The Old Folks Home

[microchick]

I am only getting to 60 not till August then I can go back right

No Penny, you are going to be 30 with 30 years of experience. I'm 30 with 36 years of experience.

Or better yet, I just tell folks to saw me in half and count my rings......

 

[bruceha2000]

That could be mighty uncomfortable Micro. I think they should do a bore instead.

 

[bruceha2000]

I was listening to the radio this morning, the "story" was about hay production in Burns Oregon and the impact it is having on the water table. A person interviewed (retiree, not a farmer) had their well water turn to dirty sand so they drilled it deeper. Problem is the new water has a high arsenic level so is not drinkable.

Which got me to wondering, if the people making hay in what is near desert hit the same kind of water and irrigate the hay with it, would the arsenic get pulled up into the hay? And if so and the cows that eat it don't die right off, would they pass the arsenic into the milk they make?

The hay maker interviewed of course was of the opinion that they needed to use all the water make the hay since it is a good part of the tax income for the area. Said schools and businesses would close if not for the hay. I know that Bend Oregon (100 miles west of Burns) was founded by white folk moving west. The stopped there because it was nice and lush. The only problem with that is they happened to get there right after a couple of years of well above average rainfall. I've been there, it is on the "wrong" side of the Cascades, doesn't look much different that So. Cal. and little would grow without irrigation. Additionally, the story said that it would take thousands of years of normal rainfall to bring the aquifer back up.

https://www.npr.org/2020/01/01/792692254/water-crisis-puts-oregon-community-at-a-crossroads

 

[pennyJo1960]

Good thing we are staying right where we are

 

[Alaskan]

Who would ever water a hay field????



I have never seen such a thing.

People water wheat fields etc... not hay.

 

[microchick]

Depends on what the groundwater is doing and how much water the topsoil is retaining along with the amount of precipitation the area receives. If the area is arid then yeah, they will be irrigating. we see a lot of irrigation between here and IL and there was a lot of irrigation around us in IL.

I would think that absolutely the plants watered with arsenic laced water would be contaminated and then anything that eats the hay, be it bovine or equine...sheep, goats. oy vey!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Started the day a bit late ventured out to the coops but could not shake a chill..
Came in took a shower seem to be alive BF asked I make skillet lasagna need to make some noodles

 

[ronott1]

I was listening to the radio this morning, the "story" was about hay production in Burns Oregon and the impact it is having on the water table. A person interviewed (retiree, not a farmer) had their well water turn to dirty sand so they drilled it deeper. Problem is the new water has a high arsenic level so is not drinkable.

Which got me to wondering, if the people making hay in what is near desert hit the same kind of water and irrigate the hay with it, would the arsenic get pulled up into the hay? And if so and the cows that eat it don't die right off, would they pass the arsenic into the milk they make?

The hay maker interviewed of course was of the opinion that they needed to use all the water make the hay since it is a good part of the tax income for the area. Said schools and businesses would close if not for the hay. I know that Bend Oregon (100 miles west of Burns) was founded by white folk moving west. The stopped there because it was nice and lush. The only problem with that is they happened to get there right after a couple of years of well above average rainfall. I've been there, it is on the "wrong" side of the Cascades, doesn't look much different that So. Cal. and little would grow without irrigation. Additionally, the story said that it would take thousands of years of normal rainfall to bring the aquifer back up.

https://www.npr.org/2020/01/01/792692254/water-crisis-puts-oregon-community-at-a-crossroads

The Central valley of California is having water table issues too. The City I live in is pumping water back down the well in the summer. It is a concept that more Cities might start using.

We are using surface water here now instead of well water. The water comes from Lake Shasta

 

[pennyJo1960]

We have only like 1/2 the snow pack they said we need even here as rain has beenb lacking in their view

 

[bruceha2000]

Who would ever water a hay field????



I have never seen such a thing.

People water wheat fields etc... not hay.

People who are growing hay in a near desert. Only desert scrub grows there without irrigation. Look up the area on Google Maps then go to the satellite view.

We are using surface water here now instead of well water. The water comes from Lake Shasta

It is WAY beyond time for people in drought prone areas to start using gray water systems for flushing toilets and watering plants.