The conservation law of matter says that all matter can not be created nor destroyed. This of course applies to the water resources we posses here on Earth. However, this law says nothing of polluting or transmuting our water to the point of being useless. Blue Gold does the job of peeling back the layers of intrigue that keep the truth of the water problem hidden from the average person. By using frank, factual evidence and gut wrenching stories from those that suffer from the effects of water shortage, Blue Gold strikes a heart string or two in an epic tale of how we may wake up one day to find that the fresh water that makes our planet so special isn't around anymore. And the only ones to blame will be us.
Blue Gold does a good job of being honest about how our water supplies will be gone in the future. The pure frankness of the film gives it more oomph and shocks the viewer into a state of believing everything the film says. As a a natural skeptic, I always look for "facts" that can be disputed or any blatantly biased experts or speakers, but it was pretty tough to disagree with the film. Were the speakers biased? Yes. But not in a way that made their points invalid. It was because these people knew the truth and outwardly showed their strong opinions on it.
Overall, the film was a nice eye opener. I, and most of the people I know, either don't know about the water issue our planet has, or don't care enough to do anything. I'm one of those people who knows the problem, but takes the easy route and do whatever I want to do anyway.
Even so, I find myself taking another look at my usage of water and the ways I can improve my water efficiency. Any film that can make me do a life double take is a winner in my book. Blue Gold gets the seal of approval from me.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Seed Research
My top three choices
Habanero Peppers: I love spicy food, so how cool would it be if I could grow my own spicy stuff? Some of the store bought stuff I buy is kind of nasty, and I would highly appreciate having my own supply.
Walla Walla Onions: These are my favorite onions. I put slices of these on EVERYTHING. And when they get sauteed, it's like a disco party on your taste buds. Complete with platform shoes, bell bottomed pants, and Bee Gees music.
Ed's Red Shallots: Shallots are delicious. My family makes some sweet green beans with sauteed shallots and dijon mustard. I can't get enough of them.
Habanero Peppers:
Soil Temperature: 75-85F
Planting Depth: 1/4"
Germination: 6-15 Days
Height At Maturity: 24"-36"
Days To Maturity: 90-100 Days
Sun/Shade: Full Sun
Spacing After Thinning: 12"
Habanero peppers are fruits that require well worked soil with good drainage. They should be planted right before the end of winter, and require warm, moist climates to grow properly. They should only be watered when dry, and harvesting the early fruits will encourage the plant to continue producing fruit.
The time till germination is feasible within our semester's time frame. Assuming we were to plant the seeds in the next month, we would have mature fruit in 3 months; cutting it close, but ultimately maturing before the end of the year.
An interesting fact about the Habanero is that it is the hottest pepper on Earth with a Scoville rating of 200,000. That's 1000x times hotter than the Jalapeno.
Walla Walla Onions:
Soil Temperature: 65-85F
Planting Depth: 1/4"-1/2"
Germination: 4-10 Days
Height At Maturity: 2'-3'
Days To Maturity: 100-150 Days
Sun/Shade: Full Sun
Spacing After Thinning: 3"-4"
Walla Walla onions are vegetables that prefer loose, fertile soil, with a lot of organic matter added to the mix. Their roots systems are susceptible to disruption, so mulching the soil to prevent weed growth is a good idea. Normally, Walla Walla’s are sown in late fall for a spring harvest, but they are hardy enough to be planted in the spring. Unfortunately, in our time frame, it wouldn’t be realistic to expect a harvestable plant before the end of the semester.
However, an interesting point to note is that Walla Walla’s can be harvested early to use as green onion/shallots for salads or raw eating.
Habanero Peppers: I love spicy food, so how cool would it be if I could grow my own spicy stuff? Some of the store bought stuff I buy is kind of nasty, and I would highly appreciate having my own supply.
Walla Walla Onions: These are my favorite onions. I put slices of these on EVERYTHING. And when they get sauteed, it's like a disco party on your taste buds. Complete with platform shoes, bell bottomed pants, and Bee Gees music.
Ed's Red Shallots: Shallots are delicious. My family makes some sweet green beans with sauteed shallots and dijon mustard. I can't get enough of them.
Habanero Peppers:
Soil Temperature: 75-85F
Planting Depth: 1/4"
Germination: 6-15 Days
Height At Maturity: 24"-36"
Days To Maturity: 90-100 Days
Sun/Shade: Full Sun
Spacing After Thinning: 12"
Habanero peppers are fruits that require well worked soil with good drainage. They should be planted right before the end of winter, and require warm, moist climates to grow properly. They should only be watered when dry, and harvesting the early fruits will encourage the plant to continue producing fruit.
The time till germination is feasible within our semester's time frame. Assuming we were to plant the seeds in the next month, we would have mature fruit in 3 months; cutting it close, but ultimately maturing before the end of the year.
An interesting fact about the Habanero is that it is the hottest pepper on Earth with a Scoville rating of 200,000. That's 1000x times hotter than the Jalapeno.
Walla Walla Onions:
Soil Temperature: 65-85F
Planting Depth: 1/4"-1/2"
Germination: 4-10 Days
Height At Maturity: 2'-3'
Days To Maturity: 100-150 Days
Sun/Shade: Full Sun
Spacing After Thinning: 3"-4"
Walla Walla onions are vegetables that prefer loose, fertile soil, with a lot of organic matter added to the mix. Their roots systems are susceptible to disruption, so mulching the soil to prevent weed growth is a good idea. Normally, Walla Walla’s are sown in late fall for a spring harvest, but they are hardy enough to be planted in the spring. Unfortunately, in our time frame, it wouldn’t be realistic to expect a harvestable plant before the end of the semester.
However, an interesting point to note is that Walla Walla’s can be harvested early to use as green onion/shallots for salads or raw eating.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Questions for farm bro
What effects on the economy does a mono-culture have?
In what ways do organic foods benefit the environment?
Is livestock that lack genetic modification healthier for consumption then their genetically modified counterparts?
In what ways do organic foods benefit the environment?
Is livestock that lack genetic modification healthier for consumption then their genetically modified counterparts?
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