President Obama announced that his administration is launching seven "Climate Hubs", mostly throughout the Southern US, to help ranchers and farmers deal with the impact of climate change. It is important to understand that the government has long had a role of using science & research efforts to assist and guide farmers. It was the change from straight line plowing to contour plowing (in which the farmer follows the landscape more) that helped mitigate some of the worst effects of the Dust Bowl. These new Climate Hubs are going to focus on ensuring food production remains at acceptable levels despite intense storms, droughts, and subzero temperatures.
This is a tall order. Let's talk about what it means for the home gardener. I believe that the days where growing some or all of your own food won't just be a hobby or a political statement: it's going to be a necessity for anyone who wants to eat well, regularly, on a budget.
There are several factors to consider when we're thinking about what to plant. It's easy to let habit guide us: if our family grew tomatoes and lettuce, we grow tomatoes and lettuce. But we can look a little further into things. What crops will grow best in your garden? I'm not sure the Zone System is enough of a guide when it comes to choosing appropriate crops. You want to examine whatever information there is available about how hardy the plants are. Can they handle a little drought? What happens if you get an early cold snap? If you can't find this information on the seed packets, go online and do some research.
Other factors to include is how productive the crops are, and how you're going to store and use the food. This is an area I've struggled with, personally: over the coming year, I have to become much more adept with my canner, as well as expanding my freezing and drying efforts. Sometimes you can get overwhelmed with how much produce you wind up with: this is the time to be mindful things don't go to waste.
Part of the story about the Climate Hubs said we were going to need to adapt our practices if we were going to be able to endure our changing future. One way that we may need to adapt is rethinking how we garden. Container gardening, vertical gardening, hydroponics: these may all have a role in how you feed yourself and your family. The smart use of greenhouses to extend the growing season may become much more vital if we're seeing longer, colder winters.
What do you see being important for the gardens of the future?
Showing posts with label things to teach your kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label things to teach your kids. Show all posts
Monday, February 10, 2014
Monday, September 16, 2013
5 Tips For Walking Around Safely in a Rural Area After a Flood
If you are in a rural area that has just been through a significant flood event, you may find yourself in a spot where you need to walk to where you want to be rather than driving to get there. Here are five tips you can use to keep yourself as safe as possible in that scenario:
1. Wear Sensible Footwear
If you are at home and have the ability to choose what footwear you'll use for your journey, take advantage of that opportunity. Choose your shoes carefully. You want shoes that have really good traction and are easy to walk in. Thick soles are better than thin soles: sharp objects, broken glass, and other hazards are common in a post-flood environment even in the countryside. Rubber soles are good in the event that you encounter downed power lines. Pick shoes that protect your feet as much as possible. Boots are probably best, with sneakers a second-choice. If you can at all help it, don't try walking out in flip-flops or barefooted.
2. Bring Bottled Water With You
It may seem ridiculous to be carrying a bottle of water with you when the whole landscape is flooded, but you need to take steps to prevent dehydration while you're on your journey. Never, ever, ever drink flood water! It is not safe. If you don't have bottled water with you, bring what you do have- soda, juice, etc. This is especially important if you know you are going to be walking many miles.
3. Carry A Big Stick
It is a good idea to bring a long stick with you - think a broom handle or something similar. There are a few reasons for this. You can use the stick to help you balance, you can use the stick to test the landscape, you can use the stick to ward off unfriendly dogs. It is much better to have a stick and not need it than it is to need a stick and not have it.
4. Be Careful Around Any Dogs You See
Even dogs that are normally loving and friendly can be freaked out by a natural disaster. This could lead them to act in hostile and aggressive ways. Dogs that are injured may lash out at you: if you see a wounded dog and you're not someone who already has vet rescue skills and knows how to deal with hurt, scared animals, leave the dog alone. It will be hard, but the last thing you need to do right now is add being bitten by a dog to your list of problems. Be very careful around any dogs or other animals you see while you're on the road.
5. Test The Terrain and Choose Your Footing Carefully
As you go walking along, you're going to need to pay a lot of attention to the path you're choosing. Avoid, as much as possible, debris and rubble. Treat any downed power lines you may see as if they were totally lethal to the touch, because they very well may be. Stay out of the water as much as possible, especially moving water.
Use your stick to test the terrain - is the ground firm and secure, or does it seem likely to collapse under your feet at any second? Choose the firmest footing you can find. As much as possible, try to stay to the center of roadways, away from edges that may be crumbled or weakened. When you come to bridges, before you cross that bridge, take the time to look it over and ascertain to the best of your ability whether or not that bridge is secure before you trust it with your life.
Be aware of the landscape around you. Landslides can happen after a flood event. Make sure you're looking uphill and down as you walk along: be aware of your surroundings. If the road has been completely washed away, you have to be very strategic about how you're going to proceed. Bear in mind that if you need rescue, rescue units will be looking where houses and roadways were FIRST, if you're way off in the woods somewhere, it may make it harder for search and rescue units to find them. Trust and use your judgement!
1. Wear Sensible Footwear
If you are at home and have the ability to choose what footwear you'll use for your journey, take advantage of that opportunity. Choose your shoes carefully. You want shoes that have really good traction and are easy to walk in. Thick soles are better than thin soles: sharp objects, broken glass, and other hazards are common in a post-flood environment even in the countryside. Rubber soles are good in the event that you encounter downed power lines. Pick shoes that protect your feet as much as possible. Boots are probably best, with sneakers a second-choice. If you can at all help it, don't try walking out in flip-flops or barefooted.
2. Bring Bottled Water With You
It may seem ridiculous to be carrying a bottle of water with you when the whole landscape is flooded, but you need to take steps to prevent dehydration while you're on your journey. Never, ever, ever drink flood water! It is not safe. If you don't have bottled water with you, bring what you do have- soda, juice, etc. This is especially important if you know you are going to be walking many miles.
3. Carry A Big Stick
It is a good idea to bring a long stick with you - think a broom handle or something similar. There are a few reasons for this. You can use the stick to help you balance, you can use the stick to test the landscape, you can use the stick to ward off unfriendly dogs. It is much better to have a stick and not need it than it is to need a stick and not have it.
4. Be Careful Around Any Dogs You See
Even dogs that are normally loving and friendly can be freaked out by a natural disaster. This could lead them to act in hostile and aggressive ways. Dogs that are injured may lash out at you: if you see a wounded dog and you're not someone who already has vet rescue skills and knows how to deal with hurt, scared animals, leave the dog alone. It will be hard, but the last thing you need to do right now is add being bitten by a dog to your list of problems. Be very careful around any dogs or other animals you see while you're on the road.
5. Test The Terrain and Choose Your Footing Carefully
As you go walking along, you're going to need to pay a lot of attention to the path you're choosing. Avoid, as much as possible, debris and rubble. Treat any downed power lines you may see as if they were totally lethal to the touch, because they very well may be. Stay out of the water as much as possible, especially moving water.
Use your stick to test the terrain - is the ground firm and secure, or does it seem likely to collapse under your feet at any second? Choose the firmest footing you can find. As much as possible, try to stay to the center of roadways, away from edges that may be crumbled or weakened. When you come to bridges, before you cross that bridge, take the time to look it over and ascertain to the best of your ability whether or not that bridge is secure before you trust it with your life.
Be aware of the landscape around you. Landslides can happen after a flood event. Make sure you're looking uphill and down as you walk along: be aware of your surroundings. If the road has been completely washed away, you have to be very strategic about how you're going to proceed. Bear in mind that if you need rescue, rescue units will be looking where houses and roadways were FIRST, if you're way off in the woods somewhere, it may make it harder for search and rescue units to find them. Trust and use your judgement!
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