General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI'm looking out my window at a beautiful sight!
We just had a downpour here, and two little boys are riding their bicycles through the water-filled channels on the side of the road here in Small Town, central Texas. It is so lovely to see the rain again! Before last weekend, it seemed as though we would do a repeat of last summer's Hell. I live out here in farm country, northeast of Austin, and commute to my job in Austin. Last year, some of the fields of corn grew to be about waist height before drying up. The corn harvest was really poor. What has saved our farmers, was crop rotation: each year they plant a different cash crop on a given field. This year, it might be corn (field corn, sold as animal feed. That is ultimately where your beef comes from). Next year, they seem to be choosing from several different cash crops: corn, millet, cotton, and hay. This rain comes a bit late, as they are now starting to harvest the corn and the millet, and they need dry weather for that. It will do the cotton and hay good, so they can get at least a living from that. Most of the farms here are family owned and run, except for the fact that they buy their seed from companies like Monsanto. They may have a sales contract with whomever, I do not know the particulars, as I am not a farmer. So, that is the Farm Report for today, LOL. What's the weather like where you are?
sadbear
(4,340 posts)and was wondering when I moved to Seattle. Four straight days with a shower! My tomatoes are actually going to survive a few more weeks!
malaise
(269,255 posts)more is coming your way.
Trailrider1951
(3,415 posts)Truly our farmers feed us all, and it is WORTH TALKING TO THEM to let them know we appreciate their efforts, and wonder why they vote against their best interest (like many people). Sound familiar? Perhaps we should target them? I do this all the time in my community.
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)The rain was very unusual for this time of year, and very welcome.