[PLUG-TALK] Cooking for CO₂, was Cabbage

[Keith Lofstrom]

On Sat, Oct 28, 2017 at 11:42:08AM -0700, Denis Heidtmann wrote:
> ... I fermented two large heads a few weeks
> ago, but the fermenting did not continue as long as I remember from prior
> years--gas stopped being produced after 2 weeks.  It tastes fine, but it is
> not a full-flavored as I would like.  I spoke to a guy at the Beaverton
> Farmer's market who said the sugar content in the late cabbages depends
> upon cold weather, which this fall was lacking.  

Another thing affecting many plants is that they evolved and
were bred in times with lower atmospheric CO₂, which changes
the ratio of carbohydrates to other important nutrients. 

Without getting into politics or causes, 33% more CO₂ in
the air affects what plants do, just like 33% less oxygen
at 13.000 foot altitude affects what people do. 

The changes in plants change the nutrition balance for
pollinating insects, and increased CO₂ reduces the
"exhaust efficiency" of exhalation for these lungless
little creatures.  Flying is a tricky business even in
optimum conditions.  Our monoculture beehives may lack
the genetic variability for adaptive evolutionary
selection to operate quickly.

I believe that if we are observant and adaptive, we can
modify our crops and pollinators and recipes to accomodate
these changes.  If we stick our heads in the sand and deny
change or the need for adaptation, we lose ... to the more
adaptive people and scientific cultures that replace us.

And I think I should adapt, and learn to enjoy sauerkraut,
before there's no sauerkraut worth enjoying ... :-/

Keith

-- 
Keith Lofstrom          keithl at keithl.com