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My cacao seeds are growing...

By NoMoreNicksLeft (Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 03:13:13 PM EST) chocolate plants, cacao, gardening, houseplants, stupid shit (all tags)

Out of roughly 45 seeds, at least 20 have little white roots showing, some almost an inch long. The others are still covered too much to tell, but I'd not be surprised if I have 90% or more germination.

I'm actually thinking of keeping 2 or 3 of them. Dining room, living room, and the upstairs spare bedroom all seem reasonable. The things don't need much light, or so I've read. Humidity may be more of a concern, but I don't think it's going to be a showstopper.

Still looking for material on how to make chocolate from the seeds without a 20 ton hydraulic press to remove cocoa butter from the nibs... but no hurry. Probably be 6 or 7 years before that will ever be a real issue.

Now, if the peppermint would just hatch, I'd only be a dairy cow away from making mint chocolate chip ice cream!

I've also been looking at electric grain mills. Seems for $100-$300, you can get a machine that turns a sack of wheat into a sack of flour. Such might be convenient someday. A quick googling says that a bushel of wheat is about 60lbs, and that most farms average 30 bushels per acre. (Note: "30 bushels in pounds", or even "30 wheat bushels in pounds" does not work for unit conversion in google... seems they missed one. At least ".02mm in parsecs" works.) 1800 lbs? That can't be right.

Even if you can't get nearly that much without aggressive chemical fertilizing and pesticides, a third of that would still be significant. 600 lbs has to be enough for several people to get fat on bread and pasta per year, off of a single acre.

Seems that harvesting it would be tough, more so if you had more than a single acre. I'd not be buying a $250,000 GPS-guided combine, obviously. Scything it down would be fun for about 30 seconds, and get old real quick. Some sort of mechanization seems reasonable (and wouldn't mess up organic certification), even if it's just a little mini-tractor.

I wonder if I could really do this, or if I'm just fooling myself.

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My cacao seeds are growing... | 59 comments (59 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback

which type of wheat ? by sasquatchan (2.00 / 0) #1 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 03:23:54 PM EST

winter red, or what ? Time of year effects the protein content and other grain characteristics.

: Don't even know... by NoMoreNicksLeft (4.00 / 1) #3 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 03:38:22 PM EST

Just starting to read up on such. I suppose it matters where, too, as some varieties are ill-suited to one region or another.
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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

What's wrong with potatoes? by georgeha (2.00 / 0) #2 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 03:34:19 PM EST

They're well suited for hand cultivation. Mayeb soem goober peas, too.

Nothing! by NoMoreNicksLeft (4.00 / 1) #4 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 03:40:07 PM EST

Hell, I have to grow some potatoes, how else will I have french fries?

More worrisome, is the vegetable oil. I mean, how possible is it for someone to cultivate canola and press the oil on a small scale?

But yeh, I'd like to try growing everything, to one extent or another.
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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

veggie oil ? by sasquatchan (2.00 / 0) #9 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 03:53:40 PM EST

Gods man, suet, lard, tallow, goose/duck fat (is there a special word for that ?), etc.

Re-learn what real flavor is!

[ Parent ]

Even the Indians use ghee by georgeha (2.00 / 0) #10 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 03:54:57 PM EST

he just needs a flock of goats.

[ Parent ]

Dude... by NoMoreNicksLeft (4.00 / 1) #12 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:05:00 PM EST

I can't fry my french fries in goose fat. That's just gross.
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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

: How do you think by sasquatchan (2.00 / 0) #22 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:24:51 PM EST

the french do it ? Well, usually duck fat, but duck, good, tomato, tomah-to.
Attn REC: your page doesn't hit google on page 1 for "french fry" or "french fry page" or whatever silly name you call it. I wanted to validate if the french do use any goose fat, or always duck fat.

[ Parent ]

Rape seed for oil by LinDze (2.00 / 0) #41 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 08:32:15 PM EST

Should grow pretty well just about anywhere in NA, as I recall. They grow tons of the stuff up in MN and Ontario.

Fun Fact: Also where the saying "Land of Rape and Honey" comes from. County motto of somewhere up there.

-Lin Dze
Arbeit Macht Frei
[ Parent ]

: Yeh... by NoMoreNicksLeft (2.00 / 0) #44 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 09:00:45 PM EST

Isn't this the same thing as canola though?
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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

WIPO: Babylon 5 by Rogerborg (4.00 / 1) #5 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 03:43:51 PM EST

You know that after the zombies come, there'll be no electricity to power your fancy-pants grain mill, right?

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Metus amatores matrum compescit, non clementia.

Solar/wind. by NoMoreNicksLeft (4.00 / 3) #8 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 03:48:36 PM EST

Plus, I'm looking into generators/boilers that can be fueled by zombies. I'd still have to chop the zombies up by hand, and maybe let them dry out to a mummy-like consistency, but it should be quite economical.
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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

This'll do it by marvin (4.00 / 1) #42 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 08:44:16 PM EST

Saw this link on ranprieur.com: steam powered genset.

If the zombie is dry enough, it should burn like cordwood. Might not have the same btu value per unit of volume as wood does, though, so you might be kept busy feeding the fire.

[ Parent ]

: Give the girlfriend a book... by NoMoreNicksLeft (4.00 / 2) #43 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 09:00:23 PM EST

And have her sit there as bait in front of the zombie chute.
I know they used to burn mummies in Egypt in rail engines... I wonder if they're comparable to dried zombie?
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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

And that's when I shot him, your Honor. by atreides (4.00 / 2) #33 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 05:35:45 PM EST

B5 has no place on that list, yes I know IHBT and you use the zombies to power the mill either by putting them on some kind of treadmill or possibly be lashing them to the grindstone itself. Granted, getting the flour after the latter option might be difficult...

_{He sails from world to world in a flying tomb, serving gods who eat hope.}
[ Parent ]

: I agree; B5 should go without saying. by Rogerborg (2.00 / 0) #47 Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 07:27:34 AM EST

Wait - Captain Storm Saxon was Tron. Head rush!

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Metus amatores matrum compescit, non clementia.
[ Parent ]

A bushel is a measure of volume, pounds of weight by lm (4.00 / 1) #6 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 03:45:52 PM EST

The weight of a bushel of something will vary considerably depending on the mass density of the substance being measured. I bet that bushels to gallons or bushels to liters works just fine.

There is no more degenerate kind of state than that in which the richest are supposed to be the best.
Cicero, The Republic

: True. by NoMoreNicksLeft (4.00 / 1) #7 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 03:47:05 PM EST

And if I'm not mistaken, it actually varies in volume, depending on the substance, and even the country of origin.
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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

Weight and Wheat by Gedvondur (2.00 / 0) #11 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:02:00 PM EST

From Utah State University extension:

"The legal test weight of a bushel of wheat is
60 pounds; however, the weight of a bushel can vary from a high of about 67 pounds to a low
of 40 pounds, depending upon individual kernel size and weight."

http://extension.usu.edu/files/foodpubs/fn371.pdf

You may find the link informative, it is in regard to the home storage of wheat.

As to harvesting wheat, you are kidding yourself. Hook yourself up with an organic farmer. Wheat thrashers come in two sizes: 1 - Your arms and a scythe, 2 - Giant Commercial. IMHO, your time would be better spent researching and developing a relationship with a farmer or co-op that can give you "true organic" wheat and wheat flour.

Gedvondur
"...I almost puked like a pregnant StackyMcRacky." --MillMan

Would rather grow it myself someday... by NoMoreNicksLeft (4.00 / 2) #13 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:06:47 PM EST

Wheat's not exactly something you have to be out there with a hoe every day, breaking up clods and weeding, is it?

Guess it's arms and a scythe.
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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

Hmmm by Gedvondur (2.00 / 0) #15 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:10:17 PM EST

Well see my other comment (left before I saw your response) on wheat storage.

Just curious, why in the hell would you want to grow your own wheat? Is this some kind of "self sustainable living" fantasy? Just curious, if thats what you want, go nuts. I think you will find that sustenance farming is more than a full time job.

Gedvondur
"...I almost puked like a pregnant StackyMcRacky." --MillMan
[ Parent ]

thats exactly it by discordia (2.00 / 0) #39 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 07:22:56 PM EST

nomoredickleft is in total subsistance farm la-la land cuz he's sprouted a couple 'o chocolate seeds.

[ Parent ]

Go away, tulip boy. by NoMoreNicksLeft (2.00 / 0) #40 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 07:33:04 PM EST

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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

they did really well and are blooming now by discordia (2.00 / 0) #46 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 11:59:36 PM EST

[ Parent ]

Cool. by NoMoreNicksLeft (4.00 / 1) #50 Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 10:02:57 AM EST

I'm trying to grow stuff that's more practical, but it's still cool.

Only having mixed success though, carrots and onions are so-so, only the peas are doing well (they have to go outside soon, just because they're almost tall enough that they'll try to twine around the blinds at the top of the window).
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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

I'll post pics of my seed-starting station by discordia (2.00 / 0) #52 Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 01:27:58 PM EST

sometime this week. I've got beans, peas, tomatos, tomatillos, and sweet peppers started.

I'm also moving out my final batch of decoratives (nasturtums, etc) to make way for the next round of edibles.

We're making raised beds this week, and trying to get our first plants in by this weekend.

Weather permitting, of course.

[ Parent ]

I'm worried about moving my stuff outside... by NoMoreNicksLeft (2.00 / 0) #54 Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 02:57:01 PM EST

Still seems like we could have a few more cold nights.

I'm growing most of what you are, at this point, and a few more. Trying to decide if potatoes are possible in a raised bed out in our backyard. Only a few (condo) neighbors can see it, so the likelyhood of complaint is smaller.
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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

once I clear out the current batch of seedlings by discordia (2.00 / 0) #55 Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 04:52:24 PM EST

I'll start on eggplant, cucumbers, zucchini and greens. I had two eggplants last year and it was absurd; only one this year. Lemon cucumbers are my favorite.

The jury is still out whether I'll be doing other squash or not. I always have fruit-set issues with those bastards.

[ Parent ]

here by discordia (2.00 / 0) #56 Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 07:23:05 PM EST

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24685515@N03/

[ Parent ]

Nice. by NoMoreNicksLeft (4.00 / 1) #57 Sat Mar 15, 2008 at 12:18:56 PM EST

So far, only my peas are worth bragging about, one thing or another I'm doing is stunting everything else.
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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

: I need to update those by discordia (2.00 / 0) #58 Sat Mar 15, 2008 at 05:07:48 PM EST

not more than 24 hrs after I took those pics, the beans went off the HOOK and did a complete sprout.
the nasturtiums are also about 3x the size in that pic.
working on the peppers now. fuckers don't want to bloom

[ Parent ]

Weeding by Gedvondur (2.00 / 0) #17 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:12:34 PM EST

Well, if you don't weed it, it won't thrive, since I assume you won't use any herbicide.

Mind you, I am not sure how the average farmer handles that. It could be an overplanting situation where the wheat crowds out competing plants. I'll have to look into that.

Gedvondur
"...I almost puked like a pregnant StackyMcRacky." --MillMan
[ Parent ]

: I've never heard of anyone weeding wheat. by nightflameblue (2.00 / 0) #19 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:15:56 PM EST

Not even those who don't dose it at planting time with herbicide and pesticide.
Wheat is typically planted with hay of some type. Alfalfa is a typical one. You'll get a cutting of hay off of it before the wheat kicks it into gear, and the growth of the alfalfa will prevent weeds from taking over. Sometimes you can get a second cutting of alfalfa before the wheat really kicks in, depending on if you got spring-growth wheat or fall-growth wheat.

[ Parent ]

Looking at it by Gedvondur (2.00 / 0) #14 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:07:54 PM EST

After reading that pdf I linked to about grain storage in the home, I now think you would be insane to try it. The bug issue alone is enough to drive me off.

Gedvondur
"...I almost puked like a pregnant StackyMcRacky." --MillMan
[ Parent ]

Harvesting wheat. by nightflameblue (2.00 / 0) #16 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:11:11 PM EST

If you are thinking in smaller volumes, chat up some old farmers who have moved on. Most of the long-termers will likely have some old pull-type wheat/oats combines laying around their farms somewhere. If they were even halfway decent at taking care of their equipment, even if the combine has sat unused for ten years the most it'll need is some minor tuning up and new canvas for the rolls.

If you're real lucky, you'll find a pull-type with its own engine. We had an old John Deere pull type with its own engine. That engine took care of all the heavy work, and you could practically pull it around a flat field with a lawn tractor. Obviously, hills required a larger tractor. But we got by with a model A two cylinder when we needed to.

Note: We could clear a hundred and twenty acres with that thing in about two and a half days. If you were looking at a small field between one and five acres, you're not even talking about a morning's work. You'd spend more time greasing and oiling it than you would using it.

Unfortunately, time moved on, and everything became BIGGER BIGGER BIGGER. But on the small scale, those old pull types are hard to beat.

Still around? by Gedvondur (2.00 / 0) #18 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:15:06 PM EST

You really think that kind of equipment is still laying around in anything resembling usable condition?

I would be really surprised. I think most people gave up on harvesting that little amount of wheat fifty years ago, not ten. For a farmer, why plant less than 10 acres.

Gedvondur
"...I almost puked like a pregnant StackyMcRacky." --MillMan
[ Parent ]

Um, dude. . . by nightflameblue (4.00 / 1) #20 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:18:34 PM EST

120 acres in a couple days?

Ours is still around. Was still in use up until ten years ago. We were not the only family farm in existence that tried to push the envelope on larger fields with the same equipment by sinking more time into it.

Don't believe that just because corporate farming is the rage it's been the only valid method of farming to exist for long enough that family-farm level equipment has just evaporated.

[ Parent ]

I'm not by Gedvondur (2.00 / 0) #23 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:27:09 PM EST

I'm not making an argument for corporate farming. I am just doubting there is equipment lying around. As to new sources of small scale equipment, that may be true. I haven't seen any though.

My experience with family farms is that if a piece of equipment has been abandoned, it is because it is spent. If it had residual value, likely it would have been sold or given to another farmer.

Mind you, my experience is primarily with family dairy farming, not all-grain farms.

Gedvondur

"...I almost puked like a pregnant StackyMcRacky." --MillMan
[ Parent ]

Perception. by nightflameblue (4.00 / 1) #25 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:50:43 PM EST

Unfortunately, a lot of un-spent equipment got tossed aside as farms modernized because of the perception that there was no demand for the smaller-scale equipment. The farm I was on had the following equipment in perfectly usable shape just sitting in a shed because they believed no one else would want to use it once they moved on to larger-scale equipment themselves.

John Deere 730 Tractor
2 x Model A Tractors (And these are collectors items for the most part.)
2 x four-shovel plows
2 x ten foot disks
John Deere 3010 Tractor
2 x 10 foot hay rakes.
John Deere square baler.
Pull type John Deere combine with built-in motor.
Hayracks.
Several box wagon tops that could be switched with the hayrack frames depending on time of year.
Four row front mount cultivator for 3010
Front end loader for 3010
10 foot manure spreader

And that's just off the top of my head. All those things just parked in a shed because they bought something newer and bigger and didn't figure anybody else would want them either. Many of the hobby farmers would KILL for equipment in as good a shape as what most of that was at the time it got parked. Right now it may require a few hours attention to get the motors running smoothly again, but most of them are still operational. I know one of the model A tractors still gets run twice a year to run the fence winder.

This was a multi-crop farm. Dairy, corn, wheat, hay, and various other crops depending on the year. And they certainly weren't the only ones to do the same thing in their area. I always swore if I got enough money scraped together I'd buy at least one of those old As (my favorite) and some of the hay equipment and buy some shitty little acreage somewhere to play farmer on twice a year or so.

[ Parent ]

It would be worth it to see an SUV rear end by georgeha (2.00 / 0) #29 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 05:00:45 PM EST

a manure spreader, though it would be a cold commute.

[ Parent ]

: And suddenly, the way is clear. by nightflameblue (2.00 / 0) #30 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 05:03:14 PM EST

Mounting a manure spreader tine on the rear of my car may add the threat that I currently feel is missing from it.

[ Parent ]

It's out there by marvin (2.00 / 0) #45 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 09:51:46 PM EST

Several 1950's pull-behind combines on this page. Cheap, too, $3k.

They'd probably even work well with a small modern diesel tractor like a Kubota. Those things are unstoppable.

I recall reading a copy of Western Producer in ~1995-1996, in which they profiled a family near Regina, Sask. They turned a profit farming by having a small farm (~5-8 quarter sections), 1950's-60's equipment, and bringing in the family as part-time seasonal help to run the tractors during harvest, seeding, etc. More labour intensive, but they avoided the crippling capital costs of a modern farm.

I think a typical large prairie farm today has combines in the $250k range, with 8-16 sections of land, based on what a buddy tells me about his brother's farm. When a single farm is four miles on a side, it's getting a bit out of control.

[ Parent ]

: Thanks for the link. by NoMoreNicksLeft (4.00 / 1) #49 Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 10:00:51 AM EST

It's the kind of thing that I'd not easily find myself yet, cause I don't know what keywords to look for.
The prices look really reasonable too, a few thousand would be nothing if it makes the difference between a few hours and more than a few days of labor.
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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

I should add here. . . by nightflameblue (2.00 / 0) #21 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:21:47 PM EST

with the recent trend towards hobby farmers, city folks who farm a few days a month to show that they're producers, mostly in the midwest, small-scale equipment is making a minor comeback. There may be newer equipment available that's affordable and usable for the little guy again.

[ Parent ]

That would be cool if it were the case... by NoMoreNicksLeft (2.00 / 0) #24 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:41:10 PM EST

Thank you for the advice, another thing to research as time permits.
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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

: Also. . . by nightflameblue (4.00 / 1) #26 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:52:28 PM EST

check with your nearest Amish group. You'd be surprised how much new equipment they pick up and replace the wheels with steel so they fit their definition of usable equipment. At least, the Iowa groups do.

[ Parent ]

firefly by MillMan (4.00 / 2) #27 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:55:51 PM EST

YOU SHUT UP JOSS WHEDON IS THE SECOND COMING OF THE BABY JEBUS AND BUFFY WAS HELLA AWESOME TOO.

When I'm imprisoned as an enemy combatant, will you blog about it?

Hey wait. by nightflameblue (4.00 / 2) #28 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 04:59:49 PM EST

I didn't notice until this comment that Firefly was listed multiple times on a "worst of science fiction" poll here.

I'm no longer feeling friendly towards the diary poster.

Firefly wasn't hard sci-fi meant to appease the geeks. Firefly was sci-fi that could pull in anybody. My wife HATES sci-fi of any kind. HATES IT! Yet she loves Firefly so much she almost considered divorcing me and having its babies. Space as the old west has a very dynamic appeal. I pity any who can't appreciate that.

Sucks that it got cancelled before it really took off, but hey, at least we got that Serenity movie.

[ Parent ]

Space as the old west? by NoMoreNicksLeft (2.00 / 0) #31 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 05:07:00 PM EST

That's what I loved about Star Trek so much. I can only figure that in alien economies centuries in teh future, there was some speculative bubble on old west theatrical props, hence the need to use it in just about everything.

Trying to trap/ambush/ensnare that pesky Federation Starfleet captain? Let's use the ghosttown facade!
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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

: But, by nightflameblue (2.00 / 0) #32 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 05:10:52 PM EST

the ghosttown facade in futuristic looking spandex suits doesn't appeal to the average joe like it does when the players are all wearing western-wear and big guns. Star Trek comes across as goofy to the normal people among us, whereas something like Firefly comes across as "gritty."
I love both, I'm just sayin'. . .

[ Parent ]

Yeah. by toxicfur (2.00 / 0) #34 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 05:38:46 PM EST

My mom didn't like scifi, but I bought her Firefly and Serenity and she absolutely loved it. It's one of the few bits of media I bought her that was a total success.
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If you don't get a Bonnie, my universe will not make sense. --blixco
[ Parent ]

Urban Homesteaders by chuckles (2.00 / 0) #35 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 05:55:23 PM EST

Grow 3 tons of food per year on 1/10 acre. See also.

Skateboarding is a crime.

Yes, yes, I know... by NoMoreNicksLeft (4.00 / 1) #36 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 06:17:37 PM EST

But I want more than a tenth of an acre. The dairy cow I just bought is already getting bigger, it wants more room.

Besides, the neighbors are starting to complain.
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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

I was thinking more along the lines of... by chuckles (2.00 / 0) #37 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 06:21:31 PM EST

... whatever techniques they're using for their 1/10th acre probably scale to a much larger garden.

Skateboarding is a crime.

[ Parent ]

: True. by NoMoreNicksLeft (2.00 / 0) #38 Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 07:02:57 PM EST

Hope so anyway, but those techniques will take awhile to learn.
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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

most interesting thing about bushel, apart from by johnny (2.00 / 0) #48 Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 09:47:59 AM EST

being the cause of the bushel basket, is variations in pronunciation.

I grew up saying it like most everybody in the US, with the first syllable like the name of the asshole who recently endorsed John McCain for president.

When I was studying agricultural economics at Purdue, however, half the faculty said "boo-shell". It was very disturbing and made it hard for me to concentrate, which is probably why my grades were not very good in that Farm Management seminar.
Buy my books, dammit!

: I grew up in Indiana. by NoMoreNicksLeft (2.00 / 0) #51 Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 10:04:50 AM EST

About an hour from there. I do not think this is an Indiana thing, because I too, pronounce it like Chimpy's clan name.
Were the professors/students from not around there?
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Do not look directly into laser with remaining good eye.
[ Parent ]

Southern Indiana by johnny (2.00 / 0) #53 Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 01:34:49 PM EST

Purdue professors were from all over the country--and the world, actually-- but some of the farm management guys were from southern Indiana/Kentucky & my guess is that that's where the 'booshel' came from. My wife is from Evansville, and her father was a Kentuckian. As you probably know, the accent in Vanderburgh County is pretty distinct from that in Tippecanoe County. Evansvillians speak more like Kentuckians than like Boilermakers, although there are of course the distinct Hoosierisms in both places, such as "cheer" for "here".

Farm management is a pretty small and distinct part of agricultural economics. Most of the time were were doing econometric analysis & cost-benefit analysis and markov-chain stochastic models of whatever--it was all very mathematical and abstract. Then you'd walk into a farm management class and listen the proff talking about "booshels per acre" and disc harrow design. It was refreshing.

Buy my books, dammit!

If you want to make something commercially viable by nebbish (2.00 / 0) #59 Mon Apr 07, 2008 at 05:03:54 AM EST

Grow coca instead

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It's political correctness gone mad!

My cacao seeds are growing... | 59 comments (59 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback