Re: heat and water

The key is, as you said, "we're set up for it". East of the  
Mississippi, (and I think in much of Missouri - don't know about  
Iowa) farmers do not irrigate. It does not pay them to do so, because  
most years there is enough from the sky moisture to sustain the crops  
they plant. Further west, farmers have to irrigate, or they would not  
be able to farm at all, so the systems are in place. (Easy to see  
from the sky as you "fly over" (no political comments needed!).
Had a "Locally grown" food festival today at our downtown city park.  
I volunteered to run the "weird vegetables" table. Brought my edible  
soybeans, cooked as "salted in the pod" edamame. Most people liked  
it, and asked where they could purchase them. Had to say - two hours  
south in St. Louis' ethnic groceries. Had okra on display, and had to  
tell inquirers that they too had to go to the "big city". I can't  
blame the producers. They have to make a living, and if they can't  
sell what they produce, they can't, but there has to be a better way!

Cathy, west central IL, z5b

On Aug 5, 2005, at 10:27 PM, David Franzman wrote:

> Hi folks
>
> Just thought of an addition sparked by Pam's comment about how hot  
> it gets here.  In northern Ca. it doesn't stay as hot as Texas  
> that's for sure.  We have the cool ocean breezes that come in in  
> the form of fog that keeps us in a perpetual heat wave.  But many  
> folks in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys experience that  
> kind of heat and then some.  That's not to mention southern Ca. in  
> the desert regions where those are the normal type of temps. My  
> friend in Phoenix hasn't had a drop of rain since January where  
> they got so much it almost flooded them out of house and home...but  
> none since then.
>
> Again, we're set up for that and I think that's the difference.   
> Mentally we don't expect any rain and so it's not depressing when  
> it doesn't come.  I remember when we went through a decade long  
> drought in the 80's and it sucked.  You would see the clouds come  
> over and break up before it dropped anything.  I know what it's  
> like and I hate droughts so even though I'm a smart--- I do feel  
> your pain Pam.
>
> David
> http://www.atouchofthetropics.net
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