speaking of farming [General]
2011 Oct 8
The most valuable things in this world have little monetary value.
I sincerely believe, though the iPhone is cool, that the greatest technological achievements of our species were accomplished by the Native Americans, who gave the world all its essential food crops, excepting wheat and rice. And wheat and rice were really just genetic accidents, whereas corn had been so painstakingly developed that science is, even now, unsure of its wild ancestor. Then there is the tomato, hot peppers, quinoa, the potato, amaranth, sweet potatoes, beans, squash, melons like chilacayote, yams . . . and that's only some of what we've taken to our use - the treasures they created exceeded even these. Humanity simply would not exist in our present numbers without these gifts.
I sincerely believe, though the iPhone is cool, that the greatest technological achievements of our species were accomplished by the Native Americans, who gave the world all its essential food crops, excepting wheat and rice. And wheat and rice were really just genetic accidents, whereas corn had been so painstakingly developed that science is, even now, unsure of its wild ancestor. Then there is the tomato, hot peppers, quinoa, the potato, amaranth, sweet potatoes, beans, squash, melons like chilacayote, yams . . . and that's only some of what we've taken to our use - the treasures they created exceeded even these. Humanity simply would not exist in our present numbers without these gifts.
spud guy