Amber Waves of Grain

Those words from "America the Beautiful" bring home to me the fact that the strength of this nation rests, to a large degree, on the fields of corn, wheat, soybeans and other crops that provide the protein to feed our people and millions more around the world. Even more so, it rests on the farmers who tend those crops.

Today, genetically engineered cultivars make up a major portion of the acres for many of these grain crops. As someone who has studied and worked in agriculture for over twenty years, you might wonder if that concerns me. It doesn't. The reason? In one word, science.

Consider the scientist. She observes a phenomenon and develops a hypothesis to explain it. She devises an experiment to test the hypothesis. If the experiment produces valid data, the scientist will publish their results.

Now, up to that point, there are many things that could go wrong. The scientist could be incompetent. The scientist could alter or fabricate data due to pressure from funders or the stress of getting tenure or due to a personal agenda. The results could be a fluke due to some factor the scientist failed to see. Just to name a few.

But it doesn't stop there. Once the results are published, other scientists will critically review the experimental design, data and conclusions. They will look for and challenge any inconsistencies or faulty reasoning.

And then it goes even further. If the studied phenomenon is significant to society, other scientists will attempt to repeat the experiment, or devise their own experiment to test the hypothesis.

Ultimately, for important questions, we begin to generate a body of documented experimental evidence. And this is what we have regarding the safety of genetically engineered crops, a large body of documented experimental evidence.

Yes, there are many voices who would dispute that statement. From what I have observed, most of those voices are coming from the mouths of bloggers, journalists, authors and activists. Those voices often quote or refer to scientific studies. And while I believe most of those voices have admirable intentions, a close read usually reveals misinterpretation and exaggeration. In fact, I have great respect for many bloggers, journalists, authors and activists, but for questions like the safety of genetically engineered crops, I will turn to the scientists.

Does that mean we need to stop questioning? NO! Does it mean we don't need to make changes to our food system? NO!

But I personally am very confident (again, thanks to science) about the steps I need to take to stay healthy, which is to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, moderate amounts of meat, fat and sugar, and to be careful and informed about safe food handling practices from farm to table (because an under-cooked hamburger, for example, or a bacteria-infested cantaloupe, could lead to serious long-term health problems).

And I am also confident (yay for scientists!) about things we need to do to protect the environment, which includes reducing soil erosion, conserving natural habitat, and improving pesticide safety in less developed countries.

Did you eat healthy food today? If so, thank a farmer. And then thank a scientist.

Here's a good article with more information:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonentine/2013/10/14/2000-reasons-why-gmos-are-safe-to-eat-and-environmentally-sustainable/

How to Split Wood

1. Split one cord of wood with a maul.
2. Look at calendar. Remember you're not 25 anymore and maybe that's why your arm hurts. Go to doctor for cortizone shot. Wait six months to heal.
3. Go to Agri-Supply and buy hydraulic wood-splitter. Don't tell wife how much you spent, but let her know that it was cheaper than arm surgery.
4. Bring wood splitter home. Attach to tractor and realize you need some hoses to make it work.
5. Go to local tractor store for hoses. They ask you what type of fittings you need. You have no idea.
6. Go back home and take pictures of tractor and wood splitter so you can show the parts guy at the tractor store and figure out what type of fittings you need.
7. Go back to tractor store. Find out that hydraulic hose is $4.75 per foot, cut to order and non-refundable. Go back home to re-measure how much hose you need.
8. Go back to tractor store. Buy hose and fittings. Don't tell wife how much you spent.
9. Go home and realize the fittings don't fit. Return fittings.
10. Call another tractor store and order (hopefully) the right fittings.
11. Wake up in the middle of the night and realize that the way you were planning to connect the hoses is not going to work. Per item 7 above, panic.
12. Wake up in the morning, take a look at wood splitter and figure out another way to attach hoses. Relax.
13. Second set of fittings arrive. They fit! Look at invoice and hide immediately from wife.
14. Start work on connecting hoses from splitter to tractor. Realize you still need half-inch couplings. Run to tractor store.
15. Tractor store is out of half-inch couplings. Go to hardware store and buy couplings.
16. Connect hoses, find a good helper,
    
    start tractor, and split wood. Rock and roll!
17. Notice vast amounts of hydraulic oil leaking from hoses. Tighten fitting you forgot to tighten, and wrap teflon tape around threads you forgot to wrap.
18. Continue splitting wood. Rock and roll!
19. Spend 45 minutes putting away all the tools strewn about from your project. Find out you had 1/2 inch couplings all along.
20. Keep smiling!

Things I've Learned from my Dad

My Dad has taught me a lot, and continues to do so. Here are a few items from the past forty years or so.

• How to drive a stick shift - We don't now own a stick shift car, but when I buy that sporty convertible on my 70th birthday, I'll be ready. Also, suppose I had to borrow a car to escape zombies and a stick shift was the only one available. I'd be thanking Dad!

• Things can be fixed - It's not so much that he taught me HOW to fix things. But by example he showed me that it is possible to take apart the broken dryer and put it back together again to make it work.

• Things can be built - I have actually learned a few building skills from Dad. But mostly I learned that, if you need an end table, or a porch, or some shelves, or a bench, you ought to consider building it instead of buying it.

• Patience.

• Don't leave tools out in the rain. 

• How to stay calm (e.g. when teaching your son how to drive stick shift, or when he leaves your tools out in the rain).

• Big tasks can be tackled one step at a time - One time my Dad bought an old house to fix up. After he bought it he found out it had some major structural problems. He figured out how, one step at a time, to fix it. It was a complicated process that took several weeks. I've learned not to be afraid to tackle something big, even if I don't yet have a clear path to the finish.

Have a good flight!

• If you're going to get a hobby, make it something grand - Like becoming a hot air balloon pilot.

• How to buy a car without getting ripped off - And I learned that, even with that knowledge, sometimes you get a lemon. He has, and I have too.

• How to comparison shop.

• To be skeptical.

• How to live within your means and save something for the future.

• How to be married for 54 years. I'm over a third of the way there!

• The musical and poetic genius of John Denver.

• Trust. But verify.

• Base opinions and decisions on credible and independent sources of information, like Consumer Reports and PBS NewsHour.

Clearly I hit the jackpot in the Dad lottery. Mom, of course was pretty amazing too. More on that later.