Ralphie ★ Posted August 14, 2022 Share #1 Posted August 14, 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Kosciuszko Posted August 14, 2022 Share #2 Posted August 14, 2022 It seems like a good place to farm if you're growing tumbleweeds, cacti, or grand canyons, I guess. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoseySusan Posted August 15, 2022 Share #3 Posted August 15, 2022 StD raises chickens there. Fresh eggs every day. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Beanz Posted August 15, 2022 Share #4 Posted August 15, 2022 There's a big ostrich farm there. 😄 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralphie ★ Posted August 15, 2022 Author Share #5 Posted August 15, 2022 And who decided to develop well above the capacity of the Colorado? I guess there has been a 20 year lack of rain but it is probably still too much demand growth even if that had not happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheep_herder ★ Posted August 15, 2022 Share #6 Posted August 15, 2022 https://wrrc.arizona.edu/sites/wrrc.arizona.edu/files/attachment/Arroyo-2018-revised.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizeye Posted August 15, 2022 Share #7 Posted August 15, 2022 The Papago Indians centuries before Arizona existed. They were farmers rather than hunters and developed the technique of laying out irrigation ditch system. Further developed after The US purchased the territory and Statehood. There is a reason Phoenix streets are on 1 mile grids as they follow the old ditch irrigation system. It was interesting as driving along a field, no sprinklers for irrigation where lack of humidity would evaporate much before hitting the ground. Rather, water running in a ditch along the road, and farmers would place siphoning pipes at each crop row to irrigate the field. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizeye Posted August 15, 2022 Share #8 Posted August 15, 2022 7 minutes ago, sheep_herder said: https://wrrc.arizona.edu/sites/wrrc.arizona.edu/files/attachment/Arroyo-2018-revised.pdf The long version of what I was talking about. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickinMD ★ Posted August 15, 2022 Share #9 Posted August 15, 2022 Didn't some women develop colored strains of cottom there around the 90's? Or was that in Texas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheep_herder ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Share #10 Posted August 16, 2022 14 hours ago, Tizeye said: The long version of what I was talking about. I just wanted to give him some reading material. We know he like to read those scientific sorts of things. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinneR ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Share #11 Posted August 16, 2022 On 8/14/2022 at 5:11 PM, Philander Seabury said: You watched 60 Minutes, eh? I didn't understand the gourd farmer? What is the purpose of a gourd? If there is a shortage of water to grow food, it's a problem, but a gourd? Why should I care? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralphie ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Author Share #12 Posted August 16, 2022 4 minutes ago, dinneR said: You watched 60 Minutes, eh? I didn't understand the gourd farmer? What is the purpose of a gourd? If there is a shortage of water to grow food, it's a problem, but a gourd? Why should I care? Yeah! Eff the gourds, give me my celery, carrots, and lettuce! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheep_herder ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Share #13 Posted August 16, 2022 One of my soil profs at the University of Arizona indicated he knew several producers that did not use leaf tests to determine fertilizer needs of the various crops. Their reasoning was that the cost of fertilizer was just a drop in the bucket compared to the money they made from a good crop or the money they lost from a poor crop. So they just applied fertilizer without testing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralphie ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Author Share #14 Posted August 16, 2022 I guess this really started in California’s Central Valley, the use of the Colorado River for irrigating dry areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
az_cyclist Posted August 16, 2022 Share #15 Posted August 16, 2022 12 hours ago, MickinMD said: Didn't some women develop colored strains of cottom there around the 90's? Or was that in Texas? Pima cotton is grown in central Arizona. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralphie ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Author Share #16 Posted August 16, 2022 1 minute ago, az_cyclist said: Pima cotton is grown in central Arizona. Thanks! Coloured cotton Arizona did not google very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheep_herder ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Share #17 Posted August 16, 2022 Many acres planted to cotton in North Texas were converted back to pasture as the aquifer began to dry up many years ago. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizeye Posted August 16, 2022 Share #18 Posted August 16, 2022 16 minutes ago, sheep_herder said: Many acres planted to cotton in North Texas were converted back to pasture as the aquifer began to dry up many years ago. Many acres next to the new subdivision where I bought a house were a cotton field that was converted to a sheep pasture. Hot air balloons would occasionally float over the house and land in the field. Then came a church and a high school with a football stadium and is now all houses. On the positive side, it probably provides a nice block to prevent the wind driven tumbleweeds from rolling into yard of whomever owns the house now and spreading thorns all over the place to guarantee flat tires on my bike if didn't insert a "Mr Tuffy" liner. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinneR ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Share #19 Posted August 16, 2022 8 hours ago, Philander Seabury said: Yeah! Eff the gourds, give me my celery, carrots, and lettuce! Here is your celery farmer. https://www.npr.org/2022/08/10/1116825744/planet-money-summer-school-5-car-parts-celery-the-labor-market Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Share #20 Posted August 16, 2022 As long as I get my fruits, veggies, and nuts - uninterrupted - I'm pretty happy about it. Even cotton. I wear some cotton stuff. Heck, need them raising animals too, as can't get enough beef, pork, chicken, etc.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralphie ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Author Share #21 Posted August 16, 2022 1 hour ago, Razors Edge said: As long as I get my fruits, veggies, and nuts - uninterrupted - I'm pretty happy about it. Even cotton. I wear some cotton stuff. Heck, need them raising animals too, as can't get enough beef, pork, chicken, etc.. Ok, Calvin. Sheesh, you were made for the comics! They all seem to fit you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Share #22 Posted August 16, 2022 14 minutes ago, Philander Seabury said: Ok, Calvin. Sheesh, you were made for the comics! They all seem to fit you! What, are you changing your habits? Exactly. Keep on keeping on. Let the losers later on down the road pick up the wreckage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12string Posted August 16, 2022 Share #23 Posted August 16, 2022 Just unfathomable, how much stuff we do in the wrong places. And all of the resources it takes to support doing those things in stupid places. And now that we know doing that is untenable - let's do more! People are stupid. Get out of the deserts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Share #24 Posted August 16, 2022 1 hour ago, 12string said: Just unfathomable, how much stuff we do in the wrong places. And all of the resources it takes to support doing those things in stupid places. And now that we know doing that is untenable - let's do more! People are stupid. Get out of the deserts! How have you adapted your shopping habits to avoid all those stupid sources? Ask your kid to tell his kids to get working on the problem, but in the meantime, ENJOY life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheep_herder ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Share #25 Posted August 16, 2022 1 hour ago, 12string said: Just unfathomable, how much stuff we do in the wrong places. And all of the resources it takes to support doing those things in stupid places. And now that we know doing that is untenable - let's do more! People are stupid. Get out of the deserts! So, what do you propose they do with the deserts? Any takers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razors Edge ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Share #26 Posted August 16, 2022 Just now, sheep_herder said: So, what do you propose they do with the deserts? Any takers? Let them eat cake! Oh, you asked about "deserts" 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12string Posted August 16, 2022 Share #27 Posted August 16, 2022 I grow my own veggies, In a place suited for growing without diverting a river thousands of miles. What to do with the deserts? Who says we have to "do something" with them? We just shouldn't be building huge cities and farms in them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinneR ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Share #28 Posted August 16, 2022 2 minutes ago, 12string said: I grow my own veggies, In a place suited for growing without diverting a river thousands of miles. What to do with the deserts? Who says we have to "do something" with them? We just shouldn't be building huge cities and farms in them So you don't buy any vegetables from the store in the winter? The Colorado River cascades from the Rocky Mountains into the arid deserts of the Southwest. It’s the primary water supply for 40 million people. About 70% of its water goes toward irrigation, sustaining a $15 billion-a-year agricultural industry that supplies 90% of the United States’ winter vegetables. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12string Posted August 16, 2022 Share #29 Posted August 16, 2022 2 minutes ago, dinneR said: So you don't buy any vegetables from the store in the winter? My freezer is stuffed already. We didn't finfish last year's garden until late June. I buy a few things in the winter, but around here a lot comes from South America. We're going to all stop buying those veggies soon - permanently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralphie ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Author Share #30 Posted August 16, 2022 And unfortunately we are paving a lot of good nj farmland with warehouses. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinneR ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Share #31 Posted August 16, 2022 42 minutes ago, 12string said: My freezer is stuffed already. We didn't finfish last year's garden until late June. I buy a few things in the winter, but around here a lot comes from South America. We're going to all stop buying those veggies soon - permanently. So how do we feed the country if 90% of winter production is gone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheep_herder ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Share #32 Posted August 16, 2022 49 minutes ago, 12string said: I grow my own veggies, In a place suited for growing without diverting a river thousands of miles. What to do with the deserts? Who says we have to "do something" with them? We just shouldn't be building huge cities and farms in them I don't think this has happened recently. As I mentioned earlier people have had to shift their species used in crop production even in North Texas as the aquifer has dried up. However, living where you do you might consider North Texas a desert, some do. One never knows with a slight shift in climate patterns even you might encounter water shortages in the future. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12string Posted August 16, 2022 Share #33 Posted August 16, 2022 1 hour ago, dinneR said: So how do we feed the country if 90% of winter production is gone? We really need to figure that out soon. It's coming. In the meantime, we can try not building hundreds of thousands of new houses in deserts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinneR ★ Posted August 16, 2022 Share #34 Posted August 16, 2022 1 hour ago, 12string said: We really need to figure that out soon. It's coming. In the meantime, we can try not building hundreds of thousands of new houses in deserts. St. George is one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. Golf courses and green lawns everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Kosciuszko Posted August 16, 2022 Share #35 Posted August 16, 2022 3 hours ago, 12string said: We're going to all stop buying those veggies soon - permanently. OK, OK, I'm convinced - I need to change my habits. No more buying vegetables for me - it's donuts and pecan pie from now on! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralphie ★ Posted August 17, 2022 Author Share #36 Posted August 17, 2022 26 minutes ago, Thaddeus Kosciuszko said: OK, OK, I'm convinced - I need to change my habits. No more buying vegetables for me - it's donuts and pecan pie from now on! Hopefully pecans are not the water hogs that almonds are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheep_herder ★ Posted August 17, 2022 Share #37 Posted August 17, 2022 26 minutes ago, Philander Seabury said: Hopefully pecans are not the water hogs that almonds are. Pecans generally grow in higher rainfall zones. However there is a large pecan grove in Las Cruces, NM. At one time, they used geese to control the grass in the orchard and then sold the down from the geese. Met a fellow on a trip to Portugal in the early 80s. He was quite agitated that almonds were grown in California. He wanted them to all be grown in Portugal. He might be smiling about the current situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groupw Posted August 17, 2022 Share #38 Posted August 17, 2022 I am right in the middle of Papago agriculture. Most of what I see is corn, wheat and potatoes. There is some cotton but I think it has been curtailed somewhat in recent years. This part of the valley has natural ground water. Part of the reason the Papago reside here. My understanding is there is some level of water management on the groundwater, but I haven’t heard details. I want to learn more. There is a growing, but quiet water conservation movement. The ponds here are supplied with gray water as are the car washes. More new builds and neighborhoods are discouraging the traditional lawn. It’s baby steps but the conversation is becoming more open. 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Further Posted August 17, 2022 Share #39 Posted August 17, 2022 The reason the hairless ape got to the top of the food chain was he could think. And somebody thought of a way to farm the dessert. I bet he died wealthy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralphie ★ Posted August 17, 2022 Author Share #40 Posted August 17, 2022 58 minutes ago, Further said: The reason the hairless ape got to the top of the food chain was he could think. And somebody thought of a way to farm the dessert. I bet he died wealthy I was pretty surprised to hear that they grow romaine lettuce in Arizona! Whuda thunk it?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheep_herder ★ Posted August 17, 2022 Share #41 Posted August 17, 2022 Keep in mind, that with irrigated agriculture in arid regions, one normally has greater control on amount and timing of water applications. External rains can sometimes be detrimental if it arrives at the wrong time relative to the plant growth cycle. A lot of legume seed is produced near Moses Lake, WA, as they have deep sandy soils that can be flooded during the early part of the growing season, and plants can generally complete their growth cycle without additional sprinkler irrigation or rain. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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