I have a quick After America related research question. What kind of farming would you do in east Texas, besides running Bedak Whitetail beef cattle (to replace all the longhorns that disappeared in the Wave.)
Specifically what kind crops are you looking at if you had say two hunnert acres somewhere around Limestone or Robertson counties.
Or perhaps I should ask, if you were a small homesteader with that many acres, and you’d been tasked to run a mixed cropping farm under President Kippers resettlement scheme, where would be the land for that in Texas?
And, as a bonus question for everyone else, if not Texas, and if not anywhere within say four or five hundred miles of eastern seaboard, where?
I live in west texas, and it is really the only area that comes to my mind when texas farming is mentioned. actually, the panhandle. east texas is now very …built up. The only real farming that I remember reading about in the area was during the early history of Stephen F. Austin’s settlement, and then it was mostly subsistance. East Texas is has hills…which can be very annoying for farmers unless they have the super deluxe ATV tractor. In the panhandle no trees even grew naturally,they were imports. East Texas could spport most crops, but you would hsve to clear the land. west Texas is flat, and cotton, corn, and watermelons are grown a lot here. Since the 70′s there have been winerys popping up due to some study that was done about the climate. The east is mostly cattle and large magical places called cities.
Damian – it will be subsistance if the wheels fall off. Given low start up population, likelihood of long tern “high end culture” is grim. Right down to basic governance, I think land titles & surveying will be small beans priority wise in 1 or maybe 2 generations. Remember the title – After America.
Baling Twine Definition. Nylon string universaly in 1.6m length – primary use holding bales of hay / oats ect together. 2ndry use….. somewhat like duct / gaff tape – a million uses & counting.
Fuel resources have a fixed lifespan. After 12 months unleaded is unreliable at best due to evaporation / oxidation of key volatiles. I believe Diesel has a slightly longer shelf life. Either way unless oil to fuel infrastructure restarted, CONUS is dependent on import – for which you need real cash $.
On a slightly global perspective – could the oil trade survive the loss of the top 100 supplier companies? Right down to the component pumps valves & piping suppliers?
Supply of nylon string after stockpiles are used would be iffy. Likewise all plastics and agrichemicals, without oil and the associated industrial infrastructure.
Even a small hemp crop would answer the string issue though. Not to mention make for amusing plot developments in the hands of the author of Felafel.
Dr Y, i do plan to get to your neck of the woods. I am thinking Feb of ’10 but more likely ’11. I will definitely partake of the local cuisine. We have imported deer here, Axis mainly, that aren’t so bad, but it’s hardly a hunt–drive out, find the animal, kill it, clean it and have someone process it. I prefer bison for low fat meat. Or a filet.
Sailor–all of the farming i’ve seen in west texas is irrigation dependent, whether around Lubbock, Amarillo, Childress. I’ve seen no farming to speak of west of Del Rio on out to El Paso. East Texas, as in Piney Woods East Texas is almost uniformly red clay soil, not loamy stuff to produces good yields. Some cattle, horses, gardens, etc. Coastal and slightly inland is the best choice.