Kurt “Dirt” Mason grew up playing in the dirt on his family’s beef cattle and tobacco farm in Scott County, Kentucky. He was always amazed that his mother could tell where he and his brother were playing on the farm based on the “kind of dirt ground into the knees of our blue jeans.” His fascination of dirt led him to a long career with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, beginning while in college at Morehead State University and ending in 2020. Helping people to understanding the soil (and it’s really not “dirt”) and our connection to this fantastic medium continues to be his passion. Also a graduate of the University of Louisville ‘s MPA program, he serves on a number of boards and organizations committed to addressing natural resources concerns.