Beam me to Planet Gore !
Posted on 09/21/2008 10:20:14 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
Climate change has brought new opportunities to Greenland that could secure its independence from Denmark
Lasse Bjerge lives in a remote, sub-Arctic valley that is flanked by barren mountains, 20 miles by boat from the nearest town and perishing cold even on a bright September day. There, for the past two years, he has cultivated one of the world’s most improbable market gardens.
As a bitter wind whistles past his red wooden cottage, Greenland’s first commercial vegetable farmer proudly lifts the synthetic sheeting protecting his crops to reveal rows of cabbages, cauliflowers and – appropriately – iceberg lettuces. This summer he even produced a few strawberries.
It is not easy, admits Mr Bjerge, 50, who began this experiment to supplement his sheep farmer’s paltry income. He was late buying his seedlings last spring because the fjord was choked with ice. There were frosts and freezing nights as late as June. His broccoli, in particular, has struggled to survive the harsh climate.
Now, thanks to Mr Bjerge and two other pioneering farmers, Greenlanders can buy fresh green produce for the first time – not the tired, limp stuff flown in at exorbitant cost from Denmark. Mr Bjerge breaks up a compact cauliflower head. “Taste it,” he says. It is crisp, sweet and full of flavour, because it has taken weeks to ripen in the long, cool days of a far northern summer.
Until recently commercial vegetable production would have been almost impossible in this land of ice and rock – but global warming is greening Greenland.
“We live on the margins of where things grow, and an extra one or two degrees can make all the difference,” says Kenneth Hoegh, Greenland’s chief agricultural adviser. Within ten years Greenland could be self-sufficient in vegetables, according to Jonstein Gard, of the Upernaviarsuk
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
It’s much more about agricultural techniques than just climate. Imagine, monks in the Russian sub-Arctic areas (close to Norway) grew eadible grapes about 150 years ago. They had no plastic, but used other materials for their green houses.
Point is I have really learned quite alot about success with an acre garden in an arctic climate. We live outta our garden a good part of the year actually. Growing fresh food for the family and friends is one thing, growing it economically, and beating the climate is another; no matter where you live along the arctic circle.
Ya, we had an off summer too. Dry early, then a month or so of monsoon rain, then we had first frost by the end of July. Still, there’s something about picking and eating fresh outta the garden over Sam’s produce flown in at over a dollar a lb. The river is still up 4 foot above normal but starting to clear up.
Global Warming on Free Republic
It was warmer when the Vikings settled there than in the subsequent centuries, when the Little Ice Age cooled things off. The cooling wasn't so much that they couldn't have continued to farm there (southwest Greenland) in the summer, but it became less hospitable. Poorer weather meant worse crops and thus less food to store to make it through the long winter -- and that was a PROBLEM.
“Greenland was named by the Erik the Red so that he could lure some unsuspecting Viking settlers to follow him ....”
His decendents write real estate ads.
Not only is he quite the farmer but he has a future in the marketing department of the new Greenland Farmer's Co-op.
I never saw any geothermal around Anchorage, but heard that it was common out in western Alaska. I’ve been to hot springs when it was minus 30 outside; pretty nice actually.
Alot of people grow tomatoes in greenhouses around here. Everything else is marginal, for their own consumption as the increased cost of production (in greenhouses) can’t compete with lower 48 produce even with shipping.
Every spring I build another raised bed with plastic framed top; they work for me.
I know a few people who grow special tomatoes in greenhouses for local dining estbalishments and do well. I also know an old German Guy (one of the smartest guys I have met in Ak) who grows those big baskets of flowers then sells them in bulk to stores come summer. He once said his trick was to use special seeds from Germany of course; which produced nicer plants. he also said that he could never make money growing produce in greenhouse but much more at flower baskets that sell for 40 bucks each. He always told me that he spent more $$$$ cooling his greenhouses in May than heating them in February. You see, I would have never thought about that myself.
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