Puffs

I’m going to include a little bit this week about weeds . . .

Not your normal garden type weeds or your corn field type noxious weed. This is about a native tree that many have lately considered “an invasive, non-desirable and problematic tree.”

An interesting consideration is that the determination that the Eastern Red Cedar Tree has become a “Noxious Weed” comes from a publication of Panhandle Research Integration for Discovery Education.

Maybe “Noxious” isn’t quite an accurate notation, but in this publication it’s a plant that should be treated like a “Noxious” weed.

For the Spring 2022 edition, the Red Cedar receives front page attention.

The tree is a native to Nebraska, but for years had always been held in check by prairie fires. As the state was settled by Europeans and farming became the primary means of employment, fires of any kind were discouraged and the trees slowly spread to areas they naturally would have been controlled by the burning of the prairie grass.

The article was not long, but informed us that maybe the two most important changes brought about by the spread of these trees were: No. 1: use of water and No. 2: loss of grazing land for cattle.

No. 1: The trees use a large amount of water to survive. Rainfall runoff is reduced greatly causing creeks and rivers to have poor water quality, if they have any at all. They report that a 2-inch diameter cedar tree uses six gallons of water per day on average. A 12-inch diameter tree used up to 42 gallons a water per day. Even in winter the tree would use one gallon a day.

No. 2: Rangeland . . . land available for cows to graze on, it was noted: “Within a few years, rangeland may go from a grassland to a cedar woodland resulting in significant negative impacts to water and land resources.”

The cost of controlling these trees was not touched on directly, except they noted it was much less expensive to control the trees while they were young and little, than when larger.

Without a direct connection to the land many folks are not aware of all the land already lost to the red cedar. However, in recent years more and more attention has been given to the situation. I can remember several farmers (now passed on) talk about how government programs promoted the planting of these red cedar as wind breaks or snow fences, etc.

Turns out these trees were maybe not the best type of trees to use.

In related news, last weekend’s Hastings newspaper printed a story on information about plans for a “weed control” field day.

Eastern Red Cedars were not among the weeds discussed.

A O

You may have noticed that on occasion I have made remarks about Socialism, or other “State Controlled” programs.

I have contended that every type of Socialist society that was ever tried has failed, but that has not stopped people from thinking it really is a good thing.

That brought to mind two times I’ve read items dealing with Socialism over the years.

No. 1: Many years ago, while I was in school I read the USSR Constitution. Compared to the U. S., the people of Russia and the countries it controlled were really well off. According to the written word they had freedoms and opportunities we never dreamed of.

The problem . . . None, or very, very few of those freedoms were ever actually used. In fact, millions upon millions of people were killed with the government’s effort to install their type of Socialist government and society.

No. 2: I just recently finished reading a book: ‘The Diary of a Country Priest.’ Written around the turn of the 20th century, it contained several comments about Socialism. Not directly by name, but in context to other situations.

Over a hundred years ago, the socialist government was described as follows: “the Pagan State. The state which knows no law but that of its own wellbeing – the merciless countries full of greed and pride.” It continued later: “You gave us the “state” instead. The state to arm us and clothe us and feed us, and take charge of our conscience into the bargain.”

Gosh . . . I don’t have room to compare what’s going on today in America to that thought just listed above, but if you are keeping track of any activity of the government these last couple of years, you’ll find interesting comparisons.

Another observation made over one hundred years ago I also found interesting went as follows: “ God made man in His image: when man tried to build a social order to suit himself he’s bound to make a clumsy copy of the other, the true society.”

I’d contend that what they mean is that it is not easy to build a society that is ideal for all. However, we can learn from history and find a way forward. Socialism is certainly not the way forward, although there may be small parts that could be incorporated into society. A person just has to be careful what he does.

To me, that is what we do in America. Shy away from radical, sudden changes to society as a whole that satisfies just a small part of society. Many ‘Liberals’ strive to support ‘radical, sudden changes’ rather than encourage a gradual progression to things that give better lives to everyone.

I do not understand why it has been said lately that many younger members of society seem to support Socialism. I suspect it is because they have never been taught what happens when Socialism is implemented. Although the concepts of Socialism sounds good, we (as any society) just cannot figure out how to start it correctly.

A O