It turns out a lot of farms grow corn and soy, because they are a lot less labor intensive to grow. Farmers, especially those who do it part time as a hobby or side income to sustain their family can have other off-farm jobs, milk cows, and do other things unlike many fruit and vegetable crops which require much more management. This is a very interesting video, something that runs contrary to corporate evil-doer mantra that dominates public discussion of the issues these days.
Over did the caffeine yesterday, popping a caffeine pill in hope of a bit more energy which didn’t give me problems getting to sleep but left me with insane dreams and feeling half awake but drowsy at 5:30 AM rather then 4:30 AM that I get up most mornings. Then after cooking some really good johnnycakes with spinach up I got to try out my new smoke detector as I left the burner on and the residual olive oil reached it’s smoke point. When I went to check the rear wheel on my bike to see if I could further true up the wheel, I discovered two spokes broken on the rear wheel. Fortunately on the brake disc side, so I didn’t have to pull the cassette assuming I was willing to bend spokes to make it fit.
And so I pulled spokes off that old wheel I wrecked last winter, carefully bent them and installed them, tightened up the spokes, and I was off to the races, maybe a bit late in the office but it doesn’t matter as I usually leave late most nights to catch that later local home downtown. So its a wash. Reset button worked fine on the new smoke detector, and then I opened the windows to let out the smoke. Truth is that I didn’t care about letting the cold in because the heat is off, though I closed them up promptly once the smoke was out as it was a cold morning. Down to 3 bolts on the rear brake, I really should buy some more as they keep bouncing out on the trail. Truth is I probably need a new rear brake disc, its growing thin but I’m not going to replace until it’s shot. Taped the plastic spoke-chain protector, that also needs replacing as the plastic clips are broken off that but I’ll do that the next time I put a new cassette and chain on the bike. Got the wheel reasonably trued up and rode in this morning.
It was windy and cold for the ride in this morning, but otherwise fine. The wheel is reasonably true but I may want to adjust it more as the replacement spokes stretch and adjust. I also noticed the true is a bit more off on the front wheel then I’d like so I might adjust them more later. Honestly, I don’t care about a little wobble on the smooth asphalt as long as nothing is broken, as so much of the pavement and bike trail is pretty uneven as is most trail riding. I was in by 9:15 AM but I’ll be in my office until 5:20 PM so all is good and no rush projects right now, it’s actually pretty quiet as the database update is running in the background. Wearing one of my new Salvation Army shirts, was hoping to get a pin-stripe dress shirts, but the blue and white chex pattern is good, seemed a bit tight at first after washing but it’s stretched a bit after a few hours of wearing and it’s good. I sort of like the geeky look, makes me appear more of a professional. Mostly like anything, if it works good enough it’s good enough for me.
The johnny cakes this morning where good with the onions, jalapenos and garlic from Shauls. The key was shredding things good in the food processor, including adding a bunch of spinach and shredded broccoli, then some oatmeal and whole wheat flower with olive oil for crunch. As was drinking up the pot of coffee much too quickly. I am still much too much of a coffee fein. At least coffee in the morning doesn’t impact my sleep the next day like the caffeine pills do. I’ve cut way back, at least on pills, but I mean you need your morning coffee at 4 AM, and then obviously the free, now flavored chocolate-raspberry coffee is good. And it’s so good to keep you peeing all day long, and emptying out your guts in the toilet, especially with my high fiber diet. I’ll have to read another book about Humanure composting.
Looking at this 3D rendering of the Black River Valley, I never realized how nearly all the agriculture is on the west side of valley, climbing up into the Tug Hill Plateau. I am most of that has to do with the soils -- the east side is very sandy and infertile with a lot of timber stands. This picture starts around Boonville and heads north of Lowville, the town that rhythms with cow-ville for good reason.
For a while I got my hunting license every year and headed out to the field in search of small game. It’s kind of tough to do regularly as I live in the city and nearby public lands are a ways away and many of them have a lot of hunting pressure. I hate sitting out on a ridge and peering down onto another ridge and seeing another hunter with his or her gun. Before and after deer season, it’s not so bad, but still obnoxious.
I know the big treasure is a big buck or a turkey in their respective seasons. But I have no place to hang or quarter a deer where I live plus my freezer is pretty small in my apartment. And what to do with the guts or entrails? I don’t have trash service and I would hate to put good organic material like that in the landfill.
I’d be better if I spent more time in the field. Podcasts and videos are great but they could only teach you so much. I probably would benefit from using a guide service. But it’s kind of hard not being a landowner and living in the city. Sure I don’t mind nights in the woods this time of year but even thru don’t happen all that often. Maybe when I own my own land.
carefully bent them and installed them, tightened up the spokes, and I was off to the races, maybe a bit late in the office but it doesn’t matter as I usually leave late most nights to catch that later local home downtown. So its a wash. Reset button worked fine on the new smoke detector, 
and then I opened the windows to let out the smoke. 
Truth is that I didn’t care about letting the cold in because the heat is off, though I closed them up promptly once the smoke was out as it was a cold morning. Down to 3 bolts on the rear brake, I really should buy some more as they keep bouncing out on the trail. Truth is I probably need a new rear brake disc, its growing thin but I’m not going to replace until it’s shot. Taped the plastic spoke-chain protector, that also needs replacing as the plastic clips are broken off that but I’ll do that the next time I put a new cassette 
and chain on the bike. Got the wheel reasonably trued up and rode in this morning.
but otherwise fine. The wheel is reasonably true but I may want to adjust it more as the replacement spokes stretch and adjust. I also noticed the true is a bit more off on the front wheel then I’d like so I might adjust them more later. Honestly, I don’t care about a little wobble on the smooth asphalt as long as nothing is broken, as so much of the pavement and bike trail is pretty uneven as is most trail riding. I was in by 9:15 AM but I’ll be in my office until 5:20 PM so all is good and no rush projects right now, it’s actually pretty quiet as the database update is running in the background. Wearing one of my new Salvation Army shirts, was hoping to get a pin-stripe dress shirts, but the blue and white chex pattern is good, seemed a bit tight at first after washing but it’s stretched a bit after a few hours of wearing and it’s good. 
I sort of like the geeky look, makes me appear more of a professional. Mostly like anything, if it works good enough it’s good enough for me.
The key was shredding things good in the food processor, including adding a bunch of spinach and shredded broccoli, then some oatmeal and whole wheat flower with olive oil for crunch. As was drinking up the pot of coffee 
much too quickly. I am still much too much of a coffee fein. At least coffee in the morning doesn’t impact my sleep the next day like the caffeine pills do. I’ve cut way back, 
at least on pills, but I mean you need your morning coffee at 4 AM, and then obviously the free, now flavored chocolate-raspberry coffee is good. 
And it’s so good to keep you peeing all day long, and emptying out your guts in the toilet, especially with my high fiber diet. 
I’ll have to read another book about Humanure composting.
