It was on this day in 1812 that a series of violent earthquakes near Missouri caused a tsunami of sorts in the Mississippi River, actually making the river run backward for several hours. The series of tremors and earthquakes, which took place between December 1811 and March 1812, are actually the most powerful in the …
Crazy Bit of History… The Day the Mississippi River Ran in Reverse Read More »
America’s orange growers are on track for another decline in production this season with USDA most recently estimating an -11% drop from last year’s output. In Florida, the nation’s largest orange grower, USDA is forecasting a production decline of -16%, which would be the state’s smallest crop in at least 75 years. Production in California, …
While electric cars have become increasingly mainstream over the last decade, the freight rail industry has not seen the same push to electrify. According to Berkeley Labs, electrification efforts for freight trains have not been a priority because they only account for about 2% of U.S. transportation emissions. What many may not realize is that …
I doubt most of today’s younger generations, especially those never setting foot on a farm, even know what canning is all about. A staple to most farming families over the generations, canning actually goes back to the Napoleonic era. With the French military spreading its influence geographically during that time, the challenge of feeding the …
In the U.S., the standard unit of land measurement is the “acre,” which is exactly 4,840 square yards, or 43,560 square feet. The history of how we settled on this seemingly random area and why we are one of the few industrialized countries still using it is a lot more interesting than you might think. …
Diesel engines are in many ways the backbone of American industry. Most of the transportation models used to move goods across the country and around the globe utilize diesel-powered engines, including trains, boats, barges, heavy- and medium-duty trucks. They also power a large portion of the equipment used in farming, construction, the military, and public …
Understanding the Difference Between Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel Read More »
Veteran Rancher Bill Niman, founder and previous owner of famed Niman Ranch, whose meats are relished by dozens of high-end chefs, including Jean-Georges and Alfred Portale, as well as Chipotle, who all post the Niman Ranch name on their menus like a badge of honor, is now looking to bring more transparency to the meat …
The Great Depression was one of the worst times in modern history for American farmers. Like others of the time, brothers Francis Nephi Grigg and Golden Grigg barely scraped by. They initially grew sweet corn and potatoes on the borders of eastern Oregon and their native Idaho but a big gamble on the future of …
How Two Idaho Farmers Turned Potato Scraps into an American Food Classic Read More »
The nation’s largest retailer announced yesterday that it is investing in indoor vertical farming company “Plenty”, a San Francisco-based startup, uses indoor warehouse facilities in California to house rows of hydroponic towers to grow leafy greens like lettuce, kale, and arugula. The operation incorporates engineering, software and “sustainable crop science” to grow several crops on …
Walmart First Large US Retailer to ‘Significantly Invest’ in Vertical Farming Read More »
Hormel Foods is probably most famous for its novel canned meat product “SPAM” which gained worldwide popularity during World War II. The company, founded by George A. Hormel in 1891, had a long history of innovation before that product made them a household name, though, guided by Hormel’s business mantra, “Originate, don’t imitate.” By the …
