seaweed extract or earthworm castings.

A light dusting of Epsom salts and sulfur pellets can also help. These inexpensive additions gently lower soil pH, making minerals more available to plants and encouraging stronger growth and better fruit production.

Compost ingredients are everywhere. Dried or green plants, grass clippings, fallen leaves, pine needles—even weeds—are packed with essential nutrients. Old hay and straw make excellent mulch, especially when layered 12 to 18 inches deep to suppress weeds. Worried about seeds hiding in straw? Just pile it up and water it first—any sprouts will die before the straw ever reaches your garden.

Sawdust or shredded wood chips encourage beneficial fungi and bacteria that help deliver more nutrients and water to your plants—sometimes up to seven times more. You can plant right into two or three inches of mulch by scattering seeds in wide rows or creating close rows with a hoe and lightly covering them with soil.

Wide rows—anywhere from one to four feet across—are ideal. Space plants so they touch at maturity, which helps retain soil moisture and keeps roots happy. Plants with moist roots thrive, and underground networks of beneficial fungi even help them share resources with one another.

You can mix compost ingredients all at once or layer them in place—the earthworms will happily do the rest. Over time, that thick mulch settles down to about four to six inches. As plants grow, keep topping it off with fresh mulch: lawn clippings, pine needles from a neighbor’s tree, or sawdust from a woodshop. With healthy mulch, watering just once a week is often enough to keep plants green, flowering, and thriving.

This year, my husband and I are transforming a garden area east of our high-tunnel greenhouse near the creek. With a small pavilion and lawn, it’s a perfect spot to blend beauty and productivity. Protected from the harsh afternoon sun, it’s ideal for pollinators, too. We’ve planted a generous three-foot-wide row of black-eyed Susans and wildflowers to draw bees right into the greenhouse.

Where we once grew greens and herbs on landscape fabric, we’re now planting potatoes, onions, carrots, and beets. Between wide rows, we’ll tuck in chives, leeks, and bush beans to support soil health and add nitrogen. Across the creek, where orchard grass has stubbornly held on for decades, we’ll reclaim the space with landscape fabric, compost, and towering sunflowers—followed by corn and black oil sunflowers—to create a stunning, productive wall.

Along the stream, wildflowers and herbs will thrive in the cool, moist air. Lemon balm, spearmint, peppermint, and kitchen staples like basil, rosemary, and oregano will fill the space with color and fragrance. We also love scattering seed mixes under fruit trees—adding charm while improving tree health with nitrogen-fixing greens and groundcover.

Near the fences, tall herbs like borage mingle with easy-to-harvest edibles such as red amaranth, chia, and flax. Vertical arches made from cattle panels support pole beans and winter squash, while cucumbers and tomatoes climb fences. Large squash happily wander beneath fruit trees, right where they belong.

A garden like this feeds more than your table. It nourishes body and soul, brings joy to family life, and offers the quiet comfort of knowing you can grow your own delicious, highly nutritious food. Spring is calling—and it’s a beautiful time to answer.

Heber Valley Self-Reliance Group

hebervalleyready.org

Wasatch Fire District
251 E 1200 S – Heber City

ALL COMMUNITY CLASSES ARE FREE

MARCH 2026

Steady Minds in Crisis
Psychological Approach to First Aid

Don’t Go Hungry
Planning for Food Security

Everyday Emergencies
First Aid for People & Pets

Your Bags are Packed
From Getting Home to Never Going Back

APRIL 2026

Liquid LIFELINE
Water Security in a Crisis

Nourishment & Morale
Food Storage & Off-Grid Cooking

Neurological Emergencies
Seizures, Strokes, & Sudden Neurological Events

May 2026

PANDEMICS
Preparedness & Shelter in Place

WHEN BABIES CAN’T WAIT
Emergency Childbirth

POWER & LIGHT IN EMERGENCIES
Light Sources When the Grid is Down

The caption said, “They are getting good at this.” Initially, one might suspect that the commentator was referring to the deer population and their gymnastic and aerobatic skills. However, after further reflection, the technology that created the illusion was, in all likelihood, the actual focus of the comment. It is challenging to distinguish fact from fiction these days.

As we wrap up 2025, the theater surrounding readily available media and the technology that enables it will be among the historical milestones we reflect on in the future.

The game has changed. On a positive note, the conspiracies surrounding media agendas, spin, and misinformation campaigns have been repeatedly validated. Less than two decades ago, the common belief was that if it was published, it was probably true. This is no longer the case in the mind of a discerning citizen. The downside of media sources promoting the agendas of their owners, financial backers, and advertisers is that the same discerning citizen faces tough choices when seeking to be informed about actual events.

At an early age, I was taught the adage commonly attributed to Edmund Burke, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” This concept has resonated with me and served as a driving force in both my personal and public policy-making.

In my own eclectic thought process, I connect this ‘action’ philosophy to the often-modified statement by George Bernard Shaw, “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach,” which originates from his 1903 play “Man and Superman.” My favorite variation is carried on by [not Woody Allen, but] Douglas Preston, which is “Those who can’t do, teach, and those who can’t teach, critique.”

During my tenure as a university-level fine arts student, I found it natural to despise those who criticized without being skilled enough to replicate the task being cited or offering an implementable solution to the critiqued dilemma. I vowed not to exhibit such weakness or cowardly behavior in my own life at that pivotal moment in my education.

The net result of internalizing these two philosophies is an understanding that individuals forego their rights and deliberations when they choose to abstain from action. Apathy when action is required is a choice to become an accomplice to evil. In the context of Thomas Paine’s statement, “lead, follow or get out of the way”— through inactivity, you have removed yourself from the fight, and your thoughts and opinions should no longer be considered of consequence.

Furthermore, it is a weak and cowardly practice to criticize without offering a solution to partner with the critique. Providing a viable, implementable solution to a problematic situation is statistically improbable without being genuinely informed and having thoroughly researched the topic. To be a respectable leader, teacher, or critic, one must dedicate oneself to becoming a subject matter expert (do the work) and provide feedback that can be fact-checked and replicated. Thomas Sowell once stated:

“The beauty of doing nothing is that you can do it perfectly. Only when you do something is it almost impossible to do it without mistakes.

Therefore, people who are contributing nothing to society, except their constant criticisms, can feel both intellectually and morally superior.”

Often, I see critics and influencers, particularly on social media platforms, who generate viewership and fan followings through critical commentary on those who are attempting to lead. These statements are often subjective and primarily based on partial truths, mingled with opinion. This massive collective of critics and their messaging should be treated judiciously. Suppose the content originator has not offered a basis of auditable facts and is not offering a legal and implementable solution to the problem cited. In that case, their opinion loses its significance, and the source should be flagged if the receiver’s overall goal is to discern the truth.

Now, back to the aerialist stag and the conscientious truth seeker: how do you navigate these minefields of misinformation and personal agendas in modern media?

The first stage is to understand that every media outlet, platform, and influencer has incentives. These incentives may include, but are not limited to, financial, political, ideological, or algorithmic motivations. The journalistic purist is not well-suited to this environment, and independents seeking objectivity tend not to win in any of the categories mentioned above, thereby making them invisible and short-tenured in the profession. When evaluating your source, consider its ownership, funding, associated advertisers, and any known partisan or philosophical alignments. Nikola Tesla stated:

“When you understand every opinion is a vision loaded with personal history, you will start to understand that all judgment is a confession.”

Follow the money trail or potential for the originator to find some manner of personal gain (which could be as petty as attention or perceived popularity). Doing so will generate a filter that reveals the histories, and the confession will come into focus.

Secondly, seek out the primary source. The overwhelming majority of viral outrage collapses when the original source is brought into focus. This fact is accentuated when considering official documents, transcripts, studies, and bills. Read the actual government staff reports, watch the meetings, and listen to the debates or conferences. When you do the work and become a person of action, you begin to follow the path of liberty, self-reliance, and critical thought analysis. Independent thinkers are challenging to fool, but it takes work to reach that status.

Another trick is to consider multiple angles. Read the original report, then a left-leaning take, a right-leaning take, and an independent take. The common threads in all four will likely point to the factual truth.

It is advantageous to learn the common tricks and traps. These may include headline clickbait that doesn’t match the article, selective video editing, AI-generated content, anonymous sources with no corroboration, incomplete or unsubstantiated statistics or datasets, and photos from a different event or date. The presence of any of these elements should raise suspicion about the source and their motives.

Over time, if you put in the work, you will build a network of sources that you favor as ‘factual.’ Please remember that all sources are fallible; treat them as trusted but verify. If, at any point, you find yourself feeling immediate outrage or a sense of victorious vindication, you may assume you have been manipulated. Generating a powerful and polarizing emotional response is the primary goal of modern media.

With all of this in mind, why should you trust Heber Valley Life? Well, run us through the tests and see what you find. I have created a brand, fully aware of these trends, as a countermovement. Stay skeptical; we must earn your trust. I encourage you to read everything we publish and listen to our weekly podcasts. If we are doing our jobs over here, you should feel warm, uplifted, and more deeply connected to the fantastic community that we call home.

I genuinely appreciate your ongoing support. It is needed. Have yourself a based and magical winter season in the Heber Valley.

RYAN D. BUNNELL
Publisher, Heber Valley Life magazine

There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.  —Elizabeth Lawrence

Winter is Here! Mornings in Heber Valley bring a crisp, refreshing chill. Snow-covered mountains promise renewed streams for spring gardens. Tall pines look majestic, stretching to hold their share of snow.

Next year’s garden plans whisper softly. “A new zinnia bed by the wall would brighten this area. The plum trees bore delicious fruit; I’d love peach or nectarine trees by the swing. The back veggie garden could be enlarged for more pesticide-free greens and corn. A scarlet runner bean trellis would charm the back door.”

If you haven’t considered red or elephant garlic for your spring garden, there’s still time to plant.   Hardy garlic bulbs can be planted in workable soil in early spring, allowing them to benefit from the necessary freezing nights and spring sunlight. Fresh garlic will elevate your soups and sauces, adding a gourmet touch to your cooking. It’s also excellent for repelling garden pests.

Dreams of spring blossoms will help you through the long winter. Daffodils, tulips, crocuses, and hyacinths can be planted in early spring. After planting your bulbs, a thick layer of mulch will protect them from freezing and provide soft soil to push through in late spring.

Plants don’t like bare ground. In our valley, with heavy clay soil, it is easy for hardpan to develop. In the early spring, when the snow melts, there are many materials to discover that make a rich, nutritious mulch. Mulch can be made in a box, a barrel, or a simple pile on the ground.

Without plowing or tilling, layers of clipped grass, old piles of fallen leaves, shredded bark or sawdust, well-rotted manure, old garden weeds, garden waste, and hay can be spread over an area, 12 to 18 inches deep, to decompose until planting time. This is called sheet composting. Spread it out over a new or old garden area. It will suppress new weeds in the spring, especially in very weedy or grassy areas where you plan to start a new garden.

Beneath this quiet, dark, protective layer of soil, something remarkable occurs: the soil life, including Mycorrhizae fungi, forms a living network with the plants, boosting their ability to absorb water and nutrients—up to seven times more—across a larger root zone. Tiny Rhyzobacteria fix nitrogen for plant use and push out disease-causing bacteria. Old-fashioned organic gardening practices produce fruit and vegetables that are unimaginably delicious.

By late spring, the thick, nutritious mulch will have reduced itself to about two to four inches. The soil life will have turned weeds and sticks into rich, black, living soil. When you pull the mulch back, you will see the dark, fluffy soil ready for plants and seeds to thrive. Your soil has become a living organism.

This thick mulch, spread in the fall, winter, or early spring, means you will have very few weeds to pull. Your garden will require very little weeding or digging with a shovel. A simple trowel is usually all you need to create a place for plant starts or seeds.

In Heber Valley, our soil tends to be highly alkaline, with a pH usually around 8.5 to 9.0—levels at which most plants struggle to thrive. Most garden plants prefer a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution: yellow or green sulfur pellets. You can sprinkle them around your garden by hand or use a small grass spreader for more even coverage. You can do this even in the snow. Unlike chemical nitrogen, sulfur won’t burn your plants, so you can apply it generously.

Sulfur pellets are the best-kept secret for a productive garden in our valley. Sulfur is vital for all living things in your garden, playing a key role in chlorophyll formation, which allows plants to capture sunlight efficiently. It also helps balance soil minerals by lowering pH to levels that make nutrients more available for absorption. Additionally, sulfur strengthens plants, boosting their resistance to pests and diseases. In many soils throughout the Great Basin, sulfur deficiency is so severe that crops like beans and peas struggle to grow.

Do you have a beautiful fruit tree that bears little or no fruit? Sprinkle two or three cups of sulfur pellets or Epsom Salts (a combination of sulfur and magnesium) around the roots, and you will most likely have a bountiful harvest next year.

Many of us enjoyed a bountiful harvest this year, with branches so heavy with fruit that they sometimes broke. Proper pruning of fruit trees in the fall or spring opens up the tree, letting sunlight reach every branch and improving air circulation. Pruning also strengthens branches, ensuring they get enough nutrition to grow thick and sturdy. It naturally limits excess fruit, reducing the need for additional thinning. The result? Peaches and apples that are large, round, and perfectly rosy.

Winter is now upon us, and your shovel, trowel, rake, hoe, and pruning shears have served you well.  Before storing them for the season, give your tools a thorough cleaning. Rust can be easily removed by soaking tools in vinegar, then brushing them with a toothbrush or wire brush until all rust is gone. Wooden handles need a rubdown with linseed oil. Wipe the garden tool metal with WD-40 or motor oil. Be sure to hang or place your tools in a safe, dry spot. Take this time to stock up on any tools you might need for next year.

When it’s time to sharpen your garden tools, try these simple tips. Start with 60-grit sandpaper or a belt sander to remove dull edges, then follow up with 100-grit for a sharper finish. You can also use a double-sided metal rasp file; begin with the coarse side, then finish with the finer side for a precise edge.

Your garden will be resting for winter, and so should you. Take time to care for yourself. The most important gift you can give your garden is you, the gardener. You are its dreamer, architect, creator. The one who nourishes both the soil and your loved ones, bringing tranquility to your soul.

More info: hebervalleyready.org

My Story Matters began with founder Amy Chandler’s vision in 2010, when she hosted “VIP Days” for children in Salt Lake City’s homeless shelters. Each child was paired with two volunteers who listened to their hopes and dreams, then guided them through fifteen themed photo stations to create a personalized bedtime story—something uplifting to read every night.

Looking back, Amy said, “We dove in without knowing exactly what we were doing, but we quickly realized everyone needed tools. The parents needed tools. The kids needed more than hope; they needed to learn how to create it for themselves.”

The organization soon expanded into hospitals, helping terminally ill cancer patients feel seen and remembered. As parents viewed the finished books, many asked for stories for their other children—those often overlooked during long seasons of treatment. This shift led the team to work with entire families. But as the program grew, Amy realized she couldn’t be everywhere, prompting the team to pause, reflect, and create a shareable curriculum that would empower others to bring storytelling and healing to their own communities.

My Story Matters became a 501(c)(3) in 2012 and introduced its new curriculum in schools across Utah, helping refugee children use an online portal to share and write their stories—often seeing a photo of themselves for the first time. By imagining new possibilities for their lives, these children gained a sense of control and empowerment.

The program saw strong results with refugee children and soon drew requests for more students to participate. Brenda Simmons, Assistant Executive Director, remembers teachers saying, “Whatever you’re teaching these kids, we want all our kids to have,” and the program quickly expanded schoolwide. At one point, the organization had an 80-school waiting list.

Amy and her team had to pivot again when COVID-19 hit and enrollment dropped. Teachers, parents, and students were overwhelmed, and no one felt they had room for one more thing. Today, My Story Matters brings a scaled-down program to rural schools through assemblies, since new curriculum often requires lengthy administrative approval.

The drop in school waitlists didn’t deter Amy; as the pandemic began, the program was also exploring work in the Utah County jails. With a part-time crew of fewer than ten dedicated staff, My Story Matters has grown into what it is today, holding classes in jails, sober-living homes, and homeless shelters across Utah. Volunteers now focus on justice-involved youth and adults, helping them rewrite their stories and move beyond the belief that “convict” is the only label they carry. It’s part of their past, not their whole story.

The “Captain Your Story” prison class now has a 700-person waitlist. Each 12-week cohort is capped at 15 participants, many of whom take it more than once to strengthen their identity and skills for lasting change. Although the courses are online, prisons focus on the ‘career’ curriculum. Brenda explains the reentry program prepares people leaving maximum-security facilities to present themselves to the board, navigate life outside, and stay true to their vision.”

Tammy Orchard, the Justice-Involved Coordinator, explained the challenge of reentry: “The world has changed so much… Think about being inside four walls for fifteen years, then coming out to such major growth. It’s very overstimulating.” Brenda adds, “Some of them have never held a cell phone. They’ve never done Zoom; they’ve never done self-checkout.” These everyday skills are vital for a healthy transition back into society, which is why family members are encouraged to take the classes alongside inmates—learning the same language and strengthening communication. The organization also recently completed a Spanish translation of the program.

And it’s not just storytelling that’s changing lives—My Story Matters has expanded its “Captain Your Story” framework to include financial literacy and parenting programs. Other organizations are getting on board too; several local CEOs have become “Guides,” bringing the program into their workplaces after seeing its power firsthand. As the curriculum continues to grow, My Story Matters is always looking for more volunteers and Guides to help lead classes.

So, what does the program involve, and how can people get involved? My Story Matters credits its success to teaching real “tools for emotional resiliency.” As Brenda explains, people often offer vague advice, but “we actually teach tools they can look at and say, ‘In this situation, which one helps me move forward?’ It all starts with ‘Vision.’”

The organization follows a twelve-step “Control Panel” map that begins with “Vision,” helping participants build a new identity as the foundation for everything. This psychology- and science-backed approach guides them to imagine the life they want and develop the skills to reach it—regulating their nervous systems, leaning on community, taking focused action, and showing up even when they’re afraid. Each twelve-week course focuses on one tool per week, led by a trained Guide who acts as both coach and cheerleader. Brenda, a certified life coach, took the class in 2023 and became a Guide the next year, noting that the role is “the guide on the side, not the sage on the stage.” Brenda says what she loves most is watching the program give people hope.

Guides take the class three times in a process the organization calls “Learn, Live, Leverage,” ensuring they’ve applied the tools in their own lives before mentoring others. Resident-Guides in prisons are especially impactful because they’ve walked the same paths as those they lead. Amy invites anyone interested to “come and see—take the class and experience your own transformation. Then you’ll know how you can create impact.” She adds that they’re always seeking people who believe in the mission and want to help bring healing to places where transformation is needed most, especially for individuals who can’t afford it.

My Story Matters has faced economic challenges this year after government funding cuts, which once made up more than half of its support. The organization is now seeking additional private donations and corporate sponsors, and early interest from local businesses has been encouraging. They offer five-tier package options for schools and companies, making participation accessible for most budgets. For parents who want the program in their child’s school, becoming a parent advocate is one of the most effective ways to help make it happen.

Amy’s vision for My Story Matters is radical. She wants this program to go global and doesn’t want the cost to be prohibitive. For individuals who can’t afford the full cost of the course, the organization offers scholarships that cut the price in half for those who qualify. “We believe every human on the planet deserves to live their very best life and have permission to do so. We won’t stop until everyone has tools.”

More than anything, Amy wants people to “feel seen.” She understands the struggle of starting over, and My Story Matters stands as proof that these tools work. “I want everyone to know their story matters—not just where it’s been, but where it’s going. Choose to pick up the pen and be the agent of writing your story. Until we believe our story matters, we don’t give it intention. We just let life happen to us.”

If you’re feeling inspired to pick up the pen and write your story—or want to learn more about the organization and how to get involved—you can find My Story Matters online and across their social media platforms.

Learn more: mystorymatters.org
@mystorymatters

12-Steps

1. Vision
2. Choice and Commitment
3. Focus
4. Language: (Words Matter)
5. Surrender
6. Community
7. Help: (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs)
8. Identity
9. Response: (Dan Siegel’s “Hand Model of the Brain”)
10. Learning
11. Focused Action
12. Story: (Based on Joseph Campbell’s ‘Hero’s Journey’)

The library exists to serve the community—and it’s impressively well-prepared to do so. This article offers just a glimpse of the many resources and programs available right now. And while I won’t talk about books (you already know a library has those!), I hope you’ll be inspired to stop by and explore everything beyond the shelves. Let’s dive in:

The Seed Library

Did you know that you can check out plants from the library? Not fully-grown ones, mind you, but a cabinet on the library’s upper floor contains a wide variety of seed packets that you are free to take home with you and try your hand at cultivating. The library additionally offers gardening tips and plant information, courtesy of its partnerships with local agricultural education organizations, so you can “return” the leftover seeds from your harvests.

Youth Programs

I’ve condensed so many things into one category here, because otherwise the entire article would just be listing specific clubs, recurring events, and organizations tailored to kids of all ages. There’s a Lego club. Chess. Minecraft. Movies. Dungeons & Dragons. Pokemon. A bunch of kids were having a full-blown Roblox tournament while I was interviewing people. There are book clubs, and national community programs like Sages and Seekers that connect teens with trusted 60+ year-olds interested in passing down everything from life advice to hobby expertise. There’s a weekly Toddler Play Time, where families with young children can enjoy everything from puppet shows to art projects. None of which require a library card. I got to chat with a woman who was visiting for the summer from Florida who was so glad to have an accessible space where her daughter could play with other kids her age.

Fine Arts

Thanks to your tax funds allocated to Trails, Arts, and Parks, the Wasatch County Library regularly hosts local and regional musicians for free live music. Tour galleries showcasing the work of local painters, sculptors, and photographers. Attend book-signings for local authors. Create your own art with the aid of qualified mentors as part of the monthly Try Something Tuesday.

Games

Cabinets on the first floor contain numerous board and card games ready to be played on the reading tables or in any of the multi-purpose rooms. Not only that, but you are free to check out games to play at home. For any fellow board game enthusiasts reading this, they’ve got plenty of the good stuff.

A State-of-the-Art Creator Space

The library offers a vast range of creative hobby equipment for use on-site in a dedicated workshop space. Why not learn how to operate a sewing machine? Ever thought about taking up crochet? Use the library’s 3D printer to create a prototype of your new invention. Make use of cutting-edge technology like the laser level, or immerse yourself in living history by learning how to use traditional leatherworking tools.

History

Ever wanted to look at old maps of the city? Learn about the extensive documents and historical archives the library has on hand. Interested in the history and stories of coins? Join the Wasatch  Coin and History Club. Additionally, the library is beginning the rollout of its local history preservation program, where patrons can come in and record family stories and oral histories.

Private Audio Space

Upstairs, tucked against a wall near the balcony, a soundproof room is available for use by library patrons. The new space will allow community members to record personal audio projects, as well as provide an invaluable community resource for people who need a private space for telehealth appointments, job interviews, or sensitive conversations. The room comfortably seats up to four people.

Librarians

Let me introduce you to our program librarians:

Dana Brosnahan, the children’s librarian, is a delightful woman whose favorite dinosaur is the stegosaurus. She is doing a wonderful job of creating a welcoming and engaging space for kids, judging by how happy all of the ones I saw looked. She is a kind, charming woman who is extremely pleasant to spend time with, and the kids all seem to love her. She was also eager to answer my questions about volunteer opportunities and other methods of community involvement.

Brittnie Hecht is the young adult librarian, and she is exactly the sort of person who you would expect someone whose favorite dinosaur is Ducky from the Land Before Time to be. She is so proud of all of the teens and tweens she works with, and will eagerly tell you all about how excited they are to participate in the book clubs and D&D games she helps run. You will want to play board games with her within minutes of meeting her.

Kate Mapp, the adult service librarian, is fun, personable, and just as reassuring as anyone who not only is prepared to preemptively defend the noble pterodactyl’s claim to dinosaurhood, but also offers the wooly mammoth as a backup favorite prehistoric creature could possibly be. She was more than willing to delve into the details of the library’s events schedule with me. She works hard to ensure that adults have ways of meaningfully participating in all-ages events, and also makes certain to create spaces for adults to try new things in a relaxed, professional setting that respects their intelligence and time. I enjoyed her presence immensely.

I’ve barely scratched the surface—there’s the puzzle swap, the dragon statues in the children’s section, Friday craft kits, the movie library, Libby’s endless digital shelves… and the list goes on. To me, the Wasatch County Library is straight out of Reading Rainbow—a magical place where imagination soars. And the best part? It’s right here, it’s real, and it’s free.