No Smell Yet

I know it's way too soon to tell, but I couldn't resist posting this.

Winds have been from the west and southwest lately, so even if there were any smells from the thousands of breeding sows that moved into Jasper County the other day, those smells are unlikely to reach our yard since we are 2,500 feet northwest of the hog factory.

The wind has been blowing directly at the Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife reserve.

Also, we've had a tremendous amount of rainfall these past 4 days. There's standing water everywhere! So, even though the CFO is now using about 50 gallons of freshwater per minute over there, it's doubtful that we would see any impact -- YET.

Yes, I'm worried. But you already know that.

Stay tuned. If/when something happens here, I'll definitely be writing about it!

On another random (related) topic, here's some interesting information I've uncovered for a Special Report I've been working on for BLV Health Watch. Copy of the first article on the subject follows:

New Research Presents Stronger Case For Organic Foods

"Nutrient levels in fruits, vegetables and some food crops have dramatically declined in the past 50 years." Source - FoodNavigator

Some scientists have been saying it for years, but Agricultural organizations and some government entities have been denying it and/or glossing it over. We're referring to the actual nutrients you are getting from foods today -- versus the nutrients you could/would have gotten had it been grown differently.

It's no secret that Agricultural practices have changed considerably over the past several decades. Most research by the Agricultural industry for better methods to produce fruits and vegetables have focused on:
- faster growth of crops
- higher yields of crops
- higher resistance to crop parasites and weeds
- and faster returns in revenues for farming in general.

Some experts believe this focus on efficiency has been at the cost of losing valuable nutrients, claiming those very same crops are no longer providing nutrition in sufficient quantities to bring the same benefits food has when grown organically (similar to methods used before so-called "efficiency experts" stepped in).

One such concerned expert is scientist Donald Davis, a biochemist at the University of Texas.

The primary reason for the decline in nutrient content and quality of several foods is the way the food is grown, processed and prepared, according to Davis.

“High-yield crops grow bigger or faster, but are not necessarily able to make or uptake sufficient nutrients to maintain their nutritional value,” said Davis at a recent meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in St Louis.

Recent studies of vegetables, fruits and wheat have revealed a 5 to 35 percent decline in concentrations of some vitamins, minerals and protein over the last half-century, a phenomenon that has come to be known as ‘the dilution effect.'

Davis makes a strong argument in favor of organic produce, stating “On average, antioxidant levels increased by about 30 percent in carefully designed comparative trials. Organically grown produce offers significantly enhanced health-promoting qualities, contributing to the achievement of important national public health goals.”

Now you might think this dilution effect applies only to fruits and vegetables.

Think again.

Dr. David Thomas, a primary healthcare practitioner and independent researcher recently made a comparison of government nutritional tables published in the UK in 1940, and again in 2002. The results are alarming...

For example, the iron content in 15 different varieties of meat had decreased on average by 47 percent, with some products showing a fall as high as 80 per cent, while the iron content of milk had dropped by over 60 per cent.

Copper and magnesium, essential for enzyme functioning, also showed losses in meat products. Magnesium levels have typically fallen by 10 per cent while copper levels have fallen by 60 per cent.

Stay tuned to BLV Health Watch. We'll be bringing a special free "white paper" in the months ahead that go into further detail on this very important subject.

It will give new meaning to the phrase, "You are what you eat."