Moon Over Old Orchard
Afternoon sunshine
Days with Record high
Days with record highs recorded in Albany since 2000:
January – 9
February – 8
March – 11
April – 9
May – 9
June – 4
July – 0
August – 2
September – 8
October – 4
November – 6
December – 6
Texas is Losing the Fight Against Feral Hogs – The Truth About Guns
Even though hunters and trappers are killing approximately 30 percent of the hog population in Texas annually, hog numbers are still growing by about 20 percent each year. Biologists and wildlife managers estimate that 70 percent of the hogs in the state will have to be killed annually just to maintain current population levels and even more must be taken to actually reduce their numbers.
You read that right: 7 out of every 10 hogs in the state must be killed just to keep their numbers where they are now.
So why are wild hog populations experiencing such explosive growth in this portion of the United States?
The main reason is that hogs breed almost as fast as rabbits. They become sexually mature before they are a year old and can produce as many as three litters of 6 to 8 piglets every year.
Another reason they are difficult to control is because feral pigs are very intelligent and resilient animals. They quickly respond to hunting and trapping pressure by changing their habits or just leaving the area for greener pastures when things get too hot.
Since they are known to roam over extremely long distances in search of food, this makes long-term hog control measures difficult and complicated.
Farm fields to solar facilities
There are some that would like a massive conversion of farm fields to industrial solar facilities…
I think this is a terrible idea. Farm land, while working land producing crops to feed humans and livestock 🐮🐷🐔 is still largely wild green space home to many common wildlife need as part of the mixed land cover that sustains them.🌲🌽🌾☘
Agriculture tills the soil, spreads manure, plants and harvests the ground. 🚜 But all but a handful of hours a year is mechanical farm equipment on the land. Some chemicals are used like nitrogen fertilizer or herbicides but for the most part the land is natural and green, soaking up carbon dioxide and providing habitat for a wide variety of animals. Fields are minimally driven in by tractors to minimize soil compaction, often worked with duals to spread the weight of the tractor.⚫ Proper aeration and fertility can take generations to achieve and can be quickly destroyed by heavy equipment.🚚
In contrast, industrial solar is a full industrialization of the land. 😎🏭Years of gently cared for soils risk compaction. Land that once was rural and agricultural will become industrialized and potentially toxic. Green landscape and dirt are replaced silicon panels.
I don’t have a problem with homeowners and businesses going solar by putting panels on their buildings 🏢 but I don’t like the idea of turning green fields 🌾 into the industrial solar facilities.
Today’s Almanac for Sunday December 15
Today’s Almanac
Night before dawn is 6 hours and 46 minutes,
Dawn starts at 6:46 am and runs for 31 minutes,
Sunrise is at 7:18 am which is 4 hours and 41 minutes before noon,
High noon, the transit of the sun, is at 11:50 am,
From twelve noon to the sunset at 4:22 pm is 4 hours and 22 minutes,
Dusk lasts for 28 minutes concluding at 4:54 pm,
Leaving 7 hours and 5 minutes until midnight.
Untitled
