Pesticide in Bee Die-Offs Could Also Kill Birds

I know it's just my opinion, and anybody can tell me that I'm wrong, but I'm entitled to it.

For the last 5 years or so, I've been of the opinion that there's something larger than the weather/ habitat/ nesting conditions going on.

I've gone so far as to term it environmental genocide, but there's something going on that's larger than what we have had to deal with in the past.


Yes, the sky is falling in my world.

It may have something to do with my time on the face of this earth isn't what it used to be, as I pretty sure I've seen the glory days in my lifetime.

That doesn't mean that there's not some great days on the horizon though.;)
 
A great subject.....there are those who will turn a blind eye to this and justify their ways, when we all know it's all about them and the live for today, the hell with tomorrow aditude. Their ways will catch up with them sooner or later. Problem is, the human race will most likely be their victim. Along with many species of animals, insects, reptiles and fish.
 
Go look at the lobbying effort waged by Roy Blunt, unfortunately a Senator from Missouri, and his wife, formerly the chief lobbiest for Phillip Morris, you know them? They guys who funded medical studys that say smoling is safe. They are now on the gravy train wth Monsanto, to avoid those nasty required safety reviews. I believe there is an article in Huffington reprinted from Mother Earth, or something like it. Spare me "it's better than what we used to use" speech. How do we know? no review since like 1979, supposed to be every 15 years, sounds like Phillip Morris to me!
 
You know something is up when I drive on I-90 between Worthington and Sioux Falls (about 60 miles stretch) and you pass 4 billboards either trying to establish Monsanto or the local Corn Growers Association as great "Environmentalist's" or those that " feed the world with safe food" or the latest chemical that "brings 14 insects to their tiny little knees".

Note the last one is only 14 and doesn't kill them of course it only slows them down. Right.

I see a common theme with the corn on corn revolution: If there is a problem with the crop....spray it with something. Disease, pest, insect, weed.......spray.

There are beneficial insects and organisms that crops rely on and smart farmers understand this and when the inputs get too high they may be finally persuaded to seek out the alternatives before them like more intensive crop rotations, cover crops, etc.
 
UGUIDE said:
There are beneficial insects and organisms that crops rely on and smart farmers understand this and when the inputs get too high they may be finally persuaded to seek out the alternatives before them like more intensive crop rotations, cover crops, etc.
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Alternatives like creating pheasant habitat and charging people to hunt;). That plan requires a certain geographical location and set of conditions not everyone has.
 
moellermd said:
Alternatives like creating pheasant habitat and charging people to hunt;). That plan requires a certain geographical location and set of conditions not everyone has.
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All I can do on my level is to use less chemicals and hope. Can't fight the big boys.:(
 
moellermd said:
Alternatives like creating pheasant habitat and charging people to hunt;). That plan requires a certain geographical location and set of conditions not everyone has.
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I'm referring more to thinking along the lines of first reducing inputs and then looking to maximize yields.

Big Ag has all kinds of recipes to promise 5 BA here and 5 there. The focus should be on net margins, ROI, trade-offs and impacts.

Big Ag loves a problem because guess what? They have a solution they can sell you for that.

I will tell you this that no one making money off inputs gets excited about ways to reduce them.
 
UGUIDE said:
The focus should be on net margins, ROI, trade-offs and impacts.
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Every producer I know is concerned about those things. Even the hefty brothers are constantly talking about if it pays to do this or if it pays to do that.
 
moellermd said:
Every producer I know is concerned about those things. Even the hefty brothers are constantly talking about if it pays to do this or if it pays to do that.
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Use generic corn, manure, green manure, rotate, use 30"-36" rows in corn, a field cultivator, ( I can send a picture), forget herbicide, use diluted tobacco for pesticide, sprayed. Check out those R.O.I., but you won't be buying $10,000 per acre ground. You can do the farming with a Farmall M. and an Allis Chalmers, all crop. If you do it, you might have the pheasants that have been relegrated to the unreachable margins, to a population that could sustain commercial hunting. But it's better to spend 5-10 thousand of dollars on land and 500-800 of inputs, gigantic machinery cost, and maintenence, and run a head of the financial herd of elephants boring down your tailpipe. But at least you get the touchy feely billboards, blotting out the biological desert, of tiling and tilling beyond, about how great the American Farmer is and how wise you are to plant $500 bags of corn, and the associated cost. Where are those Federal Farm subsidies? ;)
 
We had Bees take up house keeping in the spa, I didn't mess with them, and called a beekeeper. He checked the hive, and told us that they were sick. Sure enough two weeks later they were all dead! I guess thats what happen to them. it is sad to see that...
 
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