U. S. Winter Wheat Impaired

According to The Mildweed, USDA says that the 2008 winter wheat crop is impaired, compared to 20-year historic data. (photo via www.freefoto.com) Because of severe drought and flooding, only 45% of this year's crop is rated good or excellent. Because an increasing number of countries are prohibiting exports or imposing tariffs on food exports, the world cannot afford a bad U.S. wheat crop this year. You might have noticed that GardenSnob is a little obsessed with wheat and other food supplies. We have been called "horders", paranoid, even murderers (um, think pigs) and I suppose it's true. However, everyone has seen those haunting bread line pictures from the depression (and from yesterday in other parts of the world) and it would be foolish not to consider this a real possibility, given the current state of affairs. We at GardenSnob are paranoid horders and would much prefer to be dining on potatoes au gratin from our stash in the basement instead of waiting in a line for some dry bread made from genetically altered wheat. More realistically, we would like to slurp on a juicy tomato from our own backyard rather than spend a few days in the hospital pumped up on antibiotics after contracting salmonella from a tomato from who knows where. To that end, we say stock your pantry, put your 2-week emergency kit together, and get to know your local farmers.

July 21, 2008

U. S. Winter Wheat Impaired