Hay Stacks in the Small Farmer Market – Part 1

I know and you might understand as well that hay is “a good food” for different type of livestock.

Image 1- Hay stacks for sale

The livestock which eat hay in the winter or during long drought may include like:

- cows

- horses

- and sheep

Hay for food has two types: lighter and heavier, but both fairly cheap in respect for price.

Image 2- Outdoor, Illustration only

The heavier ones contain higher protein. It is said that “alfalfa hay” may contain protein up to 21%, higher compared to grass hay.

The grass hay may contain protein about 10% only, or even less than 10%, depend on many factors.

Image 3- Stacks of hay in the corner

In addition to nutritious value, people look for dryness of hay. We might wonder: Why?

It is because dryness relates to quality, since wet hay means easy to be destroyed or rotten by mold.

To be easy to be dried and stored, many people choose round than square bales. Round bales also easier to wrap with plastic.

# To be continued to Part 2

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Is America still Nation Producing Cotton?

You might be knowing the song title “Cotton Field” written by Huddie Ledbetter in 1940 to “depict” life in the states that produce cotton.

Fig 01- Cotton field in Mississippi

The USA is a prominent country to produce white cotton in the world around 1800’s., but now, India and China are the most to produce cotton.

If we travel to southern states such as Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama or Tennessee nowadays, then we will see cotton fields along the roads.

It seems “cotton is back!”

In 2021, America has produced 17.8 million bales cotton, equal to 4.3 million metric tons.

Fig 02- Pitcher, just for illustration

Fig 03- Stalks with white cotton

Two top cotton production countries in the world as of 2022:

- China, 6.4 million tons

- India, 6.2 million tons

My understanding, cotton is used for textile industries extensively to produce many things from clothes to bed sheets to towel to jackets and many more.

Interestingly, cotton is also used for other purposes: cotton seeds for animal food, plastics, oil, rubber and human cosmetics.

Have you ever seen cotton field?

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Fresh Mangoes in the US Market – Part 1 - Food Variety 25

A lot of mango types can be found in the USA market from spring to early fall. They are mainly imported from Mexico.

Fig 01- Mango from Mexico

It is surprising fact for me that those mangoes are not Mexican indigenous fruit, but introduced by British from a tropical country, Philippine around 200 or 300 years ago.

Then, the mangoes have grown very well in Mexico and other parts of South America regions.

Sure, there are many countries have exported mangoes to lucrative USA markets.

Fig 02- Honey mangoes in the net

It is estimated, revenue from fresh mangoes in USA market is about US$ 493 millions in 2020.

Fig 03- A half cut of sweet mango

Comparing to previous years, import of mango is increasing year by year in term of US$ values.

In addition to Mexico, other Latin countries which export mango to USA market are Ecuador, Peru, Haiti, Brazil and Guatemala.

USA also imports mango from some Asian countries such as Thailand, Pakistan and India.

# To be continued to Part 2

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Do you Know Cardio Kickboxing? - Sign 24

The words “Cardio Kickboxing” is new for me. I saw a sign from an organization to give a class in the public park

Fig 01- A sign of Cardio Kickboxing

I don’t know the words of Cardio Kickboxing. After searching through internet, I found interesting things.

In fact Cardio Kickboxing is created by Frank Thiboutot in 1992, about 30 years ago. Thiboutot was from Maine, and living in Kansas now.

Cardio Kickboxing is workout that mix between fast moving cardio and martial arts, hence this is a kind of high energy exercises.

Then, is Cardio Kickboxing popular?

Fig 02- Painting by local artist

Yes, Cardio Kickboxing is popular workout in the USA recently.

Data from Statista (2017) showed the participants was 6.7 million people across America in 2017. The number fluctuates year by year.

Fig 03- Two kids, just for illustration

Comparing to “martial arts,” the number is not bad. From the same source (Statista, 2021), there are about 6.3 million participants.

Fig 04- Two dogs, illustration only

As you know, the martial arts include:

- Karate

- Taekwondo

- Judo

- Ju Jitsu

- and others

Do you familiar with Cardio Kickboxing?

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Pollinators which Love Coleus Plants – Critter 22

I have seen different colors and shapes of Coleus plants in the gardens across our city.

Fight 01- Bright colors of Coleus plant.

I found some colors of Coleus plant leaves are:

- yellow

- pink

- green

- red

- purple, orange, etc

What make me wonder that from several sources that there is no blue color for Coleus leaves. I don’t know why.

Fig 02- Hummingbirds, a pollinator

Basically, the plants respond to light:

- more light cause darker colors

- less light makes plant brighter

Fig 03- Butterfly, a beautiful pollinator

The plant, actually, is including in mint family. They are great air purifiers as indoor plants.

Fig 04- A bee could interest to any blooming plants

In our states, Louisiana, the plant could “blooming” until late summer. The blooming time is quite longer compared to some other plants.

Fig 05- Dark colors of Coleus plant

Since plants can’t take cold, under F 50 (C 10) degrees. We might grow in the indoor pots under bright light.

Then bring plants outdoors in the spring when temperature warm enough (higher than F 50 or C 10 degrees).

The blooming Coleus plants are very attractive to pollinators:

- hummingbirds

- butterfly

- bees

- and other pollinators

Have you seen this plant?

If yes, what colors do you see?

Why are these Foods Stolen? - Part 2 – Food Variety 23

You may read previous post (Part 1):

- Why are These Types of Foods Stolen? - Part 1 – Food Variety 23 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- Chocolates sold in a grocery

How about the food lost in the world?

Sure, much more compared to America in terms of percentage and total economic value.

What quite surprising me that food loss is due to stolen by customers, not only from groceries and retailers, but also from restaurants.

However, main thefts of restaurants are their own employee, very rare done by customers!

Fig 02- Iced tea, just for illustration

Fig 03- Candies, one of favorite foods

Fig 04- Fresh meat in the market.

There is long list of foods stolen worldwide, some of most shoplift items are:

- cheese and chocolate

- fresh meat

- alcohol

- seafood

- infant formula

The question then: Why are these foods stolen by people?

Quick and simple answer is that they are “lucrative goods,” especially in developing countries where not all people can afford them.

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Edible Mushroom in the World – Food Variety 24

Mushroom is one of my favorites, because, I think it is delicious and one of healthy foods.

Fig 01- Wild mushroom at backyard

There are more than 50 thousand types of mushroom live in tropical region, southern and northern hemispheres.

They are used for many purposes, include medical and food resources. Surprisingly that not very much percentage are poisonous, around 1% to 2% of 50 thousand kinds only.

Many species of commercial mushrooms sold in the market. We could buy in the groceries or small stores or at farmer markets.

Fig 02- Enoki mushroom, wrapped in plastic

Fig 03- Look like long “small sticks or strings”

Fig 04- Photo from other side of wild mushroom

However, we understand that about 90 types have been cultivated, and 30 species are developed for commercial purposes.

Some types of famous mushroom with economic values are following:

- Shitake mushroom and Cremini mushroom

- White button mushroom and Maitake mushroom

- Oyster mushroom and Beech mushrooms

- Porcino mushrooms and Portobello mushroom

What type of mushroom do you familiar with?

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