The Original Solar Power

Do you remember the grapevine photos from last Spring?

This is what the grapes look like these days. Almost time for harvest. We turn sunshine in to yummy goodness.

It has been wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too hot this past week, and the coming week doesn't look much better.

While it has been too hot, we do get a lot of sunshine. Below is a recent radio script about how we use that sunshine.

Farming: the Original Solar Power

By Paul H. Betancourt

Copyright July 2012

                If you look at it in its simplest form what I do on the farm is convert solar energy into food energy. That would make farming the original solar power.

            There is a whole lot of hoopla about alternative energy these days and that is fine. But, let’s not forget what farmers are really doing out there. We are turning sunlight into food through the process of photosynthesis. I remember learning about photosynthesis in elementary school. I didn’t know I would be making my living by photosynthesis and I sure didn’t understand everything we see and do, our whole society depends on this amazing process.

            Modern agriculture is amazing. I know food prices are climbing, but we still spend a historically small percentage of our income on food. We also spend a fairly small amount of our time preparing food. It wasn’t too long ago it would take all day prepare, cook and clean up the meals for a family. But, all our modern wonders wouldn’t happen if we didn’t have sunshine to turn seed, soil and a little water into the food we all eat. Pretty amazing isn’t it?

I hope Y'all have a great week.

Careful out there in the heat.