Posted by JerryS on August 21, 2012 at 21:13:37 from (98.80.113.189):
As a lad growing up in northwest Louisiana in the late 40s and 50s I experienced some effects of the “second dust bowl”, when dust from west Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma found its way to my house. I can remember many days when the atmosphere was laden with red dust, to the point that sun was dimmed as if by clouds. Everything in the house was covered with a not-so-thin layer of the dust, and grit found its way into our food. These events occurred at least twice during my childhood.
An article in USA Today says that we should not expect another dust bowl, despite the recent years’ drought in the west and mid-west. Nor should we expect widespread crop failure (depends on who you ask, I imagine) thanks to innovations in seed quality, planting practices and farming technology, the report says. It concedes there is cause for concern if the drought continues, as it demonstrates the vulnerability of corn crops to these vagaries of weather.
It says that during the past 20 years farmers have largely abandoned the practice of plowing 8-11 inches deep, instead adopting “no-till” or “conservation tillage” to minimize disturbance of the soil. Disease and insect-resistant plant varieties are helping to reduce the amount of travel over the soil by equipment(TRACTORS, combines), helping it to remain looser and more moisture-receptive.
The innovation that got my attention was in the realm of technology: “precision-farming” utilizing GPS and radio signals to allow “autopilot” and “tailor planting, fertilizing and insecticide application”. The precision-guided systems allow farmers to apply 1-inch-wide applications of fertilizer over the soil in the fall, and then plant seeds in the same 1-inch path in the spring.
The news article said also that another factor reducing the likelihood of a dust bowl is soil conservation. “Taxpayers paid roughly $1.7 billion last year to keep about 31 million acres of marginal farmland out of production through the Conservation Reserve Program. The land, planted in grass and other cover for wildlife, would be highly susceptible to wind erosion, the Department of Agriculture says.”
I've got a feeling some of the old hands on this board are going to say this is old news, no news or total krap. Me, I know nothing; just thought it was interesting.
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Today's Featured Article - Gatherin of the Orange - by Rick Nikolich. In July of 1998 I was talking to fellow Allis Chalmers collector Mike Schilling about the annual "Gathering of The Orange" AC show coming up in August of 1999. He got this wild idea that we should get a convoy of AC tractors and drive them from Charlotte, Michigan 105 miles to LaGrange, Indiana.
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