Erica E. where are u ??? (2 Viewers)

[toffer]

 

[Johnny Mopar]

Now that's funny John! Even though I reside further to the left than a lot of folks on the mater, I still can appreciate a good Al Gore joke (and respect a dyed in the wool Mopar fan as well!) See how open minded we corn field dwellers can be? Ya kinda get that way when you are one of maybe 5 democrats in the whole state of Nebraska!

Terry...you're a great guy, but my heart goes out to you. Being a Democrat that favors Chevy's in Nebraska must be a lonely, lonely thing!

Now...back to the subject! How's spring planting going???

 

[Terry]

going fine, but we are all worried about our apparent inability to get VP nitro for our tractors--there's some guy out here, (I think he sells battery chargers or something) tellin us he can get us all the nitro we need, but the USDA says we have to use the VP nitro only, and they ain't got none!!!! Watcha gonna do???

 

[Alan]

going fine, but we are all worried about our apparent inability to get VP nitro for our tractors--there's some guy out here, (I think he sells battery chargers or something) tellin us he can get us all the nitro we need, but the USDA says we have to use the VP nitro only, and they ain't got none!!!! Watcha gonna do???

Stash it in the hay barn......

 

[Toby]

Any of the self professed experts want to be enlightened to the 'other' side of the ethanol debate, feel free to come to my farm in eastern CO. We have 4000 acres I can show you how it works. About 50 miles away is one of the most efficient ethanol plants ever produced. If the energy use was a negative, think about it, no one would make money on the deal. I would be spending more on my energy costs than I would be selling the corn and/or the ethanol plants would be in the same scenario. Now the older ethanol plants were very in-efficient. New ones are pretty impressive, the heat produced from the corn breakdown makes steam that produces power for the plant. The by-product is cattle feed that is alot better for cattle than normal corn. The new corn varieties require less and less chemicals to be applied. Ten years ago we were going through the field three times before we planted the corn. Now its one trip at most. Statistics can prove anything. When you take really old data and try to analyze it in real time events...they don't always line up.

A few countries are completely self sufficient using ethanol. They use sugarcane mainly. Corn ethanol is not perfect. Whats a better position to be in now? The US sitting around with their thumb up their ass or atleast moving forward to become more self reliant on their own renewable energy.

In addition to costing more to produce....if you really, really want to get technical, it should NOT be considered a true green fuel because of the petrochemicals used to create the herbicides and pesticides used while growing the genetically enhanced high producing varieties of corn produced by Monsanto (chemical giant.) Mono-cropping and chemical fertilizers are not a substitute by legal definition for organic produce.

Therefore, in addition to the higher cost of production we also have the higher risk of pollution of both water and soil.

We will also create shortages of other crops to feed the greed as wheat, hay, various grains and other vegetables are not planted in exchange for the artificially supported prices that this chemically enhanced and genetically altered varieties of corn are produced. All of this as we turn former surpluses of grains into shortages causing higher prices in grocery stores and suppliers to restaurant chains....




anyone see a little pattern here?


***Oh, and did I mention that these genetically altered varieties of corn are capable of pollinating corn grown for food and creating hybrids that mostly will not germinate next season?

 

[Johnny Mopar]

going fine, but we are all worried about our apparent inability to get VP nitro for our tractors--there's some guy out here, (I think he sells battery chargers or something) tellin us he can get us all the nitro we need, but the USDA says we have to use the VP nitro only, and they ain't got none!!!! Watcha gonna do???

It's a good thing you don't burn Gatorade in your Johnny Pop! NHRA would ban you if you did...

 

[Terry]

It's a good thing you don't burn Gatorade in your Johnny Pop! NHRA would ban you if you did...

Nope, we will be grandfathered, but it ain't gatorade--we proudly fly the Vegasfuel decals on our equipment! Go Max!!!!

 

[G'ginna]

Any of the self professed experts want to be enlightened to the 'other' side of the ethanol debate, feel free to come to my farm in eastern CO. We have 4000 acres I can show you how it works. About 50 miles away is one of the most efficient ethanol plants ever produced. If the energy use was a negative, think about it, no one would make money on the deal. I would be spending more on my energy costs than I would be selling the corn and/or the ethanol plants would be in the same scenario. Now the older ethanol plants were very in-efficient. New ones are pretty impressive, the heat produced from the corn breakdown makes steam that produces power for the plant. The by-product is cattle feed that is alot better for cattle than normal corn. The new corn varieties require less and less chemicals to be applied. Ten years ago we were going through the field three times before we planted the corn. Now its one trip at most. Statistics can prove anything. When you take really old data and try to analyze it in real time events...they don't always line up.

A few countries are completely self sufficient using ethanol. They use sugarcane mainly. Corn ethanol is not perfect. Whats a better position to be in now? The US sitting around with their thumb up their ass or atleast moving forward to become more self reliant on their own renewable energy.

I am always willing to learn more and since I don't remember how long ago I read up on the stuff I try to keep an open mind. Next time I head up to Colorado I will let you know.

Now, what about the genetically engineered varieties of corn interfering with the viability of seed production for varieties for human consumption most used in organic farming that might be growing nearby? Corn is wind pollinated, correct?

**Also, if you have read some of my previous posts or know me, you know I am definitely pro on renewable energy.

*** oh, and I do not consider myself a self professed expert. Just someone who gets information from a variety of sources.

 

[Johnny Mopar]

I am always willing to learn more and since I don't remember how long ago I read up on the stuff I try to keep an open mind. Next time I head up to Colorado I will let you know.

Now, what about the genetically engineered varieties of corn interfering with the viability of seed production for varieties for human consumption most used in organic farming that might be growing nearby? Corn is wind pollinated, correct?

**Also, if you have read some of my previous posts or know me, you know I am definitely pro on renewable energy.

Georginna,

I grew up on our family grain farm here in Central Missouri and have quite a bit of perspective on your subject. The corn we raise these days produces twice the yield per acre of what we did 30 years ago. If you think the price of commodities are high now, imagine what it would be if we had half the supply that we currently enjoy. You mentioned Monsanto in an earlier post. I hold nothing against them...they've done a fantastic job for all of us. Picking 200 bushel (per acre) corn is a whole lot more fun than 100 bushel corn.

 

[G'ginna]

Georginna,

I grew up on our family grain farm here in Central Missouri and have quite a bit of perspective on your subject. The corn we raise these days produces twice the yield per acre of what we did 30 years ago. If you think the price of commodities are high now, imagine what it would be if we had half the supply that we currently enjoy. You mentioned Monsanto in an earlier post. I hold nothing against them...they've done a fantastic job for all of us. Picking 200 bushel (per acre) corn is a whole lot more fun than 100 bushel corn.

Okay, I understand that, and appreciate that. But what happens when you have bred out the "inferior" producing strains that may have resistance to an unforeseen virus or blight. What happens when you lose varieties that were passed from family member to family member for generations because they tasted awesome or had some feature that was prized for whatever reason but doesn't ship well or produce more than an ear a stalk and something similar to the Irish Potato Famine occurs? While an eventuality like that may never occur again, are we not arrogant to make that assumption?

I don't have a large farm, I garden. My parents, sister, brother all have our own gardens. Through my personal experience I have found that the heirloom varieties (seeds passed on) that my grandmother and great grandmother used & saved tend to have better flavor than some of the "new" & "improved" varieties of many vegetables. Yes, they do need more intensive care and some may bruise easily which means they would not ship well and so would not be effective for large scale farming. Tell me please though, how can we measure what we lose or what we are missing if we allow these to disappear entirely?

Does my experience with vegetables even relate to the flavor in grain? I believe it does or there would not be so much change in flavors in corn - a vegetable or grain? My limited experience with wheat (in taste alone) tells me the difference in semolina or Durham for pastas and the flavor of wheat germ or even the differences in flours used for breads.

Am I even on the wrong track and production is actually the only answer?

 

[Johnny Mopar]

Okay, I understand that, and appreciate that. But what happens when you have bred out the "inferior" producing strains that may have resistance to an unforeseen virus or blight. What happens when you lose varieties that were passed from family member to family member for generations because they tasted awesome or had some feature that was prized for whatever reason but doesn't ship well or produce more than an ear a stalk and something similar to the Irish Potato Famine occurs? While an eventuality like that may never occur again, are we not arrogant to make that assumption?

I don't have a large farm, I garden. My parents, sister, brother all have our own gardens. Through my personal experience I have found that the heirloom varieties (seeds passed on) that my grandmother and great grandmother used & saved tend to have better flavor than some of the "new" & "improved" varieties of many vegetables. Yes, they do need more intensive care and some may bruise easily which means they would not ship well and so would not be effective for large scale farming. Tell me please though, how can we measure what we lose or what we are missing if we allow these to disappear entirely?

Does my experience with vegetables even relate to the flavor in grain? I believe it does or there would not be so much change in flavors in corn - a vegetable or grain? My limited experience with wheat (in taste alone) tells me the difference in semolina or Durham for pastas and the flavor of wheat germ or even the differences in flours used for breads.

Am I even on the wrong track and production is actually the only answer?

You may have a point regarding flavor...I don't know about that. Regarding passing seeds down, farmers haven't done that in a couple generations. There is wide spread loss when planting seeds harvested from a previous year. They're more likely to suffer from diseases and will not yield nearly the same as the previous crop. It's not much different than making a photo copy on a copy machine and then making multiple future copies without using the original...there's loss in every copy. In our area the old time farmers that used seeds from prior years and argued against herbicide and insecticide are all out of the business. The marginal yields they produced are now substantially better with new farmers and modern farming techniques.

 

[G'ginna]

You may have a point regarding flavor...I don't know about that. Regarding passing seeds down, farmers haven't done that in a couple generations. There is wide spread loss when planting seeds harvested from a previous year. They're more likely to suffer from diseases and will not yield nearly the same as the previous crop. It's not much different than making a photo copy on a copy machine and then making multiple future copies without using the original...there's loss in every copy. In our area the old time farmers that used seeds from prior years and argued against herbicide and insecticide are all out of the business. The marginal yields they produced are now substantially better with new farmers and modern farming techniques.

Um, not to be rude... but, seed doesn't magically appear each year. It has to be saved from previous crops. Storage techniques determine whether seed is viable from year to year. Correct? Farmers may not be passing seeds on now or practicing selective techniques (thats what companies like Monsanto do now) but gardeners are and still do. If you use this theory to apply to all things agricultural then everything is now a copy of a copy and therefore much lower quality than what our grandfathers and their fathers used.

Hmmmm, maybe you are on to something... maybe this is why our quality of political candidate seems to have deteriorated???

 

[Terry]

Well, we have done a pretty good hijack job on this thread! At least we aren't bashing Erica, huh. The corn situation in central Nebraska has changed quite radically in the past few years. Shortly before the ethanol plant boom, quite a few farmers started raising white corn contracted to Frito-Lay for their products (there is a pretty good size Frito-Lay facility in Lexington, NE. Then as demand for ethanol corn grew, the white corn planting diminished, (and the price of Doritos went up!) as more corn was being grown for ethanol. In my immediate area (not directly on river bottom like the farms near I-80) many have gone to popcorn contracted to Jiffy Pop and Orville Redenbacher because of the good yields and the hardiness of the plant itself.
Hey, Alan Loder, how's THAT for a hijack? Are ya proud of me?

 

[Toyse Jr]

Listed on RacingJunk

Erica Enders 500ci HEMI Pro Stock Engines
Fresh out of Erica's Pro Stock Car. ready!

 

[Terry]

Listed on RacingJunk

Erica Enders 500ci HEMI Pro Stock Engines
Fresh out of Erica's Pro Stock Car. ready!

Curioser and Curioser...

 

[Alan]

Well, we have done a pretty good hijack job on this thread! At least we aren't bashing Erica, huh. The corn situation in central Nebraska has changed quite radically in the past few years. Shortly before the ethanol plant boom, quite a few farmers started raising white corn contracted to Frito-Lay for their products (there is a pretty good size Frito-Lay facility in Lexington, NE. Then as demand for ethanol corn grew, the white corn planting diminished, (and the price of Doritos went up!) as more corn was being grown for ethanol. In my immediate area (not directly on river bottom like the farms near I-80) many have gone to popcorn contracted to Jiffy Pop and Orville Redenbacher because of the good yields and the hardiness of the plant itself.
Hey, Alan Loder, how's THAT for a hijack? Are ya proud of me?

Good Job!!! It's 6:45AM here, and I could go for some Doritos, Fritos, and popcorn!! You have succeeded!

 

[none]

I would like to put this thread up for "Hijack of the year".
WOW I have learned more about farming than I will ever need to know and less about EE's racing.

 

[Alan]

EE's racing.

EE is racing?? Where?? Did I miss something??

(Sorry, I couldn't resist!)


It would be nice to see her back on the track with some J&J horsepower to see what she can do....

 

[Toby]

LOL thats a good one. Atleast what you learned about farming is reality whereas practically every press release from the EE group is smoke and mirrors.

I would like to put this thread up for "Hijack of the year".
WOW I have learned more about farming than I will ever need to know and less about EE's racing.

 

[Terry]

LOL thats a good one. Atleast what you learned about farming is reality whereas practically every press release from the EE group is smoke and mirrors.

My nomination for post of the day!