Speculator, NY

Exactly one year ago I was camping up here in the worst of the pandemic πŸ•

Exactly one year ago I was camping up here in the worst of the pandemic πŸ•

Laying back in the hammock, listening to the news and some podcasts. One of the stories I was listening to was Radiolab which discussing who should get ventilators in the midst of shortages, back when doctors thought the best way to help with severe cases was to hook folks up to ventilators. How fast things change, although the bodies keep adding up.

At least with the elderly folk and liberals at that point were mostly homebound, as heard on North Country Public Radio where many people had not left their homes in weeks. Many thought even going outside was a grave threat to go outside, much less take a walk. Maybe for some that was very good advice. I know I avoided any public places except for a quick weekly shop at Aldi’s or other small supermarket. I would actually buy two gallons of milk at a time to minimize shopping trips. And we can all remember that you couldn’t find nearly any toilet paper and the grocery store can aisle looked like it had been picked over by a mob. Always maintain social distancing on the trail and eventually a bandana for a mask.

Fast forward a year and I’m back at the same campsite. By Wednesday of this week I will be fully vaccinated from COVID-19. Campsite is about the same although now I don’t have to worry about telling people I went up camping in the wilderness, lest I risk the wrath of the stay home, stay safe folk. While social distancing was necessary some folks with their moralizing were just obnoxious. Social distancing and later wearing a mask became a badge of honor for some.

I’m glad to be back home in the Adirondacks again. The more things change, the more they stay the same is the old meme. While I have nothing but disdain for some of the politics of COVID-19, we all had to live through it and it’s now mostly in the rear view mirror. Life is slowly getting back to normal, and maybe some of the changes are better for all of us. We will miss the many lost in the past year but it could have been a lot worse.

Ep. 186 – Logan Pribbeno – Using a Grazing Cage

Ep. 186 – Logan Pribbeno – Using a Grazing Cage

4/18/21 by Clay Conry

Web player: https://podcastaddict.com/episode/121974072
Episode: https://chtbl.com/track/115875/https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/http://storage.googleapis.com/providers.globalagnetwork.com/podcasts/working-cows-podcast/episodes/Working-Cows-Ep.-186-Logan-Pribbeno.mp3

Logan Pribbeno, a rancher at the Wine Glass Ranch in Southwest Nebraska, joined me to discuss their use of grazing exclusion cages. We talked about how and why they use them as well as what decisions are influenced by the process of range monitoring. Logan and I also discuss the advantages of being a second generation manager in a regenerative system.

This podcast is interesting, looking at the management of grass lands and prairie in Nebraska and other places – and using science to study grass productivity.. While not directly about the Pine Bush there are many parallels.

No Distance Can Stop Your Love Of Agriculture | FFA SAE Edition | Brianna Young | Patagonia Union High School FFA

OFI 891: No Distance Can Stop Your Love Of Agriculture | FFA SAE Edition | Brianna Young | Patagonia Union High School FFA

9/16/20 by Matt Brechwald

Web player: https://podcastaddict.com/episode/112559614
Episode: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/offincome/OFI_891__No_Distance_Can_Stop_Your_Love_Of_Agriculture___FFA_SAE_Edition___Brianna_Young___Patagonia_Union_High_School_FFA.mp3

When you live in the West and in a rural, farming community you have a lot of distance to cover between towns. And, if you are young and passionate about agriculture, this can result in you putting in a lot of road miles to take advantage of opportunities. Our guest today, Brianna Young, does exactly this. Brianna has an amazing story of lambing out sheep for a farmer, three hours north of her home near the Mexico border in Phoenix, Arizona. She also has an amazing story of a one hour, one way commute to be able to work in a veterinary clinic. Brianna has her sights set on becoming a veterinarian in the future, and this is the sacrifice she must make to get the experience she so desires as she prepares for college. All of Brianna’s hard work has paid off however. She has been awarded a gold award for sheep production in the State of Arizona. In addition to that, she has a lifelong love of agriculture that is leading her towards a very rewarding and happy life. SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Sheep Production, Veterinary Science and Equine Science HIGH SCHOOL: Patagonia Union High School; Patagonia, Arizona MASCOT: Lobos FFA ADVISOR: Tonya St. John CONTACT INFORMATION FOR BRIANNA YOUNG: Click on the picture below to be taken to the Patagonia Union High School Website: Brianna’s FFA Advisor’s Email Address: tstjohn@patagonia.k12.az.us Patagonia Union High School Telephone Number: (520) 394-3000 FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE’s) Support FFA Donate to FFA – One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start – pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world. FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food. Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth. Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store: β€œThe future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America’s youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America’s youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.”. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue Where Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald Can Be Heard: Member Of The National Association Of Farm Broadcasters

Commodity Checkoff Programs and Marketing Orders

FOA 223: Commodity Checkoff Programs and Marketing Orders

9/16/20

Web player: https://podcastaddict.com/episode/112551416
Episode: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/aggrad/223_FOA_Daren_Williams_FINAL_R1_.mp3?dest-id=401448

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/aggrad/223_FOA_Daren_Williams_FINAL_R1_.mp3?dest-id=401448

Daren Williams joins the show to help us better understand the role of producer-led commodity groups. Daren is the Senior Director of Global Communications at the Almond Board of California. He has worked in agricultural communications for over 30 years, much of that with producer-led commodity groups like almonds, beef, apple, dairy and pork. The Almond Board of California supports all 7,600 almond growers, as well as many others in the almond growing community from suppliers and beekeepers to farmers and buyers. Almonds are one of the fastest growing crops in California, and the Almond Board has cast a vision for the industry that includes goals to improve by 2025 in water use efficiency, dust reduction, zero waste, and pest management. β€œWe fund research and production techniques. We validate techniques at work and if it’s beneficial and cost effective and can help improve the return on investment for the grower, we roll it out to the industry and make sure everybody knows about it.” Daren Williams While the Almond Board of California is a federal marketing order program, we also discuss checkoff programs in this episode. Operating under a slightly different framework, the purpose of these groups also relates to the research and promotion of the commodity. In Daren’s previous position, he worked with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, which is a contractor to the beef checkoff. β€œIf (consumers) see us working together and trying to solve the issues and things that they’re concerned about, they develop trust in them, the industries, and I think trust is a critical issue for farmers and ranchers. In many cases, we’ve lost it and we need to regain it with consumers and let them know we really do have their best interests at heart when we make decisions about how we’re going to grow their food because we’re also going to be putting it on our dinner tables.” – Daren Williams This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Daren Williams, Senior Director of Global Communications at the Almond Board of California Better understand marketing orders, check off programs and lobbying organizations Explore how these programs respond to consumer demands, support producers and are funded Founder Spotlight: Peter Schott of Genesis Feed Technologies Genesis Feed Technologies aims to change the conversation and consumption of feed ingredients for producers The software the developed puts nutritional information in the hands of the purchasing person to make the best decisions for the feed program they are building β€œWe make soybeans look really good. On the more technical side, we bring nutritional value out for feed ingredients and show the economics of that so people can make better buying decisions.”

September 26, 2020 Afternoon

Good afternoon! Mostly sunny and 71 degrees at the Indian Lake. There is a south breeze at 9 mph. πŸƒ. The dew point is 54 degrees.

Absolutely stunningly beautiful fall day. πŸ‚ I just got done hiking Watch Hill, and headed up to Indian Lake to upload some photos and hike Sawyer Mountain after lunch.β›° Then I will prboably head back to camp and read πŸ“– for a while, enjoying the nice breeze and colors from the hammock and then have a nice dinner before it gets too dark.

Hiking Watch Hill was fun but I wasn’t happy to discover I had no cell service up there. πŸ“² That wasn’t so cool as I’m supposed by supervising staff that is working, but fortunately I received no work related emails or texts πŸ“¨ during that time. I was planning to make sure I had good reception all weekend but that wasn’t to be. But I still had a very nice hike.

Been waking up early, πŸŒ„ with the early sunsets and falling asleep after having a couple of beers.🍻 I normally don’t drink much but with the nights as long as they are and things are so crazy lately, what’s a few beers at camp.

This afternoon will be sunny 🌞, with a high of 75 degrees at 4pm. Seven degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around September 10th. Maximum dew point of 56 at 6pm. South wind around 10 mph. A year ago, we had cloudy skies in the morning with more sun in the afternoon. The high last year was 69 degrees. The record high of 90 was set in 2017.

I thought about driving out to Cedar River Flow or Moose Plains, 🚢but I think I’ll just do Sawyer Mountain if it’s not too crowded. Otherwise I guess I will go up to Blue Mountain Lake and hike around Lake Durant and some of the North Country Placid Trail before heading back to camp down by Mason Lake. I am glad I did get a campsite on Thursday night, as by Friday I think they all were taken.

Solar noon 🌞 is at 12:49 pm with sun having an altitude of 44.7Β° from the due south horizon (-24.9Β° vs. 6/21). A six foot person will cast a 6.1 foot shadow today compared to 2.2 feet on the first day of summer. The golden hour πŸ… starts at 6:10 pm with the sun in the west (262Β°). πŸ“Έ The sunset is in the west (269Β°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 6:48 pm after setting for 2 minutes and 57 seconds with dusk around 7:15 pm, which is one minute and 51 seconds earlier than yesterday. πŸŒ‡ At dusk you’ll see the Waxing Gibbous πŸŒ” Moon in the south-southeast (149Β°) at an altitude of 19Β° from the horizon, 240,494 miles away. πŸš€ The best time to look at the stars is after 7:50 pm. At sunset, look for partly clear skies πŸŒ„ and temperatures around 69 degrees. The dew point will be 56 degrees. There will be a south breeze at 8 mph. Today will have 11 hours and 57 minutes of daytime, a decrease of 3 minutes over yesterday.

Tonight will have a slight chance of showers between 1am and 3am. Mostly cloudy 🌧, with a low of 55 degrees at 4am. Eight degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around September 8th. Maximum dew point of 58 at 8pm. South wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. In 2019, we had patches of fog in the evening, which became partly cloudy by the early hours of the morning. It got down to 46 degrees. The record low of 24 occurred back in 1947.

As previously noted, there are 3 weeks until Northern Zone Regular Season 🦌 when the sun will be setting at 6:09 pm with dusk at 6:38 pm. On that day in 2019, we had rain and temperatures between 52 and 46 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 59 degrees. We hit a record high of 85 back in 1947.

Evening Colors

The Halo Effect

The Halo Effect

9/21/20 by NPR

Web player: https://podcastaddict.com/episode/112774361
Episode: https://play.podtrac.com/npr-510308/edge1.pod.npr.org/anon.npr-podcasts/podcast/npr/hiddenbrain/2020/09/20200921_hiddenbrain_the_halo_effect_mix_sept_21_2_pm-5b502680-db7a-4c5b-bef1-1d3a731c644f.mp3?awCollectionId=510308&awEpisodeId=904660038&orgId=1&topicId=1136&aggIds=423302056&d=3294&p=510308&story=904660038&t=podcast&e=904660038&size=52589380&ft=pod&f=510308

Judy, Lyn and Donna Ulrich were driving to a volleyball game when their Ford Pinto was hit from behind by a Chevy van. The Pinto caught fire, and the three teenagers were burned to death. This week on Hidden Brain, we talk to a former Ford insider who could have voted to recall the Pinto years before the Ulrich girls were killed β€” but didn’t. And we ask, is it possible to fairly evaluate our past actions when we know how things turned out?

Trump Refuses To Commit To A Peaceful Transfer Of Power

Trump Refuses To Commit To A Peaceful Transfer Of Power

9/24/20 by FiveThirtyEight, 538, ABC News, Nate Silver

Episode: https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/ESP3139363274.mp3

In this emergency episode of the FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast, the crew reacts to the news that President Trump refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power should he lose the 2020 election.