[TheForge] eucalyptus charcoal

[Walter Mullett]

I don't believe this is true.  Grain production of all types is much more
productive then it ever was.  As a consequence, it is not profitable enough
for the average farmer in our area.  Only huge corporate farms with hundreds
of acres and the latest machinery can survive.  And with the last 50 years
of housing pressure, much of our good farm land is being converted for
housing areas. Not marginal land but really good farm land.

I don't really like heavy corn production because it's really hard on the
land.  Besides that, the increase in production is a result of petroleum
based fertilizers and chemicals.  Doesn't really go hand in hand with the
environmentalists and bio-mass people.  However, it could be a step (not a
solution ) to a self-sustaining economy.  I just don't know what other steps
are needed.

Part of the land use problem can be attributed to our governmental
regulations.  In Ohio, most of the rural areas restrict housing to a minimum
frontage and acreage.  The result is narrow strips of land with the house in
the front and the back growing into scrub.  The fools that enacted these
restrictions 50 years ago thought they would stem the loss of farm land.
Instead, they hastened it.

What we really needed was a recognition of the demand for rural housing and
to encourage (legislate) rural developments that co-existed with farm land,
not put it out of business.

Most of the city folks that come to the country really don't want rural life
anyway.  They just want to get away from urban life.  The don't like fields
spread with liquid manure, farm implements slowing them on the road or a pig
farm next door.  They each have a light polluting "safety" light hung on
their service pole and some even have multiples.  They also don't want the
noise, crime and visual pollution of the city.  The problem is they are the
problem.....

I personally like the dark and feel much safer.  I know where everything is.
Why show the thief?  I, like most farmers, also have a shotgun and I'm not
afraid to use it.  Something that I know is a concern to the would be rural
thief and therefore he is more likely to choose from the well lighted
opportunities.

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of schade at acegroup.cc
Sent: Sunday, August 21, 2005 7:00 PM
To: Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] eucalyptus charcoal


On Aug 21, 2005, at 5:29 PM, David E. Smucker wrote:

>
> One side effect of the use of Biomass fuel for power generation is the 
> cord wood for wood stoves in thoses areas goes up in market price.
> Dave Smucker
>


This is the part of the argument that is often left out of the "ethanol will
save us" discussion.

All the land that can grow corn now has corn on it. All that corn has a
current use, animal feed, sweeteners, corn flakes etc. If you want to make
enuf ethanol to make a difference you are either going to have to plant more
corn on marginal land or bid up the price of the existing corn which means
higher prices for meat etc. Farmers (and ADM) like this option.

I know you can make ethanol from other crops but none are as full of sugar
as corn which makes the conversion more expensive than just buying oil.

We be screwed.

Bob

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