Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Egg Money in the Sustainable Farming Universe

Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post
It is not so easy being a Chicken farmer. This young woman is doing it. Shelby Grebenc has been raising chickens for both eggs and meat at her family's Adams County farm. In this 2011 photo, she holds Chipmunk, one of her Americana hens.

You may be tired of reading about Chickens and sustainable agriculture but I am probably not going to stop writing about it. Hey, it is my Blog.  

My Babcha helped raise a family of six with her chicken and egg money in the early 1900s. All they had was an acre in the country. I think I really may get some Hens. Ever had a fresh country Egg? Delicious. 

Ms. Shelby has plenty of peppery and wise things to say about Life, Salesmanship and Chickens like this quote below. Go to the article at the Denver Post if you want to know more:

"If you want sustainable, wholesome, pasture-raised organic, hormone- and antibiotic-free food, you have to support it. You can not get these things by talking about it and not paying for it. The next time you shop at a farmers market, think about what it cost me to grow it. Don't ask me to take less and then tell me you can get it cheaper at a big-box store. I know you can — but it will not be as fresh or as good as what I have, and you won't make me cry."


Thursday, January 24, 2013

Asshats on Parade - Rape Edition - Cathrynn N. Brown

Several political professionals are trying to teach Republicans how and how-not to talk about Rape according to Media-ite:
“This is actually pretty simple,” said Republican strategist Kevin Madden. “If you’re about to talk about rape as anything other than a brutal and horrible crime, stop.”
 Marina Ein, a crisis communications specialist, said Republicans need “sensitivity training” to succeed in the next elections. "It all boils down to whether or not the Republican Party thinks this is a problem,” she said. “If they want to make inroads with women, then they need to subject every one of their candidates to sensitivity training — not to mention reality training.”
Cathrynn N. Brown
I submit House Bill 206 as an example of how intelligently and seriously Republicans have taken excellent and expensive advice. Yes, it is a real bill. Read it and laugh. Or weep. 

That old Republican magic = Poof! You are now an evidence locker. Hard to believe that a lady this cute could be so pea picking corn snorting dumb and inhumane is it not? And Ms. Brown is an attorney. Let that sink in for awhile. 
HOUSE BILL 206
51ST LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 2013
INTRODUCED BY
AN ACT
RELATING TO CRIMINAL LAW; SPECIFYING PROCURING OF AN ABORTION
AS TAMPERING WITH EVIDENCE IN CASES OF CRIMINAL SEXUAL
PENETRATION OR INCEST.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
SECTION 1.  Section 30-22-5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1963,
Chapter 303, Section 22-5, as amended) is amended to read:
"30-22-5.  TAMPERING WITH EVIDENCE.--
A.  Tampering with evidence consists of destroying,
changing, hiding, placing or fabricating any physical evidence
with intent to prevent the apprehension, prosecution or
conviction of any person or to throw suspicion of the
commission of a crime upon another.
B.  Tampering with evidence shall include procuring
or facilitating an abortion, or compelling or coercing another
to obtain an abortion, of a fetus that is the result of
criminal sexual penetration or incest with the intent to
destroy evidence of the crime.  
C.  Whoever commits tampering with evidence
shall be punished as follows:
(1)  if the highest crime for which tampering
with evidence is committed is a capital or first degree felony 
or a second degree felony, the person committing tampering with
evidence is guilty of a third degree felony;
(2)  if the highest crime for which tampering
with evidence is committed is a third degree felony or a fourth
degree felony, the person committing tampering with evidence is
guilty of a fourth degree felony;
(3)  if the highest crime for which tampering
with evidence is committed is a misdemeanor or a petty
misdemeanor, the person committing tampering with evidence is
guilty of a petty misdemeanor; and
(4)  if the highest crime for which tampering
with evidence is committed is indeterminate, the person
committing tampering with evidence is guilty of a fourth degree
felony."
SECTION 2.  EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the
provisions of this act is July 1, 2013.
- 2 -
.190749.3

Friday, January 4, 2013

"Rice is the best, the most nutritive and the most widespread staple in the world." - Escoffier

 There seem to be but three ways for a nation to acquire wealth. The first is by war, as the Romans did, in plundering their conquered neighbors. This is robbery. The second by commerce, which is generally cheating. The third by agriculture, the only honest way, wherein man receives a real increase of the seed thrown into the ground, in a kind of continual miracle, wrought by the hand of God in his favor, as a reward for his innocent life and his virtuous industry.    Benjamin Franklin

I wonder about the world food supply and the effect of global climate change on agriculture. Our corn harvest in the USA is seriously affected by sustained drought.  About 80 percent of our agricultural land is experiencing drought. I wonder what this will do to the price of milk and eggs. Global climate change is a bread and butter issue. 

I found this press release from the United Nations comforting.
19 November 2012, Rome - Global rice production for 2012 is forecast to outpace consumption in 2012/13, resulting in an upward revision of 5 million tonnes in 2013 closing inventories, according to a new forecast by FAO's  Rice Market Monitor issued today. 
"Compared to last year, world rice carryover stocks are expected to rise by 7 percent, or 10 million tonnes, to a new high of almost 170 tonnes, marking the eighth consecutive year of stock accumulation," says the RMM. "As a result, the world rice stock-to-use ratio is forecast to rise from 33.6 percent in 2012 to 35.5 percent in 2013.
I wonder how many rice farmers in Africa are beautiful women.  I love Rice. So this is good news to me. There certainly is lots to think about. So I am going to keep thinking "aloud" about it and relaying what I find. I am particularly interested in urban farming.

Learn how to cook rice and get rice recipes with pictures and directions for the beginning cook at this this wonderful blog: