Yellowstone’s King Corvid
February 26, 2024Local v. Natural Food
April 6, 2024Meadowlark: Canary of the Prairie
Michael Olson’s Food Chain Radio Show #1358
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GUEST: John Marzluff, Emeritus Professor of Forest Sciences University of Washington
Michael Olson Food Chain Radio – Meadowlark – The Canary of the Prairie Guest: John Marzluff, Emeritus Professor of Forest Sciences
Having grown up on that narrow slice of geography that lies between the peaks of the Rocky Mountains and the grasslands of the high prairie, I learned at a very early age to take joy at the song of the meadowlark.
The yellow-breasted robin-sized bird’s song could be heard from a great distance, when conditions allowed, and whenever I heard that song it would bring a moment of great joy to whatever I happened to be doing at the time. I would often try to whistle the song right back, though it did take a wet whistle to even come close.
However, the song of the meadowlark is becoming increasingly rare for the same reason buffalo no longer eat the prairie grasses in any significant number. People and their agriculture have moved onto the prairie, and meadowlarks – and many of their feathered kindred – have been forced to move out, thus portending that “silent spring” Rachel Carson promised. And so the canary of the prairie leads us to ask:
Leave a comment below: Can people grow enough food for themselves and allow birds to sing?
Take the 2X2 Pledge
“Together, we can eat our way to economic security and personal freedom, and it won’t cost a dime and it will be so easy it will make you blush!”
Michael Olson’s Three Laws of the Food Chain
#1 Agriculture is the foundation upon which we build all our sand castles.
#2 The farther we go from the source of our food, the less control we have over what’s in that food.
#3 Cheap food isn’t! READ MORE
