• Dairy farm soil won’t support 2,000 cows • Questions on that corn donation • Evidence seriously lacking Dairy farm soil won’t support 2,000 cows For months, those concerned, including myself, have been forced to form opinions regarding the proposed Hawaii Dairy Farm,
• Dairy farm soil won’t support 2,000 cows • Questions on that corn donation • Evidence seriously lacking
Dairy farm soil won’t support 2,000 cows
For months, those concerned, including myself, have been forced to form opinions regarding the proposed Hawaii Dairy Farm, based on partial data. I come from a farm/ranching background where my chores included milking cows. I also have a background in research, a knowledge of Maha’ulepu, and have had ample time to meet with dairy experts to review the HDF plan.
In an effort to keep us all informed, many concerned, both local and beyond, have collaborated to form a website, http://www.friendsofmahaulepu.org. HDF’s latest plan (at least the portions not marked “Confidential”) is now posted there. Even though large portions of their plan have been omitted, after review of pages 12, 63, and 64, one can find a detailed breakdown of the soil composition for each grazing paddock with test results showing the soil’s ability to absorb water.
HDF refers to the farm’s soil as “degraded” in the text of their new plan. The table they attached, however, prepared by the company that conducted the soil tests, identifies the soil by name, and doesn’t use the phrase degraded. The table differentiation uses the terms: clay, deep clay, poorly draining clay, etc. It does not use degraded to describe the farm soil. Nearly every soil type identified is incapable of supporting the amount of Kikuyu grass growth needed to feed HDF’s nearly 2,000 cows.
If you objectively evaluate the data, you will begin to understand why this large scale industrial dairy should be located elsewhere.
Ronald John
San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Questions on that corn donation
At first glance, it was nice to read in the paper here that the Westside GMO seed/pesticide research companies just donated over 4,000 pounds of corn on the cob to the Kauai food bank this week. Then I thought: Was their donated corn for Kauai families the unproven-experimental-pesticide-research corn? And if so, was it possibly the very GMO strain that China recently banned from being imported to its country? Why was there not one question of this in the news article published by TGI or was this just a crafted publicity piece?
I also wonder how often before this the seed companies have made a corn on the cob donation to Kauai food bank? Or is this just a convenient way for these companies to now say they “truly are” Kauai ag while their seed product overwhelmingly benefits out of state profits, not Kauai food supply long term? Just food for thought on what we’re being fed — both to our stomachs and to our minds.
John Cragg
Kapaa
Evidence seriously lacking
OK. Now that we have decided Kimo Rosen set the fire, let’s look at how he was able to do so. Since he rides a bicycle everywhere with Obama, his dog, in tow, he must have attached a wagon to the back of his bike and towed a five-gallon can of gasoline to the Coco Palms Resort in full view of everyone on the island driving by to finger him as he went to set said fire. Good idea.
No? Then he must have hand carried five gallons of gas (about what, 40 pounds?) across country, crossing roads where he would have been seen by numerous drivers, set said fire then escaped carrying the now empty gas can back to his residence where he tried to explain to his neighbors the gas is for his human-propelled bicycle. He doesn’t have a car.
Need another stab at his alleged arson? He filled an undetermined amount of balloons with helium, using a battery/solar powered fan he directed this floating cloud (undetected mind you) from his home on the north side of Kapaa, to the resort where he used the gasoline to start the fire and floated back home. Neat trick since he was not seen with that rainbow floating over all the people and cars that would have noticed him.
I was a criminal justice major in college and will help him any way I can as it is clear a suspect, no matter how far out there, is needed. The police, as well as others, have to have physical evidence before they can charge anyone with a crime, simply saying a person “feels” as many of us do, Coco Palms should be torn/burned down because of so many years of termite damage, neglect and disintegration it would not be safe to put a Band-Aid on for repair doesn’t constitute evidence, just a person’s right to an opinion.
Hang in there, my friend. We will ride this wave together.
Lynx Ellison
Kapaa
