Text 29013, 135 rader
Skriven 2012-09-01 15:18:00 av DAVE DRUM (1:261/1381)
     Kommentar till en text av GLEN JAMIESON
Ärende: DROUGHT
===============
-=> Glen Jamieson wrote to Dave Drum <=-

 -=> Quoting Dave Drum to Glen Jamieson <=-

 DD> But, the corn crop is in the porcelain convenience for this year - even
 DD> in fields under irrigation

 GJ> If irrigated, why the failure?

 DD> In most of the fields there has been insufficient water available to
 DD> do the job properly. Mr. Farmer has to wait until the aquifer re-fills
 DD> his well ... then he squirts it on the crops until he runs out.

 GJ> Ah!  I was thinking of irrigation from river water.  If your Farmer is
 GJ> using his underground water like that he is in serious trouble.  That
 GJ> is a problem in other countries.  When talking to in-laws in the

This is more-or-less from the Illinois river (a fairly major, navigable
waterway) - most of these fields are within 10 to 15 KM of the Illinois river,
which re-charges the aquifer(s) along its route. The main reason for
irrigation, even in normal seasons is that the soil is very sandy and does not
retain moisture well.
This is more-or-less from the Illinois river (a fairly major, navigable
waterway) - most of these fields are within 10 to 15 KM of the Illinois river,
which re-charges the aquifer(s) along its route. The main reason for
irrigation, even in normal seasons is that the soil is very sandy and does not
retain moisture well.

 GJ> Punjab I was told that the water table had dropped from 20 to 70
 GJ> metres over the last 20 years, and was still dropping.  In parts of
 GJ> Australia there are protests over the proposed use of underground
 GJ> water by mines.  In Manila, excessive pumping from many small wells
 GJ> has resulted in sea water intrusion, so the only time that underground
 GJ> water fresh enough for drinking is available is in the very early
 GJ> morning, before the commercial pumps start.

In other places the situations are different. No conditions are universal
except death.
 
 GJ> It has been suggested, not quite seriously, that some of our grape
 GJ> growers should change to producing their alcohol from cactus, as used
 GJ> for making tequila.

The agave cactus requires a fair amount of water ... less than melons but more
than, say, saguaro or prickly pear cactus.
 
 DD> U$2.50/bushel, was getting offers of U$8.62/bushel at a rail terminal

 GJ> The feed-lot cattle raisers must be desperate to pay that price.

 DD> They (mostly) do not feed straight corn. Rather silage of some sort
 DD> sweetened with corn - so that $8 corn goes a lot further than the
 DD> average layman would expect. Still, the price of feed is on the march
 DD> upward. Along with food prices DD> to the consumer.

 DD> Farmers like the $8 corn. They don't like the knowledge that it will
 DD> soon run out and unless we get a good, wet winter and spring and
 DD> reasonable rains they won't be able to make a crop next year.

 GJ> Any long-range forecasts for next crop?

 DD> I will quote the line from the old television series "Hee Haw" --
 DD> "Gloom, despair, and misery. Deep, dark depression, and agony on me."

 GJ> Your countrymen around New Orleans have plenty of spare water, so
 GJ> perhaps they can send some up to you?

We're getting it as I type - predictions of 6 to 8 inches (15 - 20 cm) as the
remnants of Ike move up the Mississippi valley. Of course it comes at a bad
time for those farmers attempting to harvest what there is of their corn crop.
Life is never easy for a farmer. Every time I look back with nostalgia at the
time I spent on the farm - a dose of reality reminds me that I was a child or
youth at those times and insulated from the worries and stresses of farming by
my elder relatives ... so, I saw the good parts and was shielded from the
disasters that presented themselves. I am happy to leave that stuff to others.
 
 GJ> Just this minute I heard the news that the World Bank has just
 GJ> announced that World food prices have risen 10% overall in the month
 GJ> from June to July.  Corn and wheat have risen 20% and soy 17%.  Rice
 GJ> has dropped slightly.

World bank pronouncements are just that - pronouncements. Sometimes they bear a
speaking relationship with reality. Sometimes they do not. Always remember -
entropy increases. And left to themselves things will go from bad to worse (The
law of Murphy). 
 
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

      Title: Chicken Murphy
 Categories: Poultry, Pork, Vegetables, Mushrooms, Wine
      Yield: 8 servings

  1 1/2 lb Italian sweet sausage
      3 lb Chicken thigh & breast;
           - boned, skinned, cut up
           Salt & pepper
      3 tb Olive oil
      1 c  Celery; chopped
      1 c  Onions; chopped
    1/2 lb Mushrooms; sliced
      8    Anchovy filets; flat
    1/2 c  Black olives; sliced
      1 tb Capers
    1/2 c  White wine
    1/4 c  Tomato sauce

  Cut sausage into 2 1/2 inch long pieces. Cook in a heavy
  skillet, turning until browned on all sides; remove to
  Dutch oven.

  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Wipe skillet, heat
  oil and brown chicken on both sides. Add to sausage. 

  In saucepan add celery and enough water to cover. Bring to
  a boil, then lower heat to simmer for about 5 minutes,
  until crisp tender. Drain, reserving cooking liquid.

  Add onions and mushrooms to the oil remaining in the
  chicken skillet. Cook, stirring until wilted. add the
  anchovies, olives and capers. Add drained celery. Stir to
  combine. Add the wine and tomato sauce and simmer 10
  minutes; pour sauce over the chicken and sausage in Dutch
  oven. Add salt and pepper, cover and simmer 30 minutes, or
  until chicken is tender. If chicken begins to dry, add a
  little of the celery liquid and a bit more tomato sauce.

  From: http://www.recipesource.com

  Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives

MMMMM

... A wise man gets more use from his enemies than a fool from his friends.
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