Posted on 05/21/2019 7:02:14 PM PDT by Western Phil
Something that seems never to be mentioned in the ethanol discussions on FR is that ethanol added to gasoline apparently works as an oxygenater making catalytic converters work better. In the early 60s I graduated from college in Nebraska and got a job in Washington, DC. One thing I noticed was that the skies were brown all summer from the Mississippi River east. Over the years, my work occasionally sent me through the LA area & airport. Brown skies & poor visibility. Then came the catalytic converter, permanent brown skies turned blue in the east and I was surprised to see mountains next to LA. California and the smoggy eastern cities required oxygenaters during the smog season. California used, I think methanol(?) , a petroleum product. It didn’t take too long to discover that was not a good idea. Natural bacteria, which cleans up oil spills does not work well on it and it tends to pass through the soil and sit on the top of aquifers. Ethanol does not have this problem.
Tell me this isn’t a government project.
During Aoril and May I spent six weeks visiting family in North Texas, East Texas, Oklahoma, Central and NE MO, Central and Northern Illinois, Indiana and Southern Michigan. Then came back to Phoenix and crossed Oklahoma and New Mexico.
Rarely have I seen so many flooded and unplanted fields usually destined for corn, beans and pasture hay. All of this before the big storms of the last six days after my return to the desert where I am experiencing the mildest May I can recall.
I tell the guys up round about Flag that we have entered a grand solar minimum. This could go on for years and years.
The ocean conveyor belts have flipped according to the REAL scientists. Means that we will be seeing another mini ice age or cooler weather all cross the earth.
Families lived this way for centuries up until recently. Small plot of land. Always something would grow even in bad years (except when God allowed famines to occur, of course).
Seen worse “climate” for crop planting.
Always had corn “knee-high by the 4th of July” anyway.
When it comes to corn, there is a kernel of truth in that.
Time to trade that 120 day seed in for 90 day seed. I’ve seen corn planted as late as first week in July.
It’s certainly wet in my neck of the woods. I’ve got parts of my yard I have yet to be able to mow and the grass has gone to seed. Looks like hell.
Add the loss of carryover stock in Nebraska. It is going to be an interesting year.
Other Cold weather crops to consider :
Broccoli - loves cool weather
. . . . . if you leave the 'leafey' side shoots, you may get 2 or 3 more harvests.
Brussel Sprouts - (fall crop), harvested leaves base forms edible bulbetts
Cauliflower- (generaly a fall crop), labor intensive, forms head which may require 'blanching' with outer leaves.
Cabbage - some varieties mature in as little as 60 days
Carrots - varieties get sweeter as the temperatures get colder
.......a cover mulch in the fall will allow harvest into the winter.
Kale .... - will withstand temperatures down to +15 degrees F, and snow.
Lettuce - seguential planting will allow sequential harvest.
Onions, Leeks and Scallions - true bulb crops, enjoy coolweather, but are frost tolerant.
Peas ....- offer flowers as well as vegetable, can be trellised to save room, or to give shade to other cool weather plants.
..........there are slso 'bush' varieties which maximize space
..........can be seeded outdoors as soon as the soil can be worked.
Potatoes - considered late summer/ Fall root crop
Radish - spicey root,some varieties mature within 30 days,
......... can be planted and harvested to make room for other longer maturing crops.
......... If left past maturity, roots become 'woody' and tough.
Swiss Chard - matures in about 60 days; stalks and leaves are edible. (leaves taste like spinach).
Spinach - about 45 days to maturity, does best in cool weather, but offered shade in summer will not bolt (seed forming)
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Beets, Carrots & Parsnips - true biennuals: first year sets root crop, if left in the soil, 2nd year will set seed.
Frost sweetens the crop.
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Turnip & Rutabaga - considered vintage crops, but store well in root cellar or refridgerator,
........ sometimes 'waxed' to preserve moisture and freshness until Spring; heirloom varieties available.
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As a reminder to many gardeners, Freeper 'greeneyes' and Freeper 'Diana in Wisconsin' moderate the FReeper gardening forum here at:
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No, Chinese pork isn't routinely being imported into the US.
There is a pork virus in China which has decimated China's pork meat production.
The current price of pork is based on world-wide demand, not just the US.
In 2013, Smithfield Foods, America's largest pork producer was bought by China's Shuanghui International
for $7.1 billion dollars on May 29, 2013.
The sale was made to meet China's and the global demand; Smithfield exports pork, not import into the US.
I grow short-season corn varieties. As long as I can get my corn planted by mid-July, it’ll ripen in time.
Some of my other crops, like gourds or melons, I’m a little more concerned about.
So far I only have 1/3rd of my tilling done, and nothing planted.
True that ! I expect grain and meat products to increase significantly.
Flooding has prevented both food crops and livestock forage to be timely planted, thus a probable shortfall.
If I recall properly, Joe Bastardi over at weatherbell.com, was calling for a late Spring/19,
now if there's an early Fall, we are talking about a shortened crop growing season, and prices will continue to rise.
See my post #70,here, regarding short season and cool weather recommended crops for gardeners and preppers.
Many farmers will take up much of the slack and loss of agricultural crops
however, it will take approximately two years to make up for the livestock (meat) loss, until it comes to maturity.
I am not one of those "The sky is falling" folks,.. just saying to those who might be concerned,.. "be aware !".
Add chickpeas to that list of cool-weather crops.
Quite true ! It is a legume, therefore, it creates it's own nitrogen, and prefers full sun; maturity is 100 days.
Can be started indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost, or direct planted; doesn't like roots to be disturbed.
Easily sprouted after cool water bath, after a 24 hour soaking; similar to sprouting lentils.(both are nutritional powerhouses).
At maturity, it will be a bush about 2 feet tall, with 1 or 2 beans per pod, but each bush will have many pods.
Thank you, I assumed since I associated them with Italian and Spanish cuisine,
that they needed warmer temperatures to flourish. Thank you for that suggestion.
I cut out The Middle Man and bought two cans, today, 72-cents each.
For me? Some things are easier to purchase, but I am always open to at least KNOWING how to grow things I’ve never tried before for when TSHTF! :)
“So far I only have 1/3rd of my tilling done, and nothing planted.”
You and me both, Sister! I am BEYOND crabby this spring season - I cannot get a THING done due to the weather.
NONE of the fields around us are planted in corn, soybean and hay for local milk cows.
If it stays wet, or goes straight to hot and dry, it’s going to get ugly.
I am 100% convinced that The Sun controls our Solar System (Hint: SOLAR = SUN!) and if we’re going into a minimum cycle again, we need to adapt and adapt FAST!
Good thing we, and our chickens, LIKE Kale, LOL!
“I grow short-season corn varieties. As long as I can get my corn planted by mid-July, it’ll ripen in time.”
I did that this season, too. Beau will be fishing in Canada and won’t get our Sweet Corn in until he returns in mid-June.
I bought short-season seed for that reason, and due to all of the Weather-Geek research I did on this upcoming growing season. ;)
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