Welcome to the Street Prophets Coffee Hour. This is an open thread where we can share our thoughts and comments about the day. The development of the farming potential of the American West was made possible in large part because of modern irrigation methods.
One of the displays in the SAGE (Sustainable AGriculture and Energy) Center at the Port of Morrow on the Columbia River in Oregon shows modern, state-of-the-art irrigation practices. In the 1960s, farmers began using center-pivot irrigation systems fed by water pumped from the Columbia River. According to the Museum display:
“Threemile Canyon Farms near Boardman offers a premier example of a computer-guided irrigation system that is finely tuned to apply precise amounts of water and organic fertilizer to crops. As one of the largest center-pivot irrigation farms in North America, Threemile Canyon Farms has brought 40,000 arid acres into cultivation while using water wisely.”
Shown above is an aerial view of the circular irrigated fields.
According to one display:
“Many farmers today use ‘scientific irrigation scheduling’ to decide when to irrigate and how much water to apply to a crop. This increases yields, saves energy used for pumping and irrigation, and conserves water.”
Sharing Saturday
Kossacks taking care of our own — helping by sharing, donating money or needed items (like gift cards “bought” with credit card points or passing on an extra toaster), helping by sharing both donation site links and artisan/vendor site links and purchasing gifts for self or others via those links, helping by sharing knowledge and informational links, or helping by just sharing a hug or a cup of coffee as appropriate — is what community is all about.
Helping Kossacks in need is the Street Prophets “intersection of politics and religion”/ethical values. Politics because if we had the government we are working towards, we wouldn’t need fundraisers. Religion/ethical values because those tell us to help folks in need including protecting them from people who see them as easy targets. We are community — clan, tribe, company, village, culture, and state. Community survives beyond the life of any single member and thrives by supporting and strengthening the life of each individual member — by helping each other, by sharing — all together.
Usually, bfitzinAR posts the Saturday Coffee Hour as a Sharing Saturday. She is unable to post today, so accept this diary as a replacement. Unfortunately, I cannot post all of the helping links that she posts.
If you would like to host the Wednesday Coffee Hour here on Street Prophets, or the Saturday Coffee Hour, please let me know in the comments.
Open Thread
This is an open thread. All topics are welcome. Feel free to post sharing links in the comments.