Pollination and food shortages

Most of us never think about what bees do besides make honey and supply one half of the age old parental discussion about the "birds and the bees".  However, they do also pollinate most of the food crops humanity depends on.  Which is why the latest news about die-offs of up to 50% of many hives in the US is worrisome to many people involved in food production.  Some evidence points to the use of new, powerful nicotine derived pesticides as the culprit.  These powerful systemics are incorporated in the seeds being planted or sprayed early on.  According to scientists, the long lasting effects of these chemicals are passed along in pollen the innocent bees bring back to the hives.  It actually makes the insects forget to eat, which leads to starvation in the midst of plenty.  Many of the nation's commercial apiaries are unable to supply the thousands of hives and tens of millions of bees necessary to pollinate the orchards and fields which supply the bounty we take for granted. Higher food prices and shortages of fruit and vegetables will force many of us to stop taking the lowly bees for granted.

Obesity and politics

A USA today article points out the ten states with the greatest rates of obesity.  The top ten (actually includes 12 with ties) are with the exception of Michigan at number 5 are all deep red, Republican voting states.  Mississippi is number 1.  These states are also net importers of federal aid.  On the other hand, the least obese states include NY, California and Colorado, which are mostly Democratic voting  and paying more into the Treasury than they receive.  Just sayin.

Springing along

The weather remains stuck in a slow motion glide towards spring here on the NCR.  For every nice day with temps in the 50s, we have a gloomy rainy or snowy period.  It is a little frustrating.  The urge to get out and start moving soil around and planting seeds is almost overwhelming, but after 40 years of doing this dance, I know it will do more harm than good.  Even the garlic is not breaking through the surface yet.  Easter is nearly upon us with its message of renewal.  As with almost all religions, Christianity kills its savior and reanimates him in a homage to the age old desire for the coming of spring.  Let's hope this year's growing season (and golfing season) gets underway soon.

There and back again

Dragging myself reluctantly back to the "real" world is an exercise which becomes more difficult as the years roll by.  The inspiration for this blog, my old mentor in the produce business always said he would have to retire when the exigency of the truth overwhelmed his ability to keep perspective.  In other words, he felt a morbid desire to tell the unvarnished  truth to customers.  As anyone in this or any other business will tell you, the myriad minor adjustments to reality which we all make every day is the lubricant which keeps things going smoothly. No farmer has an ugly child, no receiver ever tells a lie regarding the quality of merchandise he received. The check is in the mail.   It's how we all get through the day.  Here's hoping I can continue to resist the siren call of total candor.

Paying it forward

Just out for an early morning walk on the beach and saw some pelicans diving, I assume for their breakfast.  It would seem and ordinary enough occurrence.  In the context of climate change however, I wonder how normal it will be for our descendants.  Just the ability to move two thousand miles south in a matter of hours to enjoy a tropical climate while our own homes are covered in snow is perhaps an evanescent event in the scheme of human evolution.  With 7 billion of us crowded on an over stressed planet, how long can we use up resources to go on beach holidays?   I hope our species ingenuity is up to the challenge.  I surely hope my grandchildren can watch their children's children romp on a sunny beach in March.

Just another day in the life

A walk on the beautiful beach, a workout in the gym a blog to write and it's still only 7:30 a.m.  I guess I'm trying to make the most of the week we have.  Of course, the divine Mrs. M is probably doing it the right way.  Still sleeping and probably dreaming of a choice chaise on the beach in a couple of hours.  We all have our way of dealing with the slings and arrows and occasional bouquets outrageous fortune throws our way.  

Contrasts

Another beautiful day here in Mexico as well as on the NCR.  The difference being 85 degrees here and more like 25 back home, along with 10 inches of snow.  It would seem old man winter doesn't want to loosen his grip even though the spring equinox is tomorrow.  The garden will have to wait until I get back, but it looks like I'm not missing anything in that department.  The fresh vegetables available at the resort we are staying at are at once beautiful and troubling.  As we flew into Quintana Roo state and the airport at Cancun the other day, it didn't take an ag expert to realize there is very little production of food in this area.   The scrubby tropical forest is an indicator the soil is very poor.  Anytime  you can see the underlying soils, it appears to be sand and rock.   I think almost all the food consumed in this area is imported from other areas of Mexico.   Another carbon footprint to add to the bill vacationers rack up on trips to this paradise.

Sun, Sand and Snow

As I write this post in the air conditioned comfort of our room in Playa Del Carmen, I see we are having a winter storm on the NCR.  I hope the offspring will be OK, but it won't  be fun out there if we get as much snow as they are predicting.  Last year at this time I had already planted spinach and most of the cold frames were starting spring crops.  I guess there will be continued hiccups in this climate change thing.  At least it is warm and sunny here on the Riviera Maya.  Which brings me to the guilty part of this post.  While the divine Mrs. M and myself will certainly enjoy this little break from an otherwise bleak March, we are also treading heavily in the matter of carbon footprints.  I realize there are millions of other air travelers heading all over the world every day, heedless of the damage they are inflicting on future generations, but if everyone stopped traveling at the same time due to concerns over climate change, what would happen?   Certainly the global economy would grind to a halt and millions more would suffer as their country's economy collapsed.  So do we keep adding millions of tons of carbon to the atmosphere and ensuring a global climate catastrophe at some point in the future, or do we ignore what we are doing in the face of the evidence.  Unfortunately, mankind has been doing this for thousands of years.  It is only now that we have reached populations which can render the ecosphere uninhabitable for future generations.  We can't just move to a different area and continue on our heedless way.  There is only one spaceship earth.

March madness

No, not the basketball kind.  It's that dreary mid March weather that is driving most of us mad about now.  Tempers are short in the produce business as the run up to Easter business starts.  The markets are unsettled, and while everyone wants and needs supply, no one wants to be on the wrong side of the price equation.   Lettuce and celery look to be short until the Yuma deal winds down and broccoli and cauliflower are cheap now, but will probably also see a bump as demand increases.  Spinach is also hard to come by at the moment, and with cold weather predicted in the east for the time being, it doesn't look to change soon.  By the first of April, we'll  all be fools.

Daylight spending time

I'm not sure how much we save by moving the clocks ahead so early in March.  Yes, it is lighter at 6 p.m., but this morning it felt like January all over again as I hit the road.  Here in the North Country it is looking like mud season here, so there is little to be done outside until the frost is out of the ground.  Fortunately, the soil is warming rapidly and rain is forecast for tomorrow.  Maybe a little evening daylight will not be a bad thing...  I covered the cold frames this weekend, so the soils will warm and the onions, cabbage, broccoli and other hardy crops can be started later this week.  Transplanted the snapdragons, celery and rosemary indoors, and saw the first crocus pushing above ground on Saturday.  The last snow should be melted after tomorrow's rain, which will make spring more of a reality than a wish.

Bacteriageddon

A new study by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency tested over 500 samples of washed salads from the US, Canada and Mexico and found almost 10% of the samples showed some contamination by bacteria.  These are the nasties which cause diarhhea and other digestive tract illnesses.   The cause of this contamination is supposedly human fecal contamination.  Ugh.  Of all the possible problems the salad industry faces, this is the public relations nightmare it does not want to have.  As grower organizations contend, the testing agency did not rule or test the viability of the organisms and whether they could reproduce and actually cause an illness.  However, to the ordinary consumer, the thought that eating a salad could have you riding the toilet for an uncomfortable day or night is probably enough to cause a drop in sales.  Personally, I believe the risk is minimal, but then again, I'm not the typical consumer. 

Daylight Savings and farming

We will spring ahead this weekend.  Without checking, I reckon this is the earliest I have ever seen the switch to daylight saving time.  As far as I'm concerned, it should stay on all year round.  I know it might seem strange to see the stars at 8 in the morning in December and January, but it would be nice to go home with the sun still on the horizon.  I definitely look forward to longer evenings this time of year.  Some of our summer nesting birds are arriving and the mornings are starting to sound like spring as the redwing blackbirds and some bluejays wake up early.

Sequestration and the Produce Industry

The food industry is under the gun as the effects of the sequestration of funds from the federal budget takes hold.  As most media pundits have failed to make clear, vital services people care for are now in danger.  If enough FDA inspectors are furloughed, meat packing plants will have to work reduced hours, or not at all.  If, as happens on a regular basis, a source of contamination is discovered, there will be fewer people to deal with it.  This will lead to delays in declaring an all-clear to the public.  These are real delays which will affect people.  Instead of keeping score or engaging in he said, she said journalism, it would be refreshing if reporters actually reported on the real world.

Won't get fooled again

The (hopefully) last scion of the Bush family is making the rounds of morning and evening news shows to gauge the public tolerance for another presidential campaign.  I sure hope the collective Bronx cheer he will no doubt be hearing around the country convinces him to spare us three years of bloviation about what he feels the country needs.  The entitlement the Bushes seem to feel regarding their place in the national debate is breathtaking to say the least.  Aside from the first Bush who was at least a veteran and a long serving member in the intelligence services, the family is a virtual advertisement for intergenerational privilege.  The  W. and Jeb have been living off the old man's legacy since their prep school days.  The media is still treating the former Florida governor like a serious candidate.  As usual, tone deaf to the majority of the country, both left and right who would like forget about the family.  Let's hope they get the message.

Springtime?

From the NCR to southern Florida, it feels more like early February than March 4.  The northwest wind howling across the frozen steppes this morning took what little fun there is on Monday morning and turned it into an icy mess.  Compared to last winter's relatively mild conclusion, this year promises a more traditional ending.  I have a feeling we won't be playing golf in the North Country anytime soon. 
Meanwhile, the Congress has collectively decided we need to add financial suffering to that caused by old man Winter.  The wingnuts are gleeful that many of their neighbors will be taking government sponsored vacations at their own expense.  Of course, many government workers near or at retirement age will probably opt out of this particular madness.  Their experience and skill will be sorely missed and their fellow workers will have to shoulder additional burdens for no additonal pay.  Welcome to the 21st century version of America. 

weather blogging

The obsession of gardeners with the weather is maddening, but also logical.  No matter the season, there is always something to do, and what's happening outside has an outsize effect on the when and whether of the gardener's efforts.  This weekend, there will be transplanting to do inside, but the cold frames outside need to be covered so the warming process can begin.  In a couple of weeks or less it will be time to start the onion and leek seedlings.  The present weather would seem inhospitable to the attempt, but if the seeding is delayed, so will the ultimate crop.  March can be a harbinger of spring in the North Country, but it can also be a cruel reminder that winter can still turn our gardening dreams into a nightmare.