Text 29176, 118 rader
Skriven 2012-09-03 13:54:00 av Glen Jamieson
     Kommentar till en text av Dave Drum
Ärende: DROUGHT  20903
======================
 -=> Quoting Dave Drum to Glen Jamieson <=-

 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

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

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

OK OK, I heard you the first time!

The level of the water table would become depressed locally as result
of pumping.  That would limit the rate of extraction, so the farmer
could have a small quantity of healthy, well watered corn, or a larger
amount of poor, thirsty corn.
 
 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.

 DD> In other places the situations are different. No conditions are
 DD> universal except death.

More thought must be given to distributing the world's fresh water
supply more efficiently.  Job for engineers.
 
 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.

 DD> The agave cactus requires a fair amount of water ... less than melons
 DD> but more than, say, saguaro or prickly pear cactus.

I wonder how the agave cactus compares with grape vines as a producer
of fermentable sugar?

{Psst!  Wanna buy some hot maple syrup, cheap?  Makes good booze.}
 
 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."

Cheer up!  It can't be that bad.
 
 GJ> Your countrymen around New Orleans have plenty of spare water, so
 GJ> perhaps they can send some up to you?

 DD> We're getting it as I type - predictions of 6 to 8 inches (15 - 20 cm)
 DD> as the remnants of Ike move up the Mississippi valley. Of course it
 DD> comes at a bad time for those farmers attempting to harvest what there
 DD> is of their corn crop. Life is never easy for a farmer. Every time I

 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.

 DD> World bank pronouncements are just that - pronouncements. Sometimes
 DD> they bear a
 DD> speaking relationship with reality. Sometimes they do not. Always

I hope they have access to reasonably accurate facts.  Note that those
are existing price variations, not anticipated.

 DD> remember - entropy increases. And left to themselves things will go
 DD> from bad to worse (The law of Murphy).

My goodness, you are in a bad way!  (Waiter!  More Champagne for the
sad-looking gentleman on my right!)

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: Champagne Mustard I -From: Ron Ackermann
 Categories: Spreads, Sauces, Internet
      Yield: 1 Servings
 
      3 tb Spice- yellow mustard seeds
           ;fine ground
      2 tb Spice- mustard powder
  1 1/2 tb Honey
      1 ts Salt
    1/3 c  Wine- champagne
           ;or sparking wine
      2 ts Sugar
 
  This is a great way to use up the dregs of a champagne or wine.  Or
  do, as I am sure Kay would approve, open a bottle of champagne to
  make the mustard and reap the rewards of not wasting what's left! *:)
  Any white sparkling wine will work and the mustard should be mixed by
  hand to "preserve" the bubbles.
  
  From: Ron Ackermann <ron<@>ackermann.org.> U/L 'COOKING' FEBRUARY Y2K
 
MMMMM
 

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