Drought Map for May 27th 2014

Novel Open Source Seed Pledge aims to keep new vegetable and grain varieties free for all

Novel Open Source Seed Pledge aims to keep new vegetable and grain varieties free for all

April 15, 2014 by Nicole Miller

Jack Kloppenburg (left), professor in the Department of Community and Environmental Sociology, Irwin Goldman (center), chair of the Department of Horticulture, and Claire Luby (right), graduate student in the UW’s Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics program, fill envelopes with non-patented seeds in the Horticulture office in Moore Hall.

Photo: Bryce Richter

This week, scientists, farmers and sustainable food systems advocates will gather on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus to celebrate an unusual group of honored guests: 29 new varieties of broccoli, celery, kale, quinoa and other vegetables and grains that are being publicly released using a novel form of ownership agreement known as the Open Source Seed Pledge.

The pledge, which was developed through a UW-Madison-led effort known as the Open Source Seed Initiative, is designed to keep the new seeds free for all people to grow, breed and share for perpetuity, with the goal of protecting the plants from patents and other restrictions down the line.

Continue reading

Plant Breeders Release First ‘Open Source Seeds’


NPR version… some organic seed outfits are making these seeds available; unfortunately NPR doesn’t name them or provide any info on suppliers… which is typical of them

Bundy’s an asshole and his supporters are morons

Twitter

Steve Marmel ‏@Marmel

Here’s everything you should know about #BundyRanch. He’s no patriot and no hero. pic.twitter.com/6ALKLsRyHm


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Drought Map USA 20140408

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Invite pollinators to your neighborhood …

Invite pollinators to your neighborhood by planting a pollinator friendly habitat in your garden, farm, school, park or just about anywhere!

Starting on Page 16 of the planting guides you can find lists of plant names that will attract pollinators and help you build beautiful pollinator habitat!

Print these lists and bring them to your local native plant, garden center or nursery

These guides were funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the C.S. Fund, the Plant Conservation Alliance, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management with oversight by the Pollinator Partnership, in support of the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign. To learn more about why planting for pollinators is important, click here.

Selecting Plants for Pollinators http://www.pollinator.org/guides.htm
Our ecoregional planting guides are tailored to specific areas of the U.S. You can find out which ecoregion you live in by entering your zip code at link above.

Wisconsin Historical Images for April 2014 Newsletter

Wisconsin Historical Images from the Wisconsin Historical Society
April 2014

FEATURED GALLERY
| Highlights from over three million photographs in our holdings

WHI_Image_ID_90655.jpg
Wisconsin Honey Farm label for trademark registration. WHI 90655


Bees and Beekeepers Since 1872

More than 200 images in this gallery show the rich history of beekeeping in Wisconsin and other Midwestern states, including developments in beehives, equipment, techniques and advertising. The beekeepers shown were both hobbyists and commercial honey producers. The images show beekeepers and their families, apiaries, beekeeping equipment, meetings of the Wisconsin Honey Producer Association, agricultural exhibitions, and Wisconsin and Minnesota “Honey Queens.” Printed ephemera includes illustrations and artwork, letterhead, pamphlets and advertisements. Most materials range in date from the late 1800s to the 1980s.

The documents come from several different collections at the Wisconsin Historical Society. The majority are from the Wisconsin Honey Producer Association records and date from 1875 to 1979. Others were found in the records of the Wisconsin Plant Industry Division, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and Markets Photographs and the papers of Charles Dadant, a Frenchman who immigrated to Illinois in 1863 and established the bee supply firm Charles Dadant & Son in 1874.

Professionalization of Bee Culture

Many 19th-century farmers kept bees despite the fact that Wisconsin’s cold climate was a challenge to beekeepers. Advances in technology like box hives, movable “Langshroth” frames, honey extractors and other equipment increased production. By 1860 the Italian honey bee, considered superior to other varieties, had been introduced in Wisconsin. Another important step was agricultural diversification, which created more varieties of pollen and nectar, and further increased production. By 1900 more than 2.6 million pounds of honey were being produced in Wisconsin annually.

The Wisconsin Honey Producers Association (WHPA) was organized in 1864. Farmers had begun organizing into beekeeping associations to provide technical assistance, share scientific information, and define standards for honey quality. Today there are beekeeping organizations throughout Wisconsin, usually organized by county, in addition to the statewide Wisconsin Honey Producers Association. The WHPA’s purpose is “to form a strong bond and fellowship among commercial and hobby honey producers.”

The WHPA has advanced the interests of beekeepers through improving marketing of honey and bee products, running advertising campaigns, supporting scientific developments beneficial to honey producers, and disseminating scientific information among members. After World War II the association sponsored an annual “Honey Queen,” similar to the state’s Cranberry Queen and Alice in Dairyland marketing campaigns. All these activities are documented in the association’s large collection of photographs shown here.

View the Gallery >>

BROWSE THE COLLECTIONS | View nearly 60,000 digitized visual materials in our online database
cole_feature.jpg Harry Ellsworth ColeBaraboo, The Dells and Devil’s Lake

The Harry Ellsworth Cole collection reflects his lifelong love of nature and history through more than 200 photographs that document and preserve Sauk County’s and Wisconsin’s natural beauty and history.

View the Gallery >>

singer_feature.jpg Singer CompanyAdvertising Card Collection

This collection depicts people from around the world, dressed in traditional clothing and posing with Singer sewing machines. The cards offer perspective on popular depictions of race and ethnicity in the late 19th century.

View the Gallery >>

This monthly email newsletter from Wisconsin Historical Images features gallery exhibits from the Wisconsin Historical Society’s visual materials collections.
Wisconsin Historical Society
816 State Street
Madison, WI 53706Link to Society's website at wisconsinhistory.org

Collecting, Preserving and Sharing Stories Since 1846

Did you know? Nearly 60,000 historical photographs are available for purchase online as high-quality archival pigment prints or digital files.Browse dozens of topical galleries or search for specific people, places, topics or events. Proceeds benefit the Society’s image collections.

View more information about buying images online or email Lisa Marine.


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Wisconsin Historical Society | 816 State Street | Madison | WI | 53706-1482

Go North

Nails for the coffins of climate change denialists from northern Ontario, 300~400 miles NE of Thunder Bay: “The warming trend goes back at least 30 years, and is exemplified by the increase in annual crop heat units (CHU) at Earlton from 1800 to 2300 CHU. This has had a major positive impact on crop production. For example, soybeans, corn grain and silage corn are now reliably grown in the Temiskaming region, while canola has supplemented the traditional barley, oat and wheat crops in the Cochrane-Kapuskasing area. Crop Yields in the Temiskaming District: Corn = 130 – 145 bu/ac, Soybeans = 50 – 60 bu/ac”

Northern Ontario Agriculture Facts and Figures in Brief

Climate change is having a global impact on agriculture, especially in Northeastern Ontario. What could this mean for the future of this region?

  • 2,800 farms which return $190 million in agricultural farm cash receipt
  • 700,000 acres of farmed land.
  • It has been estimated that most districts in Northern Ontario can increase active agricultural lands from 20 to 50% by drawing idled private lands back into use.
  • The Great Clay Belt (GCB) in Northeastern Ontario consists of 16 million acres of potentially fertile glaciolacustrine soils (Figure 1). This is double the amount of cropland currently being farmed in the province.

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Figure 1. The Great Clay Belt

  • To date only about 2 per cent of this land has been developed for agriculture .
  • The GCB also stretches into Northwestern Quebec, which contains another 13 million acres.
  • The Canada Land Inventory has identified 4.4 million acres of Ontario’s GCB as Class 2, 3 or 4, which are suitable for cultivation. The remainder has either not been classified or is unsuitable for agriculture.
  • The main limitations to productivity are drainage and climate. Systematic tile drainage has been shown to address the first limitation, while long-term climate warming and the development of new crop varieties and agronomic techniques have revolutionized the crops which can be grown (Figure 2)
  • The warming trend goes back at least 30 years, and is exemplified by the increase in annual crop heat units (CHU) at Earlton from 1800 to 2300 CHU. This has had a major positive impact on crop production. For example, soybeans, corn grain and silage corn are now reliably grown in the Temiskaming region, while canola has supplemented the traditional barley, oat and wheat crops in the Cochrane-Kapuskasing area.

2011 -2012 Crop Yields*

Temiskaming District

  • Corn = 130 – 145 bu/ac
  • Soybeans = 50 – 60 bu/ac

Cochrane District

  • Canola = 1.45 tonnes/ac

info_vbn0713a4f2a.png
Figure 2. Kapuskasing CHU trend

  • In addition, these regions are well suited to forage production and are capable of supporting large herds of ruminant animals
  • Development potential for the GCB in Ontario is shown by the degree to which agriculture in Northwestern Quebec has progressed (Figure 3)

info_vbn0713a4f3.png
Figure 3. Development differences between Northeastern Ontario (west or left of border) and Northwestern Quebec (right or east of the line) in the Great Clay Belt

References

2006 Census of Agriculture. Statistics Canada.
Chapman and Brown. The Canada Land Inventory. 1966.
Environment Canada Weather Station, Earlton Airport. Ontario Climate Center, Kapuskasing Data –
Environment Canada, 2012. http://www.climateontario.ca
2011 Census of Agriculture (Preliminary data). Statistics Canada.

For more information:
Toll Free: 1-877-424-1300
E-mail: ag.info.omafra

Author: Tom Hamilton – Beef Cattle Production Systems Program Lead/OMAF and MRA
Creation Date: 09 July 2013
Last Reviewed: 09 July 2013

Drought Map USA 20140325

How’s your greenhouse? Lettuce up yet?

Drought Map USA 20140318