Art: Gas Can or Water Jar?

New Mexico Museum of ArtFlame Gas Can, 1982 ~ Rick Dillingham (1952–1994)When I was in the New Mexico Museum of Art in Santa Fe recently, this thought-provoking exhibit caught my attention. Could our modern way of life survive without either liquid?In the spring of 1972, Dillingham began making ceramic gas cans as a comment on the centrality of gasoline to modern life. Patterned after Pueblo

Yesterday's Hike: Tundra Flowers on the Ute Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park

The hiking trail we traveled was named after the Ute tribe of Native Americans, which used this trail as a mountain pass. "The Ute and Arapahoe Indians walked this ridge in moccasins while journeying between their summer and winter hunting grounds."This was the trail as it appeared today. We traveled approximately four miles of the trail, out and back, to observe July's end blooming tundra

Dilbert on Financial Meltdown Preparedness

Farmers Market Purchases with a Matching Color Scheme

Marveling at the happy accident in like colors from thisweek's two purchases at the Boulder Farmers Market.

Bees on PBS Newshour

5 Years Later, Scientists Still Puzzled by Honeybee Decline ~ Five years ago, honeybees began dying in large numbers and hives were becoming defunct. Spencer Michels reports on the scientists who are still trying to figure out why this is happening and what can be done to help the problem. (transcript)

Sun Oven at Work: Beer Bratwurst

Why heat the kitchen and use electricity when the sun is willing to do the work for you? Our grown sons love to use the solar oven. They also make their own beer, which is why this is their favorite recipe using the Sun Oven:Put a chopped onion and a bottle of home brew into a covered casserole or dark covered pot and heat until the onion is cooked. Add 5-6 beer bratwurst and cook until done.

U.S. weekly Grain Market in Review for July 29, 2011

~July 29, 2011~Compared to last week, wheat and corn closed with slight to modest gains this week, as soybeans closed lower. This past weekend saw heavy rains across Iowa and Northern Illinois while areas south and in the Central Corn belt recorded very little if any rain. There is support from the high temperatures for the month of July was near record highs for many parts of the Midwest. With

Food is the Subject on the Newsstands

As I browsed a news stand recently, I noticed that two current periodical issues have food titles. Interested readers may want to seek them out.1. Lapham's Quarterly is a periodical "of history and ideas." Its summer 2011 issue is titled "Food." To see the index of the many articles included go here.2. The July/August 2011 issue of "Mental Floss" magazine's title is "The Explosive History of Food

Ploughing. England. 1935 Photo.

Museum of English Rural LifeChertsey Ploughing Match. September 1935.(Thursday is Luddite Day here at Big Picture Agriculture)

Co-Dependency: High Petroleum Prices, Low Dollar Value, High Food Prices

photo: CornellThis post seems timely while we are worrying about the USD's valuation. Historically, other nations tend to buy U.S. Ag commodity exports when the dollar falls, as we've been a major Ag commodity exporting nation. World Ag export competition is increasing, however.One problem is that when the dollar falls, our Ag input costs go higher due to imported energy costs. As our "leaders"

The Moray: Did the Inca Study Climate Conditions on Crops?

photo: wikipedia "This large temperature difference was possibly used by the Inca to study the effects of different climatic conditions on crops."One of many fascinating archeological spots left behind by the Incas is Moray, near Cuzco, Peru. There are four amphitheater like series of concentric circles terraced into the ground at an elevation of 11,500 feet. Though it is debated, a popular

How Can Crops Be Adapted to Climate Change?

wikipedia: sunflowersEarlier, this month, I published the post titled "CSSA's Crop Adaptation to Climate Change Report." James Giese, Director of Science Communications for the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, dropped by and left a comment under the post directing us toward more CSSA publications.Today, I'd like to feature one of

U.S. Piglet Production Finally Surpasses Canada's at More than Ten Piglets per Litter

U.S. hog producers broke through the 10-pigs-per litter barrier in the March-May 2011 quarter, according to the latest count. Averaging 10.03 pigs per litter, the U.S. hog production industry is now positioned to possibly eliminate Canadian hog producers’ longstanding litter-rate lead. U.S. litter rates have trended upward for more than two decades due to widespread adoption of technologies that

Agriculture News July 25, 2011

Jeremy Grantham Q2 2011 - Resource Limitations 2 - Much of the focus is on the subject of agriculture. (Benzinga) I featured Part I here in May.On the famine and drought in the Horn of Africa: (BBC) and "Drought Does not equal famine" (Edward R. Carr)A quarter century of careful assessment by risk-averse Europe has found no evidence of harm to the environment or health from genetically modified

Important to Keep in Mind: How Much Water is Needed to Produce Future Energy?

sourceLooming water shortages, climate change, agriculture, growing populations, and expensive energy are some of the challenges facing our future. Not enough attention is paid to the water requirements of energy production. The above chart shows gallons of water required per Megawatt hour for various energy generating sources. (Note that the chart only includes water used for operation as there

Enjoy Flavored Waters from your Garden

Here are two of my personal favorites:1. Rosemary-Lemon WaterFor great flavor, pick a few fresh rosemary leaves from your herb garden, bruise them slightly and add to lemon water. Rosemary is rich in health benefits including anti-inflammatory and immune-enhancing properties.Unfortunately, the lemons are not from my garden, but in my opinion there is nothing as refreshing as lemon water during

Easy Sauerkraut Using One Head of Cabbage

Cabbages are one of the top five vegetables produced in the state of Colorado. They do well here, and that seems to prove true in our own garden. This is my third season to try my hand at making sauerkraut. This year, I'm excited about a new recipe version which should eliminate mold which can accumulate at the top when using the traditional method in a crock. It's a bit like a sauerkraut version

Movie Trailer: Grow!

Grow! is new 50 minute documentary that captures the energy and independence of a fresh crop of young farmers. All across the U.S. there is a growing movement of educated young people who are leaving the cities to take up an agrarian life. Armed with college degrees, some are unable to find jobs in the current economic slump...... Please find out more at movie website.

What's Lady Gaga Doing in a Barn in Nebraska?

Evidently, Lady Gaga is filming her "You and I" video about her true love, a Nebraska-born guy by the name of Luc Carl. He's from Springfield, Nebraska, a town of about 1,400 people, where music video filming is currently taking place. The video is rumored to involve a piano in a corn field, a barn setting, and a soybean field. No reporters are allowed anywhere near, but so far she's been

China Leads the way in U.S. Agricultural Exports to BRIC Nations

With the increase in feed consumption, U.S. crop exports to BRIC countries have grown, especially to China. China has emerged as the leading BRIC destination for U.S. bulk commodities and crops. The value of U.S. bulk commodity exports to China has soared over recent years. The annual value of these exports averaged less than $2 billion from 1990 to 2002, rose to about $4 billion in 2005, and

U.S. weekly Grain Market in Review for July 22, 2011

~July 22, 2011~Compared to last week, wheat and corn struggled with modest losses this week, as soybeans closed slightly mixed. The weather forecast for the Northern and Western Corn Belt is more favorable than other parts of the Midwest at this time with rain in the near forecast. The possibility of rain pressured the market this week. With the corn market it is all about the weather at this

Average U.S. Farm Real Estate value, nominal and real (inflation adjusted) 1970-2010

Between 1994 and 2004, real values increased between 2 and 4 percent annually, and in 2005 and 2006 experienced sharp annual increases of 16 percent and 11 percent respectively, before slowing to 7 percent and 6 percent annual growth in 2007 and 2008.source: usda

U.S. Farmland Average Price per Acre Valuation Map from the USDA

Agricultural land values vary across States and regions depending on the inherent quality of the land for agricultural production, and on competing demands for other uses, such as development. As of January 2010, the Northeast farm production region had the highest average value of farm real estate, at $4,690 per acre, due in large part to the expected value of agricultural land for future

1947 UK Farm Photo: Threshing Gang

photo: Museum of English Rural LifeThreshing gang with Burrell engine near Bognor Regis, Sussex. 1947.

The June Rural Mainstreet Goss Report

"We are beginning to see some of the air exiting the farmland price bubble." ---Ernie GossThe Goss Reporting on June rural mainstreet surveys is showing:Farmland price index drops to lowest level since October of last year.Almost one-third of bankers report that out-of-area buyers have been the primary purchasers of farm land over the past 4 years.More than two-thirds, or 68 percent, indicated

Map Showing Midwestern Farmland Appreciation First Quarter 2011 from Federal Reserve District Surveys

From the KC Federal Reserve's Report . . .High commodity prices in the first quarter strengthened farm income and spurred further farmland value gains. Most states in the Chicago, Minneapolis and Kansas City Districts posted double-digit gains in cropland value from the prior year, with gains approaching 25 percent in Kansas, Nebraska and Minnesota.Even with extreme drought conditions in the

A Promising New Boulder Company: Cool Energy Inc. Manufactures Stirling Engine Renewable Energy Systems

I ran across this nifty item in my local paper, the Daily Camera here in Boulder:Boulder's Cool Energy raises $1 million Business incubator Idealab was among the investors who provided $1 million in funding to Boulder-based Cool Energy Inc., a manufacturer of low-temperature Stirling engines that convert solar thermal energy and waste heat into electricity, according to Securities and Exchange

KC Fed Report: Equipment Sales Loans Plunge, Input Cost Loans Surge, and Farm Loan Delinquency Rates are Heading Upwards

In a recently released July report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, I've excerpted portions indicating a quarterly decline in agricultural lending conditions based on bank statistics from Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, and portions of western Missouri and northern New Mexico. Loan momentum has shifted to short term coverage for high input costs. Note that equipment

Weather and Corn Crop Conditions

I spoke to my family yesterday and they "cannot believe the high USDA corn numbers" because they are seeing a lot of derecho wind damage to corn in their area in Northeastern Nebraska. You recall that most of the national news reports of wind damage were from Iowa. The wind causing the damage reported by my family in Nebraska was from the same storm on July 11th.There is a lot of green snap on my

Agriculture News July 18, 2011

I haven't made a macro economic post here for a while, partly out of exasperation on my part. At this point, what can be said that hasn't already been said and how could it possibly matter with our political, corporate, banking global network such as it is? We've gotten ourselves into a pickle and there's no easy way out. Now, it's just popcorn time while we pay for past sins.In an interview by

Largest four grocery retailers accounted for 37 percent of U.S. grocery sales in 2009

U.S. sales by the 20 largest food retailers totaled $404.2 billion in 2009, amounting to 64.2 percent of U.S. grocery store sales, an increase from 39.2 percent in 1992. Although shares held by the largest 4, 8, and 20 supermarket and supercenter retailers decreased slightly from 2008 to 2009, the longer term trend shows an increasing concentration of sales among the Nation’s largest grocery

Fred Kaufman on Market Capture in the Food "Sustainable Label" Industry

This is a TED Manhattan talk...

Fred concludes through studying tomatoes and Walmart, that "these guys are not measuring sustainability. They're measuring money." In the end, he concludes how wonderful that it would be to have a real, useable "sustainability index."

Laziness Sells

Note that the following was sent to me in one of those "email forwards." I don't know who wrote it.flickr by Aunt OwweeThe Green Thing.......In the line at the store, the cashier told an older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day."The clerk

A Trip to the Santa Fe Farmers Market July 2011

The Santa Fe, New Mexico Farmers Market is located in the historic, nicely revitalized rail yards area of town. The "water tower" marks the entrance to the market. Last weekend the weather was sunny and hot with a temperature in the mid-80's. The elevation of this town is 7,200 feet and the annual precipitation is just over 14 inches, the wettest month being July.Plumes of smoke from the Las

Contagion Movie Trailer

Because this film's theme is basically mass hysteria due to apocalyptic bird flu and begins with an inference to factory farming, I thought I'd include it here.

U.S. weekly Grain Market in Review for July 15, 2011

~July 15, 2011~Compared to last week, grain and soybean bids closed with sharp gains for the week, in response mostly to the USDA Supply and Demand Report which showed tighter than expected corn ending stocks for the upcoming marketing year. Ending corn stocks were less than expected coming in below trade expectations at 880 million bushels with trade estimates of 905 mb. Changes also came in

Navajo Churro Sheep and Wool

flickr by Just chaosThe rare Navajo Churro sheep are of Iberian descent, brought to North American during the 16th century by the Spanish. By the 17th century, these sheep were popular in the Rio Grande Valley and had been acquired by the Native Americans.Churro sheep are extremely hardy, low-maintenance, and adaptable to climate extremes. Their wool consists of a protective topcoat and a soft

The Renewables 2011 Global Status Report

My photo of Vestas manufacturing plant near Pueblo, ColoradoThe Renewables 2011 Global Status Report on the global growth of renewable energy in 2010 has been released. Here are some of the key findings:The renewable energy sector continues to perform well despite continuing economic recession, incentive cuts, and low natural-gas prices.Renewable capacity now comprises about a quarter of

Farm Photo: Horses Pulling a Wooden Plough in Australia

Wooden plough being pulled by horses in the fields at Avondale research station, inland from Perth, Australia.Avondale was first established as an estate in 1830 and was originally given to the first Governor of Western Australia, Captain James Stirling as a grant from Queen Victoria. It passed through many hands during the 1800's before being purchased by the Lands Department in 1911 and was

Old Agricultural Methods and Tools on these Luddite Sites

Readers here know that every Thursday I post an old agriculture photo, often a field showing the use of animal labor or old farm equipment. Regardless of whatever "foodie" outlook or feelings of food supremacy we have, the fact is, we have gained leisure time by the industrialization of agriculture over these past decades which has freed us from the endless hours previously spent doing physical

Farm Raised Fish Video From Maine and TIME magazine's Aquaculture Issue

Global aquacultural production increased from less than 1 million tons in 1950 to 52.5 million tons in 2008, and over the past few decades, aquaculture has grown faster than any other form of food production. Today about half the seafood consumed around the world comes from farms.


TIME magazine's recent issue is about aquaculture, and "the future of fish." See feature article The End of the

Global Map of Precipitation Changes Expected by 2040 Due to Climate Change

The following map is from the BIS report, "International Dimensions of Climate Change." [pdf] The map shows the projected change in annual mean precipitation (mm per year) for 2040, relative to 1970-1999.*Then, below, the "agriculture" section has been excerpted from the report.Ensemble modelling carried out for this project signals a decrease in precipitation in parts of the Amazon region,

Agriculture News July 11, 2011

I spent last week in New Mexico, and will cover this unique agricultural region over the next few days. New Mexico's combination of diverse native peoples, settlement history, tiny farm plots, freedom from agribusiness lobbyists, and sparse water conditions make it an important focal point of study. There may not be another state in the U.S. with as much to offer the progressive Ag community. By

Farming on Boulder County Open Space Land

A Boulder County Open Space Farm Tourof Three Farms in June 2011Out of 94,000 acres of Boulder County Open Space land, about 24,000 acres are devoted to agriculture. The BCOS program values agriculture as an important resource to the community in preserving its heritage as a food producing region and for providing ongoing food security.This area has faced horrendous development challenges,

U.S. weekly Grain Market in Review for July 8, 2011

~July 8, 2011~Compared to last week, grain and soybean bids closed higher with solid to sharp gains for the week, after last week’s bearish USDA report for corn acreage triggered limit down losses for corn and near limit down losses for wheat and soybeans. Corn had bullish export news with China being major buyers which help to led to solid gains for the corn market. Soybeans had sharp gains

CSSA's Crop Adaptation to Climate Change Report

Note that this post contains a few interesting excerpts from a new report by the Crop Science Society of America (CSSA is an international scientific society comprised of 6,000+ members with its headquarters in Madison, WI.) The title of the report is "Position Statement on Crop Adaptation to Climate Change" [pdf]"Climate change has far reaching implications for food security, health and safety,

Old Farm Photo: Plowing with Horses in South Dakota

Early use of contour plowing on a farm near Interior, South Dakota. [year unknown]

Pork is Number One, but Poultry Production Continues to Increase Worldwide, and Beef Falls Behind

Poultry’s share of world meat production has steadily increased, while beef’s share has declined. The changing composition of global meat production has affected the amount and kind of feed used. Poultry production is the most efficient animal industry at converting grain and protein meal into meat. Pork, however, continues to account for the largest share of world meat production, with China

Farm Production Expenses in 2011

This post contains information about the rising costs of inputs for industrial agriculture, namely fertilizer, fuels, and pesticides. There is a goal growing in momentum from both agribusiness and producers to increase production while improving sustainability and lowering input costs. Luckily, methods which lower input costs generally improve sustainability. The following graphs and statistics

Agriculture News July 5, 2011

As everyone knows by now, some air came out of the wheat and corn bubbles last week. But, there's a lot of doubt in the air concerning the large number of corn acres reported by the USDA. The biggest loser? The Ogallala aquifer, since Nebraska led the way as the state with the largest corn acreage gain, at 850,000 additional corn acres.'Goat plague' threat to global food security and economy must

Happy 4th!!!

Steve Breen via Gocomics~~~Wishing you both freedom and the American Dream on this day in which we celebrate our independence from those bloody Brits!~~~Bruce Beattie via Gocomics

The Kansas City Urban Farming Guys Plan

“… to empower the globe with food freedom, alternate energy & a sustainable community.”

By cultivating the life of the inner-city of Kansas, they’re demonstrating a sustainable change, not only to their neighborhood, but also to the world. Thinking global, acting local. Sharing knowledge: worldwide.

(Website here)

Aspen Institute Session: Can Science Feed the World?

Can Science Feed the World? Growing enough food in decades ahead at an acceptable cost to the planet will depend on research into everything from high-tech seeds to low-tech farming practices. Scientists increasingly see a critical role for “sustainable intensification,” an approach to producing more food from the same land with fewer inputs of energy and water, and at the same time reducing the

Ethanol Mandate Means Corn Demand Less Responsive to Price

Note that the following article is published with permission from Purdue University. The corn price dynamics explained is an important subject ~ determined entirely by policy. Tyner tells us that the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency has the right to waive the ethanol mandate if it is perceived that significant economic harm is occurring because of it. [Writer: Steve Leer;

U.S. Weekly Grain Market in Review for July 1, 2011

~July 1, 2011~Compared to last week, grain and soybean bids closed sharply lower for the week. Fireworks for the 4th of July got started early as a very bearish corn acreage report triggered limit down losses for corn and near limit down losses for wheat with soybeans closing with sharp losses as well. The in-delivery July corn contract traded with no limits in place and showed it on Thursday (